JP3965599B2 - Continuous energization heating device for fluid food materials - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a food material having fluidity that can be continuously fluidly transferred in a pipe, such as a liquid food material, a solid-liquid mixed food material, a gel food material, and the like for sterilization and cooking. The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuous heating while continuously flowing and transferring inside (in a pipe line).
[0002]
[Prior art]
One method of heating a fluid food material for sterilization, cooking, etc. is to continuously flow the fluid food through the pipe by the pressure of a pump, etc. There is a method of heating. In this way, according to the method of continuously heating the fluid food material while continuously flowing and transporting the inside of the pipe, the food material continuously heated in the pipe can be continuously filled in the container as it is. The operation from heating to filling can be completely continuous.
[0003]
Conventionally, as described above, as a method for continuously heating a food material that is continuously flow-transferred in a pipe, the heating is performed by directly energizing the food material using the electrical resistance of the food material. A method using (Joule heating) has been put into practical use. An apparatus for continuously heating a flowable food material that continuously flows in a pipe by applying electric heating in this way has already been proposed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-33024.
[0004]
In the proposed apparatus, an annular electrode body made of a conductive material is provided in a portion corresponding to at least the inner surface of the pipeline at at least two portions at a predetermined interval from the upstream side to the downstream side of the pipeline, Current is passed between the upstream electrode body and the downstream electrode body of the food material flowing in the pipe line, and the energization heating is continuously performed.
[0005]
However, the current heating apparatus for fluid food materials as described above still has a problem in terms of uniform heating.
[0006]
In other words, energization heating originally has the advantage that the food material can be heated uniformly from the point where the food material generates heat from itself, but the flow that flows in the pipeline using the above-mentioned apparatus When heating the food material, the food material is not sufficiently heated in the vicinity of the central axis position of the conduit, whereas the portion near the inner peripheral surface of the conduit is overheated. . The cause of such a problem is considered to be derived from the fact that the current flows non-uniformly with respect to the food material in the pipeline. That is, in general, when current flows through a medium, if the specific resistance of the medium is uniform, the current normally flows through a path with the smallest electrical resistance, that is, the shortest distance. Therefore, in the continuous energization heating apparatus as described above, a voltage for energization heating can be applied between the upstream annular electrode body and the downstream annular electrode body in a state where the flowable food material is allowed to flow in the pipeline. For example, the current tends to flow through a portion close to the inner peripheral surface of the conduit between the upstream annular electrode body and the downstream annular electrode body. As a result, the current density increases near the inner surface of the pipeline through which the food material flows, whereas the current density decreases extremely near the central axis of the pipeline, resulting in the food material near the inner peripheral surface of the pipeline. However, the food material is less likely to be heated near the central axis.
[0007]
Furthermore, as a phenomenon peculiar to energization heating, fluid food materials generally tend to flow current as the temperature rises, so as described above, the food materials are heated up and heated near the inner peripheral surface of the pipe. As a result, the current flows more concentrated, and as a result, the temperature of the food material that flows near the inner peripheral surface of the pipe line increases rapidly, and the temperature difference from the food material that flows near the center increases.
[0008]
If the food material is overheated as described above, even if sterilization can be performed sufficiently, the food texture and flavor of the food may be impaired, discoloration may occur, and nutritional components may be destroyed. Therefore, in order to obtain a food of excellent quality, it is necessary to avoid overheating. On the other hand, when the food material is not sufficiently heated, there are problems such as food hygiene problems caused by insufficient sterilization and insufficient cooking. Therefore, it is important in the food heating apparatus to heat the whole food material to an appropriate temperature according to the intended treatment, but in the previously proposed continuous energization heating apparatus for fluid food materials, the food material It is difficult to uniformly heat to an appropriate temperature, so that the practical use was still hesitant.
[0009]
Furthermore, as described above, if the fluid food material flowing near the inner peripheral surface of the pipeline is overheated, the food material may be burned (burned) on the inner surface of the pipeline, in which case the flavor of the food material is reduced. Not only is it damaged, but the carbonization of the charred portion causes a large current to flow locally, or a spark occurs, causing the insulating material constituting the pipe to melt or be damaged locally. There is also. Therefore, prevention of scorching of food material on the inner surface of the pipe line is also an important issue.
[0010]
Therefore, the present inventors have already disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-89522 a continuous energization heating apparatus provided with a stirring means for stirring the food material flowing in the pipe between the annular electrodes for energization heating. Has proposed.
[0011]
By providing a stirring means for stirring the food material in the pipeline in this way, the food material is mixed and stirred between the vicinity of the center in the pipeline and the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the pipeline, The entire food material flowing in the pipeline can be heated uniformly. That is, as described above, even if there is a difference in current density between the portion near the inner surface of the conduit and the portion near the central axis of the conduit, the food material flows only in the portion near the inner surface of the conduit or the center. Since it does not flow only in the vicinity of the axis, and flows alternately in these parts, the degree of heating becomes uniform from the total viewpoint, and it can be heated uniformly for the required temperature for the time required. Become. In addition, by stirring the food material flowing in the pipeline in this way, it is possible to prevent the food material from being burnt on the inner surface of the pipeline.
[0012]
Here, as the agitator, a rotating agitator that agitates the fluid food material in the pipeline by rotating in the pipeline, and a stationary (fixed) in the pipeline, the flow of the fluid food material is allowed to flow. There is a static stirrer (so-called static stirrer) that changes the direction of the flow by blocking or dividing, and gives stirring force to the flowable food material. Although the former rotary stirring body has the advantage that the fluid food material can be stirred reliably and sufficiently, it does not have the trouble of being driven to rotate from the outside, but also the outside of the pipeline and the inside of the pipeline. Therefore, there is a strong possibility that food materials may enter the gap between the penetrating parts and cause sanitary problems. On the other hand, the static stirrer does not require a drive source, and is sufficient if it is disposed in the pipeline, so that the above-described hygiene problems are unlikely to occur. Therefore, the present inventors are studying practical application using a static stirring body.
[0013]
FIG. 4 to FIG. 7 show an example of the proposed continuous energization heating device when a static stirring body is used as the stirring body.
[0014]
In FIG. 4, a fluid food material such as a liquid food material or a solid-liquid mixed food material is stored in the supply-side container 11 in advance. A supply opening / closing valve 13 is provided at the lower end of the supply side container 11, and a pipe line 15 is extended from the lower end of the supply opening / closing valve 13. A pump 17 is provided at a position near the supply opening / closing valve 13 in the pipeline 15 as a pressure feeding means for fluidly conveying the fluid food material through the pipeline 15. In the pipe line 15, there is a vertical rising part 15 </ b> A that rises vertically upward from the pump 17, and the pipe vertical rising part 15 </ b> A is energized and heated equipped with stirring means that are characteristic of the present invention. A device 19 is formed. Furthermore, the upper end of the vertical rising portion 15A in the pipe line 15 is bent in the horizontal direction and extended in the horizontal direction, and the cooling device 21 is disposed in that portion (that is, the portion corresponding to the downstream side of the energization heating device 19). A discharge side container 22 is provided on the downstream side of the cooling device 21.
[0015]
Here, in the example of FIG. 4, the pump 17 is provided in the middle of the pipe line 15 as the pressure feeding means. However, depending on the case, a pressurizing means for applying pressure in the supply side container 11 may be provided to supply the supply side container 11. It is good also as a structure which pressurizes the food material inside and carries out the fluid transfer inside the pipe line 15. The cooling device 21 may be configured so that cooling water circulates on the outer peripheral surface of the pipe line 15, for example. However, the cooling device 21 may be omitted depending on circumstances.
[0016]
FIG. 5 shows an example of a vertical rising portion 15A of the pipe line 15 including the energization heating device 19.
[0017]
In FIG. 5, a first ground electrode 23 </ b> A, current-carrying heating electrodes 25 </ b> A to 25 </ b> F, and a second ground electrode 23 </ b> B are arranged in that order at intervals from the bottom in the vertical rising portion 15 </ b> A of the pipe line 15. Each of the ground electrodes 23A and 23B and each of the energization heating electrodes 25A to 25F is made of a conductive material such as titanium, a titanium alloy, or stainless steel, and is formed in an annular shape so that a part of the pipe line 15 is formed. It is composed. Moreover, the pipe part between each electrode 23A, 23B; 25A-25F is comprised by the insulating tube (spacer tube) 16 which makes a cylindrical shape, respectively. The energization heating electrodes 25A to 25F are electrically connected alternately to one terminal and the other terminal of an energization heating power supply (not shown), and the ground electrodes 23A and 23B on both sides are electrically grounded. . The electrodes 23A and 23B; 25A to 25F and the power source for current heating constitute the current heating device 19. In general, a high-frequency power source or a commercial AC power source is used as the power source for electric heating.
[0018]
Furthermore, the static stirrer 31 as a stirring means is inserted vertically into the pipe rising portion 15A provided with the electric heating device 19 as described above from the upper end side.
[0019]
5 to 7, the static stirring body 31 includes a plurality of right twisted pieces 31A obtained by twisting a plate-like member by 180 ° in the right-hand screw direction, and a plurality of left-hand pieces obtained by twisting the plate-like member by 180 ° in the left-hand screw direction. The right twist piece 31A and the left twist piece 31B are alternately fixed in the pipe line 15 and provided with a twist piece 31B. Here, at the abutting portion between the right twist piece 31A and the left twist piece 31B, each end portion is positioned so as to contact with a phase difference of 90 °. 6 and 7 indicate the twisting directions of the right twist piece 31A and the left twist piece 31B, respectively.
[0020]
In the continuous heating apparatus as described above, when the supply on-off valve 13 is opened and the pump 17 is operated, the fluid food material flows from the supply side container 11 through the pipe 15 from the left to the right in FIG. The fluid food material passes through the energization heating device 19 provided with stirring means in the vertically rising portion 15A of the pipe line 15 and is heated while being stirred in the pipe line 15 so as to increase the temperature. Then, after being cooled by passing through the cooling device 21, it reaches the discharge side container 22.
[0021]
Here, the current heating action and the stirring action on the fluid food material in the pipe vertical rising portion 15A will be described more specifically.
[0022]
The fluid food material sequentially passes through the inner positions of the first ground electrode 23A, the energization heating electrodes 25A to 25F, and the second ground electrode 23B in the pipe vertical rising portion 15A. Here, since the current heating electrodes 25A to 25F are alternately connected to one terminal and the other terminal of the current heating electrode, a current flows through the fluid food material between the current heating electrodes. The flowable food material generates heat due to the electric resistance of the flowable food material and is heated by energization. In addition, since the first and second ground electrodes 23A and 23B at both ends are respectively grounded, a leakage current flows through the flowable food material to the upstream side of the first ground electrode 23A or the downstream side of the second ground electrode 23B. It is possible to effectively prevent electric shocks and the like from flowing.
[0023]
While the fluid food material is energized and heated in the pipe line 15 as described above, the fluid food material is alternately swung in the opposite direction by the right twist piece 31A and the left twist piece 31B of the static stirring body 31. I'm damned. And since the phase of the two is 90 ° different at the butted portion of the right twisted piece 31A and the left twisted piece 31B, the flow of the food material is divided, and the butted portions exist at a plurality of locations. There will be multiple flow splits. Together with these actions, the food material is also stirred in the transverse direction of the pipe line 15. That is, the direction of the turning force applied to the food material when the flowable food material comes into contact with the surface of each twisted piece 31A, 31B is the tangential direction of the pipe line 15, and therefore the inner circumference of the pipe line 15 The food material is pushed in the direction close to the surface, and the turbulent flow is generated by the division of the flow at the abutting portion of the adjacent twist pieces 31A and 31B as described above. A sufficient stirring action in the radial direction of the passage 15 can be obtained.
[0024]
Therefore, the above stirring action prevents a portion of the fluid food material from constantly flowing in a state in which it is close to each of the energization heating electrodes 25A to 25F. That is, by continuously agitating the pipe 15 in the transverse direction, any part of the flowable food material is between the position near the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 15 and the position near the central axis O. Will move repeatedly. Therefore, the flowable food material is uniformly heated as a whole, and particularly prevents overheating near the energizing heating electrodes 25A to 25F, or conversely, insufficient heating near the central axis O. can do.
[0025]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As a result of further experiments and examinations for practical application of the continuous energization heating device for fluid food materials using a static stirrer as described above, the following problems were found. did.
[0026]
That is, the static stirrer as described above has already been applied in various fields other than continuous heating of fluid food materials to which electric heating is applied. In that case, the static stirrer generally has an outer edge portion. Usually, it is fitted into the pipe so as to be in contact with the inner surface of the pipe. This is because if there is a gap between the outer edge of the static stirrer and the inner surface of the pipe, the stirring force does not act on the fluid flowing through the gap along the inner face of the pipe. Because. However, when fluid food materials, especially fluid food materials with particularly high viscosity, such as mayonnaise and miso, are continuously energized and heated, the static stirrer is placed so that the outer edge of the static stirrer is in contact with the inner surface of the pipe. It turned out that if the configuration was fitted in the pipe, it would cause another new problem. That is, even when the static stirrer is fitted into the pipe line so that the outer edge of the static stirrer is in close contact with the inner surface of the pipe line, the outer edge of the static stirrer and the inner surface of the pipe line are actually There is usually a slight gap between them. If such a gap exists, the fluid food material with high viscosity is inserted into the gap, and the flow of the fluid food material with high viscosity is locally retained in the vicinity of the gap, so that the viscosity is higher. There is a risk of growing into deposits. In this way, if local accumulation of fluid food material with high viscosity occurs in the vicinity of the gap, and growth of adhesion occurs, the food material in that part is heated and energized for a long time. Rises significantly and becomes overheated, so that the food material is burnt and sparks are generated by the burn.
[0027]
Here, when heating is performed using a heat source (external heat source) such as a high-temperature gas from the outside of the pipe line, even if stagnation of fluid food material or growth of deposits occurs in the vicinity of the gap as described above However, the food material in that part is not heated above the temperature of the external heat source, so there is no problem in practice. However, in the case of energization heating, if the current continues to flow, the temperature rises indefinitely, and as a result Overheating becomes remarkable, and scorching and sparks are likely to occur as described above.
[0028]
On the other hand, when considering the point of the stirring effect, when the fluid food material having high viscosity is targeted, the fluid food material is largely stirred by the static stirring body due to the viscous effect. It has been found that even if the outer edge is not in contact with the inner surface of the pipe line and the gap is open to some extent, the stirring effect on the fluid food material with high viscosity is not reduced so much.
[0029]
Therefore, in particular, when a highly viscous fluid food material is heated by electrical heating, the static stirrer is not fitted into the pipe line so that the outer edge is in contact with the inner surface of the pipe line as described above, On the contrary, it is considered that it is desirable to positively expand between the outer edge of the static stirring body and the inner surface of the pipe line to such an extent that the flowable food material can circulate there.
[0030]
However, supporting a static stirrer in a pipe so that a certain amount of space exists between the outer edge of the pipe and the inner surface of the pipe is a structural problem and strength, particularly in the case of electric heating of food materials. Often difficult due to various problems. That is, as a method for supporting the static stirring body in the pipe line so that the outer edge thereof does not contact the inner surface of the pipe line, generally, a method of fixing both ends of the static stirring body is provided. Conceivable. In that case, the static stirrer must be made of a highly rigid material so that the static stirrer bends or bends in the pipe and a part thereof does not contact the inner surface of the pipe. There is. Here, in the case of the external heating method using an external heat source without relying on the electric heating, a highly rigid metal material can be used as the static stirring body, but in the case of the electric heating method, the static stirring is used. A conductive metal material cannot be used as a body, and therefore, a plastic material having rigidity lower than that of metal must be used. Therefore, even if both ends of the static stirrer are fixedly supported as described above, the static stirrer with low rigidity bends or bends during use, and a part of the outer edge is attached to the inner surface of the pipe line. As a result, local stagnation of the flowable food material occurs as described above, resulting in a problem of local overheating.
[0031]
On the other hand, in the case where the food material is energized and heated, the part between the electrodes of the pipe line (the part of the spacer tube 16 in FIG. 5) must also be made of a non-conductive material. Made of plastic But Usually, the plastic material and the plastic material of the static stirrer mentioned above are usually different materials, and there is usually a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between them. is there. For this reason, there is a difference in the expansion length between the pipe and the static stirring body when the temperature rises due to electric heating, so it is not preferable to fix both ends of the static stirring body as already described.
[0032]
Therefore, it is considered difficult to apply the method of fixing both ends of the static stirrer when the current heating method is used.
[0033]
This invention has been made against the background described above, and fluid food materials, particularly fluid food materials with high viscosity such as mayonnaise and miso are stirred by a static stirrer in a pipe line by an electric heating method. When heating continuously in the pipe line, a certain amount of space is reliably and stably maintained between the outer edge of the static stirring body and the inner surface of the pipe line. It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous energization heating apparatus which does not occur and is structurally free from the above-described problems.
[0034]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems, in the continuous energization heating device for fluid food material according to the present invention, one end of a static stirring body having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the conduit (particularly the flow of the fluid food material). The end corresponding to the downstream side) is received by a tapered surface formed on the annular electrode, so that the static stirring body is always maintained at the center of its cross section in the pipe line (and thus static stirring). So that the outer edge of the body does not always touch the inner surface of the pipe).
[0035]
Specifically, the continuous energization heating device for the flowable food material of the present invention is configured such that the flowable food material is continuously flow-transferred in the length direction in the pipeline while the flowable food material is flowable in the pipeline. In an apparatus for continuously heating a material by energization heating, at least two or more portions are spaced from each other at a predetermined interval from the upstream side to the downstream side of the pipeline, and are concentric with the central axis of the pipeline and have an inner diameter. Is provided with an annular electrode body made of a conductive material having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe, and the flow direction of the flowable food material is changed between the annular electrode bodies in the pipe in a stationary state. A static stirrer for applying a stirring force to the food material is disposed along the axial direction of the pipe, and the static stirrer has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe and Made to be larger than the inner diameter of the annular electrode body On the other hand, a tapered surface that receives the downstream end of the static agitator is formed at the upstream side edge of the inner protrusion of each annular electrode body, and the downstream side of the inner protrusion of each annular electrode body. In this part, a fitting portion is formed in which the upstream side end portion of the static stirring body is movably fitted along the axial direction of the pipe line, and the static stirring body is formed by the flow of the fluid food material. It is characterized in that the downstream end thereof is pressed to contact the tapered surface of the annular electrode body so as to maintain the center position in the pipe.
[0036]
In addition, although the specific shape of a static stirring body is not specifically limited here, As prescribed | regulated in Claim 2, two or more inclined surfaces which incline in a different direction with respect to the axial direction of a pipe line, It is desirable to use a structure formed alternately in the axial direction.
[0037]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038]
【Example】
1 to 3 show a continuous energization heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0039]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a continuous current heating device 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention in a horizontally arranged state. In FIG. 1, the right side of the continuous current heating device 30 is a flow of fluid food material. The upstream side and the left side of FIG. In FIG. 1, flanged tubular bodies 32 </ b> A and 32 </ b> B are located at the upstream end and the downstream end of the continuous energization heating device 30, respectively. A large number of spacer tubes 34A to 34M and annular electrode bodies 36A to 36L are alternately arranged between the upstream flanged tube 32A and the downstream flanged tube 32B, and The spacer tubes 34A to 34M and the annular electrode bodies 36A to 36L are fixed in a state of being sandwiched between the flanged tubes 32A and 32B by long bolt-like fastening members 38A and 38B positioned outside the spacer tubes 34A to 34M. Has been. And the pipe line 40 which should flow fluid food material is formed of the spacer pipe bodies 34A-34M and the annular electrode bodies 36A-36L as a whole. Each of the spacer tubes 34A to 34M is made of a non-conductive plastic, for example, polysulfone, while a conductive metal material such as titanium is usually used as the annular electrode bodies 36A to 36L. Of the annular electrode bodies 36A to 36L, the annular electrode bodies 34A and 34L at both ends serve as ground electrodes for blocking leakage current, and the remaining annular electrode bodies 34B to 34K serve as energization heating electrodes. That is, the annular electrode bodies 34A and 34L on both ends as the ground electrodes are electrically grounded, and a high frequency voltage is alternately applied to the remaining annular electrode bodies 34B to 34K by the power source 42.
[0040]
Further, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged cross section of a part of FIG. 1 (for example, the vicinity of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D for energization heating), and further shows an essential part of FIG.
[0041]
2 and 3, one static stirring body 44 is arranged in the pipe line 40 corresponding to a pair of adjacent annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D (that is, corresponding to one spacer pipe body 34D). It is installed. As already described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7, the static stirring body 44 includes a plurality of right twist pieces 44 </ b> A obtained by twisting a plate-like member 180 ° in the right-hand screw direction, and a plate-like member left-handed. It consists of a plurality of left twisted pieces 44B twisted 180 ° in the direction, and these right twisted pieces 44A and left twisted pieces 44B are alternately joined. Here, at the abutting portion between the right twist piece 44A and the left twist piece 44B, each end portion is positioned so as to contact with a phase difference of 90 °. And this static stirring body 44 is made so that the outer diameter R1 becomes smaller than the inner diameter R2 of the conduit 40 (the inner diameter of the spacer tube body 34D). The static stirring body 44 is usually made of polyvinylidene fluoride, Teflon (registered trademark), or other fluororesin.
[0042]
On the other hand, the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D are determined such that the inner diameter R3 is smaller than the inner diameter R2 of the conduit 40 (the inner diameter of the spacer tube body 34D) and the outer diameter R1 of the static stirring body 44. Therefore, the annular electrode bodies 36 </ b> C and 36 </ b> D have an inner projecting portion 46 projecting annularly toward the inside of the conduit 40, and the inner projecting end of the inner projecting portion 46 is located on the inner side of the outer edge of the static stirring body 44. Will be located.
[0043]
A tapered surface 48 whose diameter decreases toward the downstream side is formed at the upstream side edge of the inner projecting portion 46 of each annular electrode body 36C, 36D. The tapered surface 48 has a taper angle of, for example, 45 ° with respect to the central axis O of the pipe line, and the tapered surface 48 has a diameter of the maximum diameter portion (in the embodiment, the inner diameter R3 of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D). Is the smaller diameter than the outer diameter R1 of the static stirring body 44, and the diameter R4 of the minimum diameter portion is larger than the outer diameter R1 of the static stirring body 44. Further, the downstream end portion 50 of the static stirring body 44 is in contact with the tapered surface 48.
[0044]
On the other hand, on the inner surface of the downstream side of the inner projecting portion 46 of each annular electrode body 36C, 36D, an inwardly cylindrical fitting portion 54 into which the upstream end 52 of the static stirring body 44 is fitted is formed in a stepped shape. Has been. The inner diameter of the fitting portion 54 is such that the upstream end portion 52 of the static stirring body 44 fitted inside the fitting portion 54 can move along the axial direction (and thus the flow direction of the flowable food material). It is determined to be.
[0045]
A packing 56 made of an elastic material such as Gore-Tex (registered trademark) is inserted between the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D and the spacer tube body 34D.
[0046]
In the above embodiment, while flowing a highly viscous fluid food material, such as mayonnaise, into the conduit 40 from the right side to the left side of FIGS. 1 to 3, between the annular electrode bodies 36 </ b> B to 36 </ b> K for energization heating. If, for example, a high frequency voltage is applied, a high frequency current flows between the respective annular electrode bodies in the fluid food material in the conduit 40, Joule heat is generated by the electrical resistance of the fluid food material, and current heating is performed. In the meantime, the fluid food material is agitated by the static agitator 44 between the annular electrode bodies as described above. That is, the flowable food material flowing in the conduit 40 is alternately swung in the opposite direction by the right twist piece 44A and the left twist piece 44B. Also, since the phases of the right twist piece 44A and the left twist piece 44B are 90 ° different from each other, the flow of the food material is divided, and the flow exists from a plurality of the match parts. Is divided in multiple. These actions combine to sufficiently agitate the food material in the transverse direction of the conduit 40.
[0047]
Here, the static stirring body 44 is pushed downstream by the dynamic pressure of the fluid food material flowing from the upstream side toward the downstream side. Therefore, the static agitator 44 always has its downstream end 50 pressed against the tapered surface 48 of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D. As a result, the static agitator 44 always has a central axis line of the pipe line 40. Centering is performed so as to coincide with the central axis O (the central axis of the spacer tube body 34D). Therefore, since the static stirring body 44 is always maintained so as to be positioned at the center position of the pipe line 40, the outer edge portion of the static stirring body 44 comes into contact with the inner surface of the pipe path 40 (the inner surface of the spacer pipe body 34D). Is prevented, and a predetermined space always exists between them. And since such a space is maintained, it is prevented that a fluid food material always flows also in the part, and local stagnation arises.
[0048]
Here, in the space between the outer edge of the static stirrer 44 and the inner surface of the conduit 40 (the inner surface of the spacer tube 34D), the fluid stirrer 44 directly fluidly stirs the fluid food material. In the case of fluid food materials with high viscosity such as mayonnaise, the presence of the space as described above is usually not a problem because it is generally flowed by the viscous effect. .
[0049]
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the upstream end 52 of the static stirring body 44 is fitted into the fitting portion 54 of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D so as to be movable in the axial direction. Even when the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient between the spacer 44 and the spacer tubes 34C and 34D is large, the difference is absorbed by the movement of the upstream end 52 of the static stirring body 44. Even if the difference is large, no particular problem occurs.
[0050]
Here, at the fitting portion between the upstream end 52 of the static agitator 44 and the fitting portion 54 of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D, the fluid food material is inserted and the fluid food material stays at that portion. However, there is almost no current for energization heating in the fitting portion, and therefore there is little possibility of overheating. That is, since the energization current normally flows between the shortest distances of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D, almost no current flows through the fitting portion on the inner surface side of the annular electrode bodies 36C and 36D. Even if a fluid food material is inserted or retained, the effect is small.
[0051]
The shape of the static stirrer 44 is not limited to the shape shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, but the main point is that the static stirring member 44 has two or more inclined surfaces inclined in different directions with respect to the axial direction of the pipe line. For example, it is possible to apply a turning force in two or more different directions to the flowable food material to stir the food material in the pipe crossing direction. Of course, the present invention can be applied to such a case.
[0052]
In addition, in the above-described example, the pipe line 40 is arranged horizontally, but it is needless to say that the pipe line 40 may be arranged in an inclined shape or a vertical shape.
[0053]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the continuous energization heating device for fluid food material of the present invention, fluid food material, particularly fluid food material having high viscosity such as mayonnaise or miso is continuously provided in the pipe. In order to continuously heat and heat while stirring with a static stirrer, the fluid food material with high viscosity is inserted into a minute gap between the static stirrer and the inner surface of the pipe. Therefore, it is possible to reliably and stably prevent the food material from staying, and thus it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of scorching due to overheating due to insertion and retention as described above, and further the occurrence of sparks.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a continuous energization heating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged front sectional view showing a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing an enlarged main part of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of the overall configuration of a conventional continuous energization heating device.
5 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4;
6 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5;
7 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line VII-VII in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
30 Continuous current heating device
36A-36L annular electrode body
40 pipeline
44 Static stirrer
48 Tapered surface
54 Fitting part

Claims (2)

In the apparatus for continuously heating the flowable food material in the pipeline by energization heating while continuously flowing and transferring the flowable food material in the length direction in the pipeline,
An annular electrode body made of a conductive material that is concentric with the central axis of the pipe and has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe in at least two portions at a predetermined interval from the upstream side to the downstream side of the pipe And a static stirrer for changing the flow direction of the flowable food material in a stationary state to give a stirring force to the flowable food material between the annular electrode bodies in the pipe line. The static stirrer is disposed along the axial direction of the pipe line, and the outer diameter of the static stirring body is smaller than the inner diameter of the pipe line and larger than the inner diameter of the annular electrode body. On the other hand, a tapered surface that receives the downstream end of the static stirring body is formed on the upstream side edge of the inner projecting portion of each annular electrode body, and downstream of the inner projecting portion of each annular electrode body. In the side part, the upstream end of the static stirring body is along the axial direction of the pipe A fitting portion to be movably fitted is formed, the static stirring body is pushed by the flow of the flowable food material, and the downstream end thereof is in contact with the tapered surface of the annular electrode body, and the center position in the pipe line A continuous energization heating device for fluid food materials, characterized in that it is maintained. In the continuous electric heating apparatus of the fluid food material according to claim 1,
A continuous energization heating device for a fluid food material, wherein the static agitator is configured such that two or more inclined surfaces that are inclined in different directions with respect to the axial direction of the pipe are alternately formed in the axial direction.

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