# US 2021/0274819 A1 · Methods and devices for heating or cooling viscous materials

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- Number: US 2021/0274819 A1
- Document ID: US20210274819A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/330,564
- Filed: 2021-05-26
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-23
- Assignees: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
- Applicants: Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
- Inventors: Kevin J Cully; Andrew Joseph Brinkmann; Ronald Lee Nash; William D Short; Trent C Lorraine; Jerry J Hankins
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210274819A1

## CPC

- A23L 13/67: {Reformed meat products other than sausages}
- A22C 7/00: Apparatus for pounding, forming, or pressing meat, sausage-meat, or meat products {(meat patty moulding devices for domestic use A47J43/20; ham boilers A47J27/20)}
- A22C 11/00: Sausage making {(chemical aspects A23L13/00); Apparatus for handling or conveying sausage products during manufacture}
- A23B 4/005: Preserving by heating
- A23B 4/06: Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23K 50/40: for carnivorous animals, e.g. cats or dogs
- A23L 13/52: {Comminuted, emulsified or processed products; Pastes; Reformed or compressed products from poultry meat}
- A23L 13/60: Comminuted or emulsified meat products, e.g. sausages; Reformed meat from comminuted meat product
- A23L 17/70: {Comminuted, e.g. emulsified, fish products; Processed products therefrom such as pastes, reformed or compressed products (A23L17/65, A23L17/10, A23L17/20, A23L17/40, A23L17/50 take precedence)}
- F28D 9/0031: {the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other (F28D9/0012, F28D9/0025, F28D9/0081, F28D9/04 take precedence)}
- F28D 9/0062: {the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by spaced plates with inserted elements (F28D9/0012, F28D9/0025, F28D9/0081, F28D9/04 take precedence)}
- F28D 9/0081: {the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by a single plate-like element (F28D9/0012 takes precedence); the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being integrated in one single plate-like element (F28D9/0012 takes precedence)}
- F28D 9/0093: {Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids}
- F28F 9/026: {with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits}
- F28D 2021/0042: {for foodstuffs}
- F28D 2021/0098: {for viscous or semi-liquid materials, e.g. for processing sludge}
- F28F 3/083: {capable of being taken apart}
- F28F 2240/00: Spacing means
- F28F 2275/205: with of tie-rods
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00)
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- A23K: FODDER
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device comprising:
a first plate;
a second plate attached to the first plate;
a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first plate, the second plate, the first spacer and the second spacer define a first passage for a first product to pass through the device;
a third plate attached to the second plate, at least one of the first plate, the second plate or the third plate comprising energy exchanging capabilities;
a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the second plate and the third plate, wherein the second plate, the third plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer define a second passage for a second product to pass through the device;
a first bracket comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a bridging portion extending from the first leg of the first bracket to the second leg of the first bracket;
a second bracket comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a bridging portion extending from the first leg of the second bracket to the second leg of the second bracket, wherein the first leg of the first bracket is connected to the first leg of the second bracket, and the second leg of the first bracket is connected to the second leg of the second bracket; and
an end plate comprising first and second product inlets and connected to the bridging portion of the first bracket and the bridging portion of the second bracket.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the second plate or the third plate comprises a passage through a portion of the at least one of the second plate or the third plate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the passage comprises a fluid that cools or heats the temperature controlled zone of the device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the first plate and the second plate define a plurality of temperature controlled zones.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The device of claim 4 wherein at least one of the first plate or the second plate comprises a plurality of separate passages through individual portions of the at least one of the first plate or the second plate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5 wherein the passages comprise a fluid that cools or heats the temperature controlled zones of the device.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the second plate and the third plate define a plurality of temperature controlled zones.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The device of claim 7 wherein at least one of the second plate or the third plate comprises a plurality of separate passages through individual portions of the at least one of the second plate or the third plate.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8 wherein the passages comprise a fluid that cools or heats the temperature controlled zones of the device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the passage comprises a gap between the first plate and the second plate ranging from about 3 cm to about 15 cm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the passage comprises a gap between the second plate and the third plate ranging from about 3 cm to about 15 cm.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the first plate and the second plate are sealed along the first spacer and the second spacer to withstand internal pressures in the passage from about 50 to about 1500 psi.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the second plate and the third plate are sealed along the third spacer and the fourth spacer to withstand internal pressures in the passage from about 50 to about 1500 psi.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 wherein the first plate, the second plate and the third plate are attached together by at least one of a bolt, a screw or a clamp.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1 comprising an inlet manifold attached to an end of the device, the inlet manifold defining an inlet passage that divides into a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage, the first outlet passage leading into the first passage of the device and the second outlet passage leading into the second passage of the device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A method for making a food product, the method comprising: introducing a meat emulsion into the device of claim 1; and
subjecting the meat emulsion to a pressure of 100 psi to 500 psi in the device.

### Claim 17

A heat exchanger comprising:
a first plate;
a second plate attached to the first plate;
a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first plate, the second plate, the first spacer and the second spacer define a first passage for a first product to pass through the device;
a third plate attached to the second plate, at least one of the first plate, the second plate or the third plate comprising energy exchanging capabilities; and
a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the second plate and the third plate, wherein the second plate, the third plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer define a second passage for a second product to pass through the device,
a first bracket comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a bridging portion extending from the first leg of the first bracket to the second leg of the first bracket;
a second bracket comprising a first leg, a second leg, and a bridging portion extending from the first leg of the second bracket to the second leg of the second bracket, wherein the first leg of the first bracket is connected to the first leg of the second bracket, and the second leg of the first bracket is connected to the second leg of the second bracket; and
an end plate comprising first and second product inlets and connected to the bridging portion of the first bracket and the bridging portion of the second bracket.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

A method for making a food product, the method comprising: introducing a meat emulsion into the heat exchanger of claim 17; and
subjecting the meat emulsion to a pressure of 100 psi to 500 psi in the heat exchanger.