Vacuum Food Drying with Heat Transfer Fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying methods for food products, particularly meat-based products, result in uneven dehydration between the core and the outer skin, leading to prolonged processing times and the risk of crusting, due to limitations in heat transfer and diffusion rates.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a mixer with a vacuum system where heat is applied to maintain or increase the product's temperature during drying, using a heat transfer fluid or electromagnetic radiation, to neutralize the endothermic nature of evaporation and create a temperature gradient between the core and the outer skin, ensuring uniform drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vacuum evaporation is used for drying food products, then dehydration efficiency is improved and processing time is reduced, but a drying gradient forms between the core and outer skin leading to uneven dehydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different temperatures to different regions of the food product by introducing a heat transfer fluid that contacts the outer skin while the core remains at a different temperature. This creates localized thermal conditions that balance the drying rate between the surface and interior, resolving the uneven dehydration problem while maintaining high productivity through vacuum evaporation.
2Loss of energy
If vacuum evaporation is applied without heat application, then energy consumption is reduced, but the product temperature decreases leading to freezing and reduced dehydration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of the heat transfer fluid (circulating between liquid and vapor phases) to transfer heat efficiently to the food product during vacuum evaporation. The fluid absorbs heat from the heating jacket and releases it to the product, maintaining product temperature above freezing while consuming minimal energy compared to direct heating methods.
3Device complexity
If conventional drying methods are used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but crusting occurs on the outer skin and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat transfer fluid as an intermediary between the heating system and the food product. This fluid circulates in contact with the product outer skin, providing controlled heat transfer that prevents excessive surface drying and crusting formation, while the vacuum system handles the dehydration process efficiently.
4Productivity
If the product temperature is increased during vacuum drying, then dehydration efficiency improves, but the temperature difference between core and outer skin increases causing non-uniform drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic temperature control by continuously circulating the heat transfer fluid at controlled flow rates and temperatures. The system adjusts the thermal conditions in real-time during vacuum evaporation, maintaining optimal temperature differences that drive dehydration while preventing excessive gradients that would cause non-uniform drying or crusting.
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 enhances dehydration efficiency, reduces processing time, and minimizes the risk of crusting by maintaining a consistent temperature and promoting uniform drying across the product, while also allowing for simultaneous salting and baking operations.
Implementation Method 1
drying the food product present in the enclosure by applying a vacuum to the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
applying a vacuum to the enclosure
Implementation Method 3
heat being applied by heat transfer between at least one heat transfer fluid and the product
Implementation Method 4
heat being applied by heat transfer between at least one heat transfer fluid and the product and/or by irradiation of said product by an electromagnetic radiation
Implementation Method 5
Since evaporation is an endothermic process, the latter leads to a cooling of the food product
Data Source
AI summary
A method for drying a food product includes the step of: a) inserting the food product in an enclosure, the enclosure being defined by the vessel of a mixer; and b) drying the food product in the enclosure by applying a vacuum to the enclosure. The supplying of heat to the product located inside the enclosure is carried out when the vacuum is applied to the enclosure during step b) such as to maintain and/or increase the temperature of the product during all or part of the process of drying by applying a vacuum to the enclosure. The supplying of heat is carried out by heat transfer between at least one heat-transfer fluid and the product and/or by irradiating the product with electromagnetic radiation.