Patents Assigned to Alfa Laval AB
  • Patent number: 4589480
    Abstract: Plate heat exchanger having mainly rectangular plates mounted in a frame. According to the invention the plates (6, 8) are arranged in at least two groups, the plates having port holes of one size being arranged in one group, while plates having port holes of another size are arranged in another group, the plate group having the largest port holes being arranged closest to the inlet (3) while a plate group having smaller port holes (9) is arranged further away from the inlet (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1986
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Arthur J. Dahlgren
  • Patent number: 4586565
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1986
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Bengt Hallstrom, Olle Olsson, Ulf Bolmstedt, Bjorn-Olow Johansson
  • Patent number: 4556574
    Abstract: A method for improving the whipping properties of cream by the addition of a fraction of buttermilk to the cream is disclosed. A concentrate is produced by ultrafiltration of buttermilk, which concentrate is made acid to a pH lower than 4.0, preferably 3.8. This concentrate is mixed with cream with a desired fat content in an amount of 5-15%. The obtained mixture is neutralized and thereafter treated in a desired manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Kenneth Andersson, Per Pihl
  • Patent number: 4552775
    Abstract: A high quality animal feed stuff is produced by thermal dewatering of liquid stillage obtained from fermentation of grain raw material and distillation of the fermentation product. The liquid stillage is mixed with particles of already dewatered product and the mixture is granulated in a granulation device to form essentially spherical granules with a dry substance content of 50-70% by weight, the major part of the granules having a particle diameter in the range of 2-6 mm, whereafter the granules are dried by being conveyed as a porous bed in a controlled path in contact with hot gas of a temperature less than 100.degree. C., and whereafter a part of the dried granules with a desired particle size are discharged and the remaining part of the granules after possible disintegration are recirculated to the granulation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Assignees: Alfa-Laval AB, Svenska Lantmannens Riksforbund, Forening u.p.a
    Inventors: Peter Baeling, Lars Ehnstrom
  • Patent number: 4542034
    Abstract: A method for heat treating a continuous flow of milk. Within a short period of time after milking the animal the still-warm milk is preheated in a regenerative heat exchanger. The preheated milk is then heated to, preferably, a pasteurization temperature. The heated milk is maintained at the pasteurization temperature for a required pasteurization time and is then passed through the regenerative heat exchanger to preheat the newly collected milk. The pasteurized milk, its temperature lowered by passage through the regenerative heat exchanger, is the preferably cooled before passing into a cooled storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Olaf Aule, Tommy Noren
  • Patent number: 4534570
    Abstract: A sealing ring (5) which is intended to seal between two relative to each other axially movable parts (2, 7) of the rotor of a centrifugal separator, and which has edges bevelled such that it can be impressed in its sealing surface only when the recesses formed by the bevelling have been filled up by material from the sealing ring as a result of plastic deformation of the latter by compression between the rotor parts (2, 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Jan Munde
  • Patent number: 4532144
    Abstract: In a process for continuous production of meat meal and fat from an animal raw material by indirect boiling (1) of the raw material and separation (1) of the boiled material partly into solid material, which is dried (2), and partly in stick water, which is partly evaporated (16) and is discharged from the plant or is dried, the novelty consists in the fact that a so called back pressure turbine (6) is operated, the back pressure steam (8) being utilized for boiling (1) and drying (2), while the turbine (6) is allowed to drive a mechanical compressor (7), which compresses steam (23), that is discharged from an expansion vessel (16) in which said stick water (4) is evaporated by stripping, the compressed steam (24) being utilized for heating of the stick water, circulating in a circuit, comprising said expansion vessel (16) and a heat exchanger (25).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Borje Vernet
  • Patent number: 4522920
    Abstract: A flow of fermenting liquor from a fermentor is separated into a yeast concentrate flow, which is recirculated to the fermentor, and a yeast-free flow which is separated in a simple evaporator unit into a first ethanol-enriched vapor flow and a first liquid bottom flow. The first vapor flow is treated to produce the desired ethanol while a major part of the first liquid bottom flow is recirculated to the fermentor. A minor, residual part of the latter flow is fed to a stripping unit where it is separated into a second ethanol-enriched vapor flow and a second liquid bottom flow exhausted of ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Conny R. Thorsson, Indrek J. Viira
  • Patent number: 4515823
    Abstract: A process for separation of raw milk by centrifugal separation into cream, which is cooled in a first heat exchanger, and into skim milk which is heated to pasteurization and cooled by regenerative heat exchange in a second heat exchanger, is described. The characteristic feature is that the feed of raw milk is separated into two part streams, of which the first is heated in the second heat exchanger to separation temperature, while the second part stream is heated in the first heat exchanger and is then combined with the first part stream and centrifugally separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1983
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Bernd R. G. Kirschenmann
  • Patent number: 4511591
    Abstract: Fat product which is spreadable at refrigerator temperature and contains 35-55% fat, 4-7% protein and 41-58% water. The protein has been obtained from an ultra-filtrated milk product, at which the fat product after mixing the protein concentrate with the fat raw material and homogenization of the fat spheres consists of a stable oil-in-water emulsion. The emulsion is stabilized by the milk protein. The fat product is free from additives in the form of stabilizing agents and emulsifiers. The method to manufacture the fat product is seen from the attached flow-chart, which shows the steps in the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Kenneth L. Andersson
  • Patent number: 4508058
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of milking loose-housing cows which find their way individually to one or more feeding stalls where they are automatically identified and fed with the aid of a computer connected to the identification and feeding means.The new feature resides in that the computer is used for recording of the points of time each cow is milked and to activate a device, in connection with the identification of a cow arriving at the feeding stall to eat, and provided that a predetermined time has passed after the preceding milking operation, which device is activated for automatic application of the milking means to the cow's udder and for starting a milking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Sten Jakobson, Karl Rabold
  • Patent number: 4503970
    Abstract: A roller device for roller trains or roller conveyors has a unit consisting of one side face of a load-carrying roller and a supporting shaft projecting from said side face and being non-rotatably connected to the load-carrying roller and adapted to support a drive pulley which is intended to be driven by a belt, chain or the like and can be passed on to the supporting shaft with any one of its ends facing said side face of the roller and which at one of said ends has coupling means adapted, when the drive pulley is mounted on the supporting shaft with one end facing said side face of the roller, to engage coupling means on the unit so as to provide a non-rotatable engagement between the drive pulley and the load-carrying roller, said drive pulley, at its other end, being so designed that when the drive pulley is mounted on the supporting shaft with the opposite end facing said side face of the roller, it comes clear of the coupling means of the unit and is rotatable on the supporting shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Kjell Andersson
  • Patent number: 4500322
    Abstract: An apparatus for regulation feed for gas consumption from a source with a variable gas production. The apparatus is characterized by two chambers (1, 2). These communicate in their lower parts with each other. At least the first chamber (1) is closed in its upper end. The lower part of the chambers (1, 2) is provided with a gas inlet (3) from said source for gas production and a gas outlet (5) to said consumer. In the second chamber (2) there is provided a means (15) regulated by the liquid level for starting and shutting off the gas consumer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1985
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Bert S. Wikholm
  • Patent number: 4483272
    Abstract: A teat cup for a milking machine is provided with a liner (3) arranged within the teat cup and with connections (4, 5) for pulsating vacuum and milk transport vacuum. The teat cup has also a valve means in its lower part, which valve means is arranged to open and close a connection between the inner of the teat cup and the milk flow line.The valve means is arranged such that when the valve body is in the position where the connection is open, the through flow for the milk is unobstructed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Guido A. Tonelli
  • Patent number: 4479426
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of closing, compressing and opening filter presses for membrane filters with a stationary upper yoke (7) and a lower yoke (6) movable on vertical press columns (2) and has for its object to improve the service and buildup of such membrane filter presses. This is achieved according to the invention by a method in which a loose lifting tool (10) is fitted under the movable yoke (6) and set in operation, whereby the yokes and the press plates situated therebetween are pressed against each other whereupon the movable yoke (6) is locked in the position taken and, upon opening of the press, is released whereupon the lifting tool is set out of operation and is removed.An apparatus for carrying out the method is characterized in that, between the movable yoke (6) and an abutment (4) there is an interspace (14) in which a lifting tool (10) can be placed and set in operation or out of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Lars Olenfalk
  • Patent number: 4478156
    Abstract: A stackable load carrier for transporting and furnishing objects comprises an open-top box-like member which has a side wall and a bottom from which there extends downwardly a frame having, on the one hand, two opposed similar open recesses extending from the lower edge surface of the frame substantially up to the bottom and adapted to permit the insertion of at least one fork of a hand-lift truck or the load-carrying part of a sack trolley underneath the bottom, and, on the other, two opposed similar windows laterally spaced apart from the recesses and arranged to permit the insertion of at least one fork of a fork-lift truck or the load-carrying part of a sack trolley underneath the bottom. One or more shoulders or projections disposed on the outer side of the side wall or the frame above or on a level with the upper edge of the windows are arranged for abutting engagement with the lower frame edge surface of another load carrier telescopically stacked on the first load carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Kjell Andersson
  • Patent number: 4460687
    Abstract: A continuous process for producing ethanol by fermenting carbohydrate containing feed stocks at atmospheric pressure in a fermentor, in which a fermentation liquor stream is withdrawn from the fermentor, a yeast concentrate is recovered from said stream both recycled to the fermentor and the yeast-free remainder treated to remove ethanol and leave a stillage stream, a large portion of which is recycled to the fermentor, enabling high concentration of fermentable material to be supplied to the fermentor and reducing the amount of water required for the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa Laval AB
    Inventor: Lars K. J. Ehnstrom
  • Patent number: 4460014
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a non-mixing valve intended for sealing between two conduits and comprising two mutually movable valve bodies which are disposed to realize a double seal against the seats located in an opening between the conduits. A leakage chamber is disposed between the two valve bodies for draining-off leakage between the conduits. The seal on the one valve body consists of an axial seal, and the seal on the other valve body cosists of a radial seal. Furthermore, the valve bodies, of which the one is disposed to accommodate the end of the other, are of such configuration as to balance pressure and pressure hammers in the conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Per E. Mases, Gunnar Lundquist, Harry Nyqvist, Torsten Carlsson
  • Patent number: 4454094
    Abstract: An indicator is disclosed, which is intended for detecting at least one test substance in a test medium, comprising a carrier and a reaction system consisting of at least a first reactant and a second reactant, applied separately on the carrier, said first reactant being intended to travel by diffusion to the second reactant through a parth in the carrier, soaked by the test medium, while reacting with the test substance.The indicator is characterized in that the first reactant is applied within at least one limited locality, while the second reactant is applied within at least one locality, on a varying distance from the locality of the first reactant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Karl T. Bjorling, Ann-Marie M. S. Gronberg
  • Patent number: D275047
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Kjell S. Andersson