GB486662A - Improvements in or relating to processes and centrifugal apparatus for treating organic materials - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0486662/III/1> <PICT:0486662/III/2> A process for extracting fats from meats, bones, slaughter house offal, fish, seeds, and similar materials, consists in heating the material in a closed steam-jacketed receptacle, and simultaneously subjecting it to steam pressure and centrifugal action. A centrifugal machine suitable for carrying out the process consists of a chamber 11 of which the bottom 12 and sides 13 are steam - jacketed. The material to be treated is placed in a basket 24 fixed to the hollow shaft 14 which rotates in bearings 16, 17 in a pedestal 18 fixed in the centre of the chamber. The shaft 14 and basket 24 are rotated by the turbine blades 26 carried by the rotor 20 below the basket. The steam for operating the rotor is supplied by nozzles 28 from a supply pipe 29 controlled by a valve 30. The top of the receptacle 11 is closed by a bolted-down double walled lid 32 with ports 33 communicating with the side jacket of the wall 13. A non-return valve 34, shown open in Fig. 1, is provided in the cover 32 to permit exhaust steam from the turbine to pass from the chamber 11 to the core and side jacket when the pressure exceeds a predetermined limit. The shaft 14 drives a governer 26 and speed indicator 37 by spiral gears 38, 39. A foot operated brake 52 may be provided for bringing the turbine to rest. Lid lifting means. The cover 32 is lifted by allowing steam to enter the cylinder 54 via the pipe 56, to lift the piston 58 which carries arms 60 supporting the lid. The lid can then be swung. Lubrication. Oil is supplied to the bearing 16, 17 by pipes 62, 64 and oil pump and tank 63. Steam supply. The jacketed bottom 12 of the chamber 11 has two outlets 66, 67, the outlet 66 leading to a tank 70 for collecting the fat and the outlet 67 connected by a pipe 72 to the inlet side p 74 of the pump having an outlet 48. The chamber 11 and jacket may be connected to the atmosphere or subjected to sub-atmospheric pressure by the vacuum pump 86. Steam can be supplied directly to the chamber 11 through the pipe 14, whence it passes through ports 23 through the materials being treated, or it can be supplied to the jacket by way of a valve controlled pipe 98. After the material has been steam treated for some time, the steam supply may be shut off and the pressure maintained by steam evaporating from the material. Surplus steam may be allowed to escape to the atmosphere by way of valves 78, 81, 83 or by way of the vacuum pump 86.