OHMIC DEVICE FOR HEAT-TREATING FOODS

• US 20110088569A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfa Laval SpA (ALFA Laval AB)
• Original Assignee: Astepo SRL (ALFA Laval AB)
• Inventors: DEMICHELI, Luigi
• Granted Patent: US 8,596,191 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/483
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/01 by irradiation or electric treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/005 by heating using irradiation or electric treatment drying or kilning A23L3/40

Abstract

Device for continuous heat-treatment of foods, comprising a conduit made of a dielectric material in which a product to be treated flows, the conduit having at least a pair of electrodes located in the conduit which are subjected to a potential difference of at least 2000 Volts with a frequency of at least 25 Mhz, characterized in that a rotor made of dielectric material is located internally of the conduit, which rotor has a core from which a plurality of fins rises, which fins are distributed along a length of the rotor, are of a height such us to contact an internal surface of the conduit.

Claims

1. ). A device for continuous heat-treating of foods, comprising a conduit made of a dielectric material in which a product to be treated flows, the conduit having at least a pair of electrodes located in the conduit which are subjected to a potential difference of at least 2000 Volts with a frequency of at least 25 MHz, characterised in that a rotor made of a dielectric material is located internally of the conduit, which rotor has a core from which a plurality of fins parallel to the rotor axis rises, which fins have e section of any shape and are distributed along a length and over the whole perimeter of the rotor, so that any section of the rotor orthogonal to the rotor axis comprises only one fin, and are of a height such as to contact an internal surface of the conduit.

2. ). The device of claim 1, characterised in that the core of the rotor exhibits a straight triangular section and the fins rise from edges of corners thereof.

3. ). The device of claim 2, characterised in that the fins have a triangular section having walls which are coplanar to walls of the core.

4. ). The device of claim 2, characterised in that the fins are parallel to the axis of the rotor, have a dimension L, and are distanced from one another by a distance which is 2 L.

5. ). The device of claim 1, characterised in that the rotor extends at least over a whole field subjected to the potential difference.

6. ). The device of claim 1, characterised in that the conduit made of dielectric material in which the product to be treated flows is of a length comprised between 300 mm and 900 mm.

7. ). The device of claim 1, characterised in that a tension applied to the at least a pair of electrodes is comprised between 2000 Volts and 5000 Volts and the frequency is comprised between 25 MHz and 50 MHz.

8. ). The device of claim 1, characterised in that a rotation velocity of the rotor is comprised between 200 revolutions per minute and 800 revolutions per minute.