Photo Bioreactor for Cold Pasteurization Of Liquid Food Products and the Use of the Reactor

Abstract

A system capable of a germicidal treatment of highly opaque liquids, featuring a filter, which prevents wavelengths above the UV-C spectrum reaching the liquid being treated, one or more spiral-shaped tubes extending from an inlet end to an outlet end creating a fluidic pathway, and one or more light sources illuminating the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more light sources emit light in a wavelength range between 180-300 nm.

1 . A photo bioreactor for pasteurization of liquid food products, the photo bioreactor comprising:
 a. one or more spiral-shaped tubes extending from an inlet end to an outlet end creating a fluidic pathway, and   b. one or more light sources illuminating the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein
 the one or more light sources emit light in a wavelength range between 180-300 nm, wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises one or more filters positioned between the one or more light sources and the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more filters prevent light above a wavelength of 300 nm from reaching the one or more spiral-shaped tubes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein a fluid movement through the one or more spiral-shaped tubes creates a Dean Vortex flow, laminar flow, or turbulent flow. 
     
     
         3 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes have an inner tube diameter between 1 mm and 10 mm, such as between 2 mm and 9 mm, such as between 3 mm and 8 mm, such as between 4 mm and 7 mm, such as between 5 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes have a pitch between 2 and 8 mm, such as between 3 and 7 mm, such as between 4 and 7 mm, such as 6 mm, wherein the pitch is the distance from center to center of the one or more spiral-shaped tubes after one turn/coil of the one or more spiral-shaped tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes have a coil angle between 1 and 6°, such as between 2 and 5°, such as between 3 and 4°, wherein the coil angle is measured between the one or more spiral-shaped tubes and a straight direction compared to the inlet end to the outlet end creating the fluidic pathway. 
     
     
         7 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes have a coil diameter between 20 and 150 mm, wherein the coil diameter is a distance from outer end to outer end of the one or more spiral-shaped tubes after a half turn/coil of the one or more spiral-shaped tubes. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes are coiled around a pillar. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 10 , wherein the pillar is made of a reflective material. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes are made of a polymeric or quartz glass material being ultraviolet light transparent. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more light sources are coupled to one or more fibers guiding the 180-300 nm light from the one or more light sources to the one or more spiral-shaped tubes. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reactor housing, wherein the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, the one or more light sources, and the one or more filters are enclosed inside the reactor housing. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises a cooler that air cools the one or more light sources. 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises a control unit and the control unit comprises electronic temperature control and flow control. 
     
     
         39 . The photo bioreactor according to  claim 1 , wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises a control unit and the control unit automatically controls a lamp temperature and a flow speed of a liquid through the fluidic pathway. 
     
     
         40 . A process for cold pasteurization of a liquid food product, the process comprising:
 providing a liquid food product to a photo bioreactor comprising:   a. one or more spiral-shaped tubes extending from an inlet end to an outlet end creating a fluidic pathway, and   b. one or more light sources illuminating the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more light sources emit light in a wavelength range between 180-300 nm,   
       wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises one or more filters positioned between the one or more light sources and the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more filters prevent light above a wavelength of 300 nm from reaching the one or more spiral-shaped tubes; and 
       cold pasteurizing the liquid food product by the photo bioreactor. 
     
     
         41 . A process for killing microorganisms in a liquid food product, the process comprising:
 providing a liquid food product to a photo bioreactor comprising:   a. one or more spiral-shaped tubes extending from an inlet end to an outlet end creating a fluidic pathway, and   b. one or more light sources illuminating the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more light sources emit light in a wavelength range between 180-300 nm,   
       wherein the photo bioreactor further comprises one or more filters positioned between the one or more light sources and the one or more spiral-shaped tubes, wherein the one or more filters prevent light above a wavelength of 300 nm from reaching the one or more spiral-shaped tubes; and 
       killing microorganisms in the liquid food product by the photo bioreactor. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the liquid food product is selected from the group consisting of liquid dairy product, juice, coffee, tea, soya, soylent, soda, broth, soup, beer, smoothies, protein shake, liquid meal-replacement, cream, wine, mayonnaise, ketchup, syrup, honey, and opaque processing water. 
     
     
         44 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein a biological contaminant is inactivated or reduced by an order of at least 2−Log 10 , such as at least 3−Log 10 , such as at least 4−Log 10 , such as at least 5−Log 10 , such as at least 6−Log 10 . 
     
     
         45 . (canceled) 
     
     
         46 . The process according to  claim 41 , wherein the liquid food product is selected from the group consisting of liquid dairy product, juice, coffee, tea, soya, soylent, soda, broth, soup, beer, smoothies, protein shake, liquid meal-replacement, cream, wine, mayonnaise, ketchup, syrup, honey, and opaque processing water. 
     
     
         47 . The process according to  claim 41 , wherein a biological contaminant is inactivated or reduced by an order of at least 2−Log 10 , such as at least 3−Log 10 , such as at least 4−Log 10 , such as at least 5−Log 10 , such as at least 6−Log 10 .