Patents by Inventor Bengt Palm
Bengt Palm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9776138Abstract: A membrane filtration device comprising: a retentate plate, a permeate plate, and a membrane sandwiched between the retentate plate and the permeate plate, wherein the retentate plate comprises at least one feed channel extending from a distribution manifold, and at least one drain channel extending from a collection manifold, wherein a feed channel is fluidly connected to a drain channel via through-holes extending from a first side of the retentate plate, from a feed channel, to an opposing second side of the retentate plate, and through-holes extending from the second side of the retentate plate to the first side of the retentate plate, into a drain channel, wherein ridges extend from the retentate plate and/or the permeate plate for supporting the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.Inventors: Fredrik Innings, Tomas Skoglund, Jeanette Lindau, Bengt Palm
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Publication number: 20160271563Abstract: A membrane filtration device comprising: a retentate plate, a permeate plate, and a membrane sandwiched between the retentate plate and the permeate plate, wherein the retentate plate comprises at least one feed channel extending from a distribution manifold, and at least one drain channel extending from a collection manifold, wherein a feed channel is fluidly connected to a drain channel via through-holes extending from a first side of the retentate plate, from a feed channel, to an opposing second side of the retentate plate, and through-holes extending from the second side of the retentate plate to the first side of the retentate plate, into a drain channel, wherein ridges extend from the retentate plate and/or the permeate plate for supporting the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2014Publication date: September 22, 2016Applicant: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.Inventors: Fredrik INNINGS, Tomas SKOGLUND, Jeanette LINDAU, Bengt PALM
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Patent number: 7985019Abstract: A method and an apparatus for continuously mixing two flows, a first, larger flow and a second, smaller flow. The second flow is introduced counter-directed into the first flow. The apparatus comprises a T pipe where a first connection constitutes an inlet for the first flow. A second connection, at 180° in relation to the first connection, constitutes an inlet for the second flow. The second flow is led into the first flow through a conduit within the T pipe. The first connection is provided with a conical portion in which are provided a number of holes, so that the first flow is throttled and divided up into a plurality of subflows immediately before the mixing operation. A third connection is oriented at 90° in relation to the other connections and constitutes an outlet for the intermixed flows, which implies that the intermixed flows are caused to change direction immediately after the mixing.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2004Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SAInventors: Eric Lundgren, Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 7322283Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus in an infuser for a liquid food product. The infuser is of the type which includes a pressure vessel (1) with an inlet (2) for the product located in its upper region and an outlet (6) for the product located in its lower region. In the product inlet (2) there is a device for dividing the product entering into the pressure vessel (1) into small droplets. The infuser also includes an inlet (8) for steam. The steam inlet (8) is disposed so that steam enters into the upper region of the pressure vessel (1) through a concentric distribution chamber (9). The distribution chamber (9) is defined by the wall (10) of the pressure vessel (1), a guide plate (11) and at least one foraminated plate (12).Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2003Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventors: Bengt Palm, Roland Ringström
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Publication number: 20070153625Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus (1) for continuously mixing two flows, a first, larger flow (2) and a second, smaller flow (3). The second flow (3) is introduced counter-directed into the first flow (2). The apparatus (1) comprises a T pipe (4) where a first connection (6) constitutes an inlet (20) for the first flow. A second connection (7), at 180° in relation to the first connection (6), constitutes an inlet (21) for the second flow (3). The second flow (3) is led into the first flow (2) through a conduit (13) within the T pipe (4). The first connection (6) is provided with a conical portion (10) in which are provided a number of holes (12), so that the first flow (2) is throttled and divided up into a plurality of subflows immediately before the mixing operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2004Publication date: July 5, 2007Applicant: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE SAInventors: Eric Lundgren, Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6955340Abstract: The invention relates to a variable steam injector of the type which has an injector housing (1) with an inlet (2) for the product which is to be heated and an outlet (3) for the heated product. The injector housing (1) also has an inlet (4) for steam. The injector also includes a thick-walled pipe (5) enclosed in the injector housing (1). The thick-walled pipe (5) is provided with a large number of throughgoing holes which form radial ducts (9). Further, there is a product pipe (11) within the thick-walled pipe (5) and which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the pipe (5).Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2001Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Publication number: 20050204926Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus in an infuser for a liquid food product. The infuser is of the type which includes a pressure vessel (1) with an inlet (2) for the product located in its upper region and an outlet (6) for the product located in its lower region. In the product inlet (2) there is a device for dividing the product entering into the pressure vessel (1) into small droplets. The infuser also includes an inlet (8) for steam. The steam inlet (8) is disposed so that steam enters into the upper region of the pressure vessel (1) through a concentric distribution chamber (9). The distribution chamber (9) is defined by the wall (10) of the pressure vessel (1), a guide plate (11) and at least one foraminated plate (12).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2003Publication date: September 22, 2005Inventors: Bengt Palm, Roland Ringstrom
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Patent number: 6792896Abstract: The invention relates to a holding tube for a heat treatment plant using injection heating. The holding tube includes a first, fixed section consisting of a conduit of predetermined and a constant counter pressure valve. The holding tube also includes a second, adjustable section. The second, adjustable section consists of a cyclone and an inclining conduit of a predetermined length. In the inclining conduit there is disposed a device for maintaining a defined liquid level in the conduit.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2004Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Publication number: 20040123814Abstract: The invention relates to a holding tube for a heat treatment plant using injection heating. The holding tube includes a first, fixed section consisting of a conduit (5) of predetermined length and a constant counter pressure valve (6). The holding tube also includes a second, adjustable section. The second, adjustable section consists of a cyclone (7) and an inclining conduit (10) of a predetermined length. In the inclining conduit (10) there is disposed a device (28) for maintaining a defined liquid level in the conduit (10).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2004Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6737092Abstract: The invention relates to a method of maintaining the pressure difference in a heat treatment plant such as, for example, a pasteurizer for liquid foods. In a temporary production disruption, the insufficiently treated product is caused to recycle by a return stroke. The pressure difference is maintained in that the already heat-treated product is enclosed in a conduit on the downstream side (14) of the plant, and that the space for the product in the conduit is restricted. The space for the product is restricted either in that a food gas is led into the conduit, or alternatively that the product conduit (29) is provided with an expansive portion (27). The expansive portion (27) consists of a pipe length (28) with an inner elastic wall (30) which expands by means of a gas or a liquid.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2000Date of Patent: May 18, 2004Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance SAInventors: Christer Göransson, Magnus Jansson, Bengt Palm
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Publication number: 20040070090Abstract: The invention relates to a variable steam injector of the type which has an injector housing (1) with an inlet (2) for the product which is to be heated and an outlet (3) for the heated product. The injector housing (1) also has an inlet (4) for steam. The injector also includes a thick-walled pipe (5) enclosed in the injector housing (1). The thick-walled pipe (5) is provided with a large number of throughgoing holes which form radial ducts (9). Further, there is a product pipe (11) within the thick-walled pipe (5) and which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the pipe (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2003Publication date: April 15, 2004Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6708709Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of regulating a steam injector. The injector is of the type which has an inlet for steam and an inlet for the product which is to be heat-treated, as well as an outlet for the ready-treated product. The injector further has a centrally placed regulator spindle around which are disposed concentric gaps for product and steam, respectively. The aperture in the gaps may be regulated in that the regulator spindle is protracted or retracted reciprocally. The regulator spindle is regulated by means of a switching device which is controlled via a regulator. The regulator registers the values from a pressure indicator in the product inlet and a pressure indicator in the product outlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2001Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6513422Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the evaporative cooling, or flash cooling, of a liquiform product. The apparatus includes a vacuum vessel (1) which is divided into a first (6) and a second (7) space. The two spaces (6, 7) are concentrically disposed in the vessel (1). In the first space (6) an inlet (9) is disposed for steam-charged product, as well as an outlet (10) for the product. In the second space (7), there is provided a spillway overflow (14) for the condensed steam and uncondensable gases. The apparatus also includes a circulation cycle for coolant liquid, comprising an outlet (18) for the coolant liquid, a centrifugal pump (20), a cooler (22) and conduits (19, 21, 24) as well as means for distributing the coolant liquid (25, 29) in the second space (7) in the vacuum vessel (1).Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2002Date of Patent: February 4, 2003Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6401603Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus in an infusor (1) for a liquid food product. The infusor (1) is of the type which includes an autoclave (2) with a conical bottom (3). The autoclave (2) has an inlet (4) for the product located in its upper region, with a device for dividing the product into small droplets (6). The infusor also has an outlet (10) for the product located in the lower region of the autoclave (2), as well as an inlet (11) for steam. The conical bottom (3) of the autoclave (2) is filled to the greater part by a conically shaped body (15). The remaining space (16) in the bottom (3) of the autoclave (2) consists of a buffer cell. The stay volume of the product, which consists of that product which stays in the space (16) up to a liquid level (19, 20) may be varied steplessly.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2001Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6332396Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus in an infuser. The infuser is of the type which has an autoclave, with an inlet in its upper region for the product which is to be heated, and an outlet located in its lower region for the ready-treated product. The inlet is provided with a distributor chamber which divides the product into small droplets when the product enters the autoclave. The infuser is also provided with at least one temperature gauge placed in the upper region of the autoclave. The temperature gauge is disposed to control a valve for the uncondensable gases which gather in the “cold” area which is formed in the upper region of the autoclave, as a result of the placing of the steam inlet in the lower region of the autoclave.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2000Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 6234069Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus in an infusor (1). The infusor (1) is of the type which includes an autoclave (2) with an inlet (3) located in its upper region for the product which is to be heat-treated, and an outlet (7) for the ready-treated product located in its lower region. The inlet (3) is provided with a distributor chamber (4) which divides the product into small droplets (20) when the product enters into the autoclave (2). The infusor (1) further includes an inlet (8) for steam which is placed in the lower region of the autoclave (2). The steam inlet (8) consists substantially of a concentric aperture (14) in the casing surface (10) of the autoclave (2).Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2000Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 5971064Abstract: The disclosure relates to an improvement in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger particularly intended for products containing fibres (11) or particles.The improvement comprises a product flow insert (5) consisting of a number of heat transfer tubes (3) with a baffle plate (6) fixedly secured in each end (13) of these transfer tubes (3). En order for fibres (11) and particles to pass the baffle plates (6) without undesirably accumulating, at least that one of the baffle plates (6) which is turned to face towards the direction of flow of the product is designed with flow distributors (12) which wholly or partly surround the tube ends (13) of the heat transfer tubes (3).Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1998Date of Patent: October 26, 1999Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 5589214Abstract: Particulate material such as food is heat treated in a cylindrical vessel by only partially filing the vessel under vacuum and agitating the material while injecting steam. The material is then flash cooled and withdrawn under nitrogen pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1993Date of Patent: December 31, 1996Assignee: Alfa-Laval Food Engineering ABInventor: Bengt Palm
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Patent number: 5443857Abstract: A method of sterilizing a liquid milk based product comprises indirect preheating of the product and final heating to a sterilization temperature 140.degree.-150.degree. C. by direct steam injection. The product is cooled by so called flash-cooling at which steam corresponding to the added amount of steam is evaporated. The product is cooled by indirect cooling. It is now proposed that the product prior to the flash-cooling is cooled from the sterilization temperature 140.degree.-150.degree. C. to a temperature in the interval 90.degree.-120.degree. C. in an indirect, first cooling step after which the product is cooled by flash-cooling to a temperature of 70.degree.-85.degree. C. The apparatus for sterilization comprises a balance vessel (1) connected to an indirectly working first heat exchanger (4) for heating of the milk based product. A steam injection nozzle (6) is arranged in a pipe line out from the heat exchanger (4).Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1994Date of Patent: August 22, 1995Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventors: Olle Arph, Bengt Palm, Bozena Malmgren, Roland Ringstrom
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Patent number: 5425581Abstract: A static mixer for mixing of different media comprises mixing elements arranged within a tube, at which the mixing elements are twisted to divide and divert the media. The mixer is constructed of units each comprising at least one mixing element (1) arranged within a tube part (4). The mixing element is firmly connected to the tube part along its whole length of extension. The mixing elements seen in a cross-section has wing shape with the largest cross-section in the front part (2) of the element seen in the direction of flow of the media, while the rear part (3) seen in the flow direction has a thinner cross-section.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1993Date of Patent: June 20, 1995Assignee: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.Inventor: Bengt Palm