METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A CONVERSION PRODUCT, IN PARTICULAR STARCH PASTE

Abstract

A method for continuously producing a conversion product, in particular starch glue, fried starch, dissolved gelatin or protein glue, wherein a starch-containing and/or protein-containing, preferably powdery starting material, in particular flour, starch powder, cereal grains, coarse cereal meal, gelatin powder or gluten powder, is fed to a mixing chamber (2) and the starting material, preferably powder, descending in the mixing chamber (2) is subjected to a liquid heated to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) of at least 50 C. for converting the starting material into the conversion product, in particular to at least a gelatinization temperature of the starch-containing starting material, a protein-dissolving and/or denaturing temperature of the protein-containing starting material or a frying temperature, in the form of a pressure jet (7) and is thereby conveyed against a baffle (10) preferably formed by an inner wall of the mixing chamber or by an installation in the mixing chamber.

Claims

1. +A method for continuously producing a conversion product, in particular starch glue, fried starch, dissolved gelatin or protein glue, wherein a starch-containing and/or protein-containing, preferably powdery starting material, in particular flour, starch powder, cereal grains, coarse cereal meal, gelatin powder or gluten powder, is fed to a mixing chamber (2) and the starting material, preferably powder, descending in the mixing chamber (2) is subjected to a liquid heated to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) of at least 50 C. for converting the starting material into the conversion product, in particular to at least a gelatinization temperature of the starch-containing starting material, a protein-dissolving and/or denaturing temperature of the protein-containing starting material or a frying temperature, in the form of a pressure jet (7) and is thereby conveyed against a baffle (10) preferably formed by an inner wall of the mixing chamber or by an installation in the mixing chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for generation of starch glue as conversion product or of dissolved protein-containing starting material, in particular dissolved gelatin or gluten, as conversion product, water or an aqueous solution, in particular a calcium hydroxide solution, is used as liquid and which is heated to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) of at least 55 C., preferably at least 60 C., further preferably at least 70 C., even further preferably at least 80 C., particularly preferably at least 90 C., and/or to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) from a value range of between 55 C. and 130 C., even further preferably between 71 C. and 100 C.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the generation of fried starch as a conversion product, oil is used as a liquid and is heated to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) of at least 130 C., preferably at least 140 C., further preferably at least 150 C., and/or to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) from a value range of between 130 C. and 200 C., even further preferably between 140 C. and 190 C.

4. The method according to characterized in that claim 1, the pressure jet (7) is generated by conveying the liquid through a pressure nozzle (6), in particular with a conveying pressure of at least 10 bar, preferably at lest 20 bar, and/or with a conveying pressure from a value range of between 10 bar and 500 bar, preferably between 30 bar and 500 bar.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the liquid is heated by a heating means (12) arranged upstream of the pressure nozzle (6) in a conveying direction of the liquid, in particular by a flow heater, in particular to a temperature (T.sub.1) above the processing temperature (T.sub.U).

6. The method according to, claim 4, characterized in that the pressure jet (7) has a velocity of at least 100 km/h, preferably at least 250 km/h.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure nozzle (6) is a rotation nozzle and/or is configured to generate a hollow cone-shaped or saucer-shaped spray pattern.

8. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the pressure nozzle (6), in particular while the starting material is subjected to the pressure jet (7), is adjusted relative to the baffle (10), preferably translatorily, even further preferably in a vertical up-and-down movement.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conversion product is conveyed out of the mixing chamber (2) by pumping.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conversion product is mixed, preferably outside the mixing chamber (2), with further ingredients, in particular for producing food.

11. A conversion device, configured for carrying out a method according to claim 1, comprising a mixing chamber (2) having a baffle (10), preferably formed by an inner wall of the mixing chamber or by an installation in the mixing chamber, feeding means, in particular comprising a conveying screw, for feeding starting material to the mixing chamber (2), a pressure nozzle (6) for subjecting the starting material, while it is descending in the mixing chamber (2), to a liquid in the form of a pressure jet (7) and having heating means (12) arranged upstream of the pressure nozzle (6) for heating the liquid to a processing temperature (T.sub.U) upon exit from the pressure nozzle (6) of at least 50 C.

12. The conversion device according to claim 11, characterized in that temperature control means for controlling the liquid temperature to a predefined temperature, preferably at least 100 C., more preferably 101 C. or higher, even further preferably at a liquid pressure of at least 4 bar, are assigned to the heating means (12).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Other advantages, features and details of the invention are apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of a conversion device according to the invention with reference to FIG. 1, which is the only FIGURE.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a conversion device 1 configured according to the concept of the invention for carrying out a conversion method according to the invention. The conversion device 1 comprises a mixing chamber 2 having a vertical longitudinal center axis L. The mixing chamber 2 is substantially cylindrical and comprises a lower discharge opening 3 which tapers downward in the shape of a cone in relation to the mixing chamber located above it. A conveying pump 4 is arranged downstream of the discharge opening 3, the conveying pump 4 serving to automatically convey a conversion product to be explained later from the mixing chamber 2 to a further process.

[0045] At the top left of the drawing plane, an input opening 5 can be seen, through which preferably pourable or free-flowing starch-containing and/or protein-containing starting material can be fed along an input axis A which is perpendicular to the longitudinal center axis L. Ideally, a screw conveyor (not illustrated) is employed for this purpose.

[0046] Within the mixing chamber 2, a pressure nozzle 6 is arranged, which here is exemplarily configured as a rotation nozzle and by means of which a pressure jet 7 of a fed liquid can be generated. The pressure nozzle 6 is configured in such a manner that it generates a hollow cone-shaped spray pattern 8 in the shown embodiment, a cone angle 9 of the spray pattern 8 corresponding to the inclination of the pressure jet 7 being settable.

[0047] The inner circumferential surface of the mixing chamber 2 forms a baffle 10 which is hit by the pressure jet 7 and against which the pressure jet accelerates the starting material 3 falling down from the top.

[0048] It can be seen that the nozzle 10 can be supplied with liquid via a high-pressure pump 11, the liquid having previously been heated to a temperature T.sub.1 with the aid of exemplarily illustrated heating means 12 and the thus heated liquid leaving the nozzle 6 in the mixing chamber 2 at a slightly lower processing temperature T.sub.U. Preferably, the temperature loss on the way to the nozzle, i.e. across the distance between the heating means 12 and the nozzle opening, is less than 6 C. Alternatively, the high-pressure pump 11 can also be arranged upstream of the heating means 12 in the conveying direction.

[0049] In the specific embodiment, the heating means 12 are flow heaters which are supplied with liquid, such as fresh water under line pressure.

[0050] During the conversion process, the nozzle 6 can be translatorily adjusted within the mixing chamber 2 at intervals in the directions of the arrows 13 along the longitudinal center axis L so as to clean the baffle 10 during the process.

[0051] If, for example, starch powder or flour is introduced through the input opening 5, it rains down, and a liquid, water in this case, which has been heated to processing temperature, which is at least the gelatinization temperature in this case, meets the starting material at high pressure, such as at least 40 bar, the starting material thus hitting the baffle 10 and immediately gelatinizing because of the heat effect and the mechanical load, after which the starting material can be discharged at the bottom by means of the conveying pump 4.

[0052] In an alternative embodiment, oil can be used as the liquid, for example, which is preferably heated to more than 130 C. in order to realize a continuous frying process.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0053] 1 conversion device [0054] 2 mixing chamber [0055] 3 discharge opening [0056] 4 conveying pump [0057] 5 input opening [0058] 6 pressure nozzle [0059] 7 pressure jet [0060] 8 spray pattern [0061] 9 cone angle [0062] 10 baffle [0063] 11 high-pressure pump [0064] 12 heating means [0065] 13 arrow direction [0066] A input axis [0067] L longitudinal center axis [0068] T.sub.1 heating temperature [0069] T.sub.U processing temperature