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AssigneeOsmotek, Inc.
InventorsJohn R. Herron, Edward G. Beaudry, Carl E. Jochums, Luis E. Medina
Estimating the term…
There is disclosed an osmotic concentration cell wherein the flow chamber of the osmotic concentration cell has a continually changing flow path to provide a region of high turbulence to a semipermeable membrane defining the flow chamber. High turbulence at a first semipermeable membrane interface significantly reduces membrane fouling during osmotic concentration and allows for concentration of products with high suspended solids content. The inventive osmotic concentration cell can be used for a variety of purposes including, for example, producing low alcohol wine, concentrating a thin wine into a premium wine, concentrating a low quality grape juice into a higher quality grape juice for fermenting a more premium wine, concentrating various fruit or vegetable juices, and concentrating various beverages, such as teas or coffee.
An osmotic concentration apparatus comprising an enclosed apparatus having outer walls, a flow inlet and outlet connected to a first chamber, an osmotic agent (OA) inlet and outlet connected to a second chamber, and a plurality of concentration cells, wherein each concentration cell comprises a semipermeable membrane having a first side defining a first chamber and a second side defining a second chamber and comprises a plurality of support members arranged in parallel, whereby when fluid pressure is applied to juice within the first chamber at a pressure higher than fluid pressure of the osmotic agent in the second chamber, the semipermeable membrane deflects into the second chamber between the support members, and defining a corrugated flow path within the first chamber.
A method for direct osmotic concentration (DOC) of a juice, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.