Abstract: A plate evaporator comprises several heat exchange plates arranged substantially vertically in spaced face-to-face relationship to define between the plates evaporation passages alternating with heating medium passages. An increasing cross-sectional area and a decreasing perimeter of the evaporation passages are achieved by so arranging the two heat transfer surfaces of adjacent plates defining an evaporation passage that they diverge from each other in the flow direction of the medium to be evaporated and by decreasing the width of said heat transfer surfaces in said direction.

Abstract: In a plate evaporator, a tube (8) is removably inserted through aligned openings in the heat exchange plates (3). The interior of the tube (8) communicates with an inlet (4) for evaporation liquid, situated at one side of the plate package, and also communicates with every second plate interspace by way of distribution holes (10) in the tube wall. The tube may contain a piston (15-16) movable to adjust the capacity of the evaporator.

Abstract: A device for changing the number of part streams of a flowing medium comprises a tube (7) with a plurality of holes (11) through the tube wall and a piston (12) displaceable in the tube (7). By means of said piston (12) the interior of the tube can be divided such that a desirable number of holes (11) communicate with a first compartment (13) in the tube intended to be through-flowed by a medium. Through a second compartment (14) in the tube there is extending a piston rod (15) connected with the piston (12). For the change of the number of holes (7) communicating with said first compartment (13), at least one of a determined number of sleeve members (19-21), which are removably applied around the piston rod (15), is arranged to change place on the piston rod between a position within the tube (7) and a position axially outside the tube (7).

Abstract: A plate evaporator of the rising film type and/or the falling film type comprises several heat exchange plates essentially vertically arranged in spaced face-to-face relationship to define evaporation passages alternating with heating medium passages. Evaporation passages with increasing cross-sectioned area and decreasing perimeter in the flow direction of the feed liquid are formed by providing adjacent plates encompassing one evaporation passage with bulges (for example, ridges) which bulges, compared with imaginary planar plates, entail reduced volume of the evaporation passages. The size of said bulges (that is, the volume-reducing effect of said bulges) is gradually reduced in the flow direction of the medium to be evaporated. Thus, the cross-sectional area of the evaporation passages is increased while their perimeter is reduced in said direction.

Abstract: Annular concentric jets of steam and a liquid to be sterilized, respectively, are contacted with each other in a jet nozzle; and the resulting annular jet of steam-heated liquid is swept along both its inside and its outside by two additional annular jets of cold liquid concentric to the first-mentioned jets, thereby preventing material from the liquid to be sterilized from burning onto surfaces of the jet nozzle.

Abstract: Inlet conduits supply different liquids under pressure to a measuring unit which delivers measured quantities of the respective liquids to a common outlet conduit for the desired liquid mixture. To counteract variations in the flow rate of the mixture in the outlet conduit due to operation of the measuring unit, the inlet conduit for one of the liquids and the outlet conduit for the liquid mixture are connected to respective chambers containing a movable dividing member subjected to opposing pressures in the two chambers. When the flow rate decreases in the outlet conduit, the resulting pressure drop in the outlet chamber connected to this conduit causes the constant pressure in the other chamber to move the dividing member into the outlet chamber and thereby expel liquid mixture therefrom so as to compensate for the decreased flow rate in the outlet conduit.