BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In FIG. 1 can be seen an exploded view of the reactor and the parts that composes it, the upper view shows a fast action butterfly type valve 1 that is assembled to the cover 2 that in turns is fastened to the upper part of the reactor 3 by a set of screws; the body of the reactor is made of three sections, the upper section 4 that is cylindrical, the middle section 5 that is conical, and the lower section 6 that has a cylindrical end, and a flat base 7, where another fast action butterfly type valve 8 is assembled. The actuators of these valves 1 and 8 are not shown here.
In FIG. 2 can be observed a lateral view of the upper section in more detail, beginning with the fast action butterfly type valve 1 which actuator is not shown in this figure and is presented in open position to observe the metallic disc that controls the entrance to the reactor, this valve goes mounted in a sandwich type assembly on top of upper cover 2, with this valve staying in the middle of the cover and a flat metallic cover not shown here either, that fastens it by the upper side with long screws. The upper cover shows three holes where the temperature sensor 2, the pressure sensor 4 and the safety valve 5 are located; none of these devices is shown in this figure. In the middle section of the reactor it can be seen an opening where a relief valve is located, the valve is not shown in this figure either.
In FIG. 3 a lateral view of the lower section can be seen in more detail, the flat base 1 where the fast action butterfly type valve 2 is assembled and which actuator is not shown in this figure, the valve is presented in open position to show the metallic disc that closes the interior of the reactor, this valve is fastened to the reactor by another flat metallic cover not shown in this figure in a sandwich type assembly with this valve staying in the middle of the flat base and the flat metallic cover. In the flat base 1 one of three openings 3 can be seen, where the nozzles that feed the air are mounted, the nozzles are not shown in this figure, and are placed equidistant to each other around the circumference of the base.
In FIG. 4 a sectional view of the body of the reactor can be seen where the jacket type insulation 1 is shown, that is concentric with the reactor and stays separated by a hollow 2 from the body of the reactor 3, and both attached by fasteners not shown in this figure. Also a view of the internal wall of the reactor is shown, where the helicoidally grooving is observed through all the inside of the body of the reactor.
In FIG. 5 shows the reactor fully assembled with all the parts mentioned before, the fast action butterfly type valve 1 for the entrance, the cover 2 fastened to the body of the reactor, the body of the reactor 3 itself, the lower section flat base 4, and the fast action butterfly type 5 for the exit. The actuators for valves 1 and 5 and the upper and lower flat metallic covers are not shown in this figure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention to a reactor that operates in temperature and pressure ranges of 300 to 500 centigrade degrees, and 150 to 250 pounds per square inch respectively, that offers significant improvements in its performance as compared with the conventional systems for cereal processing in terms of efficiency and capacity.
The cereal, previously prepared with a solution specially formulated for optimizing the processing, is fed into a metallic bin in trapezoidal shape, not shown in the any drawing, and from there by a leaned pipeline that connects the bin with the upper rounded cover not shown in any drawing, which in turns is fastened to the entrance fast action butterfly type valve referred as item 1 of FIG. 1 by screws. This fast action butterfly type valve is fastened to the upper cover referred as item 2 of FIG. 1 of the reactor itself; the upper cover is assembled to the upper section of the body reactor by screws. The cereal slides from the bin and trough the pipeline into the reactor when the Programmable Logic Controller, not shown in any drawing, that runs the software specifically written for this application, activates the automatic actuator that in turns opens the butterfly type valve to allow the passing of the food inside.
Once inside the reactor, the Programmable Logic Controller closes the fast action butterfly type valve, which closing is hermetically sealed, and then activates the hot air valve that comes from a compressor and the heat exchanger, allowing the passing of it through the three nozzles referred as item 3 of FIG. 3. The hot air injected though the three nozzles equidistant from each other, located in the base of the reactor, and placed with certain angle in reference with the internal wall of the reactor, which in combination with the helicoidal grooving of the internal wall creates a hurricane like effect that moves the grain in the interior which such intensity that maintains it in constant movement, while being subject to a process of homogeneous and controlled cooking that does not provoke any type of mechanical or thermal stress.
The output where relief valve referred as item 6 of FIG. 2 goes is located in the upper section of the body of the reactor, and allows the flow of air to circulate to the outside from the inside, to maintain the hurricane like effect permanently, and control the increase of temperature and pressure to be gradual. The temperature and pressure sensors monitor the behavior of the temperature and pressure on real time by electronic signals that are feedback to the Programmable Logic Controller according to the instructions contained in the software.
The hot and pressurized air that exits through this relief output is feedback to the reactor but through the hollow formed between the external wall and this jacket type insulation concentrically to the reactor referred as item 2 of FIG. 4, in such a way that the body of the reactor is maintained at high temperature ranges in a stable way, keeping the cycle time constant and avoiding the loss of temperature and delays when regaining the lost heat for the next load of food, recycling the energy of the hot air that is reutilized this way. Once the hot air heated the external wall of the body of the reactor is released to the atmosphere by a pipeline that is not shown in any drawing.
In such case where an out of the range pressure increase occurs, the pressure sensor referred as item 4 in FIG. 2, sends and electronic signal to the Programmable Logic Controller in order to close the supply of air coming from the compressor until the pressure returns to the specified parameters. As an additional safety item, there is a safety valve in the upper cover, referred as item 5 in FIG. 2 that releases the excess of pressure in case a faster depressurization be needed, and as a last resource, the upper cover and the screws that fastens it to the body of the reactor have been designed to get loose immediately, without allowing a complete detachment of the cover from the body of the reactor, to release the excess of pressure in the fastest way.
When temperature and pressure have reached the required levels for the optimal processing, and the sensors have feedback these values to the Programmable Logic Controller by electronic signals, the controller stops the flow of air closing the respective valves form the compressor, and sends a signal to the actuator of the fast action butterfly type exit valve, referred as item 2 of FIG. 3, formed by a base joined to a circular metallic frame and a flat disc inside, fastened to the frame with a shaft in such a way that the disc can spin up and perform the movements for closing and opening by this actuator not shown in any drawing. When the valve opens and releases immediately provokes the instantaneous depressurization of the interior, generating the effect of puffing in the food, and releasing the reactor for the next cycle that initiates when the Programmable Logic Controller sends the corresponding signal to actuator of the fast action butterfly like exit valve to close it, and another signal to the actuator of the fast action butterfly type entrance valve to allow the pass of the next load of food to initiate the next cycle.
Patent Application
20070283820
