Patent ID: 7152851

Claim:
A direct contact steam injection heater comprising: a heater body having a steam inlet, a liquid inlet, a combining region and a heated liquid outlet; a steam diffuser positioned at the steam inlet to receive a flow of steam, the steam diffuser extending into the combining region of the heater body, the steam diffuser having a generally cylindrical outer wall joined to an end wall; a discharge region formed on a portion of the steam diffuser, the discharge region including a plurality of steam diffusion holes through which steam is discharged from the steam diffuser into the combining region of the heater body; a regulating member movably positioned within the steam diffuser to control the discharge of steam from the discharge region, the regulating member having an open interior defined by a cylindrical outer wall extending between an open top end and an open bottom end, wherein the open interior of the regulating member receives the flow of steam; a seating member positioned near the bottom end of the regulating member, wherein the seating member creates an end seal to prevent the flow of steam to the discharge region when the regulating member is in a completely closed position; and a first sealing member and a second sealing member extending around an outer surface of the regulating member, each of the first and second sealing members being in contact with the outer wall of the steam diffuser, wherein the discharge region is positioned between the first sealing member and the second sealing member when the regulating member is in the completely closed position.