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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9561513-B2
Application number	US-201113878658-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2011
Priority date	Oct 14, 2010
Publication date	Feb 7, 2017
Grant date	Feb 7, 2017

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.

First claim

We claim:

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.

Assignees

• Mackel Wilfried
• Eickhoff Klaus-Peter
• Gea Mechanical Equipment Gmbh

Inventors

• Mackel Wilfried
• Eickhoff Klaus-Peter

Classifications

• B04B1/14

  with periodical discharge · CPC title

• B04B11/082

  Skimmers for discharging liquid · CPC title

• B04B11/02

  Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B04B11/04 Primary

  Periodical feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• C11B3/16

  by mechanical means · CPC title