THERMAL MEASUREMENT AND PROCESS CONTROL

• US 20140220193A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: John Bean Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Hocker, Jon A., Strong, John R., Gunawardena, Ramesh M., Stockard, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,366,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/008 for measuring quality, e.g. to determine further processing
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/005 Preserving by heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/185 in solid state
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/00 Conveyors having endless load-conveying surfaces, i.e. belts and like continuous members, to which tractive effort is transmitted by means other than endless driving elements of similar configuration having load-conveying surfaces formed by interconnected longitudinal links B65G17/06
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/50 Endless load-carriers consisting of a series of parallel ropes or belt strips
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0202 Agricultural and processed food products
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/53 between conveyors which cross one another
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/026 arrangements for monitoring a plurality of temperatures, e.g. by multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/146 arrangements for moving thermometers to or from a measuring position
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/06 in linear movement
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/12 combined with sampling devices for measuring temperatures of samples of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/02 Food
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/12 Meat; Fish
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2621 Conveyor, transfert line

Abstract

A thermal processing and control system (300) includes a thermal processing station (312) for receiving food products (14) being carried on a conveyor system (316). A first scanning station (318) is located upstream from the thermal processing station (312) for scanning the food products being carried by the conveyor (316). An actuator (420) automatically connects temperature measuring devices (402) with selected food products (14). A diverter conveyor (324) diverts selected food products (14) from the conveyor (316) to a transverse conveyor (326) for either further processing or alternative processing, depending on how system (300) is configured. The temperature measuring devices (402) are automatically removed from the food products at station (329).

Claims

1. A method of measuring the internal temperature of discrete food products thermally processed in a thermal processor while being conveyed by a conveyance system, comprising:

(a) physically characterizing the food products being conveyed on the conveyance system;

(b) based on the physical characterizing of the food products selecting sample food products for temperature measurement;

(c) automatically functionally connecting temperature sensing devices to the selected sample food products, said temperature sensing devices traveling with the selected sample food products on the conveyance system; and

(d) monitoring the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing devices, including during the thermal processing of the selected sample food products.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the food products are physically characterized by the scanning of the food products.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein functionally interconnecting the temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products includes inserting the temperature sensing devices into the selected sample food product.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature sensing devices are carried by the conveyance system and the selected sample food products are placed over the temperature sensing devices.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature sensing devices are inserted into the selected sample food products using a powered actuator system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the powered actuator system is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) an actuator capable of moving relative to the conveyance system over the food products being carried by the conveyance system;

(2) a multi-directional actuator capable of moving at least along, across, and diagonally relative to the conveyance system; and

(3) a rotatable and extendable actuator positioned alongside the conveyance system and capable of rotating about a pivot axis relative to the conveyance system and simultaneously extending or retracting in length.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein based on the results of the physical characterization of the food products, one or more optimum locations in which to connect the selected sample food products to the temperature sensing devices is determined.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the data from the temperature sensing devices.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the temperatures of the selected sample food products measured by the temperature sensing devices, controlling the operation of the thermal processor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the temperature of the selected sample food products measured by the temperature sensing devices, determining the extent that the sample selected food products have been thermally processed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the level of thermal processing of the selected sample food products is determined by:

(a) ascertaining if a threshold minimum temperature of the selected sample food products has been reached; and

/or

(b) determining the reduction in one or more selected bacteria resulting from the thermal processing of the selected sample food products.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein based on the determined level of thermal processing of the selected sample food products that has occurred, selecting the manner of the subsequent processing of the food products.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the subsequent processing of the food products is determined depending on whether the thermal processing of the selected sample food products has been adequately satisfied, and if the thermal processing of the selected sample food products has been adequately satisfied, the food products are transmitted on for subsequent scheduled processing, and if the thermal processing of the selected sample food products has not been adequately satisfied, then taking remedial action.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein if the thermal processing of the selected sample food products has not been adequately performed, the remedial actions comprise taking action with respect to at least one of the food products, conveyance system, and the thermal processor.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising modeling of the temperature profile of the food products to determine the extent of the thermal processing in the food products and optionally to verify the measured temperatures of the selected sample food products.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the modeling of the food products takes into consideration one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

the type of food product, the density of the food product, the thickness range of a food product, initial temperature of the food product, the latent heat of the food product, the fat content of the food product, the moisture content of the food product, the loading level of the food product on the conveyance system, the speed of the conveyance system, the dwell time of the food product within the thermal processing station, the level of power transmitted to the thermal processing station, the temperature within the thermal processing station, variations of temperature at different locations within the thermal processing station, the moisture level of the heat transfer medium used within the thermal processing station, the rate of air circulation within the food processing station, the volume of air circulation within the food processing station.

17. A system for measuring the temperature of food products processed at a thermal processing station under process parameters, comprising:

(a) a conveyance system for conveying the food products in a stream through the processing station;

(b) a characterizing system for physically characterizing all or some of the food products of the stream being carried by the conveyance system for selection of sample food products for temperature measurement;

(c) an automatic system for automatically functionally connecting temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products as the selected sample food products are carried by the conveyance system; and

(d) a temperature monitoring device for monitoring the temperatures sensed by the temperature sensing devices.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the system for automatically connecting the temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products comprises an actuator adapted to carry the temperature sensing devices and place the temperature sensing devices at selected locations on the selected sample food products.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the actuator is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) an actuator capable of moving over the food products being conveyed by the conveyor system;

(2) a multi-directional actuator capable of moving at least along, across, and diagonally relative to the conveyance system; and

(3) an actuator rotatably mounted along the conveyance system and capable of extending and retracting in length.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the system for automatically connecting the temperature sensing devices to the selected sample food products comprising positioning the temperature sensing devices at selected locations along the conveyance system and placing the selected sample food products on such positioned temperature sensing devices.

21. The system according to claim 17, further comprising a control system for controlling the operation of the thermal processing station based on the temperatures measured by the temperature sensing devices.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a data processing system capable of modeling the temperature measuring system and based on the modeled temperature measuring system, effecting the operation of the thermal processing station.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the modeling of the temperature measurement system takes into consideration one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

the type of food product, the density of the food product, the thickness range of a food product, initial temperature of the food product, the latent heat of the food product, the fat content of the food product, the moisture content of the food product, the loading level of the food product on the conveyance system, the speed of the conveyance system, the dwell time of the food product within the thermal processing station, the level of power transmitted to the thermal processing station, the temperature within the thermal processing station, variations of temperature at different locations within the thermal processing station, the moisture level of the heat transfer medium used within the thermal processing station, the rate of air circulation within the food processing station, the volume of air circulation within the food processing station.

24. A method for processing a stream of food products in a thermal processing apparatus so that the food products have been sufficiently processed to meet regulatory requirements, comprising:

(a) scanning the food products to physically characterize the food products;

(b) based on the results of the scanning of the food products, selecting sample food products for temperature measurement;

(c) automatically functionally connecting temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products;

(d) monitoring the temperatures of the selected sample food products sensed by the temperature sensing devices including during thermal processing of the selected sample food products; and

(e) based on the monitored temperatures of the selected sample food products, determining if regulatory requirements for sufficient processing of the selected sample food products has occurred.

25. The method of claim 24, based on the results of the scanning of the food products, determining one or more locations on the selected sample food products at which to take temperature measurements.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein automatically connecting the temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products comprises automatically inserting the temperature sensing devices into the selected sample food products.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the temperature sensing devices are automatically inserted into selected sample food products utilizing an actuating apparatus capable of moving relative to the stream of food products being conveyed.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the automatic connecting of the temperature sensing devices with the selected sample food products comprises placing the selected sample food products on temperature sensing devices positioned on the conveyance system carrying the stream of food products.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the thermal processing apparatus is operated under selected parameters based on the results of monitored temperatures of the selected sample food products adjusting the operational parameters of the thermal processing apparatus.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the parameters under which the thermal processing apparatus is operated is selected from the group consisting of:

the time that the food products remain in the food processing apparatus;

the humidity of the atmosphere in the food processing apparatus;

the temperature of the heat transfer medium used in the thermal processing apparatus to thermally process the food products;

the volume of the food products within the food processing apparatus;

the mass of the food products within the food processing apparatus;

the air velocity throughout the food processing apparatus; and

the operation of a heating or cooling system used to heat or cool the heat transfer medium used in the food processing apparatus to thermally process the food products.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the regulatory requirements that must be met for sufficient processing of the food products include achieving a minimum temperature throughout the entire volume of the food products or achieving a reduction in the presence of one or more specific bacteria in the food products.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein if the temperature measurement indicates that the thermal processing of the food products has not been satisfactorily completed, taking remedial steps with respect to the thermally processed food products.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said remedial steps include one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:

(a) retaining the food product in the thermal processing apparatus for further thermal processing;

(b) diverting the food product from the food product stream;

(c) ensuring that the thermal processing apparatus is sanitized;

(d) sanitizing the conveyor belt;

(e) further processing or reprocessing the affected food product;

(f) sanitizing equipment that has been in contact with a food product considered to be not properly processed.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising predicting the temperature rise of the food products over time during thermal processing and from such predicted temperature rise determining the reduction in the level of selected bacteria during thermal processing of the food products.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising controlling the operation of the thermal processing apparatus based on the predicted temperature rise in the selected food product and/or the determined reduction in the level of selected bacteria.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein predicting the temperature of the food product takes into consideration one or more factors selected from the group consisting of:

the type of food product, the density of the food product, the thickness range of a food product, initial temperature of the food product, the latent heat of the food product, the fat content of the food product, the moisture content of the food product, the loading level of the food product on the conveyance system, the speed of the conveyance system, the dwell time of the food product within the thermal processing station, the level of power transmitted to the thermal processing station, the temperature within the thermal processing station, variations of temperature at different locations within the thermal processing station, the moisture level of the heat transfer medium used within the thermal processing station, the rate of air circulation within the food processing station, the volume of air circulation within the food processing station.

37. The method of claim 24, further comprising recording the data from the temperature sensing devices.