Food or feed processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

Food or feed processing systems (10, 96) include an extruder (14) and a downstream processor (16, 16a), and are operable to process high meat food or feed formulations. The processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) thereby define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of helical vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

A heat exchanger has at least one inlet and outlet to permit circulation of refrigerant therethrough. Each heat exchanger includes a plurality of thin sections of material arranged between a pair of thin flat outer plates. Each of the thin sections of material is comprised of parallel flow paths, allowing for the refrigerant to flow through the inlet, then from one section to the next, and finally out the outlet. The arrangement of the sections of parallel flow paths allows for the refrigerant to come into contact with the majority of the inside wall of the outer plates, allowing for maximum heat exchange. In use for cooling liquids, the heat exchangers are arranged within a frame and brought into contact with the liquid to be cooled. When the heat exchangers are used to cool liquid sufficiently to produce ice crystals, a rotating scraping device sweeps across the surface of the heat exchanger, removing any ice crystals that have formed.

Food or feed processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

Food or feed processing systems (10, 96) include an extruder (14) and a downstream processor (16, 16a), and are operable to process high meat food or feed formulations. The processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) thereby define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of helical vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

A method for preventing fouling of an operating heat exchanger is disclosed. A carrier liquid is provided to the heat exchanger. The carrier liquid contains a potential fouling agent. The potential fouling agent is entrained in the carrier liquid, dissolved in the carrier liquid, or a combination thereof. The potential fouling agent fouls the heat exchanger by condensation, crystallization, solidification, desublimation, reaction, deposition, or combinations thereof. A gas-injection device is provided on the inlet of the heat exchanger. A non-reactive gas is injected into the carrier liquid through the gas-injection device. The non-reactive gas will not foul the heat exchanger surface and will not condense into the carrier liquid. The non-reactive gas creates a disturbance by increasing flow velocity and creating a shear discontinuity, thereby breaking up crystallization and nucleation sites on the surface of the heat exchanger. In this manner, fouling of the operating heat exchanger is prevented.

Food or feed processing systems (10, 96) include an extruder (14) and a downstream processor (16, 16a), and are operable to process high meat food or feed formulations. The processors (16, 16a) include an elongated processor barrel (38) presenting an inner surface (44) with a central body or tube (60) within the barrel (38) and presenting an outer surface (62). The surfaces (38, 62) thereby define an elongated annular processing region (70). The barrel (38) and tube (60) are steam heated by means of apparatus (52, 66). A rotatable processing element (72) is also located within the region (70). The element (72) has a plurality of helical vanes (88, 104), which scrape the surfaces (44, 62) to prevent buildup of material on these surfaces.

A heat exchanger has at least one inlet and outlet to permit circulation of refrigerant therethrough. Each heat exchanger includes a plurality of thin sections of material arranged between a pair of thin flat outer plates. Each of the thin sections of material is comprised of parallel flow paths, allowing for the refrigerant to flow through the inlet, then from one section to the next, and finally out the outlet. The arrangement of the sections of parallel flow paths allows for the refrigerant to come into contact with the majority of the inside wall of the outer plates, allowing for maximum heat exchange. In use for cooling liquids, the heat exchangers are arranged within a frame and brought into contact with the liquid to be cooled. When the heat exchangers are used to cool liquid sufficiently to produce ice crystals, a rotating scraping device sweeps across the surface of the heat exchanger, removing any ice crystals that have formed.

The invention relates to improvements of a heat exchanger, particularly a scraping heat exchanger having an outer cylinder comprising a first wall having a smooth circle-cylindrical inner side, and an inner cylinder positioned concentrically within it. The improvements regard a simple detachable inner cylinder, a heat exchanger with lid including a fluid barrier, a heat exchanger with a tangential output, and a method and heat exchanger adapted for improved evacuation of a product chamber of a heat exchanger.

A process for extracting a condensable vapour from a supplied gas, comprising the steps of: i) condensing the condensable vapour by cooling the supplied gas at a condensing surface, such that the supplied gas is divided into at least one condensed fraction and a product gas; while ii) removing the at least one condensed fraction from the condensing surface by mechanical scraping means.