WO2018083031A1

WO2018083031A1 - An aroma extraction device

Info

Publication number: WO2018083031A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/077616
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alper Yagci; Deha GULSEN; Cetin Aydintug; Fatma Nur CIMEN; Kerem CETIN; Mehmet Marasli
Original assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
Priority date: 2016-11-07
Filing date: 2017-10-27
Publication date: 2018-05-11
Also published as: TR201615859A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aroma extraction device (1) comprising a body (2); at least one boiling chamber (3) disposed in the body (2), wherein the aroma source placed therein is boiled and evaporated; a condensation chamber (4) wherein the vapor rising from the boiling chamber (3) is collected and changes to the liquid phase; a cooling device (5) that cools the walls of the condensation chamber (4); and a channel (6) that is disposed under the condensation chamber (4) and wherein the condensed water and the aroma flow. Vapor from the boiling chamber (3) condenses on a metal cone (8) which is located inside the condensation chamber (4) and pointing in the direction of the channel (6).

Description

AN AROMA EXTRACTION DEVICE

The present invention relates to an aroma extraction device wherein the aroma of scented flowers, fruits or plants is extracted.

The users want to extract the aroma of plants, flowers or vegetables, fruits such as lemon, orange, etc. in order to obtain a nice scent or for health purposes. In the state of the art devices designed for aroma extraction purposes are known. In devices wherein aroma extraction is performed by condensation/distillation method, efficiency is low since the aroma is in less quantity than the water. During the condensation of the aroma and water in gas phase, the aroma sticks to the walls of the condensation chamber and thus, the amount of aroma efficiently obtained is less than the total amount of aroma extracted. Therefore, in order to increase the amount of aroma obtained, it is required to decrease the amount of aroma that sticks to the walls of the condensation chamber and thus becomes unusable. Increasing the efficiency of the condensation process will increase the amount of aroma obtained.

In the state of the art United States Patent Application No. US2005061478, a cooling device having heat dissipating fins is disclosed.

In the state of the art United States Patent Application No. US2005103614, a distiller having a conical structure therein is disclosed.

In the state of the art Japanese Patent Application No. JPH10244250, a distiller wherein the distillation process is realized without boiling is disclosed.

In the state of the art United States Patent Application No. US2010328887, a heat sink composed of conical shells is disclosed.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of an aroma extraction device wherein the aroma of materials of which the aroma is to be extracted is extracted in an efficient and effective manner.

The aroma extraction device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the claims comprises a condensation member in the condensation chamber whereon the aroma changing to the gas phase by being boiled with water in the boiling chamber condenses, the condensation member being produced from metal material so as to maximize the heat transfer between the cooling unit and the condensation member and that facilitates the delivery of the condensed aroma to the channel by means of the conical structure thereof narrowing from top to bottom. The aroma condensing on the condensation member drips into the channel with the effect of gravity. In a version of the present invention, the condensation member is solid, in other words the condensation member is completely composed of metal. Thus, the thermal capacity of the condensation member is increased, improving the condensation efficiency in the aroma extraction process.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member comprises fins that are disposed on the side surfaces thereof in an upright manner and that guide the aroma condensing on the condensation member. By means of this embodiment, the condensed aroma moves over the side surface of the condensation member without dripping up to the end of the latter and drips into the channel from the end of the condensation member. Thus, the condensed aroma is enabled to be transferred only into the channel without contacting any other surfaces and the aroma extraction efficiency is maximized.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member comprises a plate that is produced as a single piece with the condensation member, that is disposed at the base of the cone and that increases the heat transfer with the cooling unit. By means of the plate, the condensation member is rigidly joined with the cooling unit.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the aroma extraction device comprises a control unit that enables the condensation member to be heated and thus cleaned. In a version of this embodiment, the cooling unit cooling the condensation member is a cooling unit of Peltier type and the control unit applies reverse current to the Peltier cooling unit so as to enable the condensation member to be heated. By heating the condensation member, the aroma drying up thereon after use is enabled to change into liquid phase again so as to be transferred into the channel, thus the surface of the condensation member is cleaned. Thus, when the aroma of different materials is to be extracted, the aromas are prevented from mixing with each other. When the user needs to use different types of materials, he/she does not need to open up the aroma extraction device and wash the components, and the interior of the aroma extraction device is cleaned by heating the condensation member.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member is produced from a material with high thermal conductivity. In another version of this embodiment, the condensation member is produced from aluminum. By means of these embodiments, the surface of the condensation member is always kept cool and the condensation efficiency of the aroma in gas phase is increased.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the condensation member is coated with hydrophobic material. Thus, the aroma hitting the condensation member so as to change into liquid phase is enabled to be completely transferred into the channel without sticking onto the surface of the condensation member.

In the aroma extraction device of the present invention, the aroma in the gas phase is condensed in a highly efficient manner by means of the condensation member in the condensation chamber being produced from solid metal material in the form of a reverse cone. By means of the solid structure of the condensation member, the heat transfer between the cooling unit and the condensation member is maximized, and by means of the condensation member in the form of a reverse cone, the condensed aroma flows over the side surfaces thereof and drips directly into the channel.

The aroma extraction device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures where

Figure 1- is the perspective view of an aroma extraction device.

Figure 2 - is the perspective view of the interior of the aroma extraction device in an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 – is the schematic view of the condensation member in an embodiment of the present invention.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

Aroma extraction device
Body
Boiling chamber
Condensation chamber
Cooling unit
Channel
Valve
Condensation member
Fin
Plate
Control unit

The aroma extraction device (1) comprises a body (2); at least one boiling chamber (3) disposed in the body (2), wherein the aroma source placed therein is boiled and evaporated; a condensation chamber (4) wherein the vapor rising from the boiling chamber (3) is collected and changes to the liquid phase; a cooling unit (5) that cools the walls of the condensation chamber (4); a channel (6) that is disposed under the condensation chamber (4) and wherein the condensed water and the aroma flow, and a valve (7) that is preferably disposed on the channel (6).

In the aroma extraction device (1), the user places materials of which aroma is desired to be extracted into the boiling chamber (3) together with some water. Afterward, the boiling chamber (3) is heated by means of a heater (not shown in figures) up to the water boiling point. With the boiling of the water, aroma of materials such as plants, flowers, etc. evaporates along with the water. As the density of the water and aroma mixture in gas phase decreases, the mixture rises and is directed into the condensation chamber (4). The vapor hits the walls of the condensation chamber (4) that is cooler than the boiling chamber (3) by means of the cooling unit (5), changes from the gas phase to the liquid phase and condensates. The condensed water and aroma mixture drains into the channel (6). The aroma with a density lower than the density of the water remains over the water. With the opening of the valve (7), first the water and then the aroma is transferred out of the channel (6) into a container preferably placed by the user at the outlet of the valve (7).

The aroma extraction device (1) of the present invention comprises a condensation member (8) that is produced from metal material in the form of a cone of which the end facing the channel (6), that is disposed in the condensation chamber (4) and whereon the vapor coming from the boiling chamber (3) condenses. By means of the present invention, the aroma in gas phase is enabled to be condensed with high efficiency. The aroma in gas phase coming from the boiling chamber (3) hits the cold surface of the condensation member (8) and condenses on the condensation member (8). Contrary to conventional condensers, the aroma condensing on the condensation member (8) moves over the condensation member (8) towards the end of the cone due to the conical structure. The aroma condensing in the meantime does not break to pieces thanks to adhesion forces and almost the entire aroma, which would be in a small amount if the distillation process were used, can be transferred into the channel (6).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member (8) is produced with a solid structure. By means of the solid condensation member (8), the condensation member (8) acts as a high-capacity thermal capacitor and is prevented from heating up with the contact of the high temperature aroma in gas phase. In other words, by means of the solid condensation member (8), the high temperature aroma is prevented from heating the condensation member (8). Thus, the aroma extraction device (1) is enabled to operate without any decrease in condensation efficiency.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member (8) comprises upright fins (9) at the side surface thereof. By means of the fins (9), the surface area of the condensation member (8) is increased and the condensation performance is improved. Moreover, the fins (9) act as a guide for the condensed aroma and the aroma condensing on the condensation member (8) flow over the fins (9) towards the end of the condensation member (8) and drip into the channel (6). In this embodiment, as the surface area of the condensation member (8), the amount of aroma condensing in unit time is also increased and thus, the aroma distillation process that would take a longer time under normal conditions is shortened.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the aroma extraction device (1) comprises a plate (10) that is disposed between the cooling unit (5) and the condensation member (8), that is produced as a single piece with the condensation member (8), the area of the plate (10) being larger than the base area of the condensation member (8). In this embodiment, the aim is to increase the heat transfer from the cooling unit (5) to the condensation member (8). By means of the plate (10), the condensation member (8) is more easily joined with the cooling unit (5).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the aroma extraction device (1) comprises a control unit (11) that enables the condensation member (8) to be heated, thus providing the delivery of the aroma drying up on the condensation member (8) to the channel (6) and the cleaning of the condensation member (8). The condensation member (8) is cleaned by heating the same by means of a heater (not shown in the figures) controlled by the control unit (11) so as to change the aroma drying up thereon to the liquid phase and deliver the same to the channel (6). Thus, the need for the user to open up and clean the aroma extraction device (1) is eliminated. Since the condensation process is mostly performed on the condensation member (8), the interior of the aroma extraction device (1) is almost completely cleaned with the heating of the condensation member (8).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the aroma extraction device (1) comprises the Peltier-type cooling unit (5) and the control unit (11) applies reverse current to the Peltier cooling unit (5) so as to heat the condensation member (8). By using the Peltier-type cooling unit (5), the need for using an additional heater for heating the condensation member (8) is eliminated and the control unit (11) applies reverse current to the Peltier cooling unit (5) so as to heat the condensation member (8) and change the aroma thereon to the liquid phase to be transferred to the channel (6).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member (8) is produced from a material with high thermal conductivity. Thus, the aroma in gas phase coming from the boiling chamber (3) to the condensation chamber (4) is enabled to be condensed with high efficiency. By means of the condensation member (8) with high thermal conductivity, a highly efficient heat transfer with the cooling unit (5) is realized and the condensation member (8) heating up due to the aroma in gas phase is rapidly cooled, thus increasing the condensation efficiency.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the condensation member (8) is produced from aluminum. By means of the high thermal conductivity of aluminum, the condensation efficiency of the condensation member (8) is increased.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the surface of the condensation member (8) is coated with hydrophobic material. By means of this embodiment, the aroma condensing by contacting the condensation member (8) is transferred to the channel (6) without sticking onto the surface of the condensation member (8), in other words without any loss. In this embodiment, the condensed aroma takes a form without having a physical and chemical interaction with the condensation member (8), in more technical terms, so as to decrease the contact area by having a high surface tension, and slides over the condensation member (8) surface and drips into the channel (6) from the end of the conical condensation member (8).

In the aroma extraction device (1) of the present invention, by means of the condensation member (8) in the form of a reverse cone, the aroma in gas phase reaching the condensation chamber (4) is condensed with high efficiency and transferred to the channel (6). By means of the solid structure of the condensation member (8), an efficient heat transfer between the cooling unit (5) and the condensation member (8) is provided and the aroma condensing on the latter flows over the side surface of the cone and drips into the channel (6).

Claims

An aroma extraction device (1) comprising a body (2); at least one boiling chamber (3) disposed in the body (2), wherein the aroma source placed therein is boiled and evaporated; a condensation chamber (4) wherein the vapor rising from the boiling chamber (3) is collected and changes to the liquid phase; a cooling unit (5) that cools the walls of the condensation chamber (4); a channel (6) that is disposed under the condensation chamber (4) and wherein the condensed water and the aroma flow; characterized by a condensation member (8) that is produced from metal material in the form of a cone of which the end facing the channel (6), that is disposed in the condensation chamber (4) and whereon the vapor coming from the boiling chamber (3) condenses.
An aroma extraction device (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the condensation member (8) that is produced with a solid structure.
An aroma extraction device (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by the condensation member (8) that has upright fins (9) on the side surface thereof.
An aroma extraction device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a plate (10) that is disposed between the cooling unit (5) and the condensation member (8), that is produced as a single piece with the condensation member (8), the area of the plate (10) being larger than the base area of the condensation member (8).
An aroma extraction device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a control unit (11) that enables the condensation member (8) to be heated, thus providing the delivery of the aroma drying up on the condensation member (8) to the channel (6).
An aroma extraction device (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by the Peltier-type cooling unit (5) and by the control unit (11) that applies reverse current to the Peltier cooling unit (5) so as to heat the condensation member (8).
An aroma extraction device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the condensation member (8) that is produced from a material with high thermal conductivity.
An aroma extraction device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the condensation member (3) that is produced from aluminum.
An aroma extraction device (1) as in any one of the above claims, characterized by the condensation member (8) of which the surface is coated with hydrophobic material.