Processing of heat-sensitive fluids

Claim 1

A MEHOD FOR STRIPPING THE VOLATILE ESSENCES FROM A FRUIT JUICE WHICH COMPRISES SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING, INTO A FIRST ZONE, THE LIQUID JUICE AND STEAM IN THE PROPORTION OF ABOUT 0.1 LB. OF STEAM PER LB. OF JUICE FOR EACH 100* F. RISE IN TEMPERATURE, WHEREBY THE INCREMENT OF STEAM ADMITTED IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE AMOUNT REQUIRED TO RAISE THE SIMULTANEOUSLY-ADMITTED INCREMENT OF FRUIT JUICE TO THE TEMPERATURE DESIRED, MAINTAINING THE MIXTUE UNDER TURBULENT FLOW CONDITION AND AT A TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST 212* F. AND UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE TO PREVENT BOILING, THE MIXTURE BEING RETAINED IN THIS FIRST ZONE FOR LESS THAN ONE SECOND, IMMEDIATELY DISCHARGING THE HOT MIXTURE THROUGH A RESTRICTED ORIFICE INTO A SECOND ZONE MAINTAINED UNDER LOWER PRESSURE WHEREBY PART OF THE MIXTURE IS VAPORIZED, HEATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF LIQUID AND VAPOR UNDER TURBULENT FLOW CONDITIONS IN SAID SECOND ZONE BY THERMAL EXCHANGE WITH A HOT MEDIUM THROUGH A HEAT TRANSFER SURFACE, THEN DISCHARGING THE MIXTURE INTO A THIRD ZONE TO SEPARATE THE VAPOR FROM THE LIQUID, THE TOTAL TIME THAT THE JUICE IS SUBJECT TO HEAT BEING LESS THAN 2 SECONDS, SEPARATELY COLLECTING THE VAPOR WHICH CONTAINS THE VOLATILE ESSENCES AND THE LIQUID WHICH CONSTITUTES THE STRIPPED JUICE.