AU623551B2

AU623551B2 - Plant for recovery of a brewery filter-aid

Info

Publication number: AU623551B2
Application number: AU62641/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Peter Weiergraber
Original assignee: TREMONIS GmbH
Current assignee: Tremonis Brauerei- Nebenerzeugnisse GmbH
Priority date: 1989-09-20
Filing date: 1990-09-19
Publication date: 1992-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2010-09-19
Also published as: JPH03213108A; DE3935952A1; AU6264190A; CS455890A3; JPH0638888B2; BR9004665A; DE3935952C2

Description

AUSTRALIA

Form PATENTS ACT 1952 623551 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: SPriority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLEIED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant TREMONIS GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRANKTER HAFTUNG BRAUEREI NEBENERZEUGNISSE.

Address of Applicant: Westfalische Strabe 251, 4600 Dortmund 12 (Brackel), Federal Republic of Germany.

Aetual Inventors: Peter Weiergraber Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, 3101, Victoria, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: "PLANT FOR RECOVERY OF A BREWERY

FILTER-AID"

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2- The present invention relates to a plant for the recovery of a brewery filteraid consisting of kieselguhr from the mechanically de-watered filtration sludge which is produced in breweries, containing kieselguhr of a pre-established particlesize distribution, organic components and, optionally, expanded perlite or vermiculite, with a feeder device for the filtration sl:h :i which is to be supplied in a sufficiently fine state of subdivision, a stream-drying apparatus for the drying and dispersion of the supplied filtration sludge in a drying-gas stream, a separation apparatus consisting of a cyclone apparatus and a solids filter for the separation of the granular dried material, a high-temperature treatment chamber for the treatment of the dried material in a treatment-gas stream, a hot-gas cyclone apparatus for the separation of the treated material from the treatment-gas stream and cooling equipment for the separated treated material, where the equipment or apparatus are integrated, in the sequence described in the foregoing, into a flowline and the treated, material can be utilised z§ brewery filter-aid. The present invention also relates to a method for the operation of such a plant. Within the scope of the invention, "kieselguhr" signifies a mineral raw material (see R6mpps Chemie-Lexikon, 1973, 1770) which can be utilised as a filter-aid. Along with the various types of kieselguhr, the filtration sludge, which is obtained from breweries, S" also contains other filter-aids in the inert dried mass. To these other aids belong, .20 in particular, expanded perlite and/or expanded vermiculite. The filtration sludge also contains the substances which are retained during filtration. These are mainly of an organic nature. The amounts of perlite or vermiculite are generally only of the order of a few percent by weight. In the filter-aid they serve to provide a qualitative equilibrium against increased fineness of the particles caused by mechanical stresses. Silica gels which are employed in the contact procedure with kieselguhr can also be contained in the filtration sludge. The filtration sludge derived in this way can thus vary in composition from brewery to brewery. In the light of experience, depending upon the operating practice of the breweries in which the filtration has taken 3 place, a filtration sludge is obtained which mainly consists of kieselguhr. By dispersion is understood an opening up of the filtration sludge to yield the primary particles.

The known plant, upon which the present invention is based (Brauwelt 1988, pp. 2332-2347), was developed from measures which serve the primary purpose of preparing the filtration sludge for a disposal without problems. The recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr is sought after within the framework of known measures, but cannot be achieved with operational reliability without further ado. It has been observed, within the framework of the known regeneration measures, that there is a troublesome transformation of the non-crystalline silicic acid contained in the kieselguhr into crystalline silicic acid.

Furthermore, in the known plant, functional reliability requires 6 improvement. Disturbances arise because of the formacion of agglomerates and harmful deposition in the filter aggregattover which the drying-gas is drawn off. These disturbances are

S.

especially pronounced when filtration sludges from various o.

different sources are utilised. Furthermore, the known measures are very energy-consuming and require a very careful purification of the gases which are discharged into the atmosphere.

The problem to be solved by the invention is how to develop a o. plant, of the fundamental type initially referred to, in such a manner that the recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr is possible in a functionally reliable manner without delelterious alterations in the kieselguhr, especially in relation to the particle-size distribution, having to be taken into consideration. In addition to this, the plant shall be designed in such a way that it can operate with small expenditure of 3 energy.

In order to solve this problem, the invention teaches that the high-temperature treatment chamber should be implemented as a fluidised-bed reactor which possesses a vertical reaction space having a circular cross-section, with a device for producing a I :Z LI -4swirling motion located coaxially below the reaction space for the introduction of the treatment-gas stream into an injection lance, for the dried material, arranged coaxially with the reaction chamber and projecting into it, and that the hightemperature treatment chamber is preceded by a treatment-gas generator which has a combustion chamber, a device for the supply of liquid and/or gaseous fuels, a device for supplying compressed air and a device for the supply of fresh air, and which has a treatment-gas stream with adequate flow energy, adequate temperature and adequate oxygen content for combustion of the organic components, and that hot-gas cyclone has a lining of fire-resistant ceramic material and is designed for approximately 80% separation of solids, in which case a quenching-cooling device for the separated solids is installed downstream of the hot-gas cyclone, between the hot-gas cyclone and the cooling equipment, and that the hot-gas take-off from the hot-gas cyclone is connected to the flow-drying apparatus by way of a transferral conducting system, and that the hot gas discharged from the hot-gas cyclone with its solids content of approximately can be introduced, as the drying-gas stream into the stream-drying apparatus, and that the transferral conduction system is provided with an injection-spray water cooling device acting in conjunction with the process-control device, by means of which the temperature of the drying-gas stream can be adjusted to an introduction temperature which is low enough to prevent volatilisation, in the stream-drying apparatus, of the residual organic components entrained in the filtration sludge.

The present invention is based upon the knowledge that a fundamental type of plant initially referred to for the recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr must be designed and constructed in such a manner that substantially all the organic components arrive in the high-temperature treatment chamber where they are subjected to combustion for their complete destruction.

Furthermore, the invention also encompasses the knowledge that volatilisation of the organic components should not take place in the stream-drying apparatus because, if it were otherwise, troublesome deposits would occur in the solids filter and 0 3^ 19 ,i v'A' 1 additional expensive purification of the waste exhaust gases would be necessary. On the other hand, the filtration sludge occurs with varying contents of organic components and, as the result, the temperature of the exhaust treatment-gas (flue gas) generated in the high-temperature treatment chamber and from the hot-gas cyclone is very variable and very high. None the less, this gas can be utilised in an energy-saving manner, in accordance with the present invention, by its introduction as the 0 epc"rotvS drying-gas stream into the stream-drying/ agrqega, without yolatilisation of the organic components in the stream-drying a-qE.atGbecause of too-high a temperature, for the reason that, in accordance with the present invention, the temperature of the drying-gas stream can be adjusted appropriately in an extremely short period of time by passage through the injection-spray water cooling device. Very surprisingly, the solids content which is entrained in the drying-gas stream, contributes to the situation where troublesome conglomerates are not formed or, if they do, they are broken down again readily. The average dwell-time of the material to be dried in the high-temperature treatment chamber is very short. It can be adjusted in such a way that a transformation of the non-crystalline silicic acid contained in the kieselguhr into crystalline silicic acid is not to be feared. The quenching cooling of the treated material, which leaves the hotgas cyclone, also prevents troublesome transformation of the non- 26 crystalline silicic acid into crystalline silicic acid, but it O is true that the material being dried, during the treatment in the high-temperature treatment chamber does, under certain circumstances, assume lava-like flow properties. However, the quenching cooling ensures that the treated material, immediately after it leaves the hot-gas cyclone, can be transported and manipulated with the usual type of equipment. The result is achieved with a combination of the measures described, so that the recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr from the mechanically de-watered filtration sludge containing kieselguhr, which is produced in breweries, is possible in a functionally reliable manner without deleterious alterations in the kieselguhr, especially in relation to its particle-size ii 6 distribution, having to be taken into consideration. The plant in accordance with the present invention operates with very low energy consumption.

In detail, within the scope of the present invention, there are several possibilities of further development and construction of the plant in accordance with the present invention. A preferred embodiment of the invention which is distinguished by the fact that the combustion of the organic components can be carried on to completion is characterised In that the high-temperature treatment chamber has a reaction space which is pear-shaped in vertical section as well as a device for producing a swirling motion and a gas outlet with a comparatively reduced crosssection. The high-temperature treatment chamber can be operated with treatment-gas having a temperature, higher than the ignition S temperature in the high-temperature treatment chamber, of approximately 600 'C when it enters the high-temperature treatment chamber. The hot-gas cyclone is expediently provided with a quenching cooling device which is constructed as a water-cooled chute or spiral. The essential thing is that the treated .'2p material, when it is discharged from the hot-gas cyclone, must be cooled very rapidly from the discharge temperature of approximately 800 °C to a temperature of 550 'C or lower. The injection spray water cooling device expediently has a regulating circuit for the temperature of the drying-gas stream, said circuit being S.o.

sufficiently sensitive with very short response time. Within the scope of the present invention, the arrangement should be such "that the stream-drying a 4g=ega should have a deflecting baffle in the region of the cyclone aoggp against which any possible agglomerates are fragmented by impact.

*0 0 0 ;V A plant in accordance with the present invention can, within very wide limits, be controlled and regulated so that the recovery of a brewery filter-aid, which meets all the requirements, is still possible, even when the operations are carried out with filtration sludges of very diverse provenance and composition as the -starting material. In this connection, in accordance with the r' 7 present invention, a preferred embodiment, with regard to the operation of such a plant, is characterised by the fact that, with the utilisation of filtration sludges of diverse provenance, which are derived, for example, from different brewery installations or different breweries, the filtration sludge will be standardised by admixture to a composition typical of the plant to be subsequently introduced into the stream-drying aggrqgate.

In what follows, an example of embodiment of the invention will be described in greater detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of the plant in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged of the item at in Fig. 1, showing details of the high-temperature treatment chamber, *0 Fig. 3 is a horizontal section along the line B-B through the object of Fig. 2.

The plant depicted in Fig. 1 is intended for the recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr from the mechanically de-watered filtration sludge which is produced in breweries. The filtration sludge contains kieselguhr of a pre-established particle-size distribution, substances collected by filtration and possibly expanded perlite or vermiculite, along with related silica gels.

In its fundamental construction the plant consists primarily of be:6 a feeder device 1 for the filtration sludge. This can be seen at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. It will be understood that the arrangement is made in such a way so that the filtration sludge will be fed into the stream-drying aqqegalt 3, by means of a

I-

screw conveyor 2 or other type of convey r, in a sufficiently fine state of subdivision. This agegrga 3 operates with a drying-gas stream flowing from the bottom to the top, the rate /:i lil -8of flow being great enough to entrain the finely-particulate filtration sludge. As part of the fundamental construction of the plant, there is also a cyclone apparatus 4 and a solids filter 5. These together form a separation apparatus 4, 5 for the separation of the granular dried material. The drying-gas is then drawn off as exhaust gas through a heat-exchanger 6 which is used for heating the fresh air introduced into the plant and, after adequate purification, the exhaust gas can be discharged into the atmosphere.

Of particular importance for the plant in accordance with the present invention is the high-temperature treatment chamber 7 for the treatment, in a treatment-gas stream, of the material to be dried. A hot-gas cyclone apparatus 8 for the separation of the treated material from the treatment-gas stream is installed eeeee downstream of said chamber. Furthermore, there is a cooling device 9 for the separated treated material. The devices or apparatuses are integrated, in the sequence described in the foregoing, into the operations as shown by the arrows :i in the flow diagram. Also the temperatures and temperature ranges, which are essential within the scope of the invention, are entered on the flow diagram. To this extent, the flow diagram does not require further detailed explanation. The treated material may be utilised, without further ado, as a brewery filter-aid.

From a comparative inspection of Figs. 1 to 3, it can be gleaned that the .20 high-temperature treatment chamber 7 is designed as a fluidised-bed reactor which possesses a vertical reaction space 10 having a circular cross-section, with a device 11 for producing a swirling motion located coaxially below the reaction space for the introduction of the treatment-gas stream into an injection lance, for the material to be dried, arranged coaxially with the reaction chamber and projecting into it. The high-temperature treatment chamber 7 is preceded by a treatment-gas generator 13 which has a combustion chamber 14, a device 15 for the supply of liquid and/or gaseous fuels, a device 16 for supplying compressed air and a device 17 for the supply of fresh air. The treatment-gas generator 13 is designed in such a way that it has a treatment-gas stream with adequate flow energy, adequate L i -i -9temperature and adequate oxygen content for combustion of the organic components in the high-temperature treatment chamber 7. The hot-gas cyclone apparatus has a lining 18 of fire-resistant ceramic material. It is designed for approximately 80% separation of solids. The hot-gas cyclone apparatus 8 is followed by a quenching-cooling device 19 for the separated solids. This is installed between the hot-gas cyclone apparatus 8 and the cooling equipment 9 already described. The hot-gas take-off from the hot-gas cyclone apparatus 8 is connected to the stream-drying apparatus 3 by way of a transferral conducting system 20. The hot gas discharged from the hot-gas cyclone apparatus 8 with its solids content of approximately 20% can be introduced, as the drying-gas stream into the stream-drying apparatus 3. However, ipecial measures have to be implemented. The arrangement is such that the transferral conduction system is provided with an injection-spray water cooling device 22 acting in conjunction with a process-control device 21, by means of which the temperature of the drying- 15 gas stream can be adjusted to an introduction temperature which is low enough to prevent volatilisation, in the stream-drying apparatus 3, of the residual organic components entrained in the filtration sludge.

It can be seen from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 that the high-temperature treatment chamber 7 has a reaction space 10 which is pear-shaped in vertical section as well as a device 11 for producing a swirling motion and a gas outlet with a S comparatively reduced cross-section. The high-temperature treatment chamber 7 is designed to operate at the treatment temperature indicated on the flow diagram.

The treatment-gas stream has a temperature of approximately 600' C, which is however higher than the ignition temperature of the organic components to be burnt, when it enters the high-temperature treatment chamber 7. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the high-temperature treatment chamber 7 is operated G "c t Z :21: 11 I: i i:il_;ni i; under reduced pressure. It can also be configured as a conical chamber, as depicted in Fig. 1.

The afore-mentioned quenching cooling device 19 is constructed as a water-cooled chute or spiral. The injection spray water cooling device 22 expediently has a regulating circuit for the temperature of the drying-gas stream. It can be seen that the upper part of the stream-drying agrpgatp-has a deflecting baffle 24 upstream of the cyclone(acg-gega t 4, against which any possible agglomerates can be fragmented by impact. The material which falls out of the drying-gas stream at this location passes, by way of the indicated pipe-line 25, back to the feeder device 1. The dried material discharged from the cyclonekaggregate 4 as well as from the solids filter 5 is transported, by the conveyor equipment 26 depicted in Fig. 1, to the high-temperature treatment chamber 7. Part of the stream can be diverted back to the feeder device 1.

4* The high-temperature treatment chamber 7 which is designated as a swirling-stream reactor, is expediently provided, in its upper region with a device (not depicted) which makes it possible to shoot in, so to speak, high-speed jet-streams of gas, more or less tangentially into the high-temperature treatment chamber 7.

In this manner a cleansing of the inside of the wall of the hightemperature treatment chamber 7 is achieved and, because of this, the operational reliability is increased. Interruption elements (also not depicted) can be located in the wall of the hot-gas '*ORa cyclone 8. Interruption elements can also be disposed along the central axis of the hot-gas cyclone 8 in such a manner that they are set in oscillating motion which obeys statistical rules. The interruption elements serve the purpose of ensuring that an adequate proportion of solids material is introduced with the .o-^c.rcvY drying-gas stream into the stream-drying aggregat3. Also, a disturbance-free flow of material in the hot-gas cyclone 8 is promoted and therewith a rapid first cooling.

(A

T P\!^y it

Claims

1. A plant for the recovery of a brewery filter-aid consisting of kieselguhr from the mechanically de-watered filtration sludge which is produced in breweries, containing -ieselguhr of a pre-established particle-size distribution, organic components and, optionally, expanded perlite or vermiculite, with a feeder device for the filtration sludge which is to be supplied in a sufficiently fine state of subdivision, a stream-drying apparatus for the drying and dispersion of the supplied filtration sludge in a drying-gas stream, a separation apparatus consisting of a cyclone apparatus and a solids filter for the separation of the particulate dried material, a high-temperature treatment chamber for the treatment of the material to be dried in a treatment-gas stream, a hot-gas cyclone apparatus for the separation of the treated material from the treatment-gas stream and cooling equipment for the separated treated material, where the equipment or apparatus are integrated, in the sequence described in the foregoing, into a flow-line and the treated material can be utilised as a brewery filter-aid, wherein the high- temperature treatment chamber is implemented as a fluidised-bed reactor which possesses a vertical reaction space having a circular cross-section, with a device for producing a swirling motion located coaxially below the reacion space for the introduction of the treatment-gas stream into an injection lance, for the dried material, arranged coaxially with the reaction chamber and projecting into it, and wherein the high-temperature treatment chamber is preceded by a treatment-gas generator which has a combustion chamber, a device for the supply of liquid and/or gaseous fuels, a device for supplying compressed air and a device for the supply of fresh air, and which has a treatment-gas stream with adequate flow energy, adequate temperature and adequate oxygen content for combustion of the organic components, and wherein the hot-gas cyclone apparatus has a lining of fire-resistant ceramic material and is designed for approximately 80% separation of solids, in which case a quenching-cooling device for the separated solids is i producing a swirling motion located coaxially below the reaction space for the introduction of the treatment-gas stream into an injection lance, for the dried material, arranged coaxially with the reaction chambf rA projecting into it, and i 12 installed downstream of the hot-gas cyclone, between the hot-gas cyclone apparatus and the cooling equipment, and wherein the hot-gas take-off from the hot-gas cyclone apparatus is connected to the stream-drying apparatus by way of a transferral conducting system, and the hot gas discharged from the hot-gas cyclone with its solids content of approximately 20% can be introduced, as the drying-gas stream into the stream-drying apparatus and wherein the transferral conduction system is provided with an injection-spray water cooling device which acts in conjunction with a process-control device, by means of which the temperature of the drying-gas stream can be adjusted to an introduction temperature which is low enough to prevent volatilisation, in the stream-drying apparatus, of the residual organic components entrained in the filtration sludge.

2. The plant according to Claim 1, wherein the high-temperature treatment chamber has a reaction space which is pear-shaped in vertical section as well as a device for producing a swirling motion and a gas outlet with a comparatively small Scross-section.

3. The plant according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the high-t,mperature treatment chamber can be operated with treatment-gas having a temperature of approximately 600 C.

4. The plant according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the hot-gas cyclone apparatus is provided with a quenching cooling device which is constructed as a water-cooled chute or spiral. The plant according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the transferral conduction system connected to the injection-spray water cooling device has a control circuit for adjustment of the temperature of the drying-gas stream.

6. The plant according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the stream-drying apparatus has a deflecting baffle in the region of the cyclone apparatus, against which any possible agglomerates are fragmented by impact. L

13- 7. A plant for the recovery of a brewery ifiter-aid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. DATED this 24th day of February 1992. TRJEMONIS GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHR&NKTER HAFTUNG BRAUEREI-NEBENERZEUGNISSE By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE C C. C CC C C. C S C C. C. CC C C C.. C L IA A SC C C C C C. C