Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
  • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
  • B04B11/00—Feeding, charging, or discharging bowls
  • B04B11/04—Periodical feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
  • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
  • B04B1/00—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles
  • B04B1/04—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles with inserted separating walls
  • B04B1/08—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles with inserted separating walls of conical shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
  • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
  • B04B1/00—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles
  • B04B1/10—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles with discharging outlets in the plane of the maximum diameter of the bowl
  • B04B1/14—Centrifuges with rotary bowls provided with solid jackets for separating predominantly liquid mixtures with or without solid particles with discharging outlets in the plane of the maximum diameter of the bowl with periodical discharge

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a self-emptying separator according to the preamble of claim 1.
• Self-emptying separators as defined in this document have, in addition to one or more outlets for one or more liquid phases, an emptying mechanism with a piston valve.
• This piston valve is alternately movable into an open and a closed position by an actuator, preferably a fluid-operated actuator, particularly one using liquid as the fluid.
• the piston valve intermittently opens (open position) and closes (closed position) solid discharge openings in the drum wall for a certain period of time. In the open position, a solid phase is discharged from the centrifugal drum. This does not occur in the closed position.
• the closing fluid is injected into a closing chamber – usually located below the piston valve.
• the geometry of this closing chamber is designed so that the fluid pressure generated by the rotation of the closing fluid and acting on the piston valve is greater than the fluid pressure of the product to be clarified in the separation chamber above the piston valve. This pressure difference causes the piston valve to rise during operation and close the discharge openings in the drum, or close them again after solids have been discharged.
• the closing fluid can be drained from the closing chamber during solids emptying. This allows the fluid to escape from the closing chamber—usually below the piston slide—reducing the pressure acting on the piston slide within the closing chamber. Consequently, the fluid pressure exerted on the piston slide, typically by the product above it, moves the piston slide downwards. This releases or opens the discharge openings in the drum.
• a desirable feature is an adjustable, variable solids volume that can be emptied from the separator per unit of time.
• a separator is known in which the drum is provided with two sets of discharge openings. A piston valve is required to open each set of openings.
• the state-of-the-art emptying devices involve a relatively high level of design complexity and/or offer only an unsatisfactory solution with regard to the adjustability of the period in which the solid discharge openings are open, as well as the adjustability of the cross-section of the solid discharge openings and thus the variability and adjustability of the solid volume that is emptied from the separator per unit of time.
• the task to be solved is to create a separator with an advanced, optimized emptying mechanism.
• a separator for the centrifugal separation of a free-flowing product P into at least one liquid phase L and at least one solid phase S, comprising a rotatable centrifugal drum with a vertical axis of rotation D, which has a separation chamber in which a disc stack is preferably provided, and which has solid discharge openings, and a discharge mechanism with a single piston slide valve designed to open and close the solid discharge openings discontinuously, wherein a control arrangement for the discharge mechanism is provided, and wherein the centrifugal drum is mounted on its circumference has a first set of solid discharge openings and a second set of solid discharge openings, wherein the first set of solid discharge openings and the second set of solid discharge openings are arranged at two different axial heights on the circumference of the centrifugal drum and are thus vertically spaced apart from each other, wherein the two sets of solid discharge openings can be opened and closed with the single piston slide.
• the cross-section of the open solid discharge openings is variable due to the two sets of openings, as either one or both sets can be open via the piston valve. This advantageously allows for variable and adjustable solid volume discharged from the separator per unit of time.
• control arrangement for the emptying mechanism has a closing chamber for a fluid and a valve arrangement with at least one closing chamber valve that is connected to the closing chamber in order to actuate the single piston slide by releasing closing fluid in a switching position.
• the solids emptying process can be controlled independently of the other control of the separation or clarification process of the centrifuge. In particular, it can be decoupled in time.
• the piston valve is in a closed position by means of a completely filled closing chamber and closes the first set of solid discharge openings and the second set of solid discharge openings.
• the piston valve can be located in an open position due to a completely emptied closing chamber, thereby releasing and opening the first set of solid discharge openings and the second set of solid discharge openings. This allows for a simple, yet structurally sound, open position of the piston valve using proven means, enabling the discharge of the maximum possible volume of solids per unit of time.
• the piston valve can be located in a central position due to a partially emptied closing chamber, thus only opening the first, upper set of solid discharge openings. This design achieves a minimal possible emptying of the solid volume per unit of time.
• the piston valve can be lowered and raised to the central position. This allows the central position of the piston valve to be reached easily and quickly for emptying the solid volume.
• the piston valve can be positioned in a respective intermediate position in which the cross-section of the solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings or the cross-section of the solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings is only partially open axially or It is axially closed. This allows for particularly variable adjustment of the emptyable solid volume during partial emptying.
• the solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings and the solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings are positioned at an angle to each other on the circumference of the centrifugal drum. This results in a structurally simple, structurally optimized arrangement of the two sets of solid discharge openings in the centrifugal drum in terms of strength.
• the number of solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings and the number of solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings are different. This results, by design, in a simple non-linear correlation between the degree of opening of the piston valve and the solid discharge volume per unit of time.
• the first set of solid discharge openings and the second set of solid discharge openings are each rotationally symmetrical. This allows for a simple design of a centrifugal drum without imbalance.
• Rotational symmetry here refers to rotational symmetry about the angular offset of the individual solid discharge openings relative to each other.
• the combination of the first set of solid discharge openings and the second set of solid discharge openings can result in rotational symmetry. This also makes it easy to achieve a centrifugal drum without imbalance.
• the opening cross-section of the solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings or of the solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings is identical. This results in a simple linear correlation between the opening degree of the piston valve and the solids discharge volume per unit of time.
• the cross-sectional areas of the solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings and the cross-sectional areas of the solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings may be of different dimensions.
• the cross-sectional area of the solid discharge openings of the second set of solid discharge openings is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the solid discharge openings of the first set of solid discharge openings.
• a circumferentially closed nozzle-like channel is connected to each solid discharge opening, which extends through a wall of the centrifugal drum and through which the solid S is radially discharged outwards from the centrifugal drum.
• the problem is also solved by a method for controlling the solid discharge of a separator, wherein the single piston slide can be controlled in such a way that it opens the first set of solid discharge openings and/or the second set of solid discharge openings fully axially or partially axially.
• the state-of-the-art separator has a rotatable centrifugal drum 1, which, as in the Figures 5 and 6
• the centrifugal drum 1 can have a vertical axis of rotation D, as shown.
• the centrifugal drum 1 can be enclosed by a hood H that does not rotate with the separator during operation.
• the centrifugal drum 1 is rotated by a drive motor M, which, according to the design in Fig. 5
• the drive is indirectly applied via a belt drive to a drive spindle SP of the centrifugal drum 1.
• the drive spindle SP is rotatably mounted in a machine frame G. It supports the centrifugal drum 1, which is mounted on a free end of the drive spindle SP.
• the centrifugal drum 1 can be designed with a single conical shape and/or, as shown here, a double conical shape (bottom and/or top, and especially inside).
• the centrifugal drum 1 can have a drum base 2 and a drum top 3. These drum parts 2 and 3 can be connected to each other in various ways, for example, with a locking ring (not shown here).
• the centrifugal drum 1 also has a product inlet pipe 4.
• the separator is designed for continuous operation, not just batch operation.
• a distributor 5 is formed for the product feed from the product feed pipe 4 into a separation chamber 6.
• the product P is transferred into the rotating system.
• the actual centrifugal separation of product P takes place in the separation chamber 6.
• This chamber has a plate pack 7 consisting of separation plates.
• a solids collection chamber 8 Radially to the outside of this chamber is a solids collection chamber 8, in which the solids from the The solid phase S, separated from the suspension or the flowable product P, collects during the separation and/or clarification process.
• the centrifugal drum 1 has at least one liquid discharge for a liquid phase L.
• the centrifugal drum 1 can also have more than one liquid discharge, as shown in Fig. 5
• the liquid discharge is shown.
• Fig. 6 designed as a peeling disc 9.
• the liquid discharge can also be implemented in another way.
• FIG. 6 An example of a so-called clarifying separator is shown, which is designed to clarify a product P to be processed in a centrifugal field or to separate a solid phase S and a liquid phase L from it.
• the separator can also be designed as a so-called separation separator, in which two liquid phases and one solid phase are separated from each other, as is the case in Fig. 5 is shown.
• a discharge mechanism comprising a piston valve 10 for opening and closing solid discharge openings 11, serves to remove the solid phase S.
• the solid discharge openings 11, present here in a single set, can be arranged circumferentially in the region of the largest diameter of the centrifugal drum 1.
• the arrangement of the solid discharge openings 11 on the circumference of the centrifugal drum 1 is such that the solid discharge openings 11 do not cause an imbalance of the centrifugal drum 1.
• the piston valve 10 is vertically movable.
• the emptying mechanism also includes a control arrangement 12 associated with the piston valve 10 for controlling its opening and closing movements.
• FIG. 6 Figure 1 shows the piston valve 10 in a lowered open position, while in the right half of the centrifuge the piston valve 10 is shown in a raised closed position.
• the control arrangement 12 can include a computer-like electronic control unit 13 (see Fig. 6 ) or be connected to it. When these Control unit 13 can also be used for a higher-level control of the centrifuge.
• the control arrangement 12 further includes a closing chamber 14 for fluid.
• This closing chamber 14 is designed such that the closing movement of the piston slide 10 can be initiated by introducing fluid via a closing fluid valve 15, and such that a closed position of the piston slide 10 can be maintained during rotation at an operating speed for centrifugal processing.
• the closing fluid valve 15 can be controlled by the electronic control unit 13. The closing movement of the piston slide 10 requires that the closing chamber valve 16 be closed.
• valve arrangement which may include at least one or more closing chamber valves 16 which are in fluid communication with the closing chamber 14, the fluid can be drained from the closing chamber 14 and thus the solids collection chamber 8 can be emptied through the solids discharge openings 11.
• the closing chamber valve 16 is often designed as a centrifugal valve, which closes by centrifugal force at the operating speed of the centrifugal drum 1. Introducing an opening fluid into the closing chamber valve 16 via an opening fluid valve 19 initiates the opening movement of the piston spool 10 and empties the water from the closing chamber 14.
• a disadvantage of the prior art is that the targeted discharge of only a portion of the fluid from the closing chamber 14 cannot be precisely reproduced, as this depends on the hydraulic pressures above and below the piston valve 10. Furthermore, the cross-section of the solid discharge openings 11 is not variably adjustable. The invention therefore pursues a different approach.
• the centrifugal drum 1 of a separator has on its circumference a first set of solid discharge openings 11a and a second set of solid discharge openings 11b, as shown in the Figure 1a , 1b , 2 , 3 and 4 is shown.
• the first set of solid discharge openings 11a and the second set Solid discharge openings 11b are arranged on the largest radius of the centrifugal drum 1.
• the first set of solid discharge openings 11a and the second set of solid discharge openings 11b are arranged at two different axial heights on the circumference of the centrifugal drum 1 and are thus vertically spaced apart from each other, as shown in the Figure 1a , 1b , 2 , 3 and 4 shown and can be opened or closed with a single piston valve 10.
• Each solid discharge opening 11a, 11b is connected to a channel 18a, 18b, which passes through a wall of the centrifugal drum 1 and through which the solid S is discharged radially outwards from the centrifugal drum 1.
• control arrangement 12 for the emptying mechanism acts on the valve arrangement with the at least one closing chamber valve 20 and on the single piston slide 10, wherein the closing chamber valve 20 is electrically switchable, i.e., has an electromechanical or piezoelectric operating mechanism.
• the closing chamber valve 20 can open and close independently of the hydraulic pressures in the spin drum 1.
• the at least one closing chamber valve 20 therefore preferably operates as an electric valve, such as a solenoid valve or piezoelectric valve, which can be opened and closed by electrical control pulses from the control unit 13.
• This control pulse could, for example, be transmitted wirelessly to a receiver on the valve within the rotating system (not shown).
• the electrical energy required for this can be transferred to the rotating centrifugal drum 1, for example, by means of a system operating on the inductive principle.
• an energy storage device such as a battery, can also be provided in the centrifugal drum 1.
• the closing chamber valve 20 can also operate according to another suitable principle.
• part of the closing fluid quantity can be emptied from the closing chamber 14.
• the piston valve 10 In combination with the product P located above the piston valve 10, which exerts pressure on the piston valve 10, the piston valve 10 lowers until the pressures below and above the piston valve 10 have equalized and the desired central position of the piston valve 10 is reached.
• the solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings and the solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings can also be positioned at an angle to each other on the circumference of the centrifugal drum 1, as shown in Fig. 3 is shown.
• the number of solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings and the number of solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings can differ, as shown in Fig. 4 is shown.
• the channels 18a, 18b of the individual solids discharge openings 11a, 11b are arranged vertically in a fan shape, so that the inlets of the channels 18a, 18b facing the piston valve 10 have a smaller vertical distance from each other than the outlets of the channels 18a, 18b facing away from the piston valve 10 (see Fig. 2 ). Any two of the channels 18a, b, which lie correspondingly one above the other in the circumferential direction, can thus run at an angle to each other.
• first set of solid discharge openings 11a and the second set of solid discharge openings 11b are each rotationally symmetrical.
• the cross-sectional area of the solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings 11a or of the solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings 11b can be identical.
• the cross-sectional areas of the solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings 11a and the cross-sectional areas of the solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings 11b are dimensioned differently.
• the respective cross-section of the solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings 11b can be larger than the respective cross-section of the solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings 11a.
• the cross-section of the respective solid discharge openings 11a, 11b can be circular, oblong or slotted, oval or elliptical, triangular, rectangular or polygonal.
• the open piston valve 10 only rises back into the closed position when closing fluid is again introduced into the closing chamber 14 via the closing fluid valve 15. Analogous to the lowering of the piston valve 10 into the central position, the piston valve 10 can also be raised into the central position, since the stroke of the piston valve 10 depends on the amount of closing fluid introduced, the density of the closing fluid, and the pressure in the closing chamber 14 resulting from centrifugal force.
• the piston valve 10 can also be positioned in an intermediate position in which the respective cross-section of the solid discharge openings 11a of the first set of solid discharge openings 11a or the respective cross-section of the solid discharge openings 11b of the second set of solid discharge openings 11b is only partially open or closed. "Partially" means that the piston valve 10 opens the first set of solid discharge openings 11a or the second set of solid discharge openings 11b, for example, only halfway, i.e., not completely.
• both the opening time of the solid discharge openings 11a, 11b and the opening cross-section (sum of the cross-sections of the solid discharge openings 11a, 11b released by the piston valve 10) can be adjusted.

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• Centrifugal Separators (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=85726301

Family Applications (1)

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• 2022
  • 2022-04-07 DE DE102022108491.4A patent/DE102022108491A1/de active Pending
• 2023
  • 2023-03-16 JP JP2024559312A patent/JP2025511809A/ja active Pending
  • 2023-03-16 EP EP23712837.6A patent/EP4504419B1/de active Active
  • 2023-03-16 CN CN202380028450.9A patent/CN119053388A/zh active Pending
  • 2023-03-16 US US18/854,122 patent/US20250242358A1/en active Pending
  • 2023-03-16 WO PCT/EP2023/056733 patent/WO2023194067A2/de not_active Ceased
  • 2023-03-16 KR KR1020247032099A patent/KR20250003521A/ko active Pending

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