U.S. patent application number 17/498655 was filed with the patent office on 2022-01-27 for raw meat protein product treated by direct steam injection.
This patent application is currently assigned to Empirical Innovations, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Empirical Innovations, Inc.. Invention is credited to Nicholas A. Roth.
Application Number | 20220022497 17/498655 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005898294 |
Filed Date | 2022-01-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220022497 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roth; Nicholas A. |
January 27, 2022 |
RAW MEAT PROTEIN PRODUCT TREATED BY DIRECT STEAM INJECTION
Abstract
A raw meat protein product is prepared by a process comprising
directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit, placing steam
in contact with the raw meat protein to raise the temperature of
the raw meat protein to a pathogen neutralizing temperature, and
maintaining that temperature in the raw meat protein for a
treatment period of time. The process then includes applying a
vacuum to the heated raw meat protein to vaporize water that has
condensed from the steam and then separating the raw meat protein
from the vaporized water and any remaining steam.
Inventors: |
Roth; Nicholas A.; (Dakota
Dunes, SD) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Empirical Innovations, Inc. |
Dakota Dunes |
SD |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Empirical Innovations, Inc.
Dakota Dunes
SD
|
Family ID: |
1000005898294 |
Appl. No.: |
17/498655 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16895636 |
Jun 8, 2020 |
11147297 |
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17498655 |
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16729108 |
Dec 27, 2019 |
10674751 |
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16895636 |
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16792949 |
Feb 18, 2020 |
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16729108 |
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62808778 |
Feb 21, 2019 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23L 3/22 20130101; A23L
3/003 20130101; A23V 2002/00 20130101; A23C 3/037 20130101; A23B
4/0053 20130101; A23L 3/001 20130101; F28C 3/06 20130101; F28D 3/04
20130101; A23V 2300/24 20130101; A23L 3/18 20130101; A23B 5/0055
20130101; B01F 23/23121 20220101; B01F 23/23 20220101 |
International
Class: |
A23L 3/00 20060101
A23L003/00; A23L 3/22 20060101 A23L003/22; F28D 3/04 20060101
F28D003/04; A23L 3/18 20060101 A23L003/18; B01F 3/04 20060101
B01F003/04; F28C 3/06 20060101 F28C003/06; A23C 3/037 20060101
A23C003/037; A23B 4/005 20060101 A23B004/005; A23B 5/005 20060101
A23B005/005 |
Claims
1. A raw meat protein product prepared by a process comprising: (a)
directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit; (b) placing
steam in contact with the raw meat protein directed along the
mixture conduit to produce a mixture in the mixture conduit, the
mixture in the mixture conduit including injected steam, water
condensed from the injected steam, and meat protein, with the meat
protein at a pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature; (c)
maintaining the water condensed from the injected steam and the
meat protein in the mixture conduit such that the meat protein in
the mixture conduit remains at the pathogen neutralizing treatment
temperature for a treatment period of time to produce a treated
mixture including the water condensed from the injected steam and
treated meat protein; (d) applying a vacuum to the treated mixture
to vaporize the water condensed from the injected steam; and (e)
after applying the vacuum to the treated mixture to vaporize the
water condensed from the injected steam, separating the treated
meat protein from the vaporized water and from any remaining
injected steam to produce a separated treated meat protein, the
separated treated meat protein comprising the raw meat protein
product.
2. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein applying the
vacuum to the treated mixture vaporizes substantially all water
condensed from the injected steam at elements (b) and (c) of claim
1.
3. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein the treatment
period of time is less than one second.
4. The raw meat protein product of claim 3 wherein the pathogen
neutralizing treatment temperature is any temperature within a
range between approximately 158.degree. F. and approximately
185.degree. F.
5. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein the pathogen
neutralizing treatment temperature is any temperature within a
range between approximately 158.degree. F. and approximately
185.degree. F.
6. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein the mixture
conduit defines a mixture conduit inner surface along which the raw
meat protein is directed through the mixture conduit and the
process includes cooling at least a portion of the mixture conduit
inner surfaces to a temperature of less than approximately
135.degree. F.
7. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein the mixture
conduit defines a mixture conduit inner surface along which the raw
meat protein is directed through the mixture conduit and the
process includes cooling at least a portion of the mixture conduit
inner surfaces to a temperature of less than approximately
130.degree. F.
8. The raw meat protein product of claim 1 wherein the vacuum is
applied in a vacuum vessel into which the treated mixture is
directed from the mixture conduit.
9. The raw meat protein product of claim 8 wherein the pressure in
the vacuum vessel is between approximately 29.5 inches of mercury
to approximately 25.5 inches of mercury.
10. The raw meat protein product of claim 1: (a) further including,
prior to placing the steam in contact with the raw meat protein,
directing the steam in a steam flow path from a steam inlet to a
contact location spaced apart from the steam inlet; and (b) further
including, prior to directing the raw meat protein along the
mixture conduit, directing the raw meat protein in a foodstuff flow
path from a foodstuff inlet to the contact location which is spaced
apart from the foodstuff inlet, the foodstuff flow path in a first
flow path region being defined between a first flow surface and a
second flow surface, the first flow surface comprising a surface of
a first boundary wall separating the steam flow path from the
foodstuff flow path and the second flow surface comprising a
surface of a second boundary wall which lies opposite to the first
boundary wall across the foodstuff flow path; and (c) the contact
location comprises an entrance to the mixture conduit.
11. The raw meat protein product of claim 10 further including,
while directing the steam in the steam flow path and directing the
raw meat protein in the foodstuff flow path, cooling at least some
of the foodstuff flow path through a cooling structure isolated
from the foodstuff flow path. second flow surface through a second
flow surface cooling structure isolated from the foodstuff flow
path.
12. The raw meat protein product of claim 11 wherein cooling at
least some of the foodstuff flow path through the cooling structure
isolated from the foodstuff flow path includes cooling the second
flow surface through a second flow surface cooling structure
isolated from the foodstuff flow path.
13. A raw meat protein and added water product prepared by a
process comprising: (a) directing a raw meat protein along a
mixture conduit; (b) placing steam in contact with the raw meat
protein directed along the mixture conduit to produce a mixture in
the mixture conduit, the mixture in the mixture conduit including
injected steam, water condensed from the injected steam, and meat
protein, with the meat protein at a pathogen neutralizing treatment
temperature; and (c) maintaining the water condensed from the
injected steam and the meat protein in the mixture conduit such
that the meat protein in the mixture conduit remains at the
pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature for a treatment period
of time to produce a treated mixture including the water condensed
from the injected steam and treated meat protein, the treated
mixture comprising the raw meat protein and added water
product.
14. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 13
wherein the pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature is any
temperature within the range between approximately 158.degree. F.
and approximately 185.degree. F.
15. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 13
wherein the pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature is a of
approximately 185.degree. F.
16. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 13
wherein the mixture conduit defines a mixture conduit inner surface
along which the raw meat protein is directed through the mixture
conduit and the process includes cooling at least a portion of the
mixture conduit inner surfaces to a temperature of less than
approximately 135.degree. F.
17. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 13
wherein the mixture conduit defines a mixture conduit inner surface
along which the raw meat protein is directed through the mixture
conduit and the process includes cooling at least a portion of the
mixture conduit inner surfaces to a temperature of less than
approximately 130.degree. F.
18. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 13: (a)
further including, prior to placing the steam in contact with the
raw meat protein, directing the steam in a steam flow path from a
steam inlet to a contact location spaced apart from the steam
inlet; and (b) further including, prior to directing the raw meat
protein along the mixture conduit, directing the raw meat protein
in a foodstuff flow path from a foodstuff inlet to the contact
location which is spaced apart from the foodstuff inlet, the
foodstuff flow path in a first flow path region being defined
between a first flow surface and a second flow surface, the first
flow surface comprising a surface of a first boundary wall
separating the steam flow path from the foodstuff flow path and the
second flow surface comprising a surface of a second boundary wall
which lies opposite to the first boundary wall across the foodstuff
flow path; and (c) the contact location comprises an entrance to
the mixture conduit.
19. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 18
further including, while directing the steam in the steam flow path
and directing the raw meat protein in the foodstuff flow path,
cooling at least some of the foodstuff flow path through a cooling
structure isolated from the foodstuff flow path.
20. The raw meat protein and added water product of claim 19
wherein cooling at least some of the foodstuff flow path through
the cooling structure isolated from the foodstuff flow path
includes cooling the second flow surface through a second flow
surface cooling structure isolated from the foodstuff flow path.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Applicant claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 120, of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/895,636 filed Jun. 8, 2020, and
entitled "Heating Medium Injectors and Injection Methods for
Heating Foodstuffs," and U.S. patent application Ser. No.
16/729,108 filed Dec. 27, 2019, and entitled "Heating Medium
Injectors and Injection Methods for Heating Foodstuffs." The entire
content of each of these prior applications is incorporated herein
by this reference.
[0002] Applicant also claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
120, of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/792,949 filed Feb. 18,
2020, and entitled "Systems and Methods for Receiving the Output of
a Direct Steam Injector." The entire content of this prior
application is incorporated herein by this reference.
[0003] Applicant claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e),
of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/808,778 filed Feb.
21, 2019, and entitled "Direct Heating Medium Injector and
Injection System and Method." The entire content of this
provisional application is incorporated herein by this
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention relates to apparatus and methods for
neutralizing pathogens in materials, particularly foodstuffs, by
direct injection of a heating medium. The invention also relates to
meat protein products treated by direct heating medium injection,
particularly steam injection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Heat treatment is used in the food processing industry to
eliminate pathogens and for other purposes. For example, milk may
be heated to about 145.degree. F. for about thirty minutes, or to
about 162.degree. F. for about fifteen seconds to destroy or
deactivate disease-causing microorganisms found in milk. These heat
treatment processes are commonly referred to as pasteurization.
Milk or cream may also be treated by heating to 280.degree. F. to
302.degree. F. for two or six seconds (or more) in a process
referred to as ultra-high-temperature ("UHT") pasteurization.
Pasteurization and UHT pasteurization may not entirely sterilize
the product being treated, but may be effective for killing or
deactivating pathogens present in the product.
[0006] Heat treatment of liquid or otherwise pumpable materials
like milk and cream may be indirect or direct. In indirect heat
treatment systems, the heating medium remains separate from the
foodstuff and heat is transferred to the foodstuff in a heat
exchange device such as a tube in shell or plate-type heat
exchanger. In contrast to indirect heat treatment systems, direct
heat treatment systems bring the foodstuff into direct contact with
a suitable heating medium such as steam. Although this direct
contact with steam adds water to the foodstuff being treated, that
added water may be separated from the treated foodstuff as
desired.
[0007] Direct steam heat treatment systems can be divided generally
into steam infusion systems and steam injection systems. In steam
infusion systems, steam is directed through a steam inlet into a
suitable steam chamber and the product to be treated is directed
into the steam chamber through a separate product inlet, commonly a
diffuser plate including a number of passages through which
relatively fine streams of product may flow into the steam chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,463 describes examples of steam diffusion
systems. In steam injection systems, a steam injector is used to
inject steam into a stream of foodstuff flowing through a conduit
to rapidly increase the temperature of the foodstuff to a desired
treatment temperature. The added steam and product may then be held
at an elevated temperature for a desired time by causing the
mixture to flow through a hold tube. U.S. Pat. No. 2,022,420
provides an example of a steam injection system.
[0008] In both steam infusion and steam injection systems, the
water added to the product during treatment may be removed from the
product by applying a vacuum sufficient to vaporize the added
water, and then drawing off the water vapor. This vaporization of
added water also has the effect of rapidly decreasing the
temperature of the now heat-treated product. In the case of steam
infusion systems, the water and heated product are removed from the
steam chamber and then directed to a vacuum chamber for applying
the desired vacuum. In the case of steam injection systems, the
mixture of heated product and added water is directed from the hold
tube into a vacuum chamber where the added water is vaporized and
may be drawn off along with any remaining steam.
[0009] Although direct steam injection systems are commonly used
for heat treating foodstuffs such as milk and juices, problems
remain which increase the cost of operating such systems. Perhaps
the most persistent problem encountered in direct steam injection
systems is the deposition of materials from the product, milk
proteins in the case of milk treatment for example, on surfaces
within the steam injector and downstream from the steam injector.
Among other things, these deposits can reduce flow through the
system and must be removed periodically to allow proper operation.
This removal of deposits necessitates shutting down the treatment
system and these shut downs increase operation costs and reduce
productivity. In applications beyond dairy products, deposition may
be so rapid that passages carrying the product to be treated become
completely plugged in a very short period of time, a few seconds or
a few minutes. The deposition problem thus prevents prior direct
steam injection systems from being used for heat treating certain
products, such as products including meat or egg proteins,
especially raw (that is, uncooked) meat proteins in fibrous and
other forms.
[0010] The problem of product deposition on surfaces of a direct
steam injector is exacerbated by the configuration of product flow
passages which are intended to facilitate quick and even heating of
the product. In particular, direct steam injectors may be
configured to produce a narrow stream of product to bring into
contact with steam in the injector. In order to produce such a thin
stream of product, a direct steam injector may cause the product to
flow through a narrow flow passage, particularly a narrow annular
flow passage, and steam may be brought into contact with the thin
stream of product exiting the narrow flow passage. U.S. Pat. No.
3,988,112 shows an example of a steam injector in which the product
to be treated is forced through a narrow annular flow path and
steam is applied to the thin stream of product exiting the annular
flow path. Although these injector configurations may be effective
for allowing the product to be quickly brought to the desired
treatment temperature, the narrow structures through which the
product must flow are susceptible to rapid deposition of
constituents from the product and are subject to plugging from
deposited materials. The structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,112
attempts to address the problem of product deposition on the
injector surfaces downstream of the injection point by releasing a
cold liquid along the surfaces containing the heated mixture. This
patent also shows cooling surfaces of the injector downstream from
the injection point by circulating a coolant through chambers
formed in the walls of the injector downstream from the point where
steam is injected into the product. While the surface washing and
surface cooling in the injector downstream from the injection point
may be effective to increase run times for some products, the
techniques shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,988,112 do not eliminate
product deposition and may be entirely ineffective for some types
of products. Also, the surface washing shown in U.S. Pat. No.
3,988,112 may lead to uneven heating in the product to be treated
and may reduce the effectiveness of the heat treatment with regard
to eliminating pathogens.
[0011] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0143343
discloses a direct steam injector in which surfaces within the
injector which come in contact with heated product such as milk are
formed from polyether ether ketone, commonly referred to as PEEK,
in an effort to reduce the tendency for product deposits to form on
surfaces of the injector. PEEK is used in this prior injector not
only for reducing the tendency for the formation of deposits and
burning in the injector, but also for its resistance to cleaning
agents and ability to withstand the temperatures encountered in the
injector. However, the use of PEEK within the injector disclosed in
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0143343 does not
eliminate product deposition and thus the injection system
disclosed in this publication relies on a sensor arrangement which
can be used to adjust flow paths within the injector to help ensure
the desired level of heating in the product as deposits form on the
injector surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is an object of the present invention to provide raw meat
protein products prepared by processes including direct steam
injection into the raw meat protein. Such raw meat protein products
may be produced using direct heating medium injectors and systems,
and also direct heating medium injection methods, which overcome
the problem of undue deposition of product constituents on surfaces
within the injector and other system components.
[0013] In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
a raw meat protein product is prepared by a process comprising
directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit, placing steam
in contact with the raw meat protein to raise the temperature of
the raw meat protein to a pathogen neutralizing temperature, and
maintaining that temperature in the raw meat protein for a
treatment period of time. The process then includes applying a
vacuum to the heated raw meat protein to vaporize water that has
condensed from the steam and then separating the raw meat protein
from the vaporized water and any remaining steam. This separated
raw meat protein comprises the raw meat protein product according
to this first aspect of the invention.
[0014] placing steam in contact with the raw meat protein directed
along the mixture conduit produces a mixture in the mixture
conduit, this mixture including injected steam, water condensed
from the injected steam, and meat protein, with the meat protein at
the pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature. Maintaining the
desired temperature in the meat protein may comprise maintaining
the water condensed from the injected steam and the meat protein in
the mixture conduit for treatment period of time to produce a
treated mixture including the water condensed from the injected
steam and treated meat protein. Applying the vacuum then comprises
applying a vacuum to the treated mixture to vaporize the water
condensed from the injected steam. This vacuum may be applied in a
vacuum vessel and the separation step may be performed by drawing
off the vaporized water and any remaining steam from the vacuum
vessel while the treated raw meat protein, now at a reduced
temperature due to the vaporization of the added water, collects in
an area of the vacuum vessel for removal.
[0015] A product according to a second aspect of the present
invention comprises a raw meat protein and added water product.
This product may be produced by the method described above, but
without the vacuum application and subsequent separation step.
[0016] According to some aspects of the present invention described
in detail below, some of the surfaces within the injector that come
in contact with the product to be treated are cooled by a suitable
cooling arrangement to at least reduce the rate at which product
constituents form deposits on those surfaces. In particular,
certain surfaces within the injector upstream of the steam
injection point are cooled by a suitable cooling arrangement. It
has been determined that cooling some of these surfaces prevents
undue deposition of product constituents on those surfaces, and
surprisingly, prevents undue deposition of product constituents on
adjacent or nearby surfaces within the injector which are not
cooled and are formed from standard injector materials such as
stainless steel. Other surfaces in an injector in accordance with
the present invention may be formed from a temperature moderating
material. As used in this disclosure and the accompanying claims, a
"temperature moderating material" (sometimes referred to herein as
"TMOD material") comprises a material having a specific heat of no
less than approximately 750 J/kg K, and preferably no less than
approximately 900 J/kg K, and, more preferably, no less than
approximately 1000 J/kg K. A class of materials particularly suited
for use as a TMOD material in accordance with the present invention
comprises plastics which have a specific heat of no less than
approximately 1000 J/kg K and are suitable for providing food
contact surfaces, retain structural integrity, maintain dimensional
stability, and do not degrade at temperatures which may be
encountered in a heating medium injection system (which may be
350.degree. F. or somewhat higher in some applications). Specific
examples of suitable TMOD materials will be described below in
connection with the illustrated embodiments.
[0017] A heating medium injector according to a third aspect of the
present invention includes an injector structure, a heating medium
flow path defined within the injector structure, and a product flow
path defined within the injector structure. The heating medium flow
path extends from a heating medium inlet opening to a contact
location, while the product flow path extends from a product inlet
opening to the contact location. The contact location comprises a
location within the injector structure at which the heating medium
flow path and product flow path merge within the injector
structure, that is, first come together along the direction of flow
from the product inlet opening to the contact location, to allow
mixing of the heating medium and product. In a first region, the
product flow path is defined between a first flow surface and a
second flow surface. The first flow surface comprises a surface of
a first boundary wall separating the heating medium flow path from
the product flow path in the first region and the second flow
surface comprises a surface of a second boundary wall located
opposite to the first flow surface and first boundary wall across
the product flow path. According to this first aspect of the
invention, at least some of the second flow surface is in
substantial thermal communication with a second flow surface
cooling structure. This second flow surface cooling structure is
operatively associated with the second boundary wall and is
isolated from the product flow path. The operative association
between the second flow surface cooling structure and the second
boundary wall may be accomplished by forming the second flow
surface cooling structure in the second boundary wall or by
connecting the second flow surface cooling structure to the second
boundary wall for example, or by any other relationship to allow
the second flow surface cooling structure to cool the second flow
surface of the product flow path.
[0018] The present invention also encompasses methods for injecting
a heating medium into liquids or other pumpable materials. Methods
according to this fourth aspect of the invention include directing
a heating medium in a heating medium flow path and directing a
product to be treated in a product flow path, both from a
respective inlet location to a contact location spaced apart from
the product inlet. The product flow path in a first region is
defined between a first flow surface and a second flow surface as
described above in connection with a heating medium injector
according to the third aspect of the invention. Methods embodying
this fourth aspect of the invention also include cooling at least
some of the second flow surface through a second flow surface
cooling structure isolated from the product flow path. This cooling
is performed while the heating medium is directed long the heating
medium flow path and the product is directed along the product flow
path.
[0019] As used herein, "meat protein" includes proteins derived
from the meat of any animal including, mammals, fish and other
seafoods, and birds. "Raw meat protein" is used in this disclosure
and the accompanying claims to refer to such proteins that have not
been denature by cooking. Products in accordance with the present
invention may also include raw egg protein. "Egg protein" here
includes proteins derived from chicken and similar eggs, while "raw
egg protein" may be used to refer to egg proteins that have not
been denatured by cooking. Beyond the application to the
pasteurization of raw meat proteins and egg proteins, aspects of
the present invention have application in heat treating many types
of products for many purposes.
[0020] Where a surface of a given flow path is in substantial
thermal communication with a cooling structure to reduce or
eliminate deposition of product constituents along the flow path,
the cooling structure employed may comprise any suitable
arrangement which is capable of removing heat from the surface so
as to reduce the temperature of the surface to the desired
operating temperature. Suitable cooling structures include coolant
circulating chambers through which a suitable coolant fluid may be
circulated. Alternatively, thermoelectric devices located along the
wall defining the respective surface to be cooled may be used to
effect the desired cooling in some cases. Forced air and other
cooling arrangements may also be employed as cooling structures
according to the present invention as will be discussed further
below in connection with the example embodiments. In the case of
any cooling structure in accordance with the present invention, the
cooling structure is isolated from flow paths within the injector
so that there is no mass transfer from the cooling structure to the
flow paths. For example, in the case of coolant circulating
chambers, the chambers are not in fluid communication with the flow
paths which would allow the coolant material to make direct contact
with and mix with the materials in the product flow path.
[0021] As used in this description of the invention and the
following claims, in "substantial thermal communication" with a
surface of a flow path means in thermal contact with the surface
across one or more heat conductive materials so as to facilitate
the transfer of heat in a direction from the surface away from the
flow path across the one or more heat conductive materials to
effect reasonable control of the temperature of the surface. For
example, a cooling structure such as a coolant circulating chamber
separated from a given surface by a wall of material 0.25 inches
thick or less having a thermal conductivity of 10 W/m K would be in
substantial thermal communication with the given surface. A thicker
wall at this thermal conductivity could still provide substantial
thermal communication within the scope of the present invention,
albeit with reduced capability of providing the desired temperature
control. Additional examples of structures in substantial thermal
communication with a given surface will be described below in
connection with the illustrated embodiments.
[0022] Where a TMOD material is used for a given surface, the
surface is formed in the TMOD material. As used in this description
and the following claims, "formed in" a given material or given
materials means that the surface is either molded, machined,
extruded, or similarly formed in or from a mass of the material, or
formed by an additive manufacturing technique such as 3D printing,
either with or without polishing or other treatment to achieve a
desired surface smoothness.
[0023] In some implementations of an injector according to the
third aspect of the invention, portions of the product flow path
may be formed from TMOD material. For example, an injector
structure according to the present invention may be made up of
several separately formed components which connect together to form
the product flow path and heating medium flow path. In these
implementations, some of the components may be formed from one or
more TMOD materials while others are formed from other materials
and rely on cooling structures to provide cooling of product flow
surfaces according to the present invention, or include no cooling
structures. One particular embodiment includes a component formed
from a TMOD material which defines the product inlet opening and a
portion of the product flow path adjacent to the product inlet
opening. This portion of the product flow path may be arcuate in
shape defining an elbow which brings the product flow path into
alignment with an injector axis.
[0024] In some implementations of an injector according to the
third aspect of the invention described above, both the heating
medium flow path and the product flow path in the first region
comprise a respective annular flow path. The two annular flow paths
may be concentrically arranged. In this concentric annular flow
arrangement, the annular flow area of the heating medium flow path
may be located on the inside with respect to the annular flow area
of the product flow path or vice versa. In either case the first
boundary wall between the heating medium annular flow path and the
product annular flow path comprises an annular wall.
[0025] Particularly in implementations in which the heating medium
flow path in the first region comprises an annular shape, the
heating medium flow path may include a frustoconically shaped
section adjacent to the contact location. This frustoconically
shaped section reduces in diameter in a direction of product flow
through the injector structure so that the smaller diameter end of
the frustoconical shape lies at the contact location, or at least
faces downstream of the product and steam flow paths in the
injector structure. Where the heating medium flow path includes an
annular, frustoconically shaped section adjacent to the contact
location, the product flow path may likewise include a
frustoconically shaped section adjacent to the contact location,
similarly reducing in diameter in the direction of product flow
through the injector structure.
[0026] A heating medium injector according to the first aspect of
the invention may also include a mixture flow path formed within
the injector structure between the contact location and the outlet
of the injector structure. The mixture flow path is defined at
least by a mixture flow path outer surface. According to some
implementations of the present invention, the mixture flow path
outer surface is in substantial thermal communication with at least
one mixture flow path outer surface cooling structure. In some
implementations, the mixture flow path is also defined by an inner
surface at least in a region adjacent to the contact location, that
is, immediately downstream from the contact location in the
direction of flow. This mixture flow path inner surface may by
defined by a cone-shaped element positioned coaxially with the
heating medium annular flow path and decreasing in diameter in the
direction of flow through the injector structure.
[0027] The cooling structure along the second flow surface of the
product flow path may extend past the contact location to at least
a portion of the mixture flow path outer surface. Thus the same
cooling structure may be used in methods according to the invention
to cool both the second flow surface of the product path (a surface
upstream of the contact location), and at least a portion of the
mixture flow path outer surface (a surface downstream of the
contact location).
[0028] Injectors and injection methods according to certain aspects
of the present invention may be used with any heating medium
suitable for the desired heat treatment. A heating medium
comprising steam is particularly advantageous for heat treatments
in which the product is to be returned to a lower temperature after
a short time at a pasteurization temperature because water
condensed in the heating process may be vaporized to rapidly reduce
the temperature of the product from the pasteurization temperature.
However, the injectors and injection methods within the scope of
the present invention are by no means limited to use with steam as
the heating medium. Also, additional aspects of the invention are
not limited to any particular purpose of the heat treatment.
Although injectors and injection methods according to the present
invention have particular application to pasteurizing foodstuffs,
especially foodstuffs including raw meat or egg proteins as
described above, the invention is not limited to this application.
Other applications for injectors and injection methods according to
the present invention include cooking foodstuffs, sterilizing
foodstuffs which have already been cooked, or simultaneously
cooking and sterilizing foodstuffs for example.
[0029] These and other advantages and features of the invention
will be apparent from the following description of representative
embodiments, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is longitudinal section view of a heating medium
injector embodying the principles of the invention having a first
flow path configuration.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of an alternate
heating medium injector embodying the principles of the invention
having the first flow path configuration.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section view of another alternate
heating medium injector having the first flow path
configuration.
[0034] FIG. 5 is longitudinal section view of a heating medium
injector embodying the principles of the invention having a second
flow path configuration.
[0035] FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5.
[0036] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal section view of an alternate
heating medium injector having the second flow path
configuration.
[0037] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal section view of another alternate
heating medium injector embodying the principles of the invention
having the second flow path configuration.
[0038] FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a heating medium
injection system including a heating medium injector in accordance
with the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a steam injection
system embodying principles of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 11 is a schematic representation showing the location
at which a heated mixture may be released in the vacuum chamber
shown in FIG. 10.
[0041] FIG. 12 is a longitudinal section view of a portion of a
hold conduit within the scope of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 13 is a transverse section view taken along line 13-13
in FIG. 10.
DESCRIPTION OF REPRESENTATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0043] In the following description of representative embodiments
FIGS. 1-4 will be used to describe three different embodiments of
injector devices having the same general flow path configuration
for the heating medium and foodstuff. FIGS. 5-8 will be used to
describe three different embodiments having an alternate flow path
configuration for the heating medium and foodstuff. It should be
appreciated however, that injector devices within the scope of the
invention are by no means limited to the two general flow path
configurations used in the examples. Any suitable heating medium
and product flow path arrangement may be used in a heating medium
injection system in accordance with the present invention as will
be described below in connection with FIG. 9 and treatment system
described in connection with FIGS. 10-13.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, a heating medium injector 100 embodying
principles according to the present invention includes an injector
structure made up of a center component 101, a first end component
102, an intermediate component 103, and a second end component 104.
In the orientation of FIG. 1, a left end of injector 100 represents
an inlet end indicated generally at 106 while the right end of the
injector in FIG. 1 represents an outlet end indicated generally at
107. The combined components 101, 102, 103, and 104 are connected
together along an injector axis shown in the drawing as A1.
[0045] First end component 102 is connected in example injector 100
to second end component 104 through a flange 110 and connecting
bolts 111. This flange connecting arrangement also captures
intermediate component 103 between first end component 102 and
second end component 104 with an intermediate component flange 112
abutting first end component flange 110. Center component 101 is
received through an opening 114 in first end component 102 and
extends along injector axis A1 through a passage 118 defined by
first end component 102 and intermediate component 103. Connecting
screws 115 connect center component 101 in place on first end
component 102 and seals 116 provide a liquid-tight seal between the
exterior of center component 101 and opening 114.
[0046] Together, the various components define two separate flow
paths through injector 100 to a contact location CL1. In this case
contact location CL1 comprises an annular area defined along plane
C1 extending perpendicular to injector axis A1. Contact location
CL1 defines the coordinate along injector axis A1 where the two
flow paths, that is, the product flow path and heating medium flow
path, come together in the injector so that the materials flowing
along those flow paths to the right in the orientation of the
figure come together and may mix. One of these flow paths is shown
in the figure at 120 while the other flow path is shown at 121.
Arrows 120A indicate the direction of flow along flow path 120 and
arrows 121A indicate the direct of flow along flow path 121.
Injector 100 also defines an outlet or mixture flow path shown at
122, which in this example structure is defined in outlet end
component 104 to the right of line C1. In this example injector
100, flow path 120 extends from an inlet opening 124 of first end
component 102 through an arcuate section or "elbow" formed in the
first end component and through an axial section of passage 118
that runs from the right-most part of first end component 102
through intermediate component 103 to the contact location CL1.
Flow path 121 through injector 100 is defined by two inlet passages
126 formed within second end component 104 and a central chamber
127 which leads to mixture flow path 122 defined in part by an
outlet passage 128 extending to an injector outlet opening 129.
[0047] It will be appreciated from FIG. 1 and the transverse
section view of FIG. 2 that flow path 120 in the region to the
right of the arcuate portion of the path comprises an annular flow
path defined between a first surface 132 and second surface 133. In
this example configuration, first surface 132 in the region just to
the left of the contact location CL1 is defined by the inner
surface of intermediate component 103. Second surface 133 is
defined in this region by the exterior surface of center component
101. It should also be noted that in the configuration of FIG. 1,
the flow path 121 also comprises an annular flow path defined on
the inside by surface 134 and on the outside by surface 135.
Surface 134 comprises an outer surface of intermediate component
103 and surface 135 comprises an inside surface of chamber 127
defined within second component 104.
[0048] Center component 101 and intermediate component 103 in FIG.
1 are formed from a material such as stainless steel which is not a
TMOD material as defined for purposes of this disclosure and the
following claims, while second end component 104 is formed from a
TMOD material. Thus example injector 100 incorporates both cooling
structures and TMOD material to reduce or eliminate product
constituent deposition on surfaces within the injector. In
particular, a center component cooling structure in the example of
FIG. 1 comprises a coolant circulating chamber 140 at the tip of
center component 101 which extends to the right in the figure past
the coordinate of contact location CL1 along axis A1. This center
component coolant circulating chamber 140 is connected to receive a
coolant fluid through a coolant inlet passage 141 and return
coolant fluid through a coolant outlet passage 142. Injector 100
also includes a cooling structure associated with intermediate
component 103, namely, a coolant circulating chamber 144 extending
through the intermediate component body adjacent to surface 132.
This coolant circulating chamber 144 in intermediate component 103
is connected to a coolant inlet passage 145 and a coolant outlet
passage 146 to facilitate circulating coolant fluid through the
chamber. It should be noted that coolant circulating chambers 140
and 144, and other coolant circulating chambers disclosed herein
may include baffles, dams, dividers, and other flow directing
features positioned appropriately to direct the flow of coolant
fluid throughout the respective chamber to provide the desired
cooling across the entire adjacent surface to be cooled. These flow
directing features are not shown in the drawings in order to avoid
obscuring the invention in unnecessary detail. It will be
appreciated by those in the field that any suitable arrangement of
flow directing features may be used in a coolant circulating
chamber in accordance with the present invention. Turbulence
inducing devices may also be included in a coolant circulating
chamber in accordance with the present invention to induce
turbulence in the circulated coolant and thereby enhance the
cooling effect of the coolant. It should also be noted that the
relative size of the coolant circulating chambers 140 and 144 shown
in FIG. 1 and particularly FIG. 2 are shown only for purposes of
example and are not limiting. The relative size of the flow paths
120 and 121 and coolant circulating chambers 140 and 144 may be
selected as desired or necessary to facilitate the desired flow
rates, and, in the case of chambers 140 and 144, facilitate the
cooling necessary to reach the desired operating temperature of the
surface being cooled.
[0049] In addition to coolant circulating chambers 140 and 144, the
embodiment of FIG. 1 also forms surfaces of flow path 121 and
surfaces of mixture flow path 122 from a TMOD material. In this
case, the entire second end component 104 is formed from a TMOD
material. Thus the outer surface 135 of mixture flow path 122 is
formed in a TMOD material as is the surface 148 of outlet flow
passage 128.
[0050] In operation of the example injector 100 shown in FIG. 1, a
product to be treated may be pumped or otherwise caused to flow
into the injector through inlet opening 124 and along the flow path
120 in the direction indicated by arrows 120A toward the contact
location CL1 along injector axis A1. Heating medium may be directed
in through each inlet opening 125 and into each passage 126 along
the flow path 121 in the direction indicated by arrows 121A to the
contact location CL1. The annular flow of product and annular flow
of heating medium come together at the contact location CL1 where
the heating medium quickly heats the product to the desired
treatment temperature. The heated mixture comprising heated product
and heating medium continue to flow through mixture path 122 in the
direction of arrow 122A and out through outlet passage 128 and
ultimately exits the injector through outlet opening 129 to a
suitable hold tube (not shown in FIG. 1) where the product is held
at the desired temperature for a desired time.
[0051] While the product to be treated is directed along the
product flow path 120 in the direction indicated by arrows 120A and
heating medium is directed along the heating medium flow path 121
in the direction indicated by arrows 121A, heat from the heating
medium is picked up by the material of wall 130 separating the
heating medium flow path from the product flow path. Heat from the
injected heating medium also heats the surfaces 117 at the
rightmost end of center component 101, and this heat may radiate
through the material of the center component to other parts of that
component including surface 133 which defines a portion of the
product flow path in the region to the left of contact location
CL1. In order to at least reduce the rate at which constituents
from the product form deposits on surfaces 117 and 133, the
operation of injector 100 also includes circulating a suitable
coolant through the center component cooling chamber 140. This
circulation of coolant through chamber 140 removes heat from
surface 133 and 117 of center component 103 to reduce the
temperature of those surfaces to temperatures below those at which
the product being treated tends to adhere to a surface and thus
reduce the rate at which product constituents may tend to adhere to
the surfaces. In the operation of injector 100, coolant is also
circulated through chamber 144 located in intermediate component
103 to remove heat from surface 132 and thereby reduce the
temperature of that surface to the desired temperature and thus
reduce the rate at which product constituents may tend to adhere to
that surface. Meanwhile, product constituent deposition is
inhibited at surfaces 135 and 148 of the second end component
because those surfaces are formed in a TMOD material. In
particular, the specific heat of the TMOD material or the specific
heat of such material combined with the thermal conductivity of
that material allow injector 100 to be operated while maintaining
the temperature of the surfaces 135 and 148 below a temperature at
which product may tend to adhere to those surfaces. The resistance
to temperature increase provided by the TMOD material or the
resistance to temperature increase combined with the conduction of
heat away from the material allows the surfaces 135 and 148 to
remain below the desired operating temperatures for those surfaces
even though those surfaces are exposed to the heated mixture stream
at a higher temperature as will be discussed further below.
Although the implementation shown in FIG. 1 includes TMOD material
at surfaces 135 and 148, it will be appreciated that other
implementations may include cooling structures at these locations
instead of TMOD materials. FIG. 3 discussed below comprises such an
implementation. Cooling structures at these locations may be
required for commercial operation for some types of products such
as products including raw meat and egg proteins.
[0052] Surfaces 133 and 117 in FIG. 1 are in substantial thermal
communication with the cooling structure comprising coolant
circulating chamber 140 by virtue of the thermal conductivity of
the material from which the walls defining surfaces 133 and 117 are
formed (preferably but not necessarily over approximately 10 W/m K)
combined with the thickness of the material between chamber 140 and
surfaces 133 and 117, which may be only approximately 0.02 to
approximately 0.05 inches for example. Substantial thermal
communication may also be provided through a thicker wall of
material. Similarly, surface 132 is in substantial thermal
communication with the cooling structure comprising coolant
circulating chamber 144 by virtue of the thermal conductivity of
the material from which wall 130 is formed (again, preferably but
not necessarily over approximately 10 W/m K) combined with the
thickness of the material between chamber 144 and surface 132,
which may also be approximately 0.02 to approximately 0.05 inches
for example, but may be thicker for structural or other purposes.
Other arrangements providing substantial thermal conductivity
between a respective coolant circulating chamber such as 140 and a
surface such as 133 and 117 in the example of FIG. 1, may include
multiple layers of material residing between the coolant
circulating chamber and surface to be cooled wall. For example, the
wall of material between chamber 140 and surfaces 133 and 117 may
be formed from a thin first layer of material having a first
thermal conductivity, and a second layer having the same or
preferably higher thermal conductivity.
[0053] In arrangements such as that shown in FIG. 1 where cooling
structures are used to cool surface 133 opposite wall 130, the
cooling structures need not, and preferably do not, extend along
the entire length of the component 101 as indicated in the
simplified drawing. Rather, the cooling structure (in this case
coolant circulating chamber 140) may extend only along the length
of surface 133 opposite wall 130. The coolant circulating passages
141 and 142 may extend along the component 101 closer to axis A1
and insulating materials may be included in component 101 to help
reduce any cooling of product along path 120 prior to surface 133
opposite wall 130 and chamber 127.
[0054] Where cooling structures are used to cool surfaces so as to
reduce deposition rates according to aspects of the present
invention, the temperature to which the given surface is cooled may
be a temperature below temperatures at which product tends to
adhere to a surface. This temperature will vary with the product
being treated. For products including raw meat or egg proteins, for
example, surfaces which are cooled by a cooling structure may be
cooled to a temperature preferably no more than approximately
135.degree. F., and more preferably no more than approximately
130.degree. F. Some products may tend to adhere to surfaces at
higher temperatures than this example, while still other products
may tend to adhere to surfaces at lower temperatures. The cooling
structures in each case may be operated in accordance with the
invention to maintain the desired operating temperature to resist
the deposition of product constituents in operation of the injector
according to the present invention. This operating temperature,
however, need not be monitored in the operation of an injector in
accordance with the invention and practice of a method in
accordance with the invention. Rather, the cooling needed for a
given application may be determined empirically and the process
controlled to provide that empirically determined level of cooling
to reduce the deposit of product constituents within the injector.
It will be noted that the product flow path surfaces and heated
mixture flow path surfaces formed in a TMOD material in accordance
with the present invention may also be maintained below
temperatures at which product tends to adhere to the surface by
virtue of the properties of the TMOD material.
[0055] Operating parameters of a heating medium injector
incorporating aspects of the present invention will depend in some
cases on the particular product which is being treated. In
particular, the treatment temperature will depend in large part
upon the product being treated and the goal of the heat treatment.
Where the product includes raw meat or egg proteins which are to
remain undenatured over the course of the treatment, the goal of
the treatment may be to destroy pathogens such as Escherichia coli
(E. coli) O157:H7, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter
bacteria. In this case the target treatment temperature (the
pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature) for the product in the
heated mixture stream may be between approximately 158.degree. F.
and approximately 185.degree. F. (or between approximately
158.degree. F. and approximately 200.degree. F.) and the hold time
at that temperature until release into the vacuum vessel may be
less than one second. Of course, the present invention is by no
means limited to this temperature range and hold time, which is
provided merely as an example of operation.
[0056] It will be noted from the example described above for
products including raw meat or egg proteins that the treatment
temperature of approximately 158.degree. F. to approximately
185.degree. F. (or approximately 200.degree. F.) is well above the
temperature of a surface at which the product tends to adhere to
the surface, namely, approximately 135.degree. F. for example. Thus
without the surface cooling in accordance with the present
invention, surfaces within a direct heating medium injector would
quickly reach and exceed the adherence temperature and product
deposits would quickly form. Cooling surfaces in accordance with
the present invention prevents the given surfaces from reaching the
adherence temperatures and thus reduce or eliminate product
deposition on those surfaces. In some applications, forming
surfaces in a TMOD material may likewise prevent such surfaces from
reaching the adherence temperature and thus reduce or eliminate
product deposition on those surfaces.
[0057] FIG. 3 shows an injector 300 having a structure similar to
the structure of injector 100 in FIG. 1 and providing product,
heating medium, and mixture flow paths (320, 321, and 322,
respectively) similar to those shown in FIG. 1, but including a
different arrangement of cooling structures. Injector 300 includes
a center component 301, first end component 302, and intermediate
component 303 identical to those shown in FIG. 1. However, injector
300 in FIG. 3 includes a second end component 304 that is not
formed from a TMOD material. For example, second end component 304
may be formed from a stainless steel alloy suitable for food
processing applications. Second end component 304 includes a
cooling structure associated with an outlet passage 328 and
portions of a central chamber 327 formed by the second end
component. In this example the cooling structure includes a coolant
circulating chamber 360 which extends in close proximity to the
wall forming central chamber 327 and in close proximity to surface
348 of outlet passage 328. A coolant inlet passage 361 is connected
to chamber 360 as is a coolant outlet passage 362 for allowing
coolant to be circulated through chamber 360.
[0058] In the operation of injector 300 shown in FIG. 3, center
component cooling chamber 340 and intermediate component cooling
chamber 344 perform the same function as the corresponding chambers
in injector 100. In particular, center component cooling chamber
340 cools the end surfaces 317 of center component 301 along with
surface 333 of the product flow path 320 in the direction shown by
arrows 320A. Intermediate coolant chamber 344 cools surface 332 of
the product flow path 320. Coolant chamber 360 in the injector 300
cools surfaces 348 of outlet passage 328 and surfaces of chamber
327 particularly those past the contact location CL3 and plane C3
along axis A3 which may come in contact with product during the
course of operation.
[0059] Injector 400 shown in FIG. 4 also has a structure similar to
that shown for injector 100 in FIG. 1. Namely, injector 400
includes a center component 401, a first end component 402, an
intermediate component 403, and a second end component 404. These
components 401, 402, 403, and 404 are identical in external shape
to the corresponding components shown in injector 100 and thus
define the same configuration of product, heating medium, and
mixture flow paths as those set out in FIG. 1 (labeled 420, 421,
and 422 in FIG. 4). However, in the example of injector 400, the
entire center component 401, and the entire intermediate component
403 are formed from a TMOD material. Second end component 404 is
formed from a TMOD material similarly to second end component 104
shown in FIG. 1 for injector 100. Rather than employing coolant
circulating chambers such as center component coolant circulating
chamber 140 in FIG. 1 and intermediate component coolant
circulating chamber 144 in FIG. 1, injector 400 employs TMOD
materials to inhibit the deposition of product constituents on and
surfaces 417, surfaces 433 and 432 of the product flow path, and
surfaces 448 of outlet passage 428, and on surfaces of central
chamber 427 downstream of the contact location CL4 along axis A4.
This application of TMOD materials may be effective for treating
some types of products.
[0060] It should also be noted that an injector having the
configuration shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 may also be operated with
the flow paths for the product and the heating medium switched from
that described above. In particular, and referring back to FIG. 1
for example, heating medium may be directed through the flow path
120 while product may be directed along the flow path indicated by
121. In this mode of operation, the structure may be changed so
that no center component cooling structure is included or the
center component cooling structure is effective for cooling only
the surfaces 117 at the end of center component 101 and does not
cool the surfaces of center component 101 along surface 133
opposite wall 130. Also, in the case where product is introduced
into injector 100 along the flow path 121, cooling structures will
be required along surfaces 135 and 148. Where intermediate
component coolant circulating chamber 144 is required to cool
surface 134 for a particular product, that chamber may be located
in closer proximity to surface 134 than shown in FIG. 1 to provide
more effective cooling to that surface.
[0061] FIG. 5 shows another injector 500 according to the
principles of the invention with a somewhat different structure
than injectors 100, 300, and 400. Injector 500 includes a center
component 501, a first end component 502, and a second and
component 504. First end component 502 includes a flange 510 that
may be used together with suitable bolts (not shown) to connect to
second end component 504. First end component 502 also defines a
center component receiving opening 514 for receiving an elongated
portion of center component 501. Center component 501 may be
connected to first end component 502 through suitable bolts 515 and
sealed using seals 516 similarly to manner in which center
component 101 is connected in injector 100 shown in FIG. 1. Unlike
the structure shown in FIG. 1, first end component 502 includes a
portion 512 which protrudes so as to extend into an axial passage
defined by surface 511 in second end component 504. Alternatively,
this protruding portion 512 may be a separately formed part
connected between components 502 and 504. When connected in the
operating position shown in FIG. 5, opening 514 extends along the
injector axis A5 and through the protruding portion 512 to the
contact location CL5 at the intersection of line C5 and the
injector axis. Opening 514 is adapted to receive the elongated
portion of center component 501 but leaves a gap 513 between the
outer surface of the center component and surface of opening 514.
This gap 513 defines a portion of a flow path through injector 500
which is indicated in FIG. 5 at 521, with the remainder of the flow
path defined by inlet passage 526 in first end component 502. The
second flow path defined through injector 500 comprises flow path
520 which extends from an inlet opening 524 in first end component
502, through an elbow section in that component, and into an
annular area defined between surface 532 of protruding part 512 and
surfaces 511 of second end component 504. This annular flow path
extends to an outlet passage 528 which comprises a mixture flow
path leading to outlet opening 529 and defines outlet passage
surfaces 548 in second end component 504. The annular shape of the
flow path defined between surfaces 511 and 532 (comprising a
portion of flow the flow path 520 in FIG. 5) is apparent especially
from the transverse section view of FIG. 6. FIG. 6 additionally
shows that the flow path defined by surfaces of opening 514 and the
exterior of center component 501 (the flow path shown rows 521 in
FIG. 5) also defines an annular flow path.
[0062] In the example of injector 500, the entire first end
component 502 is formed from a TMOD material as is the entire
center component 501. Second end component 504 is formed from a
suitable food processing grade material which is not a TMOD
material in this example structure such as a suitable stainless
steel. In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a
cooling structure is included in second end component 504. In the
example of injector 500, this cooling structure comprises two
separate coolant circulating chambers 560A and 560B which each
extend over a different part of the axial opening defined by
surfaces 511 and of the outlet passage 528, and each include a
respective coolant inlet 561A, 561B and coolant outlet 562A and
562B. Surprisingly, implementations of an injector having a
configuration similar to that shown in FIG. 5 in which the
protruding part 512 is formed from stainless steel (that is, not a
TMOD material) allow treatment of products containing raw meat
proteins to temperatures of between approximately 158.degree. F.
and approximately 185.degree. F. without significant product
constituent deposition on surfaces corresponding to surfaces 532 in
FIG. 5.
[0063] In a preferred manner of operating injector 500, heating
medium is injected through inlet 526 in first end component 502 and
directed along the flow path 521 in the direction indicated by
arrows 521A in FIG. 5, which comprises an annular flow path between
surfaces of opening 514 and the elongated part of 501 (gap 513).
Also in this preferred mode of operation, product to be treated is
directed into the injector through inlet opening 524 and along the
flow path 520 in the direction indicated by arrows 520A including
through the arcuate section and into the annular flow area defined
between surfaces 511 and 532. The heating medium and product come
together at the contact location CL5 and the mixture then flows to
the right in the orientation of FIG. 5 through outlet passage 528
and ultimately out of the injector through outlet opening 529. As
heating medium and product are so directed through injector 500, a
suitable coolant is circulated through coolant chambers 560A and
560B which together envelope the wall of material defining the
entire surface 511. This circulation of coolant cools surface 511
to the desired temperature or desired operational effectiveness for
reducing product deposits for the given product and thereby
inhibits the deposition of constituents from the product on those
surfaces in accordance with the present invention. The TMOD
material in which surface 532 is formed at the inside diameter of
the annular product flow path 520 inhibits the deposition of
product constituents on that surface. Additionally, the TMOD
material in which surfaces 517 are formed downstream from contact
location CL5 along injector axis A5 inhibits the deposition of
product on those surfaces. It is noted that in this injector
configuration according to the present invention, the coolant
circulating chambers 560A and 560B each extend along a portion of
the product flow path 520, and then traverse the line C5 and thus
also extend along the mixture flow path defined by passage 528.
Thus the same cooling arrangement provides the desired cooling and
deposition inhibiting both upstream and downstream from contact
location CL5 along injector axis A5.
[0064] An injector having the product and heating medium flow path
arrangement shown in FIG. 5, may include a variation in which the
material forming surface 532 is not formed from a TMOD material and
is not cooled in operation. In this variation, the material forming
surface 532 along some or all of the length of the surface may be
formed from stainless steel. This variation relies on cooling only
along surface 511 to reduce product constituent deposition along
surface 511 and 532. Other variations on injector 500 may include
forming component 501 of stainless steel or other materials which
are not represent TMOD materials.
[0065] The injector 700 shown in FIG. 7 comprises a structure
similar to that shown for injector 500 in FIG. 5. In particular,
injector 700 includes a center component 701, a first end component
702, and a second end component 704. Injector 700 also includes a
flow path 720 through which product may be directed in the
direction indicated by arrows 720A, and a flow path 721 through
which heating medium may be directed in the direction indicated by
arrows 721A. Injector 700 differs from injector 500 in that second
end component 704 comprises a TMOD material. Thus no cooling
structure is located along surfaces 711 and 748 formed in second
end component 704.
[0066] Injector 800 shown in FIG. 8 has a configuration of
components similar to injector 500 shown in FIG. 1, including a
center component 801, a first end component 802, and a second end
component 804. Second end component 804 in injector 800 is similar
to the corresponding component 504 in FIG. 5 in that it is not
formed from a TMOD material, but from a suitable material such as
stainless steel. Thus second end component 804 includes a cooling
structure comprising coolant circulating chambers 860A and 860B for
cooling surface 811 and surface 848. Unlike the corresponding
components in injector 500 shown FIG. 5, center component 801 and
first end component 802 in injector 800 are also formed from a
material such as a suitable stainless steel that is not a TMOD
material. In view of the material from which these components 801
and 802 are formed, each also includes a cooling structure for
cooling the desired surfaces. In particular center component 801
includes a cooling structure comprising a coolant circulating
chamber 840 at the right-hand end of the center component in the
orientation of the figure. Coolant circulating chamber 840 is
connected to a coolant inlet 841 and a coolant outlet 842 to
facilitate circulation of the coolant material. First end component
802 includes a cooling structure comprising a respective coolant
circulating chamber 836 adjacent to all of the surfaces forming the
flow path 820. This chamber 836 is associated with a coolant inlet
837 and coolant outlet 838 to facilitate circulating the desired
coolant material.
[0067] In operation of injector 800 shown in FIG. 8, product is
directed along the flow path 820 in the direction indicated by
arrows 820A, heating medium is directed along the flow path 821 in
the direction indicated by arrows 821A, and the mixture is directed
along the mixture flow path 822 in the direction indicated by arrow
822A. A suitable coolant is simultaneously circulated through each
of the chambers 840, 836, 860A, and 860B to cool the surfaces
adjacent to the respective chambers and thereby inhibit the
deposition of constituents from the product on the adjacent flow
path surfaces.
[0068] As with the injector structure shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4,
the injector structure shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 may be operated
with the flow paths for the heating medium and product switched.
That is, in injector 500 for example, product may be directed along
the flow path 521 in the direction indicated by arrows 521A and
heating medium may be directed along flow path 520 in the direction
indicated by arrows 520A. In this manner of operation, it is
necessary to include cooling structures to cool the surfaces of
component 501 along at least a portion of the product flow path 521
which overlaps with the flow path 520. In the case of injector 700,
no modifications of the structure are necessary in order to direct
heating medium along the flow path 720 in the direction indicated
by arrows 720A and direct product along flow path 721 in the
direction indicated by arrows 721A, although it should be noted
again that this arrangement would not be suitable for some
products, particularly, products containing raw meat proteins or
containing raw egg proteins.
[0069] It will be appreciated that in order to direct product and
heating medium into injector 100 and to facilitate the flow of
mixed product and heating medium from the injector, suitable
connecting structures such as flanges, compression fittings, or
other connectors will be provided at the various inlet openings
such as openings 124 and 125 in FIG. 1, and each outlet opening
such as outlet opening 129 in FIG. 1. Suitable connecting fittings
or devices are also necessary for the coolant circulating openings
such as coolant inlets 561A and 561B and coolant outlets 562A and
562B in FIG. 5. Since any number of different types of connecting
structures may be used, and since such connecting structures are
well known in the art, these connecting structures are omitted from
the drawings so as not to obscure the invention in unnecessary
detail.
[0070] In the injector configuration shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 and
the configuration shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, the respective center
component (101 in FIGS. 1 and 501 in FIG. 5 for example), is
adjustable along the respective injector axis (A1 in FIGS. 1 and A5
in FIG. 5 for example). Referring to FIG. 5 for example, center
component 501 is in its right-most position in the orientation of
the figure. Appropriate spacers between component 501 and component
502 at the left end of component 501 in the figure can be used to
adjust the position of component 501 to the left so that plane C5
intersects the cone-shaped surface 517. This has the effect of
increasing the area of the annulus defining the contact location
CL5. A similar adjustment may be made in the configuration shown in
FIGS. 1, 3, and 4. Other implementations may include adjusting
mechanisms for the center component which do not rely on spacers
and which facilitate adjustments of the center component position
and contact location area during operation of the injector.
[0071] The schematic diagram of FIG. 9 shows a portion of a direct
heating medium injection treatment system 900 in which an injector
according to various aspects of the present invention may be used.
In the illustrated system, heating medium injector 901 is connected
to receive product to be treated from a product supply 904 through
a product supply line 905. Heating medium injector 901 is also
connected to receive heating medium from heating medium supply 908
through a heating medium supply line 909. A mixture flow path is
shown at 910 in FIG. 9, and is shown connected to a hold tube
structure 912. An example of a hold tube structure suitable for use
as hold tube structure 912 is discussed below in connection with
FIGS. 10-14.
[0072] The illustrated injector 901 utilizes a cooling structure or
cooling structures to cool surfaces of the product flow path and
mixture flow path in the injector. These cooling structures are
represented in FIG. 9 as lines 914 extending along portions of the
product flow path 916 and along portions of mixture flow path 910,
and in this example comprise coolant circulating chambers through
which a suitable coolant fluid may be circulated to provide the
desired cooling. Coolant fluid is directed through the cooling
structures 914 from a coolant supply 920 connected to the cooling
structures by a coolant inlet line 921 and a coolant return line
922.
[0073] In operation of the system shown in FIG. 9, product is
directed from product supply 904 through the product flow path 916
in injector 901 simultaneously as heating medium is directed
through the injector at rates and in a proportion to achieve the
desired temperature of the product in the hold tube structure 912
for the desired treatment time. As the product and heating medium
are so directed, coolant fluid is directed through the coolant
circulating chambers 914 at a temperature and rate to provide the
desired cooling at the product and mixture flow path surfaces on
injector 901.
[0074] Although FIG. 9 shows a coolant structure arrangement for
cooling certain surfaces of the product flow path 916 and mixture
flow path, it will be appreciated from the previous discussion that
implementations of the present invention are not limited to this
arrangement. Rather, cooling structures such as coolant circulating
chambers may be included only for portions of the product flow path
and portions of the mixture flow path, or a single coolant
circulating chamber may be included for some portion of the product
flow path and/or mixture flow path. In these implementations a
coolant supply such as 920 in FIG. 9 may be used together with
suitable connecting conduits to circulate the coolant fluid. In
other implementations multiple coolant supplies may be used to
supply coolant fluid to the different coolant circulating
chambers.
[0075] FIG. 10 shows an example steam injection system in which a
steam injector such as any of the steam injector embodiments
described above may be used to produce a steam-injected product,
particularly a raw meat protein product, in accordance with the
present invention, may by produced. The steam injection system 1000
in FIG. 10 includes a steam injector 1001 and a vacuum chamber
1002. Vacuum chamber 1002 includes a vacuum port 1005 connected by
a suitable vacuum conduit 1006 to a vacuum source 1008, and also
includes an outlet port 1009 connected by a suitable product outlet
conduit 1010 to an output pump 1011. Steam injection system 1000
also includes a mixture flow path which extends from injector 1001
to vacuum chamber 1002. In this case the mixture flow path is
defined by a hold conduit 1004 extending from steam injector 1001
to a location within the interior of vacuum chamber 1002, that is,
a location within vacuum chamber volume 1003.
[0076] Vacuum chamber 1002 comprises a suitable vessel which
defines the vacuum chamber volume 1003. In particular, vacuum
chamber 1002 includes lateral walls 1014, a top wall 1015 and
cone-shaped bottom wall 1016 which together define vacuum chamber
volume 1003. As indicated in FIG. 10 vacuum chamber 1002 may be
elongated along a vertical axis V, and may be generally cylindrical
in shape along that axis. Although the vertically oriented vacuum
chamber 1002 provides certain operational advantages,
implementations of a steam injection system according to the
present invention are by no means limited to use with a vacuum
chamber with a vertical orientation as shown in the example of FIG.
10.
[0077] Steam injector 1001 is located outside of vacuum chamber
volume 1003 and includes a steam inlet 1020 and a product inlet
1021. Steam injector 1001 also includes a mixing structure shown
generally at 1022 in FIG. 10 and a mixture outlet 1024. Generally,
mixing structure 1022 includes a structure in which a steam path
1025 and product path 1026 merge within the injector to allow the
steam and relatively cooler product to mix to thereby effect a
rapid temperature increase in the product to a desired treatment
temperature. Mixing structure 1022 may, for example, include a
suitable chamber formed within injector 1001 which includes a
suitable inlet from steam path 1025 and a suitable inlet from
product path 1026 to provide the desired mixing of the steam and
product. In each of the example injectors shown in FIGS. 1-8 the
contact location where the heating medium and foodstuff flow paths
merge comprises the "mixing structure" in the respective example.
Mixture outlet 1024 comprises an outlet from steam injector 1001
through which the heated mixture, that is, heated product, any
remaining steam, and any water that has condensed from the steam,
may exit the steam injector.
[0078] Steam injector 1001 may comprise any of the injector devices
described above and particularly any of the devices described in
connection with FIGS. 1-8. As such, steam injector 1001 may include
one or more cooling structures for cooling one or more surfaces in
the injector device. A coolant supply may also be associated with
steam injector 1001, it the injector may share a coolant supply
used for other elements of system 1000 as will be described further
below.
[0079] The mixture flow path defined in this example system 1000 by
hold conduit 1004 begins at a mixture inlet opening operatively
connected to mixture outlet 1024 of steam injector 1001. The
mixture flow path defined by hold conduit 1004 includes a segment
generally indicated at reference numeral 1027 which is located
outside of vacuum chamber volume 1003 and a segment generally
indicated at reference numeral 1028 which is located within the
vacuum chamber volume. In this particular implementation, hold
conduit 1004 extends to a nozzle 1032 which is located
substantially in the center of vacuum chamber volume 1003 along the
vacuum chamber vertical axis V. The extension of hold conduit 1004
into the vacuum chamber volume 1003 is shown also in FIG. 11. The
mixture flow path shown in FIG. 10 terminates at the nozzle
surfaces 1033 of nozzle 1032. These nozzle surfaces 1033 make up
the surfaces of the flow path segment 1028 adjacent to a mixture
release opening to the vacuum chamber volume defined at the
lowermost end of surfaces 1033 in the orientation of FIG. 10. As
will be described further below in connection with the operation of
steam injection system 1000, nozzle 1032 is adapted to cause the
material exiting the mixture flow path to form a
downwardly-opening, cone-shaped stream indicated by dashed lines
1036 in FIG. 10.
[0080] In example system 1000, the surfaces of the mixture flow
path along its entire length are in substantial thermal
communication with a cooling structure. The cooling structure in
this example comprises a coolant fluid circulating chamber shown
generally at reference numeral 1037 extending along the entire
length of the mixture flow path including both segment 1027 and
segment 1028. A coolant inlet port 1038 to coolant fluid
circulating chamber 1037 is fed by coolant supply line 1039 and a
coolant outlet port 1040 is connected to a coolant return line
1041. Coolant supply line 1039 and coolant return line 1041 are
each operatively connected to a coolant supply 1044. It will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art that coolant supply 1044
may include a suitable cooling or refrigerating system and a
circulating pump, neither of which are shown in the drawing. The
cooling or refrigerating system functions to cool a suitable
coolant fluid to a desired temperature as will be described further
below, while the circulating pump functions to direct the coolant
fluid to coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 through coolant
supply line 1039 and coolant inlet port 1038. Coolant return line
1041 allows the coolant fluid to return to coolant supply 1044 once
the coolant fluid has flowed along the length of coolant fluid
circulating chamber 1037. It should be noted here that coolant
fluid circulating chamber 1037 is preferably isolated from the
mixture flow path so that there is no mass transfer from the
coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 to the mixture flow path or
vice versa, that is, no mixing of coolant fluid and product being
treated. The coolant fluid circulating chambers described below for
other implementations according to the invention likewise isolate
the respective chambers from the respective mixture flow path.
[0081] The section views of FIGS. 12 and 13 show an implementation
of the hold conduit 1004 and cooling structure represented by
coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 shown schematically in FIG.
10. In particular, FIG. 12 comprises a section view of a portion of
the length of the hold conduit 1004 and cooling structure according
to a particular embodiment. It can be assumed that this short
length of the structure represents a portion encompassing the
section line 13-13 in FIG. 10. The transverse section view of FIG.
13 can be assumed to be along section line 13-13 in FIG. 10. As
such, FIGS. 12 and 13 show both the hold conduit 1004, coolant
fluid circulating chamber 1037, and a flow passage representing a
portion of coolant return line 1041. The particular implementation
of FIGS. 12 and 13 includes an elongated cylindrical body 1046
having a cylindrical passage which provides a portion of coolant
return line 1041. A larger cylindrical passage defined by surface
1047 receives hold conduit 1004 so as to define an annular flow
path around the hold conduit and this annular flow path represents
coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037. The internal surface 1048
of hold conduit 1004 defines the mixture flow path through the
conduit while the outer surface 1049 of hold conduit 1004 defines
an inner surface of coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037. In this
arrangement, a coolant fluid introduced into coolant fluid
circulating chamber 1037 may flow along the annular chamber defined
between surfaces 1047 and 1049 in the direction from the left to
the right in the orientation of FIG. 10, and indicated by arrows F
in FIG. 12. Coolant fluid that has travelled the length of hold
conduit 1004 flows along the passage defining coolant return line
1041 in the direction indicated by arrow R. The flow of coolant
fluid as indicated by arrows F places the coolant fluid in position
to facilitate a transfer of heat from the surface 1048 of the hold
conduit as the product and steam mixture flow along hold conduit
1004 in the direction indicated by arrow P in FIG. 12. This heat
transfer is across the wall of hold conduit 1004 defined between
inner surface 1048 and outer surface 1049, which is preferably as
thin as possible to facilitate better heat transfer. For example,
this wall defined between inner surface 1048 and outer surface 1049
may be preferably formed from a suitable food handling grade
material such as a stainless steel having a relatively high thermal
conductivity, preferably over approximately 10 W/(mK).
[0082] In the operation of system 1000, and referring particularly
to FIG. 10, steam is introduced into steam inlet 1020 of injector
1001 and directed along steam flow path 1025 to mixing structure
1022 while the product to be treated is introduced into product
inlet 1021 and directed along product path 1026 to mixing structure
1022. The two streams mix within mixing structure 1022 to form a
heated mixture of heated product, any remaining steam, and any
water condensed from the steam, and this heated mixture stream
exits injector 1001 through mixture outlet 1024. From injector
1001, the mixture including heated product is directed through hold
conduit 1004, both segment 1027 and segment 1028, to nozzle 1032
within the vacuum chamber volume 1003 which defines the release
opening for the heated mixture stream within the vacuum chamber
volume. The entire flow path from the mixing structure 1022 to
nozzle 1032 may be described as a "mixture conduit." This mixture
conduit made up mostly of hold conduit 1004 has a sufficient volume
and the flow rate is controlled so that the product being treated
is held at the desired elevated treatment temperature for a desired
period of time before being released into vacuum chamber volume
1003 through nozzle 1032.
[0083] Once the heated mixture stream of heated product, any
remaining steam, and water that has been condensed from the steam
is released into the vacuum chamber volume, the relatively low
pressure (which may be between approximately 29.5 inches of mercury
to approximately 25.5 inches of mercury for example) causes the
water in the mixture to vaporize so that it can be drawn off
through vacuum port 1005 together with any remaining steam. The
vaporization of the water within vacuum chamber volume 1003 rapidly
reduces the temperature of the now treated product and the cooled
product may collect in the bottom of vacuum chamber 1002 where it
may be drawn off through outlet port 1009 and outlet conduit 1010
by output pump 1011. In this particular system, output pump 1011
pumps the treated product through system outlet conduit 1012 for
further processing. The downwardly facing cone-shaped stream
produced by nozzle 1032 in system 1000 has the effect of increasing
the surface area of liquids in the released stream to enhance the
vaporization of water for removal through vacuum port 1005. The
position of nozzle 1032 in the center of vacuum chamber 1002
together with the downwardly facing nozzle arrangement helps ensure
that product does not contact the internal surfaces of the vacuum
chamber lateral wall 1014 while the product remains sufficiently
warm to allow significant deposition of product constituents on the
inner surfaces of the vacuum chamber walls.
[0084] While the mixture of heated product, remaining steam, and
any condensed water flows through hold conduit 1004 from left to
right in the orientation of FIG. 10, coolant supply 1044 is
operated to direct coolant fluid through coolant inlet line 1039 to
inlet port 1038. The coolant fluid may then flow along the length
of coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 (including the portions
adjacent to nozzle surfaces 1033) to coolant outlet port 1040
within the vacuum chamber volume, and then return to coolant supply
1044 through coolant return line 1041. The coolant fluid is
supplied at a temperature and at a flow rate sufficient to cool the
surfaces making up the inner surface of conduit 1004, such as inner
surface 1048 in the implementation shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, and to
cool the nozzle surfaces 1033. As described in more detail in the
following paragraph, this cooling inhibits the deposition of
constituents from the product along the surfaces of hold conduit
both along segment 1027 outside the vacuum chamber volume and along
segment 1028 within the vacuum chamber volume, and including the
nozzle surfaces 1033.
[0085] Where cooling structures are used to cool surfaces so as to
reduce deposition rates according to aspects of the present
invention, the temperature to which the given surface is cooled is
a temperature below temperatures at which product tends to adhere
to a surface. The temperatures noted above of nor more than
approximately 130.degree. F. and no more than approximately
135.degree. F. discussed above apply to the cooled surfaces in
system 1000. Some products may tend to adhere to surfaces at higher
temperatures than this example, while still other products may tend
to adhere to surfaces at lower temperatures. The cooling structures
in each case are operated in accordance with the invention to reach
the desired operating temperature to resist the deposition of
product constituents in operation of the injector according to the
present invention.
[0086] Temperatures at which a given product tends to adhere to a
surface may also vary with the total hold time for which the
product is treated. For a given product, the surface temperature at
which the product begins to adhere may be higher for shorter hold
times and lower for longer hold times. Generally, it is not
necessary to actively monitor the mixture flow path surfaces in
order to maintain the surfaces at the desired operating
temperature. Rather, cooling is performed as needed to limit the
deposition of product constituents to an acceptable level.
[0087] Similarly to the operating parameters for the injectors
described above, operating parameters of a steam injection system
incorporating aspects of the present invention will depend in some
cases on the particular product which is being treated and thus
included in the heated mixture received from the direct steam
injector such as injector 1001 in FIG. 10. In particular, the
treatment temperature and hold time along the mixture flow path
will depend in large part upon the product being treated and the
goal of the heat treatment. The temperatures described above for
treating raw meat or egg proteins which are to remain undenatured
over the course of the treatment, apply to injector system 1000 as
well. In these cases the goal of the treatment may be to destroy
pathogens such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7, Salmonella,
Listeria, and Campylobacter bacteria. The target treatment
temperature (pathogen neutralizing treatment temperature) for the
product in the heated mixture stream may be between approximately
158.degree. F. and approximately 185.degree. F. (or between
approximately 158.degree. F. and approximately 200.degree. F.) and
the hold time at that temperature until release into the vacuum
chamber may be less than one second. Thus a process for producing a
raw meat protein product or raw meat protein and added water
product may be described as maintaining meat protein at a pathogen
neutralizing treatment temperature comprising any temperature
within a range between approximately 158.degree. F. and
approximately 185.degree. F. for a treatment period of time. This
limitation as to temperature range is intended to encompass
situations in which the temperature over the treatment period of
time varies within the specified temperature range and also
situations in which the temperature remains essentially constant at
a temperature within the stated range. Of course, the present
invention is by no means limited to these temperature ranges and
hold time, which are provided merely as an example of operation
particularly suited for treating raw meat protein.
[0088] In view of the function of coolant fluid circulating chamber
1037 to provide a way to cool (remove heat from) the hold conduit
inner surface 1048 and nozzle surfaces 1033, it will be appreciated
that it is desirable in the operation of steam injection system
1000 to ensure the coolant fluid flows throughout the chamber
volume. In order to ensure this desired flow throughout the volume
of the coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037, and to ensure
appropriate mixing of the coolant fluid, various dams, baffles, and
other flow directing features, as well as turbulence inducing
elements may be included within coolant fluid circulating chamber
1037. Suitable flow directing features for used in coolant fluid
circulating chambers or cooling jackets are well known in the art
of heat exchange devices and are thus not shown either in the
embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13 or the schematic drawings of FIGS. 10
and 11.
[0089] The inner surface 1048 of hold conduit 1004 in FIGS. 12 and
13 is in substantial thermal communication with the cooling
structure comprising coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 by
virtue of the thermal conductivity from which the hold conduit is
formed (preferably over approximately 10 W/m K combined with the
thickness of the material, which may be only approximately 0.02
inches to approximately 0.05 inches for example). Substantial
thermal communication may also be provided through a thicker wall
of material. Other arrangements providing substantial thermal
communication between coolant fluid circulating chamber 1037 and a
hold conduit inner surface such as surface 1048 in the example of
FIGS. 12 and 13, may include multiple layers of material residing
between the coolant fluid circulating chamber and inner wall. For
example, a conduit such as conduit 1004 may be formed from a thin
layer of material having a first thermal conductivity and a second
layer having the same or higher thermal conductivity.
[0090] The vertically oriented vacuum chamber 1002 shown for
example in FIG. 10 represents one preferred configuration because
the orientation allows the heated mixture to be released at a
location within the vacuum chamber volume that is well spaced-apart
from vacuum port 1005. This prevents product in the released heated
mixture from being drawn out of the vacuum chamber through vacuum
port 1005. The vertically oriented vacuum chamber 1002 and center
release location well above the bottom walls 1016 shown in FIG. 10
also enhances exposure of the released heated mixture to the
reduced pressure maintained in the vacuum chamber. However, other
vacuum chamber orientations may be used within the scope of the
present invention. Also, although FIG. 10 shows vacuum chamber 1002
having a cone-shaped bottom wall 1016, a rounded bottom wall or
other bottom wall arrangement may be used within the scope of the
present invention.
[0091] The invention encompasses numerous variations on the
above-described example systems. Such variations include variations
related to the cooling structures described in the above examples.
Generally, where a cooling structure is employed to remove heat
from a surface forming part of a flow path, the cooling structure
may include any number of segments or elements to accomplish the
desired cooling. For example, any number of separate or connected
coolant circulating chambers may be included for a given surface.
Also, although the illustrated examples assume a certain direction
of circulation through the coolant circulation chambers, the
direction of circulation may be reversed from that described.
Furthermore, the invention is not limited to cooling structures
comprising coolant circulating chambers to provide the desired
cooling. Thermoelectric devices may also be used to provide the
desired cooling of a given surface according to the present
invention, as may forced air cooling arrangements in which air is
forced over fins or other heat conductive arrangements in
substantial thermal communication with the surface to be cooled. A
cooling structure within the scope of the invention may also employ
evaporative cooling to remove heat from the desired flow path
surfaces. Also, different types of cooling structures may be used
for different areas of a given surface to be cooled.
[0092] For a given portion of a product flow path or mixture flow
path, a cooling structure may be immediately adjacent to the
surface to be cooled. However, cooling structures such as coolant
circulating chambers may not be continuous, but may include
dividers, baffles, turbulence inducing features, and other
structures which prevent the coolant circulating chamber from being
continuous along a given surface. Such arrangements in which the
coolant circulating chamber may not be continuous over a given
surface to be cooled remain within the scope of the present
invention as set out in the claims.
[0093] Surfaces which come in contact with the product and the
mixture of heated product and heating medium should have at least a
suitable finish appropriate for the given product being treated in
accordance with food (or other material) handling standards.
Generally, the surface roughness of any surface forming a portion
of the mixture flow path should have a value of 32 RA microinches
or less. Lower surface roughness values may enhance the deposition
inhibiting performance of a cooled surface or surface formed in a
TMOD material in accordance with the invention.
[0094] As noted above, a TMOD material comprises a material having
a specific heat of no less than approximately 750 J/kg K, and
preferably no less than approximately 900 J/kg K, and, more
preferably, no less than approximately 1000 J/kg K. Of course,
where the product being treated is a foodstuff or pharmaceutical, a
TMOD material must also be suitable for providing food contact
surfaces. A class of materials particularly suited for use as a
TMOD material in accordance with the present invention comprises
plastics which have a specific heat of no less than approximately
1000 J/kg K and are suitable for providing food contact surfaces,
retain structural integrity, maintain dimensional stability, and do
not degrade at temperatures which may be encountered in a steam
injection system. These plastics include polyetheretherketone
(PEEK), Nylon, Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE),
polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon), polyoxymethylene (POM or Acetal),
and poly methyl methacrylate (acrylic), for example. These plastics
suitable for use as TMOD material in accordance with the present
invention may include various additives and may be used in both an
unfilled composition or a filled (composite) composition, such as
glass-filled or carbon-filled, provided the filled material remains
suitable for food contact, retains the desired specific heat as
described above in this paragraph and is capable of providing the
desired surface finish. Materials other than plastics may also be
employed for TMOD material within the scope of the present
invention. These materials include ceramics such as porcelain,
glasses such as borosilicate glass (Pyrex), and rubber. These
materials also include aluminum which has a specific heat of
approximately 900 J/kg K and a thermal conductivity of
approximately 240 W/m K, as well as magnesium and beryllium and
alloys of these materials and Albemet. Materials having a specific
heat of somewhat less than approximately 750 J/kg K but exhibit
relatively high thermal conductivity may also represent a suitable
substitute for a TMOD material. Such materials may have a specific
heat of no less than approximately 650 J/kg K and a thermal
conductivity of no less than approximately 100 W/m K and include
silicon carbide for example. Also, a TMOD material within the scope
of the present invention may comprise a mixture of materials and
need not comprise a single material. For example, a TMOD material
may comprise a mixture of different types of thermoplastics, or
plastics and other materials such as quartz and epoxy resin
composite materials for example, or may be made up of layers of
metals, plastics, and other materials and combinations of such
materials in different layers. A TMOD material also need not be
continuous along a given surface. For example, a give surface
formed in a TMOD material according to the present invention may be
formed in PEEK over a portion of its length and may be formed in a
different plastic or other TMOD material over another portion of
its length.
[0095] It should also be noted that although the example TMOD
components shown in the drawings indicate that the entire component
is formed from TMOD material, embodiments of the present invention
are not limited to components formed entirely of TMOD material. In
some implementations for example, a component defining a portion of
the product path surfaces or of the mixture path surfaces may
comprise an inner sleeve in which the flow path surface is formed.
This inner sleeve may be mounted in or connected to an outer
housing that is not formed from a TMOD material, but provided for
some purpose unrelated to the TMOD function such as to facilitate
assembly of the system or to provide structural support.
[0096] It is also possible in accordance with the present invention
to utilize cooling structures together with TMOD materials.
Although not limited to such materials, this use of cooling
structures is particularly applicable to TMOD materials such as
aluminum having high thermal conductivity. In any event, the
limitations as set out in the following claims that a given surface
is in substantial thermal communication with a cooling structure is
not intended to exclude the combination of those two features. A
given surface may be both formed in a TMOD material and be in
substantial thermal communication with a cooling structure
according to the following claims.
[0097] As used herein, whether in the above description or the
following claims, the terms "comprising," "including," "carrying,"
"having," "containing," "involving," and the like are to be
understood to be open-ended, that is, to mean including but not
limited to. Also, it should be understood that the terms "about,"
"substantially," and like terms used herein when referring to a
dimension or characteristic of a component indicate that the
described dimension/characteristic is not a strict boundary or
parameter and does not exclude variations therefrom that are
functionally similar. At a minimum, such references that include a
numerical parameter would include variations that, using
mathematical and industrial principles accepted in the art (e.g.,
rounding, measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing
tolerances, etc.), would not vary the least significant digit.
[0098] Any use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third,"
etc., in the following claims to modify a claim element does not by
itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim
element over another, or the temporal order in which acts of a
method are performed. Rather, unless specifically stated otherwise,
such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one
claim element having a certain name from another element having a
same name (but for use of the ordinal term).
[0099] In the above descriptions and the following claims, terms
such as top, bottom, upper, lower, and the like with reference to a
given feature are intended only to identify a given feature and
distinguish that feature from other features. Unless specifically
stated otherwise, such terms are not intended to convey any spatial
or temporal relationship for the feature relative to any other
feature.
[0100] The term "each" may be used in the following claims for
convenience in describing characteristics or features of multiple
elements, and any such use of the term "each" is in the inclusive
sense unless specifically stated otherwise. For example, if a claim
defines two or more elements as "each" having a characteristic or
feature, the use of the term "each" is not intended to exclude from
the claim scope a situation having a third one of the elements
which does not have the defined characteristic or feature.
[0101] The above-described preferred embodiments are intended to
illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit the
scope of the invention. Various other embodiments and modifications
to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the
art without departing from the scope of the present invention. For
example, in some instances, one or more features disclosed in
connection with one embodiment can be used alone or in combination
with one or more features of one or more other embodiments. More
generally, the various features described herein may be used in any
working combination.
* * * * *