US 5,690,978 AGranted

High voltage pulsed electric field treatment chambers for the preservation of liquid food products

AssigneeThe Ohio State University

InventorsYongguang Yin, Quinghua Howard Zhang, Sudhir Kartikeya Sastry

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Abstract

A pulsed electric field treatment device for the sterilization and preservation of pumpable food products having a at least two electrodes and an insulator and particularly suited for the inactivation of vegetative and bacterial spore microorganisms. Each electrode includes an electrode flow chamber for making electrical contact with the pumpable food product and for allowing the pumpable food product to flow through the treatment device. The insulator is situated between the electrodes and includes an insulator flow chamber positioned between the electrode flow chambers and provides for the flow of pumpable food product from one electrode flow chamber to the other. A high voltage pulse generator applies a high voltage signal of variable voltage, frequency and pulse duration to the electrodes. The electrode and insulator flow chambers may employ a variety of sectional and cross-sectional geometries including tubular, cylindrical, rectangular, elliptical and non-uniform design.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A pulsed electric field treatment device for preserving a liquid product, comprising:

(a) a first electrode for supplying an electric field to the liquid product and having an electrode flow chamber for accepting the liquid product and for making electrical contact with the liquid product;
wherein the electrode flow chamber comprises an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(b) a second electrode for supplying an electric field to the liquid product and having an electrode flow chamber for accepting the liquid product and for making electrical contact with the liquid product;
wherein the electrode flow chamber comprises an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(c) at least one insulator positioned between the first and second electrodes for electrically insulating the first and second electrodes from each other;
the insulator comprising an insulator flow chamber, for accepting liquid product from the electrode flow chamber of the first electrode, comprising an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(1) wherein the insulator flow chamber inlet aperture and the first electrode flow chamber outlet aperture are positioned adjacent to each other and have substantially similar cross-sectional geometry;
and
(2) wherein the insulator flow chamber outlet aperture and the second electrode flow chamber inlet aperture are positioned adjacent to each other and have substantially similar cross-sectional geometry;
and
wherein the pulsed electric field treatment device permits a continuous flow of liquid product.

8 more elements

A pulsed electric field treatment system for preserving a liquid product, the system comprising:

(a) a high voltage pulse generator for supplying a pulsed electric field to the system;
(b) a liquid product treatment device in circuit communication with the pulse generator and for subjecting the liquid product to the pulsed electric field;
wherein the liquid product treatment device comprises:
(1) a first electrode for supplying an electric field to the liquid product and having an electrode flow chamber for accepting the liquid product and for making electrical contact with the liquid product;
wherein the electrode flow chamber comprises an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(2) a second electrode for supplying an electric field to the liquid product and having an electrode flow chamber for accepting the liquid product and for making electrical contact with the liquid product;
wherein the electrode flow chamber comprises an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(3) at least one insulator positioned between the first and second electrodes for electrically insulating the first and second electrodes from each other;
the insulator comprising an insulator flow chamber, for accepting liquid product from the electrode flow chamber of the first electrode, comprising an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
(i) wherein the insulator flow chamber inlet aperture and the first electrode flow chamber outlet aperture are positioned adjacent to each other and have substantially similar cross-sectional geometry;
and
(ii) wherein the insulator flow chamber outlet aperture and the second electrode flow chamber inlet aperture are positioned adjacent to each other and have substantially similar cross-sectional geometry;
and
wherein the pulsed electric field treatment device permits a continuous flow of liquid product;
(c) a balance tank for storing the liquid product to be treated;
(d) a de-oxygenator device in physical communication with the balance tank and for removing oxygen from the liquid product;
(e) a pulseless pump in physical communication with the de-oxygenator and for providing a continuous flow of liquid product in the treatment system;
(f) at least one heat exchanger in physical communication with the liquid product treatment device and for regulating the temperature of the liquid product;
and
(g) an aseptic packaging device in physical communication with the liquid product treatment device and for packaging the liquid product.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.