초록 ▼

An apparatus for blanching and cooling vegetable products comprises a perforated product conveyor belt having an upper belt run which extends and travels through a treatment tunnel defined in a casing of the apparatus. A layer of vegetable product is transported on the upper belt run through success

An apparatus for blanching and cooling vegetable products comprises a perforated product conveyor belt having an upper belt run which extends and travels through a treatment tunnel defined in a casing of the apparatus. A layer of vegetable product is transported on the upper belt run through successive treatment zones defined in the treatment tunnel. The treatment zones are provided with arrangements of spray nozzles which are located to spray liquid onto the upper belt run and the layer of product thereon. The nozzle arrangement comprises upper nozzle units adapted to spray liquid on the top surface of the product layer, and may also include lower nozzle units adapted to spray liquid onto the underside of the perforated upper belt run. In a blanching zone, the product layer is sprayed with a blanching liquid which is recirculated and maintained at a desired blanching temperature. The blanching zone is followed by a cooling zone in which the product layer is cooled by spraying a cooling liquid thereon. Preferably, the heat absorbed by the cooling liquid is recovered by being used in a product preheating zone ahead of the blanching zone.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for blanching vegetable products and comprising in combination: an elongate casing having a product inlet end and a product outlet end, said casing including longitudinally extending, opposite and spaced apart side walls, a floor which extends between said inlet and outlet ends and clos

An apparatus for blanching vegetable products and comprising in combination: an elongate casing having a product inlet end and a product outlet end, said casing including longitudinally extending, opposite and spaced apart side walls, a floor which extends between said inlet and outlet ends and closes the spacing between said side walls to define a product treatment tunnel above said floor, and successive product treatment zones between said inlet and outlet ends of said elongate casing within said product treatment tunnel, a perforated product conveyor belt having an upper belt run for receiving and supporting a layer of vegetable product thereon and for moving said layer from said inlet end, through said product treatment zones to said outlet end, said upper belt run being arranged to move above said floor in spaced relation thereto, a product feeder unit arranged at said product inlet and for receiving said vegetable product and supplying and distributing said vegetable product to said conveyor belt as an even layer across said upper belt run, a product blanching zone arranged in said treatment tunnel as a first one of said treatment zones therein and comprising a blancher nozzle arrangement including a plurality of spray nozzles arranged to spray heated blanching liquid onto said layer of product on said upper conveyor belt run, a product cooling zone arranged in said treatment tunnel as a successive treatment zone therein after said blanching zone therein, said cooling zone comprising a nozzle arrangement including a plurality of spray nozzles arranged to spray cooling liquid onto said layer of product on said upper conveyor belt run, a sectioned liquid collecting sump arranged to receive liquid from said product treatment tunnel at said floor thereof, sump sections below said blanching zone being separated from sump sections below said cooling zone, at least one circulation pump for transferring said blanching liquid from an associated sump section below said blanching zone to said blancher nozzle arrangement for spraying therethrough, said transfer being performed through means for controlled heating of said blanching liquid, and said blancher nozzle arrangement including upper spray nozzle units arranged above said upper conveyor belt run and directed toward a top surface thereof, as well as lower spray nozzle units arranged in the spacing between said floor and said upper belt run and directed toward an underside of said belt run.