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US3862014A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distillation apparatus for recovering citrus essence
Assignee: Florida Department of Citrus
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Filing: 1972-09-06
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1992-09-06
Abstract
Abstract An aqueous citrus essence is prepared having an enhanced content of components which contribute to the natural flavor of the citrus juice, particularly certain aldehyde type compounds and a decreased content of components, such as easily oxidized fatty substances, which detract from the flavor of the juice. Preparation of the enhanced citrus essence is accomplished by increasing the alcoholic content of the aqueous phase of the essence so that its capacity for desirable aldehyde type components is increased. The increase in alcoholic content is effected by recirculation under appropriate conditions of temperature and pressure of the aqueous phase of the essence in contact with fresh essence. An apparatus is specifically disclosed for effecting the process of the invention. Enhanced essence produced by the present invention is particularly useful for reconstituting the flavor of citrus juice concentrates such as orange juice.
Inventors
- 👤 Cederic D Atkins
- 👤 John A Attaway
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:45
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
410 words
AN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CITRUS ESSENCE WHICH COMPRISES A VERTICAL STRIPPING COLUMN WITH OVERHEAD REFLUX CONDENSER MEANS DISPOSED ATOP SAID COLUMN FOR RETURNING CONDENSIBLES TO SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AND SEPARATING NONCONDENSIBLES THEREFROM; SAID CONDENSER MEANS HAVING AN EXIT PORT MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CONDENSER FOR REMOVING SAID NON-CONDENSIBLES, HEATER MEANS DISPOSED AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COLUMN, LIQUID COLLECTING PLATE MEANS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF SAID CONDENSER MEANS AND WITHIN SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AND SIDE PORT FOR INTRODUCING CITRUS ESSENCE VAPOR; MEANS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT DENSITIES OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO RECEIVE AND SEPARATE CONDENSED LIQUIDS COLLECTED AND REMOVED FROM SAID LIQUID COLLECTING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE BASE OF SAID OVERHEAD CONDENSER AND MEANS CONNECTING TO SAID SEPARATION MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY RETURNING THE MORE DENSE OF SAID LIQUIDS TO SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AT A POINT BELOW THE POINT AT WHICH CONDENSED LIQUIDS ARE REMOVED FROM THE STRIPPING COLUMN; A CONDUIT OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AN EXIT PORT IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID OVERHEAD CONDENSER FOR REMOVING NON-CONDENSABLE VAPORS FROM SAID CONDENSER AND AN EXIT PORT AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID STRIPPING COLUMN FOR REMOVING BOTTOMS; SCRUBBER MEANS FOR CONTACTING BOTH THE MORE DENSE AND LESS DENSE LIQUIDS REMOVED FROM SAID SEPARATOR MEANS WITH SAID NON-CONDENSABLE VAPORS FROM THE OVERHEAD CONDENSER, SAID SCRUBBER MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AN EXIT PORT MEANS IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID SEPARATOR MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID MORE DENSE LIQUID AND BY A CONDUIT MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE SEPARATOR MEANS FOR REMOVING THE LESS DENSE LIQUID CONTAINED THEREIN, WHEREBY SAID LESS DENSE AND SAID MORE DENSE LIQUIDS ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE TOP OF SAID SCRUBBER AND SAID NON-CONDENSABLE GAS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID SCRUBBER WHEREBY A COUNTERCURRENT SCRUBBING OF SAID NONCONDENSABLE GASES IS EFFECTED BY SAID DOWNWARD PASSING LIQUIDS; THE SCRUBBER ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH AN EXIT PORT AT ITS BOTTOM PORTION FOR REMOVING SAID LIQUIDS TO A SEPARATING TANK AND AN OVERHEAD EXIT PORT FOR REMOVING UPWARD FLOWING GASES; SAID OVERHEAD EXIT PORT IN SAID SCRUBBER BEING FURTHER CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF SECOND CONDENSER MEANS FOR REMOVING LIQUIDS ENTRAINED IN SAID NON-CONDENSABLE GASES; SAID SECOND CONDENSER MEANS ALSO HAVING AN EXIT PORT AT ITS BOTTOM FOR REMOVING SAID ENTRAINED CONDENSED LIQUIDS AND S SECOND OVERHEAD EXIT PORT FOR REMOVING GASES; THE EXIT PORT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CONDENSER BEING CONNECTED TO THE SEPARATING TANK, AND COLLECTION MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID SEPARATING TANK.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
410 words
AN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CITRUS ESSENCE WHICH COMPRISES A VERTICAL STRIPPING COLUMN WITH OVERHEAD REFLUX CONDENSER MEANS DISPOSED ATOP SAID COLUMN FOR RETURNING CONDENSIBLES TO SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AND SEPARATING NONCONDENSIBLES THEREFROM; SAID CONDENSER MEANS HAVING AN EXIT PORT MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CONDENSER FOR REMOVING SAID NON-CONDENSIBLES, HEATER MEANS DISPOSED AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE COLUMN, LIQUID COLLECTING PLATE MEANS LOCATED AT THE BASE OF SAID CONDENSER MEANS AND WITHIN SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AND SIDE PORT FOR INTRODUCING CITRUS ESSENCE VAPOR; MEANS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS OF DIFFERENT DENSITIES OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO RECEIVE AND SEPARATE CONDENSED LIQUIDS COLLECTED AND REMOVED FROM SAID LIQUID COLLECTING MEANS DISPOSED AT THE BASE OF SAID OVERHEAD CONDENSER AND MEANS CONNECTING TO SAID SEPARATION MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY RETURNING THE MORE DENSE OF SAID LIQUIDS TO SAID STRIPPING COLUMN AT A POINT BELOW THE POINT AT WHICH CONDENSED LIQUIDS ARE REMOVED FROM THE STRIPPING COLUMN; A CONDUIT OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AN EXIT PORT IN THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID OVERHEAD CONDENSER FOR REMOVING NON-CONDENSABLE VAPORS FROM SAID CONDENSER AND AN EXIT PORT AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID STRIPPING COLUMN FOR REMOVING BOTTOMS; SCRUBBER MEANS FOR CONTACTING BOTH THE MORE DENSE AND LESS DENSE LIQUIDS REMOVED FROM SAID SEPARATOR MEANS WITH SAID NON-CONDENSABLE VAPORS FROM THE OVERHEAD CONDENSER, SAID SCRUBBER MEANS BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AN EXIT PORT MEANS IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID SEPARATOR MEANS FOR REMOVING SAID MORE DENSE LIQUID AND BY A CONDUIT MEANS IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE SEPARATOR MEANS FOR REMOVING THE LESS DENSE LIQUID CONTAINED THEREIN, WHEREBY SAID LESS DENSE AND SAID MORE DENSE LIQUIDS ARE INTRODUCED INTO THE TOP OF SAID SCRUBBER AND SAID NON-CONDENSABLE GAS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID SCRUBBER WHEREBY A COUNTERCURRENT SCRUBBING OF SAID NONCONDENSABLE GASES IS EFFECTED BY SAID DOWNWARD PASSING LIQUIDS; THE SCRUBBER ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH AN EXIT PORT AT ITS BOTTOM PORTION FOR REMOVING SAID LIQUIDS TO A SEPARATING TANK AND AN OVERHEAD EXIT PORT FOR REMOVING UPWARD FLOWING GASES; SAID OVERHEAD EXIT PORT IN SAID SCRUBBER BEING FURTHER CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF SECOND CONDENSER MEANS FOR REMOVING LIQUIDS ENTRAINED IN SAID NON-CONDENSABLE GASES; SAID SECOND CONDENSER MEANS ALSO HAVING AN EXIT PORT AT ITS BOTTOM FOR REMOVING SAID ENTRAINED CONDENSED LIQUIDS AND S SECOND OVERHEAD EXIT PORT FOR REMOVING GASES; THE EXIT PORT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CONDENSER BEING CONNECTED TO THE SEPARATING TANK, AND COLLECTION MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID SEPARATING TANK.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes vacuum producing means operatively connected to said overhead exit port on said second condenser means for maintaining a vacuum in said system and removing non-condensed gases.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes refrigeration means operatively disposed for cooling said non-condensable gases from the overhead exit port in said first condenser and for cooling said less dense liuqid removed from said separator means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said condenser means is provided with from 6 to 12 horizontal, separated vertically, disposed plates to facilitate the selective condensation of liquids.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |