WO2022114246A2

WO2022114246A2 - Food processing system and method using atmospheric-pressure plasma generator

Info

Publication number: WO2022114246A2
Application number: PCT/KR2020/016703
Authority: WO
Inventors: 이창훈
Original assignee: 이창훈
Priority date: 2020-11-24
Filing date: 2020-11-24
Publication date: 2022-06-02
Also published as: WO2022114246A3; KR102581488B1; KR20220071382A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a food processing system and method using an atmospheric-pressure plasma generator. The food processing system using an atmospheric-pressure plasma generator comprises: a container in which food is accommodated; an air filter which extracts at least a part of moisture contained in the air within the container and discharges same out of the container; an air compressor which generates compressed air from the air from which at least a part of moisture contained therein has been removed by the air filter; and a plasma generator which generates a plasma beam containing active species through a plasma discharge by using the compressed air generated from the air compressor as a plasma discharge gas.

Description

Food processing system and method using atmospheric pressure plasma generator

The present disclosure relates to a food processing system and method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device, and more particularly, to a food processing system and method capable of heat-treating or sterilizing food in powder or particle state using a plasma generating device. .

Plasma is an ionized gas such as electrons and neutral particles, and a part of the plasma gas has high energy and can change the surface of a material. That is, the plasma can react directly with the surface of another material or by elastic collision. The plasma generating apparatus mainly includes a tube configured to generate plasma by intersecting a high-frequency, high-voltage electric charge with compressed air or nitrogen gas. Recently, the case of using an atmospheric pressure plasma apparatus instead of a low pressure or vacuum plasma has been increasing. In the case of an atmospheric pressure plasma apparatus, it can be applied to various materials and substrates through a low-temperature process, and since it does not require a vacuum container or a vacuum evacuation device, the processing speed is fast and economical. In addition, since the deposition method using atmospheric pressure plasma has good adhesion and lower deposition temperature, in the conventional surface treatment process, semiconductor process, and display process, deformation or denaturation accompanying high-temperature heating can be reduced. It is used in a relatively wide variety of industries.

On the other hand, heat treatment or sterilization treatment used in powder or granular food (various powders such as soups, spices, coffee powder, grains or particles such as coffee beans, etc.) includes ultra-high temperature steam sterilization, electromagnetic wave irradiation, fumigation There are treatment, radiation irradiation, high-frequency heating method, ultraviolet irradiation method, stir-frying treatment using an electric heater, and the like. However, there are many restrictions on the use of this method due to carcinogenic substances generated during the processing of powder or granular food, deterioration of food, and destruction of nutrients, and the problem that a lot of energy and time is required for processing the food have.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, the present disclosure provides a food powder processing system and method capable of heat treatment or antibacterial treatment of food using a plasma generating device.

A food processing system using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a container in which food is accommodated, an air filter that extracts and discharges at least a portion of moisture contained in the air in the container, and at least one of the moisture by the air filter an air compressor for generating compressed air from air from which a portion has been removed, and a plasma generating device for generating active species through plasma discharge using compressed air generated from the air compressor as a plasma discharge gas.

According to an embodiment, the plasma generating apparatus may include a gas supply pipe to which compressed air is supplied, and a nozzle unit through which the plasma gas including the active species is discharged.

A food processing system using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a humidity sensor detecting an amount of moisture contained in air in a container, and controlling whether an air filter is driven based on the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor It may further include a controller.

According to another embodiment, there is provided an active species sensor for detecting the concentration of active species in the container, and a controller for controlling whether at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device is driven based on the concentration of the active species detected by the active species sensor. may include more.

According to another embodiment, it may further include a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature in the container, and a controller for controlling whether the plasma generating device is driven or the intensity of the plasma beam discharged from the plasma generating device based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. can

A food processing method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of extracting and discharging at least a portion of moisture contained in air in a container in which food is accommodated by an air filter, by an air compressor, generating compressed air from air from which at least a portion of moisture has been removed by an air filter, and using the compressed air generated from the air compressor as a plasma discharge gas by a plasma generating device to generate active species through plasma discharge includes steps.

According to an embodiment, the method may further include discharging the plasma gas including the active species into the container by the plasma generating device.

A food processing method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure includes the steps of detecting, by a humidity sensor, the amount of moisture contained in air in a container, and, by a controller, based on the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor The method may further include controlling whether the air filter is driven.

According to another embodiment, detecting, by an active species sensor, a concentration of active species in the container, and based on, by a controller, the concentration of active species detected by the active species sensor, at least one of an air compressor and a plasma generating device It may further include the step of controlling whether to drive.

According to another embodiment, detecting the temperature in the container by the temperature sensor, and by the controller, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, whether the plasma generating device is driven or the intensity of the plasma beam discharged from the plasma generating device It may further include the step of controlling the.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, efficient heat treatment of food is possible by heat-treating food in powder or particle state using plasma and using less energy than conventional methods. In addition, by adjusting the intensity of the plasma beam and/or the amount of air injection according to the type of food, heat treatment optimized for the type of food is possible.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the freshness and storage period of food powder or particles can be increased by maintaining low humidity or removing moisture by removing moisture contained in the food powder or particles.

In addition, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, by generating a plasma gas having a sterilizing or disinfecting effect while removing the humidity of food powder or particles, it is possible to further increase the freshness and storage period of food to improve the marketability of food. can

The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings described below, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, but are not limited thereto.

1 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

2 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

3 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

4 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating a plasma generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

5 is a flowchart of a food processing method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

6 is a flowchart of a food processing method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

Hereinafter, specific contents for carrying out the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in the following description, if there is a risk of unnecessarily obscuring the gist of the present disclosure, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted.

In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding components are assigned the same reference numerals. In addition, in the description of the embodiments below, overlapping description of the same or corresponding components may be omitted. However, even if descriptions regarding components are omitted, it is not intended that such components are not included in any embodiment.

Terms used in the present disclosure will be briefly described, and the disclosed embodiments will be described in detail. Terms used in this specification have been selected as currently widely used general terms as possible while considering the functions in the present disclosure, but these may vary depending on the intention or precedent of a person skilled in the art, the emergence of new technology, and the like. In addition, in a specific case, there is a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant, and in this case, the meaning will be described in detail in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present disclosure should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the content throughout the present disclosure, rather than the simple name of the term.

In this disclosure, expressions in the singular include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates the singular. Also, the plural expression includes the singular expression unless the context clearly dictates the plural.

In the present disclosure, when a part includes a certain component, it means that other components may be further included, rather than excluding other components, unless otherwise stated.

Reference to "A and/or B" in this specification means A, or B, or A and B.

Prior to describing the embodiments of the present disclosure in detail, the upper part of a drawing may be referred to as "upper" or "upper side", and the lower side thereof as "lower" or "lower side" of the configuration shown in the drawing. In addition, in the drawings, a portion between the upper part and the lower part or the part other than the upper part and the lower part of the illustrated configuration may be referred to as a “side” or a “side”. Relative terms such as “upper” and “upper” may be used to describe the relationship between the components shown in the drawings, and the present disclosure is not limited by such terms.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, the left side of the drawing may be referred to as “left” or “left”, and the right side may be referred to as “right” or “right” of the configuration shown in the drawing. Relative terms such as “left” and “left” may be used to describe the relationship between the components shown in the drawings, and the present disclosure is not limited by such terms.

In the present disclosure, a direction toward the inner space of a structure may be referred to as “inside”, and a direction protruding into the open outer space may be referred to as “outside”. Relative terms such as “inside” and “outside” may be used to describe the relationship between the components shown in the drawings, and the present disclosure is not limited by such terms.

In the present specification, when a part is said to be connected to another part, it includes not only a case in which it is directly connected, but also a case in which another component is interposed therebetween.

In the present disclosure, the term 'part or portion' or 'module' means a mechanical or hardware component, a software component, or a combination thereof, and 'part' or 'module' refers to a specific role or function can be configured to perform However, 'part' or 'module' is not meant to be limited to mechanical components or hardware or software. A 'unit' or 'module' may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium, or may be configured to execute one or more processors. Thus, as an example, 'part' or 'module' refers to components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, properties, Includes procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Components and 'units' or 'modules' described in the present disclosure may be combined with a smaller number of components and 'units' or 'modules', or additional components and 'units' ' or 'modules'.

In the present disclosure, a 'system' may mean a mechanical device or an electromechanical device including one or more plasma generating devices, an air compressor, an air filter, a computing device, a container, and the like, but is not limited thereto.

Advantages and features of the disclosed embodiments, and methods of achieving them, will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the present embodiments allow the present disclosure to be complete, and the present disclosure provides those skilled in the art with the scope of the invention. It is provided for complete information only.

1 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system 100 using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As shown, the food powder processing system 100 is a container 110 in which food 190 in the form of powder (or powder) or particles (or granules) is stored therein, contained in the air in the container 110 Produced from the air filter 120 that extracts and discharges at least a portion of moisture, the air compressor 130 that generates compressed air from the air from which at least a portion of the moisture has been removed by the air filter 120, and the air compressor 130 The plasma generating apparatus 140 may include a plasma generating device 140 that generates active species through plasma discharge using compressed air as a plasma discharge gas.

The container 110 includes a cover part 112 in which the nozzle part 142 of the plasma generating device 140 is installed, a body part 114 in which the food 190 is stored, and a body part formed in an empty cylindrical shape. and a rotating part 116 which drives to rotate 114 . The cover part 112 is coupled to the body part 114 and closes the open end of the body part 114 so that the food 190 accommodated in the body part 114 does not leak to the outside. In addition, the cover part 112 is disposed to be fixed, while the body part 114 is configured to be rotatable in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about the rotation shaft 118 by the rotation part 116 .

In addition, in the body portion 114, while the body portion 114 is rotated, the food 190 as a whole is exposed to the plasma beam discharged from the nozzle portion 142, one or more stirring for stirring the food (190) Wings (not shown) may be installed.

The system 100 may be configured such that the air filter 120 is connected to one side of the container 110 so that air in the container 110 can be introduced into the air filter 120 . The air filter 120 may be configured to remove at least a portion of moisture contained in the air introduced from the container 110 . According to this configuration, the air in the container 110 may be managed to maintain a constant humidity or to remove the moisture. In an embodiment, the air filter 120 may include a cooling type or dry type dehumidifier. For example, the dry dehumidifier may be configured to adsorb moisture contained in the air using a desiccant such as silica gel, alumina gel, and molecular sieves, which are porous materials. have. In another example, the cooling-type dehumidifier may be configured to take advantage of the characteristic that air, which has reached a dew point due to a decrease in temperature, is changed into water by sucking air in using a fan and then passing it through a cooling device using a refrigerant.

Air from which moisture has been removed by the air filter 120 may be introduced into the air compressor 130 . The air compressor 130 may compress the introduced air to a constant pressure and provide it to the plasma generating device 140 . In an embodiment, the air compressor 130 may include, but is not limited to, a reciprocating or piston type, a rotary screw type, or a turbo or centrifugal type compressor. , the plasma generating device 140 may include any type of compressor having an appropriate capacity so as to provide air of a required constant pressure.

In an embodiment, the plasma generating device 140 may be an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device. The plasma generating apparatus 140 may generate a plasma beam through plasma discharge using the introduced compressed air as a plasma discharge gas. In addition, the temperature of the plasma beam or gas emitted from the plasma generating device 140 may be in a range from about room temperature to 600° C., but is not limited thereto, and the temperature may be adjusted according to the type of food to be processed. . For example, when the food to be processed requires relatively high heat treatment, such as coffee beans, the temperature of the plasma beam emitted from the plasma generating device 140 may be adjusted to about 200°C to 300°C. In another example, when a relatively low temperature heat treatment is required for the food to be processed, such as black pepper powder, red pepper powder, etc., the temperature of the plasma beam emitted from the plasma generating device 140 may be adjusted to about 50° C. to 100° C. The plasma beam generated by the plasma generating device 140 may be discharged into the container 110 through the nozzle unit 142 attached to the inside of the container 110 . The air in the container 110 and the temperature of the food 190 increase by the plasma beam discharged in this way, and accordingly, the heat treatment of the food 190 is possible.

In an embodiment, the plasma generating device 140 may generate active species including ozone (O ₃ ) through plasma discharge using the introduced compressed air as a plasma discharge gas. Plasma gas including active species generated by the plasma generating device 140 may be discharged into the container 110 through the nozzle unit 142 attached to the inside of the container 110 . Noxious bacteria or harmful substances contained in the air inside the container 110 are removed by the plasma gas including the discharged active species, and accordingly, the freshness or storage period of the food 190 may be increased.

2 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system 200 using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. A description of the configuration corresponding to FIG. 1 among the configurations shown in FIG. 2 will be omitted.

As shown, the system 200 includes a container 110 , an air filter 120 , an air compressor 130 , a plasma generating device 140 , a humidity sensor 220 installed in the container 110 , and active species. Controls at least one of the air filter 120 , the air compressor 130 , and the plasma generating device 140 so that the sensor 240 and the temperature sensor 260 , and the air in the container 110 have constant humidity and concentration of active species It may include a controller 280 to In the system 200 , the controller 280 receiving a signal from the humidity sensor 220 , the active species sensor 240 and/or the temperature sensor 260 is configured to include the air filter 120 , the air compressor 130 and/or the controller 280 . By controlling the plasma generating device 140 , the humidity, the concentration of active species, and/or the temperature of the air inside the container 110 may be maintained within a predetermined numerical range.

In an embodiment, the humidity sensor 220 may be installed inside the container 110 . The humidity sensor 220 installed inside the container 110 may be configured to detect the moisture content or humidity of the air inside the container 110 . For example, the humidity sensor 220 may include an electrical resistance type or capacitive type humidity sensor capable of outputting an electrical signal according to humidity, but is not limited thereto. The humidity sensor 220 may serve to check in real time whether the moisture amount or humidity of the air inside the container 110 is maintained within a predetermined numerical range. The humidity sensor 220 may transmit an electrical signal determined according to the amount of moisture or humidity contained in the air inside the container 110 to the controller 280 .

In an embodiment, the active species sensor 240 may be installed inside the container 110 . The active species sensor 240 installed inside the container 110 may be configured to detect the concentration of active species (eg, O ₃ , N _x , etc.) in the air inside the container 110 . For example, the active species sensor 240 may include a chemical sensor capable of outputting an electrical signal by changing electrical conductivity according to adsorption or desorption of active species in a gaseous state, but is not limited thereto. The active species sensor 240 may serve to confirm in real time whether the concentration of the active species in the air inside the container 110 is maintained at a concentration greater than or equal to a reference value. The active species sensor 240 may transmit an electrical signal determined according to the presence or concentration of active species contained in the air inside the container 110 to the controller 280 .

In an embodiment, the temperature sensor 260 may be installed inside the container 110 . The temperature sensor 260 installed inside the container 110 may be configured to detect the temperature of the air inside the container 110 . For example, the temperature sensor 260 may include a contact-type temperature sensor or a non-contact temperature sensor capable of outputting an electrical signal according to temperature, but is not limited thereto. The temperature sensor 260 may serve to confirm in real time whether the temperature of the air inside the container 110 (or the surface temperature of food) is maintained within a predetermined range. The temperature sensor 260 may transmit an electrical signal determined according to the temperature of the air inside the container 110 to the controller 280 .

In one embodiment, the controller 280 receives an electrical signal transmitted from the humidity sensor 220, the active species sensor 240 and/or the temperature sensor 260, It can be determined whether humidity, concentration of active species and/or temperature are above or below a reference value. According to the humidity, the concentration or temperature of the active species inside the container 110 determined as described above, the controller 280, the air filter 120, the air compressor 130, and the operating time of one or more of the plasma generating device (140) and the intensity of the plasma beam may be controlled. For example, if the controller 280 determines that the humidity of the air inside the container 110 is equal to or greater than a reference value based on the electrical signal of the humidity sensor 220 , the controller 280 operates the air filter 120 or The driving time and/or intensity of the filter 120 may be adjusted upward. In addition, if the controller 280 determines that the concentration of the active species in the air inside the container 110 is equal to or less than the reference value based on the electrical signal of the active species sensor 240 , the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma The generator 140 may be operated, or the operating time and/or intensity of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generator 140 may be adjusted upward. In addition, when the controller 280 determines that the temperature of the air inside the container 110 is out of the reference range based on the electrical signal of the temperature sensor 260 , the controller 280 operates the plasma generating device 140 or generates plasma. The actuation time and/or intensity of the device 140 may be adjusted upwards or downwards.

According to another embodiment, the controller 280 may set a reference temperature range of the air inside the container 110 based on a user input regarding the type of food to be processed through a control panel (not shown). For example, when a food to be processed requires a relatively high temperature heat treatment, such as a coffee bean, the reference temperature range of the air inside the container 110 may be set to 200°C to 300°C. In another example, when the processing target food requires a relatively low temperature heat treatment, such as pepper powder, red pepper powder, etc., the reference temperature range of the air inside the container 110 may be set to 50 ℃ to 100 ℃. After the reference temperature range set according to the user input is set in this way, the controller 280 determines that the temperature of the air inside the container 110 is out of the reference temperature range based on the electrical signal of the temperature sensor 260 . , it is possible to operate the plasma generating device 140 or to adjust the driving time and/or intensity of the plasma generating device 140 upward or downward.

In an embodiment, the operation control of the air filter 120 , the operation control of the air compressor 130 and/or the operation control of the plasma generating device 140 by the controller 280 as described above may be sequentially executed. have. For example, after executing the operation control of the air filter 120 , the controller 280 may execute the operation control of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generating device 140 , and control the operation of these two steps can be repeated. In another embodiment, the control of the operation of the air filter 120 by the controller 280 and the control of the operation of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generating device 140 by the controller 280 are parallel and simultaneous. can be executed In another embodiment, only one of an operation control of the air filter 120 by the controller 280 and an operation control of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generating device 140 by the controller 280 may be executed have.

As described above, by controlling the operation of the air filter 120 by the controller 280 and controlling the operation of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generating device 140 by the controller 280, the container 110 ), the concentration and temperature of moisture, active species contained in the internal air are maintained within an appropriate range, so that the freshness and storage period of the food 190 can be increased, or an appropriate heat treatment of the food 190 can be performed.

3 is a schematic diagram of a food processing system 300 using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Among the configurations shown in FIG. 3 , descriptions of configurations corresponding to those of FIGS. 1 and 2 will be omitted.

As shown, the system 300 includes a container 310 , an air filter 120 , an air compressor 130 , a plasma generating device 140 , a humidity sensor 220 installed in the container 310 , and active species. Controls at least one of the air filter 120 , the air compressor 130 , and the plasma generating device 140 so that the sensor 240 and the temperature sensor 260 , and the air in the container 110 have constant humidity and concentration of active species It may include a controller 280 to In the system 300 , the controller 280 receiving a signal from the humidity sensor 220 , the active species sensor 240 and/or the temperature sensor 260 is configured to include the air filter 120 , the air compressor 130 and/or the controller 280 . By controlling the plasma generating device 140 , humidity, active species concentration, and/or temperature of the air inside the container 310 may be maintained within a predetermined numerical range.

The container 310 is formed in a nozzle mounting part 312 in which the plasma nozzle part 142 and the air nozzle part 132 of the plasma generating device 140 are installed, and an empty cylindrical or rectangular shape, so that the food 190 is provided. and a body portion 314 to be stored. The nozzle mounting part 312 is coupled to the body part 314, and by forming a partition wall between the body part 314 and the nozzle mounting part 312, the food 190 accommodated in the body part 114 is transferred to the nozzle mounting part 312. It may be configured not to move to the side. In this case, a plurality of openings through which the plasma beam and air sprayed from the plasma nozzle unit 142 and the air nozzle unit 132 can pass are formed in the partition wall between the body unit 314 and the nozzle mounting unit 312, Before the plasma nozzle unit 142 and the air nozzle unit 132 are operated, the food 190 may be configured to be movable so that the plasma nozzle unit 142 and the air nozzle unit 132 can contact the food 190 . Alternatively, the nozzle mounting portion 312 may be integrally formed with the body portion 314 . In this case, the food 190 is configured to be in direct contact with the plasma nozzle unit 142 and the air nozzle unit 132 without installing a partition wall for separating the space between the nozzle mounting unit 312 and the body unit 314 . can

In addition, the container 310 including the nozzle mounting part 312 and the body part 314 may be configured to be fixed at a fixed position without being rotated. When the container 310 is fixedly installed as described above, the temperature inside the container 310 may be rapidly increased by the plasma beam discharged from the plasma nozzle unit 142 . Accordingly, the system 300 including the fixedly installed container 310 may be suitable for heat treatment of granular foods such as coffee beans that require heat treatment at a relatively high temperature.

The system 300 may be configured such that the air filter 120 is connected to one side of the container 310 so that air in the container 310 can be introduced into the air filter 120 . The air filter 120 may be configured to remove at least a portion of moisture included in the air introduced from the container 310 . According to this configuration, the air in the container 310 may be managed to maintain a constant humidity or to remove the moisture. Also, air from which moisture has been removed by the air filter 120 may be introduced into the air compressor 130 .

The plasma generating apparatus 140 may generate a plasma beam through plasma discharge using the introduced compressed air as a plasma discharge gas. In addition, the temperature of the plasma beam or gas emitted from the plasma generating device 140 may be in a range from about room temperature to 600° C., but is not limited thereto, and the temperature may be adjusted according to the type of food to be processed. . The plasma beam generated by the plasma generating device 140 may be discharged into the container 110 through the plasma nozzle unit 142 attached to the inside of the container 110 . The air in the container 110 and the temperature of the food 190 increase by the plasma beam discharged in this way, and accordingly, the heat treatment of the food 190 is possible.

In addition, the air compressor 130 may compress the introduced air to a constant pressure and provide it to the main body 314 of the container 310 through the air nozzle unit 132 . The powder or particles of the food 190 may be appropriately stirred by the air pressure injected into the body portion 314 through the air nozzle portion 132 . In addition, the air in the body 314 heated by the plasma beam discharged from the plasma nozzle 142 by the air pressure injected into the body 314 through the air nozzle 132 is smoothly flowed. temperature can be controlled to an appropriate level.

In one embodiment, the controller 280 receives an electrical signal transmitted from the humidity sensor 220, the active species sensor 240 and/or the temperature sensor 260, It can be determined whether humidity, concentration of active species and/or temperature are above or below a reference value. According to the humidity, the concentration or temperature of the active species inside the container 310 determined as described above, the controller 280, the air filter 120, the air compressor 130, and the operating time of one or more of the plasma generating device 140 and the intensity of the plasma beam may be controlled. For example, the controller 280, based on the electrical signal of the humidity sensor 220, when determining that the humidity of the air inside the container 310 is equal to or greater than a reference value, operates the air filter 120 or The driving time and/or intensity of the filter 120 may be adjusted upward. In addition, if the controller 280 determines that the concentration of the active species in the air inside the container 310 is equal to or less than the reference value based on the electrical signal of the active species sensor 240 , the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma The generator 140 may be operated, or the operating time and/or intensity of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generator 140 may be adjusted upward. In addition, when the controller 280 determines that the temperature of the air inside the container 310 is out of the reference range based on the electrical signal of the temperature sensor 260 , the plasma generating device 140 and/or the air compressor ( 130) or the operating time and/or intensity of the plasma generating device 140 and/or the air compressor 130 may be adjusted upward or downward.

As described above, by controlling the operation of the air filter 120 by the controller 280 and controlling the operation of the air compressor 130 and/or the plasma generating device 140 by the controller 280, the container 310 is ), the concentration and temperature of moisture, active species contained in the internal air are maintained within an appropriate range, so that the freshness and storage period of the food 190 can be increased, or an appropriate heat treatment of the food 190 can be performed. In addition, by injecting compressed air into the container 310 through the air nozzle unit 132, the food 190 is properly stirred or the internal temperature is controlled to an appropriate level, so that the heat treatment is performed to an even degree throughout the food 190. can be executed

4 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating a plasma generating apparatus 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The plasma generating apparatus 400 illustrated in FIG. 4 may be used as the plasma generating apparatus 140 of the

systems

100 , 200 , and 300 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 , for example.

In an embodiment, the plasma generating apparatus 400 may be an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus. In this case, the plasma generating apparatus 400 may include a generator, a high voltage transformer, electrodes generating plasma discharge, and the like so as to be driven in a normal room temperature/normal pressure environment. Specifically, in the plasma generating apparatus 400, the nozzle part 420 from which plasma is discharged, the nozzle part 420 is detached from one side, and a gas supply pipe (not shown) to which the working gas (or compressed air) is supplied from the other side. , a cable connected to a high voltage transformer (not shown) may include a body portion 440 to which the detachable body portion 440 is detached.

In one embodiment, the high frequency high voltage generated by the high voltage transformer is applied to the electrodes installed inside the body portion 440, and a high frequency discharge in the form of an electric arc is generated between the electrodes by the applied voltage. In this way, in a state in which an electric arc is generated inside the body portion 440, the working gas comes into contact with the electric arc and is converted into a plasma state. The plasma beam generated by the body part 440 is discharged through the opening of the nozzle part 420 .

The food processing method 500 shown in FIG. 5 uses the food processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 , and the components of the food processing method 500 are the food processing system 100 shown in FIG. 1 . may correspond to the components of In addition, among the components, for components having the same or similar reference numbers or names as those described in FIG. 1 described above, detailed descriptions may be omitted to avoid repetition, and only changes or additional parts will be described. can

The food processing method 500 may be initiated by extracting and discharging at least a portion of the moisture contained in the air in the container in which the food in powder or particle form is accommodated by an air filter ( S520 ). This is to reduce the amount of moisture exceeding the standard value in the container so that the air in the container maintains a constant humidity.

In step S540, compressed air is generated from the air from which at least a portion of moisture has been removed by the air filter by the air compressor, which is to provide air at a constant pressure required by the plasma generating device.

In step S560, the plasma generating device generates active species including ozone (O ₃ ) together with a plasma beam through plasma discharge using compressed air generated from an air compressor as a plasma discharge gas.

After step (S560), the plasma beam or gas is discharged into the container, heat treatment is performed on the food inside the container, and harmful bacteria or harmful substances contained in the air inside the container are removed, so that the freshness of the food contained in the container or the The storage period can be increased, and heat treatment processing for food can be carried out.

6 is a flowchart of a food powder processing method using an atmospheric pressure plasma generating apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

The food processing method 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 may correspond to at least some of the steps of the food powder processing method 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 . Specifically, the steps S630 and S660 of the food processing method 600 shown in FIG. 6 substantially correspond to the steps S520, S540 and S560 of the food processing method 500 shown in FIG. 5 . can be Therefore, in order to avoid repetition for convenience of description, detailed descriptions of steps S630 and S660 may be omitted below, and only changes or additions may be described.

The food processing method 600 may start with a step ( S610 ) of detecting the amount of moisture contained in the air in the container by a humidity sensor.

In step S620, the controller controls whether the air filter is driven or not based on the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor. For example, the controller determines whether the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor is greater than or equal to a preset reference value, and if the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor is greater than or equal to the reference value, the air filter is driven, and the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor is greater than the reference value If it is less than, the air filter may not be driven.

If it is determined in step S620 that the moisture content is greater than or equal to the reference value, in step S630, the controller operates the air filter to extract and discharge at least a portion of the moisture contained in the air in the container in which the food is accommodated by the air filter. .

After the moisture content is determined to be less than the reference value in step S620, or at least a portion of the moisture contained in the air in the container is extracted and discharged through the operation of the air filter in step S630, in step S640, the active species sensor Detects the concentration of active species (eg, O ₃ , N _x , etc.) contained in the air in the container.

In step S650 , the controller determines whether the detected active species concentration is equal to or less than a reference value, and controls whether at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device is driven based on the active species concentration detected by the active species sensor. For example, if the concentration of the active species is determined to be less than or equal to the reference value in step S650 , the controller operates at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device in step S660 to generate the active species in the container. On the other hand, if it is determined that the concentration of the active species exceeds the reference value in step S650, step S660 is not performed by the controller.

After the active species concentration detected by the active species sensor exceeds the reference value in step S650 or at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device is operated in step S660 to generate active species in the container, step S670 , a temperature sensor detects the temperature in the container.

In step S680, the controller determines whether the detected temperature in the container is within a reference range, and based on the detected temperature by the temperature sensor, whether the plasma generating device and/or the air compressor are driven or plasma discharged from the plasma generating device Controls the intensity of the beam. For example, if it is determined in step S680 that the temperature does not reach the reference range, in step S690, the controller operates the plasma generating device to increase the intensity of the plasma beam or increase the operating time to increase the temperature in the container. increase On the other hand, if it is determined in step S680 that the temperature exceeds the reference range, in step S690, the controller operates the plasma generating device to reduce the intensity of the plasma beam or reduce the operating time to reduce the temperature in the container. . Alternatively or additionally, in step S690 , the controller operates the air compressor to increase the intensity or time for injecting compressed air into the container to decrease the temperature in the container.

In one embodiment, the operation control steps (S610 to S630) of the air filter by the controller as described above, the operation control steps (S640 to S660) of the air compressor and/or plasma generating device by the controller, and to the controller The additional operation control steps ( S670 to S690 ) of the air compressor and/or the plasma generating device by the method may be sequentially executed. For example, after executing the steps S610 to S630, after executing the steps S640 to S660, the steps S670 to S690 may be executed, and these steps may be repeatedly executed. In another embodiment, the operation control steps (S610 to S630) of the air filter by the controller, and the operation control steps (S640 to S660) and steps (S670 to S690) of the air compressor and/or the plasma generating device by the controller ) can be executed simultaneously in parallel. In another embodiment, the operation control steps (S610 to S630) of the air filter by the controller, and the operation control steps (S640 to S660) and steps (S670 to S670) of the air compressor and/or plasma generating device by the controller S690), any one of them may be executed.

The above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for purposes of illustration, and various modifications, changes and additions will be possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention by those skilled in the art having ordinary knowledge of the present invention, and such modifications, changes and additions should be considered to be within the scope of the claims.

Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, within the scope of not departing from the technical spirit of the present invention, various substitutions, modifications and changes are possible, so the present invention is described in the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings. not limited by

Claims

In the food processing system using the atmospheric pressure plasma generator,

a container in which food is contained;

an air filter for extracting and discharging at least a portion of the moisture contained in the air in the container;

an air compressor for generating compressed air from the air from which at least a portion of the moisture has been removed by the air filter; and

and a plasma generating device for generating a plasma beam including active species through plasma discharge using the compressed air generated from the air compressor as a plasma discharge gas.
According to claim 1,

The plasma generating device,

a gas supply pipe to which the compressed air is supplied; and

A food processing system comprising a nozzle unit through which a plasma beam containing the active species is discharged.
According to claim 1,

a humidity sensor for detecting the amount of moisture contained in the air in the container; and

Further comprising a controller for controlling whether the air filter is driven based on the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor, the food processing system.
According to claim 1,

an active species sensor for detecting the concentration of active species in the container; and

The food processing system further comprising a controller for controlling whether at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device is driven based on the concentration of the active species detected by the active species sensor.
According to claim 1,

a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature in the container; and

The food processing system further comprising a controller for controlling whether at least one of the plasma generating device and the air compressor is driven or the intensity of the plasma beam discharged from the plasma generating device based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
In the food processing method using the atmospheric pressure plasma generator,

extracting and discharging at least a portion of the moisture contained in the air in the container in which the food is accommodated by the air filter;

generating, by an air compressor, compressed air from the air from which at least a portion of the moisture has been removed by the air filter; and

and generating, by a plasma generating device, a plasma beam containing active species through plasma discharge using the compressed air generated from the air compressor as a plasma discharge gas.
7. The method of claim 6,

Further comprising the step of discharging, by the plasma generating device, the plasma beam containing the active species into the container, food processing method.
7. The method of claim 6,

detecting, by a humidity sensor, an amount of moisture contained in the air in the container; and

The method further comprising, by a controller, controlling whether the air filter is driven or not based on the amount of moisture detected by the humidity sensor.
7. The method of claim 6,

detecting, by an active species sensor, the concentration of the active species in the container; and

The method further comprising, by a controller, controlling whether at least one of the air compressor and the plasma generating device is driven based on the concentration of the active species detected by the active species sensor.
7. The method of claim 6,

detecting, by means of a temperature sensor, a temperature in the container; and

Food, further comprising, by a controller, controlling whether at least one of the plasma generating device and the air compressor is driven or the intensity of the plasma beam discharged from the plasma generating device based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor processing method.