Method for controlling a vacuum cooling device
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum cooling devices for food, particularly baked goods, face challenges with high energy consumption due to the need for powerful vacuum pumps to handle large volumes of steam, leading to contamination and increased operational costs, as well as quality issues from sudden pressure drops that can damage food products.
Innovation Solution
A method for regulating a vacuum cooling device that uses a steam condenser to condense a large part of the steam produced, allowing the vacuum pump to operate at optimal power levels by continuously adapting its speed based on a preprogrammed pressure profile, reducing energy consumption and preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a powerful vacuum pump is used to handle large volumes of steam, then the vacuum cooling effect is achieved, but energy consumption increases and contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the steam condensation function from the vacuum pump system by introducing a separate condenser. The condenser removes the majority of steam before it reaches the vacuum pump, allowing the pump to operate at lower power while maintaining cooling effectiveness. This separation resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for high pump power to handle all steam.
Solution Approach 2:
The condenser acts as an intermediary component between the vacuum chamber and the vacuum pump. It condenses steam into liquid form, reducing the steam volume that reaches the pump. This intermediary device enables the system to achieve efficient vacuum cooling without requiring excessive pump power, thus resolving the energy consumption contradiction.
2Productivity
If a powerful vacuum pump is used to handle large volumes of steam, then the vacuum cooling effect is achieved, but contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The condenser extracts and removes the majority of steam before it reaches the vacuum pump. By condensing steam into liquid form in the condensation chamber, the system prevents large volumes of steam from contaminating the pump and surrounding environment, thus resolving the contamination issue while maintaining cooling efficiency.
3Productivity
If the vacuum pump operates at constant high power, then steam is removed efficiently, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the vacuum pump power based on real-time steam generation rates. The control unit adjusts the pump's power consumption dynamically, increasing it when steam generation is high and reducing it when steam generation decreases. This dynamic adjustment maintains efficient steam removal while minimizing energy consumption, resolving the contradiction between productivity and power requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback control where the control unit monitors the vacuum state and steam generation, then adjusts the vacuum pump's power consumption accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures the pump operates at the minimum necessary power level to maintain effective steam removal, eliminating the need for constant high power operation and resolving the energy consumption contradiction.
4Loss of time
If sudden pressure drops are used for rapid cooling, then cooling time is reduced, but food quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic pressure control where the pressure reduction rate is adjusted based on food temperature and sensitivity. The control unit modulates the vacuum pump power to achieve optimal pressure drop rates that are rapid enough for efficient cooling but gentle enough to prevent food damage. This dynamic control resolves the contradiction between cooling speed and food quality preservation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the power requirement of the vacuum pump by up to 30%, prevents contamination, and ensures precise control over the cooling process, maintaining food quality by avoiding sudden pressure drops and allowing for efficient condensation of steam, thus optimizing energy use and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
a steam condenser (4) integrated into the vacuum chamber (2), in which the steam from the product chamber (7) is condensed
Implementation Method 2
a vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, connected to the vacuum chamber for expelling steam from the vacuum chamber and creating a negative pressure in the vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 3
Hot and moist food can be cooled very efficiently by evacuation in a vacuum chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for controlling a vacuum cooling device (1) for cooling food, in particular hot baked goods, is proposed. The vacuum cooling device (1) contains a vacuum chamber (2) for receiving the food. This vacuum chamber is loaded with food to be cooled, with the food being assigned a cooling program, the vacuum chamber being closed, and a vacuum pump being put into operation in order to evacuate the vacuum chamber. The pressure in the vacuum chamber is recorded with a pressure gauge, or the temperature in the vacuum chamber is measured and the pressure is regulated on the basis of the temperature measurement. The pressure gauge converts the pressure into a pressure measurement signal. The pressure measurement signal is fed to a control unit. The control unit contains a memory element, the memory element containing the cooling program for each foodstuff to be cooled. The cooling program contains a target pressure profile, with the target pressure profile corresponding to the desired pressure profile of the vacuum cooling for the food to be cooled during the cooling period, the pressure measurement signal being compared with the target pressure at this point in time at least at one point in time within the cooling period. A target speed of the vacuum pump is assigned to the target pressure. The vacuum pump is equipped with a tachometer to measure the speed of the vacuum pump, wherein at least one time the speed of the vacuum pump is compared to the target speed and an adjustment element is provided to adjust the speed to the target speed.