Retort system and process

A retort system, comprising:

• a retort vessel defining an interior volume;
• a product holding structure configured to be received within the interior volume, the product holding structure comprising:
• one or more inlet openings that together define a first flow area for receiving heat exchange liquid and one or more outlet openings that together define a second flow area for outflow of heat exchange liquid, the second flow area being smaller than the first flow area for limiting flow of heat exchange liquid out of the product holding structure;
• a heat exchange liquid flow system that is configured to direct heat exchange liquid into the product holding structure causing the product holding structure to fill with heat exchange liquid to at least a submersion level above products within the product holding structure while a level of heat exchange liquid outside the product holding structure and within the interior volume remains below the submersion level.

A retort system, comprising:

• a plurality of product holding structures for holding packaged products to be treated, each product holding structure having at least one liquid inlet and one or more liquid outlets;
• a retort vessel sized to receive the plurality of product holding structures within the vessel;
• a process liquid circulation path comprising a suction side proximate a lower region of the retort vessel, a discharge side, and a circulation pump located between the suction side and the discharge side, the pump being operable to transport process liquid from the suction side to the discharge side;
• a distribution feed system fluidly connected to the discharge side of the circulation path and configured to distribute process liquid into the plurality of product holding structures via the liquid inlets;
• and
• an actuation system configured to press together the distribution feed system and the plurality of product holding structures.

A method for heat treating packaged products, the method comprising the steps of:

• using a retort vessel having an interior vessel volume, a heat exchange liquid circulation path having a pump, and a distribution feed system in fluid connection with a discharge side of the circulation path;
• using a plurality of product holding structures for holding packaged products, each of the product holding structures having one or more inlet openings, at least one flow control orifice, and an interior volume;
• loading packaged products to be treated into the plurality of product holding structures;
• inserting the plurality of product holding structures loaded with packaged products into the vessel;
• and
• circulating heat exchange liquid through each product holding structure to treat the packaged products, including:
• pumping heat exchange liquid through the circulation path to the distribution feed system;
• distributing heat exchange liquid through the distribution feed system into the each product holding structure;
• limiting flow out of each product holding structure using the at least one flow control orifice to cause each product holding structure to fill to a level that completely immerses the packaged products within heat exchange liquid;
• and
• collecting in a suction side of the circulation path heat exchange liquid that exits the product holding structures through the flow control orifices.

A method for heat treating packaged products comprising the steps of:

• using a retort vessel defining a vessel volume;
• using a plurality of packaged product holding structures that together define a treatment volume less than the vessel volume;
• inserting packaged products into the plurality of packaged product holding structures;
• inserting the plurality of packaged product holding structures into the retort vessel;
• and
• circulating a heated processing liquid under pressure through the treatment volume to treat the packaged products via an immersion flow of the heated processing liquid without filling the vessel volume with heated processing liquid.