Title of Invention

"AN APPARATUS FOR HEATING A FLUID USED IN BEVERAGE TECHNLOGY"

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating a fluid, such as mash, wort, or the like, in beverage technology, such as brewery, at least one heatable contact surface being provided for heating the fluid in a fluid area, and at least partly irregular areas being provided on the said contact surface. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an apparatus for heating a fluid, such as mash, wort, or the like in beverage technology, such a brewery, wherein at least one heatable contact surface is provided for heating the fluid in a fluid area, the contact surface is double-walled, and a wall which is oriented towards the fluid area is thinner than or as thick as a wall which is oriented away from the fluid area.

Full Text

Apparatus for heating a fluid The present invention relates to an apparatus for heating a fluid, such as mash, wort, or the like, in beverage technology, such as brewery. In the brewing industry, such apparatuses are e.g. called mash copper or wort copper. For heating the fluid at least one heatable contact surface is provided in a fluid area. This may e.g. be the side wait and/or the bottom of the tank, or also a contact surface specifically provided for heating. Such vessels have the capacity of holding ten tons of fluid or more. It is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus with which the fluid can be heated and converted at a faster pace. Said object is achieved with an apparatus according to claim 1 or according to claim 14. In beverage technology, high hygienic demands are made. It is therefore standard practice to design all areas that get into contact with the beverage or the preliminary products thereof in such a manner, if possible, that no angles or corners are formed where product residues might get stuck and/or germ loads might arise. That is why interior surfaces are always made as smooth and even or regular as possible. It has now been found that a better heat transition into the fluid can be achieved with a contact surface of an apparatus for heating a fluid, such as mash or wort, if the contact surface is irregular at least in part. It has turned out to be particularly advantageous when the irregularities are in the form of waves and/or bubbles and/or bulges because it is then that a good flow behavior of the fluid is achieved on the contact surface. Accumulation zones and layers in which the fluid remains at one place or on one portion of the contact surface for a long period of time and gets stuck or accumulates at said place can be avoided. The irregularities promote the exchange and conversion of materials. To keep the manufacturing technique as simple as possible, it is advantageous when the irregularities are periodic. An embodiment in which the contact surface is double-walled is particularly advantageous. A heating means, such as steam or high-pressure hot water, can thus be brought into the space between the two walls of the contact surface so as to heat the fluid. A particularly high heat transition is obtained when the wall directed towards the fluid area is thinner than or as thick as the other wall. The wall with the greater wall thickness can then carry the thinner wall, thereby absorbing the forces exerted by the fluid on the contact surface or forces given by the dead weight of the contact surface. A stable construction is obtained through a plurality of interconnect points between the two walls. The irregularities can then advantageously be formed between the interconnect points. The wall with the greater wall thickness is advantageously even or regular, so that peripheral connections can easily be provided on said wall. It is also of advantage to an efficient heating when a means is provided for moving and transporting the fluid along and past the contact surface in a direction of movement. This prevents a situation where the fluid gets overheated on the contact surface, and it is further made possible that fluid which is still cold gets into contact with the contact surface. It is also of advantage when interconnect points between the two walls are given an elongated shape and are obliquely arranged in comparison with the direction of movement of the fluid. This can induce a relative flow of the fluid in a direction transverse to the main flow, which may lead to intimate mixing and efficient exchange of materials on the contact surface. The object according to the invention is achieved by an apparatus in which the contact surface is double-walled and a wall directed towards the fluid area has a wall thickness thinner than or as thick as a wall of the contact surface which is oriented away from the fluid area. It is possible due to the double-walled contact surface to let the heating means, such as steam or high-pressure hot water, flow between the two walls of the contact surface so as to heat the fluid, which permits a better thermal flow due to the small wall thickness of the wall oriented towards the fluid area. An embodiment of the invention shall now be explained with reference to the enclosed figures, of which: Fig. 1 is a three-dimensional schematic representation of an apparatus; Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional drawing of an apparatus; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a section of the side wall; Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a section of the bottom; Fig. 5 is a three-dimensional schematic representation of the side wall; Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional drawing of the side wall; Fig. 7 is a diagram which shows the heating rate as a function of the brew number. Fig. 1 shows an apparatus 1 for heating a fluid. In the following, the example of a mash copper shall be discussed by way of example with respect to a general apparatus for heating a fluid. This applies by analogy also to wort coppers or other apparatuses used for heating a fluid in beverage technology, such as brewery. The mash copper 1 comprises a side wall 2 and a bottom 6, In this instance the side wall has the exemplary shape of an outer cylindrical surface, but may also have other shapes. In the illustration in Fig. 1, the side wall 2 is shown in a broken-away condition in the front area to permit a look into the interior of the mash copper 1. The bottom 6 is conical and ends in the middle, directed downwards into an outlet 4. A side wall portion 5 is provided laterally next to the cone of the bottom 6. Said side wall portion may be provided for supporting the mash tub 1. Bottom 6 and side wall 2 form an interior 3 which is here the fluid area since said interior can be filled with mash. Both the side wall 2 and the bottom 6 are here configured as beatable contact surfaces, i.e. as heating surfaces. However, it is also possible that only the bottom 6 or only the side wall 2 is constructed as a heatable contact surface. It is also possible to provide heatable internal parts, such as internal wall elements and/or one or more heatable agitators, or the like. These may be provided instead of, or in addition to, the heatable bottom 6 and/or the heatable side wall 2. Supply means 8 are provided at the upper end of the side wall 2. Hot steam for the side wall 2 can be supplied via the supply means 8. The side wall 2 is double-walled (see Fig. 2) so that steam can pass from the supply means 8 into the space between the two walls of the side wall 2. The steam can flow downwards between the walls, thereby heating the side wall 2. Outlet means 10 for excessive steam or condensate are provided at the lower end of the side wall 2. Instead of hot steam, it is possible to provide any other heating means, such as high-pressure hot water. Fig. 1 shows annular interconnect points 11 a and linear interconnect points 11b between the two walls of the side wall 2 The bottom 6 is also double-walled. Interconnect points between the two walls of the bottom 6 are designated in Fig. 1 in a corresponding manner by 12a and 12b. Fig. 2 shows the apparatus of Fig. 1 in section. Additionally shown is here a blade 17 of an agitator. Said blade 27 is only shown by way of example and may also have any other appropriate shape. Moreover, the agitator need not comprise agitator blades, but may be equipped with any other appropriate means for moving the fluid. Instead of an agitator, a recirculating pump means may be provided for moving the fluid along the contact surface. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the side wall 2 and the bottom 6 are double-walled. The side wall 2 has an outer wall 2a and an inner wall 2b. The bottom 6 has an outer wall 6a and an inner wall 6b. The inner walls 2b and 6b have shapes in the form of waves, bubbles or bulges, whereby the inner walls 2b, 6b are made irregular. Such irregularities are formed between the interconnect points 11a, 11b, or 12a, 12b (see Fig. 1). Fig. 2 further shows supply means 14 and outlet means 16. Cavities 18 are located between the walls 2a and 2b of the side wall 2, the cavities being continuously interconnected so that steam can flow out of the supply means 8 through the cavities 18 to the outlet means 10. Likewise, cavities 19 are provided between the walls 6a and 6b so that steam can flow out of the supply means 14 into the cavities 19, and condensate/steam can pass from there into the outlet means 16. The supply means 14 could also be arranged further to the inside, being displaced along the cone downwardly. Likewise, the supply nozzles 8 could extend slightly further below because an adequate heat input into the upper end of the mash copper is still guaranteed in such a case. The uppermost end of the side wall 2 need not be heated completely because the mash copper 1 is never completely filled up to the uppermost end. Fig. 3 shows a section of the side wall 2. Annular interconnect points 1 1a and linear interconnect points 11 b connect the two walls 2a and 2b. The interconnect points 1 1a and 11 b are here arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern. Square or rectangular or other regular or irregular patterns are also possible. Instead of a combination of annular and linear interconnect points 1 1a, 1 1b, it would also be possible to provide only annular or only linear interconnect points 1 1a, 1 1b. Fig. 4 shows a segment of the bottom 6. Annular (12a) and linear interconnect lines 12b are here also shown. The linear interconnect points 1 1b, 12b are obliquely arranged relative to a tangential direction. During operation of the mash copper with an agitator the mash flows into the copper at a certain point in tangential direction (direction of movement). The interconnect lines 11 b, 12b are here arranged inclined to said direction of movement to induce a certain cross-flow component (directed at the bottom radially inwards or outwards and at the side wall in vertical direction). The interconnect points can be optimized for different requirements independently of one another thanks to the differently shaped interconnect points 1 1a, 1 1b, 12a, 12b. On the one hand, the interconnect points 11,12 have the function to hold the two walls together, which is achieved particularly well through annular interconnect points 1 1a, 12a. On the other hand, an elongate shape (1 1b, 12b) also permits the function of inducing a relative flow (see above). Both effects can be achieved at the same time through the simultaneous provision of two or more types of interconnect points. The side wall 2 and the bottom 6, however, can also be provided with only annular or only linear interconnect points 11 or 12. Moreover, instead of annular or linear interconnect points, it is also possible to provide oval, rectangular or otherwise shaped interconnect points. Thanks to oval and thus elongate interconnect points that are oriented accordingly, it is possible to achieve a high loadabilfty of the connections and the function of inducing a cross flow with one type of interconnect points. Figs. 5 and 6 show enlarged details of the side wall 2 where only annular interconnect points 11 are provided by way of example. Corresponding shapes become however equally apparent for other interconnect points. The side wall 1 has been turned by 90° in Figs. 5 and 6 in comparison with Figs. 1 and 2. Each of Figs. 5 and 6 shows a side wall 2 with a wall 2a and a wall 2b. The wall 2a is even or regular, whereas the wall 2b shows irregularities. At points 11 the wall 2b is connected to the wall 2a. The waits 2a and 2b tightly rest on each other at said points. The interconnect points 11 may e.g. be welds. These interconnect points 11 are preferably made annular to ensure a good and loadable connection between the walls 2a and 2b. Cavities 18 are provided between the interconnect points 11. The cavities are formed by irregularities contained in the side wall, which have the form of waves, bubbles or bulges. An irregular area is designated in Fig. 5 by reference numeral 20. The lines in Fig. 5 which extend between the interconnect point 11 in arcuate fashion just serve to illustrate the irregularities. They do however not represent as such any real element of the wall 2b. Fig. 6 shows the irregularities and the cavities 18 in a slightly enlarged form for reasons of illustration. As can be seen in Fig. 6, the wall thickness d2 of the wall 2b is smaller than the wall thickness di of the wall 2a. The wall 2b may e.g. have a thickness di of 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, or 5.0 mm to 2.0 mm, 2.5 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mm, 6.5 mm, 7.0 mm, 7.5 mm, 8.0 mm, 8.5 mm, 9.0 mm, 9.5 mm, or 10.0 mm. The wall 2a may have a thickness di of 0.5mm, 1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.0 mm, 2.5mm, 3.0 mm, 3.5 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, 6.0 mrn, 6.5 mm, 7.0 mm, 7.5 mm, 8.0 mm, 8.5 mm, 9.0 mm, 9.5 mm, 10.0 mm or 10.5 mm. Views, corresponding to those of Figs. 5 and 6, of the bottom element 6, as shown in Fig. 4, are as such very similar. A weldable material, such as stainless steel, is suited as a material for the walls 2a, 2b. The interconnect points 11 will then be welds. For forming the side wall 2 and the bottom 6 two plates of different thicknesses are welded to each other at the interconnect points 11 or 12. The edge portions of the two plates are welded in pressure-tight and preferably gap-free fashion to one another along the edges. Subsequently, the space between the two plates is acted upon with a pressurizing medium at a corresponding pressure, so that the thinner plate 2b will bulge outwards, as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6. The same is true for the elements of the bottom 6. Both side wall 2 and bottom 6 are advantageously composed of different segments, but may also consist of a single part. With the same configuration of the interconnect points 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b it is possible to produce bottom and side wall from the same tubular material. The heating rate is plotted in Fig, 7 as a function of the brew number for two cases. In the first case (lower line) a conventional mash copper has been used. It can be seen there how with a rising brew number the heating rate decreases from approximately 1°C per minute to less than 0.5°C per minute. The decrease in the heating rate is mainly due to the fact that mash residues get stuck to the surface, such residues preventing a heat transition (fouling). After the mash copper has been cleaned, the original heating rate of 1°C per minute is reached again. The second case shows the result of the heating rate as a function of the brew number for an embodiment of the present invention. The heating rate is here on the one hand much higher than in the first case (higher than 2°C per minute). It is however also evident that no decrease in the heating rate as a function of the brew number is observed. Cleaning cycles can therefore be carried out much less frequently or can possibly even be omitted altogether. We Claim: 1. An apparatus for heating a fluid, such as mash, wort or the like, in beverage technology, such as brewery, comprising : at least one beatable contact surface (2, 6) being provided for heating the fluid in a fluid area (3); characterized in that at least partly irregular areas (20) are provided on the contact surface (2, 6), the irregularities (20) are provided on a surface in contact with the fluid, the contact surface is double-walled, and the two walls (2a, 2b) are interconnected at a plurality of interconnect points (11 a, 11b, 12a, 12b) such that the irregularities (20) are located between the interconnect points (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b), viewed in a longitudinal and cross-section. 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the irregularities (20) are periodic in shape. 3. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims I to 2, wherein the irregularities (20) are provided on a bottom (6) and/or on a sidewall (2). 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim I, wherein a wall (2b) which is oriented towards the fluid area (3) is thinner than or as thick as the other wall (2a). 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim I, wherein a wall (2b, 6b) which is oriented towards the fluid area (3) is curved between the interconnect points (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) towards the fluid area (3). 6. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a wall (2a, 6a) which is oriented away from the fluid area (3) is even or regular. 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein two walls (2a, 2b, 6a, 6b) are interconnected at the interconnect points (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b) by welds.

Documents:

210-DEL-2006-Abstract-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-abstract.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Claims-(02-03-2009).pdf

210-DEL-2006-Claims-(09-03-2009).pdf

210-DEL-2006-Claims-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-claims.pdf

210-del-2006-complete specification (granted).pdf

210-del-2006-correpondence-others.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Correspondence-Others-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-description (complete).pdf

210-DEL-2006-Drawings-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-drawings.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Form-1-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-form-1.pdf

210-del-2006-form-18.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Form-2-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-form-2.pdf

210-del-2006-form-26.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Form-3-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-del-2006-form-3.pdf

210-del-2006-form-5.pdf

210-DEL-2006-Others-Document-(12-12-2008).pdf

210-DEL-2006-Petition-137-(12-12-2008).pdf