EQUIPO DE COCCION CONTINUA A PRESION Y ENFRIADOR DE PRODUCTOS EN RECIPIENTES,A PRESION SOBRE-ATMOSFERICA,MIENTRAS LOS RECIPIENTES ESTAN SOPORTADOS EN RECEPTACULOS DE PROCESAMIENTO

摘要

Method and apparatus for continuously processing filled containers with liquid heat treatment mediums maintained under superatmospheric pressure by an overriding air pressure. A minimum of liquid is used during processing with the liquid level being maintained above the containers at all times. The liquid is controllably circulated through container filled tunnels defined within carts, from one end of the tunnel to the other, to assure equal heat treatment of all containers in the batch of containers in each tunnel. The carts may either be non-agitating or agitating carts. One embodiment of the continuous pressure cooker and cooler includes a pressure vessel having two pressure locks to provide a pressure cooking chamber with high pressure cooling being performed in a mini-cooler defined by the outlet pressure lock followed by additional atmospheric cooling. Another embodiment of the invention comprises three pressure lock means to positively divide the pressure vessel into cooking and cooling chambers; and a third embodiment substitutes a plurality of baffles for the intermediate pressure lock thereby effectively dividing the pressure vessel into a cooking chamber and cooling chamber.