Hygienic Cooling Jacket Buffer Layer for Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing apparatuses for liquid and pasty products face challenges in detecting leaks between the cooling jacket and the product stream, leading to contamination and operational issues, particularly when using ice-cold water as a coolant.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a buffer jacket between the cooling jacket and the housing inner space, with multiple seals to prevent contamination and facilitate easy detection of leaks, using a clean fluid like condensate water that can be easily visually inspected for leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cooling jacket is used with ice-cold water to maintain product temperature during mixing, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the risk of contamination and difficulty in detecting leaks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer jacket filled with air as an intermediary layer between the cooling jacket (containing ice-cold water) and the housing inner space (containing the liquid or pasty product). This air buffer acts as a mediator that prevents direct contact between the coolant and the product, thereby eliminating contamination risk while maintaining effective heat transfer through the housing walls. The buffer jacket resolves the contradiction by decoupling the thermal function from the direct fluid contact.
2Reliability
If seals are placed at housing interfaces to prevent coolant leakage, then contamination is prevented, but leak detection becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The air-filled buffer jacket serves as an intermediary detection zone that facilitates leak detection. Since air is compressible and can be easily monitored for pressure changes, any leakage from the cooling jacket into the buffer jacket can be detected through pressure sensors or visual inspection of the air buffer. This resolves the contradiction by providing both contamination prevention (through the sealed buffer) and easy leak detection (through pressure monitoring of the air buffer).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent may employ visual indicators such as color-changing materials or transparent/semi-transparent sections in the buffer jacket that allow operators to visually detect leaks. When coolant leaks into the air buffer, the presence of liquid can be visually identified through color changes or condensation patterns, making leak detection straightforward without compromising the sealed design.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple seals are added to prevent contamination between cooling jacket and product stream, then product safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air buffer jacket consolidates multiple sealing requirements into a single detection zone. Instead of requiring separate seals at every interface between the cooling jacket and product stream, the air buffer acts as a universal intermediary barrier that, when properly sealed at its boundaries, prevents contamination throughout the entire system. This reduces the number of critical seal locations while maintaining comprehensive protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The air buffer jacket provides a cushioning barrier that absorbs and contains any potential leaks before they can reach the product stream. By placing this protective buffer in advance between the cooling jacket and product, the system gains inherent contamination protection without requiring complex multi-layer sealing arrangements at each interface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures product safety and hygiene by preventing contamination, allowing for easy detection of leaks through visual inspection, and maintaining operational efficiency by minimizing product dilution and ensuring continuous heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The circulation of a coolant fluid makes it possible to remove heat energy generated by the shear forces derived from rotation speeds inside the apparatus
Implementation Method 2
the assembly of the first housing part and the second housing part also forms a buffer jacket for circulation of a clean fluid
Implementation Method 3
The mixing apparatus mechanically disintegrates large gas bubbles into very small gas bubbles that are trapped within the product matrix
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for mixing a liquid or pasty product. The apparatus includes a first housing part (11) and a second housing part (12) assembled together. The assembly of the first housing part (11) and the second housing (12) part forms •—a housing inner space (17) between an inlet (4) and an outlet (5), •—a cooling jacket (7) for circulation of a coolant fluid around the housing inner space (17), and •—a buffer jacket (9) for circulation of a clean fluid, the buffer jacket (9) being formed between the cooling jacket (7) and the housing inner space (17). The buffer jacket protects the mixed product from contamination by the coolant fluid. It also facilitates detection of leakage between the housing inner space and the buffer jacket. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.