Systems and methods for receiving the output of a direct steam injector
AssigneeEmpirical Innovations, Inc.
InventorNicholas A. Roth
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum source, and a mixture flow path adapted to be connected to receive the output of a direct steam injector. The vacuum source is operatively connected to a vacuum port of the vacuum chamber, while a product outlet port from the vacuum chamber is adapted to be connected to an arrangement for removing treated product from the vacuum chamber. The mixture flow path includes a flow path segment outside of the vacuum chamber volume and a flow path segment within the vacuum chamber volume. At least some of a surface defining the flow path segment within the vacuum chamber is in substantial thermal communication with one or more cooling structures.
Claims20
A system including:
- (a) a vacuum chamber which defines a vacuum chamber volume, the vacuum chamber including (i) a top wall defining an uppermost boundary of the vacuum chamber volume when the vacuum chamber is in an operating position, (ii) a lateral wall defining a lateral extent of the vacuum chamber volume when the vacuum chamber is in the operating position, (iii) a bottom wall defining a lowermost boundary of the vacuum chamber volume when the vacuum chamber is in the operating position, (iv) a vacuum port to the vacuum chamber volume adapted to be operatively connected to a vacuum source, and (v) a product outlet port from the vacuum chamber volume;
- (b) a mixture flow path having a mixture inlet opening adapted to be operatively connected to receive an output of a direct steam injector, the mixture flow path extending from the mixture inlet opening to a mixture release location within the vacuum chamber volume, the mixture release location being spaced apart from the top wall, the lateral wall, and the bottom wall of the vacuum chamber with at least a portion of the mixture flow path being defined by an interior hold conduit segment traversing a first region of the vacuum chamber volume;
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- (c) an interior hold conduit segment cooling structure extending along at least some of the interior hold conduit segment with an inner surface of the interior hold conduit segment being in substantial thermal communication with at least some of the interior hold conduit segment cooling structure.
A system including:
- (a) a vacuum chamber which defines a vacuum chamber volume, the vacuum chamber including (i) a top wall defining an uppermost boundary of the vacuum chamber volume when the vacuum chamber is in an operating position, and (ii) a bottom wall defining a lowermost boundary of the vacuum chamber volume when the vacuum chamber is in the operating position;
- (b) a vacuum port to the vacuum chamber volume adapted to be operatively connected to a vacuum source;
- (c) a product outlet port from the vacuum chamber volume;
- (d) a mixture flow path having a mixture inlet opening adapted to be operatively connected to receive an output of a direct steam injector, the mixture flow path extending from the mixture inlet opening to a mixture release location within the vacuum chamber volume between the top wall and the bottom wall, wherein at least a portion of the mixture flow path is defined by a interior hold conduit segment traversing a first region of the vacuum chamber volume;
- and
- (e) an interior hold conduit segment cooling structure extending along at least some of the interior hold conduit segment with an inner surface of the interior hold conduit segment being in substantial thermal communication with at least some of the interior hold conduit segment cooling structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.