Characteristics of Steam Injection Heating. I. Dispersion of Noncondensable Gases as Index to Downstream Flow Patterns

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 1964-04, Vol.47 (4), p.365-369
• Main Authors: Peterson, R.D., Jordan, W.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(64)88667-7

Tests were conducted on five steam injectors used in the food industry to determine downstream flow patterns after steam injection. Three injectors were of the tangential design, one was a venturi type, and the last a nozzle type. All tests were made with water. The noncondensable gases in the steam served as a tracing medium. Pictures of downstream flow patterns were recorded on 35mm film as the fluid passed through a glass holding section 15 in. downstream from the point of steam injection. A stroboscopic light of 0.001-sec duration was the light source. In the tangential type injectors the noncondensable gases were concentrated in a stable swirling vortex in the center of the downstream holding sections. A modified tangential injector with two opposing steam ports, one on either side of the flow axis, gave the best dispersion of noncondensable gases of the three tangential designs. The venturi type injector dispersed the gases at low steam rates; however, a partial vortex was formed at higher steam rates. The nozzle injector dispersed the noncondensable gases at all steam rates tested.