Tank Inlet Design for Liquid Food Air Admixture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for circulating liquid food products, such as dairy, during heat treatment processes often introduce air, leading to fouling, reduced measurement accuracy, and the risk of mixing treated and untreated products, with positioning the inlet below the liquid surface being inefficient and potentially violating regulations.
Innovation Solution
A tank inlet positioned in the side wall and at the upper end of the tank, featuring a fan-shaped design with a downwardly directed opening, minimizing air admixture by allowing controlled product inflow and easy cleaning, suitable for various food processes and products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the inlet is positioned below the liquid surface, then air admixture is avoided, but there is a risk that treated product will be mixed with untreated product
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet is inverted from the conventional below-surface position to an above-surface position at the upper end of the tank. The downwardly directed opening faces the liquid surface, allowing liquid to enter and flow downward along the inner wall, thereby avoiding air admixture while preventing mixing of treated and untreated products through controlled flow patterns.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the inlet is positioned above the liquid surface, then the risk of mixing treated and untreated product is reduced, but air will be admixed into the product
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet structure acts as an intermediary between the incoming liquid and the tank interior. The downwardly directed opening and the inner wall configuration create a controlled flow path that mediates between the above-surface inlet position and the liquid entry, guiding the liquid to flow downward along the wall and displacing air effectively to prevent air admixture.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the inlet has a downwardly directed opening, then air admixture is minimized, but the inlet structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet structure is segmented into distinct functional elements: the inlet conduit, the downwardly directed opening, and the interaction zone with the inner wall. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function efficiently - the opening directs flow downward while the wall configuration manages air displacement - resulting in a relatively simple overall structure that achieves the desired effect.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an inlet (8) for a tank (2) which is intended for a liquid food product. The inlet (8) is placed in the side wall (11) of the tank (2) and at the upper end of the tank (2). The inlet (8) is further designed so that the inflowing product is distributed in fan-shape along the inside of the tank (2). The application also includes a method of supplying liquid food product to a tank.