SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK CONDENSING 83 



little danger of milk being carried over into the condenser in 

 quantities sufficient to be of any consequence. Under these 

 conditions the installation of a special milk trap between the 

 pan and the condenser for the purpose of collecting the escaping 

 milk spray and carrying it back to the pan is, therefore, an 

 unnecessary expense. 



If the pan is small in comparison to the amount of milk to 

 be condensed, and if it is forced beyond its intended capacity so 

 that the milk boils up high, there usually is considerable loss of 

 milk, as indicated by the foaminess and milky color of the ex- 

 haust of the vacuum pump. In such cases the mechanical loss' 

 of an average size batch may amount to several hundred pounds 

 of milk. In order to not lose this milk, a milk trap or catch-all 

 may be installed between the pan and the condenser. The vapors 

 laden with the milk spray enter the trap near the top. The 

 spray drops to the bottom of the trap, while the vapors are drawn 

 over into the condenser, where they are condensed as usual. 

 This trap may be constructed of sufficient size so as to serve 

 as a reservoir to collect all the milk that is carried over, and at 

 the conclusion of the process the contents of the trap are drawn 

 from the bottom and are condensed with the .next batch ; or the 

 bottom of the trap may be connected with the pan so that the 

 milk thus carried over flows back into the pan automatically. 

 In this case a small trap only is necessary. 



It should be understood that the milk trap is only a remedy 

 and not a preventive. Where the capacity of the pan is in pro- 

 portion to the amount of milk to be condensed, as it should be, 

 and where the pan is operated properly, the trap is unnecessary. 

 The trap is an additional piece of apparatus to be kept clean. 

 Unless it is so constructed that access can be had t'o all parts 

 of its interior and unless it 

 really is kept clean at all times, 

 it may become a serious source 

 of contamination. 



The Vacuum Pump. The 

 vacuum pump is, strictly speak- 

 ing, not a part of the vacuum 

 pan, but its intimate connec- 



1 . Figf. 30. Wet-vacuum pump 



tion With the pan makes it Cour t eS y of Arthur Harris & Co. 



