System and method for continuous thermal treatment of a flowable product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021000143-A1
Application number	US-202017025182-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 18, 2020
Priority date	Apr 3, 2018
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

System and method for thermally treating a flowable product includes an apparatus comprising a waveguide for providing electromagnetic energy, a conduit for receiving a flowable material, and an applicator for delivering electromagnetic energy from a generator to the waveguide. The waveguide includes first and second arms that each comprise an output that is isolated from the output of the other arm by a phase shift, such that any reflected electromagnetic energy exits the arm through the input port and does not flow into the opposing arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for thermally treating a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:
a waveguide defined by first and second arms that extend in opposing directions, wherein each arm comprises a termination end that includes a reflector plate and a port for allowing a conduit to pass therethrough; a conduit for receiving a flowable material, wherein the conduit passes through the first and second arms and wherein at least a portion of the conduit is transparent to electromagnetic energy; a multi-port applicator junction that delivers electromagnetic energy to the first and second arms of the waveguide; and a generator for providing electromagnetic energy to the multi-port applicator junction through an input port; wherein each waveguide arm includes an output that is isolated from the output of the other arm and optionally includes a phase shift, such that any reflected electromagnetic energy exits the arm through the input port.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms of the waveguide are about the same length.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arms of the waveguide are of unequal lengths.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the phase shift is approximately 180 degrees.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic energy is microwave energy.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-port applicator junction comprises the input port that receives electromagnetic energy, a first output port that delivers electromagnetic energy to the first arm, a second output port that delivers electromagnetic energy to the second arm, and an end port.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input port is perpendicular to the first and second arms.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the multi-port applicator junction is configured to deliver electromagnetic energy entering the input port equally between the first and second arms.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the conduit that is transparent to electromagnetic energy is constructed from one or more ceramic materials, glass, or polymeric materials.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the conduit that is transparent to electromagnetic energy is approximately 50-100 percent transparent.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the conduit passing through the first arm has a first microwave transparency, and a portion of the conduit passing through the second arm has a second microwave transparency that is different from the first microwave transparency.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a control device for maintaining a constant flow rate of product through the conduit.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material is a biomaterial.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the biomaterial is a food product.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flowable material is not subjected to a heated surface.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , configured to control and deliver unequal electromagnetic energy density to the first and second arms of the waveguide.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein delivery of the unequal electromagnetic energy density occurs in real time.

18 . An apparatus for thermally treating a flowable material, the apparatus comprising:
a waveguide defined by first and second arms that extend in opposing directions, wherein each arm comprises a termination end that includes a reflector plate and a port for allowing a conduit to pass therethrough; a conduit for receiving a flowable material, wherein the conduit passes through the first and second arms and wherein at least a portion of the conduit is transparent to electromagnetic energy; a multi-port applicator junction that delivers electromagnetic energy to the first and second arms of the waveguide; and a generator for providing electromagnetic energy to the multi-port applicator junction through an input port; wherein each waveguide arm includes an output that is isolated from the output of the other arm and optionally includes a phase shift, such that any reflected electromagnetic energy exits the arm through an exit port different from the input port.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the multi-port applicator junction comprises the input port that receives electromagnetic energy, a first output port that delivers electromagnetic energy to the first arm, a second output port that delivers electromagnetic energy to the second arm, and the exit port.

20 . A method of thermally treating a flowable material, the method comprising:
passing the flowable material as a continuous stream through a thermal treatment apparatus comprising:
a waveguide defined by first and second arms that extend in opposing directions, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises a termination end that includes a reflector plate and a port for allowing a conduit to pass therethrough;
a conduit for receiving a flowable material that passes through the first and second arms, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is transparent to electromagnetic energy;
a multi-port applicator junction that delivers electromagnetic energy to the first and second arms of the waveguide; and
a generator for providing electromagnetic energy to the multi-port applicator junction through an input port;
wherein each waveguide arm includes an output that is isolated from the output of the other waveguide arm by a phase shift, such that any reflected electromagnetic energy exits the waveguide arm through an exit port different from the input port;
initiating the generator to provide electromagnetic energy to the input port of the multi-port applicator junction, wherein the electromagnetic energy travels to the first and second arms of the waveguide, and wherein the portion of the conduit that is transparent to electromagnetic energy is thereby exposed to electromagnetic energy such that the flowable material is thermally treated.

Assignees

• Sinnovatek Inc
• Univ North Carolina State

Inventors

• Druga Michael
• Simunovic Josip
• Kenner Thomas
• Giunta Steven

Classifications

• A23B2/08 Primary

  using microwaves or dielectric heating · CPC title

• H05B6/802

  for heating fluids (methods of heating fluids in conventional microwave ovens H05B6/687) · CPC title

• H05B6/707

  using waveguides · CPC title

• H05B6/701

  using microwave applicators · CPC title

• C11B9/02

  Recovery or refining of essential oils from raw materials · CPC title