1、 外文翻译 学生姓名： 田宇 学 号： 2007092310 学 院： 机电学院 专业、年级： 机械设计制造及其自动化 07（ 2 ） 指导教师： 朱荣光 Method and apparatus for removal of grape seeds from grape skin Geoffrey Margolis,Ernes J Gallo. Method and apparatus for removal of grape seeds from grape skinP .US:20070104842A1.May 10,2007. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The
2、present invention is directed to methods for separating the seeds from the skin, pulp and juice of a grape and relates to the discovery that grape seeds may be readily separated from grape skins wherein the grape seeds are passed through apertures of a size nominally sufficient to also have grape sk
3、ins pass there-through. Specifically, the invention provides a method wherein grapes are driven across an apertured plate by means of a blade and the seeds and juice are passed through an apertured plate while the grape skin and grape pulp are retained on the plate prior to collection. As used herei
4、n unless otherwise noted, juice refers to both juice derived from grape berries and the mixture of water and juice derived from grape berries in any combination. The method successfully separates grape seeds from skins at a high rate of throughput and avoids the splitting or crushing of seeds which
5、can release undesirable tannins into the grape must. The methods and devices of the invention utilize a unique orientation of an apertured plate and a blade driving grapes and grape components across the plate to separate grapes seeds from other solids such as skin. The inventive method is surprisin
6、gly effective in separating grape seeds from the skins despite the fact that the apertures in the plate are of dimensions larger than that of grape skins. More specifically, the invention provides a method for separating grape seeds from the skin of a grape comprising the steps of: introducing grape
7、 must onto the first side of a plate having first and second sides and apertures there-through of a size and shape selected such that grape seeds, juice and skin can nominally pass through to the second side of the plate. (As used herein unless otherwise noted grape must refers to both intact and cr
8、ushed grapes and mixtures thereof and mixtures of components thereof.) The grape must is then driven across the plate by means of a grape driving blade having a grape contacting face disposed such that the clearance between the blade and the plate is most preferably less than the diameter of a grape
9、 seed in order that grape seeds will not be bypassed by the blade. The motion of the blade applies force parallel to the surface of the plate and drives the grapes across the surface of the plate but also applies force normal to the plane of the plate such that the grape seeds and juice will pass th
10、rough the apertures of the plate while retaining grape skin on the first side of the plate. The method may be applied to grape must for the production of wine but can also be applied to grape pomace (also called marc) for the separation of grape seeds which can then be used for extraction of tannins
11、 and other valuable compounds. While the apertures are of a size where they are nominally capable of having grape skins pass there-through, the size of the apertures and the orientation of the grape driving blade is such that grape skins typically pass over the apertures and are not driven through t
12、he apertures. This is in contrast to the seeds which are capable of being caught by the edges of the apertures and are then driven downward through the plate to its second side by the force component of the grape driving blade. It is preferred that all or substantially all of the grape skins be reta
13、ined on the first side of the plate and it is usually so retained according to ordinary practice of the invention. The grape seeds and juice are then collected from the second side of the plate and may be further separated from each other by conventional means such as by passing through a sieve, by
14、floatation, centrifugation or other means. The seed-free grape juice may then be recombined with grape skins and pulp collected from the first side of the plate and may be subjected to fermentation steps or other treatment. The seed-free grape juice may also be recycled back to the first side of the
15、 plate and used as a transporting fluid to hydrate the grape must and assist in its flowability. Alternatively, juice or other transporting fluid need not be recycled to the first side of the plate but an excess of transporting fluid such as water can be introduced to the first side of the plate and
16、 then removed downstream of the seed/skin separation by methods such as membrane separation or thin film evaporation. It is further contemplated that the grape juice, pulp, skins and seeds may be recombined in any combination or not at all or that they can be recombined in various combinations with
17、juice, pulp, skins and/or seeds derived from different varieties or different harvests. The apertured plate may be flat or can be curved or undulating. According to one preferred aspect of the invention, the plates are curved and undulating above and below the horizontal plane with some portions of
18、the plate lying below the surface of a reservoir containing grape juice and some portions lying above. In this manner the grape driving blade can drive grape must along the plate but below the surface of grape juice so as to introduce moisture to the grape must being treated to assist in subsequent seed/skin separation. As the apertured plate undulates to a higher level the plate is above the surface of the grape juice and the grape must becomes drier.
