Patent ID: 8468936

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a chamber where a product stream is formed; a product stream conduit, the product stream conduit located downstream of the chamber and configured to receive the product stream from the chamber; a heater, the heater located downstream of the chamber and configured to heat the product stream in the product stream conduit to a desired temperature; a conduit loop comprising a first circulating heat transfer stream; a pre-heater wherein heat from the conduit loop comprising the first circulating heat transfer stream pre-heats the product stream in the product stream conduit, the pre-heater located downstream of the chamber and upstream of the heater; a holding tube, the holding tube located downstream of the heater and configured to receive the product stream from the heater and maintain the product stream in the holding tube for a predetermined period of time; a fill station, the fill station configured to receive the product stream from the holding tube and fill a plurality of containers with the product stream; a circulating stream comprising a second circulating heat transfer stream; a container cooler located downstream of the heater; the second circulating heat transfer stream configured to cool the containers in the container cooler; a heat exchanger wherein heat from the second circulating heat transfer stream is transferred to the first circulating heat transfer stream of the conduit loop, the conduit loop comprising the first circulating heat transfer stream separate and distinct from the second circulating heat transfer stream.