Method and apparatus for cooking starch

An apparatus for cooking a starch solution and dispensing the cooked solution to a commercial laundry washer and an access opening for adding dry starch to the interior, comprising:

• a) a vessel with an interior surrounded by a wall for holding a volume of liquid;
• b) a water supply inlet for supplying water to the vessel interior;
• c) a steam supply inlet for adding steam to the vessel interior so that the volume of liquid within the vessel can be heated;
• d) a level controller for controlling the level of fluid within the vessel and in between minimum and maximum fluid levels;
• e) a recirculation flow line that has an inlet and an outlet that each communicate with the vessel interior;
• f) a pump mounted in the recirculation flow line for pumping fluid from the inlet to the outlet and recirculating fluid within the vessel interior so that starch lumps flowing in the recirculation line must flow through the pump;
• g) a filter in said vessel connected to the inlet for filtering the starch solution prior to said pump recirculating the solution the inlet;
• h) a discharge flow line for transmitting a heated solution of starch and water from the vessel interior to the laundry washer;
• and
• i) a discharge pump for dispensing the heated solution of starch and water from the discharge flow line to the laundry washer.

An apparatus for cooking a starch solution and dispensing the cooked solution to a commercial laundry washer, comprising:

• a) a vessel with an interior surrounded by a wall for holding a volume of liquid;
• b) a water supply inlet for supplying water to the vessel interior to make a starch solution that includes the volume of liquid and uncooked starch;
• c) a steam supply inlet for adding steam to the vessel so that the volume of liquid within the vessel can be heated;
• d) a level controller for controlling the level of fluid within the vessel and in between minimum and maximum fluid levels;
• e) a recirculation flow line that has an inlet and an outlet that each communicate with the vessel interior;
• f) a centrifugal pump mounted in the recirculation flow line for pumping fluid from the inlet to the outlet for recirculating fluid within the vessel interior, said pump having a an output sufficient to maintain a vortex flow of the solution in said vessel;
• g) a filter pipe vertically standing in said vessel connected to the inlet for filtering the starch solution prior to said pump recirculating the solution to the inlet;
• h) a commercial washer;
• i) a discharge flow line for transmitting a heated starch solution from the vessel interior to a laundry washer;
• and
• j) a discharge pump for dispensing the heated starch solution from the discharge flow line to the laundry washer.