Hydro-Thermal Corporation

James C Zaiser

Sean O'Rear

Kurt R Schreib

Robert Bourdo, Ii

Lee Richard Van Dixhorn

Scott G Lucas

Gary C Zaiser

Justin Widiker

Vineet Barot

Thomas Muenster

Fredrick L Kottke

Sean O'rear

A direct contact steam injection heater that allows shear to be adjusted by modifying a lateral position of a movable combining tube. The movable combining tube includes a rack on an outer surface of the combining tube that engages a movable lever arm of an adjustment mechanism. The pivoting movement of the lever arm moves the combining tube in a lateral direction to adjust the shear in the product being heated. The combining tube is supported in a housing by a pair of lateral bushings and a pair of end seals prevent product from entering the combining tube housing. The lever arm is coupled to a worm gear shaft such that rotation of the worm gear shaft creates pivoting movement of the lever arm and lateral movement of the combining tube.

Sanitary direct contact steam injection heater

A cooking system for cooking a product flow utilizing steam. A supply of steam is provided at a supply pressure that is regulated by a control unit to a regulated pressure. The supply of steam is provided to a plurality of steam injection cookers which are positioned within a product supply pipeline that receives a product flow. The product flow is cooked as the product flow passes through the product supply pipeline and the plurality of cookers. Each of the steam injection cookers includes a steam modulator that controls the amount of steam injected. By regulating the steam pressure and the steam modulator, the control unit can modify the amount of shear created within the product flow and control the temperature of the fluid. The cooking system further includes a clean-in-place system that can inject a cleaning solution into the steam supply pipeline and the plurality of steam injection cookers.

Method and system to decouple steam pressure from temperature to control shear imparted on product flow

A direct contact steam injection heater that includes a stem plug that is rotatable over 360&#xb0;. The stem plug is connected to an actuator that is operable to rotate the stem plug over 360&#xb0; of rotation during both the heating function of the steam injection heater and during a clean-in-place process. The stem plug includes a regulating head having a pair of sealing inserts formed on each of a pair of sealing faces. The sealing inserts are biased outward into contact with an inner surface that includes the steam injection nozzles. As the regulating head rotates between a closed position and an open position, the nozzles are exposed to allow steam to flow into the product being heated. The regulating head further includes a pair of foils. During the clean-in-place operation, the foils create a turbulent flow of cleaning liquid within the steam chamber.

Steam injection heater with integrated cleaning mechanism

A system and method for generating wort utilizing steam injection heating and stratified flow. The system mixes a fine ground grain with water to form a slurry. The slurry is pumped through a steam injection heater to form a mash. The heated mash enters into a stratified vessel that creates a stratified temperature profile from a first end to a second end. The stratified heating vessel allows the mash to flow from the first end to the second end without internal mixing. After retention within the mash coil, the wort is directed to a mash filtration unit. After filtration, the wort enters into a boil kettle and is heated using a second steam injection heater. The boil kettle includes a spray head that directs brewing liquor onto the wort to reduce foam within the boil kettle. Finally, the wort passes through a scraped surface sieve that removes particles from the heated wort.

System for wort generation

A method and system of depressurizing a molecular sieve used in ethanol production is shown and described. The method and system utilizes a vapor mixing condenser that receives a vapor sieve feed from the molecular sieve during the depressurization cycle. The vapor from the molecular sieve during the pressurization cycle is used to heat the 190-proof product flow. The heated product flow is diverted directly to the 190-proof product vaporizer, which increases the input product flow temperature to the vaporizer, thereby reducing the amount of heat needed to vaporize the 190-proof product flow. The reduction in heat needed reduces energy costs and increases equipment life.

Molecular sieve depressurization system utilizing a low pressure inductor type vapor condenser

A nozzle design for diffusing high pressure steam into by flowing process fluid of substantially lower pressure while reducing the noise intensity generated. The injection nozzles include an opening having a first diameter to receive steam and a second diameter to inject the steam into a flow of liquid. The diameters of the first and second openings can vary relative to each other to enhance the flow characteristics of the steam or other gas being injected into a flow of liquid. The outer surface of a diffuser tube is coated with an insulating material, such as plastic. In alternate embodiments, the orientation of the injection holes can be angled either upstream or downstream to further enhance mixing characteristics of the steam.

Fluid diffusing nozzle design

A radial flow steam injection heater that injects a selected amount of steam into a product flow to heat the product flow. The steam injection heater includes a mixing tube that receives the product flow to be heated. The mixing tube includes a series of steam injection holes that are positioned within a steam chamber defined by the heater body. Pressurized steam within the steam chamber flows into the mixing tube in a direction transverse to the flow axis through the steam injection holes. A regulating member is selectively movable relative to the mixing tube to expose the steam injection holes to the steam chamber to control the amount of steam utilized to heat the product flow.

Growing community of inventors

Elm Grove, WI, United States of America

James C Zaiser