BEVERAGE HEATING SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED COMBUSTION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF HEATING BEVERAGES

Abstract

A heating system for a beverage processing system with a beverage flow consisting of a beverage to be processed, with a secondary flow of a heat conducting medium, where the secondary flow is passed in a closed secondary circuit, with at least one heat exchanger, through which the secondary current flows and is arranged such that it is able to transfer heat to the beverage flow. A combustion system is arranged in the secondary flow such that heat generated by the combustion system can be passed on to the heat conducting medium. Also, a method of heating beverages with a combustion system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of priority of German Application No. 102011006653.5, filed Apr. 1, 2011. The entire text of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a heating system for a beverage processing system.

BACKGROUND

Various flash pasteurization and ultra-heat treatment systems are known from the state of the art which are generally operated with plate or shell-and-tube heat exchangers. A shell-and-tube heat exchanger is known, for example, from EP 2 157 390 A2, DE 10 2009 040558 A1 and DE 696 12 998 C2. A plate heat exchanger is for example known from EP 1 462 752 B1.

Normally, the secondary flow is however only indirectly heated by a further heated medium, such as for example steam, which is passed in a tertiary circuit. For the heat transfer between the tertiary flow and secondary flow various heat exchanger stages or heat exchanger sections are in turn required.

However, each time additional heat exchangers are employed there is a reduction in efficiency which is undesirable.

Also the heat conducting medium used in the tertiary circuit, normally saturated steam, is made available by a steam generator which is present decentrally, i.e. remote from the beverage flow. The steam must then be brought over long distances from the steam generator to the heating system for the beverage flow, which leads to extensive insulation and, despite all the cost-intensive measures, also leads to a drop in temperature. This too has a negative effect on the efficiency of the complete system.

Previous solutions are therefore not optimal for treating and/or processing beverages, i.e. the primary media, such as juices, milk or water.

Apart from the energy losses on the long path from a central station, such as a boiler house, where the heat conducting medium used in the tertiary circuit is generated and the heat transfer losses or radiation losses, which lead to the losses in efficiency, a substantial outlay in apparatus due to the lengthy pipework and insulation is currently required.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

One aspect of the present disclosure is to offer an improvement in this respect. More specifically, the disclosure provides a heating system for a beverage processing system where there is a beverage flow consisting of a beverage to be processed, with a secondary flow consisting of a heat conducting medium, whereby the secondary flow is passed in a secondary circuit, with at least one heat exchanger, through which the secondary current flows and is arranged such that it is able to transfer heat into the beverage flow.

This aspect is resolved according to the disclosure in that a combustion system is arranged in the secondary flow such that heat generated by the combustion system can be passed to the heat conducting medium. The heat conducting medium is therefore directly generated by the integrated combustion system and can pass on the heat introduced into the heat conducting medium to the beverage flow through the at least one heat exchanger.

The efficiency is consequently substantially improved, the outlay for apparatus is reduced and energy losses as well as heat transfer and radiation losses are minimized.

A heating system of this nature can be constructed substantially more compactly than known heating systems.

Thus, it is advantageous if the combustion system is formed as a gas thermal source. Thermal sources of this nature are particularly flexible in terms of the so-called start-and-stop cycles as well as in the closed-loop control of the output temperature. Gas thermal sources of this nature can also be obtained economically on the market in various versions, for example from suppliers who also offer gas thermal sources for central heating systems, such as are also used in family homes.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that a bypass line is connected to the secondary flow such that part of the heat conducting medium or the complete heat conducting medium can be led past the combustion system so that it remains unheated by the combustion system. With an embodiment of this nature it is possible to continue using cooled-down heat conducting medium without reheating it. The flexibility of the temperature control is increased in this way.

It is also advantageous, if a reservoir and/or a buffer is present in the secondary circuit in which the heat conducting medium heated by the combustion system can be temporarily stored and/or buffered, preferably before entry into the at least one heat exchanger. In this way the combustion system does not need to be used so frequently and when the combustion system is employed, it can be active over a longer time period. This leads to an increase in efficiency and reduces the costs in operating the heating system.

It is also advantageous if the heat conducting medium is water, say hot water, and/or steam, say saturated steam.

If two heat exchangers, through which the secondary flow passes, interact with the beverage flow, it is possible to gently heat the beverage flow, namely using a preheating system and a main heating system.

The flexibility of the temperature control and of the embodiment of the heating system is then increased if the secondary flow can be passed from the combustion system through one heat exchanger and then through the other heat exchanger or a first part of the secondary flow can be passed only through one heat exchanger and a second part of the secondary flow can be passed only through the other heat exchanger.

The fluid control is also simplified if pipes, pumps and valves are present in the secondary circuit.

In particular it is advantageous if a mixing valve is present at the end of the bypass line to mix cold, returning heat conducting medium from one or both heat exchangers with the heat conducting medium heated by the combustion system.

The disclosure also relates to a method for heating beverages, whereby a heating system according to the disclosure is used. Here, a combustion system for heating the secondary flow is used directly, whereby no detours via tertiary media are required.

It is advantageous if the secondary circuit is formed as a closed secondary circuit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure is also explained below with the aid of drawings. Here, three embodiments are illustrated. The following are shown:

FIG. 1 an extract of a schematic operating principle of a first heating system according to the disclosure,

FIG. 2 an extract of a schematically illustrated second embodiment of a heating system, and

FIG. 3 an extract of a connection diagram of a third heating system according to the disclosure.

The figures are only of a schematic nature and are only provided for understanding the disclosure. The same elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A first heating system 1 according to the disclosure is illustrated as an extract in FIG. 1. The heating system is used within the scope of a beverage treatment system, in particular a flash pasteurization or ultra-heat treatment system. A secondary flow 3 is used for heating a beverage flow 2, which may contain water, milk, juices or similar liquids.

The beverage flow 2 flows in the direction of the arrow 4. The secondary flow flows in the direction of the arrow 5 and is held in a preferably closed secondary circuit. The secondary flow of heat conducting medium, such as for example water and/or steam, flows through a heat exchanger 6.

In FIG. 1 two heat exchangers 6 are illustrated whereby it is possible, however, to use only one. If two or more heat exchangers, as in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, are used, the heat exchanger 6 through which the secondary flow 3 first flows is designated as the first heat exchanger 7 and the heat exchanger 6 through which the secondary flow 3 thereafter flows is designated as the second heat exchanger 8.

The second heat exchanger 8 leads to preheating of the beverage flow 2, whereas the first heat exchanger 7 leads to reheating of the beverage flow 2 to a desired final temperature. In principle it is possible to use a further heat exchanger, which operates on the principle of recuperation, between the two heat exchangers 7 and 8. This additional heat exchanger has the reference numeral 9.

Viewed in the direction of flow of the secondary flow 3 before the first heat exchanger 7, a combustion system 10 is arranged in the secondary circuit. The combustion system 10 is a gas thermal source which passes heat to the secondary flow 3 during the combustion of gas. The combustion system 10 heats the secondary flow to a temperature of 140° C. to 160° C. A pump 11 is present in the appropriate pipe 12 between the second heat exchanger 8 and the combustion system 10.

In FIG. 2 a second embodiment of a second heating system 1 according to the disclosure is illustrated. Here the pipe 12 parts into two sections after the combustion system 10. A first section 13 passes all parts of the secondary flow 3 to the first heat exchanger 7, whereas a second section 14 passes a further part of the secondary flow 3 to the second heat exchanger 8.

Both sections 13 and 14 come together again shortly before the pump 11, which then passes the secondary flow to the combustion system 10.

In FIG. 3 a further embodiment of a heating system according to the disclosure is illustrated, whereby a bypass line 15 is arranged in the secondary circuit.

Another pump 16 is present in the bypass line 15, whereby a three-way mixing valve 17 is arranged at the end of the bypass line 15 opposite the pump 16. The medium of the secondary flow 3 flowing through the two heat exchangers 7 and 8 in the cooled-down state is fed in again by means of the mixing valve 17 shortly before the first heat exchanger 6, bypassing the combustion system 10. A reservoir 18 and the pump 11 follow consecutively in the flow direction 5 viewed behind the combustion system 10. The reservoir 18 can also be formed as a buffer. The reservoir 18 or buffer can also be formed as a stratified storage tank.

It is also possible to combine together single facets of the three embodiments to increase the variability.

Claims

1. A heating system for a beverage processing system, comprising a beverage flow consisting of a beverage to be processed, with a secondary flow composed of a heat conducting medium, wherein the secondary flow is passed in a secondary circuit, with at least one heat exchanger, through which the secondary flow flows and is arranged such to be able to transfer heat to the beverage flow, and a combustion system arranged in the secondary flow such that the heat generated by the combustion system can be passed to the heat conducting medium.

2. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the combustion system is formed as a gas heat source.

3. The heating system according to claim 1, and a bypass line connected to the secondary flow such that part of or the complete heat conducting medium can be led past the combustion system so that the part of or the complete heat conducting medium remains unheated by the combustion system.

4. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein in the secondary circuit one of a reservoir, a buffer and a combination thereof is present in which the heat conducting medium heated by the combustion system can be one of temporarily stored, buffered, and a combination thereof.

5. The heating system according to claim 1, wherein the heat conducting medium is one of water steam, and a combination thereof.

6. The heating system according to claim 1, and wherein two heat exchangers, through which the secondary flow flows, interact with the beverage flow.

7. The heating system according to claim 6, wherein the secondary flow from the combustion system is one of passed first through one heat exchanger and then through the other heat exchanger and a first part of the secondary flow can only be passed through one heat exchanger and a second part of the secondary flow can only be passed through the other heat exchanger.

8. The heating system according to claim 7, and wherein pipes, pumps and valves are present in the secondary circuit for appropriate fluid control.

9. The heating system according to claim 3, and wherein a mixing valve is present at the end of the bypass line to mix cold, returning heat conducting medium from one or both heat exchangers to the heat conducting medium from the combustion system.

10. A method of heating beverages with a combustion system in a heating system as formed according to the claim 1.

11. The heating system according to claim 4, wherein the heated heat conducting medium can be one of temporarily stored, buffered, and a combination thereof before entering the at least one heat exchanger.

12. The heating system according to claim 5, the heating system according to claim 5, wherein the water is hot water.

13. The heating system according to claim 5, wherein the steam is saturated steam.