Heat exchange and transport system for retorting apparatus

摘要

An apparatus for the heat treatment of a product, in particular a product contained within a hermetically sealed pouch or other plastic container, the apparatus having, a heating unit to contain a product as product is brought towards a treatment temperature and pressure, a sterilization unit to contain product at a pre determined treatment temperature and pressure to sterilize product, and a cooling unit to bring a product from the treatment temperature and pressure towards ambient; each unit being selectively sealable from another unit, the apparatus further having: a plurality of conduits carrying heat-exchange fluids allowing heat to be transferred between units; and having a heater, preferably producing steam, to supply heat to the apparatus; a heat-exchange unit enabling heat energy to be transferred from one conduit to another; and a hot well to retain a reservoir of heat exchange fluid at the highest temperature required by the apparatus.

主权项

1. An apparatus for the heat treatment of a product, the product being contained within a plastic container, said apparatus comprising:
at least one heating unit to heat the product contained therein, towards a pre-determined treatment temperature and pressure, said at least one heating unit having means for adjusting the temperature and pressure therein; a separate sterilization unit having a chamber, said sterilization unit connected in series with said at least one heating unit to permit the product to be transferred from said at least one heating unit to said sterilization unit, said sterilization unit to sterilize the product contained therein at a pre-determined treatment temperature and pressure and having means for adjusting the temperature and pressure therein; and at least one separate cooling unit connected in series with said sterilization unit to permit the product to be transferred from said sterilization unit to said at least one cooling unit, said at least one cooling unit to cool the product contained therein from said pre-determined treatment temperature and pressure towards ambient and having means for adjusting the temperature and pressure therein; wherein each of said units comprise means for selectively sealing said unit from said adjacent units, and all of said units are capable of running simultaneously; a plurality of conduits connected to said units, said conduits carrying heat-exchange fluids, and being arranged to allow heat to be transferred between units; a heater producing steam coupled to said apparatus to supply heat to said apparatus; at least one heat-exchange chamber configured to allow heat energy to be transferred from at least one of said conduits to at least another of said conduits; and a hot well coupled to said apparatus to retain a reservoir of heat exchange fluid at the highest temperature required by said apparatus; and wherein the product is transported in series through said units, and said means for adjusting the temperature and pressure of said units comprises means for equalizing the temperature and pressure of adjacent units before transportation of the product between adjacent units, through the transfer of said heat-exchange fluids into said unit via said conduits and means for varying the temperature and pressure in said unit once the product has been transferred into said unit, through the transfer of said heat-exchange fluids into said unit via said conduits.