METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COOLANTS AND/OR EXTRACTANTS FOR AT LEAST ONE PRESS, AND PRESSING APPARATUS

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing coolants and/or extractants for at least one press, and to a pressing apparatus. The reliability and accuracy of the feed of a coolant and/or extractant to an extraction press that are needed for large-scale industrial use can be achieved by the combination of a storage device, a metering device and a distributing device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing coolants and/or extractants for at least one press, comprising: at least one reservoir; a pressure regulating device; a temperature regulating device; and a metering device, wherein the pressure regulating device has a single-stage or multiple-stage form.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device has an at least two stage structure.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device includes at least one pressure increasing pump and at least one high-pressure pump.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an annular line that includes a return line for returning the coolant and/or extractant to the reservoir.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure regulating device, at least for fine regulation of pressure, includes a pressure regulating circuit that includes a regulating valve having an actuator configured so the regulating valve is openable to lower and set the pressure to a pressure target value.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the metering device includes a throughflow regulating circuit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one individual supply line for each connected press.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each supply line has an individual temperature regulating device and an individual metering device.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a condensing device for condensing gaseous coolant and/or extractant.

10. A pressing apparatus, comprising an apparatus for providing coolants and/or extractants according to claim 1.

11. The pressing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising at least one nozzle for introducing the coolant and/or extractant into a pressing space.

12. The pressing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one nozzle has a non-return valve.

13. A method for providing coolants and/or extractants for at least one press, comprising the steps of: providing a coolant and/or extractant in a reservoir; increasing pressure of the coolant and/or extractant using a pressure regulating device; setting temperature of the coolant and/or extractant using at least one temperature regulating device; and metering the coolant and/or extractant using at least one metering device.

14. The method according to claim 13, including using an apparatus for providing coolants and/or extractants, comprising at least one reservoir; a pressure regulating device; a temperature regulating device; and a metering device, wherein the pressure regulating device has a single-stage or multiple-stage form.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0090] In the drawing:

[0091] FIG. 1: shows a schematic illustration of a screw press having an apparatus according to the invention for providing coolants and/or extractants; and

[0092] FIG. 2: shows a block diagram of an apparatus according to the invention for providing coolants and/or extractants having a connected press.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0093] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a pressing apparatus 1 that is in the form of a screw press and has an apparatus 2 according to the invention for providing coolants and/or extractants. Furthermore, the pressing apparatus 1 is equipped with an aspiration system 3 for extracting exiting gases, in particular gaseous coolant and/or extractant, by suction. In the depicted embodiment of the invention, the extractant is provided by (supercritical) carbon dioxide (CO2).

[0094] The apparatus 2 for providing coolants and/or extractants has a reservoir 4 for coolant and/or extractant, a pressure regulating device 5 for setting the desired pressure for the coolant and/or extractant, a metering device 6 for metering the coolant and/or extractant, and a distributing device 7 for distributing the coolant and/or extractant.

[0095] In addition, the pressing apparatus 1 is equipped with a detector 8 for gaseous coolant and/or extractant, in the present case in the form of a CO2 detector.

[0096] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment according to the invention of an apparatus 2 for providing coolant and/or extractant. It is also the case in this depiction that the extractant is provided by (supercritical) carbon dioxide.

[0097] The apparatus 2 for providing coolants and/or extractants has a reservoir 4, in which the coolant and/or extractant is stored at a suitable pressure and a suitable temperature, in the present case at a pressure of approximately 20 bar and a temperature of approximately −20° C. This region is the low-pressure region (I). In many applications it is desirable to store the coolant and/or extractant in a liquid state, and therefore the pressure and temperature must be selected correspondingly.

[0098] In the depicted embodiment, the apparatus 2 for providing coolants and/or extractants has a condensing apparatus 9 coupled to the reservoir 4. The condensing apparatus 9 has a cooling apparatus 10, by means of which in particular gaseous coolant and/or extractant can be cooled down for condensation.

[0099] Connected to the reservoir 4 via a line is a pressure increasing pump 11, which has a controllable pump drive 12. In the embodiment shown, the pressure increasing pump 11 is designed to handle a throughput of approximately 400 to 2000 kg coolant and/or extractant/h and to increase the pressure of the coolant and/or extractant to approximately 60 bar. This region is the medium-pressure region (II).

[0100] A pressure line 17 is connected to the high-pressure pump 11 in the medium-pressure region (II). Furthermore, in the medium-pressure region (II) there is arranged a temperature-controlled regulating circuit 13, which records the temperature of the coolant and/or extractant in the medium-pressure region (II) using the temperature measuring device 14 and, if required, opens an outlet valve 15. For example, this is helpful upon startup or in the event of a fault. Furthermore, pressure measuring devices 16, by means of which compliance with the desired pressure limit values can be checked, are arranged in the medium-pressure region (II).

[0101] The pressure line 17 of the medium-pressure region (II) is connected via a pressure-relief valve 19 to a return line 18, which opens out in the condensing device 9 and is connected to the reservoir 4 via said condensing device. A first annular line is thus formed in the medium-pressure region.

[0102] Furthermore, a high-pressure pump 20 is connected to the pressure line 17 of the medium-pressure region (II) on the inlet side. In the embodiment shown, the high-pressure pump 20 is designed to handle a throughput of approximately 200 to 1500 kg coolant and/or extractant/h and to increase the pressure of the coolant and/or extractant to approximately 300 bar. This region is the high-pressure region (III). Suitable pressures in the high-pressure region (III) are approximately 100 to 350 bar.

[0103] A high-pressure line 21 is connected to the high-pressure pump 20 on the outlet side in the high-pressure region (III). Furthermore, in the high-pressure region (III) there is arranged a pressure regulating circuit 22 which measures the pressure in the high-pressure region (III) using a pressure measuring device 16 and correspondingly regulates the pressure to the target value by actuating a regulating valve 23, via which the coolant and/or extractant can be conducted back to the medium-pressure region (II) to reduce the pressure in the high-pressure region (III). The regulating valve 23 is combined with a non-return valve 24, with the result that, even in the event of a fault at this location, no coolant and/or extractant can flow out of the medium-pressure region (II) into the high-pressure region (III). A second annular line is formed in the medium-pressure region (II) by way of this return.

[0104] Two supply lines are connected to the high-pressure line 21 via a respective shut-off valve 25.

[0105] Each of the lines has a temperature regulating device 28 for setting the temperature of the coolant and/or extractant and a metering device 6 for setting the amount of coolant and/or extractant that is to be discharged.

[0106] The temperature regulating devices 28 have a respective temperature regulating circuit 13, which can determine the temperature of the coolant and/or extractant using a temperature measuring device 4 and correspondingly, in the event of deviations of the temperature measured value from the temperature target value, actuate a heat exchanger 27 for influencing the temperature of the coolant and/or extractant.

[0107] In the embodiment shown, the heat exchangers are in the form of heaters with a heating power of 20 kW.

[0108] The metering devices 6 each have a throughflow regulating circuit 29, which can determine the throughflow of the coolant and/or extractant using a throughflow measuring device 29 and correspondingly, in the event of deviations of the throughflow measured value from the throughflow target value, actuate a regulating valve 23 for influencing the throughflow of the coolant and/or extractant.

[0109] In the embodiment shown, the metering device 6 of a first supply line is designed to meter the throughflow in a range of 200 to 500 kg coolant and/or extractant/h. The metering device 6 of a second supply line is designed to meter the throughflow in a range of 100 to 350 kg coolant and/or extractant/h.

[0110] Preferably, at least one separate supply line is provided for each connected press, with the result that the amount of extractant provided in each case can be controlled individually for each press.

[0111] In each of the supply lines, downstream of the metering device 6 in a flow direction of the coolant and/or extractant, a pressure-relief valve 19, a pressure measuring device 16 and a non-return valve 24 are arranged. Connected thereto is the distributing device 7, which comprises the corresponding high-pressure lines to the individual presses.

[0112] In the embodiment depicted, the distributing device 7 is in the form of a connecting line system between the first supply line of the apparatus 2 for providing coolant and/or extractant and a press 1 that is in the form of a screw press. A safety valve 31 and a pressure measuring device 16 are integrated in the distributing device 7.

[0113] The press 1 has four nozzles for introducing the coolant and/or extractant into the pressing space, each of said nozzles being equipped with a non-return valve.

[0114] In the embodiment shown, the pressures and temperatures specified are designed for carbon dioxide as extractant. If another coolant and/or extractant is used, they must be adapted correspondingly, if appropriate.

[0115] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.