CA1152978A - Wet algea processing system - Google Patents

Wet algea processing system

Info

Publication number
CA1152978A
CA1152978A CA000329321A CA329321A CA1152978A CA 1152978 A CA1152978 A CA 1152978A CA 000329321 A CA000329321 A CA 000329321A CA 329321 A CA329321 A CA 329321A CA 1152978 A CA1152978 A CA 1152978A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
algae
algae material
plant
colloid mill
pressure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000329321A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Eric H. Friedmann
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS Pty Ltd
Original Assignee
ECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS Pty Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS Pty Ltd filed Critical ECOLOGICAL CONSULTANTS Pty Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1152978A publication Critical patent/CA1152978A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B02CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING
    • B02CCRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN
    • B02C21/00Disintegrating plant with or without drying of the material
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23LFOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L17/00Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
    • A23L17/60Edible seaweed
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23NMACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS
    • A23N17/00Apparatus specially adapted for preparing animal feeding-stuffs
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B02CRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING; PREPARATORY TREATMENT OF GRAIN FOR MILLING
    • B02CCRUSHING, PULVERISING, OR DISINTEGRATING IN GENERAL; MILLING GRAIN
    • B02C19/00Other disintegrating devices or methods
    • B02C19/0056Other disintegrating devices or methods specially adapted for specific materials not otherwise provided for

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Disintegrating Or Milling (AREA)
  • Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
  • Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)
  • Edible Seaweed (AREA)
  • Coloring Foods And Improving Nutritive Qualities (AREA)
  • Storage Of Fruits Or Vegetables (AREA)

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure There is disclosed a method of processing algae which includes the step of applying a physical force to algae material, in its natural wet state, in order to break down the material to particles of minute size. There is also disclosed a plant for processing algae which includes in series a cutter, a colloid mill, and a homogenizing unit.

Description

BACKGROIJND

The present invention relates to algae processing.

Numerous types of algae plants are known, these ~lave varioususes, such as for medicine, foodstuffs, cosmetics and fertilizers. A basic step in the processing of algae plants is to provide the algae material into paste or ~lowable form. Various methods are known to achieve this result.
Firstly, there is the fresh frozen method where the algae plant is frozen and the crushed. Secondly, there is a further method in which the algae plant is dehydrated and dried. This is attained in various manners, for instance by heating and then crushing, or by applying chemicals, or by a combination of these methods.

A problem in the processing of algae plant material is that the fresh material, in its wet state, is slippery and difficult to handle and process.

It is an ob~ect of the inventlon to provide a method of and a plant for algae processing by way of which algae plant material is processed while in its natural wet state.

; According to the invention, a method of processing algae material in which algae material is rendered into a paste or flowable form; comprises:

a) providing algae material, which is in its natural wet state as obtained from algae plants, ~-b) cutting the algae material in its natural wet sta*e ~into smaller parts until it is in colloid form, and `~c) homogenizing the material in colloid form whereby the ;~algae materilal is broken down into paste or flowable form comprising p~rticles of minute size, . ~ ~
-d) wherein the above steps are effected without freezing ., ~.
.

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or heating of the algae materia:L and without the ~ddition of chemicals to enable processing of the algae material.
The algae material may be homogenized at a pressure of no-t less -than 400 bar.

The me-thod may include the step of ini-tially cleaning the a]gae plants to remove impurities.

The temperature of the homogenized algae material may be kept below 50C.

Also according to the invention, a plant for processing algae comprises, in series, a mincer-cutter unit, a colloid mill, a holding tank provided with a circulating feed pump, a second colloid mill, and a homogenizer unit.

A second holding tank with a circulating feed pump may be provided downstream of the second colloid mill.

The homogenizer unit may include three parts in series, namely a high pressure pump, a first high pressure homogeni-zing valve and a final homogenizing pressure valve, in which, in operation, the pump pressure is not less than 400 bar.

The algae plants may be any one or more of the following types:

1. Ecklonia Maxima
2. Laminaria Pallida ,,
3. Macrocystis Longifolium The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.
,1 , ` In the drawin~s there is shown in a schematic layout of a plant for processing algae in .

1~52~78 accordance with the invention, Figure 2 a plan view of the stator and rotor parts of a flrst colloid mill;
I~igUre 3 a sectional side view of the stator and rotor parts seen along arrows III - III in Fig.2;
Figure 4 a plan view of stator and rotor parts of a second colloid mill;
Figure 5 a sectional side view of the stator and rotor parts seen along arrows V - V in Fig.4, Figure 6 a sectional side view of the first homogenizer valve, and Figure 7 a sectional side view of the flnal homogenizer valve.
Referring to Fig.1, the algae processing plant 10 includes various units. The algae plants, which are pre-cleaned to remove all impurities e.g. by washing and scraping, are first cut into suitable tubular lengths 12 by a cutting unit. However this step also may be done manually.
Suitable lengths are in the region of 500 to 1.000 mm.
Thereafter the cut parts are supplied to a worm gear and plate mincer 14. In the mincer 14 the material is cut and forced into smaller blocks or parts and is fed to a first colloid mill 16. Details of the stator and rotor of the colloid mill are given in Figs. 2 and 3. There-~ after the material is supplied to a pump 18 which pumps it via conduit 20 I into a holding tank 22. A circulating feed pump 24 remoYes the material teS
from the holding tank 22 and ir~ tc `the material via the conduit 26 nto the tank 22.~ Part of the material is pumped Yia conduit 28 to a second colloid mill 30. Details of the stator and rotor of the colloid mill 3~ are given in Figs. 4 and 5.
- 4 -, .
., - - : .
, ~z~

Thereafter the mdterial is supplied to a further holding tank 32 which is provided with a circulating feed pwnp 34, The circulating feed pump 3~ pulnps the material via the conduit 36 back into the tank 32, Part of the material is pumped via the conduit 38 to a high pressure pulnp 40. This high pressure pump 40 pumps the material under a pressure of about 500 bar via a conduit 42 to a first high pressure homogenizer valve 44. From there the material is forced through conduit 46 at a pressure of about 50 bar to a final homogenizer pressure valve 48. From here the material is withdrawn via the conduit 50 in a micronized form having a size of about 50 microns.
In Figs. 2 and 3 details of the stator and rotor colloid mill 16 are given. The colloid mill 16 has a stator 52 in which a rotor 54 rotates in the direction of arrow 56, The rotor 54 has blades 58. A small clearance exists between the tips 60 of the blades 58 and the projections 62 on the inside of the stator 52. The material is fed in the guide housing 64 in the direction of arrow 66 and leaves through an annular outlet in tbe stator 52 in the direction of arrow 68.
In Figs, 4 and 5 the stator and rotor of the second colloid mill 30 are illustrated, Here a stator 70 and a rotor 72 are provided.
The stator 70 is in the form of a perforated plate. The rotor 72 has two oppositely extending blades 74 and 76. Tne blades 74, 76 are triangularly shaped in cross-section as is shown in Fig.5, and at their ~; ~ ùottom end carry a cutter sliding just aboYe the perforated stator plate 70, The rotor 72 is rotatable in the direction indicated by arrow 7~ A
2S small clearance exists between the undersides (i.e. n~mely of the cutters) of the stator blades 74 and 76 and the perforated stator plate 70. Material . ~

~ ~ - 5 -. ' ~, . . , - . , ~, . 1 . ~ . .
: : - . . ~ . -. - . ~ : :: -,,, ~ . ;,' ' ., :
:

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is fed in t~e housing guide 80 in the direction of arrow 82, is forced by the cutters through the plate 70 and leaves in the direction o~ arrow 84.
Referring to Fig.6, a cross-section of the first stage homogenizer pressure valve 44 is shown. The valve 44 includes a housing 86 having a supply passage 88 connected to the conduit 42. A valve seat ~0 i$ provided in the housing 86 and reduces the passa~e 88 into a restricted passage 92. The outlet 94 of the pcssage 92 is closed off by a valve 96, which is biased by means of a spring 98 in the direction indicated by arrow 100. The outlet 94 leads past a wear, or lmpact or breaker ring 102 into a discharge chamber 104, which opens into a discharge passage 106. The passage 106 is joined to the conduit 46 shown in Fig.1.
Material is supplied under pressure into the passage 88 to flow in the direction indicated by arrow 108. The pressure of the valve 96 is adjusted by means of the spring 98 acting onit and the material supplied in the direction of arrow 108 in the passage 88 has to force this valve 96 away. The material particles shear against each other, are deformed i and disrupted. The impingement on the hard surface of the wear ring 102, which is set in a direction normal to the direction of ~low from the outlet 94, further promotes disruption of the particles. The sudden drop in the pressure as the material leaves the outlet 94 , probably also contributes to the reduction in particle size. The material then flows out in the direction of arrow 110 in the passage 106.
In Fig.7 a cross-section of the final pressure valve 48 is illustrated.
~;~` It includ~s a housing 112 haYin9 a round passage 114 joined to the conduit 46 ~ .
The passage 114 opens into a conically widening annullar passage 116 leading to the conduit 50. A valve 118 ~ith a conical part 120 . ~ :
~::

'~` ' ' ~. ' ' . ~ ' -1~5;Z ~

is biased by means ot the spring 122 in the direction of arrow 1~4 to close off the opening 1~6 of tbe passage 114. The valve 118 has an extension guide rod 12~ which is triangularly shaped in cross-sectiOn.
Material is ~orced in the direction of arrow 130 in the space between the trianyular rod 128 and the passage 114 and forces the valve 11~ back. Once again the material particles shear against each other and are deformed and disrupted. The material, now in minute particle size of about 50 micron (depending on thepressure applied),passes out through the discharge passage 50 in the direction of arrow 132.
In the specification and claims the term "homogenizing" is to refer to the operation in which the desired reduction of the size of the particles is brought about by a high pressure forcing wet algae material through an opening.
By applying the metrieu i(l accordance with the invention to process algae, the slippery conditi~il of wet algae plants offers no problems requiring freezing or heating or adding any chemicals ~.o be able to process the algae material.
If required the algae material may be screened at any intermediate stage in order to remove any impurities or oversized particles.
A partlcular advantage achieved with products obtained by means of a process in accordance with the invention, is that growth regulators, trace elements and other nutrients found in algae, are not destroyed due to the fact that a cold concentration process is applied. Where heat and/or che-icals are added such cCnstituents of algae often are destroyed.

, .... . .

.. .

Claims (7)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A method of processing algae material in which algae material is rendered into a paste or flowable form, the method comprising:
a) providing algae material, which is in its natural wet state as obtained from algae plants, b) cutting the algae material in its natural wet state into smaller parts until it is in colloid form, and c) homogenizing the material in colloid form whereby the algae material is broken down into paste or flowable form comprising particles of minute size, d) wherein the above steps are effected without freezing or heating of the algae material and without the addition of chemicals to enable processing of the algae material.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the algae material is homo-genized at a pressure of not less than 400 bar.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, which includes the step of initially cleaning the algae plants to remove impurities.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the temperature of the homogenized algae material is kept below 50°C.
5. A plant for processing algae, which comprises, in series, a mincer-cutter unit, a colloid mill, a holding tank provided with a circulating feed pump, a second colloid mill, and a homogenizer unit.
6. A plant as claimed in claim 5, in which a second holding tank with a circulating feed pump is provided downstream of the second colloid mill.
7. A plant as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, in which the homogenizer unit includes three parts in series, namely a high pressure pump, a first high pressure homogenizing valve and a final homogenizing pressure valve, in which, in operation, the pump pressure is not less than 400 bar.
CA000329321A 1978-06-08 1979-06-08 Wet algea processing system Expired CA1152978A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA78/3281 1978-06-08
ZA783281A ZA783281B (en) 1978-06-08 1978-06-08 Algae process

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1152978A true CA1152978A (en) 1983-08-30

Family

ID=25573027

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000329321A Expired CA1152978A (en) 1978-06-08 1979-06-08 Wet algea processing system

Country Status (10)

Country Link
AR (1) AR221241A1 (en)
AU (1) AU532809B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1152978A (en)
DK (1) DK235879A (en)
FR (1) FR2433978B1 (en)
GB (1) GB2022459B (en)
IE (1) IE48364B1 (en)
NO (1) NO152361C (en)
NZ (1) NZ190672A (en)
ZA (1) ZA783281B (en)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1984002652A1 (en) 1982-12-30 1984-07-19 Goemar Lab Sa New physiological product extracted from algae and plants, preparation method, extraction apparatus and applications
FR2555451B1 (en) * 1983-11-30 1987-07-17 Goemar Lab Sa NOVEL PHYSIOLOGICAL PRODUCT FROM ALGAE AND PLANTS, PREPARATION METHOD, EXTRACTION APPARATUS AND APPLICATIONS
DE3345540C1 (en) * 1983-12-16 1984-10-25 Didier-Werke Ag, 6200 Wiesbaden Support sleeve for measuring heads
IL83909A (en) * 1986-09-30 1992-03-29 Norzon Management Ltd Arrangement and method for processing biological products
US5951875A (en) * 1996-12-20 1999-09-14 Eastman Chemical Company Adsorptive bubble separation methods and systems for dewatering suspensions of microalgae and extracting components therefrom
US6000551A (en) * 1996-12-20 1999-12-14 Eastman Chemical Company Method for rupturing microalgae cells
CN106733010B (en) * 2017-01-05 2019-08-09 江苏江达生态环境科技有限公司 A kind of integral-type water plant compost pretreatment system and method

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB634596A (en) * 1941-06-15 1950-03-22 Tjoa Sie Lian Process for the preparation of agar-agar
ES178854A1 (en) * 1946-07-13 1947-09-01 Prosolmer S A A PROCEDURE FOR THE SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF ALGINATES, ALGAE AND ALGAE SALTS, OF ALGAE DESYODADAS OF ALGAE AND OF ORGANIC IODINE, FROM MARINE SEAWEAR BELONGING TO THE GROUP OF PHAEOPHYCEAS
GB621082A (en) * 1946-12-17 1949-04-04 John Frederick Williams Improvements in or relating to the treatment of seaweed
GB664989A (en) * 1949-09-14 1952-01-16 Plant Productivity Ltd Improvements in or relating to horticultural and agricultural fertilizers
GB781970A (en) * 1952-11-29 1957-08-28 Sie Lian Tjoa Improvements in and relating to the preparation of colloidal, organic solutions fromsea-weeds and their dried final products, and to the products obtained therewith
BE693094A (en) * 1966-02-14 1967-07-03
FR2287943A1 (en) * 1974-10-18 1976-05-14 Herve Rene PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR CRUSHING MARINE ALGAE AND PRODUCT OBTAINED

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU4781679A (en) 1979-12-13
AU532809B2 (en) 1983-10-13
NZ190672A (en) 1982-05-25
FR2433978A1 (en) 1980-03-21
GB2022459B (en) 1982-10-13
ZA783281B (en) 1980-03-26
NO791860L (en) 1979-12-11
NO152361B (en) 1985-06-10
IE48364B1 (en) 1984-12-26
AR221241A1 (en) 1981-01-15
DK235879A (en) 1979-12-09
IE791263L (en) 1979-12-08
FR2433978B1 (en) 1985-12-20
GB2022459A (en) 1979-12-19
NO152361C (en) 1985-10-02

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