A testing apparatus is for a tank with a jacket having an internal wall shared with the tank and an external wall. The testing apparatus has an automated controller to perform tests even during use of the tanks in a production environment. There is supply system for delivering liquid at pressure above atmospheric to the jacket. The controller detects when the tank is filled to a level above the tank jacket height to create a higher pressure in the tank than is in the jacket. The controller monitors a parameter of the jacket to detect if there is a leak from the tank into the jacket. The parameter may be jacket pressure, arising after sealing the jacket, of flow via a venting valve as detected by a flow meter. A second test can be carried out irrespective of the level in the tank, be pressurising the jacket and monitoring it for a drop in pressure.
G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
A method of pasteurising a milk product includes integrated line purging, dwell time testing, and final purging. It is carried out by an apparatus (1) with a heater (12), a pump (13), a temperature sensor (24), a holding tube (15), conductivity sensors (CD1, CS2) at the start and end of the holding tube (15). and a controller (20). The method includes performing a dwell time test by pumping the product through the heater and then through the holding tube at an elevated temperature for a target dwell time period. The controller performs the dwell time test without interruption between initial purging of the line with water and the start of pasteurizing the product, the sensing being used by the controller to differentiate between water and the product. Als, it performs the dwell time test without interruption between completion of product pasteurizing and purging of the line with water at the end of pasteurizing the product, the sensing being used by the controller to differentiate between water and the product.
A23C 3/033 - Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
A23L 2/46 - Preservation of non-alcoholic beverages by heating
A23L 3/00 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
G01F 1/00 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
A heat exchanger apparatus has a heating stage with a product side and a hot water side and a cooling stage with a product side and a coolant side, and also regeneration stages with treated and un-treated product sides. There are valves including a cooling stage outlet valve, and pressure sensors, and pumps for pumping process liquid through the product sides. A PLC controller is programmed to operate the pumps with outlet valves closed to pressurize the product sides of the stages at a pressure dynamically maintained by control of the pumps in response to sensed pressure. The valves are controlled to firstly vent the heating and cooling sides of the heating and cooling stages with the product sides pressurized, and then in a second phase to vent the downstream (treated) product sides of regeneration stages. Also, an in-line holding time test is performed by monitoring time for step rises in temperature to reach a temperature sensor and the outlet end of a holding tube.
A23C 3/033 - Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
A23L 3/20 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport along plates
F28D 9/00 - Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
A23L 3/00 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
G01M 3/28 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipes, cables, or tubesInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for pipe joints or sealsInvestigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for valves
A23L 3/22 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus with transport through tubes
G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
A heat exchanger apparatus (1) has a heating stage (2) with a product side and a hot water side and a cooling stage (5) with a product side and a coolant side, and also regeneration stages (3, 4) with treated and un-treated product sides. There are valves (V2-V12) including a cooling stage outlet valve (V6), and pressure sensors (PT1, PT2, PT3, PT4), and pumps (P1, P2, P3) for pumping process liquid through the product sides. A PLC controller is programmed to operate the pumps with outlet valves closed to pressurise the product sides of the stages at a pressure dynamically maintained by control of the pumps in response to sensed pressure. The valves are controlled to firstly vent the heating and cooling sides of the heating and cooling stages with the product sides pressurised, and then in a second phase to vent the downstream (treated) product sides of regeneration stages (3, 4). Also, an in-line holding time test is performed by monitoring time for step rises in temperature to reach a temperature sensor (TT1B) and the outlet end of a holding tube (22).
A23C 3/033 - Preservation of milk or milk preparations by heating the materials being loose unpacked and progressively transported through the apparatus
A23L 3/18 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by heating loose unpacked materials while they are progressively transported through the apparatus
G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
A23L 3/00 - Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
The invention relates to the integrity testing of a heat exchanger (1) having a high-pressure section (2) and the low-pressure section (3). By using valves (5), (6), (11) and (12) it is possible to isolate the heat exchanger from the larger system or plant in which it is incorporated. Having isolated each section from the larger system the high-pressure section (2) is pressurised while maintaining the low-pressure section (3) at atmospheric pressure. Then after a preset time the pressure in the low-pressure section (3) is measured and if it has raised there is a leak. Similarly measuring a pressure drop in the high-pressure section (2) will provide the same result.
G01M 3/32 - Investigating fluid tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors for containers, e.g. radiators
patents
