Patent ID: 9578894
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: A23L

Claim:
1. A pasteurizing method, comprising: conducting material to be pasteurized through a plurality of temperature zones of a tunnel and spraying or sprinkling the material with water, collecting draining water in a trap portion arranged on the bottom of the tunnel in different trap zones that correspond to the plurality of temperature zones of the tunnel, and re-collecting the water from the trap zones upwards into the tunnel of the respective temperature zones, wherein the temperature of the water in the temperature zones is regulated by a control unit, wherein regulating the temperature of the water in the temperature zones by the control unit comprises: buffering excessive water in zone buffers of a plurality of individual temperature zones from among the plurality of temperature zones of the tunnel, each of the plurality of individual temperature zones having its own zone buffer, separate from other temperature zones, and wherein excessive water in each of the plurality of individual temperature zones is water above a minimum filling level of the respective zone buffer, the water up to the minimum filling level being required for circulation in the respective individual temperature zone, measuring by temperature sensors the temperature of the water in each of the plurality of temperature zones of the tunnel and comparing the measured temperatures with predetermined target temperatures, determining, using the control unit, for each of the plurality of temperature zones of the tunnel whether the respective measured temperature deviates from a respective predetermined target temperature, and regulating the temperature of the water in a first temperature zone from among the plurality of temperature zones of the tunnel upon determination that the respective measured temperature deviates from the respective predetermined target temperature; wherein regulating the temperature of the water in the first temperature zone comprises: determining using the control unit a plurality of candidate temperature zones from among the plurality of individual temperature zones, each of the plurality of candidate temperature zones being connected to the first temperature zone in such a way that buffered excessive water can be taken from the respective zone buffer of the candidate temperature zone and supplied to the first temperature zone without being mixed with water from another candidate temperature zone; measuring by filling level sensors a filling level of each of the zone buffers of the plurality of candidate temperature zones; and selectively choosing using the control unit one of the plurality of candidate temperature zones based on the measured temperatures and filling levels for the plurality of candidate temperature zones; pumping buffered excessive water from the zone buffer of the selected candidate temperature zone using a zone pump associated with the zone buffer of the selected candidate temperature zone, and supplying such buffered excessive water directly to the first temperature zone in order to regulate the temperature of the water in the first temperature zone; wherein selectively choosing one of the plurality of candidate temperature zones comprises determining using the control unit that the measured temperature of the water of the selected candidate temperature zone is suitable for regulating the temperature of the water in the first temperature zone and determining using the control unit that the measured filling level of the zone buffer of the selected candidate temperature zone is above the minimum filling level of the zone buffer of the selected candidate temperature zone.