• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    The present invention relates to a new industrial method of vegetable hydration that allows an automated and continuous production of hydrated legumes with a hydration time much lower than that required in the traditional method. According to this method, dried legumes are introduced into hydration tanks where they remain during the entire hydration process, subjected to a programmed sequence of bathing stages with water at a specific temperature in each stage, being precisely the alternation of water hot and cold water which greatly accelerates the process of hydration of the legume. The invention includes hydration tanks with specific characteristics for this method, and a system for preparing and recovering hot water and cold water. Each of the hydration tanks receives water supply independently, with the corresponding temperature in each stage, so that the hydration process is completed sequentially in the different tanks to allow a continuous output of hydrated legumes. In this way, the hydration process is greatly simplified and the quality of the final product is improved, by precisely controlling the working conditions and reducing the processing times, while reducing the consumption of water and energy by allowing the recovery of the water used, so this new method is very appropriate for the growing global demand for pulses for food. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)
    公开号:ES2711859A1
    申请号:ES201930263
    申请日:2019-03-22
    公开日:2019-05-07
    发明作者:Gil Jesus Maria Linares
    申请人:Aurum Process Tech S L；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [0001]
    [0002] Industrial method of vegetable hydration.
    [0003]
    [0004] TECHNICAL SECTOR
    [0005]
    [0006] The present invention belongs to the field of the food industry.
    [0007]
    [0008] In particular, it refers to a system of industrial hydration of dried vegetables, which is a required treatment in many of the processes of industrial processing of legumes for food.
    [0009]
    [0010] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
    [0011]
    [0012] The use of legumes in food is a millenarian tradition that comes from human prehistory, including under this denomination a great variety of seeds of plants that are classified in Botanica as legumes, among which the beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas stand out and lupines.
    [0013]
    [0014] Traditionally, in the domestic kitchen it is customary to leave the vegetables to soak for several hours (usually during the night) before being cooked. In this process of hydration, the legume absorbs a large amount of water, normally increasing its weight to more than twice its initial weight in dry, which allows to reduce the time necessary for the correct cooking of the legumes and to obtain a final texture uniform and soft.
    [0015]
    [0016] With the development of the food industry, this same hydration process has been transferred to an industrial scale, and it is usual for factories that produce cooked vegetables or other food products based on legumes to have specific facilities for the previous hydration of legumes. dry, which is usually done in tanks or rafts in which the legumes are placed and are flooded with water during the time required to complete the hydration.
    [0017]
    [0018] The main drawback of this hydration process is that it usually requires a relatively long time, greater than 8 or even 12 hours, which requires accumulating a very large volume in the hydration tanks to maintain industrial production, and these conditions of work with long times and large volumes generate significant complications and costs in the industrial process, which requires a large amount of human labor, consumes large amounts of energy and water, and affects the quality of the final product because of not being able to control accurately the conditions and hydration times and microbiological risks during the process, since the humidity and temperature conditions are ideal for microbial proliferation.
    [0019] There are few inventions specifically referring to methods that improve the hydration of legumes, since most of the patents registered so far describe or protect specific hydration conditions that are adequate to confer a certain quality to the treated legume, such as be quick cooking, or improve its digestibility, etc., but methods are not defined or machined to improve or accelerate the hydration process itself. However, we can cite as background of our invention:
    [0020]
    [0021] - The patent US3869556A, which proposes a process of treating chickpeas and red beans to be of rapid cooking, in which certain conditions of hydration are specified for a time of 24 hours.
    [0022]
    [0023] - The patent US4729901A, in which a canned legume manufacturing process is proposed in which a specific formulation of additives in the water of hydration is specified.
    [0024]
    [0025] - Patents US6355291B1, US6465031B1 and US20060198934A1 describe methods of preparation of legumes to improve their digestibility and reduce the generation of flatulence, for which several stages of hydration are described with different temperatures and chemical compositions for purposes other than the optimization of hydration itself , and without defining the industrial machinery used in the process.
    [0026]
    [0027] - The patent US3869556A, which proposes a process of treating chickpeas and red beans to be of rapid cooking, in which certain conditions of hydration are specified for a time of 24 hours.
    [0028]
    [0029] - The patent US8003154B2, in which a refritos bean manufacturing process is proposed in which a nonspecific hydration step is included.
    [0030] - The patent US6033692A, which proposes a method of hydration of legumes for the purpose of reducing the hydration time thanks to an enzymatic treatment performed by certain added agents to the water of hydration.
    [0031]
    [0032] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION
    [0033]
    [0034] The new industrial method of vegetable hydration that we propose reduces very significantly the time necessary to complete the hydration process, based on the behavior of legumes when they are subjected to temperature changes during that process.
    [0035]
    [0036] It is already well known that the use of warm or hot water (up to a certain critical temperature) accelerates the hydration process, but the fact that it even accelerates much more if the vegetable is subjected to an alternating rise and fall of temperature.
    [0037] In this curious behavior of the legume, this invention is based on the alternation of baths with hot water and cold water baths, which establishes the proposed method which greatly accelerates the hydration process of the legume.
    [0038]
    [0039] According to this method, dried legumes are introduced into hydration tanks where they remain during the entire hydration process, subjected to a programmed sequence of bathing stages with water at a specific temperature in each stage.
    [0040]
    [0041] The invention also includes the design of hydration tanks with appropriate characteristics to fulfill their functions and a system of preparation, storage and recovery of hot water and cold water required in the process, with two separate circuits, one for hot water and another for cold water, each of which has its own accumulation tank, impulse pump, heat exchanger and distribution piping.
    [0042]
    [0043] When the legumes are being introduced into the hydration tank, with activated side streams of water that allow the correct distribution of the legumes inside the tank.
    [0044]
    [0045] Once the loading of the legumes in the tank is completed, the hydration process begins thanks to the entrance of water through the upper part of the tank, distributed in the form of a shower that falls on the legumes that are in the tank.
    [0046]
    [0047] In the lower part of the hydration tank there are water drainage exits, which have perforated plates that prevent the exit of legumes and are connected to a collection pipeline with cutting valve and extraction pump.
    [0048]
    [0049] By controlling the entrance and exit of the water, a flow of water is achieved vertically through the legumes in the tank and the water level inside the tank is regulated.
    [0050]
    [0051] Once the hydration process is complete, the hydrated vegetables are discharged from the hydration tank through an opening of the tank outlet, dragged by water entering through the upper showers of the tank or by the activation of the lateral water currents.
    [0052]
    [0053] To regulate the amount of legumes that come out at each moment through the opening of the hydration tank outlet, there is a gate that can go up and down to leave a certain section of free passage for the legumes.
    [0054]
    [0055] Each of the hydration tanks receives water supply independently, with the corresponding temperature in each stage, so that the hydration process can be completed sequentially in the different tanks to allow a continuous exit of hydrated legumes.
    [0056]
    [0057] This new method that we have just described allows an automated and continuous production of hydrated legumes with a hydration time much lower than that required in the traditional method and with precise control of the conditions under which the process is developed. In this way, the hydration process is greatly simplified and the quality of the final product is improved, while the consumption of water and energy is reduced thanks to the recovery of the water used, so this new method is very appropriate for the growing global demand for pulses for food processing.
    [0058]
    [0059] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
    [0060]
    [0061] FIGURE 1 represents a 3D general view of a vegetable hydration plant designed to operate in accordance with the method object of this patent application.
    [0062]
    [0063] The figure shows three hydration tanks (1) and the water distribution system.
    [0064]
    [0065] When any of the hydration tanks (1) requires hot water, the hot water pump (7) sucks water from the hot water storage tank (5), which passes through the heat exchanger (9) that heats that water at the desired temperature at that time, and is sent through the pipe (11) of hot water distribution to the corresponding tank (1), entering through the showers (2) of said tank (1).
    [0066]
    [0067] When any of the tanks (1) requires cold water, the pump (8) sucks water from the cold water storage tank (6), and drives it through the heat exchanger (10) to cool it to the desired temperature, and it circulates through the pipe (12) of cold water to the showers (2) of the corresponding tank (1).
    [0068]
    [0069] For the extraction of the contained water, each hydration tank (1) has a set of perforations (3) of drainage in its lower part and a pump (13) of impulsion that sends the water, according to its temperature, or to the tank (5) for accumulating hot water through the hot water return pipe (14), or to the cold water storage tank (6) through the cold water return pipe (15), or directly to drainage through the drain pipe of the plant.
    [0070]
    [0071] FIGURE 2 represents a more detailed 3D view of an appropriate hydration tank (1) to perform the hydration method object of this patent application.
    [0072] In the figure you can see the showers (2) in the upper part of the tank (1) through which the water enters, and the perforations (3) in the lower part of the tank (1) through which the water comes out.
    [0073]
    [0074] Also shown in figure (2) is a lateral point (4) of water entering the tank (1) during the stages of loading and unloading legumes.
    [0075]
    [0076] At the end of the tank (1) opposite the lateral point (4) of water inlet, there is a mobile gate (16) and an outlet (17) for the discharge of the vegetables.
    [0077]
    [0078] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION.
    [0079]
    [0080] A preferred embodiment of this invention is that shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the patent application.
    [0081]
    [0082] In this preferred embodiment, the hydration tanks (1) have a horizontally elongated shape with a flat bottom and side walls, and a top closure with removable flat covers.
    [0083]
    [0084] The tank (1) has an approximate width of 1 m, a height of approximately 1 m in its side walls and a length of about 5 m.
    [0085]
    [0086] In the upper part of the tank (1) there are 5 showers (2) of water inlet to the tank (1), connected by means of a horizontal pipe placed parallel to the tank (1).
    [0087]
    [0088] In the flat bottom of the tank (1) there are 10 drainage holes (3) connected to a collection pipe placed parallel to the tank (1).
    [0089]
    [0090] In the lower part of one of its two lateral ends there is a longitudinal groove for the entrance (4) of push water of the legumes during the process of loading and unloading the tank (1).
    [0091]
    [0092] At the end of the tank (1) opposite the lateral point (4) of water inlet, there is a gate (16) and an outlet (17) for the discharge of the vegetables. The gate (16) can raise and lower to leave a certain section of passage of vegetables between the bottom of the tank (1) and the gate itself (16), which allows to regulate the amount of legumes leaving the tank (1) with in order to get a controlled discharge of the tank.
    [0093]
    [0094] In the process of unloading the already hydrated vegetables, these are dragged towards the outlet (17) of the tank (1) by means of water that enters through the showers (2) and through the lateral entrance (4).
    权利要求:
    Claims (7)
    [1]
    1. Industrial method of hydration of legumes such as beans, chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils or other seeds, characterized in that the dried legumes are introduced in one or several hydration tanks (1), where they are subjected to a programmed sequence of stages of bath with water at a specific temperature and a determined time in each stage, with alternating hot water and cold water baths to accelerate the process of hydration of the legume.
    [2]
    2. Industrial method of vegetable hydration according to claim 1, in which one or several additional components are added to the water of hydration in at least one of the stages of the process to carry out some additional treatment on the hydrated vegetables.
    [3]
    3. Industrial method of vegetable hydration according to claim 1 wherein, in a complementary manner, the pulses are treated with steam at some stage of the process.
    [4]
    4. Industrial method of hydration of legumes such as beans, chickpeas, beans, peas, lentils or other seeds, in which the legumes are introduced into one or several hydration tanks (1) characterized by having:
    a) In its upper part, a set of showers (2) of water inlet located above the legumes,
    b) In its lower part, a set of perforations (3) of water drainage located below the pulses.
    c) At least one lateral point (4) of water inlet.
    To allow a flow of water circulation through the vegetables during the hydration process and to facilitate the movement of the legumes in the stages of loading and unloading legumes from the hydration tank (1).
    [5]
    5. Industrial method of vegetable hydration according to claim 2 wherein the hydration tanks (1) have a mobile gate (16) adjustable to leave a certain passage section of vegetables and achieve a controlled discharge of the hydration tank (1) .
    [6]
    6. Industrial method of vegetable hydration according to claim 1 or according to claim 2 in which at least two hydration tanks (1) are arranged, sequentially performing hydration process in each tank (1) to allow continuous output of hydrated legumes.
    [7]
    7. Industrial method of vegetable hydration according to claim 1 or according to claim 2 wherein at least one hot water recovery tank (5) and at least one cold water recovery tank (6) is provided for allow a reduction of water and energy consumption in the hydration process.
    类似技术:
    公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题
    CN103733971A|2014-04-23|Soilless vegetable cultivation machine
    ES2711859A1|2019-05-07|Industrial method of vegetable hydration |
    CN205093120U|2016-03-23|Rice seed machine that sprouts
    KR200351095Y1|2004-05-17|Device of bean sprouts are growing by water immesion method
    KR100670759B1|2007-01-19|Control apparatus of underwater organism environment of feeding device for fish
    CN207219693U|2018-04-13|A kind of soil-less culture agricultural bean sprout growing machine
    CN103947533A|2014-07-30|Magnetized water factory bean sprout producing system capable of controlling growing environment
    JP2010154822A|2010-07-15|Hydroaeroponic culture device
    KR100754772B1|2007-09-03|Dehumidifier for equipment greenhouse using condensation water
    CN203884356U|2014-10-22|Bean sprout industrial production system with controllable growth environments and magnetized water
    Kinyanjui2013|Direct Use Of Geothermal Energy In Menengai, Kenya: Proposed Geothermal Spa And Crop Drying
    CN207544018U|2018-06-29|A kind of herding drinking trough of energy-saving heat preserving
    ES2717573A1|2019-06-21|Industrial method of continuous processing of particulate food ingredients |
    CN206005138U|2017-03-15|Paddy rice concentrates seed soaking pregermination device
    CN104813912A|2015-08-05|Bean sprout growing machine with improved structure
    KR200470326Y1|2013-12-10|Hydroponic cultivation
    KR20170059128A|2017-05-30|House heating and cooling device using the geothermal
    ES2805549A1|2021-02-12|Method to boil salt water, using solar thermal energy and vacuum techniques. |
    RU2185578C2|2002-07-20|Apparatus for cooling agricultural product with natural ground cold
    KR102087400B1|2020-03-10|Heating and Cooling Control System for Cattle Shed Ventilation
    CN204499380U|2015-07-29|A kind of cycling use of water sterilizing unit
    ES2326777B1|2010-06-14|DEVICE FOR COOKING FOOD AT LOW TEMPERATURE.
    RU110228U1|2011-11-20|INSTALLATION FOR CULTIVATION OF SEA HYDROBIONTS
    JP5626522B2|2014-11-19|Flowing film heat exchanger
    CN211832266U|2020-11-03|Novel circulating water energy-saving bean sprout growing machine
    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    ES2711859B2|2019-10-15|
    引用文献:
    公开号 | 申请日 | 公开日 | 申请人 | 专利标题
    US3318708A|1964-03-26|1967-05-09|Louis B Rockland|Process for producing quick-cooking legumes|
    JPS59196054A|1983-04-21|1984-11-07|Marukin Shokuhin Kogyo Kk|Method and apparatus for immersing or sprinkling grain with limited amount of water|
    CN101171959A|2007-11-29|2008-05-07|山西瑞飞机械制造有限公司|Totally enclosed heat-preserving bean soaking tank|
    法律状态:
    2019-05-07| BA2A| Patent application published|Ref document number: 2711859 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: A1 Effective date: 20190507 |
    2019-10-15| FG2A| Definitive protection|Ref document number: 2711859 Country of ref document: ES Kind code of ref document: B2 Effective date: 20191015 |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    ES201930263A|ES2711859B2|2019-03-22|2019-03-22|Industrial method of legume hydration|ES201930263A| ES2711859B2|2019-03-22|2019-03-22|Industrial method of legume hydration|
    [返回顶部]