Abstract: The invention deals with a process for the manufacture of a milk or whey product having a reduced spores and bacteria content, especially for the treatment of milk for the manufacture of standardized consumer milk or cheese milk and skim milk powder or whole milk powder. The invention enables the manufacture of the desired milk product using skim milk having a reduced content of microorganisms (spores and bacteria) relative to the prior art processes. Furthermore, the invention can be applied in connection with the manufacture of whey or pre-concentrated whey having a reduced spores and bacteria content.

Abstract: Liquid to be atomized is uniformly sprayed on the inner surface of a hollow rotating cylinder, for example by means of one- or two-fluid-nozzles and is thus distributed on apertures provided in the cylinder wall. The rotation of the cylinder causes the liquid to flow outwards through the apertures. Droplets are generated when the liquid flows out of the apertures by laminary decomposition of the jet. The flow rate in each aperture lies in the range 1.0<{dot over (V)}A (a3&rgr;5/&sgr;5)0.25<16 to prevent the droplets from becoming too large and to satisfy the condition of an adequate flow laminarity, i.e. for the value of the Reynolds Number for the continuous liquid flow in the apertures not to exceed Re&dgr; 400. {dot over (V)}A represents the flow rate of the liquid in each aperture, a represents the centrifugal acceleration at the outer surface of the cylinder, &rgr; represents the density of the liquid, and 8 indicates the surface tension of the liquid.

Abstract: In injection of steam, gas, liquid or a powdered or granulate product into a fluid in an injection apparatus having a substantially disc-shaped rotor (53), a product inlet (50) and a central product outlet (57), the injection is carried out in an annular injection zone above the disc-shaped rotor (53) at a distance from both the circumference and the center of the rotor (53). The fluid product which may be a liquid with considerable variation of dry solids content and viscosity is exposed to a radial displacement effect as well as a tangential dispersion effect.

Abstract: A process for extracting roasted and ground coffee in an extractor is presented. In this process, the coffee is wetted by a mixture of water at a temperature between 20.degree. and 100.degree. C. to obtain a water content 20-50% by weight. Then the wetted coffee is transferred to an oblong abstractor to essentially fill the extractor. After the coffee has been transferred, gasses and water vapor are evacuated from the extractor to obtain the pressure of between 600 millibar and a value corresponding to the vapor pressure of water at the temperature at which the wetted coffee obtained as a result of the initial pre-wetting process. While maintaining the extractor at this pressure, and without any further evacuation of gasses and water vapor, a hot aqueous extraction liquid is introduced at one end of the evacuated extractor to fill it. The extractor is maintained at temperatures above 100.degree. C. during this process.

Abstract: A fluid bed for producing and/or processing a particulate material, said bed comprising a container constituted by two convex parts, through which a perforated plate for supporting a fluidized particle layer is fixed. Nozzles for injection of a treatment liquid are provided in the perforated plate and above the plate filtering means are provided for removal of particles entrained by the fluidizing gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for the preparation of an agglomerated material from a powder or a liquid or both and having a trough-shaped fluidizing path, in the bottom part of which fluidization gas is blown in with an essential component directed towards the center line of the bottom of the path, gives a very advantageous material flow, which makes an effective agglomeration possible under attainment of superior product properties. The apparatus makes it possible by a process according to the invention to carry through the agglomeration with a particularly big powder humidity and a subsequent low re-humidification.

Abstract: In a spray drying and agglomerating process carried out in a spray drying chamber (1) having a conical lower section (3), in which chamber the liquid to be spray dried is atomized into a downward central stream of drying gas and the spent drying gas is withdrawn from non-central locations (5, 11) in the upper part of the drying chamber together with entrained fine particles, m the fine particles are recycled to the drying chamber by pneumatic injection thereof from a location in the lower part of the drying chamber and in one or more directions forming an angle of 0.degree.-90.degree. to the upward center axis of the chamber. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the process has the capability of performing the separation and recycling of the fine particles as specified.

Abstract: In a spray drying device with a drying chamber and at the bottom thereof a fluidized bed, which is maintained on a perforated plated, the fluidized layer is divided by means of separation means into two zones, of which only one is supplied with particles from the spray drying chamber, whereas the second zone is substantially supplied with particles only from the first zone and is designed for treatment of the particles while they pass through the zone in a flow without substantial back mixing. The device makes it possible to manufacture a product which without after-treatment, is substantially dustless and has the desired particle size distribution, degree of dampness and surface treatment. Furthermore, an improved exploitation of energy is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a particulate material containing an inflammable component, such as ethanol or another solvent, comprises a fluidized bed chamber with a perforated bed plate arranged therein. The particulate material may be fluidized on the bed plate by supplying fluidizing air upwardly through perforations in the bed plate. In order to reduce the risk of explosion in the fluidizing air after its passage through the fluidized bed formed on the bed plate, dilution gas is fed into the fluidized bed chamber. The dilution gas is introduced into the fluidized bed chamber at least at one position spaced from the side walls of the chamber and preferably located centrally within the fluidized bed chamber in order to obtain a substantially uniform mixing of the dilution gas with the fluidizing air including the inflammable component immediately above the fluidized bed. The explosion safe gas mixture may be discharged from the upper part of the processing chamber.

Abstract: In a drying or cooling chamber (1) having a mainly cylindrical upper section (2) joining an underlying mainly conical or frusto-conical lower section (3), an inlet (6) for processing gas is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical section (2) and an outlet (7) for the processing gas at the lower or upper end of the chamber. Deposition of products on the inner surfaces of the chamber is minimized by injection by nozzle means (8) of at least one jet of pressurized gas at a high flow velocity but a low flow rate compared to the flow velocity and the flow rate of the processing gas at a level of the cylindrical section (2) remote from the processing gas outlet (7) and at a point close to a circumferential wall (9) of the cylindrical section (2).

Abstract: A bed plate for a fluidized bed defines a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed openings therein for allowing fluidizing gas to flow upwardly through the plate. The openings are divided into pairs and directed and shaped so that the gas flows through the openings of each pair are directed in converging relationship, thereby to create a resultant flow component which is directed towards a discharging position of the fluidized bed. The desired resultant flow component may be obtained by properly selecting the direction and shape of the openings in each pair of openings. The gas flows through the openings in each pair may, for example, define an angle of 60.degree. to 120.degree. therebetween.

Abstract: In injection of steam, gas or liquid into a fluid product in an injection apparatus having a substantially disc-shaped rotor (5) and having a central product inlet (10) and a peripheral product outlet (11), the injection is carried out in a limited zone (13) above the disc-shaped rotor (5) at a distance from both said inlet (10) and said outlet (11), the fluid product being also exposed to a radial displacement effect and a tangential dispersion effect. The fluid product may be a liquid with considerable variation of dry solids content and viscosity. The injection apparatus comprises at least one cylindrical wall (7, 8) projecting upwards from the disc-shaped rotor (5), which wall projects between coaxial cylindrical walls (14, 15) projecting downwards from an overlying stator cover (9).

Abstract: A rotary atomizer a disc- or wheel-shaped atomizing device is secured to one end of a shaft which is connected with the rotor of a high frequency synchronous electric motor. The motor is operated at a rotational speed substantially higher than the first critical speed of the shaft and atomizing device. The shaft and the rotor of the high frequency motor are designed as one integral unit radially supported only by bearings at either end of a part of the shaft surrounded by the rotor.

Abstract: A bed plate (13) for a fluidized bed apparatus is made from a plate (23) from sheet metal and comprises openings (22) for fluidizing air or gas of the so-called "gill-type". In order to reduce or prevent fall-through of product, at least one of the edge portions (24,34) defining the opening (22) has been deformed so as to increase the extension thereof along the plane of the bed plate, and so as to thereby reduce or eliminate the orthographic projection on said plane of the opening (22). Such deformation may comprise compression and/or stretching. The edge portion or portions (24,34) are preferably deformed to such an extent that a partial overlap is obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying a moist particulate material having a nonuniform particle size with superheated steam, which apparatus comprises a cylindrical vessel (2) comprising a number of parallel, substantially vertical elongated chambers (6) located in ring form, one or more of the chambers (7) having a closed bottom and the remaining chambers having a steam-permeable bottom (8), wherein means for emitting flows of superheated steam substantially parallel to the chamber bottom (8) are located at the lowermost portion of at least some of the chambers (6) having steam-permeable bottoms (8).