Mechanically loaded direct air circulation commodity disinfestation chamber
US6171561A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA23B7/0053
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A disinfestation treatment chamber for treating fruit, flower and vegetable commodities subject to infestation by quarantine pests. The commodities are disinfested so as to meet quarantine restrictions without adversely affecting the quality of the commodity. The commodity is heated inside of the chamber in hot air having a relative humidity of 30-85% until the temperature of the commodity exceeds the thermal death point temperature of the target pest but is not so high as to adversely affect the quality of the commodity. The temperature of the commodity is held at this temperature until the pest is killed. The commodity is loaded into the treatment chamber in bins onto a low friction conveyor track system which transports the bins from one end of the chamber to the other. The commodities are treated while they are inside of the treatment chamber. After treatment of the commodities, the bins are unloaded using the low friction conveyor track system out of the opposite end of the treatment chamber. The chamber includes a fan/heat exchanger located inside the treatment chamber and positioned under the commodity bins. The space directly above the fan/heat exchanger is left unobstructe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.