IMS manufactures heating technology that processes dairy-based drinks, beverages, and other liquids for industrial microwave pasteurization. By utilizing IMS continuous heating systems, manufacturers have the opportunity to greatly improve product quality. At the same time, they reduce floor space and increase operational efficiency. Our cylindrical heating technology offers a volumetric heating mechanism, meaning that heterogeneous particulate products heat slightly faster than their carrier fluids. This proves as particularly beneficial for pasteurization and sterilization processes.
Why Use Microwaves for Pasteurization Processes?
By providing uniform, high-intensity electromagnetic energy to the flowing components, IMS industrial microwave pasteurization technology solves the problem of hot spots experienced with traditional surface heating technologies.
Other reasons to use industrial microwaves for pasteurization include:
- Fast product heating
- Minimal color change
- Short residence times
- Better nutrient retention
- Less product degradation
- Increase in product run times
- Minimization of fouling deposits
Industrial Microwave Pasteurization: Common Applications
IMS patented heating technology enables liquid and semi-liquid pumpable foods, beverages, biomaterials, and more, to be uniformly and volumetrically heated on a continuous flow basis while pumped through a product heating tube manufactured from food-grade materials. For industrial microwave pasteurization and sterilization processes, our systems achieve thermal processing for several products, including:
- Salsa
- Soups
- Drinks
- Purées
- Sauces
- Slurries
- Soy milk
- Emulsions
- Nutraceuticals
Our ultra-rapid microwave system technology works best with heating aseptic and extended-shelf-life pumable food products and biomaterials. It is ideal for thermal processing of high-value and/or shear-sensitive, high-viscosity, multi-phase fluids. Furthermore, it is an excellent method for thermal treatment of high-acid and low-acid products, particularly when enzyme deactivation is important.
How Does IMS Heating Technology Work?
Each IMS microwave system heats a single or multi-phase product. The product pumps through a microwave-transparent heating tube. This is located in the center of the cylindrical heating chamber, or applicator. The volumetric heating results from the agitation of the polar molecules in the product, meaning no hot tube sidewalls are required for heat transfer.
As a result, processors improve cost effectiveness and quality, reduce equipment footprints, and in many cases, create new or enhanced pumpable products. This is due to the cool wall surface temperature of the microwave heating tube, combined with the minimal residence time and uniform ultra-rapid heating of the product. This combination happens without the fouling, maintenance and replacement part costs associated with conventional hot surface heat exchangers.
To learn more about IMS industrial microwave pasteurization technology, please contact our support team.
