Method for cleaning and/ or evaluating a food products mould drum and a combination of such a food products mould drum and a mould drum cleaning and/ or evaluating device

Abstract

A method for cleaning and/or evaluating a food products mould drum and a combination of such a food products mould drum and a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device are disclosed. The mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device includes one or more pressure housings arranged against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities and form, together with the mould drum, an outside chamber. The outside chamber includes a chamber port connectable to a pressure line of a fluid circuit, and the mould drum includes a passage port connectable to a return line of the fluid circuit. Cleaning/evaluating occurs by allowing a pressurized fluid stream to enter via the chamber port into mould cavities and then via a wall part porous structure through a passage, and exit via the passage port to the return line of the fluid circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for cleaning a food products mould drum having an outer drum surface provided with multiple recessed mould cavities, each mould cavity with a mould cavity wall formed at least in part by a wall part with a porous structure, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports, which are via one or more passages and via the wall part porous structures in fluid communication with the mould cavities;
 which mould drum has been become soiled in a process of moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials, said process involving rotating the mould drum and feeding the mass to the mould cavities and ejecting formed food products from said mould drum;   the method comprising the steps of:   arranging one or more housings against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities, so as to form together with the mould drum an outside chamber, the outside chamber having a radiation source; and   cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by exposing the at least one mould cavity to radiation by means of said radiation source.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein use is made of a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprising a pump configured to create a fluid stream in a fluid circuit comprising the mould cavities, the wall part porous structure and the at least one passage; the method comprising the steps of
 arranging one or more housings against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities;   cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by exposing the at least one mould cavity to radiation in the housing; and   cleaning and/or evaluating the at least one mould cavity in a second phase by allowing the fluid stream through the fluid circuit.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the pump is configured to create a pressurized fluid stream in the fluid circuit; and wherein the one or more housings are pressure housings; the method comprising the steps of
 arranging one or more pressure housings against an outside of and over one or more mould cavities, so as to form together with the mould drum an outside chamber, the outside chamber having a chamber port;   connecting the chamber port and the passage port to the fluid circuit;   cleaning the at least one mould cavity in a first phase by allowing radiation in the pressure housing; and   cleaning and/or evaluating the at least one mould cavity in a second phase by allowing the pressurized fluid stream through the fluid circuit.   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein radiation results in local heating of the mould drum. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the mould drum is heated to a pyrolysis temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , comprising the steps of arranging multiple housings in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface; and rotating the mould drum during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , comprising the steps of arranging multiple housings in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface; and rotating the mould drum during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed. 
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 a food products mould drum having an outer drum surface provided with multiple recessed mould cavities, each mould cavity with a mould cavity wall formed at least in part by a wall part porous structure, the mould drum further being provided with one or more passage ports, which are via one or more passages and via the wall part porous structures in fluid communication with the mould cavities; which mould drum has been become soiled in a process of moulding three-dimensional products from a mass of one or more food starting materials involving rotating the mould drum and feeding the mass to the mould cavities and ejecting formed food products from said mould drum; and   one or more housings having a radiation source adapted to be arranged against the outside of and over one or more mould cavities and adapted to form, together with the mould drum, an outside chamber for cleaning the mould cavities by radiation.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a mould drum cleaning and/or evaluating device comprising a pump configured to create a fluid stream in a fluid circuit comprising the mould cavities, the wall part porous structure and the at least one passage. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the one or more housings are pressure housings and wherein the pump is configured to create a pressurized fluid stream. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein multiple housings are adapted to be arranged in a circumferential array around the outer drum surface, and wherein the mould drum is rotatable during cleaning and/or evaluation, allowing distinct phases to be consecutively performed.