Use of ultrasound and acoustics to control crystallisation
AssigneeLewtas Science & Technologies Ltd
InventorsMegan Povey, Kenneth Lewtas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The use of ultrasound or acoustics applied at a level below that which causes cavitation to control the energy balance between particles and the liquid phase in a metastable liquid.
Claims20
A process for the control of crystal formation comprising applying ultrasound or acoustics at a level below that which causes cavitation, including stable cavitation and transient cavitation, to a metastable liquid to thereby control energy, mass balance, or both between particles and a liquid phase in the metastable liquid.
A process for fractionating a triglyceride fat or triglyceride oil, which comprises the steps of:
- a. when the triglyceride fat or triglyceride oil is solid, heating the triglyceride fat or triglyceride oil until no substantial amount of solid triglyceride fat is present in the triglyceride oil, and
- b. allowing the triglyceride oil to cool and to crystallize and controlling the crystallisation by exposing the cooling fat to selective ultrasound or acoustics at a level below that which causes cavitation, including stable cavitation and transient cavitation, resulting in a solid fraction.
A process comprising de-tempering of chocolate melt during re-work by application of ultrasound or acoustics power at a level below that which causes cavitation, including stable cavitation and transient cavitation, which melts crystal nuclei produced in a tempering operation without heating a liquid oil suspending phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.