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(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0210996 A1 Poock (43) Pub

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(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0210996 A1 Poock (43) Pub US 20120210996A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0210996 A1 POOck (43) Pub. Date: Aug. 23, 2012 (54) HEATER (52) U.S. Cl. ................................................... 126/263.05 (76) Inventor: James R. A. Pollock, Reading (GB) (57) ABSTRACT (21) Appl. No.: 13/295,996 The present invention relates to flameless heating apparatus for food products. In particular, it relates to an improved (22) Filed: Nov. 14, 2011 potentially exothermic mixture/blend for such heaters and to meal packages including foods and heating apparatus. An (30) Foreign Application Priority Data embodiment of the invention comprises a composite material consisting of a potentially exothermic metallic alloy powder Nov. 11, 2010 (GB) .............................. GB1 O19094.O dispersed throughout a porous polyethylene matrix, which releases hydrogen in an exothermic reaction. The present Publication Classification invention seeks to reduce the production of such gas per unit (51) Int. Cl. mass, and further seeks to improve the efficiency of the reac F24. I/00 (2006.01) tion. Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 1 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 2 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 5. 3 Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 3 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 co OD Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 4 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 100 & Fig.4 Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 5 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 Patent Application Publication Aug. 23, 2012 Sheet 6 of 6 US 2012/0210996 A1 8 o N ve US 2012/0210996 A1 Aug. 23, 2012 HEATER and the MRE pouch back in the box that the pouch came in. Ten minutes later, dinner can be served typically from the CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED same container in which the product was heated. Calcium APPLICATIONS oxide is another material commonly used in the manufacture of exothermic mixtures for MRE compositions, which is 0001. The present invention claims priority to patent mixed together with sodium carbonate and aluminium. application serial number GB1019094.0, titled “HEATER, 0006 FRH packages are quite expensive to produce and and filed in the UKIPO on Nov. 11, 2010, the entirety of necessarily do not provide Sustained heating effects. Addi which is hereby incorporated by reference. tionally, the packages need to be transported with care and limitations are often provided when there is a high ambient FIELD OF THE INVENTION humidity. 0002 The present invention relates to flameless heater and heating apparatus for food products. In particular, but not BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION necessarily restricted thereto, the present invention relates to 0007. The present invention seeks to provide a solution to improved exothermic mixtures. the above problems. The present invention seeks to provide a heater package operable to provide a controlled exothermic BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION reaction upon the addition of water and to an improved exo 0003. It is known to have food products such as rations for thermic composition for heating meals and the like. back-packer, adventurers and military forces which comprise 0008. The present invention further seeks to provide a sealed packages of food. Conveniently, the food is hermeti self-heating meal module as described above which is cally sealed, within a vacuum; the food can be heated, on designed to exhibit sufficient heat transfer efficiency as com demand, since the food will already have been cooked. Such pared to that typically exhibited by existing self-heating meal food products and apparatus are collectively referred to as modules whilst reducing any perceived dangers associated Meals-Ready-to-Eat (“MRE). In addition to the above uses, with transportation and storage under inclement conditions. the products can be used as emergency rations for shelters and 0009. In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, for heating of non-food products. Some of these meals are there is provided a heat source comprising a retaining Sachet claimed to have a shelf life of 18-36 or more years from permeable to water comprising a powdered exothermic com production. Typically food Sachets are provided on a personal position and a powdered inert composition, the inert compo basis, since heat transfer issues may arise in larger packages. sition comprising between 15 and 80% by mass of the total Food is heated to a sufficient temperature—around 70° C. or powder mass, wherein upon the addition of water, said exo more—to make it a more pleasurable experience, compared thermic composition being operable to react exothermically with eating Such food cold, which can incidentally, be done with a metal; wherein the inert composition increases thermal having already been cooked. Furthermore, there is a danger of capacity and reduces the effective surface area of the exother burning when the outer wall of the exothermic material stor mic composition. The bulking material readily absorbs the age portion is not sufficiently thermally insulated. Accord reaction heat and enables heat exchange with the water and ingly such foods are typically prepared by heating with a food to be heated over a longer period of time, enabling the flameless heater, frequently referred to as a flameless ration reaction to be more controlled than has previously been pos heater. sible. Water is added at least in appropriate molar quantities. 0004. A flameless ration heater, or FRH, is a water-acti It has been found that having the bulking agent being present, vated exothermic chemical heater included with Meals, the efficiency of the reaction is improved, with a controlled Ready-to-Eat (MREs), used to heat the food. US military release of energy, over longer period of time. Indeed the specifications for the heater require that it be capable of results are further improved within the range 30%-60%. raising the temperature of a 250 gramme entree by 40°C. in 0010. It has been found that a 50% exothermic material to twelve minutes, and that it displays no visible flame. A typical 50% bulking material composition can provide a more uni flameless exothermic chemical reaction works by an oxida form heat transfer of heat energy to the product to be heated. tion-reduction process, similar to the process of rusting met It is believed that less thermal energy is wasted through the als—only far quicker. In the case of the flameless ration unnecessary overheating of water into steam, the energy heater, one metal that can be used is magnesium. Magnesium being maintained at a reduced high temperature for longer. is frequently chosen because it is readily oxidized and is 0011 Conveniently, the heat source is a powdered exo mixed together with a small amount of iron in a pouch. To thermic composition comprising calcium oxide, Sodium car activate the reaction, a small amount of water is added, and bonate and a metal. The metal can be selected from one or the boiling point of water is quickly reached as the reaction more of the following metals; aluminium, iron, Zinc and proceeds. The iron plays a catalytic role in the heater mix magnesium. Alternatively, the heat Source is a powdered exo Mg+2HO->Mg(OH)2+H. Salt water can be added to this thermic composition comprising magnesium-iron alloy, composition. Sodium chloride and anti-foaming agents. Conveniently, the 0005. The idea behind a flameless heater is to use the bulking material is selected from one of sand or clay, such as oxidation of a metal to generate heat. One type of flameless silica and insoluble silicates. heater comprises magnesium dust which is mixed with salt 0012. The heat source can be conveniently packaged with and a little iron dust in a thin, flexible pad about the size of a the powders separately contained so that it can be used for playing card. To activate a flameless heater, water would be personal heating applications, such as in warming foods and added. Within seconds of the addition of water, a typical in meals ready to eat applications, whilst these packages are flameless heater reaches the boiling point and is bubbling and more Voluminous, a preferred composition comprises 50% steaming. To heat a meal in an MRE package, the emergency exothermic powder and 50% stabilising bulking powder, is services personnel/explorer/soldier simply inserts the heater effectively twice as voluminous. US 2012/0210996 A1 Aug. 23, 2012 0013 An advantage of the present invention is that, in use found that dimension of 20 cmx32 cm are convenient for for example in MRE applications, the reduction in the units of many food applications, although it will be appreciated that hydrogen gas production per unit mass greatly increases this size is not the only size which is suitable. Conveniently safety in transportation and use, whilst simultaneously assist the potentially exothermic reaction mixture is provided in ing heating by enabling the thermal mass of the bulking reaction bags 4 analogous to tea bags, whereby water which is powder to reduce the amount of vaporised water being pro present in the heater bag can percolate through the reaction duced and, by way of the heating powders having a greater bags relatively freely. Conveniently, there are sufficient reac thermal capacity, extending the duration of heating. Indeed, it tion bags So as to lie against each side of food bag 6 placed is possible to reduce the amount of exothermic powder inside the heater bag should be retained within the outer present to achieve the same heating effect through the use of plastic bag for a predetermined period, whereby to maximise the bulking powders. In military operations the production of the transfer of heat. explosive gases is never welcome. Conveniently the bulking 0022.
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