Slurry treatment and shipping method
First Claim
1. A process for sterilizing a contaminatable slurry to preclude aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from the slurry, comprising the steps ofa. providing a sanitized oxygen-free fluid handling system, b. pumping the slurry through the system at a predetermined pressure, c. heating the slurry to a sterilizing temperature of about 210°
- F.-290°
for a predetermined time to sterilize the slurry, d. cooling the sterilized slurry by transferring heat to the unsterilized slurry entering the process, and e. transferring the sterilized slurry to a sanitized fluid collection device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Aerobic and anaerobic contamination is removed from a slurry by a sterilizing process and apparatus (10). A slurry piping circuit (26, 28, 30, 32, 34) interconnects a supply tank (12), three serial heat exchangers (16, 18, 20) and a storage tank (14). The circuit and storage tank are sanitized by flushing with mist of hydrogen peroxide (44) and nitrogen (50). One heat exchanger (16) transfers heat from the sterilized slurry to the unsterilized slurry. A closed hot water piping circuit (60, 62, 64) interconnects a hot water boiler (22) and the other two heat exchangers (18, 20). The slurry is sterilized in an insulated manifold (24) interconnecting the other two heat exchangers (18, 20). Slurry is pumped through the piping and heated by hot water in the manifold to kill the bacteria, and is covered by a layer of nitrogen (54) in the storage tank (14). The storage tank may be transported to a distant terminus where it is unloaded and again sterilized, if necessary, or is used immediately in an industrial process.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A process for sterilizing a contaminatable slurry to preclude aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from the slurry, comprising the steps of
a. providing a sanitized oxygen-free fluid handling system, b. pumping the slurry through the system at a predetermined pressure, c. heating the slurry to a sterilizing temperature of about 210° - F.-290°
for a predetermined time to sterilize the slurry,d. cooling the sterilized slurry by transferring heat to the unsterilized slurry entering the process, and e. transferring the sterilized slurry to a sanitized fluid collection device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- F.-290°
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11. Fluid handling and sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing contaminatable slurries to preclude aerobic and anaerobic bacteria from the slurry, comprising
a sterilizing unit for heating slurry to a sterilizing temperature, a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the sterilized slurry to the unsterilized slurry to preheat the unsterilized slurry and cool the sterilized slurry, a piping circuit connecting the pump to the heat exchanger and connecting the heat exchanger to the sterilizing unit for handling the unsterilized slurry, and connecting the sterilizing unit to the heat exchanger and exiting the heat exchanger for handling the sterilized slurry, and a pump for intaking unsterilized slurry and pumping slurry through the piping circuit at a predetermined pressure at a predetermined flow rate wherein the sterilizing unit includes a heating, unit, a second heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heating unit to the unsterilized slurry to raise the temperature of the unsterilized slurry to a sterilizing temperature, a manifold for containing the heated slurry at the sterilizing temperature, and a third heat exchanger for transferring heat from the sterilized slurry to the heating unit to cool the sterilized slurry.
Specification