Method and Apparatus for Condensing Charges of Vapor

Abstract

A method for condensing on a heat buffer body in a condenser condensable components of charges of vapor intermittently released from a process vessel, wherein, while a part of a vapor charge is supplied directly to the heat buffer body for condensation, another part of the vapor charge is first supplied to a vapor buffer space for buffering, and wherein the other part of the vapor charge is supplied to the heat buffer body only after at least partial condensing of the first part of the vapor charge. The invention also concerns an apparatus for condensing on a heat buffer body in a condenser condensable components of charges of vapor intermittently released from a process vessel.

1 . A method for condensing on a heat buffer body in a condenser housing condensable components of charges of vapor intermittently released from a process vessel, the method comprising: transporting a first part of a vapor charge directly to the heat buffer body for condensation thereon, transporting a second part of the vapor charge to a vapor buffer space for volume buffering, providing fluid communication between the condenser housing and the vapor buffer space and transporting the second part of the vapor charge downwardly from the vapor buffer space to the heat buffer body only after at least partial condensing of the first part of the vapor charge. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vapor charge is steam, and wherein the pressure in the condenser housing and in the vapor buffer space is substantially atmospheric. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vapor buffer space is in open communication with the ambient air. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , which comprises on the basis of mass density difference, keeping the second part of the vapor charge of relatively low mass density and ambient air of relatively high mass density substantially separate. 
     
     
         6 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises, during collecting of the second part of the vapor charge in the vapor buffer space, discharging residual gas from the vapor buffer space, via an outlet situated near an underside of the vapor buffer space. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second part of the vapor charge is transported to the vapor buffer space via the condenser housing and the heat buffer body contained therein. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the first part of the vapor charge is conducted upwardly through the condenser housing and the heat buffer body contained therein. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , which also comprises discharging the condensed vapor from the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , which also comprises cooling the heat buffer body by means of a coolant flow over a surface of the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , which comprises discharging the coolant to a process space, which process space is designed for carrying out a heat requiring process. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a frequency of intermittently releasing the vapor charges, an opening time of the process vessel for releasing the vapor charge, a volume of the first and the second part of the vapor charge, a flow rate of the coolant flow, and a heat capacity of the heat buffer body are chosen for controlling the temperature of the coolant in a range of from 70 to 100 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , which comprises peeling tuberous crops, in particular potatoes, in the process vessel by means of a steam peeling process, which steam peeling process comprises intermittently releasing steam charges from the process vessel. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for condensing condensable components of charges of vapor intermittently released from a process vessel, the apparatus comprising:
 a condenser housing provided with a heat buffer body disposed therein for condensing on the heat buffer body the condensable components of the released vapor charges;   a supply for transporting therethrough the released vapor charges from the process vessel to the heat buffer body;   a vapor buffer space bounded by a casing, at least partly above the heat buffer body, which is configured for, while a first part of a released vapor charge is condensing in the condenser, therein collecting a second part of the vapor charge, the vapor buffer space in fluid communication with the condenser and the heat buffer body disposed therein for supplying the second part of the vapor charge downwardly to the heat buffer body after the first part of the vapor charge has at least partly condensed thereon.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the casing is provided with an outlet for gas discharge to an environment outside of the casing, and wherein the vapor buffer space is in open communication with the ambient air. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the outlet is placed for lower than a downstream side of the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         25 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according  claim 22 , wherein the casing is in fluid communication with the supply via the condenser housing and the heat buffer body contained therein. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the supply is connected to the condenser housing near an underside of the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the condenser housing is provided with a discharge for discharging the condensed vapor from the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising a coolant supply for cooling the heat buffer body by providing a coolant flow over a surface of the heat buffer body. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the condenser housing is provided with a discharge for discharging the condensed vapor from the heat buffer body and wherein the discharge is further designed for discharging the coolant. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus according to  claim 32 , further comprising a process space, wherein the apparatus is configured to discharge the coolant to the process space for heating the process space. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the heat buffer body comprises a package with a plurality of smooth plates which are set up together with mutual interspaces. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the plates are made substantially of steel. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus according to  claim 22  further comprising the process vessel. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the process vessel is configured to carry out a process under pressure, wherein under the influence of the pressure intermittently a vapor charge is released during an opening time of the process vessel, wherein a heat capacity of the heat buffer body is chosen so small that, in use, supply of the vapor charge to the heat buffer body leads to condensation of only a part of the vapor charge during a time interval equal to the opening time. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein a volume of the vapor buffer space is greater than a volume of the process vessel. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the process vessel is designed for peeling at least one of vegetables, fruit, tuberous crops by means of a steam peeling process which comprises intermittently releasing steam from the process vessel. 
     
     
         41 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the outlet is provided with a non-return valve.