WO2005047449A1 - Heat treatment installation and method - Google Patents

Heat treatment installation and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2005047449A1
WO2005047449A1 PCT/FR2004/002556 FR2004002556W WO2005047449A1 WO 2005047449 A1 WO2005047449 A1 WO 2005047449A1 FR 2004002556 W FR2004002556 W FR 2004002556W WO 2005047449 A1 WO2005047449 A1 WO 2005047449A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
compartment
objects
fluid
module
temperature
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FR2004/002556
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Franck Merican
Fabien Pujol
Original Assignee
Imeca
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imeca filed Critical Imeca
Priority to EP04791504A priority Critical patent/EP1685232A1/en
Publication of WO2005047449A1 publication Critical patent/WO2005047449A1/en

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12G—WINE; PREPARATION THEREOF; ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES C12C OR C12H
    • C12G1/00—Preparation of wine or sparkling wine
    • C12G1/02—Preparation of must from grapes; Must treatment and fermentation
    • C12G1/0213—Preparation of must from grapes; Must treatment and fermentation with thermal treatment of the vintage
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
    • A23B7/00—Preservation or chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
    • A23B7/005—Preserving by heating
    • A23B7/0053—Preserving by heating by direct or indirect contact with heating gases or liquids
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L19/00—Products from fruits or vegetables; Preparation or treatment thereof
    • A23L19/03—Products from fruits or vegetables; Preparation or treatment thereof consisting of whole pieces or fragments without mashing the original pieces
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/16—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
    • A23L3/18—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23L3/185—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus in solid state
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/16—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
    • A23L3/18—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23L3/22—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes
    • A23L3/225—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes in solid state

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for heat treatment of fragile objects such as fruit or vegetables, and a method of heat treatment associated therewith.
  • the technical field of the invention is that of the design of thermal treatment installations for fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, in particular for the treatment of grapes for the production of juice or wine.
  • the invention relates to an installation and a process for continuous heat treatment of grapes in order to facilitate and improve the extraction of the substances of interest contained in the skins of grape berries, and in particular aromas, aromatic precursors and polyphenolic compounds such as tannins and anthocyanins contained in the skins of these grape berries.
  • So-called immersion thermovinification processes have been known for a long time, in particular for the production of red wine or juice, according to which the grapes are heated by soaking them for a short time in hot must, which is recycled through a heat exchanger to maintain it at a determined temperature, after which the harvest is sent to a maceration tank.
  • thermovinification processes have been developed in particular to extract the coloring agents contained in grape berries, and in particular anthocyanins, molecules responsible for the color of wines, and which are located mainly in the skin of the grapes.
  • Immersion thermovinification processes have many advantages, among which the following may be mentioned:
  • this process is implemented in devices which essentially comprise a first drip tank in which the harvest is placed, either raw, destemmed, or crushed, then a soaking hopper in the form of a trough or cylindrical , comprising an internal perforated wall and an endless screw which displaces the harvest on said perforated wall, which partly dips in hot must which is recycled against the current with respect to the harvest. Finally, a second maceration tank receives the harvest from the soaking hopper.
  • This type of device if it has the advantage of allowing processing of the harvest in a single installation of reduced bulk, has the disadvantage of injuring the harvest and, moreover, of requiring a time of draining and drainage of the harvest piled up through which the juice must be drained.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide an installation for treating fragile objects such as fruits or plants, and in particular grapes, allowing flexible treatment of said objects and improving the extraction of elements of interest contained in the external film of these objects, in particular in the treatment of grapes, the extraction of substances contained in the cells of the films of the grape berries.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of heat treatment of fragile objects of the aforementioned type, and in particular of grapes, said method being simple and economical to implement and allowing rapid warming up and flexible treatment. said objects as well as an improved extraction of the aforementioned substances of interest contained in these said objects.
  • a continuous heat treatment installation of fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, comprising at least one treatment module comprising: a compartment capable of containing said objects immersed in a circulating heat transfer fluid in said compartment, and means for separating said objects and said fluid comprising a draining means comprising recesses capable of allowing said fluid to pass and retaining said objects, and a first receiving member capable of recovering said fluid downstream of said compartment, and means for transferring said objects separated from said fluid into a second receiving member, and a circulation loop of the fluid separated from said objects outside said compartment from said first receiving member to said compartment, and means for warming up of said fluid in said circulation loop of said fluid, and means for circulating n of said heat transfer fluid and said objects in said compartment, said installation being characterized in that: said circulation loop connects said first receiving member and said compartment at the level of said entrance to said compartment, and - said circulation means are capable of generating a flow of heat transfer fluid for circulating said objects and said fluid in said compartment by co-current entrainment of said
  • said compartment is longer than wide, so that the heat transfer fluid naturally flows in the longitudinal direction of the compartment between its said inlet and its said outlet.
  • the volume and the length of this compartment are determined according to the flow rate of product to be treated and the desired duration of treatment.
  • the installation according to the invention is particularly advantageous inter alia by the absence of mechanical means of relative displacement of said objects with respect to said heat transfer fluid in said compartment on the one hand, and on the other hand the absence of mechanical means of displacement of said objects with respect to said draining means at the outlet of the compartment by the fact that said draining means are mobile and ensure the transfer of said objects to said first receiving member, and by the fact that said fluid and said objects circulate co-current in said compartment.
  • the installation is characterized in that said draining means is movable in rotation in the direction of movement of said objects and of said fluid at the outlet of said compartment, and comprises a rotary drum around 'an axis of rotation oriented transversely to said direction of movement, a wall, preferably cylindrical, comprising said recesses, said drum being arranged downstream of said compartment so that it is capable of driving said objects substantially in a single layer on an external upper part of its said wall and to transfer by rotation said objects towards said second receiving member, and in that said first receiving member consists of a receiving tank situated under said drum, so that said fluid passes through said wall of said drum for a first time in rotation in its said upper part then a second time in a lower part before being collected in said second organ.
  • upper part of the rotating wall is understood here to mean an area of the wall of said drum situated at or above the level of said fluid at said outlet from said compartment and by bottom portion an area of the rotating wall located below said outlet of the compartment.
  • upper part of the rotating wall is understood here to mean an area of the wall of said drum situated at the level of said fluid at the outlet from said compartment and above the level of said axis of rotation of the drum, which axis of rotation is preferably located at a height slightly less than that of said outlet from the compartment so that said objects do not pile up against said external wall of the drum at said outlet of the compartment but are driven by the rotational movement thereof and that a portion of said external wall of the drum is always above the level of the fluid leaving said compartment in order to extract and properly drain said treated objects from the fluid.
  • the lower part of the wall of the drum means an area of this wall located below the level of said axis of rotation of the drum and of said outlet from the compartment.
  • the fluid thus advantageously allows, by its double crossing of the wall of the drum, on the one hand to clean the said recesses of the wall, and on the other hand to maintain a flow of the fluid leaving the compartment which is substantially constant.
  • the term “draining and transfer in a single layer” is understood to mean that the objects are entrained, distributed and drained in a single layer continuously and without crushing by piling up on the external surface of the wall of said drum.
  • This particular arrangement allows said heat transfer fluid to be separated from said objects, said objects being taken tangentially to said wall and said fluid first passing through said wall of said drum from outside to inside then from inside to outside. thus ensuring the cleaning of said recesses in said wall of the drum.
  • said temperature setting means consist of a heat exchanger or an energy transfer system.
  • This heat exchanger or energy transfer system can be advantageously chosen as a function of the type of heat treatment that it is desired to carry out, independently of the other elements of the installation.
  • the heat exchanger could be a boiler associated with an exchanger containing heated water or steam against the walls of which the heat transfer fluid circulates in the circulation loop, or alternatively a microwave energy transfer system.
  • said compartment preferably consists of a box (or a chute) open or closed and at atmospheric pressure, preferably comprising partitions. internal forming an elongated circulation path of said objects immersed in said heat transfer fluid in said compartment.
  • the compartment in which the treated objects are circulated by immersion in the heat transfer fluid and of a particularly simple constitution and requiring no specific construction for reasons of confinement of the treated product or of pressurization necessary for treatment.
  • the internal compartmentalization of the compartment is accessory but particularly advantageous in that it makes it possible to lengthen the path of the objects and of the heat transfer fluid in said compartment.
  • the term “elongated path” is understood here to mean a path of the fluid and objects which is on the one hand non-rectilinear, and on the other hand longer than the compartment in its longitudinal dimension. Such a course makes it possible to maintain, if necessary, said objects immersed in the heat transfer fluid for a longer period of time as a function of the desired treatment intensity.
  • the heat treatment installation comprises at least two said treatment modules arranged in series so that said means for separating and transferring a first module are interposed between the outlet of the compartment of said first module and said inlet of the compartment of a second module and are capable of transferring said objects from the outlet of the compartment of said first module to said inlet of the compartment of said second module.
  • said first member for receiving the first module is constituted by the compartment of said second module and that said means for separating and transferring said first module then constitute means for introducing the treated objects. and extracts from the compartment of said first module in the compartment of said second module.
  • Such a configuration of the installation is particularly advantageous for carrying out the heating of fragile objects such as grapes at a high flow rate of product to be treated or else when the difference between the temperature Tl of the harvest before heat treatment and the temperature T2 to which said harvest must be brought is very important.
  • an installation comprising two treatment modules makes it possible to achieve a “staged” temperature setting of the harvest or of the fragile objects to be treated in general. It is thus possible by a first immersion of the harvest in the compartment of a first module to bring the harvest from temperature Tl to an intermediate temperature T'1 at the outlet of the first compartment, T'1 being between Tl and T2, then by a second immersion in the processing compartment of the second module carry said harvest from T'1 to T2 at the outlet of said second module, all without reducing the harvest rate or increasing the duration of immersion in one of the compartments of said first and second modules.
  • the installation according to the invention comprises at least two said processing modules in series and in that said means for separating and transferring said first and second modules are produced by the same rotating drum comprising on its external cylindrical wall, separation means delimiting at least two separate drum sections.
  • the compartment of at least one of said processing modules describes a loop around said drum, each end of the loop formed by this compartment being in contact with two consecutive sections of said drum.
  • the installation also comprises means for introducing said objects into the compartment of a single or a first said module, said means introductions comprising means for draining said objects upstream of the entrance to said compartment, preferably mobile introduction means.
  • These mobile introduction and draining means arranged upstream of the compartment with a first or a single module making up the treatment installation at the entrance to said compartment are particularly advantageous in that they allow all 'first of all being able to introduce the installation into a pre-existing production and processing chain in which they allow an automatic transfer of the objects to be treated from a previous production stage to the processing compartment of the installation without handling operations by an operator which is particularly important in the case of treatment of fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables for example.
  • these mobile introduction means allow the introduction of objects at a constant speed into said processing compartment, and therefore a regulation of the flow of objects, for example harvested, at the entrance of said compartment.
  • said introduction means comprising draining means, the latter make it possible to drain the objects before they have warmed up in said compartment, which can be very advantageous for example in the case of temperature of a harvest previously washed and / or crushed.
  • a said treatment module comprises a fixed scraper inclined, preferably substantially tangentially, against said upper part of said wall of the rotating drum, downstream of it. ci and downhill towards a said first receiving member.
  • Such a scraper advantageously makes it possible to separate the objects once drained from said external surface of the drum after setting temperature in the compartment of a said treatment module and direct them to a said first member for receiving said objects, said reception member possibly being the compartment for a second module when the heat treatment installation is constituted of two so-called modules.
  • the present invention also relates to a method of heat treatment of fragile objects such as fruits or plants, and more particularly a method of heat treatment of grapes. According to the heat treatment process of the invention, the following steps are carried out successively:
  • said objects are brought to temperature from a temperature T1 to a temperature T2 by immersion of said objects in a heat transfer fluid inside a compartment, and circulation of said objects and of said heat transfer fluid in said compartment,
  • step 3 said fluid separated from said objects is recovered in step 2 in a first receiving member
  • step 1 said fluid is reintroduced from said first receiving member to said compartment, said fluid being brought to a temperature whose absolute value is greater than T2 prior to its reintroduction into said compartment, this process being characterized in that: 6) in step 1, said objects and said fluid are circulated in co-current in said compartment between an inlet of said compartment to a same outlet of said compartment, and
  • step 5 said fluid is reintroduced at said inlet to said compartment from said first receiving member, and
  • steps 2 and 3 in steps 2 and 3, said objects and said fluid are separated and transferred downstream from said outlet of said compartment using a said mobile draining means whose movement allows drainage and transfer of a single layer of said objects in said second receiving member.
  • the heat treatment process described above is particularly advantageous in that it proposes not only to use the heat energy of a heat transfer fluid to heat up the objects treated, but also to use the movement of movement of the fluid for moving said objects immersed therein inside a treatment compartment for a sufficient time for these objects to pass from temperature T1 to temperature T2 between said inlet and an outlet of the compartment.
  • This advantageously eliminates the need for mechanical means of moving said objects relative to the heat transfer fluid during the heat treatment, and thereby the problems of bruising of the treated objects, which can sometimes be detrimental to the treatment and subsequent conditioning of the treated objects.
  • this process is particularly advantageous in that it can be used to treat a raw harvest, not crushed or destemmed, without the problem of crushing the berries and therefore diluting the juice. and substances of interest in the heat transfer fluid before maceration and fermentation, with a selective treatment of the parts in contact with the fluid and therefore the skin of the berries and without crushing of the seeds or stalks which usually causes the diffusion of "hard” tannins which they contain and which are detrimental to the quality of the wines.
  • the method according to the invention is also advantageous in that the harvest is drained in a single layer after treatment, therefore by eliminating the phenomena of drainage of the juice through a bed of harvest as in the devices of the prior art.
  • a thermal treatment installation according to the invention and as described above is used.
  • said objects abut at the outlet of a said compartment against said wall of a said rotating drum and are driven and drained substantially in a single layer covering said upper part of said wall, and said heat transfer fluid passes through said drum a first time in said upper part of the wall, and a second time in a lower part of said wall before being recovered in said first receiving member under said drum.
  • said treated objects for example grapes
  • said treated objects are drained in a single layer, therefore very quickly after they have warmed up in the heat-transfer fluid, which fluid makes it possible, by its passage through the wall of the drip drum, to clean any grape slurries or objects in general which are trapped in the recesses of said wall when the objects and the fluid leaving said compartment are separated.
  • the method can be implemented using a thermal treatment installation comprising two said modules, said objects being brought to an intermediate temperature T'1 between Tl and T2 by a said first module and said fluid heat transfer fluid recovered from said second module is at a temperature higher than that of the heat transfer fluid recovered from said first module.
  • a single means for warming up the fluid is then used, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of implementing the method according to the invention, without however reducing its efficiency.
  • the process and the installation according to the invention are very particularly suitable for warming up grapes, in particular for thermovinification treatments of the harvest.
  • the harvest is heated by immersion and circulation of the grapes in a heat transfer fluid which is grape juice or must at a temperature preferably between 70 ° C and 90 ° C.
  • the grapes are preferably heated from an ambient temperature T1 to a temperature T2 between 70 ° C and 90 ° C. This will give a good heating, suitable for any type of post-vinification treatment, with good extraction of polyphenolic and coloring compounds contained in the skins of grape berries, in particular tannins and anthocyanins.
  • FIG. 1 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising a single treatment module
  • FIG. 2 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series according to a first variant embodiment
  • FIG. 3 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series in accordance with a second variant of the invention
  • FIG. 4 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series for the implementation of a variant of the treatment method according to the invention
  • FIG. 5 represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series in top view.
  • the heat treatment installation 1 according to the invention consists of a single treatment module 2, said module 2 comprising a compartment 3, for example a trough or a container, preferably made of stainless steel or a food plastic material such as High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP) or any other organic or metallic food material.
  • HDPE High Density Polyethylene
  • PP Polypropylene
  • the exact dimensions of said compartment 3 can be chosen according to the tonnage of products to be treated and the desired duration of treatment.
  • This compartment 3 has an inlet E for admitting the harvest 5 as a mixture into hot grape juice, the grape juice constituting a heat transfer fluid 4 in which the harvest is immersed at said inlet E.
  • the heat transfer fluid 4 is introduced, for example using nozzles or bungs or a spray boom (not shown), at the inlet E of compartment 3 at a treatment temperature ⁇ t of the order of 90 ° C at 100 ° C to which the heat transfer fluid is carried by a heat exchanger 9 located outside said compartment 3.
  • the exchanger 9 may for example be a heat exchanger conventionally used in the food industry and connected to a boiler to heat the fluid at temperature ⁇ t .
  • the processing module 2 comprises means for separating and transferring the must 5 and the harvest 4 into two receiving members 7 l 5 7 2 , distinct from one of the other.
  • these separation and transfer means take the form of a drum 6, preferably cylindrical, and comprising a wall 6 j obviously pierced 6 2 for allow the heat transfer must 4 to pass at the outlet S of said compartment 3, and retain the harvest 5.
  • the drum 6 is movable in rotation about an axis XX 'arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the compartment 3 and at a height slightly lower than that of the outlet S of said compartment. Said drum is rotated by a motor, for example coupled on the longitudinal axis XX 'by meshing or by means of a transmission belt or any other means.
  • Said drum 6 is arranged so that its wall X is flush with said outlet S of said compartment 3 which, by the rotary movement of the drum allows the harvest 5 to be carried on the external surface of said wall 6 in a single layer.
  • the harvest is thus transferred to the surface of the drum by the rotation of the latter, but is also in the course of transfer drained by the flow of the heat transfer fluid 4 through the recesses 6 2 of the wall 6 j of the drum 6 during the rotation.
  • the coolant 4 flows through the recesses 6 2 of the wall 6 t of the drum and crosses said wall for the first time in an upper part of the latter from the outside to the inside of the drum 6 to rid the heat-transfer fluid of the particles in suspension of size larger than that of the perforations 6 2 . like grape bourbes.
  • the heat transfer fluid flows by gravity inside the drum 6 and passes a second time through said wall 6 1 thereof through the recesses 6 2 in a lower part thereof to be collected.
  • This second passage of the heat transfer must 4 through the wall 6 X of the drum 6 allows cleaning of the recesses 6 2 of the wall of the drum 6.
  • the harvest 5 separated from said fluid 4 is carried in a single layer on the external surface of said wall 6 t and separated from the latter after draining by means of a scraper 14 inclined tangentially against said wall 6 j of the drum 6.
  • the harvest 5 then slides on the scraper 14 to be recovered in a said second receiving member 7 2 located downstream of the drum 6 and of the scraper 14.
  • the harvest 5 thus recovered after setting to temperature can then be either stored or transferred to a subsequent processing step such as pressing, maceration or fermentation.
  • the installation 1 described above allows the temperature setting by continuous thermovinification of grapes by heat exchange between the heat transfer fluid 4, in this case the must at the temperature ⁇ t , and the grapes.
  • This warming up is carried out as follows. Firstly, the harvest 5 is introduced at a temperature T ls for example substantially equal to the temperature of the ambient air, immersed in the heat transfer fluid 4 at its said treatment temperature ⁇ t at the level of said inlet E of the compartment 3.
  • the flow of heat transfer fluid 4 is chosen so that the harvest 5 introduced continuously into the compartment 3 is driven by said heat transfer fluid 4 and thus circulates co-current in immersion in this fluid inside said compartment 3.
  • the grapes and the fluid exchange energy, which makes it possible to carry the harvest 5 at a temperature T 2 preferably between 70 ° c and 90 ° C at the outlet S of compartment 4.
  • the wort 4 is recovered in a recovery tank 1 ⁇ located under the drum 6 and is pumped by means of a pump 10 which circulates it inside a circulation loop 8 outside said compartment 3 and connecting said receiving tank l to said inlet E of said compartment 3. Inside this loop 8, the must 4 is brought to its treatment temperature ⁇ t by passage through the heat exchanger 9, then is reintroduced at said inlet E of the compartment.
  • the installation 1 can be composed of two treatment modules 3, 3 'arranged in series.
  • the two treatment modules 2, 2 ' have a strictly identical constitution and the second module 2' is placed such that the inlet E 'of its compartment 3' is disposed against said drum 6 for separating and transferring said first module 2, so that said drum 6 transfers the harvest 5 from compartment 3 of said first module 2 into compartment 3 'of said second module 2', by a rotational movement.
  • Said compartment 3 'of said second module 2' thus constitutes said second receiving member 7 2 of the objects treated in the first module 2.
  • the objects of said temperature j are brought to the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2 to said temperature T 2 at the outlet of the second module 2 ', by a double immersion of the harvest 5 in the fluid coolant 4 at its processing temperature ⁇ t , a first time inside compartment 3 of the first module 2 to bring the harvest from temperature Tl to a temperature T'I between Tl and T2, then a second time in the compartment 3 'of the second module 2' to bring said harvest from temperature T'I to final temperature T2.
  • the heat transfer must 4 and the harvest 5 are separated by means of the drum 6, the grapes at temperature T'I being drained and transferred to the external wall 6 j of said drum towards the inlet E 'of compartment 4' of the second module to be immersed a second time and conveyed co-current in the heat-carrying fluid 4 inside compartment 3 'of the second module 2' then be recovered and drained by means of a second drip drum 6 'at the outlet S' of the compartment 3 'of said second module 2'.
  • the heat transfer must 4 is recovered which is recycled at the inlet E of said compartment 3 in said circulation loop 8 of the first module 2, and at the outlet S 'of compartment 3' from the second module 2 ′, the harvest is separated at temperature T2 and the heat transfer must 4 by the drum 6 ′, said harvest 5 being recovered in a recovery unit 7 ′ 2 and the must 4 in a recovery tank 1 to be recycled into the circulation loop 8 'of said second module 2', and reintroduced at the inlet E 'of compartment 4' of said module 2 '.
  • Such a thermal treatment installation 1 comprising two modules 2, 2 ′ makes it possible to reach temperatures T 2 very far from the temperature T at which the harvest 5 is introduced into the compartment 3, without limiting the flow of heat-transfer fluid 4 or that of introducing the harvest 5 to the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2 and without increasing the amount of must 4 or the duration of immersion of the grapes 5 in each of the compartments of the two so-called modules 2 and 2 '.
  • the heat treatment installation 1 according to the invention comprises two treatment modules 2 and 2 'arranged in series, the separation means 6 and 6' of which are formed by a single drum 6.
  • FIG. 5 there can be upstream of the inlet E of compartment 3 a first module 2 (or a single module 2) an introduction and draining means 13 of the harvest 5 inside said compartment 3, said harvest 5 having been washed beforehand before introduction.
  • such a means of introduction and draining consists of a drum 13 identical to the separation drum 6 placed at the outlet S of a compartment 3 of a said processing module 2 or 2 '.
  • the thermal treatment installation 1 is composed of two modules 2, 2 'arranged in series as described above, the two said modules no longer having each with its own circulation loop, but these two so-called modules 2, 2 'being connected by the same fluid circulation loop 8, in particular a loop comprising a single heat exchanger 9.
  • the heat transfer fluid 4 is recovered at the outlet S of compartment 3 of the first module 2, then it is pumped via a first pump 10 and it is brought to said treatment temperature ⁇ t before being introduced at the input E 'of compartment 3' of the second module 2 '.
  • the heat transfer fluid 4 is then recovered at a temperature substantially lower than ⁇ t at the outlet S 'of said compartment 3' of the second module 2 'and it is transferred via a second pump 10' without reheating in the heat exchanger 9 directly at the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2.
  • the thermal treatment installation 1 described above thus allows the harvesting, and more generally fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, to be brought to temperature, without mechanical means of transport in the heat-transfer fluid.
  • the installation and the method according to the invention make it possible to thermovinify grapes to extract the coloring and aromatic substances such as anthocyanins and tannins contained in the berries films, without injuring the bunches by mechanical transport or excessive extraction by drainage of the juice through the grapes in static support on draining means.
  • This avoids any injury to the fruit before maceration and fermentation, but also any excessive distribution of "hard” tannins contained in the stalks and seeds, tannins which are detrimental to the quality of the wines.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
  • Apparatuses For Bulk Treatment Of Fruits And Vegetables And Apparatuses For Preparing Feeds (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to an installation (1) and a method for the heat treatment of fragile objects (5) such as fruit or vegetables. The invention is characterised in that the objects (5) are warmed up while being conveyed co-currently in a heat-transfer fluid (4). According to the invention, the heat treatment installation consists of at least one treatment module (2) comprising: a compartment (3) through which the heat-transfer fluid (4) and the objects are conveyed co-currently using a means (10) for circulating the fluid between an inlet (E) and an outlet (S) of the compartment (3), means (6) for separating the objects and the fluid at the outlet of the compartment (3), and means (71, 72) for recovering the objects and the fluid leaving said compartment.

Description

Installation et procédé de traitement thermique Installation and method of heat treatment
La présente invention concerne un dispositif de traitement thermique d'objets fragiles tels les fruits ou légumes, et un procédé de traitement thermique y associé. Le domaine technique de l'invention est celui de la conception d'installations de traitement thermique d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des légumes, en particulier pour le traitement de raisins pour la production de jus ou de vin.The present invention relates to a device for heat treatment of fragile objects such as fruit or vegetables, and a method of heat treatment associated therewith. The technical field of the invention is that of the design of thermal treatment installations for fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, in particular for the treatment of grapes for the production of juice or wine.
Plus particulièrement, l'invention est relative à une installation et un procédé de traitement thermique en continu de raisins en vue de faciliter et d'améliorer l'extraction des substances d'intérêt contenues dans les pellicules des baies de raisin, et en particulier des arômes, précurseurs aromatiques et de composés polyphénoliques tels que tanins et anthocyanes contenus dans les pellicules de ces baies de raisin. On connaît depuis longtemps des procédés dits de thermovinification par immersion, en particulier pour la production de vin rouge ou de jus, selon lesquels on chauffe les raisins en les trempant pendant une courte durée dans du moût chaud, qui est recyclé au travers d'un échangeur thermique pour le maintenir à une température déterminée, après quoi la vendange est envoyée dans une cuve de macération.More particularly, the invention relates to an installation and a process for continuous heat treatment of grapes in order to facilitate and improve the extraction of the substances of interest contained in the skins of grape berries, and in particular aromas, aromatic precursors and polyphenolic compounds such as tannins and anthocyanins contained in the skins of these grape berries. So-called immersion thermovinification processes have been known for a long time, in particular for the production of red wine or juice, according to which the grapes are heated by soaking them for a short time in hot must, which is recycled through a heat exchanger to maintain it at a determined temperature, after which the harvest is sent to a maceration tank.
Ces procédés de thermovinification ont été développés en particulier pour extraire les agents colorants contenus dans les baies de raisin, et en particulier le anthocyanes, molécules responsables -de la couleur des vins, et qui sont localisées principalement dans la pellicule des grains de raisin. Les procédés de thermovinification par immersion présentent de nombreux avantages parmi lesquels on citera notamment :These thermovinification processes have been developed in particular to extract the coloring agents contained in grape berries, and in particular anthocyanins, molecules responsible for the color of wines, and which are located mainly in the skin of the grapes. Immersion thermovinification processes have many advantages, among which the following may be mentioned:
- l'inhibition des agents responsables de l'oxydation du vin, notamment de la laccase qui est une enzyme produite par le botrjtis sinβrea ; - l'extraction contrôlée des matières colorantes et des polyphénols du raisin ;- the inhibition of the agents responsible for the oxidation of wine, in particular of laccase which is an enzyme produced by botrjtis sinβrea; - controlled extraction of coloring matter and polyphenols from the grapes;
- la possibilité d'obtenir du vin rouge dans des cuves où fermente le moût jus sans la rafle ni le marc, d'où un meilleur contrôle des températures de fermentation ;- the possibility of obtaining red wine in tanks where the juice must ferments without the stalk or the marc, hence better control of fermentation temperatures;
- la possibilité d'arriver à un processus de vinification continue.- the possibility of arriving at a continuous vinification process.
Tous ces avantages font que les procédés de thermovinification par immersion se sont beaucoup développés au cours des dernières années.All these advantages mean that immersion thermovinification processes have developed a lot in recent years.
A ce jour, ce procédé est mis en œuvre dans des dispositifs qui comportent essentiellement une première cuve d'egouttage dans laquelle on place la vendange, soit brute, soit égrappée, soit foulée, puis une trémie de trempage en forme d'auge ou cylindrique, comportant une paroi interne perforée et une vis sans fin qui déplace la vendange sur ladite paroi perforée, laquelle trempe en partie dans du moût chaud qui est recyclé à contre courant par rapport à la vendange. Enfin, une deuxième cuve de macération reçoit la vendange venant de la trémie de trempage.To date, this process is implemented in devices which essentially comprise a first drip tank in which the harvest is placed, either raw, destemmed, or crushed, then a soaking hopper in the form of a trough or cylindrical , comprising an internal perforated wall and an endless screw which displaces the harvest on said perforated wall, which partly dips in hot must which is recycled against the current with respect to the harvest. Finally, a second maceration tank receives the harvest from the soaking hopper.
Un tel dispositif est en particulier décrit dans le brevet français FR 1566 304 et dans le certificat d'addition 76/14095 rattaché à ce brevet.Such a device is described in particular in French patent FR 1566 304 and in the certificate of addition 76/14095 attached to this patent.
Ces dispositifs connus qui comportent plusieurs cuves et trémies séparées sont encombrants et nécessitent des moyens de transport de la vendange entre les divers éléments du dispositif et entraînent des frais d'installation élevés et des pertes de calories importantes entre les différentes cuves.These known devices which include several separate tanks and hoppers are bulky and require means of transporting the harvest between the various elements of the device and entail high installation costs and significant loss of calories between the various tanks.
Pour remédier à ces inconvénients, on a proposé des dispositifs de type monobloc permettant de traiter la vendange depuis l'égouttage jusqu'à la macération dans une seule et même unité.To overcome these drawbacks, devices of the monobloc type have been proposed making it possible to process the harvest from draining to maceration in a single unit.
Un exemple de ces dispositifs est décrit par la demande de brevet français FR 2 338 760 relative à une installation comportant une cuve d'egouttage, un dispositif de trempage de courte durée de la vendange dans du moût chaud, puis d'egouttage et une cuve de macération de la vendange qui forme une unité monobloc.An example of these devices is described by French patent application FR 2 338 760 relating to an installation comprising a tank of draining, a device of short-term soaking of the harvest in hot must, then of draining and a vat of maceration of the harvest which forms a monobloc unit.
Ce type de dispositif, s'il présente l'avantage de permettre un traitement de la vendange dans une seule installation d'encombrement réduit, présente l'inconvénient de blesser la vendange et, qui plus est, de nécessiter un temps d'egouttage et de drainage de la vendange entassée au travers de laquelle le jus doit être drainé.This type of device, if it has the advantage of allowing processing of the harvest in a single installation of reduced bulk, has the disadvantage of injuring the harvest and, moreover, of requiring a time of draining and drainage of the harvest piled up through which the juice must be drained.
Or, pour faire migrer de façon idéale les substances d'intérêt tels que les tanins et anthocyanes contenues dans la pellicule des baies de raisins jusque dans la pulpe puis dans le jus au cours des phases de macération et de cuvaison des raisins, on doit traiter la vendange par des procédés les plus doux possibles, et en particulier, veiller à obtenir une extraction sélective des substances contenues dans la pellicule des baies et limiter celle des substances contenues dans les rafles et les pépins, en particulier des tanins « durs » responsables de l'astringence de certains vins.However, to ideally migrate the substances of interest such as the tannins and anthocyanins contained in the skin of the grape berries to the pulp and then to the juice during the maceration and fermentation stages of the grapes, it is necessary to treat the grape harvest by the softest possible processes, and in particular, to take care to obtain a selective extraction of the substances contained in the skin of the berries and to limit that of the substances contained in the stalks and pips, in particular of the “hard” tannins responsible for the astringency of certain wines.
Pour ce faire, il faut limiter le foulage des rafles et des pépins avant macération et fermentation, pour éviter que les substances qu'ils contiennent ne diffusent trop rapidement dans le jus de raisin. Aussi, un but de la présente invention est de fournir une installation de traitement d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des végétaux, et en particulier des raisins, permettant un traitement souple desdits objets et améliorant l'extraction d'éléments d'intérêt contenus dans la pellicule externes de ces objets, en particulier dans le traitement de raisins, l'extraction des substances contenues dans les cellules des pellicules des baies de raisins.To do this, it is necessary to limit the crushing of stems and seeds before maceration and fermentation, to avoid that the substances they contain do not diffuse too quickly in the grape juice. Also, an object of the present invention is to provide an installation for treating fragile objects such as fruits or plants, and in particular grapes, allowing flexible treatment of said objects and improving the extraction of elements of interest contained in the external film of these objects, in particular in the treatment of grapes, the extraction of substances contained in the cells of the films of the grape berries.
Un autre but de la présente invention est de fournir un procédé de traitement thermique d'objets fragiles du type précité, et en particulier de raisins, ledit procédé étant simple et économique à mettre en œuvre et permettant une mise en température rapide et un traitement souple desdits objets ainsi qu'une extraction améliorée des substances d'intérêt précitées contenues dans ces dits objets.Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of heat treatment of fragile objects of the aforementioned type, and in particular of grapes, said method being simple and economical to implement and allowing rapid warming up and flexible treatment. said objects as well as an improved extraction of the aforementioned substances of interest contained in these said objects.
Ce but est atteint selon l'invention par une installation traitement thermique en continu d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des légumes, comprenant au moins un module de traitement comportant : un compartiment apte à contenir desdits objets en immersion dans un fluide caloporteur circulant dans ledit compartiment, et des moyens de séparation desdits objets et dudit fluide comprenant un moyen d'egouttage comprenant des évidements aptes à laisser passer ledit fluide et retenir lesdits objets, et un premier organe de réception apte à récupérer ledit fluide en aval dudit compartiment, et des moyens de transfert desdits objets séparés dudit fluide dans un deuxième organe de réception, et une boucle de circulation du fluide séparé desdits objets à l'extérieur dudit compartiment depuis ledit premier organe de réception vers ledit compartiment, et des moyens de mise en température dudit fluide dans ladite boucle de circulation dudit fluide, et des moyens de circulation dudit fluide caloporteur et desdits objets dans ledit compartiment, ladite installation étant caractérisée en ce que : ladite boucle de circulation relie ledit premier organe de réception et ledit compartiment au niveau de ladite entrée dudit compartiment, et - lesdits moyens de circulation sont aptes à générer un flux de fluide caloporteur pour faire circuler lesdits objets et ledit fluide dans ledit compartiment par entraînement à co-courant desdits objets dans ledit fluide entre ladite entrée et une même sortie dudit compartiment, lesdits moyens de séparation et dits moyens de transferts desdits objets séparés dudit fluide sont constitués par un dit moyen d'egouttage en aval de ladite sortie du compartiment, ledit moyen d'egouttage étant un moyen d'egouttage mobile permettant par son mouvement l'égouttage et le transfert simultané desdits objets séparés dudit fluide vers ledit deuxième organe de réception.This object is achieved according to the invention by a continuous heat treatment installation of fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, comprising at least one treatment module comprising: a compartment capable of containing said objects immersed in a circulating heat transfer fluid in said compartment, and means for separating said objects and said fluid comprising a draining means comprising recesses capable of allowing said fluid to pass and retaining said objects, and a first receiving member capable of recovering said fluid downstream of said compartment, and means for transferring said objects separated from said fluid into a second receiving member, and a circulation loop of the fluid separated from said objects outside said compartment from said first receiving member to said compartment, and means for warming up of said fluid in said circulation loop of said fluid, and means for circulating n of said heat transfer fluid and said objects in said compartment, said installation being characterized in that: said circulation loop connects said first receiving member and said compartment at the level of said entrance to said compartment, and - said circulation means are capable of generating a flow of heat transfer fluid for circulating said objects and said fluid in said compartment by co-current entrainment of said objects in said fluid between said inlet and one outlet of said compartment, said separation means and said means for transferring said objects separated from said fluid are constituted by a said means of dripping downstream of said outlet of the compartment, said draining means being a movable draining means allowing by its movement the draining and the simultaneous transfer of said objects separated from said fluid to said second receiving member.
De préférence ledit compartiment est plus long que large, de telle sorte que le fluide caloporteur circule naturellement dans la direction longitudinale du compartiment entre sa dite entrée et sa dite sortie. Le volume et la longueur de ce compartiment sont déterminés en fonction du débit de produit à traiter et de la durée de traitement souhaitée.Preferably said compartment is longer than wide, so that the heat transfer fluid naturally flows in the longitudinal direction of the compartment between its said inlet and its said outlet. The volume and the length of this compartment are determined according to the flow rate of product to be treated and the desired duration of treatment.
L'installation selon l'invention est particulièrement avantageuse entre autres par l'absence de moyens mécaniques de déplacement relatif desdits objets par rapport au dit fluide caloporteur dans ledit compartiment d'une part, et d'autre part l'absence de moyens mécaniques de déplacement desdits objets par rapport aux dits moyens d'egouttage en sortie de compartiment par le fait que lesdits moyens d'egouttage sont mobiles et assurent le transfert desdits objets vers ledit premier organe de réception, et par le fait que ledit fluide et lesdits objets circulent à co-courant dans ledit compartiment.The installation according to the invention is particularly advantageous inter alia by the absence of mechanical means of relative displacement of said objects with respect to said heat transfer fluid in said compartment on the one hand, and on the other hand the absence of mechanical means of displacement of said objects with respect to said draining means at the outlet of the compartment by the fact that said draining means are mobile and ensure the transfer of said objects to said first receiving member, and by the fact that said fluid and said objects circulate co-current in said compartment.
Dans un mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention, l'installation est caractérisée en ce que ledit moyen d'egouttage est mobile en rotation dans la direction de déplacement desdits objets et dudit fluide en sortie dudit compartiment, et comprend un tambour rotatif autour d'un axe de rotation orienté transversalement à ladite direction de déplacement dont une paroi, de préférence cylindrique, comportent desdits évidements, ledit tambour étant disposé en aval dudit compartiment de telle sorte qu'il est apte à entraîner lesdits objets sensiblement en une seule couche sur une partie supérieure externe de sa dite paroi et à transférer par rotation lesdits objets vers ledit deuxième organe de réception, et en ce que ledit premier organe de réception est constitué par un bac de réception situé sous ledit tambour, de sorte que ledit fluide traverse une première fois ladite paroi dudit tambour en rotation en sa dite partie supérieure puis une seconde fois en une partie inférieure avant d'être recueilli dans ledit second organe.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the installation is characterized in that said draining means is movable in rotation in the direction of movement of said objects and of said fluid at the outlet of said compartment, and comprises a rotary drum around 'an axis of rotation oriented transversely to said direction of movement, a wall, preferably cylindrical, comprising said recesses, said drum being arranged downstream of said compartment so that it is capable of driving said objects substantially in a single layer on an external upper part of its said wall and to transfer by rotation said objects towards said second receiving member, and in that said first receiving member consists of a receiving tank situated under said drum, so that said fluid passes through said wall of said drum for a first time in rotation in its said upper part then a second time in a lower part before being collected in said second organ.
On entend ici par partie supérieure de la paroi en rotation une zone de la paroi dudit tambour située au niveau ou au dessus du niveau dudit fluide à de ladite sortie dudit compartiment et par partie inférieure une zone de la paroi en rotation située dessous ladite sortie du compartiment. Le fluide permet ainsi avantageusement par sa double traversée de la paroi du tambour de nettoyer les dits évidements de la paroi et donc permet de maintenir un écoulement du fluide en sortie du compartiment qui soit sensiblement constant.The term “upper part of the rotating wall” is understood here to mean an area of the wall of said drum situated at or above the level of said fluid at said outlet from said compartment and by bottom portion an area of the rotating wall located below said outlet of the compartment. The fluid thus advantageously makes it possible, by its double crossing of the wall of the drum, to clean the said recesses of the wall and therefore makes it possible to maintain a flow of the fluid leaving the compartment which is substantially constant.
On entend ici par partie supérieure de la paroi en rotation une zone de la paroi dudit tambour située au niveau dudit fluide à ladite sortie dudit compartiment et au dessus du niveau dudit axe de rotation du tambour, lequel axe de rotation est situé de préférence à une hauteur légèrement inférieure à celle de ladite sortie du compartiment de telle sorte lesdits objets ne s'entassent pas contre ladite paroi externe du tambour à ladite sortie du compartiment mais soient entraînés par le mouvement de rotation de celle-ci et qu'une portion de ladite paroi externe du tambour soit toujours au dessus du niveau du fluide en sortie dudit compartiment afin d'extraire et d'égoutter convenablement lesdits objets traités hors du fluide. De même on entend par partie inférieure de la paroi du tambour une zone de cette paroi située en dessous du niveau dudit axe de rotation du tambour et de ladite sortie du compartiment.The term “upper part of the rotating wall” is understood here to mean an area of the wall of said drum situated at the level of said fluid at the outlet from said compartment and above the level of said axis of rotation of the drum, which axis of rotation is preferably located at a height slightly less than that of said outlet from the compartment so that said objects do not pile up against said external wall of the drum at said outlet of the compartment but are driven by the rotational movement thereof and that a portion of said external wall of the drum is always above the level of the fluid leaving said compartment in order to extract and properly drain said treated objects from the fluid. Similarly, the lower part of the wall of the drum means an area of this wall located below the level of said axis of rotation of the drum and of said outlet from the compartment.
Le fluide permet ainsi avantageusement par sa double traversée de la paroi du tambour, d'une part de nettoyer les dits évidements de la paroi, et d'autre part de maintenir un écoulement du fluide en sortie du compartiment qui soit sensiblement constant. De même on entend par egouttage et transfert en une seule couche des objets que ceux-ci sont entraînés, répartis et égouttés en une seule couche de façon continue et sans écrasement par entassement sur la surface externe de la paroi dudit tambour. Ceci est permis d'une part par la disposition particulière du tambour vis à vis de ladite sortie du compartiment telle que décrite ci-avant, et d'autre part par le mouvement du tambour qui fait que des objets entassés ne se maintiennent pas en équilibre les uns sur les autres lorsqu'ils sont entraînés par le tambour en sortie du compartiment et que seuls les objets en contact de la dite paroi supérieure sont transférés et égouttés.The fluid thus advantageously allows, by its double crossing of the wall of the drum, on the one hand to clean the said recesses of the wall, and on the other hand to maintain a flow of the fluid leaving the compartment which is substantially constant. Likewise, the term “draining and transfer in a single layer” is understood to mean that the objects are entrained, distributed and drained in a single layer continuously and without crushing by piling up on the external surface of the wall of said drum. This is allowed on the one hand by the particular arrangement of the drum with respect to said outlet from the compartment as described above, and on the other hand by the movement of the drum which means that heaped objects do not keep themselves in balance on top of each other when they are driven by the drum at the outlet of the compartment and only the objects in contact with said upper wall are transferred and drained.
Cette disposition particulière permet que ledit fluide caloporteur soit séparé desdits objets, lesdits objets étant emmenés tangentiellement à ladite paroi et ledit fluide traversant tout d'abord ladite paroi dudit tambour de l'extérieur vers l'intérieur puis de l'intérieur vers l'extérieur assurant ainsi le nettoyage desdits évidements dans ladite paroi du tambour.This particular arrangement allows said heat transfer fluid to be separated from said objects, said objects being taken tangentially to said wall and said fluid first passing through said wall of said drum from outside to inside then from inside to outside. thus ensuring the cleaning of said recesses in said wall of the drum.
De préférence, lesdits moyens de mise en température sont constitués par un échangeur thermique ou un système de transfert d'énergie. Cet échangeur thermique ou système de transfert d'énergie peut être avantageusement choisi en fonction du type de traitement thermique que l'on souhaite réaliser, indépendamment des autres éléments de l'installation.Preferably, said temperature setting means consist of a heat exchanger or an energy transfer system. This heat exchanger or energy transfer system can be advantageously chosen as a function of the type of heat treatment that it is desired to carry out, independently of the other elements of the installation.
Par exemple, dans le cas d'une thermovinification de vendange, l'échangeur thermique pourra être une chaudière associée à un échangeur contenant de l'eau ou de la vapeur chauffée contre les parois duquel circule le fluide caloporteur dans la boucle de circulation, ou en variante un système de transfert d'énergie par micro-ondes.For example, in the case of a thermovinification of the harvest, the heat exchanger could be a boiler associated with an exchanger containing heated water or steam against the walls of which the heat transfer fluid circulates in the circulation loop, or alternatively a microwave energy transfer system.
De façon avantageuse, ledit compartiment est constitué préférentiellement par un caisson (ou une goulotte) ouvert(e) ou fermé(e) et à pression atmosphérique, comportant de préférence des cloisons internes formant un parcours de circulation allongé desdits objets en immersion dans ledit fluide caloporteur dans ledit compartiment.Advantageously, said compartment preferably consists of a box (or a chute) open or closed and at atmospheric pressure, preferably comprising partitions. internal forming an elongated circulation path of said objects immersed in said heat transfer fluid in said compartment.
Contrairement aux dispositifs connus de l'art antérieur, le compartiment dans lequel on fait circuler les obj ets traités en immersion dans le fluide caloporteur et d'une constitution particulièrement simple, et ne nécessitant aucune construction spécifique pour des raisons de confinement du produit traité ou de pressurisation nécessaire au traitement.Unlike the devices known from the prior art, the compartment in which the treated objects are circulated by immersion in the heat transfer fluid and of a particularly simple constitution, and requiring no specific construction for reasons of confinement of the treated product or of pressurization necessary for treatment.
Le cloisonnement interne du compartiment est accessoire mais particulièrement avantageux en ce qu'il permet d'allonger le parcours des objets et du fluide caloporteur dans ledit compartiment. On entend ici par parcours allongé un parcours du fluide et des objets qui est d'une part non rectiligne, et d'autre part plus long que le compartiment dans sa dimension longitudinale. Un tel parcours permet de maintenir le cas échéant lesdits objets immergés dans le fluide caloporteur pendant une durée plus importante en fonction de l'intensité de traitement souhaitée.The internal compartmentalization of the compartment is accessory but particularly advantageous in that it makes it possible to lengthen the path of the objects and of the heat transfer fluid in said compartment. The term “elongated path” is understood here to mean a path of the fluid and objects which is on the one hand non-rectilinear, and on the other hand longer than the compartment in its longitudinal dimension. Such a course makes it possible to maintain, if necessary, said objects immersed in the heat transfer fluid for a longer period of time as a function of the desired treatment intensity.
Selon une première variante de réalisation de l'installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention, celle-ci comprend au moins deux dits modules de traitement disposés en série de telle sorte que lesdits moyens de séparation et de transfert d'un premier module sont intercalés entre la sortie du compartiment dudit premier module et ladite entrée du compartiment d'un second module et sont aptes à transférer lesdits objets depuis la sortie du compartiment dudit premier module vers ladite entrée du compartiment dudit second module. Dans cette configuration de l'installation, on comprend que ledit premier organe de réception du premier module est constitué par le compartiment dudit second module et que lesdits moyens de séparation et de transfert du dit premier module constituent alors des moyens d'introduction des objets traités et extraits du compartiment dudit premier module dans le compartiment dudit second module. Une telle configuration de l'installation est particulièrement avantageuse pour réaliser la mise en température d'objets fragiles tels que des raisins à un haut débit de produit à traiter ou bien encore lorsque la différence entre la température Tl de la vendange avant traitement thermique et la température T2 à laquelle ladite vendange doit être portée est très importante.According to a first alternative embodiment of the heat treatment installation according to the invention, it comprises at least two said treatment modules arranged in series so that said means for separating and transferring a first module are interposed between the outlet of the compartment of said first module and said inlet of the compartment of a second module and are capable of transferring said objects from the outlet of the compartment of said first module to said inlet of the compartment of said second module. In this configuration of the installation, it is understood that said first member for receiving the first module is constituted by the compartment of said second module and that said means for separating and transferring said first module then constitute means for introducing the treated objects. and extracts from the compartment of said first module in the compartment of said second module. Such a configuration of the installation is particularly advantageous for carrying out the heating of fragile objects such as grapes at a high flow rate of product to be treated or else when the difference between the temperature Tl of the harvest before heat treatment and the temperature T2 to which said harvest must be brought is very important.
En effet, une installation comprenant deux modules de traitement permet de réaliser une mise en température « étagée » de la vendange ou des objets fragiles à traiter en général. On peut ainsi par une première immersion de la vendange dans le compartiment d'un premier module amener la vendange de la température Tl à une température intermédiaire T'1 à la sortie du premier compartiment, T'1 étant comprise entre Tl et T2, puis par une seconde immersion dans le compartiment de traitement du second module porter ladite vendange de T'1 à T2 en sortie dudit second module, le tout sans diminuer le débit de vendange ni augmenter la durée d'immersion dans un des compartiment desdits premier et second modules.Indeed, an installation comprising two treatment modules makes it possible to achieve a “staged” temperature setting of the harvest or of the fragile objects to be treated in general. It is thus possible by a first immersion of the harvest in the compartment of a first module to bring the harvest from temperature Tl to an intermediate temperature T'1 at the outlet of the first compartment, T'1 being between Tl and T2, then by a second immersion in the processing compartment of the second module carry said harvest from T'1 to T2 at the outlet of said second module, all without reducing the harvest rate or increasing the duration of immersion in one of the compartments of said first and second modules.
Dans une seconde variante de réalisation, l'installation selon l'invention comprend au moins deux dits modules de traitement en série et en ce que lesdits moyens de séparation et de transfert des dits premier et second modules sont réalisés par un même tambour en rotation comportant sur sa paroi cylindrique externe des moyens de séparations délimitant au moins deux tronçons de tambour distincts.In a second alternative embodiment, the installation according to the invention comprises at least two said processing modules in series and in that said means for separating and transferring said first and second modules are produced by the same rotating drum comprising on its external cylindrical wall, separation means delimiting at least two separate drum sections.
Une telle installation permet avantageusement de réduire l'encombrement longitudinal de l'installation par une disposition compacte des différents éléments de l'installation. Dans ce cas, le compartiment de l'un au moins desdits modules de traitement décrit une boucle autour dudit tambour chaque extrémité de la boucle formée par ce compartiment étant au contact de deux tronçons consécutifs dudit tambour.Such an installation advantageously makes it possible to reduce the longitudinal dimensions of the installation by a compact arrangement of the various elements of the installation. In this case, the compartment of at least one of said processing modules describes a loop around said drum, each end of the loop formed by this compartment being in contact with two consecutive sections of said drum.
Dans un mode de réalisation avantageux de l'invention, l'installation comprend également des moyens d'introduction desdits objets dans le compartiment d'un unique ou d'un premier dit module, lesdits moyens d'introductions comportant des moyens d'egouttage desdits objets en amont de l'entrée dudit compartiment, de préférence des moyens d'introduction mobiles.In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the installation also comprises means for introducing said objects into the compartment of a single or a first said module, said means introductions comprising means for draining said objects upstream of the entrance to said compartment, preferably mobile introduction means.
Ces moyens d'introduction et d'egouttage mobiles disposés en amont du compartiment d'un premier ou d'un unique module composant l'installation de traitement au niveau de l'entrée dudit compartiment sont particulièrement avantageux en ce qu'ils permettent tout d'abord de pouvoir introduire l'installation dans une chaîne de production et de traitement préexistante dans laquelle ils permettent un transfert automatique des objets à traiter d'une une étape de production antérieure jusque dans le compartiment de traitement de l'installation sans opérations de manutention par un opérateur ce qui particulièrement important dans le cas de traitement d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des légumes par exemples. De plus, ces moyens d'introduction mobiles permettent l'introduction des objets à une vitesse constante dans ledit compartiment de traitement, et donc une régulation du débit d'objets, par exemple de vendange, à l'entrée dudit compartiment.These mobile introduction and draining means arranged upstream of the compartment with a first or a single module making up the treatment installation at the entrance to said compartment are particularly advantageous in that they allow all 'first of all being able to introduce the installation into a pre-existing production and processing chain in which they allow an automatic transfer of the objects to be treated from a previous production stage to the processing compartment of the installation without handling operations by an operator which is particularly important in the case of treatment of fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables for example. In addition, these mobile introduction means allow the introduction of objects at a constant speed into said processing compartment, and therefore a regulation of the flow of objects, for example harvested, at the entrance of said compartment.
Enfin, lesdits moyens d'introduction comportant des moyens d'egouttage, ces derniers permettent d'égoutter les objets avant mise en température de ceux-ci dans ledit compartiment, ce qui peut être très avantageux par exemple dans le cas d'une mise en température d'une vendange préalablement lavée et/ou foulée.Finally, said introduction means comprising draining means, the latter make it possible to drain the objects before they have warmed up in said compartment, which can be very advantageous for example in the case of temperature of a harvest previously washed and / or crushed.
Enfin, dans un mode de réalisation préféré de l'installation selon l'invention, un dit module de traitement comprend un racleur fixe incliné, de préférence sensiblement tangentiellement, contre ladite partie supérieure de ladite paroi du tambour en rotation, en aval de celui-ci et en pente descendante en direction d'un dit premier organe de réception.Finally, in a preferred embodiment of the installation according to the invention, a said treatment module comprises a fixed scraper inclined, preferably substantially tangentially, against said upper part of said wall of the rotating drum, downstream of it. ci and downhill towards a said first receiving member.
Un tel racleur permet de façon avantageuse de séparer les objets une fois égouttés de ladite surface externe du tambour après mise en température dans le compartiment d'un dit module de traitement et de les diriger vers un dit premier organe de réception desdits objets, ledit organe de réception pouvant le cas échéant être le compartiment d'un second module lorsque l'installation de traitement thermique est constituée de deux dits modules.Such a scraper advantageously makes it possible to separate the objects once drained from said external surface of the drum after setting temperature in the compartment of a said treatment module and direct them to a said first member for receiving said objects, said reception member possibly being the compartment for a second module when the heat treatment installation is constituted of two so-called modules.
Conformément à un second but, la présente invention est également relative à un procédé de traitement thermique d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des végétaux, et plus particulièrement un procédé de traitement thermique de raisins. Selon le procédé de traitement thermique de l'invention, on réalise successivement les étapes suivantes :In accordance with a second object, the present invention also relates to a method of heat treatment of fragile objects such as fruits or plants, and more particularly a method of heat treatment of grapes. According to the heat treatment process of the invention, the following steps are carried out successively:
1) on réalise une mise en température desdits objets depuis une température Tl jusqu'à une température T2 par immersion desdits objets dans un fluide caloporteur à l'intérieur d'un compartiment, et circulation desdits objets et dudit fluide caloporteur dans ledit compartiment,1) said objects are brought to temperature from a temperature T1 to a temperature T2 by immersion of said objects in a heat transfer fluid inside a compartment, and circulation of said objects and of said heat transfer fluid in said compartment,
2) on sépare lesdits objets et ledit fluide après mise en température desdits objets à l'aide d'un moyen d'egouttage retenant les dits objets et laissant passer ledit fluide,2) said objects and said fluid are separated after warming up said objects using a draining means retaining said objects and letting said fluid pass,
3) on récupère ledit fluide séparé desdits objets à l'étape 2 dans un premier organe de réception,3) said fluid separated from said objects is recovered in step 2 in a first receiving member,
4) on transfère lesdits objets mis en température dans un deuxième organe de réception,4) transferring said heated objects to a second receiving member,
5) on réintroduit ledit fluide depuis ledit premier organe de réception jusqu'au dit compartiment, ledit fluide étant porté à une température dont la valeur absolue est supérieure à T2 préalablement à sa réintroduction dans ledit compartiment, ce procédé étant caractérisé en ce que : 6) à l'étape 1 , on fait circuler à co-courant lesdits objets et ledit fluide dans ledit compartiment entre une entrée dudit compartiment jusqu'à une même sortie dudit compartiment, et5) said fluid is reintroduced from said first receiving member to said compartment, said fluid being brought to a temperature whose absolute value is greater than T2 prior to its reintroduction into said compartment, this process being characterized in that: 6) in step 1, said objects and said fluid are circulated in co-current in said compartment between an inlet of said compartment to a same outlet of said compartment, and
7) à l'étape 5, on réintroduit ledit fluide à ladite entrée dudit compartiment depuis ledit premier organe de réception, et7) in step 5, said fluid is reintroduced at said inlet to said compartment from said first receiving member, and
8) aux étapes 2 et 3, on réalise la séparation et le transfert desdits objets et dudit fluide en aval de ladite sortie dudit compartiment à l'aide d'un dit moyen d'egouttage mobile dont le mouvement permet l'égouttage et le transfert d'une seule couche desdits objets dans ledit deuxième organe de réception.8) in steps 2 and 3, said objects and said fluid are separated and transferred downstream from said outlet of said compartment using a said mobile draining means whose movement allows drainage and transfer of a single layer of said objects in said second receiving member.
Le procédé de traitement thermique décrit ci-avant est particulièrement avantageux en ce qu'il propose non seulement d'utiliser l'énergie calorifique d'un fluide caloporteur pour mettre en température les objets traités, mais également d'utiliser le mouvement de déplacement du fluide pour déplacer lesdits objets en immersion dans celui-ci à l'intérieur d'un compartiment de traitement pendant une durée suffisante pour que ces objets passent de la température Tl à la température T2 entre ladite entrée et une sortie du compartiment. On supprime ainsi avantageusement le besoin de moyens mécaniques de déplacement desdits objets relativement au fluide caloporteur pendant le traitement thermique, et par là les problèmes de meurtrissures des objets traités, ce qui peut parfois être néfaste au traitement et conditionnement ultérieur des objets traités.The heat treatment process described above is particularly advantageous in that it proposes not only to use the heat energy of a heat transfer fluid to heat up the objects treated, but also to use the movement of movement of the fluid for moving said objects immersed therein inside a treatment compartment for a sufficient time for these objects to pass from temperature T1 to temperature T2 between said inlet and an outlet of the compartment. This advantageously eliminates the need for mechanical means of moving said objects relative to the heat transfer fluid during the heat treatment, and thereby the problems of bruising of the treated objects, which can sometimes be detrimental to the treatment and subsequent conditioning of the treated objects.
En particulier, dans le cas du traitement thermique de vendange, ce procédé est particulièrement avantageux en ce qu'il peut être mis en œuvre pour traiter une vendange brute, non foulée ni égrappée, sans problème d'écrasement des baies et donc dilution du jus et des substances d'intérêt dans le fluide caloporteur avant macération et fermentation, avec un traitement sélectif des parties en contact avec le fluide et donc la pellicule des baies et sans écrasement des pépins ni des rafles qui provoque habituellement la diffusion des tanins « durs » qu'ils contiennent et qui sont néfastes à la qualité des vins. De plus, le procédé selon l'invention est également avantageux en ce que la vendange est égouttée en une seule couche après traitement, donc en supprimant les phénomènes de drainage du jus au travers d'un lit de vendange comme dans les dispositifs de l'art antérieur. Selon un mode de mise en œuvre du procédé, on utilise une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention et telle que décrite précédemment.In particular, in the case of heat treatment of the harvest, this process is particularly advantageous in that it can be used to treat a raw harvest, not crushed or destemmed, without the problem of crushing the berries and therefore diluting the juice. and substances of interest in the heat transfer fluid before maceration and fermentation, with a selective treatment of the parts in contact with the fluid and therefore the skin of the berries and without crushing of the seeds or stalks which usually causes the diffusion of "hard" tannins which they contain and which are detrimental to the quality of the wines. In addition, the method according to the invention is also advantageous in that the harvest is drained in a single layer after treatment, therefore by eliminating the phenomena of drainage of the juice through a bed of harvest as in the devices of the prior art. According to an embodiment of the method, a thermal treatment installation according to the invention and as described above is used.
On peut ainsi réaliser le procédé de façon simple et particulièrement économique à l'aide d'une installation de constitution très simple et qui de plus est modulable.It is thus possible to carry out the process in a simple and particularly economical way using a very simple installation facility which is moreover modular.
Selon une caractéristique préférée de réalisation du procédé de l'invention à l'aide de l'installation selon l'invention, lesdits objets abutent en sortie d'un dit compartiment contre ladite paroi d'un dit tambour en rotation et sont entraînés et égouttés sensiblement en une seule couche recouvrant une dite partie supérieure de ladite paroi, et ledit fluide caloporteur traverse ledit tambour une première fois en ladite partie supérieure de la paroi, et une deuxième fois en une partie inférieure de ladite paroi avant d'être récupéré dans ledit premier organe de réception sous ledit tambour. Ainsi, lesdits objets traités, par exemple des raisins, sont égouttés de façon mono-couche, donc très rapidement après leur mise en température dans le fluide caloporteur, lequel fluide permet par son passage au travers de la paroi du tambour d'egouttage de nettoyer les éventuelles bourbes de raisins ou des objets en général qui sont emprisonnées dans les évidements de ladite paroi lors de la séparation des objets et du fluide en sortie dudit compartiment.According to a preferred characteristic for carrying out the process of the invention using the installation according to the invention, said objects abut at the outlet of a said compartment against said wall of a said rotating drum and are driven and drained substantially in a single layer covering said upper part of said wall, and said heat transfer fluid passes through said drum a first time in said upper part of the wall, and a second time in a lower part of said wall before being recovered in said first receiving member under said drum. Thus, said treated objects, for example grapes, are drained in a single layer, therefore very quickly after they have warmed up in the heat-transfer fluid, which fluid makes it possible, by its passage through the wall of the drip drum, to clean any grape slurries or objects in general which are trapped in the recesses of said wall when the objects and the fluid leaving said compartment are separated.
Selon une variante de réalisation, le procédé peut être mis en œuvre à l'aide d'une installation de traitement thermique comprenant deux dits modules, lesdits objets étant portés à une température intermédiaire T'1 comprise entre Tl et T2 par un dit premier module et ledit fluide caloporteur récupéré en sortie d'un dit second module est à une température supérieure à celle du fluide caloporteur récupéré en sortie dudit premier module.According to an alternative embodiment, the method can be implemented using a thermal treatment installation comprising two said modules, said objects being brought to an intermediate temperature T'1 between Tl and T2 by a said first module and said fluid heat transfer fluid recovered from said second module is at a temperature higher than that of the heat transfer fluid recovered from said first module.
Dans une même variante, on peut utiliser une installation simplifier rendant le procédé économiquement plus intéressant en ce que le fluide caloporteur recueilli dans un dit premier organe de réception d'un dit premier module de traitement est mis en température par un dit moyen de mise en température puis envoyé par l'intermédiaire de dits moyens de circulation vers l'entrée du compartiment du second module de traitement, et le fluide récupéré dans un dit premier organe de réception d'un dit second module est envoyé par l'intermédiaire des dits moyens de circulation à l'entrée du compartiment du dit premier module sans mise en température.In the same variant, it is possible to use a simplifying installation making the process economically more advantageous in that the heat transfer fluid collected in a said first receiving member of a said first treatment module is brought to temperature by a said setting means. temperature then sent via said means of circulation to the inlet of the compartment of the second treatment module, and the fluid recovered in a said first member for receiving a said second module is sent via said means circulation at the entrance to the compartment of said first module without warming up.
On utilise alors un seul moyen de mise en température du fluide, ce qui permet de diminuer le coût de mise en œuvre le procédé selon l'invention, sans pour autant diminuer son efficacité.A single means for warming up the fluid is then used, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of implementing the method according to the invention, without however reducing its efficiency.
Le procédé et l'installation selon l'invention sont tout particulièrement adaptés à la mise en température de raisins, en particulier pour des traitements de thermovinification de la vendange. Dans de telles applications, on réalise le chauffage de la vendange par immersion et circulation des raisins dans un fluide caloporteur qui est du jus de raisin ou du moût à une température comprise de préférence entre 70°C et 90°C.The process and the installation according to the invention are very particularly suitable for warming up grapes, in particular for thermovinification treatments of the harvest. In such applications, the harvest is heated by immersion and circulation of the grapes in a heat transfer fluid which is grape juice or must at a temperature preferably between 70 ° C and 90 ° C.
On peut dans ces applications avantageusement chauffer la vendange par le procédé selon l'invention avant une étape ultérieure de vinification telle qu'un pressurage direct, ou une macération pré-fermentaire à chaud, par exemple dans le jus ou le moût chaud utilisé comme fluide caloporteur, ou bien encore avant une mise en fermentation directe des raisins ou une étape d'extraction par une mise sous vide et détente de la vendange dans une enceinte sous vide. Lors de traitement de thermovinification réalisé selon le procédé de l'invention, on réalisera de préférence le chauffage du raisin d'une température Tl ambiante à une température T2 comprise entre 70°C et 90°C. On obtiendra ainsi une bonne mise en chauffe, adéquate pour tout type de traitement .postérieur de vinification, avec une bonne extraction des composés polyphénoliques et colorants contenus dans les pellicules des baies des raisins, en particulier des tanins et des anthocyanes.In these applications, it is advantageously possible to heat the harvest by the process according to the invention before a subsequent vinification step such as direct pressing, or a hot pre-fermentation maceration, for example in the hot juice or must used as fluid coolant, or even before a direct fermentation of the grapes or an extraction step by putting under vacuum and relaxing the harvest in a vacuum enclosure. During the thermovinification treatment carried out according to the process of the invention, the grapes are preferably heated from an ambient temperature T1 to a temperature T2 between 70 ° C and 90 ° C. This will give a good heating, suitable for any type of post-vinification treatment, with good extraction of polyphenolic and coloring compounds contained in the skins of grape berries, in particular tannins and anthocyanins.
D'autres avantages et caractéristiques de l'invention ressortiront à la lecture de la description suivante de plusieurs modes de réalisation de l'invention dans une application de thermovinification de vendange et en référence aux dessins annexés dans lesquels :Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge on reading the following description of several embodiments of the invention in a thermovinification of harvest application and with reference to the appended drawings in which:
La figure 1 représente schématiquement une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention comportant un unique module de traitement ;FIG. 1 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising a single treatment module;
La figure 2 représente schématiquement une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention comportant deux modules de traitement en série selon une première variante de réalisation ;FIG. 2 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series according to a first variant embodiment;
La figure 3 représente schématiquement une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention comportant deux modules de traitement en série conformément à une deuxième variante de l'invention ;FIG. 3 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series in accordance with a second variant of the invention;
La figure 4 représente schématiquement une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention comportant deux modules de traitement en série pour la mise en œuvre d'une variante du procédé de traitement selon l'invention ;FIG. 4 schematically represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series for the implementation of a variant of the treatment method according to the invention;
La figure 5 représente une installation de traitement thermique selon l'invention comportant deux modules de traitement en série en vue de dessus. Dans un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention représenté à la figure 1 , l'installation de traitement thermique 1 selon l'invention se compose d'un seul module de traitement 2, ledit module 2 comprenant un compartiment 3, par exemple une auge ou un bac, de préférence en acier inoxydable ou dans un matériau plastique alimentaire tel que Polyéthylène Haute densité (PEHD), Polypropylène (PP) ou encore tout autre matériau organique ou métallique alimentaire.FIG. 5 represents a thermal treatment installation according to the invention comprising two treatment modules in series in top view. In a first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment installation 1 according to the invention consists of a single treatment module 2, said module 2 comprising a compartment 3, for example a trough or a container, preferably made of stainless steel or a food plastic material such as High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP) or any other organic or metallic food material.
Les dimensions exactes dudit compartiment 3 peuvent être choisies en fonction du tonnage de produits à traiter et de la durée de traitement souhaitée.The exact dimensions of said compartment 3 can be chosen according to the tonnage of products to be treated and the desired duration of treatment.
Ce compartiment 3 comporte une entrée E pour l'admission de la vendange 5 en mélange dans du jus de raisin chaud, le jus de raisin constituant un fluide caloporteur 4 dans lequel est immergé la vendange au niveau de ladite entrée E. Le fluide caloporteur 4 est introduit, par exemple à l'aide de buses ou de bondes ou encore une rampe d'aspersion (non représenté), à l'entré-e E du compartiment 3 à une température de traitement θt de Tordre de 90°C à 100°C à laquelle le fluide caloporteur est porté par un échangeur thermique 9 situé à l'extérieur dudit compartiment 3. L'échangeur 9 peut par exemple être un échangeur thermique conventionnellement utilisé dans l'industrie agroalimentaire et relié à une chaudière pour chauffer le fluide à la température θt.This compartment 3 has an inlet E for admitting the harvest 5 as a mixture into hot grape juice, the grape juice constituting a heat transfer fluid 4 in which the harvest is immersed at said inlet E. The heat transfer fluid 4 is introduced, for example using nozzles or bungs or a spray boom (not shown), at the inlet E of compartment 3 at a treatment temperature θ t of the order of 90 ° C at 100 ° C to which the heat transfer fluid is carried by a heat exchanger 9 located outside said compartment 3. The exchanger 9 may for example be a heat exchanger conventionally used in the food industry and connected to a boiler to heat the fluid at temperature θ t .
Au niveau d'une sortie S du compartiment 3, le module de traitement 2 comprend des moyens de séparation et de transfert du moût 5 et de la vendange 4 dans deux organes de réception 7l 5 72, distincts l'un de l'autre.At an outlet S of compartment 3, the processing module 2 comprises means for separating and transferring the must 5 and the harvest 4 into two receiving members 7 l 5 7 2 , distinct from one of the other.
Dans le mode de réalisation décrit à la figure 1 , ces moyens de séparation et de transfert prennent la forme d'un tambour 6, de préférence cylindrique, et comportant une paroi 6j percée d'évidemment 62 pour laisser passer le moût caloporteur 4 en sortie S dudit compartiment 3, et retenir la vendange 5.In the embodiment described in FIG. 1, these separation and transfer means take the form of a drum 6, preferably cylindrical, and comprising a wall 6 j obviously pierced 6 2 for allow the heat transfer must 4 to pass at the outlet S of said compartment 3, and retain the harvest 5.
Le tambour 6 est mobile en rotation autour d'un axe XX' disposé transversalement à l'axe longitudinal du compartiment 3 et à une hauteur légèrement inférieure de celle de la sortie S dudit compartiment. Ledit tambour est mû en rotation par un moteur, par exemple couplé sur l'axe longitudinal XX' par engrènement ou par l'intermédiaire d'une courroie de transmission ou tout autre moyen.The drum 6 is movable in rotation about an axis XX 'arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the compartment 3 and at a height slightly lower than that of the outlet S of said compartment. Said drum is rotated by a motor, for example coupled on the longitudinal axis XX 'by meshing or by means of a transmission belt or any other means.
Ledit tambour 6 est disposé de telle sorte que sa paroi X affleure ladite sortie S dudit compartiment 3 ce qui, par le mouvement de rotation du tambour permet d'entraîner la vendange 5 sur la surface externe de ladite paroi 6 en une seule couche.Said drum 6 is arranged so that its wall X is flush with said outlet S of said compartment 3 which, by the rotary movement of the drum allows the harvest 5 to be carried on the external surface of said wall 6 in a single layer.
La vendange est ainsi transférée sur la surface du tambour par la rotation de celui-ci, mais est également au cours de transfert égouttée par écoulement du fluide caloporteur 4 au travers des évidements 62 de la paroi 6j du tambour 6 pendant la rotation.The harvest is thus transferred to the surface of the drum by the rotation of the latter, but is also in the course of transfer drained by the flow of the heat transfer fluid 4 through the recesses 6 2 of the wall 6 j of the drum 6 during the rotation.
A la sortie S du compartiment 3, le moût caloporteur 4 s'écoule par les évidements 62 de la paroi 6t du tambour et traverse une première fois ladite paroi en une partie supérieure de celle-ci de l'extérieur vers l'intérieur du tambour 6 pour débarrasser le fluide caloporteur des particules en suspension de taille supérieure à celle des perforations 62. telles les bourbes de raisins. Après ce premier passage, le fluide caloporteur s'écoule par gravité à l'intérieur du tambour 6 et traverse une deuxième fois ladite paroi 61 de celui-ci au travers des évidements 62 en une partie inférieure de celle-ci pour être recueilli dans un dit premier organe de réception l situé sous le tambour 6 et dans lequel le moût caloporteur 4 est récupéré pour être ensuite recyclé et réintroduit à ladite entrée du compartiment 4. Ce deuxième passage du moût caloporteur 4 au travers de la paroi 6X du tambour 6 permet un nettoyage des évidements 62 de la paroi du tambour 6.At the outlet S of compartment 3, the coolant 4 flows through the recesses 6 2 of the wall 6 t of the drum and crosses said wall for the first time in an upper part of the latter from the outside to the inside of the drum 6 to rid the heat-transfer fluid of the particles in suspension of size larger than that of the perforations 6 2 . like grape bourbes. After this first passage, the heat transfer fluid flows by gravity inside the drum 6 and passes a second time through said wall 6 1 thereof through the recesses 6 2 in a lower part thereof to be collected. in a said first receiving member 1 located under the drum 6 and in which the heat transfer must 4 is recovered in order to be then recycled and reintroduced at said inlet to compartment 4. This second passage of the heat transfer must 4 through the wall 6 X of the drum 6 allows cleaning of the recesses 6 2 of the wall of the drum 6.
Dans le même temps que le fluide caloporteur traverse une première et une seconde fois la paroi 6t dudit tambour 6, la vendange 5 séparée dudit fluide 4 est portée en une seule couche sur la surface externe de ladite paroi 6t et séparée de cette dernière après egouttage par l'intermédiaire d'un racleur 14 incliné tangentiellement contre ladite paroi 6j du tambour 6. La vendange 5 glisse ensuite sur le racleur 14 pour être récupérée dans un dit deuxième organe de réception 72 situé en aval du tambour 6 et du racleur 14.At the same time as the heat transfer fluid passes through the wall 6 t of said drum 6 a first and a second time, the harvest 5 separated from said fluid 4 is carried in a single layer on the external surface of said wall 6 t and separated from the latter after draining by means of a scraper 14 inclined tangentially against said wall 6 j of the drum 6. The harvest 5 then slides on the scraper 14 to be recovered in a said second receiving member 7 2 located downstream of the drum 6 and of the scraper 14.
La vendange 5 ainsi récupérée après mise en température, peut ensuite être soit conservée soit transférée vers une étape de traitement ultérieure comme un pressurage, une macération ou une fermentation.The harvest 5 thus recovered after setting to temperature, can then be either stored or transferred to a subsequent processing step such as pressing, maceration or fermentation.
L'installation 1 décrite ci-avant permet la mise en température par thermovinification en continu de raisins par échange thermique entre le fluide caloporteur 4, en l'espèce du moût à la température θt, et les raisins.The installation 1 described above allows the temperature setting by continuous thermovinification of grapes by heat exchange between the heat transfer fluid 4, in this case the must at the temperature θ t , and the grapes.
Cette mise en température s'effectue comme suit. Dans un premier temps, on introduit la vendange 5 à une température Tl s par exemple sensiblement égale à la température de l'air ambiant, en immersion dans le fluide caloporteur 4 à sa dite température de traitement θt au niveau de ladite entrée E du compartiment 3.This warming up is carried out as follows. Firstly, the harvest 5 is introduced at a temperature T ls for example substantially equal to the temperature of the ambient air, immersed in the heat transfer fluid 4 at its said treatment temperature θ t at the level of said inlet E of the compartment 3.
Le débit de fluide caloporteur 4 est choisi de façon à ce que la vendange 5 introduite en continu dans le compartiment 3 soit entraînée par ledit fluide caloporteur 4 et circule ainsi à co-courant en immersion dans ce fluide à l'intérieur dudit compartiment 3. Au cours de cette circulation, les raisins et le fluide échangent de l'énergie, ce qui permet de porter la vendange 5 à une température T2 comprise de préférence entre 70°c et 90°C en sortie S du compartiment 4.The flow of heat transfer fluid 4 is chosen so that the harvest 5 introduced continuously into the compartment 3 is driven by said heat transfer fluid 4 and thus circulates co-current in immersion in this fluid inside said compartment 3. During this circulation, the grapes and the fluid exchange energy, which makes it possible to carry the harvest 5 at a temperature T 2 preferably between 70 ° c and 90 ° C at the outlet S of compartment 4.
Afin de prolonger la durée d'immersion des raisins 5 dans le moût caloporteur 4, on dispose dans un mode de réalisation préféré représenté à la figure 5, des cloisons internes 1 1 formant un parcours de circulation allongée desdits raisins en immersion dans le moût 4 à l'intérieur du compartiment 3.In order to extend the duration of immersion of the grapes 5 in the heat transfer must 4, in a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 5, there are internal partitions 1 1 forming an elongated circulation path for said grapes immersed in the must 4 inside compartment 3.
Après circulation à l'intérieur du compartiment 3, le moût 4 est récupéré dan un bac de récupération lλ situé sous le tambour 6 et est pompé par l'intermédiaire d'une pompe 10 qui le fait circuler à l'intérieur d'une boucle de circulation 8 à l'extérieur dudit compartiment 3 et reliant ledit bac de réception l jusqu'à ladite entrée E dudit compartiment 3. A l'intérieur de cette boucle 8, le moût 4 est porté à sa température de traitement θt par passage dans Téchangeur thermique 9, puis est réintroduit au niveau de ladite entrée E du compartiment.After circulation inside compartment 3, the wort 4 is recovered in a recovery tank 1 λ located under the drum 6 and is pumped by means of a pump 10 which circulates it inside a circulation loop 8 outside said compartment 3 and connecting said receiving tank l to said inlet E of said compartment 3. Inside this loop 8, the must 4 is brought to its treatment temperature θ t by passage through the heat exchanger 9, then is reintroduced at said inlet E of the compartment.
Ainsi, le fluide est perpétuellement injecté et recyclé dans ladite boucle de circulation 8 entre la sortie S du compartiment 3 et l'entrée E de ce dernier, ce qui permet une mise en température en continu de la vendange. Dans une variante de réalisation représentée à la figure 2, l'installation 1 peut être composée de deux modules de traitement 3, 3' disposés en série.Thus, the fluid is perpetually injected and recycled into said circulation loop 8 between the outlet S of compartment 3 and the inlet E of the latter, which allows the harvest to be continuously warmed up. In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 2, the installation 1 can be composed of two treatment modules 3, 3 'arranged in series.
Les deux modules de traitement 2, 2' ont une constitution rigoureusement identique et le deuxième module 2' est placé tel que l'entrée E' de son compartiment 3' est disposée contre ledit tambour 6 de séparation et de transfert dudit premier module 2, de telle sorte que ledit tambour 6 transfère la vendange 5 depuis le compartiment 3 dudit premier module 2 dans le compartiment 3' dudit second module 2', par un mouvement de rotation. Ledit compartiment 3' dudit second module 2' constitue ainsi ledit second organe de réception 72 des objets traités dans le premier module 2.The two treatment modules 2, 2 'have a strictly identical constitution and the second module 2' is placed such that the inlet E 'of its compartment 3' is disposed against said drum 6 for separating and transferring said first module 2, so that said drum 6 transfers the harvest 5 from compartment 3 of said first module 2 into compartment 3 'of said second module 2', by a rotational movement. Said compartment 3 'of said second module 2' thus constitutes said second receiving member 7 2 of the objects treated in the first module 2.
Dans cette configuration, on porte les objets de ladite température j à l'entrée E du compartiment 3 du premier module 2 jusqu'à ladite température T2 en sortie du second module 2', par une double immersion de la vendange 5 dans le fluide caloporteur 4 à sa température de traitement θt, une première fois à l'intérieur du compartiment 3 du premier module 2 pour porter la vendange de la température Tl à une température T'I comprise entre Tl et T2, puis une seconde fois dans le compartiment 3' du second module 2' pour porter ladite vendange de la température T'I à la température finale T2.In this configuration, the objects of said temperature j are brought to the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2 to said temperature T 2 at the outlet of the second module 2 ', by a double immersion of the harvest 5 in the fluid coolant 4 at its processing temperature θ t , a first time inside compartment 3 of the first module 2 to bring the harvest from temperature Tl to a temperature T'I between Tl and T2, then a second time in the compartment 3 'of the second module 2' to bring said harvest from temperature T'I to final temperature T2.
A la sortie S du compartiment 3 du premier module 2, on sépare le moût caloporteur 4 et la vendange 5 par l'intermédiaire du tambour 6, les raisins à la température T'I étant égouttés et transférés sur la paroi externe 6j dudit tambour vers l'entrée E' du compartiment 4' du second module pour être immergés une deuxième fois et véhiculés à co-courant dans le fluide calo-porteur 4 à l'intérieur du compartiment 3' du second module 2' puis être récupérés et égouttés par l'intermédiaire d'un deuxième tambour d'egouttage 6' à la sortie S' du compartiment 3' dudit deuxième module 2'. A la sortie S du compartiment 3 du premier module 2, on récupère le moût caloporteur 4 que Ton recycle à l'entrée E dudit compartiment 3 dans ladite boucle de circulation 8 du premier module 2, et à la sortie S' du compartiment 3'du second module 2', on sépare la vendange à la température T2 et le moût caloporteur 4 par le tambour 6', ladite vendange 5 étant récupérée dans un organe de récupération 7'2 et le moût 4 dans un bac de récupération 1 pour être recyclé dans la boucle de circulation 8' dudit second module 2', et réintroduit à l'entrée E' du compartiment 4' de ce dit module 2'.At the outlet S of compartment 3 of the first module 2, the heat transfer must 4 and the harvest 5 are separated by means of the drum 6, the grapes at temperature T'I being drained and transferred to the external wall 6 j of said drum towards the inlet E 'of compartment 4' of the second module to be immersed a second time and conveyed co-current in the heat-carrying fluid 4 inside compartment 3 'of the second module 2' then be recovered and drained by means of a second drip drum 6 'at the outlet S' of the compartment 3 'of said second module 2'. At the outlet S of compartment 3 of the first module 2, the heat transfer must 4 is recovered which is recycled at the inlet E of said compartment 3 in said circulation loop 8 of the first module 2, and at the outlet S 'of compartment 3' from the second module 2 ′, the harvest is separated at temperature T2 and the heat transfer must 4 by the drum 6 ′, said harvest 5 being recovered in a recovery unit 7 ′ 2 and the must 4 in a recovery tank 1 to be recycled into the circulation loop 8 'of said second module 2', and reintroduced at the inlet E 'of compartment 4' of said module 2 '.
Une telle installation 1 de traitement thermique comprenant deux modules 2, 2' permet d'atteindre des températures T2 très éloignées de la température T à laquelle la vendange 5 est introduite dans le compartiment 3, sans pour autant limiter le débit de fluide caloporteur 4 ni celui d'introduction de la vendange 5 à l'entrée E du compartiment 3 du premier module 2 et sans augmenter la quantité de moût 4 ou la durée d'immersion du raisin 5 dans chacun des compartiments des deux dits modules 2 et 2'. Dans une seconde variante de réalisation de l'invention représentée à la figure 3, l'installation de traitement thermique 1 selon l'invention comporte deux modules de traitement 2 et 2' disposés en série, dont les moyens de séparation 6 et 6' sont formés par un seul et même tambour 6.Such a thermal treatment installation 1 comprising two modules 2, 2 ′ makes it possible to reach temperatures T 2 very far from the temperature T at which the harvest 5 is introduced into the compartment 3, without limiting the flow of heat-transfer fluid 4 or that of introducing the harvest 5 to the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2 and without increasing the amount of must 4 or the duration of immersion of the grapes 5 in each of the compartments of the two so-called modules 2 and 2 '. In a second alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the heat treatment installation 1 according to the invention comprises two treatment modules 2 and 2 'arranged in series, the separation means 6 and 6' of which are formed by a single drum 6.
Dans une telle configuration, on fixe sur la paroi externe 6t du tambour 6 des éléments de séparation formant des cloisons 12 autour de la paroi 6l 5 définissant de la sorte des tronçons de tambour 6, le traitement de thermovinification de la vendange 5 s'effectuant alors rigoureusement comme précédemment.In such a configuration, on the external wall 6 t of the drum 6 are fixed separating elements forming partitions 12 around the wall 6 l 5 thus defining the drum sections 6, the heat-treatment treatment of the harvest 5 s 'then performing rigorously as before.
Dans une troisième variante de réalisation représentée à la figure 5, on peut disposer en amont de l'entrée E du compartiment 3 d'un premier module 2 (ou d'un unique module 2) un moyen d'introduction et d'egouttage 13 de la vendange 5 à l'intérieur dudit compartiment 3, ladite vendange 5 ayant été préalablement lavée avant introduction.In a third alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 5, there can be upstream of the inlet E of compartment 3 a first module 2 (or a single module 2) an introduction and draining means 13 of the harvest 5 inside said compartment 3, said harvest 5 having been washed beforehand before introduction.
De préférence, un tel moyen d'introduction et d'egouttage consiste en un tambour 13 identique au tambour de séparation 6 placé en sortie S d'un compartiment 3 d'un dit module de traitement 2 ou 2'. On dispose alors de préférence un bac de récupération 15 du jus d'egouttage de la vendange 5 lavée sous le tambour 13, lequel jus peut être conservé en vue d'une utilisation ultérieure. Dans une quatrième variante de l'installation selon l'invention, représentée à la figure 4, l'installation de traitement thermique 1 est composée de deux modules 2, 2' disposés en série tel que décrit précédemment, les deux dits modules ne disposant plus chacun d'une boucle de circulation propre, mais ces deux dits modules 2, 2' étant reliés par une même boucle de circulation du fluide 8, en particulier une boucle comportant un unique échangeur thermique 9.Preferably, such a means of introduction and draining consists of a drum 13 identical to the separation drum 6 placed at the outlet S of a compartment 3 of a said processing module 2 or 2 '. There is then preferably a collecting tank 15 for the dripping juice from the harvest 5 washed under the drum 13, which juice can be stored for later use. In a fourth variant of the installation according to the invention, shown in FIG. 4, the thermal treatment installation 1 is composed of two modules 2, 2 'arranged in series as described above, the two said modules no longer having each with its own circulation loop, but these two so-called modules 2, 2 'being connected by the same fluid circulation loop 8, in particular a loop comprising a single heat exchanger 9.
Dans cette configuration, le fluide caloporteur 4 est récupéré à la sortie S du compartiment 3 du premier module2, puis il est pompé par l'intermédiaire d'une première pompe 10 et on le porte à ladite température de traitement θt avant d'être introduit à l'entrée E' du compartiment 3' du deuxième module 2'. On récupère ensuite le fluide caloporteur 4 à une température sensiblement inférieure à θt à la sortie S' dudit compartiment 3' du second module 2' et on le transfère par l'intermédiaire d'une seconde pompe 10' sans remise en température dans l'echangeur 9 directement à l'entrée E du compartiment 3 du premier module 2.In this configuration, the heat transfer fluid 4 is recovered at the outlet S of compartment 3 of the first module 2, then it is pumped via a first pump 10 and it is brought to said treatment temperature θ t before being introduced at the input E 'of compartment 3' of the second module 2 '. The heat transfer fluid 4 is then recovered at a temperature substantially lower than θ t at the outlet S 'of said compartment 3' of the second module 2 'and it is transferred via a second pump 10' without reheating in the heat exchanger 9 directly at the inlet E of compartment 3 of the first module 2.
On réalise ainsi une mise en température étagée de la vendange tout en limitant le débit ainsi que le volume de moût caloporteur 4 nécessaires pour porter les raisins 5 de T, à T2. L'installation de traitement thermique 1 ci-dessus décrite permet ainsi une mise en température de la vendange, et plus généralement d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des végétaux, sans moyens mécaniques de transport dans le fluide caloporteur.This produces a staged temperature setting of the harvest while limiting the flow rate as well as the volume of heat-transfer must 4 necessary to bring the grapes 5 from T to T 2 . The thermal treatment installation 1 described above thus allows the harvesting, and more generally fragile objects such as fruits or vegetables, to be brought to temperature, without mechanical means of transport in the heat-transfer fluid.
En particulier, l'installation et le procédé selon l'invention permettent de réaliser une thermovinification de raisins pour en extraire les substances colorantes et aromatiques telles que les anthocyanes et les tanins contenus dans les pellicules des baies, sans blesser les grappes par transport mécanique ni extraction trop poussée par drainage du jus au travers des raisins en appui statique sur des moyens d'egouttage. On évite ainsi toute blessure du fruit avant macération et fermentation, mais également toute diffusion trop importante des tanins « durs » contenus dans les rafles et les pépins, tanins qui sont néfastes à la qualité des vins.In particular, the installation and the method according to the invention make it possible to thermovinify grapes to extract the coloring and aromatic substances such as anthocyanins and tannins contained in the berries films, without injuring the bunches by mechanical transport or excessive extraction by drainage of the juice through the grapes in static support on draining means. This avoids any injury to the fruit before maceration and fermentation, but also any excessive distribution of "hard" tannins contained in the stalks and seeds, tannins which are detrimental to the quality of the wines.
On peut ainsi réaliser en particulier le chauffage de raisins entiers non foulés avant une étape ultérieure de pressage ou de macération pré- fermentaire à chaud, ou encore une étape ultérieure de traitement par pressurage et/ou détente sous vide du raisin pour en extraire un maximum de substances d'intérêt aromatiques et structurelles, telles que les anthocyanes et tanins.It is thus possible in particular to heat whole grapes which are not crushed before a subsequent stage of pressing or hot pre-fermentation maceration, or else a subsequent stage of treatment by pressing and / or vacuum relaxation of the grapes to extract a maximum of aromatic and structural substances of interest, such as anthocyanins and tannins.
La présente invention a été décrite et représentée en référence à des modes de réalisation et d'utilisation particuliers qui ne sont en l'espèce aucunement limitatifs de la portée de la présente invention, laquelle portée s'étend aux variations de l'installation et aux nouvelles utilisations possibles de cette installation à la portée de l'homme du métier. The present invention has been described and shown with reference to particular embodiments and uses which are in the present case in no way limiting the scope of the present invention, which scope extends to variations of the installation and to new possible uses of this installation within the reach of those skilled in the art.

Claims

REVENDICATIONS
1. Installation de traitement thermique (1) en continu d'objets fragiles tels que des fruits ou des légumes (5), comprenant au moins un module de traitement (2) comportant: - un compartiment (3) apte à contenir desdits objets (5) introduits à une entrée (E) dudit compartiment en immersion dans un fluide caloporteur (4) circulant dans ledit compartiment, et1. Installation for heat treatment (1) continuously of fragile objects such as fruit or vegetables (5), comprising at least one treatment module (2) comprising: - a compartment (3) capable of containing said objects ( 5) introduced into an inlet (E) of said compartment immersed in a heat transfer fluid (4) circulating in said compartment, and
- des moyens de séparation (6) desdits objets (5) et dudit fluide (4) comprenant un moyen d'egouttage (6t) comprenant des évidements (62) aptes à laisser passer ledit fluide et retenir lesdits objets, et un premier organe de réception (7t) apte à récupérer ledit fluide (4) en aval dudit compartiment (3), et des moyens de transfert (6) desdits objets séparés dudit fluide dans un deuxième organe de réception (72), et une boucle de circulation (8) du fluide séparé desdits objets à l'extérieur dudit compartiment (3) depuis ledit premier organe de réception (7j) vers ledit compartiment, et des moyens de mise en température (9) dudit fluide (4) dans ladite boucle de circulation (8) dudit fluide à l'extérieur dudit compartiment (3) , et - des moyens de circulation (10) dudit fluide caloporteur et desdits objets dans ledit compartiment, caractérisé en ce que : ladite boucle de circulation (8) relie ledit premier organe de réception (7α) et ledit compartiment (3) au niveau de ladite entrée (E) dudit compartiment, lesdits moyens de circulation (10) sont aptes à générer un flux de fluide caloporteur (4) pour faire circuler lesdits obj ets (5) et ledit fluide (4) dans ledit compartiment par entraînement à co-courant desdits objets dans ledit fluide entre ladite entrée (E) et une même sortie (S) dudit compartiment, lesdits moyens de séparation et dits moyens de transferts (6) desdits objets (5) séparés dudit fluide (4) sont constitués par un dit moyen d'egouttage (6j) en aval de ladite sortie (S) du compartiment (3), ledit moyen d'egouttage étant un moyen d'egouttage mobile permettant par son mouvement l'égouttage et le transfert simultané desdits objets (5) séparés dudit fluide (4) vers ledit deuxième organe de réception (72) .- means for separating (6) said objects (5) and said fluid (4) comprising a draining means (6 t ) comprising recesses (6 2 ) capable of letting said fluid pass and retaining said objects, and a first receiving member (7 t ) capable of recovering said fluid (4) downstream of said compartment (3), and means for transferring (6) said objects separated from said fluid into a second receiving member (7 2 ), and a loop circulation (8) of the fluid separated from said objects outside of said compartment (3) from said first receiving member ( 7d ) towards said compartment, and means for bringing to temperature (9) said fluid (4) in said circulation loop (8) of said fluid outside said compartment (3), and - circulation means (10) of said heat transfer fluid and said objects in said compartment, characterized in that: said circulation loop (8) connects said first receiving member (7 α ) and said compartment (3) at the level of said entrance (E) of said compartment, said circulation means (10) are capable of generating a flow of heat transfer fluid (4) for circulating said objects (5) and said fluid (4) in said compartment by co-current entrainment of said objects in said fluid between said inlet (E) and one outlet (S) of said compartment, said means of separation and said means of transfer (6) of said objects (5) separated from said fluid (4) are constituted by a said means of draining (6 d ) downstream of said outlet (S) of the compartment (3), said draining means being a movable draining means allowing by its movement the draining and the simultaneous transfer of said objects (5) separated from said fluid (4) towards said second receiving device (7 2 ).
2. Installation selon la revendication 1 , caractérisé en ce que ledit moyen d'egouttage est mobile en rotation dans la direction (F) de déplacement desdits objets (5) et dudit fluide (4) en sortie (S) dudit compartiment (3), et comprend un tambour (6) rotatif autour d'un axe de rotation (XX') situé transversalement à ladite direction de déplacement dont une paroi (6X), de préférence cylindrique, comportent desdits évidements (62), ledit tambour étant disposé en aval dudit compartiment (3) de telle sorte qu'il est apte à entraîner lesdits objets (5) sensiblement en une seule couche d'objets sur une partie supérieure externe de sa dite paroi et à transférer par rotation lesdits objets vers ledit deuxième organe de réception (72), et en ce que ledit premier organe de réception est constitué par un bac de réception (7t) situé sous ledit tambour( 6), de sorte que ledit fluide (4) traverse une première fois ladite paroi (6j) dudit tambour (6) en rotation en sa dite partie supérieure puis une seconde fois en une partie inférieure avant d'être recueilli dans ledit bac de réception.2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that said draining means is rotatable in the direction (F) of movement of said objects (5) and said fluid (4) at the outlet (S) of said compartment (3) , and comprises a drum (6) rotatable about an axis of rotation (XX ') situated transversely to said direction of movement, a wall (6 X ) of which, preferably cylindrical, includes said recesses (6 2 ), said drum being arranged downstream of said compartment (3) so that it is capable of driving said objects (5) substantially in a single layer of objects on an upper external part of its said wall and of transferring said objects by rotation to said second receiving member (7 2 ), and in that said first receiving member consists of a receiving tank (7 t ) located under said drum (6), so that said fluid (4) passes through said wall for the first time ( 6d ) of said drum (6) rotating in its said upper part then a second time in a lower part before being collected in said receiving tank.
3. Installation selon la revendication 2, caractérisée en ce que lesdits moyens de mise en température sont constitués par un échangeur thermique(9) ou un système de transfert d'énergie. 3. Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that said temperature setting means are constituted by a heat exchanger (9) or an energy transfer system.
4. Installation selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, caractérisée en ce que ledit compartiment (4) est constitué par un caisson (ou une goulotte) ouvert(e) ou fermé(e) et à pression atmosphérique comportant de préférence des cloisons internes (11) formant un parcours de circulation allongé desdits objets (5) en immersion dans ledit fluide caloporteur (4) dans ledit compartiment (3) . 4. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said compartment (4) consists of a box (or a chute) open or closed and at atmospheric pressure preferably comprising internal partitions (11) forming an elongated circulation path of said objects (5) immersed in said heat transfer fluid (4) in said compartment (3) .
5. Installation selon l'une des revendications 1 à 4, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend au moins deux dits modules de traitement (2, 2') disposés en série de telle sorte que lesdits moyens de séparation et de transfert (6) d'un premier module (2) sont intercalés entre la sortie (S) du compartiment (3) dudit premier module (2) et ladite entrée (E') du compartiment (3') d'un second module (2') et sont aptes à transférer lesdits objets (5) depuis la sortie (S) du compartiment (3) dudit premier module vers ladite entrée (E') du compartiment (3') dudit second module.5. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises at least two said treatment modules (2, 2 ') arranged in series so that said separation and transfer means (6) of a first module (2) are interposed between the outlet (S) of the compartment (3) of said first module (2) and said inlet (E ') of the compartment (3') of a second module (2 ') and are capable of transferring said objects (5) from the outlet (S) of the compartment (3) of said first module to said inlet (E ') of the compartment (3') of said second module.
6. Installation selon la revendication 5, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend au moins deux dits modules de traitement en série et en ce que lesdits moyens de séparation et de transfert des dits premier et second modules sont réalisés par un même tambour (6) en rotation comportant sur sa paroi cylindrique (6t) externe des moyens de séparations (12) délimitant au moins deux tronçons de tambour distincts.6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises at least two said processing modules in series and in that said means for separating and transferring said first and second modules are produced by the same drum (6) in rotation comprising on its external cylindrical wall (6 t ) separation means (12) delimiting at least two distinct drum sections.
7. Installation selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6, caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend également des moyens d'introduction (13) desdits objets (5) dans le compartiment (3) d'un unique ou d'un premier dit module (2), lesdits moyens d'introductions comportant des moyens d'egouttage (131; 132) desdits objets en amont de l'entrée (E) dudit compartiment, de préférence des moyens d'introduction mobiles. 7. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it also comprises means for introducing (13) said objects (5) into the compartment (3) of a single or a first said module (2), said introduction means comprising draining means (13 1; 13 2 ) of said objects upstream from the entrance (E) of said compartment, preferably mobile introduction means.
8. Installation selon Tune des revendications 1 à 9, caractérisée en ce qu'un dit module de traitement (2, 2') comprend un racleur (14) fixe incliné, de préférence sensiblement tangentiellement, contre ladite partie supérieure de ladite paroi (6l 5 6 ) du tambour (6, 6') en rotation en aval de celui-ci et en pente descendante en direction d'un dit deuxième organe de réception (72, 7'2) . 8. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a said treatment module (2, 2 ') comprises a fixed scraper (14) inclined, preferably substantially tangentially, against said upper part of said wall (6 l 5 6) of the drum (6, 6 ') in rotation downstream of the latter and in a downward slope in the direction of a said second receiving member (7 2 , 7' 2 ).
9. Procédé de traitement thermique d'obj ets fragiles (5) tels que des fruits ou des végétaux dans lequel on réalise les étapes successives :9. Process for the heat treatment of fragile objects (5) such as fruit or plants in which the successive stages are carried out:
1) on réalise une mise en température desdits objets (5) depuis une température Tl jusqu'à une température T2 par immersion desdits objets dans un fluide caloporteur (4) à l'intérieur d'un compartiment (3), et circulation desdits objets et dudit fluide caloporteur dans ledit compartiment,1) warming up said objects (5) from a temperature T1 to a temperature T2 by immersing said objects in a heat transfer fluid (4) inside a compartment (3), and circulation of said objects and said heat transfer fluid in said compartment,
2) on sépare lesdits objets et ledit fluide après mise en température desdits objets à l'aide d'un moyen d'egouttage (6l 5 62) retenant les dits objets et laissant passer ledit fluide,2) said objects and said fluid are separated after warming up said objects using a draining means (6 l 5 6 2 ) retaining said objects and letting said fluid pass,
3) on récupère ledit fluide (4) séparé desdits objets à l'étape 2 dans un premier organe de réception (7t)3) recovering said fluid (4) separated from said objects in step 2 in a first receiving member (7 t )
4) on transfère lesdits objets (5) mis en température dans un deuxième organe de réception (72), 5) on réintroduit ledit fluide depuis ledit premier organe de réception jusqu'au dit compartiment, ledit fluide étant porté à une température θt dont la valeur absolue est supérieure à T2 préalablement à sa réintroduction dans ledit compartiment, caractérisé en ce que : 6) à l'étape 1 , on fait circuler à co-courant lesdits objets (5) et ledit fluide (4) dans ledit compartiment (3) entre une entrée (E) dudit compartiment jusqu'à une même sortie (S) dudit compartiment, et4) transferring said objects (5) brought to temperature in a second receiving member (7 2 ), 5) reintroducing said fluid from said first receiving member to said compartment, said fluid being brought to a temperature θ t whose absolute value is greater than T2 prior to its reintroduction into said compartment, characterized in that: 6) in step 1, said objects (5) and said fluid (4) are circulated in co-current in said compartment (3) between an inlet (E) of said compartment to a single outlet (S) of said compartment, and
7) à l'étape 5, on réintroduit ledit fluide (4) à ladite entrée dudit compartiment (3) depuis ledit premier organe de réception (7j) , et 8) aux étapes 2 et 3, on réalise la séparation et le transfert desdits objets (5) et dudit fluide (4) en aval de ladite sortie (S) dudit compartiment à l'aide d'un dit moyen d'egouttage (6α) mobile dont le mouvement permet l'égouttage et le transfert d'une seule couche desdits objets (5) dans ledit deuxième organe de réception (72).7) in step 5, said fluid (4) is reintroduced at said inlet to said compartment (3) from said first receiving member (7 d ), and 8) in steps 2 and 3, separation and transfer are carried out said objects (5) and said fluid (4) downstream of said outlet (S) of said compartment using a said mobile draining means (6 α ) whose movement allows draining and transferring a single layer of said objects (5) into said second receiving member (7 2 ).
10. Procédé selon la revendication 9, caractérisé en ce que Ton utilise une installation (1) selon Tune des revendications 1 à 8. 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that Ton uses an installation (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8.
11. Procédé selon la revendication 10 dans lequel on utilise une installation (1) selon Tune des revendications 2 à 8, caractérisé en ce que lesdits objets (5) abutent en sortie (S) d'un dit compartiment (3) contre ladite paroi (6α) d'un dit tambour (6) en rotation et sont entraînés et égouttés sensiblement en une seule couche recouvrant une dite partie supérieure de ladite paroi, et ledit fluide caloporteur (4) traverse ledit tambour une première fois en ladite partie supérieure de la paroi, et une deuxième fois en une partie inférieure de ladite paroi avant d'être récupéré dans ledit premier organe de réception (7t) sous ledit tambour.11. Method according to claim 10 in which an installation (1) according to one of claims 2 to 8 is used, characterized in that said objects (5) abut at the outlet (S) of a said compartment (3) against said wall (6 α ) of a said drum (6) in rotation and are driven and drained substantially in a single layer covering a said upper part of said wall, and said heat transfer fluid (4) passes through said drum a first time in said upper part of the wall, and a second time in a lower part of said wall before being recovered in said first receiving member (7 t ) under said drum.
12. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 9 à 11 , caractérisé en ce qu'on utilise une installation de traitement thermique selon l'une des revendications 5 à 8, lesdits objets (5) étant portés à une température intermédiaire T'I comprise entre Tl et T2 par un dit premier module (2) et ledit fluide caloporteur (4) récupéré en sortie d'un dit second module (2') est à une température supérieure à celle du fluide caloporteur (4) récupéré en sortie dudit premier module (2).12. Method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that a heat treatment installation is used according to one of claims 5 to 8, said objects (5) being brought to an intermediate temperature T'I included between Tl and T2 by a said first module (2) and said heat transfer fluid (4) recovered at the outlet of a said second module (2 ') is at a temperature higher than that of the heat transfer fluid (4) recovered at the outlet of said first module (2).
13. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 9 à 12, caractérisé en ce que Ton utilise une installation de mise en température selon Tune des revendications 5 à 8 comportant au moins deux dits modules de traitement (2, 2') en série et en ce que le fluide caloporteur (4) recueilli dans un dit premier organe de réception (7t) d'un dit premier module de traitement (2) est mis en température par un dit moyen de mise en température (9) puis envoyé par l'intermédiaire de dits moyens de circulation (10) vers l'entrée (E') du compartiment (4') du second module de traitement(2'), et le fluide récupéré dans un dit premier organe de réception (7 ) d'un dit second module (2') est envoyé par l'intermédiaire des dits moyens de circulation (10') à l'entrée (E) du compartiment (3) du dit premier module (2) sans mise en température.13. Method according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that one uses a temperature-setting installation according to one of claims 5 to 8 comprising at least two said treatment modules (2, 2 ') in series and in that the heat transfer fluid (4) collected in a said first receiving member (7 t ) of a said first treatment module (2) is brought to temperature by a said means for bringing to temperature (9) and then sent by the 'intermediate of said means of circulation (10) towards the inlet (E') of the compartment (4 ') of the second treatment module (2'), and the fluid recovered in a said first receiving member (7) of a said second module (2 ′) is sent via said means of circulation (10 ') at the inlet (E) of the compartment (3) of said first module (2) without heating up.
14. Procédé selon Tune des revendications 9 à 13, caractérisé en ce que l'on réalise le chauffage de raisins (5) par immersion et circulation desdits raisins dans un fluide caloporteur qui est du jus de raisin ou du moût (4) à une température θt comprise entre 70°c et 90°C.14. Method according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the heating of the grapes (5) is carried out by immersion and circulation of said grapes in a heat transfer fluid which is grape juice or must (4) at a temperature θ t between 70 ° c and 90 ° C.
15. Procédé selon la revendication 14, caractérisé en ce que Ton réalise le chauffage desdits raisins (5) depuis une température Tl jusqu'à une température T2 comprise entre 0°C et 90°C. 15. The method of claim 14, characterized in that Ton performs the heating of said grapes (5) from a temperature T1 to a temperature T2 between 0 ° C and 90 ° C.
PCT/FR2004/002556 2003-11-06 2004-10-08 Heat treatment installation and method WO2005047449A1 (en)

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FR0313058A FR2862065B1 (en) 2003-11-06 2003-11-06 INSTALLATION AND METHOD FOR THERMAL TREATMENT
FR0313058 2003-11-06

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101919436B (en) * 2010-09-02 2012-11-07 天津大学 Heat pump type pressure gradient fruit vegetable heat treatment library
FR3026953B1 (en) * 2014-10-13 2018-01-19 Msd - Mecano Soudure Dromoise DEVICE FOR TREATING PLANT MATERIAL

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1566304A (en) * 1968-01-29 1969-05-09
FR1576483A (en) * 1968-05-02 1969-08-01
FR2352881A1 (en) * 1976-05-28 1977-12-23 Teissedre Colette Extn. of red wine anthocyanin(s) from grapes - without destruction from oxidase(s) which are eliminated by high temp.
FR2494716A1 (en) * 1980-11-25 1982-05-28 Ecal Francois Tank for hot wine maceration of grapes prior to pressing - is equipped with alcohol-meter and roller blind type top cover
US5850783A (en) * 1996-05-31 1998-12-22 Fmc Corporation Drenching apparatus

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1566304A (en) * 1968-01-29 1969-05-09
FR1576483A (en) * 1968-05-02 1969-08-01
FR2352881A1 (en) * 1976-05-28 1977-12-23 Teissedre Colette Extn. of red wine anthocyanin(s) from grapes - without destruction from oxidase(s) which are eliminated by high temp.
FR2494716A1 (en) * 1980-11-25 1982-05-28 Ecal Francois Tank for hot wine maceration of grapes prior to pressing - is equipped with alcohol-meter and roller blind type top cover
US5850783A (en) * 1996-05-31 1998-12-22 Fmc Corporation Drenching apparatus

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FR2862065B1 (en) 2006-02-17
EP1685232A1 (en) 2006-08-02

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