Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device and a method for generating emulsion.

Background of the Invention

An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible. Typically, energy input, such as stirring or homogenizing, is applied to the mixture of two or more immiscible liquids to generate emulsion.

JP2004337011 has disclosed a method of generating emulsified oil-and-fat composition (i.e. emulsion). The emulsified oil-and-fat composition is obtained by properly adding a small amount of sugar and/or salt to ionized alkaline water, which has a strong alkalinity of >pH12, mixing the alkaline water with edible vegetable oil, and stirring the mixture at a high speed.

Object and Summary of the Invention

In the proposed method of JP2004337011, the requirement for the PH value of the alkaline water is quite high, i.e. the PH value of the alkaline water is required to be greater than 12 to generate a stable emulsion. However, the alkaline water of PH>12 is typically corrosive when touched or drunk, and thus more restriction is necessary for the usage of the resulting emulsion.

To better address one or more of above concerns, in one aspect, one embodiment of the invention provides a device for generating emulsion. The device comprises:

- a container for containing alkaline water and oil;

- an ultrasound generator attached to the container, which is configured to apply ultrasound on the alkaline water and oil in the container in order to generate emulsion.

As the ultrasound is applied on the alkaline water and the oil by the ultrasound generator, a cavitation effect is caused to the alkaline water and the oil, which leads to a correct mixing of the alkaline water and the oil in the container and thus a more stable emulsion can be achieved. Furthermore, due to the cavitation effect, the range of PH value of the alkaline water is more flexible. For example, the alkaline water of PH <12 can also be used to generate a stable emulsion by application of ultrasound on the mixture. Advantageously, the PH value of the alkaline water is within the range of 7 to 12, and the oil is edible oil.

Advantageously, the device may further comprise an electrical conductivity adjuster, which is configured to adjust electrical conductivity of the alkaline water according to a predetermined range. The predetermined range may vary from 0 to ΙΟΟΟμΞ/αη below the temperature of 25 °C.

A better emulsification effect could be achieved by adjusting the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water according to the predetermined range.

Advantageously, the device further may comprise a heating unit, which is configured to heat the alkaline water or the mixture in the container to a predetermined temperature.

Advantageously, the predetermined temperature is higher than 40°C.

The cavitation effect is more likely to happen when the temperature of the mixture is maintained, for example, at a level higher than 40°C. Thus, by heating the alkaline water or the mixture to the predetermined temperature, for example higher than 40°C, a better emulsification effect could be achieved.

Advantageously, the ratio of oil to alkaline water is from 1 :3 to 1 :9.

If the ratio of oil to alkaline water is higher than 1 :3, much oil will be left, which leads to a waste of oil; and if the ratio of oil to alkaline water is less than 1 :9, a bad emulsification effect will be encountered.

In another aspect, one embodiment of the invention provides a method of generating emulsion. This method comprises the steps of:

- adding oil into alkaline water;

- applying ultrasound on the alkaline water and oil, to generate emulsion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary device for generating emulsion according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method of generating emulsion according to one embodiment of the invention.

Throughout the above-mentioned drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like, similar or corresponding features or functions.

Detailed Description

Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. The embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention, and are not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. It is intended that the invention encompasses these and other modifications and variations as these come within the scope and spirit of the invention.

The device of the invention for generating emulsion comprises a container for containing alkaline water and oil; an ultrasound generator attached to the container, which is configured to apply ultrasound on the alkaline water and the oil to generate emulsion.

The resulting emulsion generated by the device may be used for many aspects, for example in the production of cosmetics or food, etc.

When the resulting emulsion is used for eating or drinking, advantageously, the PH value of the alkaline water is within the range of 7 to 12 and the oil is edible oil, for the consideration of food safety. In this case, the resulting emulsion, instead of separate water and oil, can be used to cook soup. In comparison with cooking soup by using separate water and oil, cooking soup with the resulting emulsion may cause sufficient contact of the food and oil, which leads to a better dissolution of some fat-soluble nutrition contained in the food into the soup with less oil.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary device 10 for generating emulsion according to one embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the device 10 comprises a container 11 for containing alkaline water and oil, and storing the resulting emulsion. The container 11 may be made from any suitable material that is substantially impervious to the alkaline water, for example stainless steel.

The device 10 further comprises a detector 12 configured to detect the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water in the container 11. The detector 12 may, for example, be arranged within the container 11 at a position where there is a possibility of contact with the alkaline water. Any known detector, which can realize the detection of electrical conductivity, may be used herein.

The device 10 may further comprise an electrical conductivity adjustor 13 configured to adjust the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water according to a predetermined range when the detected electrical conductivity is unsatisfied. The predetermined range may vary from 0 to ΙΟΟΟμΞ/αη below the temperature of 25°C. Advantageously, the predetermined range may vary in the range of [0, 50] and/or [150, 400^S/cm below the temperature of 25°C.

The device 10 may further comprise a controller 14 coupled to the detector 12 and the electrical conductivity adjustor 13 and configured to determine if the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water requires adjustment based on the detected electrical conductivity and the predetermined range; and then to control the electrical conductivity adjustor 14 in order to adjust the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water, if required. The controller 14 may be implemented by ways of software, hardware or a combination of those two. For example, it can be implemented by software at which the program codes that perform the calculating function are stored in a memory and are loaded and executed by a microcontroller unit

(MCU).

To be specific, the electrical conductivity adjustor 13 may, for example, include a first tank 131 for storing a substance for adjusting the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water, and a first feeding unit 132 coupled with the first tank 131 and configured to feed the substance in the first tank 131 into the container 11. The first feeding unit 132 may take on various mechanisms. In one example, the first feeding unit 132 may be a valve disposed on the first tank 131 at a position that is lower than the height of the substance. In this case, the controller 14 is configured to control and open the valve in order to allow the substance in the first tank 131 to enter into the container 11 when the detected electrical conductivity is unsatisfied, and then control and close the valve in order to prevent the substance in the first tank 131 from further entering into the container 11 when the adjusted electrical conductivity of the alkaline water in the container 11 is satisfied.

In another example, the first feeding unit 132 may also be a conveyor belt coupled to the first tank 131. In this case, the controller 14 is configured to control the conveyor belt to move so it allows the substance in the first tank 131 to enter into the container 11 when the detected electrical conductivity is unsatisfied, and then control the conveyor belt to stop moving so it prevents the substance in the first tank 131 from entering into the container 11 when the adjusted electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is satisfied.

To adjust the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water, it could also be increased or decreased. The substance for increasing the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water may be salt, sugar, or any other suitable substance that can be used to increase the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water in the container 11.

Alternatively, the first tank 131 may have two compartments (not shown); a first compartment that is used to store a substance for increasing the electrical conductivity, for example salt or sugar; and a second compartment that is used to store a substance for decreasing the electrical conductivity, for example pure water. In this case, the controller 14 may control the first compartment of the first tank 131 to add, for example, salt or sugar into the container 11 in order to increase the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water in the container 11 when the detected result shows that the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is too low, or to control the second compartment of the first tank 131 to add, for example, pure water into the container 11 to decrease the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water in the container 11 when the detected result shows that the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is too high.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the device 10 further comprises a second tank 151 for storing the oil, and a second feeding unit 152 coupled with the second tank 151, which is configured to feed the oil in the second tank 151 into the container 11. The controller 14 is further configured to control the second feeding unit 152 in order to feed the oil into the container 11.

The second feeding unit 152 may have the same configuration as that of the first feeding unit 132, which will not be described here, for simplicity reasons.

The device 10 further comprises an ultrasound generator 16 attached to the container 11 and that is configured to apply ultrasound on the alkaline water and the oil in the container 11 to generate emulsion. Both a low-intensity-focused ultrasound generator and a high-intensity-focused ultrasound generator can be used herein. When the low- intensity- focused ultrasound generator is used, the requirement for the range of PH value of the alkaline water is more severe, that is, alkaline water of a higher alkalinity, for example PH>8.6, is required.

Hereinafter, the operation of the device 10 will be described using salt as an example of the substance stored in the first tank 131.

In operation, first of all, the alkaline water is poured into the container 11. The alkaline water may be generated by a variety of ways, for example by electrolyzing water, or by adding soda or another alkaline regent into water. The PH of the alkaline water may be controlled in the range from 7 to 12. Advantageously, the PH of the alkaline water is controlled in the range from 8 to 9.

After the alkaline water is poured into the container 11 , optionally, the detector 14 starts to detect the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water, and sends the detected result to the controller 14. Based on the detected result and the predetermined range, the controller 14 determines whether the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is required to be adjusted or not. If the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is required to be adjusted, then the controller 14 controls the first feeding unit 132 to feed salt from the first tank 131 into the container 11, i.e. into the alkaline water. The amount of salt that is required to be added into container 11 depends on the difference between the detected result and the predetermined range.

When the adjusted electrical conductivity of the alkaline water is satisfied, the controller 14 controls the second feeding unit 152 to feed the oil from the second tank 151 into the container 11. Advantageously, the ratio of oil to alkaline water is from 1 :3 to 1 :9.

It is to be noted that, in an alternative embodiment, the oil may be controlled to add into the container 11 right after the alkaline water is poured into the container 11 and the electrical conductivity detecting and adjusting steps are performed optionally afterwards.

Then the controller 14 controls the ultrasound generator 16 to apply ultrasound on the mixture of the alkaline water and the oil. The frequency of ultrasound applied to the mixture may be 20-100 kHz. The duration time of application of ultrasound on the mixture may be 5-20 minutes. It shall be appreciated that the longer the ultrasound is applied to the mixture, the better emulsification effect could be achieved.

By applying ultrasound to the alkaline water and the oil, the alkaline water and the oil can be well mixed due to the cavitation effect, and thus a stable emulsion could be generated. Furthermore, with the device 10, the range of PH value of the alkaline water used to generate emulsion is more flexible. For example, a stable emulsion can also be generated by using alkaline water of PH <12.

Still referring to FIG. 1, advantageously, the device 10 may further comprise a heating unit 17 coupled to the controller 14. The heating unit 17 may, for example, be a heating plate arranged beneath the container 11 , or a heating wire arranged surrounding the container 11 , or any other suitable mechanism.

After the oil is controlled to be added into the container 1 1, the controller 14 may control the heating unit 17 to heat the mixture of the alkaline water and the oil in the container 11 to a predetermined temperature. Alternatively, the controller 14 may control the heating unit 17 to heat the alkaline water in the container 11 to the predetermined temperature just after the alkaline water is transferred into the container 1 1.

By heating the alkaline water or the mixture to the predetermined temperature, for example a temperature higher than 40°C, cavitation effect is more likely to happen, and thus a better emulsification effect could be achieved.

It is to be noted that the detector 12, the electrical conductivity adjuster 13, and the controller 14 may be omitted.

Moreover, the oil may be added into the container 11 manually, and in this regard, the second tank 151 and the second feeding unit 152 may also be omitted.

In another aspect, one embodiment of the invention further provides a method of generating emulsion. FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method of generating emulsion.

Referring to FIG. 2, the method comprises a step S22 of adding oil into alkaline water, a step S24 of applying ultrasound on the alkaline water, and the oil to generate emulsion.

Advantageously, the method may further comprise a step of adjusting electrical conductivity of the alkaline water according to a predetermined range.

Advantageously, the method may further comprise steps of detecting the electrical conductivity of the alkaline water; and determining whether or not to perform the adjusting step, depending on the detected electrical conductivity and the predetermined range.

Advantageously, the method may further comprise a step of heating the mixture or the alkaline water to a predetermined temperature.

Advantageously, the PH of the alkaline water is in the range of 7 to 12, and the oil is edible oil.

Advantageously, the ratio of oil to alkaline water is from 1 :3 to 1 :9.

Advantageously, the predetermined range is from 0 to ΙΟΟΟμΞ/αη below the temperature of 25 °C.

Advantageously, the predetermined temperature is higher than 40 °C.

It should be noted that the above-described embodiments are given for describing rather than limiting the invention, and it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as those skilled in the art readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of the invention and the appended claims. The protection scope of the invention is defined by the accompanying claims. In addition, any of the reference numerals in the claims should not be interpreted as a limitation to the claims. Use of the verb "comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The indefinite article "a" or "an" preceding an element or step does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements or steps.