EP0032840A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for heating electrically conductive flowable media
Assignee: Cessione ea Technology Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-01-20
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2001-01-20
Abstract
Abstract A heater for liquid footstuffs has a pipe 30 through which the foodstuff flows and electrodes 31 spaced along the pipe to drive a heating current through the foodstuff. In the embodiment, the electrode is a platinum coated cylinder arranged transversely in an enlarged part 34 of the pipe 30 so that electric current flows to the electrode only over a smooth surface portion 37 entirely within the edges 38 of the exposed electrode surface.
Inventors
- 👤 David Preston Simpson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:42
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/0004; H05B3/0009; A; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for heating an electrically conductive flowable medium, comprising pipe means (10,21-23) through which the medium can be arranged to flow and which is made of or internally lined with a material having an electrical conductivity no greater than that of the medium, at least two electrodes (25) at spaced locations along the pipe means and having respective electrode surfaces exposed to medium flowing in the pipe means, and supply means (26,27) for applying an alternating electrical supply across said electrodes so that alternating current can flow in the medium between the electrodes characterised in that each electrode (31) is located and arranged in the pipe means such that, in use, substantially all the current flows between the medium and a predetermined surface portion (37) only of the exposed electrode surface, said surface portion being smooth and entirely within the edges (38) of the exposed surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for heating an electrically conductive flowable medium, comprising pipe means (10,21-23) through which the medium can be arranged to flow and which is made of or internally lined with a material having an electrical conductivity no greater than that of the medium, at least two electrodes (25) at spaced locations along the pipe means and having respective electrode surfaces exposed to medium flowing in the pipe means, and supply means (26,27) for applying an alternating electrical supply across said electrodes so that alternating current can flow in the medium between the electrodes characterised in that each electrode (31) is located and arranged in the pipe means such that, in use, substantially all the current flows between the medium and a predetermined surface portion (37) only of the exposed electrode surface, said surface portion being smooth and entirely within the edges (38) of the exposed surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that said smooth surface portion has a constant radius of curvature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 characterised in that at least one of the electrodes (31) is cylindrical with the axis of the cylinder transverse to the direction of flow of medium past the electrode and the exposed length of the cylinder extending at each end of the cylinder outside the side walls of the length of the pipe means between the electrodes so that said surface portion (37) of the surface of the cylinder extends along the cylinder less than said exposed length of the cylinder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that the cylindrical electrode (31) is located in an enlarged portion (34) of the pipe means having a dimension transverse to the'direction of flow of medium greater than that of the length of the pipe means between the electrodes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 characterised in that the interior walls of the enlarged portion (34) of the pipe means are circularly curved in planes perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that the interior walls of said enlarged portion (34) are spherically curved.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 characterised in that the interior walls of said enlarged portion (34) are cylindrically curved with the cylindrical axis parallel to the axis of the cylindrical electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that said enlarged portion (34) comprises a separate electrically insulating electrode housing (41) in which said electrode is mounted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatuas as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that each electrode (40) is hollow and means (67,62,70) are provided for passing a cooling fluid through the electrode to cool the walls and hence the exposed surface of the electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 as dependent on any of Claims 3 to 8, characterised in that the hollow cylindrical electrode (40) is open-ended and extends between opposed openings (46) in the walls of the pipe means which fit sealing around the electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatuas as claimed in Claim 10 characterised in that clamping means (54) are provided to clamp the electrode in place and arranged to compress the material (51) of the pipe means around said opposed openings against the outer surface of the electrode to provide a fluid-tight seal.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that each electrode has an exposed surface of platinum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 characterised in that the electrode is made of titanium with a platinum coating on the exposed surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.