METHOD FOR VACUUM DRYING OF FOOD PRODUCTS Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC F26B7/00 

FIELD: food-processing industry, in particular, preparing of dried fish product in small- and medium-sized enterprises and farms.

SUBSTANCE: method involves providing conductive heating of product on pallets to maximum allowable temperature; selecting pressure within chamber under saturated vapor pressure level at drying temperature; discharging condensate; placing products in perforated trays mounted on heat-exchanger pipes arranged in rows, said pipes being flexible in longitudinal direction and having width of contacting with food product not in the excess of half and spacing between pipes not in the excess of quarter the half-thickness of product layer; creating vacuum in chamber and applying pressure to at least one of outer sides of heat-exchangers for additional pressing of product; on reaching of predetermined weight losses, with shrinkage of product being taken into account, during time sufficient for cooling of product to environmental temperature, stopping feeding of heat-carrier; providing condensation temperature by natural water circulation into condenser from accumulator, with temperature within accumulator being maintained at the level needed in selected mode.

EFFECT: reduced costs of product owing to reduced temperature potential of power source used for drying process, and increased dehydration rate of product under vacuum.

1 dwg