Device for Dynamic High-Pressure Treatment of Pumpable Products

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This invention is a device for dynamic high-pressure treatment of pumpable products (like liquid foods and pharmaceuticals) using programmable pressure cycles rather than traditional static pressure. Unlike typical batch high-pressure treatments, this system uses alternating high- and low-pressure phases, managed by a controlled pumping system, making the process more continuous, energy-efficient, and effective, particularly for inactivating microorganisms or altering product properties. It uses hermetically separated chambers, enabling safe and hygienic processing, and can handle large-scale industrial applications.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Pasteurization and sterilization of liquid foods (juices, milk, sauces) for extended shelf life without heat damage.
• Pharmaceutical processing to sterilize suspensions or sensitive compounds that can't withstand high temperatures.
• Manufacturing high-value cosmetics or nutraceuticals that benefit from microbial safety without loss of ingredient activity.
• Advanced material processing (e.g., modifying texture in gels or polysaccharides) where controlled pressure cycling yields desired properties.
• Continuous processing plants where high throughput and hygiene are required, such as prepared food manufacturers.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Greater effectiveness in microbial inactivation compared to static pressure treatments, leading to improved food safety and shelf life.
• Quasi-continuous, energy-efficient operation reduces downtime and operational costs compared to batch systems.
• Enhanced flexibility—pressure profiles can be tailored to specific products and microorganisms for optimal results.
• Hygienic and product-safe design using hermetic separation prevents contamination and allows easy cleaning.
• Potential to process sensitive products (like heat-labile pharmaceuticals or foods) that would be damaged by traditional heat sterilization, preserving quality and nutrition.
• Reduced risk of product recontamination compared to conventional systems due to design minimizing mixing of untreated and treated product.

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Patent Abstract

Current systems for high-pressure treatment of pumpable substances operate preferably with static high-pressure profiles and therefore in a discontinuous operating mode, also called batch operating mode. By means of the innovative dynamic pressure profiles, wherein pressure changes and pressure pauses can be introduced into the process sequence in a specific manner, a higher inactivation efficiency can be achieved in many cases in the field of microorganism inactivation, for example. The present invention relates to the implementation of this dynamic concept in a large-scale, quasi-continuously operating system. From the point of view of an energy-efficient and economical design, both the equipment functional principle of the individual system components and the process control of the individual system components are described here by means of a preferred system configuration. The preferred device (24) comprises one or more pressure treatment chambers (10, 11, 60, 61) operated in parallel, in which the required dynamic pressure profiles are realised by means of a rotational-speed-controlled pressure-generating system (3). In addition, there exists in said system the possibility of conveying the product, which is hermetically isolated from the pressure medium, partially through the pressure treatment chambers (10, 11, 60, 61) in the pressure pauses, in such a way that the product cumulatively experiences the required dynamic high-pressure treatment by the time the product leaves the chamber.