EP0894871B1 - Apparatus for drying sugar cubes - Google Patents

Apparatus for drying sugar cubes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0894871B1
EP0894871B1 EP98201721A EP98201721A EP0894871B1 EP 0894871 B1 EP0894871 B1 EP 0894871B1 EP 98201721 A EP98201721 A EP 98201721A EP 98201721 A EP98201721 A EP 98201721A EP 0894871 B1 EP0894871 B1 EP 0894871B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sugar cubes
microwave
producing
microwave cavity
drying
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98201721A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0894871A1 (en
Inventor
Henricus Antonius Jacobus Maria Derckx
Henderikus Menno Torringa
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GEA Food Solutions Weert BV
Original Assignee
Aquarius Group BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aquarius Group BV filed Critical Aquarius Group BV
Priority to DK98201721T priority Critical patent/DK0894871T3/da
Publication of EP0894871A1 publication Critical patent/EP0894871A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0894871B1 publication Critical patent/EP0894871B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C13—SUGAR INDUSTRY
    • C13B—PRODUCTION OF SUCROSE; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • C13B40/00—Drying sugar
    • C13B40/007—Drying sugar in compacted form, e.g. cubes

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus for drying sugar cubes as described in the preamble of claim 1.
  • Such an apparatus is known from DE-C- 924.860.
  • the present invention provides a device for drying sugar cubes containing a heating apparatus for heating and dehumidifying the sugar cubes, a conditioning apparatus for cooling off and possibly further dehumidifying the sugar cubes and a conveying apparatus for conveying the sugar cubes through the heating apparatus and the conditioning apparatus, in which the heating apparatus comprises a multimode microwave cavity and a number of microwave heads which are connected to the microwave cavity by their own wave-guide. Because drying the sugar cubes takes place by microwave energy generated by the microwave heads, compared to the known drying devices a homogenous heating of the whole sugar cube takes place in which most of the humidity in the sugar cube is released, thus saving between 30% and 50% of the energy.
  • the length of the drying route can be reduced to approximately 15% compared to hot air and infrared drying.
  • the microwave cavity is a multimode microwave cavity, that is that a number of microwave heads are provided, for instance up to 30 or more, it is possible to adjust the generated energy in an optimum manner to the sugar cubes in the microwave cavity.
  • a further advantage of the multimode microwave cavity is that the distribution of field intensity over the width and length of the cavity can be very even, so that as a consequence all the cubes are supplied with the same amount of energy, as a result of which all the cubes have a same even temperature and humidity content at the end of the microwave cavity.
  • each wave-guide is provided at the location of the microwave cavity with slots for coupling microwave energy in the microwave cavity, the field intensity can be optimally distributed in the microwave cavity, because of the size, the angle of canting and the mutual positioning of the grooves.
  • each microwave head has a defined capacity, so that the field intensity in the microwave cavity can be varied accordingly.
  • a further embodiment of the invention according to the invention contains a sensor for detecting the number of rows of sugar cubes conveyed by the conveying apparatus into the microwave cavity, a field intensity meter for measuring the field intensity in the microwave cavity and a velocity meter for measuring the conveying velocity of the sugar cubes, as a result of which an exact adjustment and control of the drying process is obtained.
  • a humidity sensor placed in the microwave cavity can further improve this control.
  • FIG 1 a device for producing and drying sugar cubes is schematically shown in side view, which device is made in a usual line layout.
  • Sugar and water are supplied in the usual way to a press 1, in which the sugar and the water are mixed and in which the sugar cubes are pressed into the correct shape, size and weight. From the press the sugar cubes are conveyed via a conveying apparatus 2 to the heating apparatus 3.
  • the heating apparatus 3 contains a multimode microwave cavity 19 (figure 2) and a number of microwave heads 10 (figure 3).
  • the conveying apparatus 2 conveys the wet sugar cubes 13 through the microwave cavity 19, where the sugar cubes 13 are heated by microwave energy to a temperature of approximately 75°C and most of the humidity in the sugar cubes 13 is released. Because of this the sugar cubes 13 get enough latent energy to arrive at the desired final humidity content in a conditioning apparatus 4 (figure 1).
  • a conditioning apparatus 4 (figure 1).
  • the press 1, the conveying apparatus 2 and the packaging apparatus 5 are electrically driven in the known manner, the drives being adapted to one another.
  • the conveying apparatus 2 is preferably a conveyor belt made of synthetic material, the dielectric characteristics of which being such, that the conveyor belt takes up as little energy as possible.
  • the heating apparatus 3 contains a number of microwave heads 10 which are connected to the microwave cavity by their own wave-guide 17 (figure 3).
  • the wave-guides are placed horizontally, transverse to the direction of conveyance, with the microwave heads at the ends of the wave-guides.
  • the microwave heads can be placed directly under the stream of sugar cubes, the microwave heads being connected with vertical wave-guides to the microwave cavity.
  • This last alternative embodiment provides a more compact construction form and a good heating of the sugar cubes, which is almost independent of the height of the sugar cubes.
  • the number of microwave heads is five, although in practise up to thirty or more heads can be used.
  • the microwave heads are, for instance, are standard industrial heads with a capacity of 1.2 kW, for example.
  • Each wave-guide 17 is provided at the location of the microwave cavity with slots 18 for coupling the microwave energy in the microwave cavity.
  • the size, position and mutual positioning of the slots 18 can be chosen to obtain a desired field intensity distribution in the microwave cavity.
  • each microwave head has a defined capacity, or an independent capacity adjustment in order to further distribute the field intensity as desired.
  • the action of the inventive drying device is improved with regard to the known devices, namely in startup and stop situations.
  • the microwave cavity will slowly be filled with sugar cubes.
  • An adjustment of this kind can be controlled by the sensor 12 at a known conveying velocity.
  • a stop situation for instance when there is a breakdown, the energy supply to the microwave heads can be switched off immediately, as a result of which heating does not take place either.
  • the microwave cavity then cools off immediately. Problems such as caramelization or discolouring do not therefore occur and repairs can be speedily carried out.
  • the microwave cavity 19 there are means, for example one or more ventilators 14, for extracting from the microwave cavity air in which humidity is included which is already leaving the sugar cubes 13.
  • the conveyor belt is provided with air passages.
  • a sensor 12 detects the number of rows of sugar cubes conveyed by the conveyor belt 2 into the microwave cavity, a field intensity meter 16 measures the field intensity in the microwave cavity 19 and, together with the velocity of the conveyor belt 2 measured by the velocity meter, the microwave heads are switched on or off so as to obtain a field intensity distribution desirable under the detected circumstances.
  • the advantage of a multimode microwave cavity having suchlike adjustment, compared to using one large microwave source, is that an exact control of the drying process is obtained.
  • a further improvement of the control of the drying process can be obtained by including a humidity sensor in the microwave cavity.
  • a further advantage of a multimode microwave cavity is that there is a uniform distribution of the field intensity over the width and length of the microwave cavity, which results in the supply to all sugar cubes of the same quantity of energy, so that at the end of the microwave cavity all the sugar cubes have an equal temperature and an equal humidity content. As a consequence, all the sugar cubes will eventually have the same residual humidity content and the same hardness, which is important for packaging and further storage of the sugar cubes.
  • the latter is provided with protective devices 15.
  • the sugar cubes After the sugar cubes have passed through the microwave cavity, they are conveyed by the conveyor belt to and through the conditioning apparatus, where the sugar cubes are cooled by means of cooling means for generating air circulation. In addition, this air ensures the discharge of the humidity which may be leaving the sugar cubes. In that way the sugar cubes obtain the desired final humidity content and the desired hardness.
  • this air is heated.
  • This heated air can be led to the microwave cavity of the heating apparatus by means of tubes.
  • the thermal energy of this air is then used for additional heating of the sugar cubes, this heated air also discharging humidity released in the microwave cavity and preventing condensation in the microwave cavity.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Drying Of Solid Materials (AREA)
EP98201721A 1997-06-03 1998-05-26 Apparatus for drying sugar cubes Expired - Lifetime EP0894871B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK98201721T DK0894871T3 (da) 1997-06-03 1998-05-26 Anordning til törring af sukkerterninger

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1006216A NL1006216C2 (nl) 1997-06-03 1997-06-03 Inrichting voor het drogen van suikerklonten.
NL1006216 1997-06-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0894871A1 EP0894871A1 (en) 1999-02-03
EP0894871B1 true EP0894871B1 (en) 2004-08-18

Family

ID=19765088

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98201721A Expired - Lifetime EP0894871B1 (en) 1997-06-03 1998-05-26 Apparatus for drying sugar cubes

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0894871B1 (da)
DE (1) DE69825688T2 (da)
DK (1) DK0894871T3 (da)
ES (1) ES2227765T3 (da)
NL (1) NL1006216C2 (da)
TR (1) TR199800989A2 (da)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2481820A1 (en) 2011-01-28 2012-08-01 CFS Weert B.V. Apparatus for drying sugar cubes with microwave radiation
EP2497838A1 (en) 2011-03-11 2012-09-12 GEA CFS Weert B.V. Apparatus for producing sugar cubes

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE924860C (de) * 1952-12-31 1955-03-07 Rudolf Carl Bremer Verfahren und Einrichtung zum Trocknen von Zucker in Koerperform mittels Hochfrequenz
US4294624A (en) * 1980-03-14 1981-10-13 Veltman Preston Leonard Drying co-mingled carbohydrate solution and recycled product by dielectric heating
NL8001629A (nl) * 1980-03-19 1981-10-16 Stork Bepak Bv Werkwijze en inrichting voor het vanaf een vormmachine ter conditionering transporteren van blokken.
JPS6259000A (ja) * 1985-09-06 1987-03-14 株式会社　石野製作所 角砂糖の製造方法

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
KOHLRAUSH F.: "Praktische Physik, Vol. 2", 1985, B.G. TEUBNER, STUTTGART, GART *

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2481820A1 (en) 2011-01-28 2012-08-01 CFS Weert B.V. Apparatus for drying sugar cubes with microwave radiation
EP2497838A1 (en) 2011-03-11 2012-09-12 GEA CFS Weert B.V. Apparatus for producing sugar cubes
WO2012123083A1 (en) 2011-03-11 2012-09-20 Gea Cfs Weert B.V. Apparatus for producing sugar cubes

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK0894871T3 (da) 2004-12-20
NL1006216C2 (nl) 1998-12-04
TR199800989A2 (xx) 1998-12-21
DE69825688T2 (de) 2005-08-18
DE69825688D1 (de) 2004-09-23
ES2227765T3 (es) 2005-04-01
EP0894871A1 (en) 1999-02-03

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JPH0612918Y2 (ja) 段ボールの加熱装置
KR19990044686A (ko) 목재 건조 장치 및 방법
EP1143814B1 (en) Apparatus for gas treatment of products
US11435141B2 (en) Radiant conveyor drying system and method
PT1358385E (pt) Método para controlar a secagem de um material em folha contínua
US4270280A (en) Rice drying machine
FI110626B (fi) Menetelmä ja laitteisto kuitupohjaisen massarainan kuivaamiseksi
US20070130787A1 (en) Veneer dryer
EP0894871B1 (en) Apparatus for drying sugar cubes
ES2063026T3 (es) Aparato para enfriar y/o secar productos a granel.
US5233766A (en) Vertical grain dryer
EP2573261B1 (en) Drying arrangement and method for drying a moving web
US4369536A (en) Apparatus for use in heat setting a lasted shoe upper
US4284359A (en) Agglomerization system for intermixing edible ingredients
GB2199644A (en) Dryer
EP3347659A1 (en) High speed dryer for bricks and method for their production
RU2084084C1 (ru) Установка для свч-обработки диэлектрических материалов
SU1003762A3 (ru) Устройство дл сушки прессованного сахара
WO1995012794A1 (en) Method and apparatus for drying
KR102850816B1 (ko) 쌀가루 김치과자 제조장치
RU2587569C2 (ru) Установка для производства кускового сахара и его сушки с помощью микроволнового излучения
EP0937949A2 (en) Tempering, chilling and freezing room arrangement
SU1670313A1 (ru) Зерносушилка непрерывного действи
SU1695090A1 (ru) Сушилка дл зерна
SU721649A1 (ru) Зерносушилка

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): BE DE DK ES FR GB IT NL SE

AX Request for extension of the european patent

Free format text: AL;LT;LV;MK;RO;SI

AKX Designation fees paid

Free format text: BE DE DK ES FR GB IT NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19981019

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: AQUARIUS GROUP B.V.

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 20020704

GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): BE DE DK ES FR GB IT NL SE

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69825688

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 20040923

Kind code of ref document: P

RAP2 Party data changed (patent owner data changed or rights of a patent transferred)

Owner name: CFS WEERT B.V.

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: SE

Ref legal event code: TRGR

NLT2 Nl: modifications (of names), taken from the european patent patent bulletin

Owner name: CFS WEERT B.V.

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DK

Ref legal event code: T3

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FG2A

Ref document number: 2227765

Country of ref document: ES

Kind code of ref document: T3

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20050526

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20050526

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

ET Fr: translation filed
26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20050519

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20050526

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DK

Payment date: 20090526

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Payment date: 20090525

Year of fee payment: 12

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DK

Ref legal event code: EBP

EUG Se: european patent has lapsed
PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100527

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20100531

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Payment date: 20140521

Year of fee payment: 17

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: PLFP

Year of fee payment: 19

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: ES

Ref legal event code: FD2A

Effective date: 20160629

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20150527

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: PLFP

Year of fee payment: 20

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 20170522

Year of fee payment: 20

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: FR

Payment date: 20170522

Year of fee payment: 20

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20170522

Year of fee payment: 20

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Payment date: 20170522

Year of fee payment: 20

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R071

Ref document number: 69825688

Country of ref document: DE

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: MK

Effective date: 20180525

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: BE

Ref legal event code: MK

Effective date: 20180526