JP5715397B2 - Vacuum decompression method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a decompression and thawing method and apparatus for thawing frozen foods and the like.

  As a conventional thawing method and apparatus, there is one described in Patent Document 1. This method and apparatus is a vacuum thawing apparatus using the latent heat of water vapor, and the vacuum thawing chamber is decompressed by a vacuum pump and steam is supplied into the vacuum thawing chamber by a steam supply unit.

  Therefore, steam collects on the surface of the material to be thawed and condenses, and the material to be thawed is defrosted by the latent heat of condensation generated at this time.

  However, the heat transfer is only due to the latent heat on the surface of the object to be thawed, and there is no mixing force on the surface.

JP 2010-166863 A

  The problem to be solved is that the thawing time is long.

In the present invention, in order to shorten the thawing time, the inside of the sealed container is depressurized while the object to be thawed such as frozen food in the sealed container is immersed in the warm liquid to boil the warm liquid. A feature of the decompression thawing method is to defrost the material to be thawed by colliding with the surface of the material to be thawed.

In the decompression and thawing method of the present invention, in order to shorten the thawing time, the inside of the sealed container is depressurized while boiling the hot liquid while immersing the material to be thawed in the sealed container in the warm liquid, the boiling state The hot liquid is collided with the surface of the object to be thawed to thaw the object to be thawed.

  For this reason, the warm liquid is brought into a boiling state by depressurization, and the boiling warm liquid violently collides with the surface of the object to be thawed to become a stirring state, greatly promoting heat exchange on the surface of the object to be thawed, and quick thawing. Can be done.

It is a front view which shows a decompression and thawing apparatus. Example 1 It is a top view which shows a decompression and thawing apparatus. Example 1 It is explanatory drawing which shows the opening operation | movement of a manhole. Example 1

  The purpose of shortening the thawing time was realized by boiling hot water under reduced pressure.

[Decompression decompression device]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a vacuum decompression device, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing the vacuum decompression device.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the decompression and thawing device 1 includes a decompression container 3, a decompression unit 5, and a heating unit 7.

  The decompression container 3 is provided with a manhole 11 capable of sealing the main body 9 at an upper portion of the main body 9 so as to be opened and closed. By opening the manhole 11, the frozen raw material can be charged into the decompression vessel 3, and can be closed and closed. The manhole 11 is provided with an inspection window 11a.

  In addition, a liquid supply port 15, a projector 17, and a vacuum gauge 19 are provided above the decompression container 3. The projector 17 and the vacuum gauge 19 are connected to the control unit 21.

  A temperature sensor 23 is attached to the bottom of the decompression vessel 3 and connected to the control unit 21. A dissolved extract extraction nozzle 25 is provided at the center of the bottom of the decompression vessel 3, and a transfer pump 29 is connected via a pipe 27.

  The decompression unit 5 includes a vacuum pump 31, and the vacuum pump 31 is connected to the upper portion of the decompression container 3 via a suction pipe 33.

The heating unit 7 includes a steam jacket 35 that can supply and discharge steam. The steam jacket 35 is provided over the bottom of the decompression vessel 3 and the periphery of the bottom, and covers the bottom of the decompression vessel 3. . The steam jacket 35 is connected to a steam supply unit (not shown) via a steam pipe 37.
[Unzip operation]
First, water is charged into the decompression vessel 3, and steam is supplied to the steam jacket 35 to heat the water to a predetermined temperature.

  Next, a predetermined amount of raw material frozen from the manhole 11, for example, frozen foods, is charged.

  Next, the manhole 11 is closed, the vacuum pump 31 is activated, and steam heating is performed in the steam jacket 35 to adjust the internal temperature to a predetermined temperature. The internal temperature is detected by the temperature sensor 23, and the control unit 21 receiving the detection signal controls the supply and discharge of steam to the steam jacket 35 and the temperature.

  At this time, water introduced into the decompression vessel 3 is appropriately heated by steam heating and maintained at a predetermined temperature of less than 100 ° C., but since the pressure is reduced by starting the vacuum pump 31, the inside is boiled. The frozen raw material and the boiling hot water come into contact with each other vigorously, and thawing is completed in a short time.

  Thawing (dissolution) itself occurs at the interface of the frozen material. At this time, stirring due to the boiling phenomenon and heat transfer from hot water are the driving force for dissolution. Accordingly, the dissolution rate increases under conditions where the amount of hot water is large, the temperature is high, and the boiling is intense.

  On the other hand, as a comparative example, the frozen raw material was brought into contact with reduced-pressure water vapor. More than 4 times more time was required for thawing. In the comparative example, heat transfer is caused by condensation of water vapor on the surface of the frozen material. Since the condensation itself is efficient heat transfer, there is no mixing force on the melting surface, so the heat transfer on the surface of the frozen material is extremely bad. It seems that it became a result.

Example 1 and a comparative example are shown below.
Example 1
Equipment: Vacuum tank with jacket heating (150L) and water-sealed vacuum pump 0.75kW
Frozen raw material: 9.35Kg Frozen extract water: 23.4Kg (equivalent to 2.5 times the raw material)
Water (23.4kg) was added, the temperature was raised to 75 ° C by heating the jacket, and after reaching the temperature (3 minutes), the frozen raw material was charged and dissolved under vacuum at 75 ° C temperature adjustment (steam heating adjusted). . Jacket 112 degrees Internal pressure -0.065MPa
Dissolution time 7 minutes 40 seconds (comparative example)
Frozen raw material: 8.3kg
Water: 8.3kg (same amount as raw material)
Put the same amount of water (8.3Kg) as the frozen raw material (8.3Kg) in the kettle, lay a wire mesh on it, and place the frozen material on the wire mesh. Dissolved in vacuum at ℃ temperature control (steam heating adjusted)
Dissolution time 18.5 minutes interrupted Dissolve about 1/2 After dissolution is complete, the ingredients are dispensed with warm water for the next cooking process. This discharge is performed from the dissolved extract extraction nozzle 25 by driving the transfer pump 29.
(Raw material state)
Thus, in the test, the frozen material is brought into direct contact with hot water.

In cooking, there are many cases where water is mixed with a raw material and heated, which corresponds to the operation. That is, it is a concept that water within an allowable range is supplied as warm water and used without being separated as a food after thawing.
(The dissolution of the frozen material in the bag)
Thawing is also promoted for frozen items in the bag. Although the dissolution rate is slower than that without a bag, it is a necessary condition when water should not be mixed into the raw material. In this case, the thawed material is taken out from the inserted manhole 11 and can be taken out by tilting the decompression vessel 3 or the like.
(Agitation during thawing)
If stirring is performed, the thawing rate increases. Depending on the shape of the frozen food, stirring is performed after thawing, and mixing after thawing is performed.
[Effect of Example 1]
In the decompression and thawing method according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the inside of the sealed container 3 is decompressed while the frozen food is immersed in the warm liquid in the sealed container 3 to boil the warm liquid and thaw the frozen food.

  For this reason, the warm liquid is brought into a boiling state by decompression, and the boiling warm liquid violently collides with the surface of the frozen food material to become a stirring state, greatly promoting heat exchange on the surface of the frozen food material and causing quick defrosting. be able to.

  The decompression and thawing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an openable and closable decompression container 3 that houses frozen food, a decompression unit 5 that decompresses the interior of the decompression container 3, and a hot liquid in the decompression container 3 held at a set temperature. And a heating part 7 to be provided.

For this reason, the inside of the decompression container 3 is decompressed by the decompression part 5, the warm liquid is kept at the set temperature by the warming part 7, the warm liquid is boiled, and the frozen food can be thawed in a short time.
[Other]
The material to be thawed can be applied to other than frozen foods.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum decompression device 3 Pressure reduction container 5 Pressure reduction part 7 Heating part

Claims (4)

While immersing the material to be thawed, such as frozen food, in a warm container, depressurize the sealed container to boil the warm liquid,
The boiling liquid is collided with the surface of the material to be thawed to thaw the material to be thawed.
A decompression thawing method characterized by the above. The decompression and thawing method according to claim 1,
Put the material to be thawed in a bag and immerse it in the warm solution.
A decompression thawing method characterized by the above. A cooking method for foods using the decompression and decompression method according to claim 1 ,
Use the thawed material and the warm water without separating them,
The cooking method of the foodstuff characterized by the above-mentioned. A cooking method for foodstuffs using the decompression and thawing method according to claim 3 ,
Stir and mix the thawed material to be thawed and the warm water,
The cooking method of the foodstuff characterized by the above-mentioned.

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