Vertical Liquid Microwave Food Processing System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial-scale food processing systems using microwave technology face challenges in achieving high throughput and consistency due to issues like hot and cold spots, which can lead to adverse effects on food quality and nutritional value compared to traditional retort sterilization methods.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electromagnetic wave food processing system with a continuous processing channel comprising a come-up chamber, a main heating chamber, and a cool-down chamber, where food products are conveyed vertically through liquid columns and exposed to microwave energy, maintaining consistent pressure and temperature to ensure uniform heating and sterilization without physical gates, thereby enhancing throughput and nutritional retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional retort sterilization using thermal conduction is used, then food preservation and shelf life are improved, but taste, appearance and nutritional qualities are diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional thermal conduction (mechanical heat transfer) with electromagnetic radiation (microwave energy) for sterilization. This substitution allows direct heating of food contents without relying on thermal conduction through packaging, thereby preserving nutritional quality while achieving effective sterilization and extended shelf life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of energy transmission from thermal conduction to electromagnetic radiation. By using microwave energy at specific frequencies and power levels, the system achieves sterilization with minimal impact on nutritional components, resolving the contradiction between preservation effectiveness and nutritional retention.
2Productivity
If conventional microwave processing is used, then heating speed is improved, but hot and cold spots occur leading to inconsistent sterilization
Solution Approach 1:
The processing system is divided into distinct functional zones: a come-up chamber for initial heating, a main processing chamber for sterilization, and a cool-down chamber for temperature equalization. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, ensuring uniform heating throughout the product while maintaining high processing speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces liquid columns as intermediary media between the microwave energy source and the food products. These liquid columns act as heat transfer mediators that distribute thermal energy uniformly, eliminating hot and cold spots while maintaining rapid processing speeds.
3Productivity
If high throughput processing is implemented, then productivity is improved, but consistency and uniformity of sterilization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous processing system where food products move continuously through the come-up chamber, main processing chamber, and cool-down chamber. This continuous action maintains high throughput while ensuring each product receives consistent microwave energy exposure and thermal processing, thereby achieving both high productivity and sterilization consistency.
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
The system processes food products at high speeds, achieving significant microbial reduction while maintaining nutritional density, with the ability to process up to 3000 containers per minute and ensuring consistent sterilization or pasteurization, addressing the limitations of traditional microwave systems.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic wave (such as microwave) energy emitting apparatus configured to emit energy into the main heating chamber
Implementation Method 2
The come-up chamber and the cool-down chamber are at least partially filled with liquid
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments herein include processing systems for food products and related methods. In an embodiment, a food processing system is included with a continuous processing channel divided into a come-up chamber, a main electromagnetic wave (such as microwave) heating chamber, and a cool-down chamber. The continuous processing channel can define at least two separate portions oriented for vertical product movement. In various embodiments, the come-up chamber, the main electromagnetic wave heating chamber, and the cool-down chamber are at least partially filled with liquid. The system can further include a product conveyor mechanism to convey food products to be processed continuously along a conveyance path passing from the come-up chamber through the main electromagnetic wave heating chamber and to the cool-down chamber. The system can further include an electromagnetic wave energy emitting apparatus configured to emit electromagnetic wave energy into the main heating chamber. Other embodiments are also included herein.