RU2808181C1 - Carousel hop dryer - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture.

SUBSTANCE: invention can be used in hop farms. The hop dryer is made in the form of non-ferromagnetic radial segments of a vertical cylinder. The segments have equal volume. On the side faces of the segments there are windows to accommodate a carousel dielectric perforated ring platform mounted on a dielectric frame attached to the dielectric shaft of the electric motor. On the platform, ring dielectric combs are located at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. In each segment, in the inner cylinder formed by their end sides, there are air exhaust windows with a diameter of no more than 3.06 cm. A non-ferromagnetic exhaust fan is located on the upper base of the inner cylinder. A shaft from the electric motor passes through the lower base of the inner cylinder. The emitters are directed through waveguides from magnetrons on three outer sides into segments forming volumetric resonators, alternating with segments without magnetrons. Convex ceramic reflectors are attached inside the outer sides of the resonators. The lower bases of the resonators are equipped with air ducts from heat guns. Above the first segment in the direction of movement of raw materials there is a non-ferromagnetic loading container with a damper and a spiral non-ferromagnetic electric drive screw. A dielectric limiter is installed radially under the loading container to the annular dielectric combs. Inside the last segment, in the direction of movement of the raw materials, along the diagonal of its base, there is a dielectric axleless rigid screw electric drive auger for supplying the dried raw materials into the receiving container.

EFFECT: invention ensures the preservation of the consumer properties of hops while improving its microbiological characteristics.

1 cl, 10 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of agriculture and can be used in hop farms for drying freshly harvested hops in a continuous flow mode while maintaining consumer properties.

The scientific problem is the low energy efficiency of hop dryers with convective heat supply and the lack of small-sized continuous flow hop dryers for hop farms, ensuring the preservation of the consumer properties of hops at reduced operating costs.

An analogue is the SK series rotary grain dryers using convective heat. They contain a drying chamber formed by outer and inner enclosures and a perforated carousel platform mounted on a central support and through a support ring and rollers on the side supports. The grain is dried on a rotating platform moving in a circle in a horizontal plane [RF Patent No. 2654805, IPC F26B 15/04. 05/22/2018]. But to increase the efficiency of a hop dryer, the use of only convective heat supply to the raw materials is not enough. The convective drying method does not fully ensure the preservation of the consumer properties of hop cones, namely biochemical and organoleptic indicators. The most important thing is that alpha and beta acids are oxidized due to the high drying temperature. The components of bitter substances are easily oxidized by atmospheric oxygen, and this process especially increases with increasing temperature. Within 1 hour at a temperature of 110°C, 67.5% of alpha acid, 59% of beta acid and 56.2% of xanthohumols are oxidized. The most intense oxidation process occurs in the first hour of heating the hop cones. Under the influence of a number of factors (air oxygen, temperature, heating duration), hop components are transformed into less valuable substances, thereby causing a loss in hop quality. In order to preserve the maximum of valuable substances, it is necessary to observe specific technological regimes, which must be implemented in the design features of a hop dryer operating on the principle of endogenous-convective heat supply.

The use of a combined drying method, namely the microwave-convective method of drying freshly harvested hops, will preserve its consumer properties.

The closest in technical essence is the well-known microwave convective hop dryer with a hemispherical non-ferromagnetic resonator, [RF Patent No. 2770628, C12C 3/02;], operating in continuous mode. The resonator is connected to the cylindrical part of the hop dryer coaxially, and air ducts from electric heaters are connected to its side surface. The resonator is divided into zones using ceramic perforated biconvex partitions. A hop dryer with a dielectric hop distributor ensures step-by-step drying of freshly harvested hops and electromagnetic safety.

The disadvantages are the difficulty in gradually regulating the rate of drying of hops and ensuring uniform drying of hop cones.

Therefore, the development of a hop dryer with microwave energy supply to resonators of non-standard designs with the possibility of uniform heating and drying of hop cones during continuous operation in hop-growing conditions while maintaining its consumer properties, with reduced operating costs, is relevant.

The technical result of the invention is the preservation of the consumer properties of hops while improving its microbiological characteristics by ensuring uniform drying of freshly harvested hops using a microwave convective method in a continuous mode.

To do this, the duty ratio of the technological process is ensured, equal to 0.5, by placing a carousel dielectric perforated platform with annular combs, the parameters of which are consistent with the depth of penetration of the wave into the raw material, in the working chamber in the form of radial segments of a coaxial cylinder. Magnetrons are installed in alternating radial segments; they are volumetric resonators.

To solve the technical problem and achieve the stated technical result, a carousel hop dryer, characterized in that it is made in the form of non-ferromagnetic radial segments of a vertically located cylinder, the segments have equal volume, on the side faces of the segments there are windows for placing a carousel dielectric perforated ring platform mounted on a dielectric frame, attached to the dielectric shaft of the electric motor, ring dielectric combs are located on the platform at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, in each segment in the inner cylinder formed by their end sides, air outlet windows are made, with a diameter of no more than 3.06 cm, on the upper base of the inner cylinder a non-ferromagnetic exhaust fan is located, and a shaft from an electric motor passes through the lower base of the inner cylinder, emitters through waveguides from magnetrons on three outer sides are directed into segments forming volumetric resonators, alternating with segments without magnetrons, convex ceramic reflectors are attached inside the outer sides of the resonators, lower bases The resonators are equipped with air ducts from heat guns, while above the first segment in the direction of movement of the raw material there is a non-ferromagnetic loading container with a damper and a spiral non-ferromagnetic electric drive screw, under the loading capacity to the annular dielectric combs a dielectric limiter is installed radially, inside the last segment in the direction of movement of the raw material along its diagonal At the base there is a dielectric axleless rigid electric-driven screw screw for feeding dried raw materials into the receiving container.

The essence of the invention is illustrated by drawings, which show:

- carousel hop dryer with microwave energy supply to the segments of a coaxial cylinder, general view (Fig. 1);

- carousel hop dryer with microwave energy supply to the segments of the coaxial cylinder, general view in section with positions (Fig. 2);

- technological diagram of the process of drying hops in a hop dryer (Fig. 3);

- hop dryer in section at the level of the axleless screw auger 11 (Fig. 4);

- hop dryer in section at the level of the dielectric limiter 14 (Fig. 5);

- hop dryer in a section along a horizontal plane with a view of ceramic reflectors 13, axleless screw auger 11 (Fig. 6);

- radial segment of the coaxial cylinder (Fig. 7);

- dielectric perforated carousel platform 9 (Fig. 8);

- ceramic convex reflector 13 (Fig. 9);

- dielectric limiter 14 (Fig. 10).

A carousel hop dryer with microwave energy supply to the segments of a coaxial cylinder contains (Fig. 1-10):

- non-ferromagnetic radial segments of 1 coaxial cylinder;

- a dielectric perforated ring platform 2 on a frame 3 attached to the electric drive shaft;

- non-ferromagnetic air ducts with heat guns 4;

- non-ferromagnetic air vent with exhaust fan 5 made of non-ferromagnetic blades;

- waveguides with air-cooled magnetrons 6;

- non-ferromagnetic loading capacity 7;

- non-ferromagnetic spiral electric screw 8;

- dielectric perforated ring platform 9;

- dielectric ring combs 10;

- dielectric axleless rigid screw electric drive screw 11;

- receiving capacity 12;

- convex ceramic reflectors 13;

- dielectric limiter 14.

The carousel hop dryer (Fig. 1-10) consists of radial segments 1 of equal volume of a coaxial cylinder located in a vertical plane, where alternating segments are represented as volumetric resonators.

On the side faces of the radial segments 1 there are windows for a carousel dielectric perforated ring platform 9 on a dielectric frame with rollers, rotating from an electric drive. On the ring platform 9, dielectric ring combs 10 are located at a distance of 3-4 cm. In the inner cylinder, formed by the end sides of the segments, there are air outlet windows from each segment, with a diameter of less than 3.06 cm. A non-ferromagnetic exhaust fan 5 is located on the upper base of the inner cylinder. A dielectric shaft from an electric motor is laid through the lower base of the inner cylinder to rotate the dielectric ring platform 9. The emitters through waveguides from magnetrons 6 are directed into the segments of the coaxial cylinder from three outer sides, alternating with segments without magnetrons. They perform the functions of volumetric resonators. Above the first segment there is a non-ferromagnetic loading container 7 with a damper and a non-ferromagnetic spiral electric drive screw 8, under which a dielectric limiter 14 is installed radially, up to the dielectric combs 10. Inside the last segment, along the diagonal of the base, there is a dielectric axleless rigid screw electric drive screw 11. To the outside inside Convex ceramic reflectors 13 are attached to each resonator, and air ducts from heat guns are directed under the lower bases of the resonators.

The technological process of drying freshly harvested hops is as follows. Close the damper in the non-ferromagnetic loading container 7 and load freshly harvested hops. Turn on all electric heat guns to supply thermal air of a certain capacity through the air ducts into the resonators and turn on the non-ferromagnetic exhaust fan 5. Turn on the electric drives of the non-ferromagnetic spiral screw 8, the dielectric screw axial screw 11 and the annular dielectric perforated platform 9. In this case, the non-ferromagnetic spiral screw 8 performs the function of a retarding systems, limiting radiation.

Open the valve in the loading container 7, after which the freshly harvested hop cones fall onto the dielectric ring perforated platform 9 between the ring combs 10, where the distance is no more than a quarter of the wavelength (wavelength 12.24 cm, frequency of the electromagnetic field of ultrahigh frequency (EMF) 2450 MHz) . As soon as the raw material enters the second segment from the first segment, which will perform the function of a volumetric resonator, turn on the microwave generators 6, where the hop cones are heated due to polarization currents in an electromagnetic field of ultrahigh frequency, in accordance with the dielectric parameters of the components of the cone, selectively, endogenously. In this case, surface moisture is removed by convective heat. Due to the fact that the distance between the annular combs 10 is no more than two wave penetration depths, the hops are heated evenly throughout their entire thickness. In the next segment, the temperature, pressure and humidity of the hop cones are equalized across the cross section of the loaded raw material between the dielectric ring combs. If the duty cycle of the technological process is 0.5 or less, then the humidity, temperature and pressure in the raw material are equalized across the entire cross-section. In this case, the duty cycle of the process is 0.5, since the durations of microwave heating and pause are equal (the duty cycle is the ratio of the heating duration to the cycle duration). As raw materials are loaded into subsequent cavity resonators, alternating through a pause (segment without magnetrons), the corresponding microwave generators should be turned on. Such repeated exposure to EMHF with a convective method of removing released moisture promotes drying in a gentle mode and preserves the consumer properties of hops. Upon completion of drying, the hops with equalized parameters (temperature, humidity) enter the last segment, the raw materials are unloaded using a dielectric axleless rigid screw auger 11, outside the hop dryer into the receiving container 12. Humid air is constantly removed from each segment through the holes on the generatrix of the inner cylinder and through the exhaust fan 5.

The quality of dried hops depends on the temperature and air pressure, the dose of exposure to EMF, and the electric field strength at each stage of drying, so you should adhere to at least a three-stage drying process (heat-pause). The uniform distribution of raw materials on the dielectric perforated platform and the uniformity of its heating are ensured using dielectric ring combs 10, since the distance between the combs is no more than two depths of penetration of the wave into the hops (3-4 cm). Convex ceramic reflectors 13 make it possible not only to concentrate the energy of the ultrahigh frequency electromagnetic field in the raw material, but also to reduce radiation losses through the slits [3].

To implement an effective drying mode, the following control options are provided:

- rotation speed of the corresponding electric motors;

- performance of fans and power of heating elements of the corresponding heat guns;

- volumes of loading raw materials into the resonators with a change in the rotation speed of the non-ferromagnetic spiral screw 8;

- power of microwave generators 6.

High electric field strength, sufficient for disinfection of hops (1.2-1.8 kV/cm) in each resonator is ensured due to the interference of concentrated waves from convex ceramic reflectors with a low dielectric loss tangent.

Compared to the prototype, the proposed technical solution, by ensuring uniform drying of freshly harvested hops by microwave convective method in a continuous mode, will ensure the preservation of the consumer properties of hops while improving its microbiological characteristics.

Claims (1)

A carousel hop dryer, characterized in that it is made in the form of non-ferromagnetic radial segments of a vertically located cylinder, the segments have equal volume, on the side faces of the segments there are windows for placing a carousel dielectric perforated ring platform mounted on a dielectric frame attached to the dielectric shaft of the electric motor, on the platform on ring dielectric combs are located at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other, in each segment in the inner cylinder formed by their end sides there are air exhaust windows with a diameter of no more than 3.06 cm, on the upper base of the inner cylinder there is a non-ferromagnetic exhaust fan, and through the lower base of the inner a shaft from an electric motor passes through the cylinder, emitters through waveguides from magnetrons on three outer sides are directed into segments forming volumetric resonators, alternating with segments without magnetrons, convex ceramic reflectors are attached inside the outer sides of the resonators, the lower bases of the resonators are equipped with air ducts from heat guns, while above The first segment in the direction of movement of raw materials is located in a non-ferromagnetic loading container with a damper and a spiral non-ferromagnetic electric-driven auger; a dielectric limiter is installed radially under the loading container up to the annular dielectric combs; inside the last segment in the direction of movement of raw materials, a dielectric axial rigid screw electric-driven auger is located diagonally along its base, for feeding dried raw materials into a receiving container.