Method for cooling bread and recovering the emitted heat

Abstract

A system ( 1 ) and a method for cooling freshly baked bread under sub-pressure, which system includes: a sub-pressure chamber ( 2 ) which is adapted for receiving freshly baked bread for the cooling thereof; a sub-pressure source ( 3 ), such as a vacuum pump, which is connected to the sub-pressure chamber ( 2 ) for exhausting fluid from the sub-pressure chamber ( 2 ) and creating a sub-pressure inside it; a condenser ( 4 ) for cooling steam exhausted from the sub-pressure chamber and separate condensed water ( 19 ) from it. The system also includes a heating tank ( 5 ) with a first heat exchanger ( 6 ) in which the heat generated by the condenser ( 4 ) is used for heating water.

1 . A method of cooling freshly baked bread under sub-pressure, the method comprising:
 placing freshly baked bread in a sub-pressure chamber for the cooling thereof;   exhausting fluid from the sub-pressure chamber by a sub-pressure source and creating a sub-pressure inside the sub-pressure chamber;   condensing steam exhausted from the sub-pressure chamber by a condenser and separating condensed water from the sub-pressure chamber; and   heating water in a heating tank in which the heat generated by the condenser is used for the heating.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to claim further comprising heating the condensed water that has been separated from the fluid exhausted from the sub-pressure chamber with the heat generated by the condenser. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising using heat generated by the sub-pressure source for additionally heating the heated water. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising using the heated water for producing steam in an oven during the baking of new bread. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 using cooling liquid that is heated by condensing steam as a heat source for a heat pump; and   using a heat exchanger of the heating tank as the heat sink of the heat pump.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising using heat generated by the sub-pressure source for additionally heating the heated water. 
     
     
         7 . The method according co  claim 6 , further comprising using the heated water for producing steam in an oven during the baking of new bread. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 using cooling liquid that is heated by condensing steam as a heat source for a heat pump;   and using a heat exchanger of the heating tank as the heat sink of the heat pump.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising using the heated water for producing steam in an oven during the baking of new bread. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 using cooling liquid that is heated by condensing steam as a heat source for a heat pump; and   using a heat exchanger of the heating tank as the heat sink of the heat pump.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using cooling liquid that is heated by condensing steam as a heat source for a heat pump; and   using a heat exchanger of the heating tank as the heat sink of the heat pump.