Steam Infusion Vaction™ technology
Steam Infusion is a direct contact heating process whereby steam condenses on the surface of a liquid, gently yet rapidly cooking a range of food and beverages up to a temperature of 140°C (284°F). The patented Steam Infusion Vaction™ Pump rapidly heats, mixes and pumps food ingredients and products. By varying the steam pressure and flow rate through the pump, the processing conditions change, from gentle cooking to intense mixing and pumping with a homogenising effect. The Steam Infusion Vaction™ Pump (In-Tank and In-Line) is an advanced food processing device that can heat 1,000kg (2,204lb) of product from 15°C (59°F) to 90°C (194°F) in under 10 minutes with no burn-on or particulate damage.
How does the Steam Infusion Vaction Pump work?
1) The Vaction™ Pump sits within the cooking vessel and is flooded with product as culinary grade steam is introduced via the steam lance. It has no moving parts and uniquely uses steam to simultaneously heat, mix and pump the product. The following is based upon operating at a 6.0barg (87psig) steam pressure. By changing the controlled steam pressure, the processing conditions are changed within the Vaction™ Pump to achieve the required product characteristics.
2) Profiling within the steam chamber accelerates the velocity of the steam to 1,000m/s (3280 ft/s), above the speed of sound. The steam passes into the mixing chamber through an annular nozzle disrupting the fluid flow to form small droplets, referred to as the vapour phase. The momentum transfers from the steam to the product and creates a partial vacuum of -0.7barg (-10.1psig) within the unit.
3) As the steam condenses into the fluid droplets, the pressure rises. This is referred to as the condensation shock-wave and generates a pumping effect. The small droplets within the low-pressure vapour phase offer a significantly increased product surface area for the steam to condense into, typically resulting in a near instantaneous temperature gradient of 10°C-15°C (50°F-59°F).
4) The very short residence times and partial vacuum within the unit prevent exposure to excessive temperatures. There are no hot contact surface areas / hot spots and therefore the Steam Infusion process prevents Maillard reactions and the resulting burn-on.
5) An unrestricted Vaction™ Pump pumps at a rate of 50,000 kg/hr (55 US t/hr) on water at 20°C (68°F) and the turbulent mixing conditions in the low-pressure vapour area enhance the transfer of flavours. The Vaction™ Pump has an uninhibited bore of 47mm (1.85 in) enabling particulates to freely pass through the unit with no damage.