DE102004048081A1 - Ripe gas production for maturing climacteric fruits e.g. bananas, comprise extracting nitrogen from compressed air by a nitrogen generator and merging the nitrogen with ethylene in a gas mixer - Google Patents

Abstract

The gas is transferred to a hose line and/or pipe system on the closed ripe chambers. The process is designated by a component of the mobile ripe technology in controlled atmosphere containers. An independent claim is included for a device by using the above method.

Description

Of the Food retail and with it the fruit and vegetable trade is subject to persistent price and margin declines. In this Environment becomes a modern ripening, in addition to the quality of the maturing result, increasingly measured by its cost effectiveness.

basis The patent application is a new method and apparatus for Generation of mature gas for the maturation of climacteric fruits in stationary Ripening rooms and mobile rime containers. In essence, count the climacteric fruits all fruits, by the conversion of strength edible in fructose be made or consumable. Mainly bananas, kiwis, Papayas, some types of melons, tomatoes, etc.

1. Common practice

At present becomes the maturation gas requirement of a ripening plant is covered by the receipt of ripening gas in pressure vessels. 1 pressure vessel contains 60 liters of mature gas at 200 bar pressure. The ripening gas exists 96% nitrogen and 4% ethylene.

A Typical ripening consumes about 2-4 bundles of bottles (1 bundles of cylinders Ripening gas consists of 12 pressure vessels, Price / bundle: approx. EUR 460, -) maturing gas per year and chamber. At a number of 25 Chambers arise of ripening alone for the ripening gas cost of about EUR 23,000, - to EUR 46,000, -

2. TOP RIPENER - Procedure and apparatus for producing ripening gas

With This patent application makes it possible for the first time for maturation climacteric fruits Required ripening gas on-site in the ripening workshop as needed and to produce efficiently.

Me This new development can reduce the cost of maturing gas, depending on the ripening chamber concept to approx. EUR 2,500, - to EUR 4,000, - p.a. to reduce.

• – Anschaffungskosten für das Reifegas in Druckbehältern entfallen
• – Handlingskosten für das Reifegas in Druckbehältern entfallen (Auftragsabwicklung, Anlieferung, Einlagerung, Leerguthandling)
• – Rückgabe von ungenutztem Gas in Druckbehältern entfällt (ca. 10%–25% des Flaschencolumens gehen – aufgrund des erforderlichen Restdrucks in den Druckbehältern – ungenutzt zum Hersteller zurück)
• – Mithilfe dieser Neuentwicklung lässt sich das Reifegas in jeder beliebigen Konzentration bedarfsgerecht erzeugen. Dies ist aufgrund der fixen Mischungsverhältnisse in den Druckbehältern derzeit nicht möglich. Dadurch sinkt die Gefahr von Ethylenüberdosierungen in der Kammeratmosphäre und damit die Gefahr von Beschädigungen an korrosionsempfindlichen Teilen in der Reifekammer.

In particular, this new method offers the following advantages over current practice:

• - Acquisition costs for the maturation gas in pressure vessels omitted
• - Handling costs for the maturing gas in pressure vessels are eliminated (order processing, delivery, storage, empties handling)
• - Return of unused gas in pressure vessels is omitted (approx. 10% -25% of the bottle's volume - due to the required residual pressure in the pressure vessels - goes back to the manufacturer unused)
• - With the help of this new development, the ripening gas can be produced as required in any concentration. This is currently not possible due to the fixed mixing ratios in the pressure vessels. This reduces the risk of ethylene overdosing in the chamber atmosphere and thus the risk of damage to corrosion-sensitive parts in the ripening chamber.

3. Operating principles the new development

• - Ripe gas is generated directly on site
• - Gas mixer at the plant allows the production of ripening gas in any desired concentration and quantity.
• - The New development can take up to 5 ripening chambers / hour supply at the same time.
• - By the installation an additional Storage tanks can store the ripening gas in almost any amount become.
• - One especially for the maturation gas plant developed control software allows one easy and safe control and fumigation of the ripening chambers. This ensures an exact supply of the ripening chambers with an optimal Maturing mixture in the chamber atmosphere guaranteed.
• - Over a standardized interface the ripening gas plant can be integrated in any visualization for the purpose of ripening integrate.

Furthermore For example, this technology is suitable for mobile tire containers e.g. on Supplying ships with ripening gas. This development makes it against the current Practice possible, that on Schiffer can be worked without explosion protection.

mobile Permit ripe containers the use of the transport route for the maturation of climacteric fruits. The fruits ripened in the containers can thus directly bypassing further handling processes in the destination port from the ship to the customer. This leads to a shortening of the transport times and costs.

4. Maturation of climacteric fruit the example of banana ripening

Bananas, of which 60-70 million tons were harvested worldwide in 2001, are transported from the countries of origin (mainly Central and South America, Caribbean Islands) mainly by ship to the countries of distribution to North America, Europe and Asia. The transport of the so-called "green goods" takes place in refrigerated containers. The aim of refrigerated transport is to reduce the fruit's metabolism to as low a level as possible, without damaging the fruit due to low temperature or too little moisture te harm.

After unloading the bananas in the receiving port, depending on the demand and the market situation, ripening takes place in special ripening houses. Depending on the quality, the bananas are ripened in special ripening chambers with the addition of ripening gas (mixture of nitrogen and ethylene). After a temperature adjustment time at a higher temperature level (14-18 ° Celsius) of 12-24 hours, the mature gas is metered added. During this phase, starch is converted into different types of fructose. The metabolic processes occur under higher oxygen consumption, while producing additional heat and CO ₂ This process referred to the expert as a climacteric. This is followed by the Nachklimakterium, externally recognizable by the color change from green to green yellow to yellow. Then the ripening gas is rinsed out and the ripening chamber is ventilated. These processes are semi-automated because bananas are organisms with metabolism. The ripening operations are assessed, monitored and if necessary intervened by the ripen master (shortening, prolonging the dwelling time of the bananas in the ripening chambers and / or increasing / reducing the supply of ripening gas).

It Object of the present invention is a needs-based and cost-effective delivery of optimally mixed ripening gas into the ripening chambers to guarantee.

Claims (4)

Method and apparatus for producing maturation gas for the maturation of climacteric fruits in stationary ripening chambers, characterized in that nitrogen is obtained from the externally supplied compressed air using a nitrogen generator and the nitrogen is mixed together in a gas mixer with the externally supplied ethylene to the desired maturing gas concentration. The maturation gas thus produced is supplied to the connected ripening chambers via a hose line or a pipe network provided for this purpose. Method and device according to claim 1, characterized characterized in that above designated technology part of the mobile maturing technology in CA containers is. Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that that the especially for the ripening gas plant developed an automatic control software Supplying the ripening chambers, according to the in the Program stored gassing cycles and gas mixing ratios, guaranteed with ripening gas. Device according to claim 1, 2 and 3, characterized that the especially for the maturation gas plant developed control software via a Standard interface, the integration of the ripening plant into any visualization allows for ripening.