Process and apparatus for phase-change extrusion of aqueous material
AssigneeMassey University
InventorsRichard Hamilton Archer, Lindsay James Robertson, Jolin Morel
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Abstract
The invention relates to a continuous process for freezing a flow of aqueous material in liquid form and moving the aqueous material through at least one tube from an inlet of the tube to an outlet of the tube so as to form a breakable or cuttable frozen extrusion without bursting the tube. The process creates an extruded material that comprises liquid aqueous material entrapped between frozen aqueous material to self-lubricate the extrusion as it moves through the tube. An apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention is also provided.
Claims16
A continuous process for rapidly freezing a flow of aqueous material in liquid form and moving the aqueous material through at least one tube having an inlet and an outlet, the process comprising the steps of:
- a. continuously pumping aqueous material in liquid form into the tube inlet under pressure;
- b. rapidly cooling the liquid aqueous material to cause a progressive phase change in the aqueous material, wherein the aqueous material comprises enough solutes to provide a freezing point depression of at least 0.4° C. and a freezing point range such that the phase change produces a substantially radially aligned arrangement of dendrite crystals being formed in the aqueous material and between which unfrozen liquid aqueous material is trapped to form a self-lubricating frozen extrusion comprising a crystal structure;
- c. pumping the aqueous material through the tube from the tube inlet to the tube outlet;
- and
- d. discharging at least a portion of the self-lubricating frozen extrusion through the tube outlet as a breakable or cuttable extrusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.