US20020011579A1 - Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane - Google Patents
Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane Download PDFInfo
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- US20020011579A1 US20020011579A1 US09/964,112 US96411201A US2002011579A1 US 20020011579 A1 US20020011579 A1 US 20020011579A1 US 96411201 A US96411201 A US 96411201A US 2002011579 A1 US2002011579 A1 US 2002011579A1
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- passage
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B43/00—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members
- F04B43/08—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having tubular flexible members
- F04B43/084—Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members having tubular flexible members the tubular member being deformed by stretching or distortion
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
- A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
- A23L3/015—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation
- A23L3/0155—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04B—POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS
- F04B7/00—Piston machines or pumps characterised by having positively-driven valving
- F04B7/02—Piston machines or pumps characterised by having positively-driven valving the valving being fluid-actuated
- F04B7/0266—Piston machines or pumps characterised by having positively-driven valving the valving being fluid-actuated the inlet and discharge means being separate members
Definitions
- This invention relates to methods and devices for pressure processing pumpable substances, such as food or abrasive slurries, using a flexible membrane.
- One conventional system includes a high-pressure cylinder with a slidable piston that divides the cylinder into two regions.
- the pumpable substance is placed in one region while a high-pressure fluid is introduced into the other region, driving the piston against the pumpable substance at a very high pressure.
- One potential drawback with this system is that as the piston may require specially designed seals to prevent the high-pressure fluid from being transported by the piston into the pumpable substance region. The seals may require periodic monitoring and replacement. Accordingly, it may be desirable to use an improved apparatus for pressurizing a pumpable substance while reducing the likelihood for contact between the pumpable substance and the pressurizing liquid.
- the apparatus includes a generally rigid high-pressure vessel having a first opening toward one end, a second opening toward the other end, and an internal vessel wall between the first and second ends.
- a flexible membrane is disposed within the vessel and has a first membrane opening in fluid communication with the first open end of the vessel and a second membrane opening in fluid communication with the second opening of the vessel. At least a portion of the membrane is movable away from the vessel wall to pressurize a portion of the pumpable substance positioned adjacent to the membrane.
- the second membrane opening can be positioned beneath the first membrane opening so that the pumpable substance can exit the membrane through the second opening under the force of gravity.
- valves are coupled to the first and second openings of the high-pressure vessel.
- the valves can each include a passage having a first portion with a first opening and second portion with a second opening.
- a piston is sealably positioned in the passage and axially movable within the passage between a closed position with the piston blocking fluid communication between the first and second openings and an open position with the first and second openings being in fluid communication with each other.
- the pumpable substance can be pumped into the membrane through the first opening, pressurized within the membrane by a high-pressure fluid disposed between the membrane and an inner wall of the vessel, and released from the pressure vessel through the second opening.
- FIG. 1 is a partially schematic, partial cross-sectional side elevation view of an apparatus having an inlet valve, an outlet valve and a bladder in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of an upper portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the inlet valve in its open position.
- FIG. 3 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the inlet valve in its closed position.
- FIG. 4 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the lower portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the outlet valve in its closed position.
- FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 having an inlet valve in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the inlet valve of FIG. 5 shown in its open position.
- FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the inlet valve of FIG. 5 shown in its closed position.
- one aspect of the present invention includes a high-pressure cylinder having a flexible bladder with an entrance opening for the pumpable substance at one end of the bladder and an exit opening for the pumpable substance at the opposite end of the bladder.
- the pumpable substance can be introduced through an inlet port at one end of the cylinder and removed from an outlet port at the opposite end of the cylinder, reducing the likelihood for contamination of the outlet port with unpressurized pumpable substance.
- the apparatus can also take advantage of gravitational forces to more completely remove the pumpable substance from the pressure vessel. Furthermore, by separating the inlet and outlet ports, each port can be larger, increasing the rate at which the pumpable substance can be moved into and out of the bladder, and increasing the size of pumpable substance constituents that can pass into and out of the bladder.
- FIG. 1 An apparatus 10 for pressure processing a pumpable substance in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1.
- the apparatus 10 includes a pressure vessel 12 that receives the pumpable substance from a pumpable substance source 30 and pressurizes the pumpable substance with fluid supplied by a high-pressure fluid source 41 .
- the pressure vessel 12 can include an open-ended cylinder 13 surrounded by a protective cylindrical shield 14 .
- Two valve assemblies 20 shown as an inlet valve assembly 20 a and an outlet valve assembly 20 b, cap opposite ends of the cylinder 13 , and are clamped against the cylinder 13 with a yoke 11 .
- a flexible bladder 50 is coupled between the valve assemblies 20 .
- the pumpable substance is pumped into the bladder 50 through the inlet valve assembly 20 a, pressurized by high-pressure fluid entering the cylinder 13 from the high-pressure fluid source 41 , and pumped through the outlet valve assembly 20 b to a receptacle 80 , as will be discussed in greater detail below.
- the pressure vessel 12 can include a model number 012122 assembly available from Flow International Corporation of Kent, Wash. that includes the cylinder 13 , the yoke 11 and the shield 14 , configured to withstand an internal vessel pressure of at least 100,000 psi.
- the pressure vessel 12 can include other cylinders 13 and peripheral components configured to withstand an internal pressure of 100,000 psi or another suitable pressure, depending upon the selected pumpable substance and treatment.
- Such vessels and components are available from ABB Pressure Systems of Vasteras, Sweden, Autoclave Engineering of Erie, Pa., or Engineered Pressure Systems of Andover, Mass.
- the pressure vessel 12 can include a liner 15 adjacent an inner surface of the cylinder 13 .
- the liner can be formed from stainless steel or other suitable materials that can withstand the high internal pressures within the cylinder 13 .
- the liner 15 can be attached to the cylinder 13 by first heating the cylinder 13 so that it expands, then placing the cylinder 13 around the liner 15 , and then cooling the cylinder 13 so that it shrinks tightly around the liner 15 . If the liner 15 later becomes worn or damaged, it can be removed from the cylinder 13 and replaced with a similar liner.
- An advantage of this arrangement is that cracks that might result from the high pressure within the pressure vessel 12 will tend to form in the liner 15 rather than in the cylinder 13 , and it may be easier and less expensive to replace the liner 15 than the cylinder 13 .
- FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1.
- the inlet valve assembly 20 a fits partially within the cylinder 13 and includes a flow channel 31 having a radial portion 32 in fluid communication with an axial portion 33 .
- Both the radial portion 32 and the axial portion 33 can be strengthened or reinforced, for example, by passing through these portions a die having a slightly oversized diameter, or by using other known strengthening techniques.
- An inlet port 27 a at one end of the radial portion 32 is coupled to the pumpable substance source 30 (FIG. 1).
- a bladder port 34 at the opposite end of the axial portion 33 is coupled to the bladder 50 .
- An inlet sealing piston 22 a moves axially upwardly and downwardly within the axial portion 33 between an open position (shown in FIG. 2) in which the pumpable substance can pass into the bladder 50 and a closed position (discussed in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 3) in which the pumpable substance is sealed within the bladder 50 .
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a When the inlet valve assembly 20 a is in its open position, the inlet sealing piston 22 a is retracted upwardly into a sealing block 23 .
- An upper piston seal 70 a disposed annularly about the inlet sealing piston 22 a, seals the interface between the inlet sealing piston 22 a and the axial portion 33 of the flow channel 31 to at least restrict the pumpable substance from passing upwardly along the inlet sealing piston 22 a.
- a lower fluid gap 38 a extends annularly about the inlet sealing piston 22 a, just above the upper piston seal 70 a, for collecting and removing pumpable substance that might escape past the upper piston seal 70 a.
- Purging fluid can be pumped through an upper inlet port 28 a and into the lower fluid gap 38 a, where it can entrain pumpable substance that might be present in the lower fluid gap 38 a.
- the purging fluid and entrained pumpable substance can then be removed through an upper exit port 29 a.
- the purging fluid can include water, and in other embodiments the purging fluid can include iodine or other substances that sanitize the surfaces in contact with the purging fluid.
- the inlet valve assembly 20 a further includes a lower seal 70 b beneath the upper seal 70 a.
- the lower seal 70 b When the inlet sealing piston 22 a is in its open position (as shown in FIG. 2), the lower seal 70 b is covered with a sleeve 74 that is biased upwardly by a sleeve spring 75 .
- the sleeve 74 protects the lower seal 70 b from contact with the pumpable substance.
- the lower seal 70 b is exposed and seals against the inlet sealing piston 22 a when the inlet sealing piston 22 a is moved to its closed position, as will be discussed in greater detail below.
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a is driven from its open position to its closed position by a driver piston 21 that moves axially within the sealing block 23 .
- the sealing block 23 includes a driver fluid port 25 that supplies pressurized fluid to the driver piston 21 to move the driver piston and the inlet sealing piston 22 a together in a downward direction.
- the sealing block 23 itself can slide laterally along a block rail 24 to secure the inlet sealing piston 22 in the closed position.
- the sealing block 23 can include an actuator 26 that moves the sealing block 23 laterally back and forth along the block rail 24 .
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a moves downwardly from its open position to its closed position under the force of the driver piston 21 .
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a engages the sleeve 74 , forcing the sleeve downwardly against the resistance provided by the sleeve spring 75 .
- both the upper seal 70 a and the lower seal 70 b seal against the inlet sealing piston 22 a and the inlet sealing piston 22 a blocks communication between the radial portion 32 and the axial portion 33 of the flow channel 31 .
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a continues to move in a downward direction until an end cap 35 at the upper end of the inlet sealing piston 22 a is aligned with a cap engaging surface 36 of the sealing block 23 .
- the sealing block 23 then slides laterally as indicated by arrow A along the block rail 24 until the end cap 35 engages the cap retaining surface 36 .
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a is accordingly secured in its closed position.
- the sealing block 23 is moved laterally as indicated by arrow B until the driver piston 21 is axially aligned with the inlet sealing piston 22 a.
- the sleeve spring 75 then moves the sleeve 74 upwardly, and the sleeve 74 together with pressure from within the bladder 50 drive the inlet sealing piston 22 a upwardly to its open position.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the inlet valve 20 a of FIG. 2 shown in the closed position.
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a has moved downwardly in the axial portion 33 of the flow channel 31 and the sealing block 23 has moved laterally so that the cap engaging surface 36 engages the end cap 35 to prevent the inlet sealing piston 22 a from moving in an upward direction.
- the inlet sealing piston 22 a has moved the sleeve 74 downwardly so that the lower piston seal 70 b engages the inlet sealing piston 22 a.
- the lower fluid gap 38 a now positioned just above the lower piston seal 70 b, is aligned with a lower inlet port 28 b and a lower exit port 29 b to remove pumpable substance from the lower fluid gap 38 a in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to FIG. 2.
- An upper fluid gap 38 b is aligned with the upper inlet port 28 a and the upper exit port 29 a to operate in a manner similar to that discussed above with reference to FIG. 2.
- the inlet valve 20 a can prevent the pumpable substance from escaping upwardly past the inlet sealing piston 22 a when the inlet valve 20 a is in its closed position and the bladder 50 is under pressure.
- the bladder 50 is attached to the sleeve 74 to receive the pumpable substance through the inlet valve 20 a.
- the bladder 50 includes an elongated tube having an upper opening 54 .
- the bladder 50 can be formed from rubber, neoprene or any flexible, generally nonporous material.
- the bladder 50 can include a medical-grade rubber suitable for use with food products.
- the bladder 50 can include an abrasion-resistant rubber or other abrasion resistant material for use with abrasive slurries.
- the bladder 50 can include a laminate of multiple plies bonded together with an adhesive, such as a rubber cement.
- the bladder 50 can separate the pumpable substance from the high-pressure fluid even if one or more of the plies has a pin hole or other puncture.
- Another advantage is that the multiple plies can thicken the bladder 50 and provide thermal insulation between the pumpable substance and the high-pressure fluid. Accordingly, hot or cold pumpable substances can be pressure processed in the pressure vessel 12 with a reduced transfer of heat to or from the pumpable substance.
- a bladder fitting 51 extends through the upper opening 54 of the bladder 50 and is attached to the bladder 50 with a band 53 or alternatively, with a food-grade adhesive that discourages microorganism growth, or another suitable securing device.
- the bladder fitting 51 is then coupled to the sleeve 74 with a removable coupling 52 , such as are available from Tri-Clover, Inc., of Kenosha, Wis.
- the bladder fitting 51 can be sized to take up a substantial volume within the cylinder 13 , thereby reducing the volume of high-pressure fluid required to pressurize the bladder 50 and reducing the time required to move the high-pressure fluid into and out of the cylinder 13 .
- FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the lower portion of the apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1 - 3 .
- the bladder 50 includes a lower opening 55 attached to a bladder fitting 51 which is in turn coupled to a sleeve 74 of the outlet valve assembly 20 b.
- the bladder 50 can be stiffer near the lower opening 55 than near the upper opening 54 (FIG. 3) to prevent the bladder 50 from collapsing on itself near the lower opening 55 when the pumpable substance is removed.
- the stiffness of the bladder 50 can decrease in a generally uniform manner in an upward direction extending away from the outlet valve assembly 20 b.
- the bladder 50 can be made stiffer near the lower opening 55 by increasing the number of plies that form the bladder 50 in this region.
- the outlet valve assembly 20 b includes an outlet sealing piston 22 b, a driver piston 21 and a sealing block 23 , all of which operate in generally the same manner as was discussed above with reference to the inlet valve assembly 20 a shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Accordingly, the outlet valve assembly 20 b is closed (as shown in FIG. 4) while the pumpable substance is pressurized, and is opened to allow the pressurized pumpable substance to pass out of the bladder 50 .
- the outlet valve assembly 20 b includes a high-pressure port 40 coupled to the high-pressure fluid source 41 (FIG. 1).
- the high-pressure fluid enters the pressure vessel 12 through the high-pressure port 40 at pressures up to and exceeding 100,000 psi, fills the region between cylinder 13 and the bladder 50 , and pressurizes the contents of the bladder 50 .
- the high-pressure fluid can be water.
- the high-pressure fluid can be sterile citric acid or another sterile solution.
- the high-pressure fluid can be selected to include water at an elevated temperature, for example, about 100° F. At such elevated temperatures, the ductility of the metal forming the cylinder 13 can be increased, as determined using a Charpy test or other ductility tests.
- the pressurized pumpable substance can be removed through the outlet valve 20 b by moving the outlet valve 20 b to its open position and allowing the pumpable substance to pass through a pumpable substance exit port 27 b to the receptacle 80 (FIG. 1).
- the pumpable substance can exit the bladder 50 solely under the force of gravity.
- the inlet valve 20 a is opened to a sterile environment at atmospheric pressure to allow the pumpable substance to descend from the bladder 50 under the force of gravity without introducing contaminants to the bladder 50 .
- the pumpable substance can be squeezed from the bladder 50 by filling the pressure vessel 12 with a fluid at a relatively low pressure.
- the pressure vessel 12 can include a low pressure valve 60 for transporting the low pressure fluid to and from the cylinder 13 .
- the low pressure valve 60 can include a fluid passage 62 having a fluid port 61 at one end coupled to a source of the low pressure fluid (not shown).
- a movable sealing ring 66 At the opposite end of the fluid passage 62 is a movable sealing ring 66 that can be moved between an open position (shown in FIG. 3) that allows fluid communication between fluid passage 62 and the interior of the cylinder 13 , and a closed position that prevents such fluid communication.
- the sealing ring 66 is biased upwardly toward its closed position with a sealing ring spring 67 .
- the sealing ring 66 can be moved downwardly against the force of the sealing ring spring 67 to its open position by an actuating piston 65 .
- the actuating piston 65 can be positioned in a gas passage 64 and can move downwardly within the gas passage 64 when gas is supplied through a gas port 63 . To close the fluid passage 62 , the pressure at the gas port 63 is reduced, allowing the sealing ring spring 67 to move the sealing ring 66 and the actuating piston 65 upwardly until the sealing ring seals against the inlet valve assembly 20 a and closes the fluid passage 62 .
- the fluid passage 62 is one of three fluid passages 62 coupled to the fluid port 61 and spaced 120° apart from each other around the sleeve 74 .
- the gas passage 64 can be one of three gas passages 64 coupled to the gas port 63 and spaced 120° apart from each other around the sleeve 74 .
- the low pressure valve 60 can include more or fewer fluid passages 62 and gas passages 64 .
- An advantage of having a plurality of fluid passages 62 is that the low pressure fluid can be more quickly and uniformly transported into and out of the cylinder 13 .
- the outlet valve 20 b (FIG. 4) can also include a low pressure valve generally similar to the low pressure valve 60 discussed above.
- An advantage of having two low pressure valves 60 is that the low pressure fluid can be even more quickly transported into and out of the cylinder 13 .
- a further advantage is that the inlet and outlet valves 20 a, 20 b can be interchangeable.
- FIG. 1 Operation of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 is best understood with reference to FIG. 1.
- the outlet valve assembly 20 b is closed by moving the outlet sealing piston 22 b to its upper position (shown in FIG. 1) and the inlet valve assembly 20 a is opened by moving the inlet sealing piston 22 a to its upper position (shown in FIG. 1).
- the pumpable substance is pumped through the inlet valve assembly 20 a and into the bladder 50 .
- the inlet valve assembly 20 a is then closed by moving the inlet sealing piston 22 a downwardly and high-pressure fluid is pumped through the high-pressure port 40 of the outlet valve assembly 20 b.
- the high-pressure fluid fills the space between the bladder 50 and the liner 15 and biases the bladder 50 inwardly to pressurize the pumpable substance within the bladder 50 .
- the pumpable substance is then pressurized for a selected period of time.
- the low pressure valve 60 is opened by forcing gas through the gas passage 64 to move the actuating piston 65 against the sealing ring 66 .
- the outlet valve 20 b (FIG. 1) is then opened and fluid is supplied at low pressure through the low pressure valve 60 to collapse the bladder 50 and force the pressurized pumpable substance out through the outlet valve 20 b.
- the apparatus 10 is ready to pressure process a new batch of pumpable substance. After a selected number of pressure cycles, the bladder 50 can be cleaned, for example, by passing through the bladder (in succession) a rinse solution, a caustic solution, hot water, a chemical sterilizer and citric acid.
- An advantage of an embodiment of the apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1 - 4 is that the bladder 50 can eliminate contact between the pumpable substance and the high-pressure fluid. Accordingly, the likelihood that that pumpable substance will be contaminated with high-pressure fluid (and vice versa) is substantially reduced.
- a further advantage is that the inlet valve 20 a is separated by a substantial distance from the outlet valve 20 b, reducing the likelihood of contaminating the pressurized pumpable substance with unpressurized pumpable substance.
- the apparatus 10 can take advantage of gravity to remove the pressurized pumpable substance from the vessel 12 . Accordingly, a greater portion of the pumpable substance can be removed from the vessel 12 after pressurization.
- the flow passages 31 through the valves 20 can have relatively large cross-sectional areas. This is advantageous because it allows the pumpable substance to enter and exit the vessel 13 more quickly. It also allows pumpable substances having chunks or large suspended particles to be more easily directed into and out of the vessel 13 .
- the flow passages 31 can have diameters of about one inch. In other embodiments, the flow passages can have other diameters to accommodate chunks of pumpable substance having other dimensions.
- Still another advantage is that the movable sleeve 74 can reduce the likelihood of exposing at least one of the piston seals 70 b to the pumpable substance. Accordingly, the pumpable substance is less likely to become trapped in the piston seal 70 b. Yet another advantage is that the flow of purging fluid alongside the pistons 22 can further reduce the likelihood of pumpable substance escaping from the vessel 12 when the vessel 12 is under pressure.
- the pumpable substance is placed within the bladder 50 and the high-pressure fluid is disposed between the bladder 50 and the inner walls of the cylinder 13 .
- the pumpable substance can be positioned between the bladder 50 and the inner walls of the cylinder 13 while the high-pressure fluid is disposed within the bladder 50 .
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 having an inlet valve 120 a in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
- the inlet valve 120 a includes a low pressure valve 160 generally similar in appearance and operation to the low pressure valve 60 discussed above with reference to FIG. 3.
- the inlet valve assembly 120 a further includes a flow channel 131 having an axial portion 133 connected to a radial portion 132 . One end of the axial portion 133 is closed with a plug 139 , and the other end is coupled to the bladder 50 .
- fluid communication between the axial portion 133 and the radial portion 132 can be opened or closed by moving a piston within the radial portion 132 .
- FIG. 6 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the inlet valve 120 a shown in FIG. 5.
- the inlet valve 120 a includes a sealing piston 122 that moves laterally within the radial portion 132 of the flow channel 131 .
- the sealing piston 122 When the sealing piston 122 is in its leftmost position (shown in FIG. 6) the pumpable substance can pass from the radial portion 132 of the flow channel 131 to the axial portion 133 and into the bladder 50 (FIG. 5).
- the sealing piston 122 When the sealing piston 122 is in its rightmost position (discussed in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 7), the sealing piston 122 prevents fluid communication between radial portion 132 and the axial portion 133 .
- the sealing piston 122 is sealed within the radial portion 132 with two piston seal assemblies 170 , shown as a left piston seal assembly 170 a and a right piston seal assembly 170 b.
- the right piston seal assembly 170 b is covered with a sleeve 174 when the inlet valve is in its open position (as shown in FIG. 6).
- the sleeve 174 is biased toward the covered position by a sleeve spring 175 when the inlet valve 120 a is in the open position, in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to the sleeve 74 shown in FIG. 2.
- the sleeve 174 includes an inlet port 127 a coupled to the pumpable substance source 30 (FIG. 1) with a flexible conduit 126 . Accordingly, the conduit 126 can maintain the connection between the pumpable substance source 30 and the inlet port 127 a as the sleeve 174 moves laterally.
- the seal assemblies 170 can include a seal 171 that extends between the sealing piston 122 and the walls of the radial portion 132 of the flow channel 131 .
- the seal assemblies 170 can also include an O-ring 172 , an anti-extrusion ring 173 to prevent the seal 171 from extruding outwardly away from the radial portion 132 , and a backup ring 176 to support the seal 171 and the anti-extrusion ring 173 .
- This seal assembly arrangement shown in detail in FIG. 6, can also be used in conjunction with the seals 70 a, 70 b shown in FIGS. 1 - 4 .
- a driver piston 121 connected to one end of the sealing piston 122 drives the sealing piston 122 laterally within the radial portion 132 .
- the driver piston 121 moves within a driver cylinder 123 which can include two driver fluid ports 125 (shown as a left port 125 a and a right port 125 b ).
- a driver cylinder 123 which can include two driver fluid ports 125 (shown as a left port 125 a and a right port 125 b ).
- the driver piston 121 and the sealing piston 122 move to the left toward the open position.
- pressurized fluid is supplied to the left port 125 a
- the driver piston 121 and the sealing piston 122 move to the right toward the closed position.
- FIG. 7 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the inlet valve assembly 120 a shown in FIG. 6 with the sealing piston 122 and the driver piston 121 moved to the closed position.
- the sealing piston 122 when in the closed position, prevents fluid communication between the radial portion 132 and the axial portion 133 of the flow channel 131 . Accordingly, the sealing piston 122 can prevent pumpable substance from escaping from the cylinder 13 when the cylinder is pressurized.
- Fluid gaps 138 (shown as a left fluid gap 138 a and a right fluid gap 138 b ) adjacent the sealing piston 122 receive purging fluid from inlet ports 128 (shown as a left inlet port 128 a and a right inlet port 128 b ) to purge the region adjacent the seals 170 .
- the purging fluid with pumpable substance entrained, can be removed through exit ports 129 a and 129 b in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to the fluid gaps 38 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
- the liner 15 can be disposed in a high-pressure vessels that include means other than the bladder 50 for pressurizing the pumpable substance. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Abstract
Description
- This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/374,649, filed Aug. 13, 1999, now pending, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- 1. Field of the Invention
- This invention relates to methods and devices for pressure processing pumpable substances, such as food or abrasive slurries, using a flexible membrane.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- Conventional ultrahigh-pressure fluid systems have been used to pressurize pumpable substances, such as foods and slurries. For example, conventional ultrahigh-pressure systems have been used to improve the quality and longevity of food by subjecting the food to pressures in excess of 10,000 psi. Conventional systems have also been used to pressurize abrasive slurries to ultrahigh-pressure levels. The slurries can then be directed toward a substrate in the form of a liquid jet to cut the substrate or treat the surface of the substrate.
- One conventional system includes a high-pressure cylinder with a slidable piston that divides the cylinder into two regions. The pumpable substance is placed in one region while a high-pressure fluid is introduced into the other region, driving the piston against the pumpable substance at a very high pressure. One potential drawback with this system is that as the piston may require specially designed seals to prevent the high-pressure fluid from being transported by the piston into the pumpable substance region. The seals may require periodic monitoring and replacement. Accordingly, it may be desirable to use an improved apparatus for pressurizing a pumpable substance while reducing the likelihood for contact between the pumpable substance and the pressurizing liquid.
- The invention relates to methods and apparatus for pressure processing a pumpable substance, such as a food substance. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a generally rigid high-pressure vessel having a first opening toward one end, a second opening toward the other end, and an internal vessel wall between the first and second ends. A flexible membrane is disposed within the vessel and has a first membrane opening in fluid communication with the first open end of the vessel and a second membrane opening in fluid communication with the second opening of the vessel. At least a portion of the membrane is movable away from the vessel wall to pressurize a portion of the pumpable substance positioned adjacent to the membrane.
- In one embodiment, the second membrane opening can be positioned beneath the first membrane opening so that the pumpable substance can exit the membrane through the second opening under the force of gravity. In another embodiment, valves are coupled to the first and second openings of the high-pressure vessel. In one aspect of this embodiment, the valves can each include a passage having a first portion with a first opening and second portion with a second opening. A piston is sealably positioned in the passage and axially movable within the passage between a closed position with the piston blocking fluid communication between the first and second openings and an open position with the first and second openings being in fluid communication with each other. The pumpable substance can be pumped into the membrane through the first opening, pressurized within the membrane by a high-pressure fluid disposed between the membrane and an inner wall of the vessel, and released from the pressure vessel through the second opening.
- FIG. 1 is a partially schematic, partial cross-sectional side elevation view of an apparatus having an inlet valve, an outlet valve and a bladder in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of an upper portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the inlet valve in its open position.
- FIG. 3 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the inlet valve in its closed position.
- FIG. 4 is a detailed partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the lower portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the outlet valve in its closed position.
- FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 having an inlet valve in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the inlet valve of FIG. 5 shown in its open position.
- FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional top view of the inlet valve of FIG. 5 shown in its closed position.
- In general, conventional devices for pressure processing pumpable substances have been directed to high-pressure cylinders having an internal piston and/or having an inlet and outlet for the pumpable substance at one end of the cylinder and an inlet and outlet for the high-pressure fluid at the opposite end of the cylinder. By contrast, one aspect of the present invention includes a high-pressure cylinder having a flexible bladder with an entrance opening for the pumpable substance at one end of the bladder and an exit opening for the pumpable substance at the opposite end of the bladder. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the pumpable substance can be introduced through an inlet port at one end of the cylinder and removed from an outlet port at the opposite end of the cylinder, reducing the likelihood for contamination of the outlet port with unpressurized pumpable substance. The apparatus can also take advantage of gravitational forces to more completely remove the pumpable substance from the pressure vessel. Furthermore, by separating the inlet and outlet ports, each port can be larger, increasing the rate at which the pumpable substance can be moved into and out of the bladder, and increasing the size of pumpable substance constituents that can pass into and out of the bladder.
- An
apparatus 10 for pressure processing a pumpable substance in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1. Theapparatus 10 includes apressure vessel 12 that receives the pumpable substance from apumpable substance source 30 and pressurizes the pumpable substance with fluid supplied by a high-pressure fluid source 41. Thepressure vessel 12 can include an open-ended cylinder 13 surrounded by a protectivecylindrical shield 14. Two valve assemblies 20, shown as aninlet valve assembly 20 a and anoutlet valve assembly 20 b, cap opposite ends of thecylinder 13, and are clamped against thecylinder 13 with ayoke 11. Aflexible bladder 50 is coupled between the valve assemblies 20. The pumpable substance is pumped into thebladder 50 through theinlet valve assembly 20 a, pressurized by high-pressure fluid entering thecylinder 13 from the high-pressure fluid source 41, and pumped through theoutlet valve assembly 20 b to areceptacle 80, as will be discussed in greater detail below. - In one embodiment, the
pressure vessel 12 can include a model number 012122 assembly available from Flow International Corporation of Kent, Wash. that includes thecylinder 13, theyoke 11 and theshield 14, configured to withstand an internal vessel pressure of at least 100,000 psi. In other embodiments, thepressure vessel 12 can includeother cylinders 13 and peripheral components configured to withstand an internal pressure of 100,000 psi or another suitable pressure, depending upon the selected pumpable substance and treatment. Such vessels and components are available from ABB Pressure Systems of Vasteras, Sweden, Autoclave Engineering of Erie, Pa., or Engineered Pressure Systems of Andover, Mass. - The
pressure vessel 12 can include aliner 15 adjacent an inner surface of thecylinder 13. The liner can be formed from stainless steel or other suitable materials that can withstand the high internal pressures within thecylinder 13. In one embodiment, theliner 15 can be attached to thecylinder 13 by first heating thecylinder 13 so that it expands, then placing thecylinder 13 around theliner 15, and then cooling thecylinder 13 so that it shrinks tightly around theliner 15. If theliner 15 later becomes worn or damaged, it can be removed from thecylinder 13 and replaced with a similar liner. An advantage of this arrangement is that cracks that might result from the high pressure within thepressure vessel 12 will tend to form in theliner 15 rather than in thecylinder 13, and it may be easier and less expensive to replace theliner 15 than thecylinder 13. - FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the
apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, theinlet valve assembly 20 a fits partially within thecylinder 13 and includes aflow channel 31 having aradial portion 32 in fluid communication with anaxial portion 33. Both theradial portion 32 and theaxial portion 33 can be strengthened or reinforced, for example, by passing through these portions a die having a slightly oversized diameter, or by using other known strengthening techniques. Aninlet port 27 a at one end of theradial portion 32 is coupled to the pumpable substance source 30 (FIG. 1). Abladder port 34 at the opposite end of theaxial portion 33 is coupled to thebladder 50. Aninlet sealing piston 22 a moves axially upwardly and downwardly within theaxial portion 33 between an open position (shown in FIG. 2) in which the pumpable substance can pass into thebladder 50 and a closed position (discussed in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 3) in which the pumpable substance is sealed within thebladder 50. - When the
inlet valve assembly 20 a is in its open position, theinlet sealing piston 22 a is retracted upwardly into asealing block 23. Anupper piston seal 70 a, disposed annularly about theinlet sealing piston 22 a, seals the interface between theinlet sealing piston 22 a and theaxial portion 33 of theflow channel 31 to at least restrict the pumpable substance from passing upwardly along theinlet sealing piston 22 a. Alower fluid gap 38 a extends annularly about theinlet sealing piston 22 a, just above theupper piston seal 70 a, for collecting and removing pumpable substance that might escape past theupper piston seal 70 a. Purging fluid can be pumped through anupper inlet port 28 a and into thelower fluid gap 38 a, where it can entrain pumpable substance that might be present in thelower fluid gap 38 a. The purging fluid and entrained pumpable substance can then be removed through anupper exit port 29 a. In one embodiment, the purging fluid can include water, and in other embodiments the purging fluid can include iodine or other substances that sanitize the surfaces in contact with the purging fluid. - The
inlet valve assembly 20 a further includes alower seal 70 b beneath theupper seal 70 a. When theinlet sealing piston 22 a is in its open position (as shown in FIG. 2), thelower seal 70 b is covered with asleeve 74 that is biased upwardly by asleeve spring 75. Thesleeve 74 protects thelower seal 70 b from contact with the pumpable substance. Thelower seal 70 b is exposed and seals against theinlet sealing piston 22 a when theinlet sealing piston 22 a is moved to its closed position, as will be discussed in greater detail below. - The
inlet sealing piston 22 a is driven from its open position to its closed position by adriver piston 21 that moves axially within the sealingblock 23. Accordingly, the sealingblock 23 includes adriver fluid port 25 that supplies pressurized fluid to thedriver piston 21 to move the driver piston and theinlet sealing piston 22 a together in a downward direction. The sealingblock 23 itself can slide laterally along ablock rail 24 to secure the inlet sealing piston 22 in the closed position. Accordingly, the sealingblock 23 can include anactuator 26 that moves the sealingblock 23 laterally back and forth along theblock rail 24. - In operation, the
inlet sealing piston 22 a moves downwardly from its open position to its closed position under the force of thedriver piston 21. As theinlet sealing piston 22 a moves downwardly, it engages thesleeve 74, forcing the sleeve downwardly against the resistance provided by thesleeve spring 75. At this point, both theupper seal 70 a and thelower seal 70 b seal against theinlet sealing piston 22 a and theinlet sealing piston 22 a blocks communication between theradial portion 32 and theaxial portion 33 of theflow channel 31. Theinlet sealing piston 22 a continues to move in a downward direction until anend cap 35 at the upper end of theinlet sealing piston 22 a is aligned with acap engaging surface 36 of the sealingblock 23. The sealingblock 23 then slides laterally as indicated by arrow A along theblock rail 24 until theend cap 35 engages thecap retaining surface 36. Theinlet sealing piston 22 a is accordingly secured in its closed position. - To open the
valve 20 a, the sealingblock 23 is moved laterally as indicated by arrow B until thedriver piston 21 is axially aligned with theinlet sealing piston 22 a. Thesleeve spring 75 then moves thesleeve 74 upwardly, and thesleeve 74 together with pressure from within thebladder 50 drive theinlet sealing piston 22 a upwardly to its open position. - FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the
inlet valve 20 a of FIG. 2 shown in the closed position. Theinlet sealing piston 22 a has moved downwardly in theaxial portion 33 of theflow channel 31 and the sealingblock 23 has moved laterally so that thecap engaging surface 36 engages theend cap 35 to prevent theinlet sealing piston 22 a from moving in an upward direction. Theinlet sealing piston 22 a has moved thesleeve 74 downwardly so that thelower piston seal 70 b engages theinlet sealing piston 22 a. Accordingly, thelower fluid gap 38 a, now positioned just above thelower piston seal 70 b, is aligned with alower inlet port 28 b and alower exit port 29 b to remove pumpable substance from thelower fluid gap 38 a in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to FIG. 2. Anupper fluid gap 38 b is aligned with theupper inlet port 28 a and theupper exit port 29 a to operate in a manner similar to that discussed above with reference to FIG. 2. Accordingly, theinlet valve 20 a can prevent the pumpable substance from escaping upwardly past theinlet sealing piston 22 a when theinlet valve 20 a is in its closed position and thebladder 50 is under pressure. - As shown in FIG. 3, the
bladder 50 is attached to thesleeve 74 to receive the pumpable substance through theinlet valve 20 a. In one embodiment, thebladder 50 includes an elongated tube having anupper opening 54. Thebladder 50 can be formed from rubber, neoprene or any flexible, generally nonporous material. In one embodiment, thebladder 50 can include a medical-grade rubber suitable for use with food products. In another embodiment, thebladder 50 can include an abrasion-resistant rubber or other abrasion resistant material for use with abrasive slurries. In still another embodiment, thebladder 50 can include a laminate of multiple plies bonded together with an adhesive, such as a rubber cement. One advantage of this embodiment is that thebladder 50 can separate the pumpable substance from the high-pressure fluid even if one or more of the plies has a pin hole or other puncture. Another advantage is that the multiple plies can thicken thebladder 50 and provide thermal insulation between the pumpable substance and the high-pressure fluid. Accordingly, hot or cold pumpable substances can be pressure processed in thepressure vessel 12 with a reduced transfer of heat to or from the pumpable substance. - A bladder fitting51 extends through the
upper opening 54 of thebladder 50 and is attached to thebladder 50 with aband 53 or alternatively, with a food-grade adhesive that discourages microorganism growth, or another suitable securing device. Thebladder fitting 51 is then coupled to thesleeve 74 with aremovable coupling 52, such as are available from Tri-Clover, Inc., of Kenosha, Wis. In one embodiment, the bladder fitting 51 can be sized to take up a substantial volume within thecylinder 13, thereby reducing the volume of high-pressure fluid required to pressurize thebladder 50 and reducing the time required to move the high-pressure fluid into and out of thecylinder 13. - FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the lower portion of the
apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3. As shown in FIG. 4, thebladder 50 includes alower opening 55 attached to a bladder fitting 51 which is in turn coupled to asleeve 74 of theoutlet valve assembly 20 b. In one embodiment, thebladder 50 can be stiffer near thelower opening 55 than near the upper opening 54 (FIG. 3) to prevent thebladder 50 from collapsing on itself near thelower opening 55 when the pumpable substance is removed. In one aspect of this embodiment, the stiffness of thebladder 50 can decrease in a generally uniform manner in an upward direction extending away from theoutlet valve assembly 20 b. In another aspect of this embodiment, thebladder 50 can be made stiffer near thelower opening 55 by increasing the number of plies that form thebladder 50 in this region. - The
outlet valve assembly 20 b includes anoutlet sealing piston 22 b, adriver piston 21 and a sealingblock 23, all of which operate in generally the same manner as was discussed above with reference to theinlet valve assembly 20 a shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Accordingly, theoutlet valve assembly 20 b is closed (as shown in FIG. 4) while the pumpable substance is pressurized, and is opened to allow the pressurized pumpable substance to pass out of thebladder 50. - The
outlet valve assembly 20 b includes a high-pressure port 40 coupled to the high-pressure fluid source 41 (FIG. 1). The high-pressure fluid enters thepressure vessel 12 through the high-pressure port 40 at pressures up to and exceeding 100,000 psi, fills the region betweencylinder 13 and thebladder 50, and pressurizes the contents of thebladder 50. In one embodiment, the high-pressure fluid can be water. Alternatively, the high-pressure fluid can be sterile citric acid or another sterile solution. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the high-pressure fluid can be selected to include water at an elevated temperature, for example, about 100° F. At such elevated temperatures, the ductility of the metal forming thecylinder 13 can be increased, as determined using a Charpy test or other ductility tests. - After pressurization, the pressurized pumpable substance can be removed through the
outlet valve 20 b by moving theoutlet valve 20 b to its open position and allowing the pumpable substance to pass through a pumpablesubstance exit port 27 b to the receptacle 80 (FIG. 1). In one embodiment, the pumpable substance can exit thebladder 50 solely under the force of gravity. In one aspect of this embodiment, theinlet valve 20 a is opened to a sterile environment at atmospheric pressure to allow the pumpable substance to descend from thebladder 50 under the force of gravity without introducing contaminants to thebladder 50. In another embodiment, the pumpable substance can be squeezed from thebladder 50 by filling thepressure vessel 12 with a fluid at a relatively low pressure. In one aspect of this embodiment (best seen in FIG. 3), thepressure vessel 12 can include alow pressure valve 60 for transporting the low pressure fluid to and from thecylinder 13. - The low pressure valve60 (FIG. 3) can include a
fluid passage 62 having afluid port 61 at one end coupled to a source of the low pressure fluid (not shown). At the opposite end of thefluid passage 62 is amovable sealing ring 66 that can be moved between an open position (shown in FIG. 3) that allows fluid communication betweenfluid passage 62 and the interior of thecylinder 13, and a closed position that prevents such fluid communication. In one embodiment, the sealingring 66 is biased upwardly toward its closed position with a sealingring spring 67. The sealingring 66 can be moved downwardly against the force of the sealingring spring 67 to its open position by anactuating piston 65. Theactuating piston 65 can be positioned in a gas passage 64 and can move downwardly within the gas passage 64 when gas is supplied through agas port 63. To close thefluid passage 62, the pressure at thegas port 63 is reduced, allowing the sealingring spring 67 to move the sealingring 66 and theactuating piston 65 upwardly until the sealing ring seals against theinlet valve assembly 20 a and closes thefluid passage 62. - In one embodiment, the
fluid passage 62 is one of threefluid passages 62 coupled to thefluid port 61 and spaced 120° apart from each other around thesleeve 74. Similarly, the gas passage 64 can be one of three gas passages 64 coupled to thegas port 63 and spaced 120° apart from each other around thesleeve 74. In other embodiments, thelow pressure valve 60 can include more or fewerfluid passages 62 and gas passages 64. An advantage of having a plurality of gas passages 64 is that they more evenly distribute the force applied to the sealingring 66, reducing the likelihood that the sealingring 66 will become cocked or tilted as it moves up and down. An advantage of having a plurality offluid passages 62 is that the low pressure fluid can be more quickly and uniformly transported into and out of thecylinder 13. In another embodiment, theoutlet valve 20 b (FIG. 4) can also include a low pressure valve generally similar to thelow pressure valve 60 discussed above. An advantage of having twolow pressure valves 60 is that the low pressure fluid can be even more quickly transported into and out of thecylinder 13. A further advantage is that the inlet andoutlet valves - Operation of an embodiment of the
apparatus 10 is best understood with reference to FIG. 1. Initially, theoutlet valve assembly 20 b is closed by moving theoutlet sealing piston 22 b to its upper position (shown in FIG. 1) and theinlet valve assembly 20 a is opened by moving theinlet sealing piston 22 a to its upper position (shown in FIG. 1). The pumpable substance is pumped through theinlet valve assembly 20 a and into thebladder 50. Theinlet valve assembly 20 a is then closed by moving theinlet sealing piston 22 a downwardly and high-pressure fluid is pumped through the high-pressure port 40 of theoutlet valve assembly 20 b. The high-pressure fluid fills the space between thebladder 50 and theliner 15 and biases thebladder 50 inwardly to pressurize the pumpable substance within thebladder 50. The pumpable substance is then pressurized for a selected period of time. - Turning now to FIG. 3, the
low pressure valve 60 is opened by forcing gas through the gas passage 64 to move theactuating piston 65 against the sealingring 66. As the sealingring 66 moves away from thefluid passage 62, high-pressure fluid escapes through thefluid passage 62 and out through thefluid port 61. Theoutlet valve 20 b (FIG. 1) is then opened and fluid is supplied at low pressure through thelow pressure valve 60 to collapse thebladder 50 and force the pressurized pumpable substance out through theoutlet valve 20 b. Once thebladder 50 has collapsed, theapparatus 10 is ready to pressure process a new batch of pumpable substance. After a selected number of pressure cycles, thebladder 50 can be cleaned, for example, by passing through the bladder (in succession) a rinse solution, a caustic solution, hot water, a chemical sterilizer and citric acid. - An advantage of an embodiment of the
apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4 is that thebladder 50 can eliminate contact between the pumpable substance and the high-pressure fluid. Accordingly, the likelihood that that pumpable substance will be contaminated with high-pressure fluid (and vice versa) is substantially reduced. A further advantage is that theinlet valve 20 a is separated by a substantial distance from theoutlet valve 20 b, reducing the likelihood of contaminating the pressurized pumpable substance with unpressurized pumpable substance. Furthermore, by positioning theoutlet valve 20 b beneath theinlet valve 20 a, theapparatus 10 can take advantage of gravity to remove the pressurized pumpable substance from thevessel 12. Accordingly, a greater portion of the pumpable substance can be removed from thevessel 12 after pressurization. - Yet another feature of the
apparatus 10 is that theflow passages 31 through the valves 20 can have relatively large cross-sectional areas. This is advantageous because it allows the pumpable substance to enter and exit thevessel 13 more quickly. It also allows pumpable substances having chunks or large suspended particles to be more easily directed into and out of thevessel 13. For example, when theapparatus 10 is used to pressure process chunks of fruit, such as pineapples, theflow passages 31 can have diameters of about one inch. In other embodiments, the flow passages can have other diameters to accommodate chunks of pumpable substance having other dimensions. - Still another advantage is that the
movable sleeve 74 can reduce the likelihood of exposing at least one of the piston seals 70 b to the pumpable substance. Accordingly, the pumpable substance is less likely to become trapped in thepiston seal 70 b. Yet another advantage is that the flow of purging fluid alongside the pistons 22 can further reduce the likelihood of pumpable substance escaping from thevessel 12 when thevessel 12 is under pressure. - In the embodiment discussed above with reference to FIGS.1-4, the pumpable substance is placed within the
bladder 50 and the high-pressure fluid is disposed between thebladder 50 and the inner walls of thecylinder 13. In another embodiment, the pumpable substance can be positioned between thebladder 50 and the inner walls of thecylinder 13 while the high-pressure fluid is disposed within thebladder 50. An advantage of placing the pumpable substance in thebladder 50 is that it may be easier to remove the pumpable substance from within thebladder 50 than from between thebladder 50 and the walls of thecylinder 13. - FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the upper portion of the
apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 having aninlet valve 120 a in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. Theinlet valve 120 a includes alow pressure valve 160 generally similar in appearance and operation to thelow pressure valve 60 discussed above with reference to FIG. 3. Theinlet valve assembly 120 a further includes aflow channel 131 having anaxial portion 133 connected to aradial portion 132. One end of theaxial portion 133 is closed with aplug 139, and the other end is coupled to thebladder 50. As will be discussed in greater detail below, fluid communication between theaxial portion 133 and theradial portion 132 can be opened or closed by moving a piston within theradial portion 132. - FIG. 6 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the
inlet valve 120 a shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, theinlet valve 120 a includes asealing piston 122 that moves laterally within theradial portion 132 of theflow channel 131. When thesealing piston 122 is in its leftmost position (shown in FIG. 6) the pumpable substance can pass from theradial portion 132 of theflow channel 131 to theaxial portion 133 and into the bladder 50 (FIG. 5). When thesealing piston 122 is in its rightmost position (discussed in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 7), thesealing piston 122 prevents fluid communication betweenradial portion 132 and theaxial portion 133. - The
sealing piston 122 is sealed within theradial portion 132 with two piston seal assemblies 170, shown as a leftpiston seal assembly 170 a and a rightpiston seal assembly 170 b. The rightpiston seal assembly 170 b is covered with asleeve 174 when the inlet valve is in its open position (as shown in FIG. 6). Thesleeve 174 is biased toward the covered position by asleeve spring 175 when theinlet valve 120 a is in the open position, in a manner generally similar to that discussed above with reference to thesleeve 74 shown in FIG. 2. Thesleeve 174 includes aninlet port 127 a coupled to the pumpable substance source 30 (FIG. 1) with aflexible conduit 126. Accordingly, theconduit 126 can maintain the connection between thepumpable substance source 30 and theinlet port 127 a as thesleeve 174 moves laterally. - The seal assemblies170 can include a
seal 171 that extends between thesealing piston 122 and the walls of theradial portion 132 of theflow channel 131. The seal assemblies 170 can also include an O-ring 172, ananti-extrusion ring 173 to prevent theseal 171 from extruding outwardly away from theradial portion 132, and abackup ring 176 to support theseal 171 and theanti-extrusion ring 173. This seal assembly arrangement, shown in detail in FIG. 6, can also be used in conjunction with theseals - A
driver piston 121 connected to one end of thesealing piston 122 drives thesealing piston 122 laterally within theradial portion 132. Thedriver piston 121 moves within adriver cylinder 123 which can include two driver fluid ports 125 (shown as aleft port 125 a and aright port 125 b). When pressurized fluid is supplied to theright port 125 b, thedriver piston 121 and thesealing piston 122 move to the left toward the open position. When pressurized fluid is supplied to theleft port 125 a, thedriver piston 121 and thesealing piston 122 move to the right toward the closed position. - FIG. 7 is a top, partial cross-sectional view of the
inlet valve assembly 120 a shown in FIG. 6 with thesealing piston 122 and thedriver piston 121 moved to the closed position. As shown in FIG. 7, thesealing piston 122, when in the closed position, prevents fluid communication between theradial portion 132 and theaxial portion 133 of theflow channel 131. Accordingly, thesealing piston 122 can prevent pumpable substance from escaping from thecylinder 13 when the cylinder is pressurized. - When the
sealing piston 122 is in the closed position, it engages thesleeve 174 and moves thesleeve 174 to the right (as seen in FIG. 7) until thesealing piston 122 seals against theright seal assembly 170 b. Fluid gaps 138 (shown as aleft fluid gap 138 a and aright fluid gap 138 b) adjacent thesealing piston 122 receive purging fluid from inlet ports 128 (shown as aleft inlet port 128 a and aright inlet port 128 b) to purge the region adjacent the seals 170. The purging fluid, with pumpable substance entrained, can be removed throughexit ports - From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the
liner 15 can be disposed in a high-pressure vessels that include means other than thebladder 50 for pressurizing the pumpable substance. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
Claims (16)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US09/964,112 US20020011579A1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-09-25 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US09/374,649 US6305913B1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 1999-08-13 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
US09/964,112 US20020011579A1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-09-25 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
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US09/374,649 Division US6305913B1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 1999-08-13 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
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US09/964,112 Abandoned US20020011579A1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-09-25 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
US09/964,111 Abandoned US20020009369A1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-09-25 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
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US09/374,649 Expired - Fee Related US6305913B1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 1999-08-13 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
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US09/964,111 Abandoned US20020009369A1 (en) | 1999-08-13 | 2001-09-25 | Pressure processing a pumpable substance with a flexible membrane |
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-
1999
- 1999-08-13 US US09/374,649 patent/US6305913B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
2000
- 2000-08-11 AU AU67657/00A patent/AU6765700A/en not_active Abandoned
- 2000-08-11 WO PCT/US2000/022027 patent/WO2001013030A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2000-08-11 EP EP00955453A patent/EP1204334A2/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2001
- 2001-09-25 US US09/964,112 patent/US20020011579A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-09-25 US US09/964,111 patent/US20020009369A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (4)
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US20080299876A1 (en) * | 2005-01-18 | 2008-12-04 | Zhengcai Zhou | Blasting Device for Premixed Abrasive Slurry Jet |
US7980919B2 (en) * | 2005-01-18 | 2011-07-19 | Zhengcai Zhou | Blasting device for premixed abrasive slurry jet |
US20180214172A1 (en) * | 2016-06-24 | 2018-08-02 | Hydrocision, Inc. | Selective tissue removal treatment device |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2001013030A2 (en) | 2001-02-22 |
AU6765700A (en) | 2001-03-13 |
EP1204334A2 (en) | 2002-05-15 |
US20020009369A1 (en) | 2002-01-24 |
WO2001013030A8 (en) | 2001-12-06 |
WO2001013030A3 (en) | 2001-08-30 |
US6305913B1 (en) | 2001-10-23 |
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