Direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus using vacuum

Abstract

A direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus using vacuum. At least one piece of dead livestock infected with various diseases such as infectious diseases is heated for complete sterilization using high-pressure steam, and undergoes complete moisture removal to become dry by means of the vacuum, thereby allowing the dead livestock to be easily crushed. To this end, a carcass processing drum is directly heated by a heating means instead of a conventional steaming process, which provides steam from a boiler to the dead stock, to reduce a processing time and cost due to removal of the boiler. The vacuum can be converted into atmospheric pressure using a pressure valve so that the processed dead livestock can be discharged from the apparatus.

1 . A direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus comprising:
 a carcass processing drum having an openable cover, through which a carcass is loaded into the carcass processing drum;   a water storage, which stores water in the carcass processing drum;   a drum cover disposed outside the carcass processing drum to define a heating space with the carcass processing drum;   means for heating the heating space;   a pressure controller, which measures an internal pressure of the carcass processing drum and controls operation of the heating means according to the measured pressure;   a pressure valve, which regulates the internal pressure of the carcass processing drum to atmospheric pressure;   a timer, which counts an operating time of the heating means; and   a time controller, which controls the operating time of the heating means based on a signal received from the timer when the operating time has lapsed so as to stop the operation of the heating means in a state where the internal pressure of the carcass processing drum is raised by the operation of the heating means, so that an internal space of the carcass processing drum is vacuumized by temperature drop,   wherein the timer counts a time for which an operation signal is sent to the pressure valve, and   wherein the time controller receives a signal generated from the timer when the time is passed, and sends the operation signal to the pressure valve so as to release the internal space of the carcass processing drum from the vacuumized state.   
   
   
       2 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a manual pressure valve, which is disposed on the drum cover so as to manually regulate the internal pressure of the carcass processing drum. 
   
   
       3 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drain valve, which drains water, stored in the water storage, out of the carcass processing drum. 
   
   
       4 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a safety valve, which maintains the internal pressure of the carcass processing drum at a preset pressure or less. 
   
   
       5 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a heat-insulating cover disposed outside the drum cover so as to prevent direct touch with the drum cover and to enable the drum cover to maintain heat. 
   
   
       6 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a water storage cover disposed on a top portion of the water storage to prevent impurities from entering the water storage. 
   
   
       7 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor, which outputs a detection signal by measuring an internal temperature of the carcass processing drum,
 wherein the time controller controls the operation of the heating means based on the detection signal received from the temperature sensor, so that the internal temperature of the carcass processing drum remains at a predetermined value.   
   
   
       8 . The direct-heating type carcass processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pressure valve comprises a solenoid valve.