TW202031347A - Manufacturing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and method for mixing and heating one or more ingredients to form an admixture, and stretching the admixture to form a product, and particularly to mixing and cooking one or more ingredients to form an admixture, and stretching the admixture to form food products such a process cheese and food products such as pasta filata cheeses such as for example Mozzarella, pizza cheese, and/or pizza cheese analogue.

Description

Manufacturing equipment and methods

The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture and stretching the mixture to form a product. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a product, the method comprising mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching the mixture to form a product. The product can be a non-food product, such as an industrial non-food product, or a food product, such as processed cheese. Optimally, the product is a food product, particularly pasta filata cheese, such as Mozzarella cheese, pizza cheese, and/or pizza cheese analogs.

Many industrial applications require mixing, heating and stretching of raw material mixtures. However, the available mechanical systems are limited in their ability to perform such operations in a single processing step.

An example of an application that requires a mixture of raw materials to be mixed, heated and stretched is the manufacture of mozzarella cheese and related spun cheese. Attempts to increase the efficiency of mozzarella cheese production usually focus on automating the curd cooking process, which is usually combined with automatic kneading and stretching. Most automated systems try to replicate these effects by introducing ground curd into a "mixer-cooker" device.

The hybrid digester device usually includes an auger operating at a high speed to achieve the required product flow rate under the condition of the back pressure element. Such hybrid digesters and other equipment that mix, heat and stretch one or more raw materials into various food or non-food products are still subject to the following limitations in capacity: ˙ Produce spun cheese (such as mozzarella cheese) and other products through a single processing step, and complete the heating/steaming process without recycling raw materials, so that complete processing usually requires other equipment and procedures. ˙ Fully mix the raw materials, which may reduce the function of the product, and/or ˙ Prevent or reduce product loss, thereby maximizing product output and/or processing efficiency, which usually requires auxiliary processing steps including additional equipment to achieve proper mixing.

The requirements on additional devices/equipment of conventional equipment usually have the disadvantage of generating waste streams. For example, many spinning-type cheese hybrid cookers can heat the curd particles in a hot liquid medium (such as water and/or whey) before cooking and stretching and/or within the hybrid cooker device. Therefore, such equipment usually requires a large amount of hot water or whey, thus generating a large amount of waste water or waste whey. This wasteful system can cause excessive milk solids and/or salt whey losses during the cheese processing process, especially a large amount of fat loss.

For applications that require mixing, heating and stretching, there is still a need for improved or alternative equipment. Such equipment is particularly useful in the manufacture of cheese, especially spinning cheese, such as mozzarella cheese. Such equipment can also be used to produce products other than cheese, including non-food products such as plastic, rubber and/or glass fiber, and food products such as pasta, cereals, nutrition bars, processed meat and/or pastries ( confection).

An object of the present invention is to provide a device that overcomes or at least partially improves some of the above-mentioned disadvantages and/or at least provides the public with useful options.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description given only as examples.

In this specification, reference is made to external information including patent specifications and other documents, usually for the purpose of providing context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless otherwise stated, references to such information should not be interpreted in any jurisdiction as an admission that such information is a skill or part of common knowledge in the field.

In the first aspect, the present invention broadly includes an apparatus for mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching the mixture to form a product, the apparatus including: A housing, which includes a chamber, an inlet for delivering one or more raw materials to the chamber, and an outlet that allows products to be discharged from the chamber; The first and second rotatable shafts are arranged in the chamber and are suitable for mixing one or more raw materials to form a mixture, stretching the mixture and conveying the mixture through the chamber to the outlet; and Temperature regulator, which is suitable for heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures, The first and second rotatable shafts are adjacent to each other in the chamber, and include corresponding first and second mutually intermeshing parts. The first corresponding intermeshing part includes a spiral blade, and the second corresponding intermeshing part includes At least one arm extending from each rotatable shaft or a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft.

In a second aspect, the present invention broadly includes a method of mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture in a unitary process and stretching the mixture to form a product, the method comprising: One or more raw materials are brought into contact with a device. The device includes first and second rotatable shafts adjacent to each other, and includes corresponding first and second mutually meshing parts to To form a mixture, Stretch and convey the mixture, Simultaneously control the temperature of one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to form products.

In some embodiments, the outlet is located vertically above the inlet so that the mixture enters from the inlet and passes through the chamber to the outlet along a generally upward path.

In some embodiments, the device can be operated in a substantially vertical direction.

In some embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts further include respective third intermeshing portions including spiral blades extending from each rotatable shaft.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second rotatable shafts further includes another corresponding intermeshing portion including a plurality of portions extending substantially perpendicularly from the first and second rotatable shafts. Protruding.

In some embodiments, the chamber includes at least one first wall portion, and when present, the first wall portion includes a plurality of protrusions that are associated with one or both of the first and second rotatable shafts The protrusions on the upper part are engaged with each other.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a third rotatable shaft, the third rotatable shaft is located at or near the outlet, and is at an angle to the first and second rotatable shafts or parallel to the first rotatable shaft. And the second rotatable shaft.

In some embodiments, the at least one arm includes in each case: The first part, which is arranged on the rotatable shaft and is substantially perpendicular to the rotatable shaft, and The second part is arranged on the first part and is substantially parallel to the rotatable shaft.

In some embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts are parallel to each other.

In some embodiments, the part including the spiral blade is an Archimedes screw in each case.

In some embodiments, the chamber includes an inner diameter, and the spiral blades and/or at least one arm present therein respectively have or describe an outer diameter in use, and the spiral blades and/or at least one arm present therein The outer diameter is about 90% to about 100% of the inner diameter of the chamber.

In some embodiments, there is a minimum interval between the helical blade or at least one arm on the first rotatable shaft and the helical blade or at least one arm on the second rotatable shaft, and the minimum interval is within the inner diameter of the channel. Between 1% and 20%.

In some embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts are suitable for Rotate in the first direction to transport one or more raw materials or mixtures from the inlet and through the chamber to the outlet, and Rotate in the second direction, which is the opposite direction of the first direction.

In some embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts are adapted to rotate at different speeds along each part of the rotatable shaft.

In some embodiments, the chamber further includes one or more auxiliary inlets for conveying one or more other raw materials to the chamber.

In some embodiments, the equipment does not include a system for recycling one or more raw materials or mixtures.

In some embodiments, the device, the housing and/or at least one of the first and second rotatable shafts have a modular structure.

In some embodiments, the housing has a modular structure and includes a removable front panel.

In some embodiments, the volume of the chamber is about 0.15L to about 7,500L.

In some embodiments, the temperature regulator includes one or more ports for introducing heating and/or cooling media, and/or a jacket wall that at least partially surrounds the chamber.

In some embodiments, one or more ports and/or jacket walls are adapted to use heating and/or cooling media to adjust the temperature of the chamber.

In some embodiments, the heating or cooling medium is a fluid.

In some embodiments, the heating medium is selected from steam, suitable gas, or a combination of the foregoing.

In some embodiments, the chamber further includes one or more outlets for removing heating and/or cooling media from the jacket wall.

In some embodiments, the device does not include a water bath.

In some embodiments, the device further includes an instrument selected from the group consisting of temperature probe, pressure valve or pressure gauge, vacuum valve or vacuum gauge, steam valve or steam pressure gauge and flow meter, or any two or more thereof. Multiple combinations.

In some embodiments, the device further includes a conveyor and/or pump, and the conveyor and/or pump is disposed at the inlet to supply one or more raw materials to the chamber through the inlet.

In some embodiments, the inlet, outlet, and/or one or more secondary entrance portals include flow meters to monitor the flow through the inlet, outlet, and/or one or more secondary entrances, respectively .

In some embodiments, the cavity includes radiused corners.

In some embodiments, the first corresponding intermeshing portion includes a spiral blade, and the second corresponding intermeshing portion includes at least one arm extending from each rotatable shaft or substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft. Multiple protrusions extending.

In some embodiments, the mixture is stretched and transported so that the mixture passes through the device along a generally upward path.

In some embodiments, the method further includes a temperature adjustment step.

In some embodiments, the method further includes providing one or more other raw materials to the chamber.

In some embodiments, before forming the mixture, one or more raw materials are supplied to the equipment sequentially or simultaneously.

In some embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts or each part of the rotatable shaft rotates at a tip speed of about 0.1 to about 2 m/s (meters per second).

In some implementation aspects, each of the first rotatable shaft and the second rotatable shaft rotates in the same direction.

In some embodiments, each of the first rotatable shaft and the second rotatable shaft rotates in a different direction.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures at a temperature of about 20 to about 400°C.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures at a temperature of about 20 to about 160°C.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating the mixture.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and mixtures.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures while mixing or stretching.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures while mixing and stretching.

In some embodiments, the method may include one or more temperature adjustment steps.

In some embodiments, each temperature adjustment step may include heating or cooling.

In some embodiments, the device can be adapted to cool one or more raw materials and/or mixtures.

In some embodiments, one or more raw materials and/or mixtures can be cooled to a temperature of about 20 to about 95°C.

In some embodiments, the one or more raw materials are selected from: cheese, cheese curd, skimmed milk cheese, lactated casein curd, enzyme-modified cheese, milk, partially skimmed milk, skimmed milk, cream milk ( butter milk, whey, concentrated milk, whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, skimmed milk powder, butter milk powder, one or more starter microorganisms, rennet, milk retentate produced by membrane filtration , Dry milk protein concentrate, dry mineral-conditioned milk protein concentrate, dry ion exchanged milk protein concentrate, dry sweet whey, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, dry Ion exchanged whey protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, total milk protein, cream, high-fat cream, butter, ghee, β serum, permeate, dry permeate , Lactose, minerals derived from fractionated dairy raw materials, rennet casein, sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, calcium caseinate and lactate casein, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

In some embodiments, the milk retentate is prepared through membrane filtration selected from the group consisting of microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, diafiltration, and reverse osmosis, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

In some embodiments, the one or more other raw materials are one or more generally recognized as safe raw materials, and the safe raw materials are selected from: water, salt, inorganic acid, organic acid, color, natural and/or artificial flavor (such as Spices and vegetable flavors), emulsifiers, stabilizers, gums, safe and suitable enzymes, emulsifying salts, salt water, antimicrobial or preservatives, antioxidants, chelating agents, leavening agents, anti-caking agents, bleaching agents , Sweeteners, starches, vitamins, minerals, non-dairy fat, fat substitutes and non-dairy proteins, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

In some embodiments, the product is a food product.

In some embodiments, the food is selected from cheese, pasta, cereals, nutrition bars, processed meat and pastries.

In some embodiments, heating includes cooking one or more ingredients to form a food product.

In some embodiments, the food is cheese.

In some embodiments, the food is a fibrous food.

In some embodiments, the cheese is selected from processed cheese, pizza cheese, and cheese analogs.

In some embodiments, the cheese is a spun cheese.

In some embodiments, the spun cheese is mozzarella cheese.

In some embodiments, the cheese contains arranged casein fibers.

In some embodiments, the cheese contains elongated casein fibers, such as aligned and elongated casein fibers.

In some embodiments, the presence of aligned casein fibers is determined by confocal laser scanning microscope or scanning electron microscope.

In some embodiments, the presence of elongated casein fibers is determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy or scanning electron microscopy.

In some embodiments, the product is a non-food product.

In some embodiments, the non-food product is selected from rubber, plastic, glass fiber, and synthetic fiber.

In some embodiments, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to a temperature sufficient for the one or more raw materials to react to form a product.

In some embodiments, the mixture is homogeneous.

In some embodiments, the mixture is heterogeneous.

In some embodiments, the mixture forms a homogeneously mixed and stretched product.

In some embodiments, the mixture includes aligned fibers.

The numerical range (for example, 1 to 10) disclosed herein also includes all rational numbers in the range (for example, 1, 1.1, 2, 3, 3.9, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 9 and 10) and The range of any rational number within this range (for example, 2 to 8, 1.5 to 5.5, and 3.1 to 4.7), therefore, all sub-ranges of all ranges disclosed herein are also explicitly disclosed here. These are only exemplifications for specific purposes, and all possible combinations of numerical values between the listed minimum and maximum values should be regarded as clearly described in this application in a similar manner.

The present invention broadly also includes the parts, elements, and features indicated or referenced in this specification, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of the parts, elements, or features, and are used herein When reference is made to specific integers having known equivalents in the field related to the present invention, these known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

The term "comprising" used in this specification and the scope of the patent application means "comprising at least in part". When interpreting each statement including the term "comprising" in this specification and the scope of the patent application, there may also be those features in addition to or beginning with the term. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" should be interpreted in the same way.

Unless otherwise specified, the singular forms "a" and "the" include plural forms.

As used herein, the term "and/or" means "and" or "or" or both.

As used herein, the "(s)" after the noun refers to the plural and/or singular form of the noun.

Although the present invention is substantially as defined above, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention also includes the implementation aspects provided in the following embodiments.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching (ie, mechanically working) the mixture to form a product. In various embodiments, the device can be used in many industrial and food applications. The invention particularly relates to mixing and cooking one or more raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching the mixture to form a product. In various embodiments, the present invention relates to an apparatus or method for forming fibrous products, especially fibrous food products, such as mozzarella cheese.

In various embodiments, such as in cheese manufacturing, the equipment and/or method may allow one or more raw materials to be mixed and heated in a unitary process to form a mixture, and the mixture is stretched to form a product . The term "single process" refers to the ability of a device or method to mix and heat one or more raw materials to form a mixture in a single processing step and stretch the mixture to form a product. That is, the single processing step refers to a single pass from the entrance 11 to the exit 16, and the processing can be completed without recirculation and/or auxiliary equipment.

The device processes one or more raw materials in a temperature-controlled chamber including first and second rotatable shafts. The equipment can be used in food manufacturing methods, especially for the production of foods selected from cheese (for example, processed and related cheese varieties), pasta, cereals, nutrition bars, processed meats, meat analogs and/or pastries . Preferably, the equipment is used in a method of manufacturing spun cheese, such as mozzarella cheese, pizza cheese and/or pizza cheese analogs.

The device can also be used in a method for manufacturing non-food products, such as those selected from rubber, plastic, glass fiber, and synthetic fiber (such as nylon). The equipment can be used to manufacture non-food products related to rubber, plastic, glass fiber or synthetic fiber, such as products including rubber, plastic, glass fiber or synthetic fiber. Examples of such products may be body care products containing plastic microbeads.

Depending on the raw materials used, the mixture and/or the products formed can be homogeneous or heterogeneous. For example, when the product is rubber, plastic, or cheese, the mixture can be homogeneous. As another example, when the product is glass fiber, cereal, or nutritional bars, the mixture can be heterogeneous.

The device includes first and second rotatable shafts, the first and second rotatable shafts are suitable for mixing one or more raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching and conveying the mixture. The first and second rotatable shafts include corresponding first and second intermeshing parts, the first corresponding intermeshing part includes a spiral blade, and the second corresponding intermeshing part includes an extending from each rotatable shaft At least one arm or a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft. Spiral blades, arms, and multiple protrusions are examples of functional elements, respectively.

The functional elements of each rotatable shaft can be specifically selected and/or designed to interact in a unique and complementary manner to promote one or more desired functional characteristics in the product. These rotatable shaft elements are suitable for mixing and stretching raw material blends simultaneously in a temperature controlled environment. In the manufacture of fibrous foods (such as spun cheese), the element is also suitable for kneading raw material blends. Therefore, the elements on the corresponding intermeshing parts of each rotatable shaft can produce various beneficial effects, while separate elements cannot be produced separately. For example, in various embodiments, the selected shaft components of the device can transform one or more materials into tempered plastic masses with certain desired characteristics. In particular, in various embodiments, the equipment can be adapted to use only a single single processing step to produce a finished product with the desired fiber web, thereby eliminating waste.

In the context of cheese manufacturing, the production of spinning cheese (such as mozzarella cheese) can include heating (cooking), mixing, stretching, kneading and salting. When heated, the molten mozzarella curd has high viscoelasticity, forming a plastic curd mass, and has the viscosity of a liquid and the elasticity of a solid. The inventor believes that the high apparent viscosity of the molten mozzarella curd block promotes laminar flow, which can inhibit the mixing between different fluid layers or "lamellae". Adequate mixing of the separated flakes is believed to require chaotic motion to physically redirect the product flow during manufacturing. However, chaotic motion is known to destroy fiber particles. Therefore, one of the challenges in manufacturing spun-type cheese is to make the equipment capable of using enough flakes to produce a molten curd mass while retaining the fiber particles in the molten curd mass.

Most mozzarella manufacturing methods try to produce elongated casein fibers from the melted curd mass, and then arrange the casein fibers in a single direction, preferably forming a channel that traps free serum. Then, as the spinning type cheese ages, the trapped serum will be absorbed into the casein fiber to control the function of the mozzarella cheese. The inventor believes that the absorption of serum through the arranged casein fibers can determine the elasticity, shape, texture, stretch, melting, color, and foaming of heated mozzarella cheese (especially when baking pizza). Formation, foaming color, emulsion stability, free oil release and/or mouthfeel. Therefore, to manufacture spun-type cheese (such as mozzarella cheese) in a single process, the flakes should be mixed together to produce casein fibers, so as to achieve an almost exclusive effect.

The inventor believes that when heating, mixing and stretching, the interaction of the functional elements of the corresponding intermeshing parts of each rotatable shaft enables the equipment to produce spun-type cheese with the required casein fibers and to ensure flakes Mix well. In various implementation aspects, the device and method achieve this result in a single processing step. The inventor believes that in order to achieve these effects, multiple types of equipment were previously required to perform successive processing steps.

Methods known in the art can be used to evaluate the presence of desired functional properties in the products produced according to the present invention. For example, regarding the manufacture of spun-type cheese, the presence and/or properties (such as size) of elongated casein fibers in the spun-type cheese can be evaluated using a microscope. In particular, confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), including variants such as cryogenic scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM), can be used to visualize casein fibers in a sample. For example, CJ Oberg, WR McManus, and DJ McMahon published in 1993 in Food Structure (Food Structure) 12(2): 251-257, "Microstructure of Mozzarella cheese during the manufacturing process" Figure 4A in "Manufacture)" shows the elongated fiber structure of Mozarella observed by SEM.

HTH Nguyen, L. Ong, C. Lopez, SE Kentish, and SL Gras published in Food Res. Intern. 102:458-467 in 2017, “Microstructure and physical and chemical properties reveal high-moisture buffalo and beef mozzarella cheese "Microstructure and physicochemical properties reveal differences between high moisture buffalo and bovine Mozzarella cheeses" is another reference, which explains the unique fiber structure of the surface part of Mozzarella cheeses when observed with CLSM (see Figure 2, A1 , B1, C1, D1 and E1). MAE Auty, M. Twomey, TP Guinee, and D. Mulvihill published in J. Dairy Res. 68:417-427 in 2001, “Confocal scanning laser microscopy is used to study the distribution of fat and protein in specific dairy products. "Development and application of confocal scanning laser microscopy methods for studying the distribution of fat and protein in selected dairy products", which explains that mozzarella and other types of cheese (ie cream cheese, cheddar) The structural difference between Cheddar cheese and process cheese (see plates 1 and 2).

P. Kindstedt, M. Caric and S. Milanovic in Cheese Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology Third Edition in 2004, PF Fox, PLH McSweeney, TM Cogan and TP Guinee in Ed. Elsevier London, Volume 2, pages 251-277 The published pasta-filata cheeses (referred to herein as the literature published by Kindstedt et al.) also describe a test used to evaluate changes in the structure of the curd during stretching, that is, the formation of substantially parallel curds in the curd fiber.

Tests for evaluating characteristics other than the fiber structure of spun-type cheese are also known in the art. Such properties include, for example, thermally-induced functional properties (melting), meltability, stretchability, oiling-off, and browning, and related tests are described in, for example, the literature published by Kindstedt et al. and Jana, AH and PK Mandal published in J. Dairy Sci. 6(4): 199-226 in 2011, "Manufacturing and quality of Mozzarella cheese. A Review. Internat.)”.

The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 provides a front view of a device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The device includes a housing 23, which includes a chamber (not shown in the figure), an inlet 11 for conveying one or more raw materials to the chamber, and an outlet for removing products from the chamber 16. In some embodiments, the outlet 16 may include an optional vacuum system to assist in product removal. In some embodiments, the device may include one or more secondary inlets 12a, 12b to supply a second stream of raw materials, such as one or more other raw materials, to the chamber. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1, the secondary entrances 12 a and 12 b can be arranged in a position 12 a above the entrance 11. In some embodiments, the secondary inlets 12a, 12b may be located below the inlet 11 in the position shown by 12b.

The housing 23 may have a single-shell design or may have a modular structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the housing with a modular structure may include a front panel 101 that can be removed from the rest of the housing 23. The removal of the front panel 101 may allow direct access to the chamber or device 10 for disassembly, maintenance and/or cleaning. The shell can be manufactured by any suitable method, for example, by casting, machining, adding, or mixed mode manufacturing. In various embodiments, the housing can be manufactured to allow the use of standard accessories and/or gauges.

In the embodiment in which the product is a food product such as cheese, the one or more raw materials delivered to the chamber 50 of the apparatus for mixing, cooking and stretching may include one or more dairy raw materials selected from the following: cheese, cheese Curd, skimmed milk cheese, lactic casein curd, enzyme-modified cheese, milk, partially skimmed milk, skimmed milk, cream milk, whey, concentrated milk, whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, skimmed milk powder , Cream milk powder, one or more fermentation microorganisms, rennet, milk retentate produced by membrane filtration (such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, diafiltration and reverse osmosis), dried milk protein concentrate, dried Mineral-conditioned milk protein concentrate, dried ion exchanged milk protein concentrate, dried sweet whey, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, dried ion exchanged whey protein concentrate , Milk protein isolate, total milk protein, fresh cream, high-fat fresh cream, butter, ghee, β serum, permeate, dry permeate, lactose, minerals derived from fractionated dairy products, rennet Casein, sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, calcium caseinate and lactate casein, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

In the embodiment where the product is a non-food product, the one or more raw materials may be one or more non-food raw materials. For example, if the product is glass fiber, the one or more raw materials may include one or more types of polymers and one or more types of fibers. The polymer may be any polymer suitable for glass fiber manufacturing, such as epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester or phenolic resin. Similarly, the fiber can be any fiber suitable for glass fiber manufacturing, such as glass fiber, carbon fiber, aromatic polyamide or another type of synthetic fiber, basalt, paper or wood. In some embodiments, more than one polymer and/or more than one fiber may be used. Those skilled in the art will understand that the type of polymer and fiber used will depend at least in part on the intended application of the resulting glass fiber. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be able to select the appropriate polymers and fibers for the specific intended application.

In the manufacture of rubber and plastics, one or more raw materials can be one or more monomers that can be polymerized to form rubber or plastic. For example, synthetic rubber is usually polymerized from one or more types of petroleum-based monomers.

One or more raw materials may be introduced into the device 10 via the inlet 11 to begin processing the raw materials into a mixture.

In some embodiments, the one or more raw materials delivered to the chamber 50 of the device for mixing, heating, and stretching may include prepared products (for example, a pre-prepared mixture), which may include products suitable for producing the desired product. Any suitable raw materials or food blends. For example, with regard to the manufacture of cheese, the pre-prepared mixture may include curd or cheese from a cheese barrel, or alternatively, combine grated cheese with added salt, emulsifying salt and/or other common It is considered safe (generally recognised as safe, GRAS) raw material mix. Regarding the manufacture of non-food products, the pre-prepared mixture may include a pre-prepared polymer or copolymer, which is then further polymerized with one or more monomers using the equipment to form, for example, rubber or plastic.

In some embodiments, a suitable conveyor and/or pump (not shown) may be connected or otherwise provided to the inlet 11 to introduce one or more raw materials into the chamber of the device 10. Suitable agitators, belt agitators, barrels and/or other devices can fill and/or supply the pre-prepared mixture (such as curds) to the conveyor (if any) that feeds the raw materials into the equipment 10.

In various embodiments, the apparatus 10 may also include one or more secondary inlets 12a, 12b for delivering one or more additional materials to the chamber.

In the embodiment where the product is a food product such as cheese, the one or more additional raw materials may be selected from one or more of the following GRAS non-dairy raw materials: water, sodium chloride, inorganic acid, organic acid, color, natural and/or artificial Spices (such as spices and vegetable flavors), emulsifiers, stabilizers, gums, safe and suitable enzymes, emulsifying salts, brine, antimicrobial or preservatives, antioxidants, chelating agents, leavening agents, anti-caking agents , Bleach, sweetener, starch, vitamins, minerals, non-dairy fat, fat substitutes and non-dairy protein, or a combination of any two or more thereof.

Inorganic acids and organic acids may include, but are not limited to, for example, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, benzoic acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, propionic acid, tartaric acid, fumaric acid and caproic acid, Or a combination of any two or more thereof.

Emulsifiers may include, but are not limited to, for example, sodium caseinate, monoglycerides and diglycerides, and polysorbate compounds.

Stabilizers and gums may include, but are not limited to, for example, gum arabic, guar gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, carrageenan, agar, starch, pectin, and gelatin.

Safe and suitable enzymes may include, but are not limited to, for example, lipase, protease, amylase, and transglutaminase.

Emulsifying salts may include, but are not limited to, for example, sodium phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate; calcium salts of mono-, di-, and polyphosphates; sodium, potassium, and calcium salts of citric acid; sodium and potassium tartaric acid; sodium bicarbonate and / Or calcium carbonate. Such salts may include sodium dihydrogen phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, trisodium phosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, tetrasodium, pyrophosphate, trisodium polyphosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, polyphosphate Potassium, magnesium polyphosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, trisodium citrate, (tri)potassium citrate, monocalcium citrate, calcium citrate, sodium tartrate and/or potassium sodium tartrate.

The non-milk fat can be any suitable animal and/or vegetable fat. Non-dairy proteins may include, but are not limited to, for example, any suitable animal, egg, and/or vegetable protein, such as soy and pea protein.

In embodiments where the product is a non-food product, the one or more additional raw materials may be, for example, one or more polymerization initiators, binders, solvents, catalysts, quenchers, and/or additives, such as pigments.

One or more other raw materials may be delivered to the chamber 50 as fluids (eg, brine, dissolved blends of emulsified salts, dissolved GRAS raw materials, and/or raw material slurry). In some embodiments, a suitable conveyor or pump (not shown) may be attached or otherwise provided to the secondary inlet 12 to introduce such materials into the chamber 50.

One or more raw materials and/or one or more other raw materials may be provided to the chamber 50 sequentially or simultaneously to form a mixture. In some embodiments, some raw materials may be provided to the chamber at the same time, while other raw materials may be added sequentially.

The addition of one or more raw materials through the inlet 11 and/or one or more of the secondary inlets 12a, 12b can be controlled using one or more suitable forward pumps and/or nozzles 13. Suitable flow meters and/or gauges provided to the inlet 11, the secondary inlet 12 and/or the pump can be used to detect the addition of the raw material to the chamber 50. Alternatively or additionally, a suitable flow meter and/or gauge may also be provided to the outlet 16 to detect and/or adjust the product flow rate from the chamber 50.

The method includes controlling the temperature of one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to form a product. Therefore, the apparatus 10 includes a temperature regulator, which is adapted to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures as they move through the chamber 50 to the outlet 16.

In various embodiments, the temperature regulator may include one or more ports 13 for introducing heating and/or cooling media, and/or a jacket wall 29 that at least partially surrounds the chamber (see Figure 2). One or more ports and/or jacket walls 29 are adapted to use a heating medium to adjust the temperature of the chamber, which may be a suitable liquid or a suitable gas, such as steam.

The heating medium, such as steam, can be directly injected into the chamber of the device 10 via one or more ports 13 which preferably contain a steam ejector nozzle 31. Figure 3 shows a steam ejector 31 that can be used according to an embodiment of the invention. Any suitable steam ejector design can be used. In various embodiments, the chamber 50 includes an inner chamber wall 32. The preferred nozzle fits precisely or substantially flush into the inner chamber wall 32 to avoid interfering with the rotation of the rotatable shaft and/or promoting the movement of the mixture through the chamber. In various embodiments, when the product passes through the ejector port 13, the nozzle 31 can evenly disperse the steam in the entire chamber. In some embodiments, the nozzle 31 may be equipped with a plurality of holes that spray steam in a defined desired pattern.

The equipment is suitable for heating raw materials within a certain temperature range. For example, in general, during the treatment, the spinning-type cheese curd may be heated at a temperature of about 20 to about 95°C. In some embodiments, the device 10 does not include a back pressure plate for processing products, which are preferably food products, and more preferably mozzarella cheese and/or other spun cheese. However, in some embodiments, the device may include one or more back pressure plates or valves, for example to manufacture ultra-high temperature (UHT) products.

The preparation of UHT products usually uses sufficient pressure to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to a temperature greater than or equal to 100°C, usually to a temperature of 120 to 160°C. Therefore, in each embodiment, heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures includes about 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90 , 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 155, or 160° C. Suitable ranges can be selected from any of these values, for example from about 25 to about 160, About 50 to about 160, about 80 to about 160, about 100 to about 160, about 120 to about 160, about 25 to about 100, about 35 to about 95, about 35 to about 70, or about 35 to about 60°C.

Those skilled in the art will understand that in some embodiments, temperature ranges outside the temperature ranges listed above may be utilized. For example, in the case of plastics and rubber manufacturing, the conditions required for polymerization can vary widely depending on various factors, such as the presence/absence and amount of monomers to be polymerized, and catalysts, additives, and/or polymerization initiators. Those skilled in the art will be able to select a suitable temperature to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to produce the desired product, such as synthetic rubber or plastic. Therefore, in some embodiments, heating one or more raw materials and/or mixtures includes heating at about 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280, 300, 320, 340, 360, 380, or 400°C or higher Heating at a temperature of, and a suitable range can be selected from any of these values, for example, from about 160 to about 400, from about 160 to about 300, from about 180 to about 200, from about 200 to about 400, From about 200 to about 300. About 240 to about 400°C, about 240 to about 300°C, about 280 to about 400°C, or about 280 to about 300°C.

In various embodiments, for example, when the product is a non-food product, heating includes heating one or more raw materials and/or mixture to a temperature sufficient to react the one or more raw materials to form the product. In such an embodiment, those skilled in the art will be able to select a suitable temperature to heat one or more raw materials and/or mixtures.

In the case of plastic manufacturing, the presence, absence, or quantity of unreacted monomers can be used to detect the production of plastic products and help select the appropriate heating temperature. The presence, absence, or quantity of unreacted monomers can be detected by techniques known in the art, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, or a combination thereof. Certain desired functional properties, such as the degree of cross-linking in plastic products, can also be detected using these technologies. Other techniques will be obvious to those skilled in the art and will depend at least in part on the type of product produced.

In addition to the above heating, the equipment can also be adapted to cool one or more raw materials and/or mixtures. Therefore, in some embodiments, the method may include one or more optional temperature adjustment steps, such as one or more cooling steps. During the cooling period, such as in the manufacture of mozzarella cheese or other spinning cheese, one or more raw materials and/or mixtures can be cooled to about 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55 , 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, or about 20°C, and the useful range can be selected from any of these values, for example, about 20 to about 95, about 30 to about 95, about 50 to about 95, about 70 to about 95, about 20 to about 90, about 25 to about 90, about 45 to about 90, about 65 to about 90, about 25 to about 75, about 20 to about 60, about 20 to about 50, About 20 to about 40, or about 20 to about 30°C.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the above cooling temperature is applicable to a variety of food and non-food products produced according to the present invention. However, in some implementation aspects, other products may require other cooling ranges.

If present, the cooling step can be performed before or after the heating step. In some embodiments, the method may include multiple temperature adjustment steps, such as more than one heating step and/or more than one cooling step. For example, in some embodiments, the method may include two consecutive alternating heating and cooling steps. As another example, in some embodiments, one or more raw materials may be delivered to the chamber 50 first, and the one or more raw materials may be heated or cooled before being delivered to the chamber 50 .

Although FIG. 1 only shows four injection ports 13, the number of injection ports 13 can be adjusted as needed to meet specific equipment, product, and processing requirements. As an alternative or supplement to the use of the injection port 13, in some embodiments, the heating and/or cooling fluid can be introduced into the device 10 by introducing the heating and/or cooling fluid into the jacket wall 29 of the device 10 through the jacket inlet 14 To achieve heating and/or cooling of the chamber to provide indirect temperature regulation. For example, ammonia or halocarbon coolants can be used, such as the halocarbon coolants available under the trade name Freon®. In some implementation aspects, cooling can be achieved through a gas/liquid phase transition of the coolant. An outlet hole 15 may be provided to allow the tempering fluid (heating and/or cooling liquid) to be removed from the jacket wall 29. Suitable flow meters and/or gauges can also be provided at the injection port 13 and/or the outlet hole 15 to detect and/or adjust the flow rate of the tempering fluid to or from the jacket wall, respectively.

Compared to the use of temperature regulators such as injection ports and/or jacket walls, many traditional hybrid digesters and other equipment use internal cooling or hot water baths to control one or more raw materials during various stages of processing. / Or the temperature of the mixture. The inventor believes that the use of a water bath results in the generation of a large amount of waste water, and thus excessive waste. In the case of cheese manufacturing, a large amount of waste water will promote a large loss of curd and/or milk fat. Therefore, in various embodiments, the device 10 does not include a water bath. Also in the case of cheese manufacturing, in various embodiments, the device 10 allows direct addition of dry salt or liquid brine, eliminating the production of salt whey, and thus minimizing or eliminating waste streams.

Figure 2 shows an internal view of the front of the device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The front panel 101 of the device 10 shown is removed, thereby providing a cross-sectional view, exposing the two rotatable shafts 21 provided in the chamber 50. In some embodiments, the device may include 2, 3, 4, or 5 rotatable shafts, and the appropriate range can be any one of these values, such as 2 to 5 or 2 to 4 rotatable shafts, Preferably 2 rotatable shafts, preferably 3 rotatable shafts.

In various embodiments, one or more raw materials are in contact with a device including first and second rotatable shafts. In various embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts 21 are parallel to each other. However, other orientations of the first and second rotatable axes are also considered herein.

The first and second rotatable shafts 21 are suitable for mixing one or more raw materials and optionally one or more other raw materials to form a mixture, and stretching and conveying the mixture. In various embodiments, the device may be adapted to stretch and convey the mixture so that the mixture passes through the device along a generally upward path. The rotatable shaft 21 may take any form suitable for effectively mixing, stretching and conveying one or more raw materials and/or mixtures. In various implementation aspects, the rotatable shaft may have high rigidity, thereby allowing geometric accuracy under load.

The first and second rotatable shafts 21 are positioned adjacent to each other in the chamber 50, and include corresponding first and second mutually intermeshing parts. The first corresponding intermeshing part includes the spiral blade 60, and the second corresponding The intermeshing portion of at least includes at least one arm 80 extending from each rotatable shaft 21 or a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft 21.

The "corresponding first and second inter-engaging parts" means: ˙ The first part of the first shaft and the first part of the second shaft mesh with each other so that the first part of the first shaft corresponds to the first part of the second shaft, and ˙ The second part of the first shaft meshes with the second part of the second shaft so that the second part of the first shaft corresponds to the second part of the second shaft.

When there are more than two parts on each shaft, the concept of corresponding mutually intermeshing parts also applies. For example, if there is a third part on each shaft, the third part of the first shaft and the third part of the second shaft mesh with each other, so that the third part of the first shaft corresponds to the third part of the second shaft .

In various embodiments, the intermeshing parts may allow overlapping flow channels for the conveying and mixing of raw materials and/or mixtures.

In some embodiments, the first corresponding intermeshing portion includes a spiral blade 60 and the second corresponding intermeshing portion includes at least one arm 80 extending from each rotatable shaft 21.

In some embodiments, the first corresponding intermeshing portion includes a spiral blade 60 and the second corresponding intermeshing portion includes a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft 21.

In some embodiments, the spiral blades are Archimedes spirals in each case.

In some embodiments, each part of the rotatable shaft 21 may be modularized, so that they can be combined in various orders as needed. This modularization can also facilitate the disassembly of the rotatable shaft 21 for cleaning and maintenance.

In some embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the rotatable shaft 21 may include the following three different parts: ˙ The initial part is equipped with a spiral blade 60, preferably a spiral blade 60 in the form of an Archimedes spiral, which includes approximately one third of the rotatable shaft 21, ˙ The continuous pair of arms 80 appearing as a separate part from the initial part, which occupies approximately the middle third of the rotatable shaft 21, and ˙ The third part is equipped with a spiral blade 60, preferably a spiral blade 60 in the form of an Archimedes spiral, which includes approximately the last third of the rotatable shaft 21.

Figure 5 shows each arm 80 of Figure 4 in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, each arm 80, if present, may include a first portion 81 disposed on the rotatable shaft 21 and substantially perpendicular to the rotatable shaft 21, and a first portion 81 disposed on the first portion 81 and substantially rotating The shaft 21 is parallel to the second part 82.

The corresponding arms 80 of the first and second rotatable shafts 21 may be spaced apart from each other. Alternatively, the corresponding arms 80 of the first and second rotatable shafts may be engaged with each other. Regarding the corresponding arms 80, mutual engagement means that the second part 82 of the first rotatable shaft 21 can pass through the space defined by the second part 82 of the second rotatable shaft 21 and the shaft body 100 of the second rotatable shaft 21 , And vice versa.

In some embodiments, each of the first and second rotatable shafts 21 further includes another intermeshing portion including a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from the first and second rotatable shafts. , The plurality of protrusions may be in the form of flaps, fingers, protrusions, hooks, or pins.

In some embodiments, the protrusions of the first rotatable shaft 21 are shaped to engage with the protrusions of the second rotatable shaft 21, and vice versa. The following describes some ways in which the mutual engagement of the protrusions can be achieved. For example, mutual engagement may involve loops and/or rows of protrusions. Other ways of inter-engaging will be obvious to those skilled in the art and are also considered herein.

As mentioned above, the device includes first and second rotatable shafts 21. In some embodiments, the first rotatable shaft 21 may include a protruding ring A that surrounds the circumference of the first rotatable shaft 21 and protrudes outward from the first rotatable shaft 21, as shown by arrow A in FIG. 6. The second rotatable shaft 21 (not shown in FIG. 6) may include a corresponding protruding ring B surrounding the circumference of the second rotatable shaft 21 and protruding outward from the second rotatable shaft 21. In this embodiment, the mutual engagement may include interleaving the protrusions of the ring A of the first rotatable shaft 21 with the corresponding protrusions of the ring B of the second rotatable shaft 21, so that each protrusion of the ring A lies between the ring B. Between the two protrusions, and vice versa.

The first and second rotatable shafts 21 may include one or more, preferably a plurality of ring protrusions. In this embodiment, meshing can occur as described above. Alternatively, the intermeshing may be between the rings instead of inside the rings, so that each ring A is intermeshing between the two rings B, and vice versa.

In another embodiment, the first rotatable shaft 21 may include a set of protrusions A including a plurality of protrusions A. The second rotatable shaft 21 may also include a set of protrusions B including a plurality of protrusions B. In this embodiment, the mutual engagement may be between the groups of protrusions instead of between the rings of the protrusions, so that each group A is engaged between the two groups B, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, the first rotatable shaft 21 may include a row C of protrusions extending longitudinally along the first rotatable shaft 21 and extending outward from the first rotatable shaft 21, as shown by arrow C in FIG. 6 Show. The second rotatable shaft 21 may include protrusions of the corresponding row D (not shown in FIG. 6 ), and the protrusions in the row D extend longitudinally along the second rotatable shaft 21 and protrude outward from the second rotatable shaft 21. In this embodiment, the engagement may include staggering the protrusions of the row C of the first rotatable shaft 21 with the protrusions of the row D of the corresponding second rotatable shaft 21, so that each protrusion of the row C lies in the row D. Between the two protrusions, and vice versa.

The first and second rotatable shafts 21 may include one or more rows of protrusions, preferably, multiple rows of protrusions. In this embodiment, meshing can occur as described above. Alternatively, the engagement may be between the rows instead of the individual protrusions of the rows, so that each row C is mutually engaged between the two rows D, and vice versa.

In another embodiment, the first rotatable shaft 21 may include a set of protrusions C, and the set of protrusions C includes several rows of C protrusions. The second rotatable shaft 21 may further include a set of protrusions D including several rows of D protrusions. In this embodiment, the mutual engagement may be between the groups of protrusions rather than between the rows of protrusions, so that each group C is mutually engaged between the two groups D, and vice versa.

In some embodiments, the protrusions in the ring or in a row may be equidistant from each other.

In some embodiments, the rings or rows may be equidistant from each other. For example, when the first rotatable shaft 21 includes a plurality of ring A protrusions or a plurality of rows C protrusions, the rings A or the rows C may be equidistant from each other. As another example, when the second rotatable shaft 21 includes a plurality of ring B protrusions or a plurality of rows D of protrusions, these rings B or rows D may be equidistant from each other.

In some embodiments, the chamber 50 may include at least one first wall portion. In some embodiments, the first wall portion may include a plurality of protrusions. In some embodiments, the protrusions on the first wall portion may engage with the protrusions 30 on one or both of the first and second rotatable shafts 21. In various embodiments, the protrusions on the first wall portion are shaped to engage with the protrusions on one or both of the first and second rotating shafts 21 (preferably both), as described above Used to mesh between shafts. Therefore, the protrusions on the wall of the cavity 50 may be arranged in a ring around the circumference of the cavity 50 or arranged in a row along the cavity 50 extending in the longitudinal direction, each protrusion protruding into the cavity 50.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the various engagement modes described with reference to the first and second rotatable shafts 21 are also applicable to the engagement between the protrusions of the first wall portion of the chamber 50, if any, and the first One or both of and the second rotatable shaft 21, preferably both.

FIG. 6 shows a partial view of the rotatable shaft 21, which includes a plurality of protrusions 30 along a part of the shaft 21 and a spiral blade 60 along another part of the shaft. The protrusion 30 shown in FIG. 6 is cylindrical. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the protrusion 30 may have any suitable shape, such as a cylindrical shape, a conical shape, a cubic shape, or a substantially or partial earth shape. The rotatable shaft 21 including the plurality of protrusions 30 can be manufactured by various methods known in the art. For example, the protrusion 30 may be provided in the rotatable shaft 21 and/or the first wall portion of the cavity 50 by a method known in the art. In some embodiments, the plurality of protrusions 30 may be provided in the rotatable shaft 21 by welding, bolting, screwing or similar methods known to those skilled in the art. A similar process can also be used to provide the protrusion 30 in the first wall portion of the cavity 50. In some embodiments, for example, during cleaning, the protrusion 30 may be removed from, for example, the rotatable shaft 21 of the chamber 50 and/or the first wall portion of the chamber 50. In some embodiments, the spiral blade 60 and/or the pair of arms 80 can also be removed from the rotatable shaft 21. In some embodiments, the spiral blade 60, the arm 80, and/or the protrusion 30 (if present) may be permanently fixed in the rotatable shaft 21 and/or the first wall portion of the chamber 50.

The article also considers the device 10 including the first and second rotatable shafts 21 and at least one other rotatable shaft. For example, in some embodiments, the device 10 may include first and second rotatable shafts 21 that are preferably parallel to each other. The first and second rotatable shafts 21 may be arranged along the length of the chamber 50, and each rotatable shaft may include two parts, either part of the two parts includes a spiral blade 60, and the third part includes a pair of The arm 80, the third part separates the two parts, the two parts including the spiral blade 60 surrounding the rotatable shaft 21. The device 10 may further include a third rotatable shaft, which is preferably arranged parallel to the first and second rotatable shafts 21, preferably located behind the first and second rotatable shafts, and in the first and second rotatable shafts. Between the second rotatable shaft. In such a configuration, the third rotatable shaft may be adapted to enhance the mixing and stretching of the first and second shafts, and/or may be adapted to stretch and convey the mixture while remaining as an emulsion. In some embodiments, the third rotatable shaft may be arranged at an angle or parallel to the first and second rotatable shafts 21. In some embodiments, the third rotatable shaft may be disposed at or near the outlet 16, for example, at or near the outlet and at an angle to the first and second rotatable shafts 21.

Referring to FIG. 2, a suitable driver 211 may be provided to each rotatable shaft 21 to provide rotation. The drivers 211 may each include a motor, preferably a suitable electric motor, and a suitable gear box. A series of different drives are compatible with this device. The drive selected in each implementation aspect will operate the equipment to maximize useful work in terms of mechanical losses relative to the drive and any associated gearboxes.

In various embodiments, the rotatable shaft 21 is rotatable or adapted to rotate in any direction of rotation, so that in some embodiments, each rotatable shaft 21 can rotate in the same or opposite directions. For example, the rotatable shaft 21 can be rotated in a first direction or adapted to be rotated in a first direction, for example, to transport one or more raw materials and/or mixtures to enter from the inlet 11 and pass through the chamber 50 to the outlet 16, and can Rotating in a second direction opposite to the first direction or suitable for rotation, for example, to facilitate cleaning of equipment.

In various embodiments, the parts of the first and second rotatable shafts 21 can be rotated in any direction of rotation or are adapted to rotate, so that in some embodiments, different parts of the same rotatable shaft 21 can be rotated in the same direction. Or rotate in opposite directions.

In embodiments including more than two rotatable shafts, any or all rotatable shafts may be adapted to rotate independently of each other in any direction of rotation.

Each rotatable shaft and/or each part of each rotatable shaft may rotate at a different tip speed or be adapted to rotate. For example, in various embodiments, the first and second rotatable shafts 21 or each part of the first and second rotatable shafts can independently rotate at a tip speed selected from the following or are suitable for rotation: about 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9 or 2 m/s or higher, and can be from these values Choose an appropriate range from any one of, for example, the speed is about 0.1 to about 2 m/s, 0.1 to about 1 m/s, about 0.1 to about 0.8, about 0.1 to about 0.5, about 0.2 to about 1, about 0.2 to About 0.8, or about 0.2 to about 0.5 m/s.

The independent rotation of each rotatable shaft and/or each part of each rotatable shaft allows more control over the process of processing one or more raw materials into products (better food products), and thus can be improved As a result, for example, improvements in control over product characteristics, processing efficiency and/or waste reduction. Other features of the device 10 can also be modified to facilitate the processing of one or more raw materials into desired products, such as fiber food. For example, the corners of the chamber 50 may be rounded corners to promote the movement of the mixture through the chamber 50 and/or eliminate or limit dead spots, which can trap a certain amount of the mixture in the chamber 50. live. The rounded corners can further facilitate cleaning and maintenance.

As mentioned above, the modularization of the housing can also facilitate cleaning and maintenance, and an appropriate system can be installed to allow the equipment 10 described herein to be cleaned in situ. For example, a typical cleaning-in-place system may include a balance tank (not shown) with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution can be connected to a suitable pump which allows the introduction of the cleaning solution via the inlet 11 of the device 10. The cleaning solution can then flow through the device 10 to leave the device 10 via the outlet 16. The cleaning liquid can be returned to the original balance tank and recirculated as needed to complete the cleaning.

One of the disadvantages of some conventional product processing equipment is that they often contain large amounts of product and have dead spots that can trap a certain amount of part of the mixture as described above. If the product is trapped inside the device after it is turned off, the large internal volume (heel volume) will be wasted on product wastage. In various embodiments, the device of the present invention includes a chamber 50 whose volume is at least about 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, 450, 475, 500, 525, 550, 575, 600, 625, 650, 675, 700, 725, 750, 775, 800, 825, 850, 875, 900, 925, 950, 975, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, 5,000, 5,500, 6,000, 6,500, 7,000 or 7,500 liters (L), useful The range can be selected from any of these values, for example, about 0.15 to about 7,500 liters, about 1 to about 3,000, about 1 to about 1,500, about 1 to about 1,000, about 100 to about 1,500, preferably about 300 to about 1,500, more preferably about 500 to about 1200 liters. The inventor believes that in various embodiments, the internal design of the equipment described herein can reduce product loss during processing.

Another feature that can minimize product loss and/or improve the efficiency of raw material mixing is the close clearance between the inner diameter of the chamber 50 and the outer diameter of the spiral blade 60 and/or the arm 80 during use. In various embodiments, the spiral blade 60 and/or the arm 80 (when present) each have an outer diameter of approximately 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 of the inner diameter of the chamber 50 , 99 or substantially 100%, and a suitable range can be selected from any of these values, for example, about 90% to about 100%, about 92% to about 100% of the inner diameter of the chamber 50, About 95% to about 100% or about 98% to about 100%.

The distance between the functional elements (for example, the spiral blade 60 and/or the arm 80) on the different rotatable shafts 21 is also a feature, which can be modified to optimize the mixing efficiency. For example, in some implementations, the minimum distance between an element on at least one of the two rotatable shafts 21 and an element on the other rotatable shaft 21 may be less than about 20% of the inner diameter of the chamber 50. 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1%, and can be selected from any of these values Useful ranges are, for example, about 1 to about 20, about 1 to about 15, about 1 to about 10, about 1 to about 5, about 1 to about 4, about 1 to about 3, or about 1 to about 2%.

The housing includes a first end and a second end. In some embodiments, the first end may be the end closest to the inlet 11 and the second end may be the end closest to the outlet 16. In various embodiments, the substrate can seal the first and/or second ends of the housing 23. In FIG. 2, the substrate 22 may be sealed to an end, such as the first end of the device 10. The substrate 22 may be attached to the housing 23. For example, the base plate 22 may be attached to the housing 23 by an appropriate method (bolt, pin, screw 24 or a combination of any two or more thereof).

Each rotatable shaft 21 also includes a first end and a second end. One end of each rotating shaft 21 can be fixed to the base plate 22 by fitting suitable bolts, pins, studs, screws 25 or a combination of any two or more of them in a suitable anchor plate 26. The other end of each rotatable shaft 21 can be fitted into one or more suitable upper anchor plates 27, which also pass suitable bolts, pins, studs, screws, or any two of them or More combinations are attached to a suitable upper bottom plate 28. During installation, the device 10 can be installed on any suitable platform, base, frame, workbench, table or stand (not shown) for support.

As described above, in some embodiments, the outlet 16 of the device 10 is located vertically above the inlet 11 so that the mixture enters from the inlet 11 and passes through the chamber 50 to the outlet 16 along a generally upward path. In some embodiments, with the outlet located above the inlet, the device 10 can be positioned substantially horizontally or at any suitable angle. In various embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the device 10 may be oriented substantially vertically. The vertical orientation of the device 10 is advantageous, for example, in minimizing the factory footprint of the device.

The inventor believes that a device (for example, a device having a vertical orientation) that allows the mixture to pass through the chamber along a substantially upward path with the outlet 16 above the inlet 11 can enhance product mixing, heating and/or stretching. Such an arrangement can ensure that the mixture moves/moves slowly (relative to gravity) through the chamber 50. In various embodiments, for example, when the outlet 16 is above the inlet 11, the device does not require a system for recirculating one or more raw materials or mixtures to complete the mixing, stretching, and heating processes. This is in contrast to traditional equipment, especially those used to process cheese, which usually require auxiliary equipment. Such traditional equipment usually requires a recirculation system to complete mixing, heating and stretching to form products with suitable and/or desired characteristics, especially food products such as cheese.

After the product reaches the outlet 16, the product is removed from the chamber 50 through the outlet 16 for packaging. In some embodiments, after the product is removed from the device 10, the product can be further processed. If the product is cheese, this further processing may include vacuum treatment and/or packaging in bulk boxes as blocks or cakes, which are individually packaged slices or stacked slices of cheese. Alternatively, the cheese can be cast into thin slices on a suitable cooling surface, cut into pieces or other suitable shapes or forms, frozen and/or packaged. If the product is a non-food product, further processing may include, for example, molding, cutting to size, and/or packaging.

In the foregoing description, when elements or integers having known equivalents are referred to, such equivalents are included as if they were stated separately.

Although the present invention has been described by way of illustration and with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that modifications and/or improvements can be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Application]

The equipment and methods described herein have been used in many industrial processes, including but not limited to, for example, the manufacture of processed cheese and fibrous spun cheese, such as mozzarella cheese, pizza cheese, and/or pizza cheese analogs.

10: Equipment 11: entrance 12a, 12b: secondary entrance 13: Pump/Nozzle/Port 14: Jacket entrance 15: Exit hole 16: exit 21: Rotatable shaft 22: substrate 23: shell 24: Bolt/bolt/screw 25: Bolt/bolt/stud bolt/screw 26: anchor plate 27: Anchor plate 28: bottom plate 29: Jacket wall 30: protrusion 31: Nozzle/Injector 32: chamber wall 50: chamber 60: spiral blade 80: arm 81: Part One 82: Part Two 100: shaft 101: front panel 211: Drive A: Ring/Arrow/Protrusion/Group C: Row/Arrow/Protrusion/Group

The present invention will now be described through embodiments and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a device according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the device of Fig. 1 with the front panel removed.

Fig. 3 shows a close-up schematic diagram of the steam injection nozzle of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a rotatable shaft used according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a close-up view of a pair of arms of the rotatable shaft shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 shows a partial view of a rotatable shaft according to an embodiment of the present invention. The shaft includes a plurality of protrusions along a part of the shaft and a spiral blade along another part of the shaft.

10: Equipment

11: entrance

12a, 12b: secondary entrance

13: pump/nozzle/port

14: Jacket entrance

15: Exit hole

16: exit

23: shell

101: front panel

Claims (53)

A device for mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture and stretching the mixture to form a product. The equipment includes: A housing, which includes a chamber, an inlet for delivering one or more raw materials to the chamber, and an outlet that allows products to be discharged from the chamber; The first and second rotatable shafts are arranged in the chamber and are suitable for mixing one or more raw materials to form a mixture, stretching the mixture and conveying the mixture through the chamber to the outlet; and A temperature regulator, which is suitable for heating one or more raw materials and/or the mixture, The first and second rotatable shafts are adjacent to each other in the cavity, and include corresponding first and second mutually intermeshing parts, the first corresponding intermeshing part includes a spiral blade, and the second corresponding to each other The engaged portion includes at least one arm extending from each rotatable shaft or a plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicularly from each rotatable shaft. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outlet is located vertically above the inlet, so that the mixture enters from the inlet along a substantially upward path and passes through the chamber to the outlet. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device is operable in a substantially vertical direction. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and second rotatable shafts further include a corresponding third inter-engaging portion, the portion including a spiral blade extending from each rotatable shaft. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the first and second rotatable shafts further includes another corresponding inter-engaging part, and the inter-engaging part includes the first and second rotatable shafts. A plurality of protrusions extending substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The device according to claim 5, wherein the chamber includes at least one first wall portion, and when present, the first wall portion includes a plurality of protrusions, and the plurality of protrusions are aligned with the first and second rotatable shafts One or both of the protrusions are engaged with each other. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a third rotatable shaft, the third rotatable shaft is located at or near the outlet and is constant with the first and second rotatable shafts The angle may be parallel to the first and second rotatable axes. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one arm includes in each case: The first part, which is arranged on the rotatable shaft and is substantially perpendicular to the rotatable shaft, and The second part is arranged on the first part and is substantially parallel to the rotatable shaft. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first and second rotatable shafts are parallel to each other. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the part including the spiral blade is an Archimedes screw in each case. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The chamber includes an inner diameter, and the spiral blade and/or the at least one arm present therein respectively have or describe an outer diameter in use, and The outer diameter of the spiral blade and/or the at least one arm present is about 90% to about 100% of the inner diameter of the chamber. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the spiral blade or the at least one arm on the first rotatable shaft and the spiral blade or the at least one arm on the second rotatable shaft There is a minimum gap between the arms, and the minimum gap is between 1% and 20% of the inner diameter of the channel. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first and second rotatable shafts are suitable for Rotate in the first direction to transport the one or more raw materials or the mixture so that it enters from the inlet and passes through the chamber to the outlet, and Rotate in the second direction, which is the opposite direction of the first direction. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the first and second rotatable shafts are adapted to rotate at different speeds along each part of the rotatable shaft. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the chamber further includes one or more secondary entrance portals for conveying one or more other materials to the chamber. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the apparatus does not include a system for recycling the one or more raw materials or the mixture. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein at least one of the device, the housing, and/or the first and second rotatable shafts has a modular structure. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the housing has a modular structure and includes a removable front panel. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the volume of the chamber is about 0.15 liters (L) to about 7,500 liters. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the temperature regulator includes one or more ports for introducing heating and/or cooling media, and/or a jacket at least partially surrounding the chamber wall. The device according to claim 20, wherein the one or more ports and/or the jacket wall are adapted to use heating and/or cooling media to adjust the temperature of the chamber. The device according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the heating or cooling medium is a fluid. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the device does not include a water bath. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the device further comprises an instrument selected from the group consisting of temperature probe, pressure valve or pressure gauge, vacuum valve or gauge, steam valve or steam pressure gauge and flow rate Calculate, or a combination of any two or more thereof. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the device further includes a conveyor and/or pump, and the conveyor and/or pump is arranged at the inlet to supply the one or more raw materials through the inlet To the chamber. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the inlet, the outlet, and/or the one or more secondary inlets include flow meters to monitor passage through the inlet, the outlet, and/or respectively The flow of the one or more secondary inlets. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the cavity includes a radiused corner. A method of mixing and heating one or more raw materials to form a mixture in a unitary process, and stretching the mixture to form a product, the method includes: The one or more raw materials are brought into contact with a device. The device includes first and second rotatable shafts adjacent to each other, and includes corresponding first and second inter-engaging parts to To form a mixture, Stretch and transport the mixture, The temperature of the one or more raw materials and/or the mixture is simultaneously controlled to heat the one or more raw materials and/or the mixture to form a product. The method of claim 28, wherein the first corresponding intermeshing portion includes a spiral blade, and the second corresponding intermeshing portion includes at least one arm extending from each rotatable shaft or from each rotatable shaft A plurality of protrusions whose shaft extends substantially vertically. The method of claim 28 or 29, wherein the mixture is stretched and conveyed so that the mixture passes through the device along a generally upward path. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 30, further comprising a temperature adjustment step. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 31, further comprising providing one or more other raw materials to the chamber. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein the one or more raw materials are supplied to the equipment sequentially or simultaneously before forming the mixture. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 33, wherein the first and second rotatable shafts or each part of the rotatable shafts rotate at a tip speed of about 0.1 to about 2 m/s. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 34, wherein each of the first and second rotatable shafts rotate in the same direction. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 35, wherein each of the first and second rotatable shafts rotate in different directions. The method according to any one of claims 28 to 36, wherein the heating comprises heating the one or more raw materials and/or the mixture at a temperature of about 20 to about 400°C. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 27, or the method according to any one of claims 28 to 37, wherein the one or more raw materials are selected from: cheese, cheese curd, skimmed milk cheese , Lactic acid casein curd, enzyme-modified cheese, milk, partially skimmed milk, skimmed milk, butter milk, whey, concentrated milk, whole milk powder, non-fat milk powder, skimmed milk powder, cream Milk powder, one or more starter microorganisms, rennet, milk retentate produced by membrane filtration, dried milk protein concentrate, dried mineral-conditioned milk protein concentrate, dried ion exchanged Milk protein concentrate, dried sweet whey, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, dried ion-exchanged whey protein concentrate, milk protein isolate, total milk protein, fresh cream (cream), High-fat fresh cream, butter, ghee, β serum, permeate, dried permeate, lactose, minerals derived from fractionated dairy raw materials, rennet casein, sodium caseinate, casein Potassium acid, calcium caseinate and lactate casein, or a combination of any two or more thereof. The device or method according to any one of claims 15 to 38, wherein the one or more other raw materials are one or more generally recognized as safe raw materials, and the safe raw materials are selected from: water, salt, inorganic acid , Organic acids, colors, natural and/or artificial flavors, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gums, safe and suitable enzymes, emulsifying salts, salt water, antimicrobial or preservatives, antioxidants, chelating agents, leavening agents, antiseptics Caking agents, bleaches, sweeteners, starches, vitamins, minerals, non-dairy fats, fat substitutes and non-dairy proteins, or combinations of any two or more thereof. The device or method according to any one of claims 1 to 39, wherein the product is food. The apparatus or method according to claim 40, wherein the food is selected from the group consisting of cheese, pasta, cereals, nutrition bars, processed meat, and confections. The apparatus or method according to claim 40 or 41, wherein the heating includes cooking the one or more raw materials to form a food. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 40 to 42, wherein the food is cheese. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 40 to 43, wherein the food is a fibrous food. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 41 to 44, wherein the cheese is selected from the group consisting of processed cheese, pizza cheese and cheese analogues. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 41 to 45, wherein the cheese is pasta filata cheese. The apparatus or method according to claim 46, wherein the spinning type cheese is Mozzarella cheese. The apparatus or method or use according to any one of claims 42 to 48, wherein the cheese comprises arranged casein fibers. The device or method according to any one of claims 1 to 37, wherein the product is a non-food product. The apparatus or method according to claim 49, wherein the non-food product is selected from the group consisting of rubber, plastic, glass fiber and synthetic fiber. The apparatus or method of claim 49 or 50, wherein the heating comprises heating the one or more raw materials and/or the mixture to a temperature sufficient to cause the one or more raw materials to react to form a product. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 49 to 51, wherein the mixture is homogeneous. The apparatus or method according to any one of claims 49 to 51, wherein the mixture is heterogeneous.

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