Steam Injection Heater 360° Stem Plug Turbulent Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steam injection heaters lack effective cleaning mechanisms for the steam side, allowing food residues and allergens to be trapped, which can survive high temperatures and cause allergic responses, and existing actuators are insufficient for generating the necessary turbulent flow for effective cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A 360° freely spinning stem plug design with a servo actuator and PEEK seal inserts that reduce steam leaks and enhance cleaning turbulence, paired with a C-chamber and profiled foils to create high turbulence and physically dislodge residues, while maintaining steam flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fixed orifice areas are used in internally modulated steam injection heaters, then excellent heating control and repeatability are achieved, but the ability to generate high velocities (1.5 m/s) for clean-in-place cleaning is significantly reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable orifice system where the steam injection area can be modulated in real-time. Instead of fixed orifices, the system uses a controllable valve mechanism that adjusts the opening area based on process requirements, enabling both precise heating control at low speeds and high-velocity cleaning flows when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the flow parameters (area, velocity, pressure) dynamically during operation. By adjusting the steam injection area and controlling the pressure differential, the system can optimize for either heating precision or cleaning velocity depending on the operational mode, resolving the contradiction between fixed orifice limitations and dual-function requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If steam pressure is increased to prevent food flow into the steam side, then food residues are prevented from entering, but food residues become trapped in the steam side with no possibility to clean for allergen control
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cleaning action by designing the steam side with accessible cleaning ports and pathways that allow cleaning fluids to be introduced before allergen buildup becomes problematic. The manifold design includes dedicated cleaning access points that enable proactive maintenance and allergen removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cleaning function from the main steam injection pathway by providing separate cleaning access ports and pathways. This allows the steam side components to be cleaned independently without disrupting the steam injection function, enabling removal of trapped food residues and allergens while maintaining pressure differentials during operation.
3Ease of operation
If standard quarter-turn actuators with fixed 90° rotation are used, then simple mechanical operation is achieved, but the ability to generate high spinning speeds needed for aggressive material cleaning is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static quarter-turn actuator to a dynamic multi-position actuator capable of continuous rotation at variable speeds. The actuator can operate in quarter-turn mode for normal steam injection control but can also be driven at higher speeds for cleaning operations, adapting its operational characteristics to the task requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator is designed to perform multiple functions: precise quarter-turn positioning for steam injection control and high-speed rotation for cleaning operations. This multi-functional actuator eliminates the need for separate actuators for different operational modes, maintaining ease of operation while enabling high-speed cleaning when required.
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
The design effectively reduces steam leaks, enhances cleaning efficiency, and ensures a hygienic steam side by generating turbulent flow for effective removal of food residues, even at low flowrates, addressing the limitations of existing actuators and cleaning mechanisms.
Implementation Method 1
The 1.5 m/s flowrate is generally accepted in the food and beverage industry as the minimum flowrate to generate turbulent flow. This flow regime is required to produce mechanical action to the cleaning process of piped systems.
Implementation Method 2
a stem plug (26) including a pair of PEEK seal inserts (50)
Implementation Method 3
paired with a C-chamber and profiled foils to create high turbulence and physically dislodge residues
Data Source
AI summary
A direct contact steam injection heater that includes a stem plug that is rotatable over 360°. The stem plug is connected to an actuator that is operable to rotate the stem plug over 360° of rotation during both the heating function of the steam injection heater and during a clean-in-place process. The stem plug includes a regulating head having a pair of sealing inserts formed on each of a pair of sealing faces. The sealing inserts are biased outward into contact with an inner surface that includes the steam injection nozzles. As the regulating head rotates between a closed position and an open position, the nozzles are exposed to allow steam to flow into the product being heated. The regulating head further includes a pair of foils. During the clean-in-place operation, the foils create a turbulent flow of cleaning liquid within the steam chamber.