System and structure for heating or sterilizing a liquid stream

• US 20110023727A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tokitae LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Yildirim, Ozgur, Gates, William, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Deane, Geoffrey F., Kare, Jordin T., Tuckerman, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,599,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/453
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 3/0332 in contact with multiple heating plates
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 3/0335 the milk being heated by electrical or mechanical means, e.g. by friction
• CPC Class Codes: C12H 1/18 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0042 for foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0075 the plates having openings therein for circulation of the heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2270/00 Thermal insulation; Thermal decoupling

Abstract

A food product sterilizer includes a food product source and a regenerative heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of food product from the food product source. The heat exchanger includes an input channel configured to receive a flow of food product to be sterilized. The heat exchanger also includes an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel. The output channel is adjacent the input channel. The output channel and the input channel are configured to transfer heat between the two channels. The heat exchanger further includes an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel. The heating section is configured to heat the flow of food product.

Claims

1. A food product sterilizer, comprising:

a food product source; and

a regenerative heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of food product from the food product source, the heat exchanger including;

an input channel configured to receive a flow of food product to be sterilized;

an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the output channel and the input channel configured to transfer heat between the two channels; and

an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel, the heating section configured to heat the flow of food product.

2. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel are separated by a thin wall.

3. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel are separated by a thin wall and the thin wall has a thickness less than 0.01 centimeters.

4. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel are separated by a thin wall and the thin wall has a thickness less than 0.002 centimeters.

5. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and output channel share a wall.

6. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and output channel share a wall and there exist multiple pairs of input channels and output channels in a row each pair sharing a wall with an adjacent pair.

7. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the sterilizer recovers at least 90% of the peak thermal energy of the food product.

8. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and output channel share a wall, the input and output channels being at least partially surrounded by an insulating layer.

9. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input and output channels each having a hydraulic diameter, expressed as four times the cross sectional area of the channel divided by the perimeter of the cross section, that is less than approximately one millimeter.

10. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input and output channels each having a hydraulic diameter, expressed as four times the cross sectional area of the channel divided by the perimeter of the cross section, that is less than approximately one hundred micrometers.

11. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel are at least partially formed of polyaryletheretherketone (PEEK).

12. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the heating section includes an electric heater.

13. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the heating section includes a heater and includes a thermally highly conductive material between the heater and the channel.

14. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the heating section includes a heater and includes a highly thermally conductive material between the heater and the channel, the highly thermally conductive material including copper.

15. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the food product includes at least one of fruit juice, apple cider, honey, maple syrup, milk, soy sauce, sports drinks, vinegar, water, wine, beer, cream, and cheese.

16. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a pump configured to pressurize the food product.

17. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a filter configured to filter the food product.

18. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the food product.

19. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor is a temperature transducer.

20. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor includes a pressure transducer.

21. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to sense at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor includes a flow transducer.

22. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channels are microchannels.

23. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channels are configured with aspect ratios which encourage laminar flow.

24. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000.

25. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channel.

26. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising an insulative layer, the insulative layer at least partially insulating the input channel, the output channel, and the heating section.

27. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger includes multiple pairs of input channels and output channels.

28. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein an input channel is adjacent to and receives heat from multiple output channels.

29. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein an output channel is adjacent to and delivers heat to multiple input channels.

30. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel each have a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is much greater than the thickness of the channel.

31. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein there are multiple input channels and output channels and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship.

32. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising support elements within at least one of the input channels and the output channels.

33. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein there are multiple input channels and output channels and the input channels and output channels are formed as an array of adjacent tubes.

34. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein there are multiple input channels and output channels and the input channels and output channels are formed as a grid of adjacent channels.

35. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein there are multiple input channels or output channels and at least one set of input channels or output channels are interconnected.

36. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a flow reversal section between at least part of the inlet channel and at least part of the output channel.

37. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, further comprising a flow reversal section between at least part of the inlet channel and at least part of the output channel and the flow reversal section is proximate the heating section.

38. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel flow is in the opposite direction as the output channel flow.

39. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel have variable lateral cross-sections but the sum of the cross sectional area of adjacent lateral cross sections of the input channel and the output channel is a constant.

40. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel do not include a flow reversal section.

41. The food product sterilizer of claim 1, wherein the food product is liquid.

42. A liquid sterilization system, comprising:

an input channel configured to receive a flow of liquid to be heated to a predetermined sterilization temperature;

an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the output channel and the input channel configured to transfer heat between the two channels; and

an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel the heating section configured to heat the flow of liquid to the predetermined sterilization temperature for a predetermined time.

43-82. -82. (canceled)

83. A food product heater, comprising:

an input channel configured to receive a flow of food product to be heated to a predetermined temperature;

an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the output channel and the input channel configured to transfer heat between the two channels; and

an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel is configured to heat the flow of food product to the predetermined temperature for a predetermined time.

84-123. -123. (canceled)

124. A liquid heater, comprising:

an input channel configured to receive a flow of liquid to be heated;

an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the output channel and the input channel configured to transfer heat between the two channels; and

an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel the heating section configured to heat the flow of liquid,

wherein the input channel and the output channel are microchannels.

164. The liquid heater of claim 124, wherein the liquid heater is a sterilizer.

125-163. -163. (canceled)

165. A liquid heater, comprising:

an input channel configured to receive a flow of liquid to be heated;

an output channel fluidly coupled to the input channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the output channel and the input channel configured to transfer heat between the two channels; and

an integrated heating section of at least a portion of the input channel or the output channel the heating section configured to heat the flow of liquid,

wherein the input channel and the output channel are configured such that the flow of the liquid is substantially laminar.

206. The liquid heater of claim 165, wherein the liquid heater is a sterilizer.

166-205. -205. (canceled)