초록 ▼

A steam peeling system has a rotatable pressure vessel (1) for steam treating and peeling product. The vessel is substantially spherical, having an oblong configuration with opposed flattened side surfaces. The pressure vessel has at least one internal lifter (51a, 51b, 51c) for entraining and lifti

A steam peeling system has a rotatable pressure vessel (1) for steam treating and peeling product. The vessel is substantially spherical, having an oblong configuration with opposed flattened side surfaces. The pressure vessel has at least one internal lifter (51a, 51b, 51c) for entraining and lifting the product relative to the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel (1) when it is rotated. The pressure vessel also at least one internal region (53) that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment. This region (53) defines a steam saver. The system can include a batcher for delivering the product to be peeled to the vessel. The pressure in the vessel can be released on completion of a peeling operation. Arrangements can be included to minimize release of entrained solid matter or odors in the exhaust steam. A controller minimizes unproductive displacement of the pressure vessel and can control the rotation speed and direction.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the ope

1. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly; the vessel having an oblate spheroid form;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel, andwherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product. 2. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, further including means for substantially instantaneously reducing the pressure in the pressure vessel. 3. The steam peeling system according to claim 2, wherein the means for substantially instantaneously reducing pressure in the pressure vessel comprises a port for discharging pressurized steam, and the ratio between the volume of the pressure vessel in liters and the area of the port in square inches is in the range 10:1 to 20:1. 4. The steam peeling system according to claim 3, wherein said ratio is about 14:1. 5. The steam peeling system according to claim 4, wherein steam entry and steam exhaust takes place through the port. 6. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, further comprising an expansion chamber for receiving pressurized steam discharged from the pressure vessel, and means for releasing the pressurized steam from the pressure vessel into the expansion chamber, the pressurized steam releasing means being located substantially at the point of entry of steam into the expansion vessel. 7. The steam peeling system according to claim 6, wherein the cross-sectional flow area of the pressurized steam releasing means increases progressively from an inlet region thereof to a discharge region thereof. 8. The steam peeling system according to claim 6, wherein the pressurized steam releasing means comprises a valve. 9. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, further including an expansion chamber for receiving pressurized steam discharged from the pressure vessel, and means for releasing steam or vapor or both from the expansion chamber to atmosphere, the releasing means comprising an arrangement for substantially minimizing release of entrained solid matter or odors or both in steam or vapor or both leaving the expansion chamber. 10. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, further including a mechanism for displacing the door located entirely externally of the pressure vessel so that the enclosed interior region of the pressure vessel defines an internal void space around the door in the sealed disposition that is a substantially smooth continuation of the internal surface of the pressure vessel throughout the region of the opening, wherein the door is hingedly mounted on the pressure vessel and is pivotable between the open and closed dispositions of the door. 11. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, wherein each of the lifters defines a closed region that is not in communication with the remainder of interior space within the pressure vessel for the movement of gas or vapor between the closed region and the remainder of the interior space within the pressure vessel. 12. The steam peeling system according to claim 1, further including a rotary batching unit for cooperation with the pressure vessel, the rotary batching unit having a plurality of compartments arranged for advancing movement within an enclosing housing, for selective successive alignment of each compartment with a product loading location and subsequent alignment of the compartment with a location for discharge of the product to the pressure vessel. 13. The steam peeling system according to claim 12, wherein each compartment of the batching unit is defined between radially spaced apart and radially extending blades or vanes mounted for rotation about a common axis. 14. The steam peeling system according to claim 13, wherein the batching unit is mounted by way of weighing means for computation of the weight of product accommodated by the batching unit. 15. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product;a rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel;an expansion chamber for receiving pressurized steam discharged from the pressure vessel, and means for releasing steam or vapor or both from the expansion chamber to atmosphere, the releasing means comprising an arrangement for substantially minimizing release of entrained solid matter or odors or both in steam or vapor or both leaving the expansion chamber; anda baffle located within the expansion chamber and a solids trap located in the interior of the expansion chamber or located substantially at the exit location from a stack communicating between the interior of the expansion chamber and atmosphere,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product. 16. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product,wherein each of the lifters is defined by an upstanding portion of a false floor that is spaced from an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel. 17. The steam peeling system according to claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the false floor is apertured for passage of condensate through the apertures of the false floor, so that condensate accumulates in the region between the false floor and the interior wall surface of the pressure vessel. 18. The steam peeling system according to claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the false floor is non-apertured to provide a region for at least temporary retention of condensate accumulation during rotation of the vessel. 19. The steam peeling system according to claim 18, further including means for enabling removal of condensate from the region between the false floor and the interior wall surface of the pressure vessel. 20. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,at least one internal region that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment, the at least one region defining a steam saver,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product. 21. The steam peeling system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one internal region is defined within an enclosure, all portions of which are spaced apart from any interior wall surface of the pressure vessel. 22. The steam peeling system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one internal region that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment is defined by at least one of the lifters. 23. The steam peeling system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one internal region that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment is provided on the side of the door of the pressure vessel, which side is directed toward the interior of the vessel. 24. The steam peeling system according to claim 20, wherein the at least one internal region that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment is provided with an enclosure located on a wall portion of the vessel in the vicinity of the axis of rotation of the vessel, which axis lies substantially along an axis of symmetry of the vessel. 25. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly; the vessel having a substantially round cross section along its axis of rotation, and the opening being positioned parallel to the axis of rotation of the vessel;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel, andwherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product. 26. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly; the vessel having an oblate spheroid-like form having a substantially round cross section along its axis of rotation, and the opening being positioned parallel to the axis of rotation of the vessel;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel, andwherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product. 27. A steam peeling system comprising: a rotatable pressure vessel supported for rotation about an axis of rotation and having an opening for loading the vessel with product to be peeled and discharging the product from the vessel, the product being receivable into the pressure vessel through the opening in a first orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally upwardly and being dischargeable from the pressure vessel through the opening in a second orientation of the pressure vessel in which the opening is directed generally downwardly; the vessel having a substantially oblate spheroidal shape in at least one view and adapted to have a flattened periphery in at least one other view;a door for sealing the opening of the pressure vessel between an open disposition, in which the door is located within the container, and a sealed disposition in which the door closes the opening of the pressure vessel from an interior of the vessel;a steam introducing device that introduces pressurized steam into the pressure vessel while the pressure vessel is loaded with the product to be peeled for a steam treatment of the product; anda rotating device that rotates the pressure vessel about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel,wherein the pressure vessel includes a plurality of lifters inside the pressure vessel for entraining and lifting the product about the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel during rotation of the pressure vessel, andwherein each of the lifters protrudes substantially radially inwardly from a region of an interior wall surface of the pressure vessel and is configured to assist lifting and mixing of the product to be peeled to enable steam to access each individual product.