METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR PREPARING A LIGHT CONFECTIONERY COMPOSITION

Abstract: To prepare a light confectionery composition, a sugar-containing liquid dehydrated in a boiler is beaten together with a beating agent and compressed air in a beating vat under pressure, and the beaten composition is discharged discontinuously from the beating vat. To this end the beaten composition is fed discontinuously from the beating vat to a pressurised buffer tank in which the pressure is held essentially at a specific value, for example 2.8 bar, whilst the beaten composition is discharged continuously from the pressurised buffer tank and expanded.

Description: Title: Method and installation for preparing a light confectionery composition. The invention firstly relates to a method for the preparation of a light confectionery composition, wherein a sugar- containing liquid, which has been dehydrated in a boiler, and a beating agent are beaten under pressure in a beating vat, and the beaten composition is discharged discontinuously from the beating vat. The problem on which the invention is based is that beating the sugar-containing liquid under excess pressure takes place discontinuously, whereas the discharge of the beaten confectionery composition will have to take place continuously with a view to further treatment or processing. According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the beaten composition is fed discontinuously from the beating vat to a pressurised buffer tank in which the pressure is held essentially at a specific value (for example 2.8 bar), and in that the beaten composition is discharged continuously from the pressurised buffer tank and expanded. An installation for carrying out the abovementioned method comprises a beating vat, feed lines, opening into said vat, for, respectively, confectionery liquid, which has been dehydrated by boiling, beating agent and compressed air, and a valve arranged in each of said lines. Said installation is characterised in that the discharge line from the beating vat opens into a pressurised buffer tank which is provided with means for keeping the pressure in said tank essentially constant and with a discharge line in which the beaten confectionery composition can be discharged in a continuous stream and can expand. The means for keeping the pressure in the pressurised buffer tank essentially constant comprise a compressed air feed with a pressure regulating device and a pressure relief valve. The invention will now be explained in more detail below with reference to the figure, in which a diagram of the invention is shown. The following components can be differentiated in the figure: 1 -= a boiler in which a sugar-containing liquid is boiled and dehydrated, 2 - the feed line for the mixture of constituents of the confectionery liquid, 3 ■ vacuum line leading to a vacuum pump, by means of which the pressure in the boiler 1 can be lowered and steam can be discharged, 4 « feed line for beating agent, 5 = heat exchanger for heating the beating agent, 6 = line for hot water to the heat exchanger, 7 * beating vat, 8 = line between boiler and beating vat, 9 = control valve in line 8, 10 = line between heat exchanger 5 and beating vat 7, 11 = control valve in line 10, 12 = compressed air feed line to beating vat, 13 = control valve in line 12, 14 = pressurised buffer tank, 15 = line between beating vat and pressurised buffer tank, 16 = control valve in line 15, 17 «= conveyor pump in line 15, 18 = compressed air feed to the pressurised buffer tank, 19 = pressure relief line, 20 = relief valve in pressure relief line, 21 ■= hot water line, 22 = discharge line for continuous discharge of light confectionery composition from the pressurised buffer tank 14, and 23 = conveyor pump with expansion means. It will be clear that sugar-containing liquid and beating agent fed into the beating vat 7 via the lines 8 and 10 are beaten in portions, beating being carried out with valves 9, 11 and 16 closed and valve 13 open and beating thus being carried out under pressure. After opening the valve 16, the beaten, pressurised composition is fed via the line 15 to the pressurised buffer tank 14, in which the pressure is held essentially constant at about 2.8 bar by means of the compressed air line 18 and the relief valve 20. The beaten confectionery composition is discharged under a pressure of 2.8 bar in a constant stream through a pump and expands to atmospheric pressure, a light composition being produced. Colorants, flavourings and fat can also be added to the composition thereafter or beforehand, in a manner which is not shown. Finally, the finished product is fed continuously to a pouring or shaping line or other processing line.

Claims: Claims 1. Method for the preparation of a light confectionery composition, wherein a sugar-containing liquid dehydrated in a boiler, a beating agent and compressed air are beaten in a beating vat under pressure, and the beaten composition is discharged discontinuously from the beating vat, characterised in that the beaten composition is fed discontinuously from the beating vat to a pressurised buffer tank in which the pressure is held essentially at a specific value (for example 2.8 bar), and in that the beaten composition is discharged continuously from the pressurised buffer tank and expanded. 2. Installation for carrying out the method according to Claim 1 comprising a beating vat (7), feed lines (8, 10 and 12), opening into said vat, for, respectively, confectionery liquid, which has been dehydrated by boiling, beating agent and compressed air, and a valve (9, 1, 13) arranged in each of said lines, characterised in that the discharge line (15) from the beating vat (7) opens into a pressurised buffer tank (14) which is provided with means (18, 19, 20) for keeping the pressure in said tank essentially constant and with a discharge line (22) in which the beaten confectionery composition can be discharged in a continuous stream and can expand. 3. Installation according to Claim 2, characterised in that the means for keeping the pressure in the pressurised buffer tank essentially constant comprise a compressed air feed (18) with a control valve and a pressure relief valve (20).

Inventors: BRAAK JOHANNES GERARDUS TER, TER BRAAK, JOHANNES, GERARDUS
Applicants: BRAAK JOHANNES G TER, BRAAK TER BV, TER BRAAK B.V., TER BRAAK, JOHANNES, GERARDUS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A23G3
IPC codes: A23G3