Vacuum Vessels
When processing jams, jellies and other concentrations (such as chicken broth), Lee Industries vacuum pans are used extensively. By operating under vacuum conditions, evaporation can be accomplished at an efficient rate without subjecting delicate product to damage caused by higher temperature atmospheric boiling.
Vacuum pan capacities range from 10 gallons through 1,000 gallons with larger sizes available upon special request. They are available with hemispherical conventional jackets or in dished/coned/pitched bottom Uniflow jackets. Lee’s Uniflow jackets can be installed to the cylindrical section of the hemispherical vessels to give additional heat transfer surface. Total systems for vacuum pan processing, from initial engineering to final start-up, are available from Lee Industries.
Available Accessories
A typical total jam and jelly system would include premix kettles, a vacuum pan with vacuum precondenser, vapor piping and often a final standardization vessel. All of the equipment is sized, designed, and supplied by Lee Industries to fit your specific processing requirements. Some available processing accessories include:
Outlet Valve
- Recommended: fluid transfer flush-bottom valve in sizes 1½”- 4”
- USDA approved
- Meets 3A standards
- Available with a variety of actuators
Go to Automatic Ball Valve page
Scrape Surface Agitation
- Lee USDA approved style No. 9M, No. 7 or No. 5 agitation can be added to the vacuum pan
- Prevents product burn-on
- Enhances heat transfer
Internal Booster Coil
- Sanitary stainless steel booster coil added to vacuum pan
- Provides additional heat transfer area for increased evaporation
- Increases rolling/mixing action
Instream Refractometer
- Addition provides accurate manual or continuous measurement of product concentration
Spoon Sampler
- Designed to easily remove small quantities of product during vacuum processing
Precondenser and Vacuum Pump
- Shell and tube exchanger is a standard carbon steel
- Cast iron water bonnets and tubes (available in stainless steel for essence recovery)
- Vacuum pump is cast iron
- Furnished with base, coupling, coupling guard and silencer
- Standard electrics are 230/460 volt, 60 cycle, 3 phase, TEFC
Control Panels
- Lee fabricates and customizes NEMA 4 control panels
- Will meet any processing specifications
- Available in stainless steel enclosures
Product Sampler
- Designed using fluid transfer USDA/3A standard inline ball valves
- Easily remove larger quantities of product during vacuum processing
Other Vacuum Processing Capabilities
- Vaccum can be used with the Lee Tri-Mix™ Turbo-Shear™ to quickly draw powders or hard-to-wet products through the bottom outlet and directly into the high speed mixer head
- Vessels with agitators can be fabricated for vacuum processing for deaeration, cooling, temperature control, or other processing advantages
- Portable vessels can be equipped with vacuum capabilities for use in deaeration or product transfer
- Lee’s Uniflow vacuum systems, processing from cooking to cooling can be done in one vessel. These systems have been used for such products as:
- Jams
- Jellies
- Broths
- Stews
- Chili
- Gravy
- Cream sauces
- Soups
- Tomato sauces
- Cosmetics
- Lotions
- Pharmaceuticals
