CA2204613C - A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream - Google Patents

A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2204613C
CA2204613C CA002204613A CA2204613A CA2204613C CA 2204613 C CA2204613 C CA 2204613C CA 002204613 A CA002204613 A CA 002204613A CA 2204613 A CA2204613 A CA 2204613A CA 2204613 C CA2204613 C CA 2204613C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
fluid
plant
vacuum chamber
heat exchanger
sterilising
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA002204613A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2204613A1 (en
Inventor
Jens Anders Jensen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SPX Flow Technology Danmark AS
Original Assignee
APV Pasilac AS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by APV Pasilac AS filed Critical APV Pasilac AS
Publication of CA2204613A1 publication Critical patent/CA2204613A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2204613C publication Critical patent/CA2204613C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23CDAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; MAKING THEREOF
    • A23C3/00Preservation of milk or milk preparations
    • A23C3/02Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating
    • A23C3/03Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked
    • A23C3/033Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23C3/037Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. steam
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23CDAIRY PRODUCTS, e.g. MILK, BUTTER OR CHEESE; MILK OR CHEESE SUBSTITUTES; MAKING THEREOF
    • A23C3/00Preservation of milk or milk preparations
    • A23C3/02Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating
    • A23C3/03Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked
    • A23C3/033Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
    • A23C3/037Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. steam
    • A23C3/0375Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. steam by pulverisation of the milk, including free falling film

Abstract

A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream, comprises a sterilising device (2) in which the fluid is sterilised while steam is fed thereto, and a vacuum chamber (1) for removal of the water from the fluid and from which the fluid is extracted by means of a pump (8). The vacuum chamber (1) is accommodated before the sterilising device (2) when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said vacuum chamber (1) being connected to said sterilising device (2) through a first heat exchanger (11) for heating the fluid before it enters said sterilising device (2).

Description

Title: A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream.
Technical Field The invention relates to a plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream, said plant comprising a sterilising device, in which the fluid is sterilised while steam is fed thereto, and a vacuum chamber for removing tf,e water from the fluid and from which the fluid is extracted by means of a pump.
Background Art Inter alia AU-PS No. 610,233 discloses a plant for sterilising milk. Such a plant is known as a direct UHT-plant (Direct ultra high Temperature Plantl.
In these plants steam is sprayed into the milk fed to the sterilising device in such a manner that the milk is heated to a temperature of approximately 140°C. Subsequently, the milk is fed to a so-called holding chamber in which the milk is kept for a predetermined period (approximately 2 to 15 sec) in the heated state.Then the milk is carried to a vacuum chamber through an overflow. In this vacuum chamber the water deriving from the steam is removed again in such a manner that the solid content of the milk is the same when the milk leaves said vacuum chamber as before the feeding of steam. After the processing in the vacuum chamber, the milk is usually carried to a homogenizer and then subjected to a cooling and packing.
Plants are also known in which the sterilising is performed by way of a direct spraying of steam into the milk by means of a steam injector.
Such plants are relatively expensive to manufacture inter alia because the components must be aseptic after the heat treatment in the sterilising device. Precautionary measures must be taken everywhere in order to meet this requirement. It is inter alia a question of expensive gaskets with steam locks both in the vacuum chamber and in the remaining components following the sterilising device, such as the pump and the homogenizes.
Brief Description of the Invention The object of the invention is to provide a plant which is less expensive to manufacture than hitherto known.
The plant according to the invention is characterized in that the vacuum chamber is accommodated before the sterilising device when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said vacuum chamber being connected to said sterilising device through a first heat exchanger for heating the fluid before said fluid enters the sterilising device. The sterilising device is adapted to supply the fluid with an amount of water substantially corresponding to the amount removed by the vacuum chamber.
In this manner a significant reduction of the number of components following the sterilising is obtained. In the vacuum chamber the water is removed from the fluid in question in such a manner that said fluid is further concentrated, and in the sterilising device this amount of water is re-added through the steam. Like in the known plant, the temperatures and the removal and adding of water is controlled in such a manner that the concentration of solid matter in the fluid in question is the same at the outlet of the plant as at the inlet of said plant. As the vacuum chamber and the associated components are arranged before the sterilising device, no requirements concerning aseptic measures are presented to this section of the plant with the result that the entire plant is less expensive to manufacture than hitherto known.
According to the invention a homogenizes may be coupled between the pump at the outlet of the vacuum chamber and the first heat exchanger with the result that the plant is particularly suited for treating milk. The arranging of the homogenizes before the sterilising device implies further-more that the requirement to said homogenizer being aseptic no longer ~ applies.Therefore, the homogenizer can also be manufactured relatively inexpensive.
According to the invention the first heat exchanger may advantageously be adapted to heat the fluid to a temperature from approximately 1 15°C
to approximately 120°C before said fluid is carried to the sterilising device with the result that said sterilising device operates optimally. Correspond-ingly, in order to ensure that a corresponding concentration of the fluid is carried out in the vacuum chamber, a second heat exchanger may accord-ing to the invention advantageously be arranged before said vacuum cham-ber when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said second heat exchanger heating the fluid to a temperature from approximately 90°C to approximately 100°C before said fluid enters the vacuum chamber. Fur-thermore, a relatively long tube may be arranged between the above sec-and heat exchanger and the vacuum chamber. This tube ensures a suitable stay period of the fluid at the temperature in question before said fluid is carried to the vacuum chamber. When it is a question of milk, a suitable stabilization is here carried out of the protein content thereof. The outlet of the sterilising device is often connected to a pump in order to ensure a quick removal of the fluid from said sterilising device and a transfer thereof to a holding chamber. According to the invention the outlet of this pump may be connected to a third heat exchanger for cooling the fluid by means of a relatively long tube serving as a holding chamber. The heat exchanger ensures a quick cooling down again of the fluid when said fluid has stayed in the holding chamber for a suitably short period at the high temperature of approximately 140°C.
Finally, the third heat exchanger may according to the invention suitably be a twostage heat exchanger lowering the temperature of the fluid to approximately 25°C. In this manner the stages of the third heat exchanger can suitably be adapted to cooperate in sequence with the first and the second heat exchanger, respectively.
Brief Description of the Drawing The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing showing a diagrammatic view of a plant for sterilising milk or cream.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention This plant comprises a vacuum chamber 1 and a sterilising tank 2, both parts being of a conventionally known type. The inlet 3 of the vacuum chamber 1 is connected through a suitably long tube 4 to a heat exchanger 5, which in turn is connected to a source with non-sterilised milk or cream through a tube 6. The outlet 7 of the vacuum chamber is connected to a centrifugal pump 8, the outlet of which in turn is con-nected to a tube 9 communicating with a heat exchanger 11 through a homogenizes 10 of a conventionally known type. This heat exchanger 1 1 is connected through a tube 12 of a suitable length to the inlet 13 of the sterilising tank 2. The outlet 14 of the sterilising tank 2 is connected to a centrifugal pump 15 and thereby through a tube 16 of a suitable length to two succeeding heat exchangers 17 and 18. The latter heat exchanger 18 is through a tube 19 connected to components (not shown) for further treatment of sterilised milk or cream.
When the plant is used for sterilising milk, non-sterilised raw milk is carried at a temperature of approximately 5°C through the tube 6 to the heat exchanger 5, in which the temperature of the milk is raised to approxi-mately 90 to 100°C. From this heat exchanger 5, the fluid flows through the relatively long tube 4 to the vacuum chamber 1, the length of said tube 4 being adapted in such a manner that the stay of the milk therein is approximately 30 sec with the result that a suitable stabilisation of the protein is ensured before the milk reaches the vacuum chamber 1. In the vacuum chamber, the water is boiled off as a consequence of the drop in pressure which the milk is subjected to therein. The temperature of the milk drops to approximately 75°C at the outlet of the vacuum chamber 1 5 while the water steam is drained off in a conventionally known manner through the tube 20. The resulting further concentrated milk is carried quickly out of the vacuum chamber by means of the centrifugal pump 8 and subsequently to the homogenizer 10. Subsequently, the concentrated milk passes through the heat exchanger 1 1, in which the temperature is raised to approximately 115°C to approximately 120°C. From the heat exchanger 1 1, the milk continues through the tube 12 to the sterilising tank 12 in which the concentrated milk is subjected to a sterilising while directly supplied with steam through a tube 21, cf. the above AU-PS No.
610,233. In the sterilising tank 2 the milk is heated to a temperature of approximately 140°C and then carried quickly out thereof by means of the centrifugal pump 15 so as to stay for a few sec. in the tube 16 before it is carried through the heat exchangers 17 and 18. In the heat exchanger 17, the temperature is lowered to approximately 85°C, and in the heat exchanger 18 the temperature is lowered to approximately 25°C. In the tube 16, the centrifugal pump 15 ensures that the sterilised milk is kept at a relatively high pressure in such a manner that possible steam is absorbed in the milk.
The temperatures in question and the control of the vacuum chamber as well as the sterilising tank are observed in such a manner that it is ensured that the amount of water fed into the sterilising tank 2 is the same as the amount of water removed in the vacuum chamber 1.
As illustrated in the drawing, the heat exchangers 15 and 18 cooperate through a fluid circuit 22, and the heat exchangers 1 1 and 17 cooperate through a fluid circuit 23 in such a manner that the energy used is utilized to an optimum. Suitable heat exchangers 24 and 25, respectively, are coupled between the above fluid circuits 22 and 23, said heat exchangers ensuring that the necessary temperatures are maintained by means of steam.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodi-ment. When the plant is used for treating other fluids beyond milk, such as products for the production of dessert, cream etc., the homogenizer 10 can be omitted.
Instead of a sterilising tank 2 of the type known from AU-PS No.
610,233, it is possible to use a steam injector for spraying steam directly into a stream of milk.
Many modifications of the plant can be carried out without thereby deviat-ing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:
1. A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, said plant comprising a sterilising device, in which the fluid is sterilised while steam is fed thereto, and a vacuum chamber for removing the water from the fluid and from which the fluid is extracted by means of a pump, characterized in that the vacuum chamber (1) is accommodated before the sterilising device (2) when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said vacuum chamber (1) being connected to said sterilising device (2) through a first heat exchanger (11) for heating the fluid before said fluid enters the sterilising device (2), and that the sterilising device is adapted to supply the fluid with an amount of water substantially corresponding to the amount removed by the vacuum chamber.
2. A plant as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a homogenizer (10) is provided between the pump (8) at the outlet (7) of the vacuum chamber (1) and the first heat exchanger (11).
3. A plant as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first heat exchanger (11) is adapted to heat the fluid to a temperature of from 115°C to 120°C before said fluid is carried to the sterilising device (2).
4. A plant as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a second heat exchanger (5) is provided before the vacuum chamber (1) when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said second heat exchanger heating the fluid to a temperature from 90°C to 100°C before it is carried to the vacuum chamber (1), and that a tube (4) is provided between said second heat exchanger (5) and said vacuum chamber (1).
5. A plant as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, and where a second pump (15) is provided after the sterilising device (2) when seen in the flow direction of the fluid, said second pump sucking out the fluid from said sterilising device (2), characterized in that the outlet of said second pump (15) is connected to a third heat exchanger (17, 18) for cooling the fluid through a tube (16).
6. A plant as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the third heat exchanger (17, 18) is a twostage heat exchanger lowering the temperature of the fluid to 25°C.
7. A plant as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sterilising device is a steam injector.
CA002204613A 1994-11-18 1995-11-14 A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream Expired - Fee Related CA2204613C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK131994A DK171666B1 (en) 1994-11-18 1994-11-18 Systems for continuous sterilization of liquids such as milk and cream
DK1319/94 1994-11-18
PCT/DK1995/000453 WO1996015677A1 (en) 1994-11-18 1995-11-14 A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2204613A1 CA2204613A1 (en) 1996-05-30
CA2204613C true CA2204613C (en) 2006-08-15

Family

ID=8103526

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002204613A Expired - Fee Related CA2204613C (en) 1994-11-18 1995-11-14 A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream

Country Status (16)

Country Link
US (1) US5727452A (en)
EP (1) EP0792104B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3623801B2 (en)
CN (1) CN1068178C (en)
AT (1) ATE201301T1 (en)
AU (1) AU695210B2 (en)
CA (1) CA2204613C (en)
DE (1) DE69521058T2 (en)
DK (1) DK171666B1 (en)
ES (1) ES2156951T3 (en)
FI (1) FI972104A (en)
GR (1) GR3036372T3 (en)
NO (1) NO317852B1 (en)
NZ (1) NZ295351A (en)
PL (1) PL180205B1 (en)
WO (1) WO1996015677A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1027835B1 (en) * 1997-10-23 2008-09-17 Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. Method and apparatus for continuous heat sterilization of liquid
SE514560C2 (en) * 1999-07-30 2001-03-12 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance Apparatus for evapoative cooling of a liquid product
SE525916C2 (en) * 2001-01-30 2005-05-24 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance Holder cell for a heat treatment plant with injection heating
US20040170731A1 (en) * 2003-02-28 2004-09-02 Girish Subramaniam Reduction of oil and off-flavors in citrus juice by direct steam heating and flash cooling
JP4713654B2 (en) * 2003-07-11 2011-06-29 森永乳業株式会社 Evaluation method of pasteurized drinking milk
SE526792C2 (en) * 2004-03-03 2005-11-08 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance Apparatus for evaporative cooling of a liquid product
US20080160149A1 (en) * 2006-12-28 2008-07-03 Maurice Nasrallah Sterilization of Flowable Food Products
SE534079C2 (en) * 2009-07-02 2011-04-26 Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance Method and apparatus for sterilizing water for flushing the pistons in a piston pump or homogenizer
US8714079B2 (en) 2009-08-18 2014-05-06 Rohde Brothers, Inc. Energy-efficient apparatus for making cheese
CN102783519B (en) * 2012-08-18 2013-09-25 淄博高新区鲁信乳品机械研究所 Small-sized pasteuring and quality preserving device for raw milk
US10194680B2 (en) * 2013-03-13 2019-02-05 Millisecond Technologies Corp. Sterilization reactor and method patent application
DK178416B1 (en) * 2014-07-25 2016-02-15 Spx Flow Technology Danmark As Infusion plant
AU2016250989B2 (en) 2015-04-24 2020-09-03 Millisecond Technologies Corp. Killing microbes with pressure drop and heat
US10674751B1 (en) 2019-02-21 2020-06-09 Empirical Innovations, Inc. Heating medium injectors and injection methods for heating foodstuffs

Family Cites Families (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1105387A (en) * 1965-06-14 1968-03-06 Nodaway Valley Foods Inc Method and apparatus of sterilization
JPS5112297A (en) * 1974-07-17 1976-01-30 Kawatetsu Keiryo Kk Nenjushitsushokuhinruinochoonjunjikyokyuhohooyobisochi
US4310476A (en) * 1979-04-12 1982-01-12 Dasi Industries, Inc. Apparatus for treating fluent materials
US4161909A (en) * 1978-09-08 1979-07-24 Crepaco, Inc. Ultrahigh temperature heating system
US4591463A (en) * 1979-10-10 1986-05-27 Dasi Industries, Inc. Method and apparatus for treating liquid materials
US4419301A (en) * 1979-10-10 1983-12-06 Dasi Industries, Inc. Method and apparatus for treating fluent materials
EP0063163B1 (en) * 1981-03-21 1986-01-29 Luwa Aktiengesellschaft Process and apparatus for sterilisation of ground oil containing fruit seeds such ans cocoa beam, pastes of peanuts, nuts or soja and similar products
FR2536520B1 (en) * 1982-11-24 1986-04-18 Agronomique Inst Nat Rech METHOD AND DEVICE FOR HEAT TREATING FLUID COMPRISING RAPID VAPOR CONDENSATION
US4544571A (en) * 1984-02-13 1985-10-01 Pennwalt Corporation Method of manufacture of EMI/RFI vapor deposited composite shielding panel
US4877624A (en) * 1985-04-11 1989-10-31 Cem Corporation Digestion and sterilization methods and apparatus
GB2190274B (en) * 1986-05-09 1990-08-01 Milk Marketing Board Sterilised concentrated milk
US5105724A (en) * 1990-01-23 1992-04-21 North Carolina State University Apparatus for pasteurizing liquid whole egg products
FR2677038B1 (en) * 1991-06-03 1994-08-12 Bel Fromageries FOOD ADDITIVE FOR HUMAN AND ANIMAL FEEDING AND FOOD CONTAINING THE SAME.
SE509157C2 (en) * 1993-03-29 1998-12-07 Alfa Laval Ab Method and apparatus for continuous sterilization of a liquid milk-based product

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI972104A (en) 1997-07-16
EP0792104A1 (en) 1997-09-03
NO317852B1 (en) 2004-12-20
EP0792104B1 (en) 2001-05-23
PL320220A1 (en) 1997-09-15
NO972105D0 (en) 1997-05-07
DE69521058T2 (en) 2001-09-06
ES2156951T3 (en) 2001-08-01
AU695210B2 (en) 1998-08-06
NO972105L (en) 1997-06-17
PL180205B1 (en) 2001-01-31
DE69521058D1 (en) 2001-06-28
FI972104A0 (en) 1997-05-16
CA2204613A1 (en) 1996-05-30
CN1068178C (en) 2001-07-11
GR3036372T3 (en) 2001-11-30
CN1166124A (en) 1997-11-26
US5727452A (en) 1998-03-17
AU3867595A (en) 1996-06-17
DK131994A (en) 1996-05-19
JPH10509041A (en) 1998-09-08
JP3623801B2 (en) 2005-02-23
NZ295351A (en) 1998-05-27
WO1996015677A1 (en) 1996-05-30
DK171666B1 (en) 1997-03-10
ATE201301T1 (en) 2001-06-15

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CA2204613C (en) A plant for continuously sterilising fluids, such as milk and cream
EP0617897B1 (en) Method and arrangement for continuous sterilization of a liquid milk based product
US4576792A (en) Method for heat treatment of articles and arrangement for carrying out the method
AU692953B2 (en) A plant for treating heat-sensitive fluid foodstuffs
US3254943A (en) Heat treating apparatus for liquids
US3010832A (en) Method and apparatus for continuous heat-treatment of heat-sensitive liquids
US6513422B1 (en) Apparatus for evaporative cooling of a liquiform product
AU2017384602B2 (en) Heat treatment plant and method for operating a heat treatment plant
KR20060006023A (en) Device for dispensing liquid foodstuffs
CN110583948A (en) Fruit juice degerming device
CN208875331U (en) Plant pulp does not destroy the high temperature quick sterilization equipment in molecular structure production
CN206791570U (en) Peru squid otic placode shortening production line
KR20220037483A (en) Method and apparatus for direct heating of protein-fortified dairy products by introducing steam into dairy products
JP2001079386A (en) Heating and cooling device
JPH06300205A (en) Steam heating apparatus
KR960010484Y1 (en) Boiling machine of soybean milk
EP3257382A1 (en) Sterilization process for sterilizing liquid vegetable food products
US1149627A (en) Process of desiccating.
JPH03284390A (en) Sterilizer
JPS5819260A (en) Low temperature sterilizing method

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
MKLA Lapsed