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US 9,803,932 B2Granted
Methods and devices for heating or cooling viscous materials
AssigneeNestec S.A.
InventorsKevin J. Cully, Andrew Joseph Brinkmann, Ronald Lee Nash, William D. Short, Trent C. Lorraine, Jerry J. Hankins
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Abstract
The invention provides methods and devices for heating or cooling viscous materials such as meat emulsions useful for producing food and other products. The devices include a heat exchanger comprising a first plate, a second plate attached to the first plate, and a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, the first spacer, and the second spacer define at least one temperature controlled passage for a product to pass through the heat exchanger.
Claims18
A method for making a food product comprising:
- introducing a meat emulsion into a heat exchanger;
- subjecting the meat emulsion to a high pressure of at least 50 psi in the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising
- (i) a first energy exchanging plate,
- (ii) a second energy exchanging plate attached to the first energy exchanging plate and separated by a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first energy exchanging plate and the second energy exchanging plate,
- (iii) a third energy exchanging plate attached to the second energy exchanging plate and separated by a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the second energy exchanging plate and the third energy exchanging plate, wherein the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the first spacer and the second spacer form a first temperature controlled passage in which a first portion of the meat emulsion is subjected to a first temperature as the first portion of the meat emulsion passes through the heat exchanger, and the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer form a second temperature controlled passage in which a second portion of the meat emulsion is subjected to a second temperature as the second portion of the meat emulsion passes through the heat exchanger,
- (iv) a first end plate defining a first product inlet into the first temperature controlled passage and a second product inlet into the second temperature controlled passage,
- (v) a second end plate defining a first product outlet from the first temperature controlled passage and a second product outlet from the second temperature controlled passage, the first and second end plates are positioned perpendicular to the first, second and third energy exchanging plates such that the first product inlet, the first product outlet and the first temperature controlled passage are positioned in the same plane, and
- (vi) an inlet manifold comprising a front portion defining a manifold inlet, the inlet manifold further comprising a rear portion that is a manifold plate defining manifold outlets comprising a first manifold outlet fluidly connected to the first product inlet of the first end plate and a second manifold outlet fluidly connected to the second product inlet of the first end plate;
- passing a first fluid through a first temperature controlling passage in a first portion of the first energy exchanging plate;
- passing a second fluid through a second temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first temperature controlling passage, the first temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the first energy exchanging plate downstream from the first portion of the first energy exchanging plate, and the second temperature controlling passage is downstream from the first temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the second temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the first temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage;
- passing a third fluid through a third temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first and second temperature controlling passages, the third temperature controlling passage is positioned in a first portion of the second energy exchanging plate;
- passing a fourth fluid through a fourth temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first, second and third temperature controlling passages, the fourth temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the second energy exchanging plate downstream from the first portion of the first energy exchanging plate, and the fourth temperature controlling passage is downstream from the third temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the fourth temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the third temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage;
- controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the first fluid separately from controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the second fluid;
- and
- controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the third fluid separately from controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the fourth fluid.
12 more elements
A method for making a meat emulsion product comprising:
- forming a meat emulsion containing protein and fat;
- comminuting and heating the meat emulsion in an emulsion mill;
- transferring the meat emulsion from the emulsion mill into a heat exchanger and subjecting the meat emulsion to a pressure of at least 50 psi in the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising
- (i) a first energy exchanging plate,
- (ii) a second energy exchanging plate attached to the first energy exchanging plate and separated by a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first energy exchanging plate and the second energy exchanging plate,
- (iii) a third energy exchanging plate attached to the second energy exchanging plate and separated by a third spacer and a fourth spacer arranged between the second energy exchanging plate and the third energy exchanging plate, wherein the first energy exchanging plate, the second energy exchanging plate, the first spacer and the second spacer form a first temperature controlled passage in which a first portion of the meat emulsion is subjected to a first temperature as the first portion of the meat emulsion passes through the heat exchanger, and the second energy exchanging plate, the third energy exchanging plate, the third spacer and the fourth spacer form a second temperature controlled passage in which a second portion of the meat emulsion is subjected to a second temperature as the second portion of the meat emulsion passes through the heat exchanger,
- (iv) a first end plate defining a first product inlet into the first temperature controlled passage and a second product inlet into the second temperature controlled passage,
- (v) a second end plate defining a first product outlet from the first temperature controlled passage and a second product outlet from the second temperature controlled passage, and the first and second end plates are positioned perpendicular to the first, second and third energy exchanging plates such that the first product inlet, the first product outlet and the first temperature controlled passage are positioned in the same plane, and
- (vi) an inlet manifold comprising a front portion defining a manifold inlet, the inlet manifold further comprising a rear portion that is a manifold plate defining manifold outlets comprising a first manifold outlet fluidly connected to the first product inlet of the first end plate and a second manifold outlet fluidly connected to the second product inlet of the first end plate;
- passing a first fluid through a first temperature controlling passage in a first portion of the first energy exchanging plate;
- passing a second fluid through a second temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first temperature controlling passage, the second temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the first energy exchanging plate downstream from the first portion of the first energy exchanging plate, and the second temperature controlling passage is downstream from the first temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the second temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the first temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage;
- passing a third fluid through a third temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first and second temperature controlling passages, the third temperature controlling passage is positioned in a first portion of the second energy exchanging plate;
- passing a fourth fluid through a fourth temperature controlling passage that is separate from the first, second and third temperature controlling passages, the fourth temperature controlling passage is positioned in a second portion of the second energy exchanging plate downstream from the first portion of the first energy exchanging plate, and the fourth temperature controlling passage is downstream from the third temperature controlling passage such that a distance from the fourth temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage is less than a distance from the third temperature controlling passage to the second end plate along the first temperature controlled passage;
- controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the first fluid separately from controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the second fluid;
- controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the third fluid separately from controlling at least one of a temperature or a flowrate of the fourth fluid;
- discharging the first portion of the meat emulsion from the first outlet of the heat exchanger;
- and
- discharging the second portion of the meat emulsion from a second outlet of the heat exchanger.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.