Method for discharging a heavier liquid phase by adjusting a discharge radius based on a viscosity of the heavier liquid phase

Abstract

A method for the continuous processing of a product such as a vegetable or animal oil or fat. The processing occurs via a separation into two liquid phases and a solid phase. The method step includes processing the product, the processing occurring in a centrifuge arranged as a separator, the separator including a rotatable drum, a disk stack having risers arranged in the drum, a product feed having a feed tube, a first separator disk to discharge a lighter liquid phase from the drum, a second separator disk to discharge a heavier liquid phase from the drum, and a solids discharge opening to discharge a solids phase from the drum. A separation zone is formed between the lighter phase and the heavier phase in the separator.

Claims

1. A method for the continuous processing of a product such as a vegetable or animal oil or fat, the processing occurring via a separation into two liquid phases and a solids phase, the method steps comprising: processing the product, the processing occurring in a centrifuge arranged as a separator, the separator including a rotatable drum, a disk stack having risers arranged in the drum, a product feed having a feed tube, a first separator disk to discharge a lighter liquid phase from the drum, a second separator disk to discharge a heavier liquid phase from the drum, a solids discharge opening to discharge a solids phase from the drum, and a separator zone formed between the lighter phase and the heavier phase in the separator; and adjusting a discharge radius for discharging the heavier liquid phase when a viscosity of the heavier liquid phase exceeds a limit value; wherein when the viscosity of the heavier liquid phase increases, an inlet of the second separator disk for discharging the heavier liquid phase is moved from a smaller radius to a larger radius in the drum, and after the discharge of the heavier liquid phase up to a radius that is reached with the second separator disk, the second separator disk is set back to the smaller radius in the drum.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a varying feed pressure in the product feed is determined and evaluated as an indicator for a rise in the viscosity in the heavier liquid phase.

3. A method for the continuous processing of a product such as a vegetable or animal oil or fat, the processing occurring via a separation into two liquid phases and a solids phase, the method steps comprising: processing the product, the processing occurring in a centrifuge arranged as a separator, the separator including a rotatable drum, a disk stack having risers arranged in the drum, a product feed having a feed tube, a first separator disk to discharge a lighter liquid phase from the drum, a second separator disk to discharge a heavier liquid phase from the drum, a solids discharge opening to discharge a solids phase from the drum, and a separator zone formed between the lighter phase and the heavier phase in the separator; and adjusting a discharge radius for discharging the heavier liquid phase when a viscosity of the heavier liquid phase exceeds a limit value; wherein a varying discharge pressure of the lighter liquid phase is determined and evaluated as an indicator for a rise in the viscosity in the heavier liquid phase.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavier liquid phase and the solids phase are discharged discontinuously from the drum.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the heavier liquid phase and the solids phase are discharged at different points in time from the drum.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least phosphatides from the product feed are separated as part of the heavier liquid phase.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the heavier liquid phase and the solids phase are discharged discontinuously from the drum.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the heavier liquid phase and the solids phase are discharged at different points in time from the drum.

9. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least phosphatides from the product feed are separated as part of the heavier liquid phase.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a separator drum with a cap, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the pivoting of a separation element, or disk, to different diameters, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows a separator drum 1 which comprises a vertically aligned rotational axis D on the radius r.sub.0.

(4) The rotatable separator drum 1 is placed on a rotating spindle 2 which is driven directly or via a belt, for example, and which is rotatably held (not shown). The rotating spindle 2 may, for example, be provided with a conical configuration in its upper circumferential region. The separator drum 1 is enclosed by a stationary cap 3 which does not rotate with the drum 1.

(5) In addition to this type of separator construction, constructions are also known in which a bottom drum is quasi suspended on an upper rotating spindle. In such a case, the drum will only be held in a rotating oscillating manner at only one of its ends or in connection to one of its axial ends.

(6) The double conical separator drum 1 as shown in FIG. 1, includes a product feed tube 4 for a product feed P to be centrifuged, to which a distributor 5 is connected, which is provided with at least one, or, within the scope of the present disclosure, several outlet openings 6 through which incoming material to be centrifuged can be guided into the interior of the separator drum 1. Also provided is at least one riser 7 of a disk stack 8. Feeding through the spindle 2 from below, for example, is within the scope of the present disclosure.

(7) The outlet openings 6 lie beneath the riser 7 in the disk stack 8 that includes conically shaped separator disks. The conical shape is not shown.

(8) The disk stack 8 is closed off at the top by a separator disk 9 which has an even larger diameter than the disk stack 8.

(9) A separation zone between a lighter liquid phase LP and a heavier liquid phase HP is formed within the disk stack 8, and may, for example, be within the riser 7 in operation during a respective rotation of the drum 1 at a specific radius. An emulsion line or separation line is also known as an E-line.

(10) A solids phase is designated with reference letter S. It is discharged discontinuously through the solids discharge openings 10 which can be opened and closed discontinuously by a piston slide valve 11.

(11) The lighter liquid phase LP, or light phase, will be guided on an inner radius R.sub.i into a separation chamber 12 and from there out of the drum 1 by the first separation element, or separation disk 13, also known as a gripper.

(12) The separator disk 13 acts like a pump by the dynamic pressure caused by the rotational energy of the liquid. The separator disk 13 may include a valve (not shown) outside of the separator in its downstream discharge for throttling, for example.

(13) The inlet 14 into the separator disk 13 is disposed on a fixed diameter which is not adjustable.

(14) The heavy liquid phase HP, or heavy phase, on the other hand, flows about the outer circumference of the separator disk 9 through a discharge channel 15 into separator chamber 12 in which a second separator element, or disk, 16 is arranged.

(15) This separator element, or disk, 16 is arranged in such a way that its inlet, or its inlet opening, 17 within the separator chamber 12 is continuously or discontinuously adjustable, for example, see FIG. 2 in this respect, so that at least one inner radius R.sub.i and one outer radius R.sub.a in the drum 1 can be reached.

(16) This can be realized, for example, in such a way that the second separation element, or disk, 16 is arranged as a separation tube which is arranged in an L-shaped manner, as seen in FIG. 1, and includes a first section 18 which is radially aligned in the separation chamber 12 and a second section 19 which is aligned parallel to the rotational axis D and which is guided upwardly out of the rotating system, wherein the second section 19 is rotatable about its longitudinal axis on the radius R.sub.19. A pivoting of the separator tube or first section 18 about the longitudinal rotational axis or radius R.sub.19 (see FIG. 2) allows pivoting the inlet 17 between the inner radius R.sub.i and the outer radius R.sub.a.

(17) The pivoting can be realized in a large variety of ways, that is, by a toothed gearing, a lever mechanism, or by a hydraulic or pneumatic drive.

(18) For this purpose, a gearing segment 20 can be arranged on the outside diameter of the tube, for example, which gearing segment 20 will, for example, mesh with a drive gearwheel 21 of a gear which is provided upstream with an electric motor (not shown). The drive and gear connection to the second separation element, or disk, 16 can also be realized in other ways, for example, but not shown here.

(19) If the product to be processed is such that the viscosity of a heavier liquid phase HP will change unexpectedly in operation, especially, for example, increase considerably, clogging and blockage of the drum 1 can be prevented in such a way that the inlet of the separation element, or disk, 16 is pivoted to a larger diameter for the heavier liquid phase HP in order to discharge the compacted heavier liquid phase HP to a radius disposed further to the outside in the drum 1. The separation element, or disk, 16 will be moved back again to a smaller radius R.sub.i for discharging the heavier liquid phase HP after the discharge of this heavier liquid phase HP up to the outer radius R.sub.a set with the second separation element 16 or after the passage of a predetermined period of time.

(20) The varying feed pressure in the product feed P or the discharge pressure of the lighter liquid phase LP can be determined as an indicator for the rise in the viscosity. If this pressure exceeds a threshold or limit value or if the gradient of the feed or discharge pressure is too large, the second separator element, or disk, 16 will be adjusted to the mentioned larger radius R.sub.a.

(21) Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.