JP2002315549A - Electric heating apparatus for fluid food material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus which in electrically heating a fluid food material such as a high-viscosity liquid food, a solid-liquid mixed food, etc., can uniformly heat the food, can prevent scorching and generation of sparks and is suitable for heating a large amount of the food for many hours. SOLUTION: An outside electrode is formed on the inner peripheral surface of a bottomed vertical cylindrical container and an inside electrode having an outer peripheral surface forming a circumferential surface so as to extend along a central axis is arranged in the container. At least one of the container and the inside electrode is supported rotatably around the central axis of the container as a basis and is connected to a rotation driving source. The fluid food material is poured into the container, the liquid food material is electrically heated between the inside electrode and the outside electrode and at least one of the inside electrode and the outside electrode is rotated relatively from the other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a highly viscous liquid food material such as miso, mayonnaise and fruit sauce, a mixture of tea leaf powder, coffee powder, medicinal herb powder, bird flour powder and the like with water, and a jam containing fruits. The present invention relates to an electric heating device suitable for heating a fluid food material such as a solid-liquid mixed food material in which a solid and a liquid are mixed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in the production process of food materials, heating is often performed for sterilization and cooking, and recently, for the production of various drinks or soups,
In many cases, powders such as tea, coffee, herbs, and bird stalks are mixed with a liquid such as water and heated to extract necessary components from powders such as tea leaves.

[0003] As one of the heating methods for food materials, an energization heating method (Joule heating method), which energizes the food material and generates heat by the electric resistance of the food material itself, has recently attracted attention. Attempts have been made to heat the fluid food materials such as food and solid-liquid mixed food materials.

A typical device conventionally proposed as an electric heating device for a fluid food material is one in which electrodes are provided inside a pair of side surfaces of a rectangular bottomed container so as to face each other. There is a batch type in which a fluid food material is poured into a container and a current is applied between a pair of electrodes facing each other. In the case of food materials, natural convection hardly occurs in the container, and therefore, it is often not heated evenly. Therefore, it is also considered to insert a stirring means such as a rotary stirring blade into the container, and to heat the fluid food material while stirring the current, but in this case, the four corners of the square container described above are so-called. It becomes a dead space, and the fluid food material is not sufficiently agitated at that portion, so that it is often difficult to achieve uniform heating.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, it is conceivable to make the container a vertical cylinder so as to eliminate the dead space caused by stirring. In this case, a pair of electrodes facing each other are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the container. And the distance between the pair of opposing electrodes differs between the center and the end, so that the current density distribution at the time of energizing and heating becomes non-uniform, and the heating of the flowable food material becomes difficult. Not only is the material not uniform, but the current is extremely concentrated between the ends of the pair of counter electrodes, causing overheating, sparking, and deteriorating the quality and flavor of the food material. May stick to the inner wall surface or the electrode surface and cause so-called scorching, especially in liquid food materials with high viscosity and solid-liquid mixed food materials, such problems are likely to occur, and It has been difficult in practice to apply the device to a high liquid food material and solid-liquid mixed food material viscosity.

[0006] On the other hand, as an apparatus for continuously energizing and heating a fluid food material, ring-shaped electrodes are provided along the inner peripheral surface of the pipe on the upstream and downstream sides of the pipe, respectively. Energizing between the upstream ring-shaped electrode and the downstream ring-shaped electrode while continuously flowing the flowable food material in the road,
An apparatus that continuously heats and heats a fluid food material has also been put to practical use. However, in the case of such a continuous electric heating device, it is likely to be difficult to continuously flow a liquid food material having a high viscosity or a solid-liquid mixed food material. That is,
In order to continuously flow the flowable food material in the pipeline, it is usual to pump the flowable food material contained in the hopper by a pump, but in the case of a viscous liquid food material, the pump needs to be pumped. Pressure is required, and it often becomes impossible to actually feed the food. In the case of a solid-liquid mixed food, a bridging phenomenon occurs in the solid in the hopper, and the solid may not be fed. Furthermore, when applying continuous electric heating to the extraction from tea leaves and the like as described above, the powder and the water of the tea leaves and the like are mixed and the mixture is continuously pumped. For this purpose, heating for a long time of 20 to 30 minutes or more is often required, and in order to perform such long-time heating by continuous current heating, the length of the pipeline becomes extremely long. As a result, the size of the apparatus is significantly increased, which leads to a large increase in cost and a problem of installation space, which makes practical application difficult. Therefore, for a viscous liquid food material or a solid-liquid mixed food material, a batch-type current-carrying heating device must be applied, but as described above, the conventional batch-type current-carrying heating device requires uniform heating or sparking. There was a problem in terms of burning, etc.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is particularly applied to a case where a liquid food material having a high viscosity or a solid-liquid mixed food material in which a solid and a liquid are mixed is heated. In this case, it can be heated evenly and does not generate sparks or scorching, and does not cause a significant increase in cost or installation space even when heating for a long time, such as heating for extraction. It is an object of the present invention to provide a current-carrying heating device capable of actually processing a large amount of food materials.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the electric heating device according to the present invention is basically a batch-type electric heating device, containing a fluid food material and energizing the electric heating device. The container for carrying out the process, while making the container a cylindrical shape, so as to conduct electricity between the inner electrode inserted into the center portion of the container and the outer electrode on the inner peripheral surface of the container, and at least one of the container and the inner electrode Was rotated.

Specifically, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect of the present invention, an outer electrode is formed on at least an inner peripheral surface of a container having a bottomed vertical cylindrical shape, and the inside of the container has An inner electrode whose outer peripheral surface forms a cylindrical surface is provided along the center axis, and at least one of the container and the inner electrode is rotatably supported with respect to the center axis of the container, and is rotationally driven. Connected to a source, injecting the flowable food material into the container, applying a voltage between the inner electrode and the outer electrode to energize and heat the flowable food material, and among the inner electrode and the outer electrode, , At least one of which is rotated relative to the other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, the container is fixed, the inner electrode is rotatably supported, and is connected to a rotary drive source. And the inner electrode is rotated.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, the inner container is fixed, the container is rotatably supported, and is connected to a rotary drive source. And the container is rotated.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, both the container and the inner electrode are rotatably supported and connected to a rotary drive source. In this case, the container and the inner electrode are rotated in mutually opposite directions.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, the outer electrode has an outer peripheral surface protruding toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode and a tip of the outer electrode. It is characterized in that a scraping member made of an electrically insulating material is provided in contact with the inner peripheral surface.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, a stirring member made of an electrically insulating material is protruded from an outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode. It is characterized by the following.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating device for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, a hollow cooling medium passage is provided inside the inner electrode. .

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the electric heating apparatus for a fluid food material according to the first aspect, the wall surface of the container is a hollow double wall, and the hollow portion is a cooling medium passage. It is characterized by having.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018]

1 and 2 show an electric heating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the container 1 is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape with a bottom, and is fixedly supported on a gantry 2 so that its central axis is vertical. A discharge port 1A is formed at the center of the bottom of the container 1, and a discharge pipe 5 is connected to the outside of the discharge port 1A via an on-off valve 4.

The peripheral wall of the container 1 has a hollow inner / outer double structure, and the inner wall is an annular outer electrode 3 which is continuous in the circumferential direction with a conductive material such as titanium. The hollow portion between the inner wall portion (outer electrode 3) and the outer wall portion of the container 1 is a cooling medium passage 7 through which a cooling medium such as water flows.

On the other hand, at the position of the central axis line inside the container 1,
An inner electrode 9 having a shaft rod shape as a whole is vertically inserted from above. The inner electrode 9 has at least an outer peripheral surface made of a conductive material such as titanium.
It is rotatably supported about a shaft by a conductive rotation support member 11A of a support frame 11 disposed above the container 1, and is rotated by a rotation drive source 13 including a motor, a speed reducer, and the like on the support frame 11. It is constituted so that it can be rotated to the center. A cooling medium passage 15 for flowing a cooling medium such as water is also formed inside the inner electrode 9.

The outer electrode 3 is electrically connected to one terminal 17A of a power supply 17 for energization and heating disposed outside, and the inner electrode 9 is connected to the other terminal 17A of the same power supply 17.
B is electrically connected via the conductive rotation supporting member 11A. Here, as the power supply 17 for energization and heating, a high frequency power supply is preferable, but a commercial AC power supply or the like can also be used.

In the apparatus of the above embodiment, a liquid food material 21 such as a solid-liquid mixed food material such as jam containing solid fruits or a highly viscous liquid food material such as miso or mayonnaise is poured into the container 1, If a voltage is applied between the inner electrode 9 and the outer electrode 3, the fluid food material 21 in the container 1
Current flows through the fluid food material, and heat is generated by the electric resistance of the fluid food material, and the temperature rises. That is, energization heating using so-called Joule heat is performed. By rotating the inner electrode 9 about the axis during the energization and heating as described above, the flowable food material is entirely rotated and agitated in the container 1 so that the container 1
The fluid food material therein is heated uniformly throughout. In other words, local overheating or insufficient heating is prevented, and the temperature rises uniformly as a whole. Since the distance between the inner electrode 9 and the outer electrode 3 is basically uniform in the circumferential direction, the current flows uniformly over the entire circumference, which also contributes to uniform heating of the fluid food material. . However, if the center position of the inner electrode 9 is slightly deviated from the center position of the outer electrode 3, the distance between the electrodes will not be uniform in the circumferential direction, and the distribution of the flowing current will not be uniform. By rotating 9, unevenness of the current distribution over time is eliminated, and uniform heating can be achieved. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly set the position of the inner electrode 9, and practical application is facilitated. Furthermore, since the whole container has a cylindrical shape, there is no dead space for stirring flow by the inner electrode,
This also contributes to uniform heating. In addition, even in the case of a solid-liquid mixed food material or a highly viscous flowable food material, uniform heating is possible because the whole is fluidly stirred, and the contained components are extracted from solid substances such as tea leaves. Therefore, even when the material in which the solid substance is dispersed in the liquid is heated and held for a long time, the material can be heated and held without any particular problem.

Further, by flowing a cooling medium such as water through the cooling medium passage 7 on the inner wall portion of the container 1, the temperature of the outer electrode 3 can be prevented from rising excessively, and the cooling medium passage 15 inside the inner electrode 9 can be prevented. Similarly, by flowing a cooling medium such as water, the temperature of the inner electrode 9 can be prevented from rising excessively. That is, if the temperature of the outer electrode 3 or the inner electrode 9 rises excessively, the electrode surface (the contact surface with the fluid food material)
At the time, the flowable food material is scorched and causes scale,
Sparks may occur during energization heating in that part, and if such a spark occurs, the energization state will be unstable and heating will not be stable, or the quality and flavor of food materials will be degraded However, by cooling the outer electrode 3 and the inner electrode 9 as described above,
Such a situation can be prevented from occurring.
In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, both the outer electrode 3 and the inner electrode 9 are cooled. However, depending on the case, a cooling medium passage is provided in only one of them, so that only one electrode is cooled. You may comprise.

Here, in the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer electrode 3 (container 1) is fixed and the inner electrode 9 is rotated, but the outer electrode 3 and the inner electrode 9 are
The point is that the container 1 having the outer electrode 3 is rotatably supported on a gantry 2 by a rotation support member 2A, and the container 1 is The inner electrode 9 may be fixed to the support frame 11 while being rotated about the axis. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the container 1 having the outer electrode 3 and the inner electrode 9 may be configured to rotate in mutually opposite directions. In FIG. 4, the same elements as those shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the example of FIG. 3 or the example of FIG. 4, both the outer electrode 3 and the inner electrode 9 are configured to be cooled similarly to the examples of FIGS. 1 and 2, but in either case, only one of them is cooled. Needless to say, it may be configured to cool the cooling device. Further, in the example of FIG. 3 and the example of FIG. 4, the outlet is not formed in the container 1, but if the entire container 1 is tiltable, for example, the flowable food material that has been electrically heated in the container 1 can be removed. Can be discharged.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an example in which a scraping member 25 is provided on the inner electrode 9 as a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS.

5 and 6, the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode 9 is directed toward the inner peripheral surface of the container 1 (therefore, the outer electrode 3).
A plurality of sets (three sets in the illustrated example) of the scraping members 25 projecting toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3 and having a tip portion in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3 are provided. Each scraping member 25 has two support arms 25A, 25B radially protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode 9 and two support arms 25A, 25B so as to linearly contact the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3. A scraping plate 25C is provided at the distal end and slidably contacts the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3. Each scraping member 25 is entirely made of an electrically insulating material, for example, a synthetic resin.

In the example shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, as the inner electrode 9 rotates, the scraping member 25 is rotated.
(The tip of the scraping plate 25C) is rotated while sliding on the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3, so that the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3 is scorched by sparks, and solid substances are deposited and solidified due to sparks. The buds of the scale adhered and generated on the surface can be immediately scraped off by the scraping member 25, thereby preventing the scale from growing. Further, since the scraping member 25 has a function of promoting agitation of the fluid food material in the container 1 by rotating with the inner electrode, the scraping member 25 is further provided by providing the scraping member 25. Uniform heating is achieved. Thus, the scraping member 25
Is also used as a stirring member described later.

The number and shape of the scraping members 25
The structure is not limited to the examples shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and the point is that the structure only has to be slidably in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode 3.

Here, an example in which the scraping member 25 is provided for rotating the inner electrode 9 is shown. However, when the outer electrode 3 is rotated, or both the inner electrode 9 and the outer electrode 3 are rotated. In this case, the scraping member 25 may be provided. In this case, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

7 and 8, the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode 9 is
An example in which a stirring member 27 made of an electrically insulating material such as a synthetic resin is protruded is shown. Here, in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8, the stirring member 27 is a support arm 27 that radially protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode 9, similarly to the scraping member 25 of FIGS. 5 and 6.
A, a long plate-shaped stirring plate 2 extending vertically along the tip of 27B
7C is provided, but is not limited to such a configuration, and has a function of promoting agitation of the fluid food material in the container 1 with rotation of the inner electrode 9. Just do it. Therefore, in addition to the shapes shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, for example, a spiral shape, a shaft rod shape, a blade shape, and the like may be used.

The stirring member 27 can be applied not only to the case where the inner electrode 9 is rotated but also to the case where the outer electrode 3 is rotated or the case where both the inner electrode 9 and the outer electrode 3 are rotated. Of course there is.

In each of the above embodiments, the inner electrode 9
Is supported at its upper end, and its lower end is floated above the bottom surface of the container 1.
May be configured so that the lower end thereof is rotatably in contact with the bottom surface of the container 1. Alternatively, a configuration in which the lower portion of the inner electrode 9 penetrates the bottom surface of the container 1 and the inner electrode 9 is driven to rotate from below the container 1 may be employed.

[0034]

According to the electric heating apparatus for a fluid food material of the present invention, even when a liquid food material having a high viscosity or a solid-liquid mixed food material in which a solid and a liquid are mixed is electrically heated,
Uniform heating is possible, and there is little risk of scale or sparks occurring due to burning on the electrode surface, and long-term heating for the purpose of extracting the components contained in the solid into the liquid. In this case, a large amount of flowable food material can be processed without causing a significant increase in cost and a problem of installation space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an example of a flowable food material electric heating device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second example of the electric heating device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a third example of the electric heating device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an electric heating device provided with a scraping member as a fourth example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing an example of an electric heating device provided with a stirring member as a fifth example of the present invention.

8 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container 3 Outer container 7 Cooling medium passage 9 Inner electrode 13 Rotation drive source 15 Cooling medium passage 17 Electric power supply for heating 21 Fluid food material 25 Scrapping member 27 Stirring member

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 11, 2001 (2001.5.1
1)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Explanation of sign

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Description of Signs] 1 container 3 outer electrode 7 cooling medium passage 9 inner electrode 13 rotation drive source 15 cooling medium passage 17 power supply for energization heating 21 fluid food material 25 scraping member 27 stirring member

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] All figures

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

FIG. 4

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

FIG. 7

FIG. 8

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An outer electrode is formed on at least an inner peripheral surface of a vertical cylindrical container having a bottom, and an inner electrode having an outer peripheral surface forming a cylindrical surface is disposed in the container along a central axis thereof. And, among the container and the inner electrode, at least one is rotatably supported on the basis of the center axis of the container, is connected to a rotation drive source, and injects a fluid food material into the container. A voltage is applied between the inner electrode and the outer electrode to electrically heat the fluid food material, and at least one of the inner electrode and the outer electrode is rotated relative to the other. And
Electric heating device for fluid food materials. 2. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein the container is fixed, the inner electrode is rotatably supported and connected to a rotation drive source, and the inner electrode is rotated. An electric heating device for a fluid food material, characterized in that it is made to flow. 3. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein the inner container is fixed, the container is rotatably supported and connected to a rotation drive source, and the container is rotated. An electric heating device for a fluid food material, characterized in that: 4. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein the container and the inner electrode are both rotatably supported and connected to a rotation drive source, respectively. An electric heating device for a fluid food material, wherein the inner electrode and the inner electrode are rotated in mutually opposite directions. 5. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein the inner electrode has an outer peripheral surface protruding toward the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode, and a tip thereof is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the outer electrode. An electric heating device for a fluid food material, comprising a scraping member made of an electrically insulating material. 6. The fluidized food material heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a stirring member made of an electrically insulating material is protruded from an outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode. Heating device for conductive food materials. 7. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein a hollow cooling medium passage is provided inside the inner electrode. . 8. The electric heating device for a fluid food material according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface of the container is a hollow double wall, and the hollow portion is a cooling medium passage. A heating device for flowing food materials.