Method of and apparatus for the continuous cooking and sterilization of liquids and suspensions

Claim 1

A COOKING AND STERILIZING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID FOOD PRODUCTS AND FOOD PRODUCTS COMPRISING LIQUIDS WITH SOLIDS IN SUSPENSION THEREIN BY A PROCESS INVOLVING THE FLASH HEATING OF THE PRODUCT IN FINELY-DISPERSED CONDITION IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF STEAM, FOLLOWED BY HOLDING THE PRODUCT AT STERILIZING PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THE SUBSEQUENT RAPID COOLING OF THE PRODUCT, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A STORAGE RESERVOIR, A VAPOR CHAMBER HAVING A DISPERSING MEANS THEREIN FOR BREAKING UP AND DIVIDING INCOMING PRODUCT INTO DISPERSED STREAMS, MEANS FOR FORCING THE PRODUCT TO BE COOKED AND STERILIZED UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE STORAGE RESERVOIR TO THE DISPERSING MEANS AND INTO THE CHAMBER WHEREBY IT IS DISCHARGED INTO THE CHAMBER FROM THE DISPERSING MEANS IN DISPERSED STREAMS MEANS FOR SUPPLYING TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER STEAM UNDER PRESSURE AND AT A TEMPERATURE TO RAISE THE DISPERSED PRODUCT TO THE REQUIRED COOKING AND STERILIZING TEMPERATURE, A SUMP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VAPOR CHAMBER INTO WHICH THE PRODUCT AND ANY CONDENSATE FROM THE STEAM IS COLLECTED, MEANS FOR REGULATING SAID MEANS FOR FORCING PRODUCT INTO THE VAPOR CHAMBER TO MAINTAIN A CONTROLLED LIQUID LEVEL IN SAID SUMP, A HOLDING SECTION OF PIPE LEADING FROM THE SUMP, A PUMP CONNECTED INTO THE HOLDING SECTION OF PIPE FOR MOVING PRODUCT FROM THE SUMP THROUGH THE HOLDING SECTION, FLOW CONTROLLED MEANS IN THE HOLDING SECTION FOR REGULATING THE PUMP TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT FLOW RATE THROUGH THE HOLDING SECTION, AN INDIRECT COOLER AT THE DISCHARGE END OF THE HOLDING SECTION INTO WHICH THE PRODUCT FLOWS FROM THE HOLDING SECTION FOR REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PRODUCT TO A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, A DEAERATOR VESSEL, A PIPE LEADING FROM THE COOLER TO THE DEAERATOR VESSEL TERMINATING IN A FLASH NOZZLE IN THE DEAERATOR VESSEL, A BACK PRESSURE VALVE IN THE PIPE BETWEEN THE INDIRECT COOLER AND DEAERATOR BY WHICH A CONTROLLED PRESSURE MAY BE MAINTAINED ON THE PRODUCT IN THE APPARATUS BETWEEN THE VAPOR CHAMBER AND SAID BACK PRESSURE VALVE, A PRIMARY DIVERSION VALVE IN THE DISCHARGE END OF THE HOLDING SECTION AND THE ENTERING END OF THE INDIRECT COOLER, A BYPASS LEADING FROM THE DIVERSION VALVE TO THE STORAGE RESERVOIR, SAID DIVERSION VALVE SELECTIVELY CONNECTING THE HOLDING SECTION TO THE INDIRECT COOLER OR TO THE BYPASS, DIVERSION VALVE OPERATING MEANS, TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE SENSING MEANS NEAR THE ENTERING END OF THE HOLDING SECTION CONTROLLING THE PRIMARY DIVERSION VALVE AND ITS OPERATING MEANS TO DIRECT PRODUCT BELOW A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE INTO THE BYPASS AND DIRECT PRODUCT AT THE PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE INTO THE INDIRECT COOLER, A SECONDARY DIVERSION VALVE BETWEEN THE COOLER AND THE DEAERATOR FOR DIRECTING THE FLOW OF PRODUCT FROM THE INDIRECT COOLER TO EITHER THE DEAERATOR OR TO SAID BYPASS, AND A SECOND TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE MEANS LOCATED IN THE DISCHARGE END OF THE INDIRECT COOLER RESPONSIVE TO THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PRODUCT LEAVING THE INDIRECT COOLER FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF THE SECOND DIVERSION VALVE.