Abstract: In plate heat exchangers the dismantling of the pack of plates is a lengthy job which normally has to be carried out in situ. A plate heat exchanger has a frame including a head (3), a supporting pillar (7) and a movable follower (4) mounted on a top rail (2) extending between the head (3) and pillar (7) which also carries the plate pack (1). In accordance with the invention, the top rail (2) is readily releasable therefrom by bolts (13) whereby the whole plate pack (1) may be lifted clear of the frame. The follower (4) may be temporarily accommodated on the supporting pillar (7) by clamping means (10) and the roller (5) removed. The top rail may be provided with means for attachment of lifting shackles (11).

Abstract: In the gasketing of plate heat exchangers, it has long been conventional for a compressible elastomer gasket to be secured in a gasket recess by means of an adhesive. In accordance with the invention, it is proposed that a gasket should be in two parts, namely a relatively hard outer part which is secured by adhesive or otherwise to a plate, and a soft sealing part which is received in a gasket recess defined in part by the outer part and is mechanically retained by the outer part so that it can be comparatively easily installed and removed.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger of large dimensions the frame members, such as the head and follower, become very heavy and bulky so manufacture and handling becomes matters of difficulty. In accordance with the present invention a head (4) or follower (12) of a plate heat exchanger frame is made-up from separate slabs (5, 6, 7 or 13, 14, 15 respectively). A range of heat exchangers may then have common standard upper and lower slabs and either no intermediate slab or a selected one or more of a range of intermediate slabs.

Abstract: In a batch method for the heat treatment of particular solid material, especially food materials, the vessel in which the heat treatment takes place is essentially a jacketed pressure vessel (1) in which the material is tumbled while being heated, and in order to obtain an increase in throughput the solids and cooking liquor are removed to a second vessel (2) after cooling. In the second tumbling vessel there is a reversible strainer (12) which is used in the position illustrated to separate the liquor from the solids and then inverted after withdrawal of the liquor so that they may be blended with a different liquor, such as a sauce, introduced via a line (14).

Abstract: When plate heat exchangers are used with hazardous fluids the gasketing at the periphery may be replaced by welding the plates in pairs, with elastomeric gaskets between adjacent packs of plates. However, it is still necessary to have a gasket around the through holes (6) for the hazardous medium to seal them from the other medium. In accordance with the present invention, these gaskets are of duplex form (8, 9) with a sealed space (11) between the gasketing. In order to detect leakage into the sealed space a diluent fluid may be circulated through the sealed spaces and a detector, refer to FIG. 2.

Abstract: In a plate heat exchanger, particularly with a large number of plates in a pass, one of the problems is the port losses arising from uneven distribution between the flow spaces in the pass. In accordance with the present invention in order to divert flow away from the inlet and outlet end of a U arrangement pass, there is provided in the inlet duct a distribution (9) in the form of a tube (12) having external fins (15) an external annulus (17) and a flow straightening extension (18) mounted on locating rods (13a). In the discharge duct there is provided a collector (11) also in the form of tubes having an inlet aperture (23) and an external annulus (22).

Abstract: A problem with plate heat exchangers, particularly with a large number of plates arranged in Z formation is the maldistribution which give rise to partial starvation of the flow spaces (3) nearer the inlet end. It is intended to combat this by the provision of a distributor insert (9) in the inlet duct and, if necessary, a collector insert (20) in the discharge duct. The distributor (9) is intended to encourage flow into the flow spaces nearer the inlet end and to inhibit flow into those remote from the inlet end. The collector (20) is intended to increase the local flow velocity near the inlet end to reduce the pressure gradient due to the momentum effect.Refer to FIG. 2.

Abstract: For the purposes of corrosion protection of plate heat exchangers formed particularly of stainless steel or titanium, it is proposed to use anodic protection. To this end, in a plate heat exchanger comprising a pack of gasketted metal plates having aligned apertures to form supply and discharge ports for the heat exchange media, there is provided at least one electrode mounted in a manner to be insulated from the metal of the plates and extending along one of the ports formed by the aligned apertures.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger comprising a separable pack of gasketed plates defining flow spaces between the plates and having port-forming apertures, the apertures in communication with the flow spaces being provided in the zones of communication with castellated strips to provide interplate support in the region of the gasket sealing the ports from the adjacent flow spaces, and the said sealing gaskets being housed in grooves having spaced reinforcing recesses on at least one wall, each said reinforcing recess being supported by a castellation of the strip and the spacing of the reinforcing recesses being such that one or more castellations is located between each pair of recess-supporting castellations. The invention further extends to single plates of such a pack.

Abstract: A plate for a plate heat exchanger, the said plate including a principal heat exchange zone, a pattern of corrugations in the heat exchange zone, the said pattern of corrugations being adapted to cross and abut with a corresponding pattern of corrugations on a plate of a similar type to provide interplate support and turbulence in liquid flowing in a flow space formed by two said plates, in which the corrugations are locally increased in stiffness adjacent the intended points of abutment with the corrugations of an adjacent plate by varying the cross-section to increase the curvature at these locations.

Abstract: Apparatus for preparing sterilized particulate solid materials, comprising a sterilizing vessel mounted on hollow trunnions for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and shaped so as to provide a tumbling action on the solid material therein as it rotates, a fluid inlet leading via one of the hollow trunnions, a discharge valve at a point remote from the axis of rotation leading into a solids discharge duct passing out via one of the hollow trunnions, and a supply line for cleaning and sterilizing fluids passing via one of the hollow trunnions, whereby the discharge duct may be cleaned and sterilized in preparation for discharge while the vessel is rotating.

Abstract: A sealed pump having a rotor and a stator and including an electromagnetic system comprising magnet means and a coil mounted on the rotor and stator and arranged such that a voltage is induced in the coil when the rotor rotates eccentrically, with the said voltage depending on the eccentricity.

Abstract: In the process for the concentration of volatiles-bearing products by a low-temperature, short-time, multi-effect evaporation method, a forward feed of the product and vapor occurs so that at least from a given stage of evaporation, each subsequent stage of evaporation is carried out at a lower temperature. The volatile constituents, removed with the vapor from one or more effects and subsequently condensed and recovered, are combined with the partially concentrated product before a final stage or stages of evaporation at a temperature lower than that at which they were originally distilled off. Thus a more highly volatile fraction is again removed with the vapor in the said final stage or stages of evaporation.