Variable Ohmic Control for Cheese Curd Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ohmic heating technologies for pasta filata cheese manufacturing face challenges in achieving consistent heat distribution due to varying electroconductivity of cheese curds, leading to uneven heating and texture in the final product.
Innovation Solution
A device with variable ohmic control and a co-rotating dual auger system that adjusts ohmic output along a linear path by controlling the network of electrical flow, frequency, and vector intersections, along with increasing auger diameter from proximal to distal ends, to maintain consistent temperature and texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional ohmic heating with fixed electrical probes or plates is used, then heating can be applied to cheese curds, but uneven heat distribution occurs due to varying electroconductivity of individual curds
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into multiple independently controllable heating zones along the linear path, each with its own electrical probes or plates. This allows different sections of the cheese mass to be heated at different rates based on their local electroconductivity, resolving the uneven heating problem caused by varying curd properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical output to each heating zone is dynamically adjusted based on real-time feedback from temperature sensors and knowledge of the cheese mass's changing electroconductivity as mixing progresses. This dynamic control ensures uniform temperature distribution despite the evolving heterogeneous nature of the cheese curds.
2Power
If ohmic heating is applied to nascent cheese curds during mixing, then heating occurs, but the rapidly changing electroconductivity causes wild fluctuations in heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors in each heating zone provide continuous feedback to a control system that adjusts the electrical output to maintain target temperatures. This feedback loop compensates for the wild fluctuations in heat generation caused by rapidly changing electroconductivity during the mixing and protein network formation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the electrical parameters (voltage, current, power) applied to each heating zone based on the stage of mixing and the known evolution of cheese mass electroconductivity. This allows the heating process to adapt to the changing physical and chemical properties of the cheese as proteins break and reform into networks.
3Productivity
If high electrical output is applied to heat the cheese mass, then heating efficiency improves, but arcing and overheating occur in high-resistance areas
Solution Approach 1:
Each heating zone is equipped with independent electrical probes or plates that can be controlled at different power levels. This allows the system to apply higher power to areas with good electroconductivity and lower power to high-resistance areas, maintaining heating efficiency while preventing arcing and overheating in localized regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies electrical heating in a controlled, progressive manner rather than attempting to heat the entire cheese mass uniformly at high power from the start. By gradually increasing power to each zone as mixing progresses and electroconductivity improves, the system achieves efficient heating without exceeding safe power densities that would cause arcing.
4Stability of the object's composition
If cheese curds are mixed during ohmic treatment, then protein networks form and blend, but electroconductivity changes rapidly and inconsistently
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber is divided into multiple heating and mixing zones that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows the system to manage the complex changes in electroconductivity by treating different regions separately, reducing the overall control complexity while maintaining consistent protein network formation throughout the cheese mass.
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 ensures consistent texture and flavor by controlling heat distribution and conductivity, minimizing arcing and overheating, and optimizing the mixing and pasteurization process.
Implementation Method 1
The present inventive subject matter relates to a device and system for ohmic heating and mixing by variable conductive heating controls
Implementation Method 2
The level of conductivity of the cheese improves with improved consistency of the internal protein structure and distribution in the cheese texture along this path
Data Source
AI summary
The invention herein pertains to a device and system for controlled mixing of textured material along a linear path by means variable ohmic controls. The device comprising the following components: a dual auger unit wherein two linear augers are held within a single linear casing, each said linear augers having an increased diameter pitch along its length, perforations along the length of said single linear casing, electro-conductive plates attachable to each said perforation. The preferred embodiment of this invention is intended to be used for mixing pasta filata cheese curds to form a singular cheese mass with consistent texture. The device may also be used to mix other types of fluid textured material including food and non-food substances.