Dec International, Inc.

Min-Nan Huang

David L Brethorst

Neil F Walter

A food processor (20), such as a smokehouse, cooker, dryer or the like, includes a food receiving chamber (22) having left and right ports (24 and 26) closed and opened by air flow control means provided by pivoted perforated louvers (44 and 46). For rightward horizontal air flow across flat-lying food products, the left set of louvers is closed such that air flow is restricted to passage only through the perforations or orifices (48) as an input port. The right set of louvers are open to provide lower resistance to and a higher volume of output air flow. This enables the discharge of the extra volume of water vapor due to moisture evaporating from the food in the chamber and in turn enables uniform air flow circulation and food processing without the accumulation of water vapor and consequent increased humidity in the chamber which would otherwise retard drying.

Side air flow food processing method

A food processor (20), such as a smokehouse, cooker, dryer or the like, includes a food receiving chamber (22) having left and right ports (24 and 26) closed and opened by air flow control means provided by pivoted perforated louvers (44 and 46). For rightward horizontal air flow across flat-lying food products, the left set of louvers is closed such that air flow is restricted to passage only through the perforations or orifices (48) as an input port. The right set of louvers are open to provide lower resistance to and a higher volume of output air flow. This enables the discharge of th extra volume of water vapor due to moisture evaporating from the food in the chamber and in turn enables uniform air flow circulation and food processing without the accumulation of water vapor and consequent increased humidity in the chamber which would otherwise retard drying.

Side air flow food processor

Air heated to between 500.degree. and 800.degree. F. is blown into a smoke generation chamber and simultaneously liquid smoke is sprayed into the chamber. The heated air vaporizes the liquid smoke and the smoke vapor is conducted into a smokehouse where food is being processed.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, WI, United States of America

Min-Nan Huang