AU625632B2

AU625632B2 - Device for the fragmentation by explosion of organic products

Info

Publication number: AU625632B2
Application number: AU12940/88A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Eugen Harsanyi; Emmy Helwig
Original assignee: BUSE ANLAGENBAU GmbH
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-19
Filing date: 1988-02-15
Publication date: 1992-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-15
Also published as: JPH02502154A; DE3864817D1; JPH0771465B2; WO1988006006A1; RU2004163C1; ATE67078T1; EP0345281B1; BR8807371A; EP0345281A1; AU1294088A

Abstract

Fragmentation by explosion of organic products, simplifying the subsequent processing of the blasted particles of same, particularly of seed, fruits and vegetables, said device being provided with at least one pressure chamber (1), a pressure release chamber (3) disposed below said pressure chamber, and an isolating element (4) between said pressure chamber (1) and said pressure release chamber (3). The pressure release chamber (3) extends horizontally, whilst a separating device (10) in the pressure release chamber (3) is disposed in such a way that the hard particles, such as fruit stones, stalks and the remains of shells, which have not been blasted by inhomogenous blasting, may be separated from the other, blasted particles and transported separately from the pressure release chamber (3).

Description

AU-AI-4294o/88 Dt'1'WELTOPRGANISATION FOR-,GEIST GES EIGENTUM P Cr Internationales Baro INTERNATIONAL~E ANMELDUNG VEROFFENTLIGHT NACH DEM VERTRAG OJBER DIE INTERNATIONAI E ZUSAMMENARBEIT AUF DEM GEBIET DES PATENTWESENS (PCT) Vero itAs st 1988 (25.08.88) (21) loteinationales Aktenzeichen: PCT/EP88/00109 (81) Bestimmungsstaaten: AT (europ~iisches Patent), AU, BE (europdisches Patent), PR, CH (europiiisches Pa- (22) Internationales Anmneldedatumn: tent), DE (europqisches Patent), DK, FR (europili- Februar 1988 (15.02.88) sches Patent), GB (europdisches Patent), IT (europtii- Fches Patent), JP, KR, LU (europ~isches Patent), NL (europdisches Patent), NO, SE (europtiisches Patent), (31) Prioritaitsaktenzeichen: P 37 05 271.3 SU.

(32) Prioritatsdatum: 19. Februar 1987 (19.02.87) Verdiffentlicht (33) Prioritatsland: DE Mit internationalem Recherchenbericht.

(71) Anmelder: BUSE ANLAGENBAU GMBH [DE/DE]; Sprudeistrasse, D-5462 Bad I-6nningen (DE).

(71X72) Anmielder und Erfinder: HELWIG, Emmy (DE/ DE]; Ulrichstrasse 17, D-5014 Kerpen (DE).

(72) Erfinder: HARSANYT, Eugen Ulrichstrasse 17, D- A.0. J. P. 13 OCT 1988 5014 Kerpen (DE).

(74) Anwalt: KOHNE, Friedrich; Postfach 25 02 65, Lo- A AUSTRALIAN' thringer StraBe 81, D-5000 Ki5In 1 1 4 SEP 1988 PATENT OFFICE (54) Title: DEVICE FOR THE FRAGMENTATION BY EXPLOSION OF ORGANIC PRODUCTS (54) Bezeichnung: VORRICHTUNG ZUR EXPLOSIONSZERKLEINERUNG VON ORGANISCHEN PRODUKTEN 17 (57) Abstract 112 13 15 IS Fragmentation by explosion of organic products, simplifying the subsequent processing of the blastr.A particles of same, particularly of seed, fruits and vegetables, said device being provided with at least one pressure chamber a pressure release chamber disposed below said pressure chamber, and an isolating element between said pressure chamber and said pressure release chamber The pressure release chamber extends horizontally, whilst a separating in the pressure release chamber is disposed in such a way that the hard particles, such as fruit stones, stalks and the remains of shells, which have flat been blasted by inhomogenous blasting, may be separated from the other, blasted particles and transported separately from the pressure release chamber (57) Zusanimenfassung Um bei einer Vorrichtu'ng zur Explosionszerkleinerung von organischen Produkten, insbesondere von Samen, Frilchten oder Pflanzen, welche mindestens eine Druckkammer eine darunter angeordnete Entspannungskammer- sowie emn Absperrorgan zwischen Druckkammer und Entspannungskammer aufweist, die Weiterbehandlung der gespre-ngten Anteile zu vereinfachen, wird vorgeschlagen, daBl die Entspannungskammer eine waagerechte Ausdehnung aufweist und dae in der Entspannungskammer eine Trennvorrichtung (10) angeordnet ist, welche so gestaltet ist, daB die durch inhomogenes 'Sprengen nicht gesprengt~in harten Anteile, wie Kerne, Stengel oder Schalenreste, direkt Von den ibrigen gesprengten Anteilen abtrennbar und separat aus der Entspannungskamnmer austragbar sind.

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.1 Equipment for explosion-fraqmentation of organic substances The present invention relates to equipment for the explosion-fragmentation of organic substances.

This type of equipment is known, for example, from the German Patent Specification DE-PS 26 32 045. With this equipment, the whole amount of the material, after one or more explosive fragmentations, is discharged into the expansion chamber. If the fragmentation is not homogeneous, then the hard unexploded portions of the material are found in the expansion chamber together with the exploded portions, so that subsequently various operations are necessary to separate the unexploded from the exploded portions.

The object of the present invention is to develop ease equipment with which the treatment procedures are Soso 15 fundamentally simplified and facilitated.

0 i•oo SThe present invention provides apparatus for the explosionfragmentation of organic products, in particular seeds, fruits or plants, having at least one pressure chamber, an expansion chamber located therebelow, as well as a shut-off member between the pressure chamber and expansion chamber, a 0seesI device for supplying compressed gas being associated with the pressure chamber and having a separating device, which is designed so that the hard components such as kernels, stalks or skin residues which have not been fragmented by 25 means of being exploded non-homogeneously, can be separated from the remaining fragmented components, wherein the 0. horizontal extent of the expansion chamber is greater than the vertical extent of the expansion chamber and the Sexpansion chamber has an outlet U

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1A tapering conically towards the central region, for receiving fragmented, liquid, pulp-like and fine-grained components, and another outlet for receiving hard, coarse-grained components is connected to the separating device which is furnished with a sieve and is located in the expansion chamber, the construction of the separating device and expansion chamber being such that the separating device can be removed separately from the expansion chamber to facilitate removal of the hard components which have not been fragmented by the explosion, such as kernels, stalks or see. skin residues.

The present invention further provides a method for the explosion-fragmentation of organic products, in particular seeds, fruits or plants, in which the products are subjected 15 to the high pressure of a gas and are subsequently exploded non-homogeneously by sudden reduction pressure, the pressure applied and its reduction are selected so that the explosion of the products results in non-fragmented hard components, such as kernels, stalks or skin residues on the one hand, 20 and liquid, pulp-like or fine-grained components on the other hand, wherein the components are separated from each *other immediately after the pressure reduction within the expansion chamber.

S* Advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subsidiary claims.

Examples of embodiment of the invention are depicted diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a pressure chamber and a expansion chamber located beneath it, 0 '2 Fig. 2 is a side view of the equipment shown in Fig. 1 with a flow diagram of the processing equipment attached thereto, Fig. 3 is equipment for elucidation of the course of the procedural stages, Fig. 4 is a further example of embodiment different from that shown in Fig. 3, Figs. 5 to 18 are additional examples of embodiment and procedural diagrams.

The equipment to be described in detail in what follows serves, above all, for obtaining the optimal yield from the materials being processed with low energy consumption and the production of better quality goods, while retaining the fundamental properties of the recovered ingredients. For this purpose, all the equipment is based upon a preliminary stage of pressurised fragmentation, namely the application of pressure with subsequent expansion due to sudden pressure reduction.

The materials to be processed can be of organic origin of all types. The following listing gives examples for the production lines which can be carried out: 1 5 Avocado fruit: recovery of oil and pulp, Bananas recovery of starch, alcohol, fibres and pulp, Dates recovery of alcohol and sugar, with removal of the date stones, Fruits removal of seeds, stalks, preparation of the flesh for further processing, Grains recovery of wholemeal, alcohol and starch, Processing of spices and mixtures of spices, Removal of pulp from coffee berries, Tubers, roots recovery of starch and alcohol, AL I li l 1 3 Olives achieving a higher quality and yield of oil, Paprika recovery of powder from fresh and dried pods, Soya beans recovery of full-fat soya meal with a particle size of less than 100 micrometres, without preliminary cooling, Grapes achieving better quality wines, Sugar cane, sugar beet recovery of alcohol or sugar Fig. 1 depicts equipment used in the preliminary stage of the procedural principles to be described in detail in what follows, including a pressure cylinder 1, an expansion chamber 3, an intermediate valve 4, and a supply pipeline 5 or several pipelines 6, 7, 8 for the introduction of one or several materials or raw materials.

06*00 There is an additional pipeline 2 with a valve for supplying compressed gas.

500 Compressed air, carbon dioxide or nitrogen or any other neutral gas are preferred 0o@0 4 for use as the compressed gas, but the particular gas depends upon economic and chemical-material considerations. In this preliminary stage it is possible to carry *000:O out repeated explosions of the material in order to achieve better rupture of the cells of the organic materials.

005500 All the procedural steps which are to be discussed in what follows make use of an expansion chamber 3, the horizontal extent of which is greater than its vertical 0:000: 0 extent containing a separating device 10, which can preferably be inserted or removed as desired, to be described later.

Examples of embodiment for processing various types of organic materials will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Example 1: Avocado fruit The avocado fruits are loaded into a pressure chamber 1 which functions in a V U1( known manner and, in accordance with the flow diagram shown in~ Fig. 2, are exploded in such a way in the horizontal expansion chamber 3 that only the cells of the flesh are ruptured, whereas the undamaged stones are separated by means of the, preferably insertable and removable, separatior, device 10, to be removed through the discharge outlet 12. It is only the fragmented flesh of the fruit which is removed through the outlet 11 for further processing. The flesh is in the form of a pulp and it is transported by a subsequent conveyor device to a special statically-operating mixer and heat-exchanger 13 for heat treatment. The product is then. transferred to a sieving device 14 from which the finest particles are 1 0 removed through the discharge vent 15. A mixture of oil and water which is obtained is transferred by means of a conveyor device 16 to an oil-separation centrifuge 17 where the mixture is separated into water and pulp, on the one hand, and free oil, on the other hand. The water is removed through the &00 discharge pipe 18, the pulp through the discharge pipe 19 and the oil through the discharge pipe The experiments yielded the following results:-

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0OS00g 0 00 S 0O Compressed gas: air; Pressure: up to 10 bar; Dwell-time: zero.

Skins: 2.00 fruit flesh: 83.00%; stones: In the fruit flesh there was oil: 16%; water: 68%.

Yield calculated with respect to Total Solids: 85%; pulp: 16%.

Example 2: Dates It is well known that dates have a high sugar content. Because it was previously not possible to remove the stones, the grinding of the dates was very difficult and I

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the juice could not be processed for recovery of sugar. The recovery of alcohol was also not economically viable.

With the integrated pressure fragmentation as described, together with the horizontal expansion chamber and the insertable separating device, it is possible to break up the fruit flesh without damaging the stones which can be removed in the same operation.

Fig. 3 illustrates the course of the process. The whole dates are filled into the top of pressure chamber 1 in the direction shown by the arrow 5. The chamber is then filled with compressed gas. The material is then exploded in the horizontal expansion chamber 3 to form a non-homogeneous mass. The preferably insertable separating device 10 is utilised to separate the stones and discharge them through the outlet 35. The broken-up fruit flesh which is free from stones is drawn off through the outlet 36 and forwarded to the fermentation and distillation station through a pipeline. For recovery of sugar, the fruit flesh or the juice obtained therefrom is treated in the manner known per se.

The following conditions were used to obtain the results: Compressed gas: air; Pressure: up to 10 bar; Dwell-time: zero.

Sugar content: 16%; fruit flesh: 88%; stones: 12%.

Energy consumption: 0.8 kW/kg sugar and 1.8 kW/tonne dates.

;0 The stone-free mash yielded practically pure alcohol on the first pass through the fermentation/distillation equipment.

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In 6 Example 3: Fruits in general All fruits either have one large stone or several smaller seeds, as well as stalks and skins. The fruit must be coarsely or finely reduced in size in a first stage and then undergo preliminary treatment for the subsequent processing operations. With traditional methods, it is necessary to use special machines for size reduction, removal of stalks and for removal of stones or seeds.

In accordance with the present invention, by using the integrated pressure fragmentation in combination with the expansion chamber and its preferably insertable and removable separating device, it is possible to free the fruit flesh pulp'from the undamaged stones, stalks and other hard components in practically one single operation, 15 to obtain the fruit juice. The course of the operations is essentially the same as that described in relation to *e0S Fig. 3. It is still essential that the separation process is carried out directly in the preferably insertable and removable separating device so that the operational step 20 of separation is substantially simplified.

The processing of various fruits including pineapples and plums yielded the following results: eee Compressed gas: air; Pressure: 10 to 30 bar; Dwell-time: up to 30 seconds 25 Fruit flesh: 85%; stones (seeds, pips): QsS Example 4: Grains

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To produce a wholemeal mixture, various types of grain were ground together and placed in a receptacle with thorough mixing. In acordance with Fig. 4, the

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S 0 p 4 a If 7 collected mixture of grains can be exploded in a single operation in the expansion chamber 3 in combination wvith its insertable and removable separating device The undesired portion with large particle sizes can be separated and optionally returned to the pressure chamber 1 through the pipeline as indicated in Fig. 4 for a repeat of the explosion treatment. In this way it is possible to ensure that a homogeneous mixture in accordance with the opecification is always obtained.

Fig. 5 illustrates another processing method by which a homogeneous mixture with unvarying particle-size freedom can be obf:ained, if different proportions of particles are combined together in-accordance with a specification. The different types of grain can be supplied from the storage bins 39 to 44 either singly or mixed, according to specification, by way of the metering devices 45 to 50, for I00 66 filling into the pressure chamber 51 where they are subjected to the appropriate gas pressure to be subsequently discharged into the attached expansion chamber 52 where they are exploded. By means of the preferably insertable and removable 5 separating device 53, for example in the form of a screw conveyor, it is possible 6 to take off the desired mixture of finest particles at the outlet 54 separately from the coarser particles which are taken off through the outlet 55 for return through pipeline 56 to the pressure chamber 51 where they can be subjected to a repeat of o the explosion operation.

0:'940 Example 5: Spices and mixtures of spices With spices, the problem arises of deleterious influence on the aroma during the o; processing operations. Fig. 6 therefore shows a further development of the equipment in accordance with the present invention, which is especially suitable for the processing of spices. In this case there are several independent pressure chambers which can be successively utilised, coupled to a centrally-located expansion chamber with a combined, preferably insertable and removable, p ~.LI -ii. separating device. This device has the important advantage that it is necessary to clean out only the expansion chamber when the type of spice is changed. The device can also be utilised for other raw materials with which such problems enter into consideration. The course of the process as shown in the flow diagram in Fig. 6 is essentially as follows: The raw materials which are stored in the containers 63 to 68, may be filled separately into the corresponding pressure chambers, 57 to 62 in the present example, where they are subjected to pressure by a compressed gas introduced through the pipelines 69. Each of the pressure chambers can be operated individually. Before commencing operation, a check is made to ensure that the shut-off valves 70 of the chambers which are not in operation are dosed so that, when the explosion is carried out in the operational chamber, the expanding gas will not be able to gain entrance into any of the nonoperational pressure chambers. After the opening of the relevant expansion valve 0 6 71, the material is ejected at high velocity into the central expansion chamber 72 4, where it is broken down to small-sized particles. By opening the valve 73, the r exploded product passes by way of a conveyor device 74 to a temporary storage vessel 75 from which measured amounts are delivered to a separately installed separating device 76. By making use of the expansion chamber, in combination with the preferably insertable and removable separating device 77, the component Goes: .00.20 with the desired particle size can be discharged through the outlet 78, whereas the material with larger particle sizes can be taken away through the pipeline 79 by means of a conveyor device 80 for return to the particular pressure chamber which is being used.

:5 This operation is effected with the use of the adjustment device 81, which allows for metering the material. The portion which is returned can be mixed in with a new charge for re-treatment by explosion. With the use of the distribution device 82, it is possible to select which of the pressure-chambers or -cylinders is/are to be used at any particular time. Mounted on top of the expansion chamber 72, there pr~r~-x is a quick-change exhaust filter 83 from which the entrapped smallest particles can be returned to the expansion chamber 72.

Example 6: Removal of pulp from coffee berries The known types of pulp remover operate with adjustable horizontal beater rods.

The adjustment of the intermediate spaces between the beater rods depends upon the size of the coffee berries being treated. If the spacing of the rods is not properly adjusted, it is possible that the coffee beans can be crushed during the removal of pulp.

With the expansion chamber in accordance with the present invention, in 0 0 combination with the preferably insertable and removable separating device, it is possible for all the pulp to be removed from the coffee berries in one explosion operation, independent of the size of the coffee berries, without damaging the larger coffee beans, followed by the separation of the exploded pulp from the beans.

1 5 The course of the process in accordance with Fig. 7 is similar to that described previously, with the difference that, in this case, the coffee beans are collected and discharged through the outlet 84, whereas fruit flesh pulp is removed through outlet The conditions and results were as follows: Compressed gas: air; Pressure: up to 10 bar Bulk density: 600 kg/m 3 coffee beans: 22 kg; pulp: 78 kg. J The pulp contained: 84% water 65.5 kg; 16% solids 12.48 kg.

'rE T4 1_ Example 7: Tubers or roots This example of application is based upon the recovery of starch or alcohol from the tropical tubers of cassava, yucca or manioc. The processing in accordance with the present invention as shown in Fig. 8, starts with preliminary size-reduction, as described in relation to Fig. 1, as the first stage and here again the equipment includes an expansion chamber 3 in combination with the insertable and removable separating device 10. Compared with the traditional processing methods, in accordance with the present invention the tubers can be nonhomogeneously mashed in a single operation and a single piece of equipment, in such an optimal manner that the skins which have not been broken up can be removed and the starch milk, free from skins, can be taken off through the outlet 86 and pipeline 87 for further processing. For refining of the starch milk, this can be diverted through the switch valve 88 to a six-stage washing-out station 89 which operates on the counter-current principle.

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The following conditions were used to obtain the results: Compressed gas: air; Pressure: 40/60 bar; dwell-time nil.

Pulp: 15%; water: 65%; starch: In the conventional method, the roots were washed, peeled, reduced in size in a a preliminary operation, and the cells were ruptured by frictional grinding. The j 10 starch was then recovered. In the separation of water from the roots, the starchcontaining material was concentrated te a total solids (TS) content of 40 to Various special machines had to be provided for washing, peeling, preliminary size-reduction, grinding and de-watering.

01 1 1 With the expansion chamber 3 in accordance with the present invention, in combination with the insertable and removable separating device 10, it is possible for the integrated pressure chamber to be utilised optima y in only a single operation in equipment into which the roots areffilled, after having been washed, for removal of the skins. All the starch-containing cells are optimally ruptured and de-watered at the same time. ThE starch milk obtained in this way can be conveyed away for extraction and further refining. The skins are separated in the insertable and removable separating device and discharged. It must be emphasised here that other types of tubers and roots, such as potatoes for examTole, can be processed by using the same method.

Example 8- Olives In the processing of olives to recover oil, the horizontal expansion chamber in combination with the insertable and removable separating device and with the integrated pressure chamber can be controlled in such a manner that, in the nonhomogeneous explosion of the olives, it is only the flesh of the olives which is broken up and the undamaged stones can be removed from the pulp. Fig. 9 illustrates the equipment for further processing of the separated fruit flesh pulp OVOO: in which, after addition of process water by way of the pipeline 91, it is forwarded through a conveyor device 90 to a continuously-operating static mixer and heat o exchanger 92 where it is subjected to heat treatrilent. The finest particles are 0 removed through a sieve 93. With the use of an oil-separator centrifuge 94, the oil 0 is removed through the pipeline 95, the water through the pipeline 96 and the 6:09*: solid residue is discharged through pipeline 97.

The results of the experiments were as follows: Compressed gas: C02; pressure: up to 10 bar; dwell-time: nil.

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12 High-quality oil: 25%; pulp: 30%; water: Example 9: Paprika With the use of the expansion chamber in combination with the insertable and removable separating device, fresh paprika pods with seeds, pith and stalk residues can be exploded in snich a manner that the undamaged seeds and stalk residues can subsequently be separated from the fragmented fruit flesh pulp. It is also possible to treat dried paprika pods in the same way. Following this, the large-size particles can be separated and returned to the pressure chamber for a repeat of the explosion treatment. Fig. 10 illustrates the course of the process. The fresh paprika pods are filled into the integrated pressure chamber 1 through pipeline 5 and subjected to pressure by compressed gas admitted through valve "0 9. In the horizontal expansion chamber 3 with the insertable and removable separating device 10, the seeds and other solids are removed through the outlet «84, whereas the fruit flesh pulp is separated at 90 and can be drawn off. The pulp can be transported through the pipeline 87 with an appropriate conveyor device to a dryer where dried powder is produced.

The tests carried out yielded the following results: Compressed gas: air; pressure: up to 60 bar; dwell-time: nil.

Fruit flesh: 70%; seeds, stalks, etc.: 30%; water content: 0 The dried powder had a water content of 6%.

I Example 10: Full-fat soya beans *f In order to recover a flowable full-fat soya bean meal with a particle size less than I i~ 1i h7* 25 Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein expansion valves with different diameters can be inserted between 13 100 micrometres with the use of the present state of the art, it was necessary to comminute the deep-frozen beans in a refrigerated special grinding device, where condensation water can form after the grinding.

With the equipment in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to produce this type of meal without pre-cooling and without the formation of condensation water.

The conditions required are: Compressed gas: air/CO2; pressure: up to 60 bar; dwell-time: nil.

The course of the process as shown in Fig. 11 is as follows: 0 The full-fat soya beans are filled into a first pressure cylinder 1 through a pipeline 0. 5 and subjected in the usual manner to pressure applied through pipeline 2, to be exploded subsequently in a normal, vertical, expansion chamber 98 in such a manner that the shells fly off but the beans are .only coarsely fragmented. The thus exploded mixture of shells and coarse particles of bean meal passes through 5 the outlet 99 onto a conveyor belt 100, preferably an endless conveyor belt. Above this conveyor belt there is a suction hood 101 which sucks up the shells. The coarse particles of bean meal are then transported by the conveyors 102 and 103, S which are coupled in series, to be filled into a second pressure cylinder 104. The second pressure cylinder is subjected to pressure at 2 by compressed gas. This is 02°, followed by explosion through nozzles (not depicted) in an expansion chamber o lS0 o 105. By means of the separating device 106, for example in the form of a screw conveyor, which is preferably insertable and removable, the portion of the bean meal with the smaller particle sizes is separated from the portion with the larger particle sizes. The coarse particles can be mixed with fresh coarser material and 2 5 subsequently returned through the pipeline 107 and the described conveyor i

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lll~ll-i :INV -31 9 14 devices 102 and 103 for a repeat explosion in the second pressure cylinder 104.

The finer particles of meal are filled into a third pressure cylinder 110 by way of additional conveyor devices 108 and 109 and once again subjected to pressure and explosion. By appropriate choice of the pressure to be applied at point 2, and with the use of special nozzles (not depicted), the explosion is carried out, followed by transfer into the subsequent expansion chamber 111 which is also provided an insertable and removable separating device 112. It is here that the portion with particle sizes less than 100 micrometres is separated and taken out from the collection chamber 113 through pipeline 114 for subsequent packaging. The portion with the coarser particle sizes is returned to the third pressure cylinder 110 by way of the pipeline 115 and the conveyor device 116 for a repeat explosion treatment.

With the use of the equipment in accordance with the present invention, especially with the expansion chamber and the separating device housed therein, 1:5 the effect is achieved that a continuous stream of flowable full-fat soya bean meal with particle sizes smaller than 100 micrometres can be obtained for packaging. It is possible to carry out the whole new process without pre-cooling of the beans, without refrigeration during the particle size reduction and without the formation of condensation water.

Example 11: Grape-must recovery For grape-must recovery, the equipment according to Fig. 3 can be used. The grape mash is macerated in the integrated pressure cylinder. Subsequently, the grape must is separated from the marc, in the expansion chamber with the i;i described separating device, within a period of a few minutes. Because of the very i 25 short contact time between the must and the marc, it is ensured that good quality i must is obtained for producing high-quality wine.

N1 L .t U i The course of the process, according to Fig. 3, is as follows: The grapes are loaded into the pressure cylinder 1 without preliminary crushing, subjected to pressure as described and are then exploded non-homogeneously in the expansion chamber with the inserted separating device in such a manner that the undamaged stalks, seeds and other solid material can be separated from the mash. The must which is separated from the marc is drawn off at 36 and the mash is not transported any further. The must, freed from marc, is passed through a pipeline 37 for further processing.

The conditions and results were as follows: o 0 Compressed gas: air/CO 2

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2 pressure: up to 10 bar; dwell-time: nil.

Supernatant must: 75 80%; pressed must from marc: 10 12%; marc: 10 Example 12: Sugar cane or other sugar-containing materials According to the present state of the art, rolling-trains or a diffusion method is used for processing sugar cane. The main method used for processing sugar beet is a diffusion process. Large volumes of water are required for this and also the amount of energy required is very large. From the point of view of machinery, a very large amount of floor space is necessary. The production process described in the German Patent Specification DE-PS 26 32 045.C2 is more economical with S:O regard to water and energy consumption and the size of the processing plant is relatively much smaller. Compared with this, the space requirements for the equipment in accordance with the present invention with pressure cylinder, expansion chamber instead of the vertical one, and the preferably insertable and removable separating device are substantially smaller still. Because of the immediate separation of the solid material from the exploded mash, it is possible p ll ,y 16 to forward the pulp to the fermentation and distillation station without delay to proceed with the recovery of alcohol. On the other hand, with the use of a multistage washing-out station, working cn the counter-current principle, it is possible to obtain sugar-containing juice from which all particles of solid material are removed in a subsequent multi-stage extraction battery so that the juice can be processed further to recover the sugar. The separated bagasse is free from marc and can be offered to the paper-manufacturing industry as a source of cellulose.

The results of the tests carried out were as follows: Compressed gas: air/CO /N2; pressure: from 40 to 60 bar; dwell-time: 30 seconds.

11% of sugar was recovered from juice containing 12% and bagasse free from marc was obtained.

lei Energy consumption: 0.8 kW/kg sugar.

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Fig. 12 ilustrates the course of the process: the sugar cane or sugar beet which has undergone a preliminary size-reduction is filled into the pressure cylinder 1 and subjected to pressure with compressed gas. Bagasse is separated from the juice in the expansion chamber 3 by means of the separating device 10. The bagasse is removed from the separating device 10 by means of a conveyor device 117 which transfers it to separating equipment, operating on the counter-current principle, 2 0 having a washing-out battery with a first stage 119. The enriched extraction water is separated and returned to the expansion chamber 3. The bagasse separated in stage 119 is discharged into a storage vessel 120. Here it is mixed with enriched extraction water derived from stage 121. The suspension of bagasse in water from the storage vessel 120 flows to stage 122. The separated extraction water from stage 122 is returned to stage 119. The bagasse freed from extraction water falls into the next storage vessel 123 where it is mixed with the extraction water derived U i N 0 i l- i-l;~irli jj- 17 from stage 124. The suspension of bagasse and the water mixture from the storage vessel 123 falls into stage 121. The process is repeated from the storage vessel 125 to the stage 124, whereas the enriched extraction water from the stage 121 flows into the supply vessel 120. The bagasse in the storage vessel 125 is mixed with fresh water from the mains connection 126 and is conveyed to the stage 124, from which the enriched extraction water is returned to storage vessel 123. The leachedout bagasse is emptied out through the pipeline 126. The sugar-containing juice which has been concentrated in the various stages as described and recycled to the expansion chamber 3 can be removed at 195 and forwarded for subsequent processing to recover the sugar. Fig. 12 represents a special example for the various stages of the separating device 118 where the iumber of stages can be varied as desired to obtain the required concentration of sugar in the juice.

*00# Figs. 13 and 14 depict an additional example of embodiment of an important part o*O. of the equipment in accordance with the present invention with an expansion I chamber 3 and a separating device 128 which can be inserted into, or removed from, said chamber and is equipped with all the requisite separating- and conveying-aggregates. The pressure cylinder 1 is located centrally or off-centre or laterally-tangential to the expansion chamber 3 and, as described several times oOfO previously, it is subjected to pressure after being filled with the material to be treated. The expansion chamber 3 is substantially cylindrical in shape, with a horizontal axis, where the lower portion 129 is provided with a conical outlet for the separated liquid or the small-particle-size portion of the material. At an appropriate height within the cylinder there are longitudinal runner rails 130 provided on each side as guides for the insertable separating device 128. The right-hand end wall of the expansion chamber 3 depicted in Fig. 13, which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing, is open in so far as it is necessary for the pushing-in of the ;j separating device 128, where it is to be understood that seals can be provided I around the borders. Said wall is designated with the reference number 131. The Lw oy t I I 18 left-hand wall at the opposite end of the expansion chamber 3 has a variable-speed drive with an electric motor 133 mounted on it in such a way that only a portion of the output drive shaft 134 projects into the expansion chamber 3. After the pushing in of the separating device 128, it can be coupled to the axle of a screw conveyor 136 by simply forcing them together. Said screw conveyor is rotatably mounted in the lower region of a perforated- or sieve-member 137. This member consists of a lower semicylindrical portion 138 and its borders extend upwards in two outwardly sloping perforated- or sieve-surfaces 139 and 140 (Fig. 14). The carriage frame 141 serves the purpose of bringing the separating device 128 into the expansion chamber 3, or removing it therefrom, but the carriage frame always remains outside the expansion chamber. The carriage frame is also provided with rails 142 on which the separating device 128 can be moved along.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of this sees see:equipment, which is illustrated in particular in Fig. 14, S 20 cover plate 143 is provided for the end wall 131, and this r cover-plate may be moved sideways along a horizontal arm S 144 and held in position. The arm 144 may be pivoted around a fixed vertical axis 145. The cover plate 143 has a circular opening 146 at the bottom centre which has an outward projecting sleeve welded onto it, which acts as a cover for the end 147 of the screw conveyor 136 which ~projects out from the expansion chamber when the separating device 128 has been inserted. The method S of operation is as follows: During the insertion of the

S.O.S.

separating device 128, the cover plate 143 is located at e the outer end of the horizontal arm 144, so that the end o of the expansion chamber 3 is open. As soon as the *Ges

S

S" separating device 128 has been inserted in the direction o show by the arrow and carriage frame 141 has been removed, the horizontal arm 144 can be pivoted around the vertical axis to such an extent that the arm is parallel to the axis of the expansion chamber, that is to say, perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 14. The cover plate 143 can now be Sturned around a pivoting sleeve 148 so that it is once e 3again parallel to the plane of Fig. 14. The cover plate

U

07 71 ii i,~i L-LY 19 143 is then pushed up against the right-hand end of the expansion chamber where it is fastened to a counter flange by means of clamps around the rim. The opening of the expansion chamber and the removal of the separating device is effected by the reverse series of operations. During operation of the equipment, the electric motor 133 drives the screw conveyor 136 in rotation, with the result that the coarse material from the non-homogeneously exploded material which remains in the sieve is forwarded by the screw conveyor to be discharged. The liquid or the small-particle-size material which passes through the sieve is collected in the lower conical portion 129 of the expansion chamber 3 and can be removed through an outlet 149 at the bottom.

Fig. 15 depicts an example of embodiment of a compact structural unit consisting of a pressure cylinder 1 and an .o expansion chamber 3 in which there is also a separating device 10 (not depicted). This unit is equipped with a ,,tilting device which tilts it through almost 90 degrees to O 20 facilitate its transport to the site where it is to be employed. The tilting device is provided with a screwthreaded spindle 150, which is rotatably mounted at a small distance above a base support 151 in a bearing (not depicted) at the left-hand end and is driven by a motor 152 at the right-hand end. A matching internally screw- ,r threaded socket 153 is mounted on the screw-threaded 0 se* spindle, with one end of a lever arm 155 articulated by a joint 154 with said socket. The other end of the lever arm 155 is articulated by an additional joint 156 with the top 30 corner of the expansion chamber 3. On one edge of the expansion chamber 3 there is an additional joint 158 which is connected with the base support 151 on the other side.

By the appropriate choice of the direction of rotation of the drive motor 152, the socket 153 can be displaced along the screw-threaded spindle 150 towards the left-hand side of Fig. 15 so that the unit is raised up into the vertical position shown by the dot-dash lines. In the tilted position depicted with the solid lines, the unit can readily be transported because of its small height.

7L) 1 rE

II

1' I I Fig. 16 diagrammatically depicts two expansion valves 159 and 160 with different diameters, alongside one another. The expansion valve 159 which can be opened or dclosed by means of the actuating unit 161, represented in a simplified manner, has a large diameter and it can be connected by an upper flange 162 to the flange 163 of the pressure cylinder 1 and by a lower flange 164 to the flange 165 of a short connection piece 166 at the top of the expansion chamber 3. The expansion valve 160 which has a small diameter possesses an upper flange 167 which corresponds essentially to the flange 162 and can be connected to the flange 163.

Adjoining this there is a conically tapering portion 168 which leads to the actual expansion valve 160. An extension tube 169 on the underside of the expansion valve 160 can be inserted into the connection piece 166. The flange 165 has additional drilled holes located further towards inside, so that the lower flange 170 ese.

of the expansion valve 160 can be connected to it.

*OSS

1. Fig. 17 is a simplified representation of a combination of pipelines for the selective .soot5 introduction of compressed gas into the pressure cylinder or of wash water into the expansion chamber. The wash-water inlet 17.1 leads to a T-piece 172, at which the wash-water branches in two opposite directions, on one side to a connection 173 to a annular spray head in the expansion chamber and, on the other side, to ~a pipeline 174 in common. When the control valve for the compressed gas is open, the control valve for the wash-water is dosed. Only compressed gas can flow through the common pipeline 174, in which case the non-return valve 177 shuts @gOOle off the gas supply to the water connection. The valves described are mutually locked together in such a way that neither wash water nor compressed gas can be supplied.

Fig. 18 depicts an example of embodiment of a nozzle construction which is surrounded by a deflector bell 181 and which projects into the expansion chamber.

In this construction, a sleeve 184 with an external screw-thread is welded onto a I:.ITlr;: i. iidirir;x;-,i-), 21 flange 182 of the expansion chamber around the border of a flowthrough opening 183. An additional internally screw-threaded socket 185 is welded onto the upper end of the deflector bell around the rim of a matching inlet opening, so that the two sockets can be screwed together. Instead of screw-threaded connection, it is possible to use a bayonet-socket connection. A first nozzle piece 186, which likewise can be welded to the rim, adjoins the bottom end of the socket. Around the external periphery of the bottom portion of the nozzle piece 186 there is an external screw-thread 187, onto which a second nozzle piece 188 can be screwed.

Correspondingly, at the lower periphery of the second nozzle piece 188, an 1 0 additional external screw-thread is provided, onto which a third nozzle piece 190 can be screwed. It will be understood that the nozzle pieces 188 and 190 have corresponding internal screw-threads. The third nozzle piece 190 also possesses se.. external drilled holes 191 for insertion of a pin-spanner tool for turning it. By appropriate choice of the nozzle pieces, it is possible to undertake a simple 15 alteration of the nozzles, especially the nozzle opening. The defection bell 181 is o substantially open at the lower end. However, it is possible to have struts 192 welded on for holding a height-adjustable baffle plate 193 with an adjusting wheel 194.

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I'L

Claims

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim i, wherein the separating device can be inserted in the expansion chamber and can be concurrently removed with the removal of the non-fragmented components.
3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein connected to the outlet for the liquid, pulp-like and fine-grained components is a conveying device leading to a static mixer and heat-exchanger, which is followed by a filter device and an oil-separation centrifuge with a water outlet, an outlet for pulp and an oil outlet. v1 i CO i.i 23
4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a multi-stage washing-out station is connected. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a fermentation and distillation station is connected.
6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a pipe for returning undesirably coarse components to the pressure chamber is connected to the outlet for hard, coarse-grained components.
7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein installed upstream of the pressure chamber is a plurality of containers for various types of grain or raw materials and metering devices.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Ioee Claims, wherein the separating device comprises a screw r 15 conveyor.
9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a plurality of pressure chambers which can be operated independently and in succession, is connected to a central expansion chamber. 20 10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the *i expansion chamber is provided with a quick-change exhaust filter.
11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a conveycr device with a suction hood is connected to the expansion chamber.
12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, wherein following the conveying device are additional conveying devices, pressure chambers in the form of pressure cylinders and expansion chambers having separating devices. 24
13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a multi-stage washing-out battery with intermediate storage vessels and reciprocal return pipes, is connected.
14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the expansion chamber comprises guide rails for an insertable separating device, and that outside the expansion chamber, the separating device is supported by a trolley. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the expansion chamber is provided on one end wall with a variable-speed drive and electric motor, the electric motor o. having an output drive shaft projecting into the expansion chamber which can be coupled to an axle of a screw conveyor, and that on another end wall, a removable cover plate is provided. O
16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the screw conveyor is located in a semi-cylinderical part of the sieve, the sieve surfaces extending obliquely outwards are connected to the edges of the semi-cylindrical portion.
17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16, wherein the expansion chamber comprises a cover plate which can be moved longitudinally and is pivoted on a 'horizontal arm and that the arm can be pivoted about a fixed vertical axis. f
18. Apparatus as claimed in Claim' 1l, wherein a structural unit consisting of the pressure chamber and expansion chamber is provided with a tilting device to facilitate transport.
19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the I, tilting device comprises a threaded spindle, a drive motor and a lever arm with articiulated joints. P LI V i I/ Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein expansion
21. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, wherein the expansion valve projects into the expansion chamber and is surrounded by a deflector bell.
22. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 21, wherein the expansion valve consists of several nozzle-pieces which can be screwed together.
23. A method for the explosion-fragmentation of organic products, in particular seeds, fruits or plants, in which the products are subjected to the high pressure of a gas S and are subsequently exploded non-homogeneously by sudden 15 reduction of pressure, the pressure applied and its reduction are selected so that the explosion of the products results in non-fragmented hard components, such o* as kernels, stalks or skin residues on the one hand, and S liquid, pulp-like or fine-grained components on the other hand, wherein the components are separated from each other immediately after the pressure reduction within the expansion chamber. 0 0 0 O C, t j i s