Device for thermally treating a pourable plant product

• US 9,089,160 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PROBAT-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH
• Original Assignee: PROBAT-Werke von Gimborn Maschinenfabrik GmbH
• Inventors: Abbing, Wim, Koziorowski, Thomas, Proest, Karl-Heinz, Baumeister, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US14/116,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 345/79, 345/82, 345/86, 345/89, 209/270, 209/522
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A23F 5/046 with agitation or transportation of the beans by gases; Fluidised-bed roasting or fluidised-bed cooling after roasting A23F5/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 12/08 for drying or roasting A23N12/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 12/125 Accessories or details

Abstract

A device for thermally treating a pourable plant product includes a receiving device configured to receive the pourable plant product and a gas supply channel configured to supply a heated gas to the receiving device. The gas supply channel is divided directly upstream of the receiving device, in a gas flow direction, into a first gas supply sub-channel and a second gas supply sub-channel which follow each other in a direction of gravity, and which are configured to supply the heated gas to the receiving device. A cross section of at least the first gas supply sub-channel is configured to be closed or reduced before the receiving device independently of the second gas supply sub-section so as to eliminate or reduce a volume of the heated gas to the receiving device via the first gas supply sub-channel.

Claims

1. A device for thermally treating a pourable plant product, the device comprising:

a receiving device configured to receive the pourable plant product; and

a gas supply channel configured to supply a heated gas to the receiving device, the gas supply channel being divided directly upstream of the receiving device, in a gas flow direction, into a first gas supply sub-channel and a second gas supply sub-channel which follow each other in a direction of gravity, and which are configured to supply the heated gas to the receiving device,

wherein, a cross section of at least the first gas supply sub-channel is configured to be closed or reduced before the receiving device independently of the second gas supply sub-section so as to eliminate or reduce a volume of the heated gas to the receiving device via the first gas supply sub-channel.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the pourable plant product is coffee beans.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of flaps disposed parallel to one another in a flow direction of the heated gas directly before the receiving device, the plurality of flaps being configured to close at least the first gas supply sub-channel.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of flaps are configured as rotatable lamellae.

5. The device as recited in claim 3, further comprising a separating element configured to separate the first gas supply sub-channel from the second gas supply sub-channel, the separating element comprising a closable opening with an edge, wherein the plurality of flaps comprises a lower flap hinged on the edge of the closable opening so that the closable opening is closed when the lower flap is fully opened.

6. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first gas supply sub-channel comprises a cross-sectional area arranged directly before the receiving device, and the second gas supply sub-channel comprises a cross-sectional area arranged directly before the receiving device, the cross-sectional area of the second gas supply sub-channel being 10% to 30% of the cross-sectional area of the first gas supply sub-channel.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the second gas supply sub-channel further comprises an end section before the receiving device which is tapered, and wherein the first supply sub-channel further comprises an end section before the receiving device which is flared.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, further comprising a first flap configured to close the first gas supply sub-channel independently of the second gas supply sub-channel.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, further comprising a second flap configured to close the second gas supply sub-channel independently of the first gas supply sub-channel.

10. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the second flap is hinged on the edge of the closable opening so that the closable opening is closed when the second flap is in a fully closed state, and wherein the first flap which is configured to close the first gas supply sub-channel is arranged to conduct the heated gas to the second gas supply sub-channel when the first flap is in a closed state.

11. The device as recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of flaps further comprising an upper flap and an intermediate flap, the upper flap, the intermediate flap and the lower flap being configured to close the first gas supply sub-channel, a maximum opening angle of each of the upper flap, the intermediate flap, and the lower flap decreasing in a direction of the second gas supply sub-channel, the maximum opening angle of the upper flap arranged furthest from the second gas supply sub-channel being 40°

to 50°

, the maximum opening angle of the intermediate flap being 30°

to 40°

, and the maximum opening angle of the lower flap arranged adjacent to the second gas supply sub-channel being 22°

to 32°

.

12. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein an end section of at least one of the gas supply channel, the first gas supply sub-channel, and the second gas supply sub-channel, arranged before the receiving device in a flow direction of the heated gas comprises a bend of 20°

to 45°

in the direction of gravity.

13. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of flaps, wherein the first gas supply sub-channel and the second gas supply sub-channel are each separately configured to be at least one of partially or entirely closable via the plurality of flaps and controlled so that a volume of the heated gas flow separately flows through each of the first gas supply sub-channel and the second gas supply sub-channel so as to provide the heated gas at a temperature of 260°

C. to 360°

C. during a short-time roasting and at a temperature of 400°

C. to 550°

C. during a long-time roasting without exchanging the receiving device.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein the control is stepless.