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US 12,426,613 B2Granted
Methods and devices for heating or cooling viscous materials
AssigneeSociete des Produits Nestle S.A.
InventorsKevin J Cully, Andrew Joseph Brinkmann, Ronald Lee Nash, William D Short, Trent C Lorraine, Jerry J Hankins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices heat or cool viscous materials, such as meat emulsions useful for producing food and other products. The devices have a heat exchanger including a first plate, a second plate attached to the first plate, and a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, the first spacer, and the second spacer define at least one temperature controlled passage for a product to pass through the heat exchanger.
Claims18
A method for making a food product, the method comprising:
- introducing a meat emulsion into a device;
- and
- subjecting the meat emulsion to a pressure of 100 psi to 500 psi in the device,
- the device comprising:
- a first pressure plate;
- a first energy exchanging plate attached to the first pressure plate;
- a second pressure plate;
- a second energy exchanging plate attached to the second pressure plate;
- a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first energy exchanging plate and the second energy exchanging plate, wherein the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the first spacer and the second spacer define a first temperature controlled passage for a first product to pass through the device;
- a third energy exchanging plate attached to the second pressure plate on an opposing side of the second pressure plate from the second energy exchanging plate;
- a fourth energy exchanging plate;
- a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the third energy exchanging plate and the fourth energy exchanging plate, wherein the third energy exchanging plate, the fourth energy exchanging plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer define a second temperature controlled passage for a second product to pass through the device;
- a third pressure plate attached to the fourth energy exchanging plate on an opposing side of the fourth energy exchanging plate from the second temperature controlled passage;
- a first end plate attached to a first end of the first pressure plate;
- a first temperature controlling passage in a first portion of at least one of the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, or the fourth energy exchanging plate;
- and
- a second temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first temperature controlling passage, the second temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the at least one of the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, or the fourth energy exchanging plate, and the second portion is downstream from the first portion, and
- the second temperature controlling passage is downstream from the first temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the first end plate to the first temperature controlling passage along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the first end plate to the second temperature controlling passage along the first temperature controlled passage.
15 more elements
A method for making a food product, the method comprising:
- introducing a meat emulsion into a heat exchanger;
- and
- subjecting the meat emulsion to a pressure of 100 psi to 500 psi in the heat exchanger,
- the heat exchanger comprising:
- a first pressure plate;
- a first energy exchanging plate attached to the first pressure plate;
- a second pressure plate;
- a second energy exchanging plate attached to the second pressure plate;
- a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first energy exchanging plate and the second energy exchanging plate, wherein the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the first spacer and the second spacer define a first temperature controlled passage for a first product to pass through the heat exchanger;
- a third energy exchanging plate attached to the second pressure plate on an opposing side of the second pressure plate from the second energy exchanging plate;
- a fourth energy exchanging plate;
- a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the third energy exchanging plate and the fourth energy exchanging plate, wherein the third energy exchanging plate, the fourth energy exchanging plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer define a second temperature controlled passage for a second product to pass through the heat exchanger;
- a third pressure plate attached to the fourth energy exchanging plate on an opposing side of the fourth energy exchanging plate from the second temperature controlled passage;
- an end plate attached to an end of the first pressure plate;
- a first temperature controlling passage in a first portion of at least one of the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, or the fourth energy exchanging plate;
- a second temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first temperature controlling passage, the second temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the at least one of the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, or the fourth energy exchanging plate, and the second portion is downstream from the first portion, and
- the second temperature controlling passage is downstream from the first temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the end plate to the first temperature controlling passage along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the end plate to the second temperature controlling passage along the first temperature controlled passage.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.