METHOD FOR OBTAINING A PRODUCT IN THE FORM OF DEEP-FROZEN, DISSOLVED-GAS-RICH GRANULES, PARTICLES OR BEADS, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A method and associated equipment for obtaining a product in the form of deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix, comprises the following steps: gasification of the matrix by incorporating a gas; dispensing the matrix in the form of drops; and cryogenically freezing the matrix drops by immersion in a cryogenic fluid. The step of gasification of the matrix involves dissolving a large amount of the gas generated by the evaporation of the cryogenic fluid in the drops by increasing the number of gas molecules in a high gas density zone, called high molecular density zone, located above the surface of the cryogenic fluid and on the path of the matrix drops before they are immersed in the fluid.

Claims

1. A method of forming deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix, comprising: gasifying the matrix by incorporating a gas; dispensing the matrix in a form of drops; and cryogenizing the matrix drops by immersion in a cryogenic fluid; wherein gasifying the matrix comprises dissolving the gas generated by evaporation of the cryogenic fluid in the matrix drops so that the product is at least saturated with the gas, the dissolution being carried out by increasing a number of gas molecules in a high molecular density zone located above a surface of the cryogenic fluid and on a path of the matrix drops before their immersion in the cryogenic fluid, the high molecular density zone being created by carrying out the gasification and cryogenization of the gasified drops within a closed chamber provided with a vent sized to allow evacuation of the gas generated by the evaporation of the cryogenic fluid by natural convection and to keep the inside of the chamber at a pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric, the method further comprising extracting the cryogenized granules, particles or beads, by maintaining the sealing of the chamber, preventing the gas contained in the chamber from escaping.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein gasifying the matrix comprises gasifying the matrix at a pressure greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure.

3. (canceled)

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising continuously or semicontinuously collecting of supersaturated granules, particles or beads from the cryogenic fluid.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the matrix drops are dispensed by gravitational flow into the cryogenic fluid.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of cryogenizing the matrix drops to form supersaturated granules, particles or beads is carried out by immersion in a cryogenic fluid bath in the same chamber as that in which the gasification is carried out.

9. The method of claim 2, applied to one of the following products: food drinks, cosmetic milks, suspensions of living materials, fluid creams for the face, dessert creams, fruit puree, cake machines and fresh seaweed preparations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix drops are dispensed by gravitational flow into the cryogenic fluid.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of cryogenizing the matrix drops to form supersaturated granules, particles or beads is carried out by immersion in a cryogenic fluid bath in the same chamber as that in which the gasification is carried out.

12. The method of claim 1, applied to one of the following products: food drinks, cosmetic milks, suspensions of living materials, fluid creams for the face, dessert creams, fruit puree, cake machines and fresh seaweed preparations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of equipment according to the present disclosure for obtaining a product in the form of deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads, from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the operating principle of the equipment of FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the measuring device used to measure the quantity of gas present in the matrix beads obtained according to various tests.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, show a schematic view of equipment 1 and its operating principle for obtaining a product in the form of deep-frozen, dissolved-gas-rich granules, particles or beads, from a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty matrix.

[0031] The equipment 1 comprises means 5 for dispensing the matrix in the form of drops 3, a cryonics receptacle 7 containing a cryogenic fluid 70 and in which the matrix drops 3 are received to be cryogenized and transformed into granules, particles or beads containing the dissolved gas.

[0032] The cryonics receptacle 7 is arranged under the means 5 for dispensing the matrix in the form of drops so that the matrix drops 3 at the outlet of the means 5 fall under gravity into the cryonics receptacle 7.

[0033] The equipment 1 further comprises a high gas molecular density zone 6 located between the means 5 for dispensing the matrix in the form of drops and the cryonics receptacle 7.

[0034] The means 5 for dispensing the matrix in the form of drops, the high gas molecular density zone 6 and the cryonics receptacle 7 are arranged inside a closed chamber 10 provided with an exhaust vent 8 to evacuate the gas generated by the evaporation of the cryogenic fluid 70. It is of course possible to provide several gas exhaust vents without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the example described, the vent 8 is arranged to maintain the inside of the chamber 10 at a pressure equal to atmospheric pressure. The vent 8 is arranged to allow evacuation of the gas by natural convection. However, for special needs, means may be provided for closing the vent in order to pressurize the chamber 10.

[0035] The equipment 1 further comprises an extraction device 9 for extracting the cryogenized granules, particles or beads. The extraction device 9 is configured to maintain the sealing of the chamber 10, preventing the gas contained in the chamber 10 from escaping. The extraction device 9 may be, for example, an airlock or bucket wheel system, the airlock or the buckets preventing the escape of gas other than that present with the beads or granules in the airlock or buckets.

[0036] The extraction device 9 is connected to a collection device (not shown) located outside the chamber 10.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the operating principle of the equipment according to the present disclosure. The matrix 2 to be treated flows through a shower 5, so as to form drops 3, which fall into the cryogenic fluid 70. During their fall, the drops 3 pass through the increasingly high gas molecular density zone 6, generated by the boiling cryogenic fluid 70. This increasing density allows a strong dissolution of the gas in the matrix 2. In particular, the maximum dissolution is reached as close as possible to the bath of cryogenic fluid 70, where the molecular density is greatest. The high gas density zone is created as soon as a permanent regime settles within the chamber 10, which is reached due to the diffusion of the gas by natural convection toward the outside of the chamber, only through the vent 8. The molecular density gradient applied to the product drops, influencing the quantity of gas incorporated therein, is linked to the sizing of the chamber itself, but also to the pressure that develops therein.

[0038] After an immersion time in the cryogenic fluid 70 sufficient for the drops 3 to become fully solid beads, the latter are extracted from the chamber 10 by a dedicated system of the airlock type consisting, for example, of two valves, which are not open at the same time, or a bucket wheel, making it possible to prevent the gas from escaping continuously in the room where the machine is located.

[0039] The granules, beads or particles are then placed in a package, then stored at a temperature sufficient to ensure that the product remains solid, depending on its melting temperature. The storage temperature may thus vary from 18 to 80 degrees Celsius, depending on the initial composition of the matrix. For example, most food matrices can be stored at 18 C.

Comparative Tests

[0040] Tests carried out under different conditions of implementation are presented below, Test 2 corresponding to the method according to the present disclosure. [0041] Test 1: Water beads cryogenized under pressure are produced according to the method described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO2008/043909, under a 4 bar pressure, in equipment 1 as described above, but whose vent 8 has been closed. The chamber 10 is thus completely closed. The gas incorporation operation is carried out in the matrix 2, before passing through the shower, by bringing the matrix 2 into contact with an atmosphere whose partial gas pressure is also equal to 4 bars. The beads are stored for 48 hours in a home freezer, at a temperature of 18 C. The amount of gas present in the beads is then measured using a device 20 illustrated in FIG. 3 and described below. To this end, 200 g of beads are placed in a first sealed container 21. An advantageously flexible pipe 22 is connected to the container and is immersed in a second container 23 containing water 24, so that bubbles escaping from the pipe go up into a measuring cylinder 25, also filled with water and placed upside down. When the beads have thoroughly melted in the first container, the volume of gas initially contained in the beads corresponds to the volume of gas 26 that appeared in the measuring cylinder. [0042] Test 2: Cryogenized water beads are produced in the same equipment 1 as above, but without pressure, and with only the vent 8 open. With the exception of the vent 8, chamber 10 is fully enclosed. During the treatment, the pressure observed in chamber 10 is indeed 0 bar. The beads are stored for 48 hours in a home freezer, at a temperature of 18 C. The amount of gas present in the beads is then measured using the device 20 of FIG. 3. [0043] Test 3: Cryogenized water beads are made in the same equipment 1 as above, but without pressure and with air suction through the open vent 8. With the exception of vent 8, chamber 10 is fully enclosed. The beads are stored for 48 hours in a home freezer, at a temperature of 18 C. The amount of gas present in the beads is then measured using the device 20 of FIG. 3. [0044] Test 4: Water beads are produced outside the device, in the form of drops using a syringe above a dewar filled with liquid nitrogen. The beads are stored for 48 hours in a home freezer, at a temperature of 18 C. The amount of gas present in the beads is then measured using the device 20 illustrated in FIG. 3. [0045] Test 5: Water ice cubes are made by conventional freezing, by filling the hemispherical cells of a mold before placing the latter in the freezer at 18 C. After 48 hours, the beads are unmolded and the amount of gas present therein is measured using the device 20 illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0046] The results obtained are given in Table 1 below:

TABLE-US-00001 Volume of gas Equivalent Test measured pressure number (ml) (bars) 1 16 3.5 2 6 1.5 3 0 0 4 0 0 5 0 0

[0047] It is observed that no gas is present in the products when they are prepared outside any specific equipment or in equipment having a suction of the gas generated. Indeed, Tests 3, 4 and 5 do indeed make it possible to obtain beads, but they contain absolutely no dissolved gas.

[0048] It is also observed that the method according to International Patent Application Publication No. WO2008/043909 (incorporation of gas under a pressure of between 2 and 10 bars) makes it possible to obtain products containing dissolved gas in large quantities. Indeed, Test 1 does indeed allow a large quantity of gas to be measured, necessarily obtained by supersaturation of the product.

[0049] Finally, it is observed that the method as described herein, corresponding to Test 2, also allows gas to be dissolved in the products, so that a supersaturation is also observed. In this example, the quantity of gas observed in Test 2 is appreciably less than that obtained in Test 1. This is explained by the small dimensions of the treatment device used, which only makes it possible to generate a low gradient gas molecular density and a limited dissolution of the latter in water. It can therefore be seen that by carrying out the step of incorporating gas in the drops 3 of the matrix and not on the matrix 2, and by simply applying a molecular density gradient, a supersaturation of the drops 3 is observed. The equivalent pressure calculated in Table 1 corresponds to the pressure to which the product should have been subjected to obtain the measured gas dissolution. A pressure of 3.5 bars is indeed calculated for the product, which was subjected to a 4 bar pressure (the dissolution was not complete but it is all the same significant, of the order of 88%). An equivalent pressure of 1.5 bars is also calculated for the product, which was not subjected to any pressure, which confirms the existence of a supersaturation under the effect of the high gas molecular density generated above the nitrogen bath.

[0050] The present disclosure is described in the foregoing by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to achieve different embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.