MXPA00007533A - An apparatus in an infusor for a liquid food product - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus in an infusor (1). The infusor (1) is of the type which includes an autoclave (2) with an inlet (3) located in its upper region for the product which is to be heat-treated, and an outlet (7) for the ready-treated product located in its lower region. The inlet (3) is provided with a distributor chamber (4) which divides the product into small droplets (20) when the product enters into the autoclave (2). The infusor (1) further includes an inlet (8) for steam which is placed in the lower region of the autoclave (2). The steam inlet (8) consists substantially of a concentric aperture (14) in the casing surface (10) of the autoclave (2).

Description

AN APPARATUS IN AN INFUSOR FOR A LIQUID FOOD PRODUCT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus in an infuser for a liquid food product, the apparatus is of the type which includes an autoclave with an inlet for the product located in its upper region and an outlet for the product located in its lower region, the inlet is arranged to divide the product entering the autoclave into small drops, the infuser also includes a steam inlet located in the lower region of the au t oc 1 ave.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The heat treatment of food products to increase their shelf life is a well-known and frequently used method. For example, the food product can be REF .: 122116 several dairy products such as milk, cream or yoghurt. The heat treatment can be carried out in a plurality of ways, either directly or indirectly. Indirect methods are, for example, heating by means of different types of heat exchangers. Of the direct methods, there are two main groups, injection or infusion with steam. Using a direct method, an extremely rapid heating will be obtained which is currently in great demand, since, to improve the flavor properties of, for example, milk, the intention is often to warm it to high temperatures for short periods of time .

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus which employs infusion heating. The infusion causes a finely divided liquid to heat up in a steam chamber. The principle of heating a liquid, for example, a liquid food, by injecting food into a chamber filled with steam, has been known since the beginning of the nineteenth century. The first infusion heating plants were based on the same principle as the condensers, by means of which steam left over from the various chemical processes condensed. The first plants thus exhibit an infuser which consists of an autoclave with an inlet for the product in the upper region of the autoclave. The entrance is discharged into a distributor chamber which divides the incoming product into thin, small liquid drops. At the bottom of the autoclave there is an outlet for the hot product. The autoclave was additionally provided with a steam inlet which, in these first infusers, was located in the lower region of the autoclave. An inherent disadvantage in these infusers, for example, for milk is, however, that the steam which is injected at a lower level in the autoclave towards the finely divided liquid droplets causes the droplets to change direction and many of the droplets arrive. to stick to the hot inner walls of the infuser where the burning of the product was the immediate result. The burning of the product on the walls causes greater hygiene problems and such a burned product is extremely difficult to remove by washing. One method that makes the problem with the burning of the product on the internal walls of the infuser obvious is to place the steam inlet in the upper region of the infuser. The steam was fed from above on the distributor chamber of the product, so that the drops do not break in their downward fall through the steam chamber. But the admission of the vapor concurrently with the intake of the product also suffers from its disadvantages. This type of steam intake may result in the product being burned around or in the distributor openings or distributor passages shown by the distributor. This interrupts the heating of the product, the temperature of the product fails, and thus the vapor pressure must increase and the higher temperature differences between the product and the steam will occur. Designando the openings of the distributor so that they have a very thin edge or end towards the steam chamber, it is possible to solve this problem in that there will be very thin layers of the product burned quickly, which are easily released before they get to break. However, the concurrent intake of the steam also causes problems with the non-condensable gases which are always found in the product and which are emitted in connection with its heating. The vapor also contains a quantity of these gases. The gases can consist of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and others. These gases must be removed continuously so that it is possible to maintain the vapor temperature at the same pressure. As a result of a concurrent vapor intake, the non-condensable gases mix more easily with the vapor and it becomes difficult to remove them without also releasing steam unnecessarily out of the process. Therefore, greater advantages could be brought about if it were possible to use the "classical" solution with a vapor inlet placed very low in the infuser without suffering from the problems involved in burning the product from which this solution was experienced. previously.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to be able to place the steam inlet on an infuser in the lower region of the autoclave, without the steam, in which it is admitted, fractionating the falling drops and causing them to be splashed against the hot internal walls. in the infuser, and causing the product to burn which is difficult to remove by washing. A further object of the present invention is, as a result of the placement of below the vapor inlet, to make easier the accumulation and evacuation of non-condensable gases.

SOLUTION These and other objects have been achieved in accordance with the present invention because in the dehorning type apparatus by means of the introduction, characterization aspects have been given that the vapor inlet substantially consists of a concentric opening in the cover surface. of the bird. Preferred embodiments of the present invention have additionally provided the characterization aspects that are described in the accompanying sub-paragraphs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPROVED DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in greater detail below, with reference to the appended Drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of an infuser in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a lateral elevation, partially in section, of the infusion vapor inlet; Y Figure 3 is a flow chart for a plant for heat treatment by means of infusion heat. The attached Drawings show only those parts and details essential for an understanding of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Figure 1 shows, in lateral elevation, an infuser 1 according to the present invention. The infuser 1 consists substantially of a conventional autoclave 2. In its upper region, the autoclave 2 has an inlet 3 for the product which is to be heat treated in the infuser 1. The inlet 3 of the product ends with a distributor chamber 4 The distributor chamber 4 is placed centrally in the autoclave and has, in its lower wall 5, a large number of openings or passages. The openings or passages are proposed to finely divide the incoming product so that the product, when it enters the autoclave 2, forms a large number of fine, small droplets which fall down through the auta bird 2. In the lower region, preferably below, of the autoclave 2, where the autoclave 2 forms a conical termination 6, an outlet 7 is placed for the product which has been heat treated in the infuser 1. The lowermost region of the conical termination 6 of the autoclave 2 works as a holding cell where the product remains for a certain period of time before being pumped also by additional treatment. An infuser 1 according to the present invention is additionally provided, in the lower region of the autoclave 2, with an inlet 8 for steam 21. The inlet for steam 8 is placed very low in the autoclave 2, preferably above the conical termination 6 of the autoclave 2 and a short distance from the liquid surface 9 which is formed by the heat-treated product, when the product remains in the autoclave 2 at a certain temperature and before it leaves the autoclave 2.

Rs - -, Sjfe-r The inlet of 8 is shown in detail in Figure 2. The steam inlet 8 is positioned concentrically around the cover surface 12 of the autoclave 2. The steam inlet 8 is supplied with steam 21 through a branch pipe 11 of the entrance. The branch 11 of the inlet leads to a distributing chamber 12 which extends concentrically. In the distributor chamber 12, the incoming steam 21 is distributed concentrically over the entire cover surface 10 of the autoclave 21 and therefore also passes through a plug or throat 13 in the autoclave 2 through an opening 14. Because the opening 14 is concentric, a uniform distribution of the steam 21 will be obtained in the autoclave 2. Alternatively, instead of the plug or groove 13, it is possible to connect the distributor chamber 12 to the opening 14 by means of a number of cavities distributed concentrically. The distributor chamber 12 is isolated from the cover wall 10 of the autoclave 2 by an insulated space 15. The space 15 is isolated with air, whereby a narrow passage 16 in the spacer 15 is made against ambient air. The distributor chamber 12 is isolated from the autoclave 2 so that the incoming hot steam 21 does not unnecessarily heat directly or directly the cover surface 10 of the autoclave 2. Reducing the temperature of the cover surface 10, which assists in reducing any possible burning of the product on the inner wall of the cover surface 10. The product entering the infuser 1 is pumped through a conduit to the inlet 3 in the upper region of the autoclave 2. The incoming product (which may consist, for example, of milk ) is normally at a temperature of 75-85 ° C, in certain applications up to 120 ° C. From the entrance 3 and the distribution chamber 4, the product passes through a large number of openings or passages provided in the lower wall 5 of the distributor chamber 4. Thus the product forms a large number of small drops 20 which fall freely downwards through the autoclave 2 until they reach the liquid surface 9. In its downward form through the autoclave 2, the drops of the product 20 meet the pressurized steam 21 which is at a temperature of about 120-170 ° C, preferably 140-150 ° C. For condensation of steam 21, the product drops are quickly heated at the desired temperature and when the drops 20 reach the liquid surface 9, the product has reached the desired temperature. The distance between the distributor chamber 4 for the product and the liquid surface 9 must be greater than that of the drops of the product 20 which have time to be heated to the desired temperature 1. The product ready to be heated, for a certain period of time, will remain in the conical termination 6 of the autoclave 2 before leaving the infuser 1 through the outlet 7. As a result of the admission of the vapor 21 concentrically in the autoclave 2 , a very even steam distribution will be obtained 21 inside the autoclave 2 and there will be very little risk that the flowing vapor 21 will divide or break the drops of the product 20. Since the droplets of the product 20 can fall relatively straight down without breaking or splitting, the product that is spread it is the hot inner walls of the autoclave 2 is reduced to a minimum, and therefore the burning of the product on the walls of the autoclave is also reduced. During the heating process, the non-condensable gases 22, such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, are released from the product. A certain amount of non-condensable gases 22 also becomes vapor 21 used in the process. Because the "coldest" area of the infuser 1 is located in the upper regions of the autoclave 2, the non-condensable gases 22 will accumulate here and can be conducted outside the infuser through the outlet 17. The inlet of the vapor 8 placed far down in the autoclave 2 thus contributes to creating the higher "cold" area in the autoclave which is required to be able to accumulate the non-condensable gases 22 with a slight mixture of steam 21 as possible. Infuser 1 should also be adjusted appropriately with a temperature indicator 18 and other control equipment to operate the process.

Figure 3 shows how an infuser 1 is included as a part in a plant for the hot treatment of liquid foods by means of infusion heat. The incoming product 30 passes via a counterweight tank 31 and a pump 32. In a heat exchanger in 33, for example, a plate heat exchanger, the product is preheated to the desired temperature, usually of the order of 75-82 ° C, but temperatures of up to 120 ° C may occur. The product thus heated is carried in a conduit to the infuser 1 and heat treated using the method described above. The ready-to-treat product is conducted from the infuser 1 to an expansion vessel 34 wherein the excess water that the product has obtained as a result of the infusion heating is again removed once. Via a pump 35 and possibly a homogenizer 36, the product is further conducted to a cooler 37, for example to an internal heat exchanger of the plate, where it is cooled to the desired temperature. The product then leaves the plant through a conduit 38 for further treatment or to complete filling and packing in consumer packages. As will be evident from the preceding description, the present invention realizes an apparatus in an infuser 1 which consists in making it possible to admit the vapor 21 at a low level in the autoclave 2, without the steam flow 21 interrupting the fall of the drops of the product 20 downwards through the autoclave 2. Since the steam inlet 8 is placed in the lower region of the autoclave 2, a "cold" area will also be created in the upper region of the autoclave 2, which it does everything possible to evacuate the non-condensable gases 22 formed during the process, both simply and without unnecessary conductive quantities of steam 21. The present invention should not be considered as restrictive for that described above and shown in the Drawings, many modifications are conceivable without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following is claimed as property.

Claims (6)

1. An apparatus in an infuser for a liquid food product, the apparatus is of the type which includes an autoclave with an inlet for the product located in its upper region and an outlet for the product located in its lower region, the inlet is arranged to divide the product entering the autoclave in small droplets, the infuser additionally includes an inlet for the vapor located in the lower region of the autoclave, characterized in that the steam inlet consists substantially of a concentric opening in the cover surface of the autoclave.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the vapor inlet is placed far down on the cylindrical portion of the cover surface as possible, but above the liquid surface which is formed by the heated product.

3. The apparatus according to the indication 2, characterized in that the distance between the distributor chamber of the product and the liquid surface must be greater than the drops of the product that have time to be heated to the desired temperature.

4. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steam inlet consists of a concentric, isolated distributor chamber, which, by means of a plug or throat, is connected to the concentric opening.

5. The apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steam inlet consists of a concentric, isolated distributor chamber, which, by means of a number of holes or cavities arranged concentrically, are connected to the concentric opening.

6. The apparatus according to any of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the distributor chamber is insulated so that a space placed between the distributor chamber and the cover surface is in communication with the ambient air via a recess or cavity. ^^ faith,: - -