GB2056297A

GB2056297A - A continuous dissolving plant for the production of a sugar solution

Info

Publication number: GB2056297A
Application number: GB8026498A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1979-08-16
Filing date: 1980-08-14
Publication date: 1981-03-18
Also published as: IT1132369B; DE2933053A1; GB2056297B; IT8024077A0; NL178937C; NL8004396A

Abstract

A plant for the production of a sugar-water-glucose mixture comprises a heated coiled pipe 13 through which the mixture is pumped under pressure and in order to accelerate the passing of the sugar crystals into solution with the water, which is added in only small amounts, stationary mixing elements which may be in the form of helical pieces 20 are arranged in the coiled pipe 13. Successive elements may be staggered with respect to each other, for example by 90 DEG , and are preferably of opposite hand. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A through-flow dissolving plant for the production of a sugar solution The invention originates from a through-flow dissolving plant for the production of a sugar solution according to the type of the main claim.

Such a dissolving plant termed a serpentine boiler is already known from the periodical COCOA a SUGAR 6/1979, page 135 paragraph 5, through which is pumped the mixture termed as a slurry. It is also stated that, in order to dissolve 100 parts of sucrose 21 parts of water are required and that the speed of dissolving of sucrose in a slurry is reduced by a glucose component. The relatively earlier dissolving plant in which 40 parts of water must be added to 100 parts of sugar, requires economically operating equipment despite a still high addition; of water, in order to prevent browning of the solution during the dissolving of the sucrose.Thus, a through-flow dissolving plant is desirable in which the addition of water can be still further reduced in order to reduce the energy requirement still further during the boiling of the sugar solution to a caramel mass with a water content of less than 5%.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION As'opposed to this, the through-fiow dissolving plant in accordance with the invention comprising the characterising feature of the main claim has the advantage that, in order to produce a complete solution from normal commercial crystal sugar and normal commercial glucose which has a water content of about 20%, only about 10 parts of water to 100 parts of sugar are required.

Despite the prevailing opinion in skilled circles that glucose reduces the speed of dissolving of the sugar, short dissolving times have been produced by experiment in which a browning of the solution does not occur.

Advantageous further developments and improvements of the through-flow dissolving plant set forth in the main claim are made possible by the measures set forth in the sub-claims. Thus, in a simple manner, helices twisted from narrow strips of metal have proved to be very effective. In particular, a plurality of helical pieces arranged one behind the other in the duct have been shown to be advantageous, of which the starting and finishing edges of each two adjacent helical pieces are staggered by 900 and the respective pitch is of an opposite hand. The additional water can be still further reduced if a throttle is arranged at the end of the duct whereby evaporation of the water is prevented during the dissolving by increasing the pressure in the duct.

DRAWING An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and is described in detail in the following specification. Figure 1 shows a mixture preparing plant and a through-flow dissolving plant in simple cross-section and Figure 2 shows a portion of the duct of the through-flow dissolving plant in longitudinal section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT A weighing hopper 1 is arranged above a mixing container 2 and issues into the latter through a shut-off valve 3. 100 parts by weight of crystal sugar,100 parts by weight of glucose and 10 parts by weight of water are measured out successively from a storage container 4 and lines 5, 6. The individual quantities are pre-mixed by a stirrer 7. The measured pre-mixture is discharged through the shut-off valve 3 into the mixing vessel 2 where sugar, glucose and water are uniformly mixed by means of a stirrer 8 into a viscous slurry.

A pressure resistance steam boiler 10 with a steam inlet 11 and a condensate outlet 12, is located adjacent the weighing hopper 1 and the mixing vessel 2. A coiled pipe 13 is so arranged in the steam boiler 10 that its outer wall is completely surrounded by the steam atmosphere.

The iniet end 14 of the coiled pipe 13 is connected to the funnel-shaped outlet from the mixing vessel 2 by a line 1 5 in which is connected a rotary piston pump 16. An adjustable throttle 18 is arranged at the outlet end 1 7 from the coiled pipe 13.

Mixing elements 20 are inserted in the duct defined by the wall of the coiled pipe 13 and over its entire length. The mixing elements 20 are in the form of a helical or helicoid surface. They are formed by twisting a narrow strip of metal into a helical piece 21 with a high pitch. At the beginning and end edges 22, 23 the helical pieces have slots by means of which they so interengage one another that the starting edge 22 and the finishing edge 23 of two respective abutting helical pieces 21 are staggered by 900 with respect to one another. Moreover, the pitch of each two adjacent helical pieces is of an opposite hand. The length of the helical pieces 21 illustrated in Figure 2 is equal to the pitch of one cycle. Helical pieces can also be used the length of which corresponds to one half pitch.

The through-flow dissolving plant operates as follows: The rotary piston pump 1 6 delivers prepared slurry from the mixing vessel 2 continually through the coiled pipe 1 3. In so doing, the viscous slurry is heated to a temperature of about 130QC at a pressure of about 4 bars maintained by the throttle 1 8. Under the influence of the temperature, the prevailing pressure and due to the effect of the mixing elements 20, the sugar crystals together with the added water and the water component of the glucose pass into solution so that the glass clear solution leaving the boiling coil 1 3 already has a very considerable drying substance component. The thus prepared solution is finally supplied to a known caramel mass boiler in which the water content is reduced by evaporation to the amount desirable for the production of confectionery.

The through-flow dissolving plant can be directly combined in a simple manner with a sugar mass boiler of serpentine construction by connecting the throttle 18 to the boiling coil in an enlarged steam vessel.

Claims

1. A through-flow dissolving plant for the production of a sugar solution in a duct heated externally into which a mixture of sugar, glucose and water is continually introduced by means of a pump and through which it is forced whereby the sugar crystals pass into solution, characterised in that, stationary mixing elements are arranged in the duct.

2. A through-flow dissolving plant according to claim 1 characterised in that the mixing elements consist of a through passing helix.

3. A through-flow dissolving plant according to claim 1 characterised in that the mixing elements consist of a plurality of helical pieces arranged one behind the other.

4. A through-flow dissolving plant according to claim 3 characterised in that the beginning and end edges of adjacent helical pieces are staggered by 90 .

5. Athrough-flow dissolving plant according to claim 3 or 4 characterised in that the pitch of respective adjacent helical pieces is of opposite hand.

6. A through-flow dissolving plant according to one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that a throttle is arranged at the end of the duct.

7. A through-flow dissolving plant according to claim 6 characterised in that the throttle is adjustable.

8. A through-flow dissolving plant according to claim 6 or 7 characterised in that a coiled pipe of a sugar mass boiler is connected to the duct formed by a coiled pipe.

9. A through-flow dissolving plant substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of producing a sugar solution substantially as herein described.