GB1574808A - Steam injectors - Google Patents

Steam injectors Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1574808A
GB1574808A GB2389576A GB2389576A GB1574808A GB 1574808 A GB1574808 A GB 1574808A GB 2389576 A GB2389576 A GB 2389576A GB 2389576 A GB2389576 A GB 2389576A GB 1574808 A GB1574808 A GB 1574808A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
discs
milk
steam
central
stack
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB2389576A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
In Da Te AG
Original Assignee
In Da Te AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by In Da Te AG filed Critical In Da Te AG
Priority to GB2389576A priority Critical patent/GB1574808A/en
Priority to DE19772725582 priority patent/DE2725582C2/en
Priority to BE178302A priority patent/BE855511A/en
Priority to FR7717594A priority patent/FR2354527A1/en
Priority to JP6835777A priority patent/JPS5921577B2/en
Priority to IT6833877A priority patent/IT1083419B/en
Priority to US05/945,994 priority patent/US4160002A/en
Publication of GB1574808A publication Critical patent/GB1574808A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23C—DAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; MAKING THEREOF
    • A23C3/00—Preservation of milk or milk preparations
    • A23C3/02—Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating
    • A23C3/03—Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked
    • A23C3/033—Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23C3/037—Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. steam
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/16—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
    • A23L3/18—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23L3/22—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/16—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials
    • A23L3/18—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23L3/22—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes
    • A23L3/225—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes in solid state

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Dairy Products (AREA)
  • Food Preservation Except Freezing, Refrigeration, And Drying (AREA)
  • Furnace Details (AREA)

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO STEAM INJECTORS (71) We, IN. DA. TE.
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a Liechtenstein Company, of Eschen, Lichtenstein, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to steam injectors, and more particularly to steam injectors of the kind used in the food and chemical industries for heating flowable products.
Such steam injectors are used for heating or sterilizing liquids or fluidised particulate or comminuted products.
The invention is particularly concerned with steam injectors for use in the heat treatment of milk in the production of long life milk.
The main object of the invention is to provide an improved steam injector which has an improved heat treatment efficiency and which does not produce any deterioration in the product being heated.
A further object of the invention is to provide a steam injector which can be used for an extended run of operation without having to be cleaned.
According to the invention there is provided a steam injector for heating a flowable product, comprising an injection chamber, a stack of discs within the chamber, each disc having a central hole, which holes define a central passage aligned at one end with an inlet for the product to be heated and at the other end with an outlet for the treated product, one face of each disc being formed with a plurality of non-radial chordal channels running parallel to each other from the periphery of the disc to the central hole, and a steam supply pipe connected to the chamber to maintain steam under pressure around the stack of discs for injection through the channels into the product flowing through the central passage.
In a preferred construction the parallel channels are located to communicate with diametrically opposed regions of the central passage and thereby enhance turbulence in the product.
Preferably the discs are made of a heat resistant plastics material. A preferred plastics material is polytetrafluoroethylene.
The invention also comprehends apparatus for heat treating a flowable product, for example milk, including a steam injector according to the invention.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically part of apparatus for sterilizing milk including a steam injector according to the invention, Figure 2 is a vertical section through a steam injector used in the apparatus of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 3.
Part of a plant for milk processing for the production of long life milk is illustrated in Figure 1. Milk to be sterilized is pumped along a pipe 1 to a steam injector according to the invention which is indicated generally by the reference 2. The supply pipe 1 is connected to the bottom of the steam injector and an outlet pipe 3 for the sterilized milk is connected from the top of the steam injector to a flash cooler 4. The flash cooler is connected by a duct 5 to a condenser 6 and an outlet pipe 7 for the bottom of the flash cooler is connected to a pump 8 which pumps the sterilized and cooled milk to homogenisation plant of known kind.
Steam under pressure is supplied to the steam injector 2 through a pipe 9 which is connected centrally of the injector. The construction of the steam injector is illustrated in more detail in Figures 2 to 4 and the injector includes an injection chamber defined within a cylindrical stainless steel wall 10. An aperture 11 halfway up the wall 10 is an inlet for steam under pressure and the steam supply pipe 9, also of stainless steel is joined integrally to the wall 10 at the aperture 11.
The injection chamber has a floor 12 which is welded to the wall 10 and has a central inlet aperture 13 extending through a central flanged bushing 14 to which the stainless steel milk supply pipe 1 is connected by a sealed joint 15.
The top of the injection chamber is closed by a lid 16 which is bolted, as indicated at 17 to an annular flange 18 which is welded to the top of the wall 10. These parts 16 and 18 are also of stainless steel. The lid has a central aperture 19 in an upstanding bushing 20 having a flange forming part of a connection with the stainless steel outlet pipe 3.
The sealed joint is indicated at 21. A stack of discs 22 are housed within the chamber leaving a space 23 between the periphery of the stack of discs and the wall 10. This space 23 communicates with the inlet aperture 11 for steam under pressure. Each of the discs 22 has a central hole 24 and the holes of the discs together form a central passage through the stack which passage is of similar diameter to the inlet aperture 13 in the floor 12 of the injector and the outlet aperture 19 in the lid 16 of the injector. The discs are made of a heat resistant plastics material preferably polytetrafluoroethylene.
Another material which may be used is polychlorotrifluoroethylene. The discs 22 of the stack are held together by bolts 25 which pass through aligned holes in the discs between upper and lower plates 26 and 27 which are also of polytetrafluoroethylene and which have apertures aligned with the central passage through the stack of discs. A sealing gland ring 28 is compressed between the bottom plate 26 and the floor 12 of the injection chamber to provide a seal around the inlet for the milk to be processed. There is a similar sealing gland ring 29 between the upper plate 27 and the lid 16 to provide a seal around the outlet for the sterilized milk.
Both the sealing glands 28 and 29 may also be of polytetrafluoroethylene.
One face of each disc, in the ebodiment described, the upper face, is formed with a plurality of non-radial chordal channels 30 running parallel to each other from the periphery of the disc to the central hole 24.
In the embodiment illustrated there are eight such channels in each disc arranged in two groups of four channels. The groups of channels being located to communicate with diametrically opposed regions of the central passage 24. This enhances turbulence of the liquid flowing upwardly through the central passage 24.
The discs are compressed together by the bolts acting between the plates 26 and 27 and in operation with milk to be sterilized being pumped upwardly through the central passage and steam under pressure supplied by pipe 11 to the space 23 around the stack of discs, there is steam injection through the chordal channels 30 causing turbulence in the milk being pumped upwardly through the central passage. The steam condenses into the milk and heats the milk to a temperature such that the milk is sterilized at the same time producing a highly turbulent action which results in efficient sterilization.
The sterilized milk passes through the outlet pipe 3 to the flash cooler which removes water introduced as the steam condenses in the milk being sterilized.
Pressure is maintained in the pipe 3 and in the central passage through the discs 22 by a restrictor disc 31 also of polytetrafluoroethylene which is held in a joint 32 the pipe 3 near the flash cooler 4. The restrictor disc 31 has a central aperture 33 through which the milk flows to the cooler.
Because the discs 22 are made of a "non-stick" material there is little tendency for the products being processed to form deposits on the discs. This has been a problem in the past when using a steam injector embodying highly polished stainless steel discs. A deposit of the product, particularly milk, has been known to form on such stainless steel discs after a few hours of operation, which deposit becomes burnt during the heat treatment with the result that the milk is contaminated and has a burnt taste. Not only do the grooved discs of the steam injector according to the present invention give an improved efficiency sterilization, but also they avoid the problem of milk contamination by burnt particles because of the "non-stick" property of the discs.
It has been found that the steam injector of the invention can operate non-stop for up to 70 to 80 hours when sterilizing milk in the production of long life milk and during this long period of operation the quality of the product remains consistently high without any trace of contamination by burnt particles.
The steam injector may also be employed for the sterilization of other liquids, for example tomato and fruit juices or for the heat treatment of particulate or comminuted products, for example chopped vegetables or ground food products.
WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A steam injector for heating a flowable product, comprising an injection cham
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. connected centrally of the injector. The construction of the steam injector is illustrated in more detail in Figures 2 to 4 and the injector includes an injection chamber defined within a cylindrical stainless steel wall 10. An aperture 11 halfway up the wall 10 is an inlet for steam under pressure and the steam supply pipe 9, also of stainless steel is joined integrally to the wall 10 at the aperture 11. The injection chamber has a floor 12 which is welded to the wall 10 and has a central inlet aperture 13 extending through a central flanged bushing 14 to which the stainless steel milk supply pipe 1 is connected by a sealed joint 15. The top of the injection chamber is closed by a lid 16 which is bolted, as indicated at 17 to an annular flange 18 which is welded to the top of the wall 10. These parts 16 and 18 are also of stainless steel. The lid has a central aperture 19 in an upstanding bushing 20 having a flange forming part of a connection with the stainless steel outlet pipe 3. The sealed joint is indicated at 21. A stack of discs 22 are housed within the chamber leaving a space 23 between the periphery of the stack of discs and the wall 10. This space 23 communicates with the inlet aperture 11 for steam under pressure. Each of the discs 22 has a central hole 24 and the holes of the discs together form a central passage through the stack which passage is of similar diameter to the inlet aperture 13 in the floor 12 of the injector and the outlet aperture 19 in the lid 16 of the injector. The discs are made of a heat resistant plastics material preferably polytetrafluoroethylene. Another material which may be used is polychlorotrifluoroethylene. The discs 22 of the stack are held together by bolts 25 which pass through aligned holes in the discs between upper and lower plates 26 and 27 which are also of polytetrafluoroethylene and which have apertures aligned with the central passage through the stack of discs. A sealing gland ring 28 is compressed between the bottom plate 26 and the floor 12 of the injection chamber to provide a seal around the inlet for the milk to be processed. There is a similar sealing gland ring 29 between the upper plate 27 and the lid 16 to provide a seal around the outlet for the sterilized milk. Both the sealing glands 28 and 29 may also be of polytetrafluoroethylene. One face of each disc, in the ebodiment described, the upper face, is formed with a plurality of non-radial chordal channels 30 running parallel to each other from the periphery of the disc to the central hole 24. In the embodiment illustrated there are eight such channels in each disc arranged in two groups of four channels. The groups of channels being located to communicate with diametrically opposed regions of the central passage 24. This enhances turbulence of the liquid flowing upwardly through the central passage 24. The discs are compressed together by the bolts acting between the plates 26 and 27 and in operation with milk to be sterilized being pumped upwardly through the central passage and steam under pressure supplied by pipe 11 to the space 23 around the stack of discs, there is steam injection through the chordal channels 30 causing turbulence in the milk being pumped upwardly through the central passage. The steam condenses into the milk and heats the milk to a temperature such that the milk is sterilized at the same time producing a highly turbulent action which results in efficient sterilization. The sterilized milk passes through the outlet pipe 3 to the flash cooler which removes water introduced as the steam condenses in the milk being sterilized. Pressure is maintained in the pipe 3 and in the central passage through the discs 22 by a restrictor disc 31 also of polytetrafluoroethylene which is held in a joint 32 the pipe 3 near the flash cooler 4. The restrictor disc 31 has a central aperture 33 through which the milk flows to the cooler. Because the discs 22 are made of a "non-stick" material there is little tendency for the products being processed to form deposits on the discs. This has been a problem in the past when using a steam injector embodying highly polished stainless steel discs. A deposit of the product, particularly milk, has been known to form on such stainless steel discs after a few hours of operation, which deposit becomes burnt during the heat treatment with the result that the milk is contaminated and has a burnt taste. Not only do the grooved discs of the steam injector according to the present invention give an improved efficiency sterilization, but also they avoid the problem of milk contamination by burnt particles because of the "non-stick" property of the discs. It has been found that the steam injector of the invention can operate non-stop for up to 70 to 80 hours when sterilizing milk in the production of long life milk and during this long period of operation the quality of the product remains consistently high without any trace of contamination by burnt particles. The steam injector may also be employed for the sterilization of other liquids, for example tomato and fruit juices or for the heat treatment of particulate or comminuted products, for example chopped vegetables or ground food products. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. A steam injector for heating a flowable product, comprising an injection cham
ber, a stack of discs within the chamber, each disc having a central hole, which holes define a central passage aligned at one end with an inlet for the product to be heated and at the other with an outlet for the treated product, one face of each disc being formed with a plurality of non-radial chordal channels running parallel to each other from the periphery of the disc to the central hole, and a steam supply pipe connected to the chamber to maintain steam under pressure around the stack of discs for injection through the channels into the product flowing through the central passage.
2. A steam injector according to claim 1, wherein the parallel channels are located to communicate with diametrically opposed regions of the central passage and thereby enhance turbulence in the product.
3. A steam injector according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the discs are made of a heat resistant plastics material.
4. A steam injector according to claim 3, wherein the discs are made of polytetrafluoroethylene.
5. A steam injector for heating a flowable product, substantially has herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. Apparatus for heat treating a flowable product, for example milk, including a steam injector according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
GB2389576A 1976-06-09 1976-06-09 Steam injectors Expired GB1574808A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2389576A GB1574808A (en) 1976-06-09 1976-06-09 Steam injectors
DE19772725582 DE2725582C2 (en) 1976-06-09 1977-06-07 Steam injector
BE178302A BE855511A (en) 1976-06-09 1977-06-08 STEAM INJECTOR IMPROVEMENTS
FR7717594A FR2354527A1 (en) 1976-06-09 1977-06-08 WATER VAPOR INJECTOR
JP6835777A JPS5921577B2 (en) 1976-06-09 1977-06-09 steam injection device
IT6833877A IT1083419B (en) 1976-06-09 1977-06-09 STEAM INJECTOR PARTICULARLY FOR FOOD PROCESSING
US05/945,994 US4160002A (en) 1976-06-09 1978-09-26 Steam injectors

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2389576A GB1574808A (en) 1976-06-09 1976-06-09 Steam injectors

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1574808A true GB1574808A (en) 1980-09-10

Family

ID=10203051

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2389576A Expired GB1574808A (en) 1976-06-09 1976-06-09 Steam injectors

Country Status (6)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS5921577B2 (en)
BE (1) BE855511A (en)
DE (1) DE2725582C2 (en)
FR (1) FR2354527A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1574808A (en)
IT (1) IT1083419B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN100357695C (en) * 2001-12-04 2007-12-26 莱恩特·梅维斯·博克斯韦尔 An air and heat exchange apparatus

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2536520B1 (en) * 1982-11-24 1986-04-18 Agronomique Inst Nat Rech METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HEAT TREATING FLUID COMPRISING RAPID VAPOR CONDENSATION
JPS5987285U (en) * 1982-12-02 1984-06-13 四国化工機株式会社 Plate heat exchanger for soy milk processing
JPS61199819A (en) * 1985-02-28 1986-09-04 キッコーマン株式会社 Heat treatment method and apparatus
AT407120B (en) * 1998-08-14 2000-12-27 Novafluid Innovative Stroemung PLANT FOR SEPARATING A FLOWING VAPOR-LIQUID MIXTURE

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB413460A (en) * 1932-05-26 1934-07-19 Murray Deodorisers Ltd Method of and apparatus for pasteurising lacteal liquids
FR1189009A (en) * 1957-12-26 1959-09-28 Alfa Laval Soc Method and device for injecting steam into the cream
GB889145A (en) * 1958-11-17 1962-02-07 Separator Ab Apparatus for rapid heating of liquids

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN100357695C (en) * 2001-12-04 2007-12-26 莱恩特·梅维斯·博克斯韦尔 An air and heat exchange apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2725582A1 (en) 1977-12-22
IT1083419B (en) 1985-05-21
FR2354527A1 (en) 1978-01-06
JPS5921577B2 (en) 1984-05-21
FR2354527B1 (en) 1982-05-14
DE2725582C2 (en) 1986-07-10
JPS5318777A (en) 1978-02-21
BE855511A (en) 1977-10-03

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed
PE20 Patent expired after termination of 20 years

Effective date: 19970608