Pasteurization system and method

A pasteurization system, comprising:

• a liquid inlet configured to receive a liquid to be pasteurized;
• a pump coupled to the liquid inlet for pressurizing the liquid;
• a microchannel heat exchanger coupled to the liquid inlet and the pump, the microchannel heat exchanger having microchannels and configured to heat the liquid to a predetermined temperature for at least a predetermined time and configured to exchange heat between flows of the same liquid where the microchannels are fluidly coupled in pairs in hydraulic communication with each other within the microchannel heat exchanger so that the same liquid is flowable from one of the microchannels into another of the microchannels fluidly coupled therewith within the microchannel heat exchanger and so that heat in one portion of the flow is transferred to another part of the flow of the same liquid, the microchannels of the microchannel heat exchanger each having a hydraulic diameter, the hydraulic diameter expressed as four times the cross sectional area of the respective microchannel divided by the perimeter of the cross section of the respective microchannel, the hydraulic diameter being less than one millimeter, the microchannel heat exchanger having a heating section including an electric heater that provides a heat input and heats the liquid flow, the electric heater being disposed in thermal communication with a portion of the pairs of microchannels and heating at least a portion of the pairs of microchannels with the heat input from the electric heater, wherein an insulative layer at least partially insulates the pairs of microchannels;
• and
• a heat exchanger outlet that feeds into a pressure relief valve.

An ultra-high temperature milk pasteurization system, comprising:

• a liquid inlet configured to receive milk to be pasteurized;
• a pump coupled to the liquid inlet for pressurizing the milk;
• a counter flow heat exchanger having adjacent microchannels fluidly coupled in hydraulic communication with each other within the counter flow heat exchanger, the counter flow heat exchanger coupled to the liquid inlet and configured to flow the same milk through one of the adjacent microchannels into the other of the adjacent microchannels fluidly coupled therewith within the counter flow heat exchanger and the counter flow heat exchanger configured to heat the milk to a temperature of at least 135 degrees Celcius for at least a period of one tenth of a second, the counter flow heat exchanger having a heating section including an electric heater that provides a heat input and heats the milk flow, the electric heater being disposed in thermal communication with a portion of one of the adjacent microchannels or the other of the adjacent microchannels and heating at least a portion of one of the adjacent microchannels or the other of the adjacent microchannels with heat input from the electric heater, wherein an insulative layer at least partially insulates the adjacent microchannels;
• and
• a heat exchanger outlet that feeds into a pressure relief valve.

A pasteurization system, comprising:

• a liquid inlet configured to receive a liquid to be pasteurized;
• a pump coupled to the liquid inlet for pressurizing the liquid;
• and
• a counter flow heat exchanger having a first microchannel and a second microchannel coupled to the liquid inlet and the pump, the first microchannel and the second microchannel being fluidly coupled in hydraulic communication with each other within the counter flow heat exchanger, the counter flow heat exchanger configured to heat the liquid to a predetermined temperature for at least a predetermined time and configured to exchange heat between a flow of liquid in the first direction in the first microchannel with the flow of the same liquid in the second direction opposite the first direction in the second microchannel, where the same liquid is flowable from the first microchannel into the second microchannel within the counter flow heat exchanger, the counter flow heat exchanger having a heating section including an electric heater that provides a heat input and heats the liquid flow in at least one of the first microchannel and the second microchannel, the electric heater being disposed in thermal communication with at least a portion of at least one of the first microchannel and the second microchannel and heating at least a portion of at least one of the first microchannel and the second microchannel with the heat input from the electric heater, wherein an insulative layer at least partially insulates the first microchannel and the second microchannel;
• and
• a heat exchanger outlet that feeds into a pressure relief valve.

A pasteurization system, comprising:

• a liquid inlet configured to receive a liquid to be pasteurized;
• a pump coupled to the liquid inlet for pressurizing the liquid;
• a microchannel heat exchanger having multiple microchannels coupled to the liquid inlet and the pump, the microchannel heat exchanger configured to heat the liquid to a predetermined temperature for at least a predetermined time and configured to exchange heat between flows of the same liquid where the microchannels are fluidly coupled in pairs in hydraulic communication with each other within the microchannel heat exchanger so that the liquid is flowable from one of the microchannels into another of the microchannels fluidly coupled therewith within the microchannel heat exchanger and so that heat in one portion of the flow of the liquid is transferred to another part of the flow of the same liquid, the microchannels of the microchannel heat exchanger being configured to produce substantially laminar flow within the microchannels, the microchannel heat exchanger having a heating section including an electric heater that provides a heat input and heats the liquid flow, the electric heater being disposed in thermal communication with at least a portion of the pairs of microchannels and heating at least a portion of the pairs of microchannels with the heat input from the electric heater, wherein an insulative layer at least partially insulates the pairs of microchannels;
• and
• a heat exchanger outlet that feeds into a pressure relief valve.