Improvements in Apparatus for Cooling Milk and other Fluids.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Cooling Milk and other Fluids.
I, GEORG EMIL OSCAR LANGE Engineer of Friedenau near Berlin, Germany
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
In coolers for dairies and the like it is a point of vital importance that the
cooling shall be effected in the very shortest possible time.
This end is best attained in the cooler of iny invention as hereinafter described
and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
My improved cooler is specially constructed as a vacuum cooling-machine, that
is to say, the cold is generated in the cooler itself by the evaporation of a saline
solution in vacuo.
It comprises mainly as will be seen from the accompanying drawings, Figures 1
and 2, a conically-shaped structure, consisting of three cone-formed parts namely,
the bottom A forming a hollow cone with a dome-shaped top, the outer casing B
also coned but crowned with a chamber, C, partly cylindrical partly conical in
form from which a junction or branch-pipe a communicates with the cooling medium,
and between those two a third conical partition D, serving to promote and maintain
a regular circulation throughout the apparatus and slightly prolonged upwards
inside the dome or chamber C, which is provided on one side with a suitably glazed
opening b, through which the level of the fluid within can be seen and noted. The
outer case B carries on its external surface a worm or spiral coil, through which
the fluid to be cooled passes, flowing down its circumvolutions in such time as
enables it to be thoroughly cooled.
At
The interior of the apparatus is filled up to the level of the centre of the glass
plate b with any strong freezing mixture, or saline solution which under the influence
of the vacuum evaporates rapidly and thereby is deprived of its specific heat.
the same time the cold layer of the saline solution in the lower part of the apparatus
between B and D being in close proximity over an extensive area, to the warm
milk (or other fluid to be cooled) flowing down the outer worm, absorbs heat
therefrom, becomes warmer and lighter than the mass of the freezing mixture and
consequently tends to rise between B and D, thereby creating a regular and
constant circulation in the direction indicated by the arrows in the drawing
Figure 1, the colder fluid descending through the larger space between D and A.
This flow may be further promoted by the employment of an agitating appliance,
such as shown in Figure 1, which may consist of screw-blades placed within the
cylindrical upper part of the conical partition D, mounted on a vertical shaft
turning in a suitable footstep on the spherical top of A, passing through a stuffing-
box in the head of the apparatus and caused to rotate by friction wheels, with
pulley and driving band etc. or other well-known mechanism."
A sheet-iron disc c and coned rings mounted on the said shaft, are intended to
prevent any "priming" of the air in the exhaust pipe communicating with the
air-pump of the vacuum machine, which might otherwise take place by the upward
spurting of the agitated fluid or saline solution during evaporation.
The entire apparatus rests upon a circular metal or other suitable frame; and is
further provided with a draw-off cock e which may also be used as a feed inlet.
The fluid to be cooled flows into the worm at I and out of the apparatus at II
(Figure 2) where it falls into any suitable vessels for removal.
By this arrangement the fullest possible utilization obtained of the principle
of contrary currents which has not previously been practicable in any vacuum-
machine.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
An apparatus for the cooling of milk and other fluids by the aid of a vacuum-
machine characterized thereby that for the creation of strong and effective contrary
currents three cone-shaped concentric casings or shells are arranged one inside
another whereof the innermost (A) provided with a cock at its lowest point for
draw-off or feed purposes forms the bottom of the apparatus the outermost (B)
provided with a junction or branch exhaust pipe communicating with the vacuum
machine and water level inspection glass as well as with an external worm or
helical pipe for the fluid to be cooled, forms the covering or outer case while the
intermediate (D) serves as a partition round which the cooling fluid or saline
solution circulates the circulation of the latter being promoted and accelerated if
requisite by an agitator substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of November 1893,
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.