IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0462200
(2009-07-29)
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등록번호 |
US-8425965
(2013-04-23)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Deane, Geoffrey F.
- Gates, William
- Hyde, Roderick A.
- Kare, Jordin T.
- Myhrvold, Nathan P.
- Tuckerman, David B.
- Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
- Yildirim, Ozgur
|
출원인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
54 |
초록
▼
A method of sterilizing a liquid food product includes flowing a food product to be sterilized through an input channel. The method also includes flowing the liquid food product through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel. Further, the method includes flowing the food prod
A method of sterilizing a liquid food product includes flowing a food product to be sterilized through an input channel. The method also includes flowing the liquid food product through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel. Further, the method includes flowing the food product through an output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel. The output channel is adjacent the input channel, and the output channel, the input channel, and the heating channel are all integrated portions of a heat exchanger. Further still, the method includes transferring heat between the output channel and the input channel.
대표청구항
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1. A method of sterilizing a liquid food product, comprising: flowing a liquid food product to be sterilized through an input channel;flowing the food product through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heate
1. A method of sterilizing a liquid food product, comprising: flowing a liquid food product to be sterilized through an input channel;flowing the food product through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heater provides thermal energy to the actively heated zone through a direct thermal coupling of the heater to the actively heated zone;flowing the food product through an output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the input channels and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000 with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channels, and the output channel, the input channel, and the heating channel all being integrated portions of a heat exchanger; andtransferring heat between the output channel and the input channel, the input channel and the output channel each having a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is at least ten times the thickness of the channel, the thickness of the channel extending between shared walls of the input channel and the output channel and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship with support elements within at least some of the input channels and output channels. 2. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 3. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 4. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 5. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 6. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 7. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 8. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel are at least partially formed of polyaryletheretherketone (PEEK). 9. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 10. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising pressurizing the food product. 11. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising filtering the food product. 12. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the food product. 13. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor is a temperature transducer. 14. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor includes a pressure transducer. 15. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising sensing at least one characteristic of the food product, wherein the sensor includes a flow transducer. 16. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, wherein an output channel is adjacent to and transfers heat to multiple input channels. 17. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 18. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 19. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 20. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, further comprising a flow reversal section between at least part of the input channel and at least part of the output channel. 21. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 22. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, wherein the input channel flow is in the opposite direction as the output channel flow. 23. The method of sterilizing a food product 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. 24. The method of sterilizing a food product of claim 1, wherein the input channel and the output channel do not include a flow reversal section. 25. A method of heating a liquid food product, comprising: flowing a liquid food product through an input channel;flowing the liquid through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heater provides thermal energy to the actively heated zone through a direct thermal coupling of the heater to the actively heated zone, the liquid being transiently heated to a predetermined temperature;flowing the liquid through an output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the input channels and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000 with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channels, and the output channel, the input channel, and the heating channel all being integrated portions of a heat exchanger; andtransferring heat between the output channel and the input channel, the input channel and the output channel each having a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is at least ten times the thickness of the channel, the thickness of the channel extending between shared walls of the input channel and the output channel and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship with support elements within at least some of the input channels and output channels. 26. The method of heating a food product of claim 25, wherein the input channel and the output channel do not include a flow reversal section. 27. A method of sterilizing a liquid, comprising: flowing a liquid through an input channel;flowing the liquid through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heater provides thermal energy to the actively heated zone, the heater being integrated with the actively heated zone, the liquid being transiently heated to a predetermined temperature;flowing the liquid through an output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the input channels and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000 with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channels, and the output channel, the input channel, and the heating channel all being integrated portions of a heat exchanger; andtransferring heat between the output channel and the input channel, the input channel and the output channel each having a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is at least ten times the thickness of the channel, the thickness of the channel extending between shared walls of the input channel and the output channel and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship with support elements within at least some of the input channels and output channels. 28. The method of sterilizing a liquid of claim 27, wherein the input channel and the output channel do not include a flow reversal section. 29. The method of sterilizing a liquid of claim 27, wherein the liquid is a food product. 30. A method of heating a liquid, comprising: flowing a liquid to be heated through an input channel;receiving heat by the flowing liquid, the heat being received from an output channel;flowing the liquid through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heater provides thermal energy to the actively heated zone, the heater being integrated with the actively heated zone, the liquid being heated to a predetermined temperature for at least a predetermined time; andflowing the liquid through the output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the input channels and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000 with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channels,wherein the input channel and the output channel are microchannels having a thickness less than 100 micrometers, the input channel and the output channel each having a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is at least ten times the thickness of the channel, the thickness of the channel extending between shared walls of the input channel and the output channel and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship with support elements within at least some of the input channels and output channels. 31. The method of heating a liquid of claim 30, wherein the liquid is a food product. 32. The method of heating a liquid of claim 30, wherein the liquid is at least partially sterilized by the process. 33. The method of heating a liquid of claim 30, wherein the liquid includes a food product and the liquid is at least partially sterilized by the process. 34. A method of heating a liquid, comprising: flowing a liquid to be heated through an input channel;receiving heat by the flowing liquid, the heat being received from an output channel;flowing the liquid through a heating channel that is fluidly coupled to the input channel, the heating channel including an actively heated zone wherein a heater provides thermal energy to the actively heated zone through a direct thermal coupling of the heater to the actively heated zone, the liquid being heated to a predetermined temperature for at least a predetermined time; andflowing the liquid through the output channel fluidly coupled to the heating channel, the output channel being adjacent the input channel, the input channels and the output channels are configured to induce liquid flow in the channel with a Reynolds number of less than 2000 with a boundary layer thickness that is greater than one-half the thickness of the channels,wherein the input channel and the output channel are configured such that the flow of the liquid has substantially laminar flow and the input channel and the output channel each having a plate-like layout in which the width of the channel is at least ten times the thickness of the channel, the thickness of the channel extending between shared walls of the input channel and the output channel and the input channels alternate with the output channels in a side-to-side relationship with support elements within at least some of the input channels and output channels. 35. The method of heating a liquid of claim 34, wherein the liquid is at least partially sterilized by the process. 36. The method of heating a liquid of claim 34, wherein the liquid includes a food product and the liquid is at least partially sterilized by the process.
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