DEVICE FOR HEATING A SUBSTANCE IN THROUGHFLOW

Abstract: Device for heating a substance in throughflow, in particular for cooking a raw material for the preparation of a confectionery, comprising a closed housing which is provided with an infeed and a discharge for a heating medium, and a number of straight pipe lengths which extend parallel to each other, through the housing between two plate-shaped elements which are each provided with a number of apertures in which the ends of the pipe lengths are mounted, a connection being formed between pairs of openings, in such a way that the pipe lengths are connected to each other to form a continuous piping extending through the housing in one or more of the said connections an injection nozzle being disposed between a pair of apertures, for feeding an additional substance at a specific point into the piping.

Description: The invention relates to a device for heating a substance or a mixture of substances in throughflow, in particular for cooking a raw material for the preparation of a confectionery or such sweets, comprising a closed housing which is provided with at least one infeed and one discharge for a heating medium, for example steam, and a pipe extending through the inside of said housing and formed by a number of straight pipe lengths which extend, running essentially parallel to each other, through the housing between two plate-shaped elements which are each provided with a number of apertures in which the ends of the pipe lengths are mounted, a connection being formed between pairs of openings at the outward-facing sides of said plate-shaped elements, in such a way that the pipe lengths are connected to each other to form a continuous piping extending forward and backward through the housing, said piping having an infeed and a discharge end running beyond the end of the housing. Such a device is known from Applicants' earlier Dutch Patent Application 8600655 (DE-U-8626292). The improvement in the known device is that the piping extending through the housing is formed by a number of straight pipe lengths running essentially parallel to each other between two plate-shaped elements which are each provided with a number of apertures in which the ends of the pipe lengths are mounted, a connection being formed between pairs of openings at the outward-facing sides of said plate-shaped elements, in such a way that the pipe lengths are connected to each other to form a continuous piping extending forward and backward through the housing. This improvement is utilized further according to the invention in that in one or more of the above-mentioned connections an injection nozzle is disposed between a pair of apertures, for feeding an additional substance at a specific point into the piping extending through the housing. In a device in which the connections between the pairs of apertures are formed by channel-type recesses which are formed in the external face of the plate-shaped elements and extend between two apertures, and the open sides of which are covered by closing plates resting against the plates, the injection nozzle is advantageously disposed in one of the closing plates, and opens into one of the channel-type recesses covered by the closing plate. In a device designed in this way additional substances can be added, essentially at any reversal point in the piping running through the housing, to the substance flowing through the piping, while if these additional substances are temperature-sensitive or mechanically fragile, the positioning of the injection nozzles can be selected in such a way that no burning of the added substances can occur and/or these substances are not exposed to any other destructive effect. The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal section a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the device; and Fig. 3 shows schematically how the device operates. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device comprises a housing formed by a cylindrical casing 1, which is closed at both ends by a plate 2, 3. The casing 1 is provided with an inlet 4 for feeding a heating medium, in particular steam, into the housing, and an outlet 5 for the discharge of said heating medium. The plates 2 and 3 are provided with a number of apertures 6, 7, in which the ends of the straight pipe lengths 8 are mounted. A number of recesses 9, 10, extending between two apertures 6, 7, are formed in the outward-facing end faces of the plates 2, 3, and the open sides of said recesses are covered by closing plates 11, 12, all this in such a way that the pipe lengths are connected to each other to form one pipe extending forward and backward through the housing 1, 2. One of the ends of a pipe length 8 is connected to an inlet 13 for the substance to be processed, extending beyond the end of the housing 1, 2, and one of the ends of another pipe length 8 is connected to an outlet 14 for the processed substance, extending beyond the end of the housing 1, 2. Mixing elements, in particular static mixers 15, are provided in one or more of the pipe lengths 8. A covering of an insulating material 16 is provided around the casing. The closing plate 11 has fitted in it an injection nozzle 17, opening into a recess 9 which is formed in the plate 2, and by means of which two pipe lengths 8 are connected to each other there. A nozzle 18 is disposed in the same way in the closing plate 12. As shown in Fig. 3, when the device is in operation the starting material, for example a mixture of sugar, water and glucose, is fed by means of a pump 19 via the inlet 13 through the pipe formed inside the housing 1 by the pipe lengths 8, said pipe being surrounded by the heating medium, in particular the steam, which is fed into the housing through the inlet 4, while the spent, condensed steam is collected by means of the outlet 5. The heated or superheated mixture passes out of the device through the outlet 14 and is then taken by means of the pneumatically operated counterpressure valve 20 and the three-way valve 21 to the vapour separator 22, from which the vapour is discharged at 23. A return pipe 24 is connected to the three-way valve 21. While the mixture of sugar, water and glucose is running through the pipe 8 running inside the housing 1, an additional substance is added to it by means of the injection nozzle 18, said additional substance having been pumped from a storage tank 25 through the pipe 26 containing the non-return valve 27. Another additive substance is injected into the mixture of sugar, water and glucose by means of the injection nozzle 17, this substance being pumped from the storage tank 28 through the pipe 29 containing the non-return valve 30. For the preparation of, for example, caramel the mixture of sugar, water and glucose is heated to above 120°C while passing through the pipe, while a fat is added by means of the injection nozzle 17 and condensed milk is added by means of the injection nozzle 18, at such points that neither the fat nor the milk product can burn or stick, while the mixture coming out of the device at 14 is still of a homogeneous composition which can caramellize.

Claims: 1. Device for heating a substance or a mixture of substances in throughflow, in particular for cooking a raw material for the preparation of a confectionery or such sweets, comprising a closed housing which is provided with at least one infeed and one discharge for a heating medium, for example steam, and a piping extending through the inside of said housing and formed by a number of straight pipe lengths which extend, running essentially parallel to each other, through the housing between two plate-shaped elements which are each provided with a number of apertures in which the ends of the pipe lengths are mounted, a connection being formed between pairs of openings at the outward-facing sides of said plate-shaped elements, in such a way that the pipe lengths are connected to each other to form a continuous piping extending forward and backward through the housing, said piping having an infeed and a discharge end running beyond the end of the housing, characterized in that in one or more of the above-mentioned connections an injection nozzle is disposed between a pair of apertures, for feeding an additional substance at a specific point into the piping extending through the housing. 2. Device according to Claim 1, in which the connections between the pairs of apertures are formed by channel-type recesses which are formed in the external face of the plate-shaped elements and extend between two apertures, and the open sides of which are covered by closing plates resting against the plate-shaped elements, and in which the injection nozzle is disposed in one of the closing plates, and opens into one of the channel-type recesses therein.

Inventors: MEIJBURG, CORNELIS
Applicants: VOMATEC B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A23G3
IPC codes: F28F9, A23G3