Milk sterilizing apparatus
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorSamuel A. Mencacci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention concerns the heating of a liquid, such as milk, by steam infusion and involves the formation of the liquid into a descending curtain that is initially generally frusto-conical in configuration and later is generally cylindrical as it passes through an atmosphere of steam. The curtain is of relatively small diameter at its upper end and continually increases its diameter as it moves downwardly, thus, not only causing the thickness of the film to progressively decrease but also causing the surface area of the film to be greatly enlarged.
Claims11
Apparatus for heat-treating liquiform material comprising vessel means closed by top, bottom and side wall means which define an internal chamber, means for directing a stream of liquid to be heated into the chamber at the upper end of the vessel, means for forming the stream of liquid into a radially-expanding descending curtain-like film which decreases in thickness as it moves down in said chamber, said curtain-like film including inner and outer surfaces which increase in area during descent, and means for directing steam into said chamber into direct contact with the inner and outer surfaces of said liquid for quickly sterilizing the liquid.
Apparatus for heat-treating liquiform material comprising:
- means defining a pressure vessel including side walls, a top and a bottom wall and defining a processing chamber therein;
- means for directing a stream of liquid to be heated into the chamber at the upper end thereof, means for forming the stream of liquid into an outwardly expanding descending curtain-like annular film of liquid which decreases in thickness as it moves downwardly in said chamber and has inner and outer surfaces which increase in area during descent, and means for directing steam at sterilizing temperature into said chamber into direct contact with both the inner and outer surfaces of said liquid for quickly sterilizing the liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.