Small Volume Liquid Food Pasteurizer with Counter-Flow Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pasteurization methods, such as the Holder method, inactivate immunological and anti-infective factors in milk, and existing HTST systems are unsuitable for small volumes and impractical for hospital settings due to complexity and maintenance requirements.
Innovation Solution
A pasteurizer using shell-and-tube heat exchangers with counter-flow configurations in a modular design for continuous processing, capable of handling small to large volumes, incorporating a shell-and-tube heat exchanger for the heating and cooling sections and a tubular structure for the holding section, made from optically transparent materials for easy monitoring and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Holder method is used for pasteurization, then microbiological safety is ensured, but immunological and anti-infective factors in milk are inactivated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thermal processing parameters from the traditional Holder method (62.5°C for 30 minutes) to HTST parameters (72°C for 15-20 seconds). This parameter change achieves the same microbiological safety outcome while preserving immunological and anti-infective factors in the milk, directly resolving the technical contradiction between safety and nutrient preservation.
2Productivity
If plate heat exchangers are used for HTST treatment, then high volume processing is achieved, but the system becomes complex and difficult to maintain in hospital settings
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the pasteurization system into simple, modular components: a heating section with a heat exchanger, a holding section with a tubular structure, and a cooling section with a heat exchanger. Each section is designed as an independent module that can be easily assembled, operated, and maintained, significantly reducing system complexity while maintaining HTST processing capability for small to medium volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different structural qualities to different sections of the system. The heating and cooling sections use shell-and-tube heat exchangers optimized for heat transfer, while the holding section uses a simple tubular structure with insulation optimized for thermal retention. This localized optimization achieves efficient processing without the complexity of a complete plate heat exchanger system.
3Device complexity
If batch processing systems are used, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but processing speed is slow and energy consumption is high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements continuous processing where milk flows continuously through the heating section, holding section, and cooling section without interruption. This continuous action eliminates the heating and cooling cycles required in batch processing, significantly increasing processing speed and reducing energy consumption while maintaining equipment simplicity through modular design.
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
Enables efficient, fast, and energy-efficient pasteurization with better preservation of nutritional and immunological components, suitable for small volumes, and easy operation and maintenance, enhancing microbiological safety and organoleptic characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
a heating section (120) comprising a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (121), comprising a single tube (126) through which the liquid product can flow and an outer shell (127) through which a heating fluid can flow, the tube-side flow and the shell-side flow being in counter-flow configuration
Implementation Method 2
the tube-side flow and the shell-side flow being in counter-flow configuration
Implementation Method 3
a tubular structure (131) comprising a single tube (136) through which the liquid product can flow, and an outer shell (137) in which the tube of the thermostatic holding section is placed, a thermal insulation material (138) being placed around the shell
Implementation Method 4
a cooling section (140) comprising a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (141), comprising a single tube (146) through which the liquid product can flow and an outer shell (147) through which the cooling fluid can flow, the tube-side flow and the shell-side flow being in counter-flow configuration
Data Source
AI summary
Pasteurizer comprising a heating section (120), a thermostatic holding section (130), and a cooling section (140). The heating section includes a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (121), comprising a single tube (126) through which a liquid product to be processed can flow, and an outer shell (127) through which a heating fluid can flow, the tube-side flow and the shell-side flow being in counter-flow configuration. The thermostatic holding section includes a single tube (136) through which the liquid product can flow, provided with thermal insulation (137, 138). The cooling section includes a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (141), comprising a single tube (146) through which the liquid product can flow, and an outer shell (147) through which a cooling fluid can flow, the tube-side flow and the shell-side flow being in counter-flow configuration.