JP2002307032A - Method and apparatus for pig system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for a pig system which is utilized to force out residual liquid in a pipeline for processing liquid foods such as milk, coffee, juice, particularly liquid foods containing solids such as sarcocarp or fibrous materials such as pulp, or liquid foods of high viscosity, or utilized to clean the interior of the pipeline, and provide an apparatus therefor. SOLUTION: A lump of a sherbet-like material or a lump of a jellylike material is put into a pipe line as a pig so as to be conveyed hydraulically or pneumatically.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a residual liquid in a processing line piping for processing liquid foods containing solids such as pulp or fibrous materials such as pulp or highly viscous liquid foods, especially milk, coffee, juice and the like. The present invention relates to a pig system method and apparatus used for extruding a pipe, cleaning the inside of a line pipe, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a pig system device which improves yield by pumping a pig made of a material such as hard rubber or plastic with air or water to push out residual liquid in a line pipe. I have.

[0003]

The pig system described in the above prior art has the following fatal defects. That is, the surface of a pig made of rubber or plastic is shaved by a connecting step of a pipe or a weld bead, which causes foreign matter to enter. Since the pig is made of rubber or plastic, only the line piping can be pumped, and there is no merit unless it is a long line piping. It is necessary to provide a launcher on the source end side of the line pipe and a catcher on the feed tip side, and the pig must be returned after the residual liquid is pumped. It is necessary to wash the launcher, catcher and pig at the same time or at the same time when cleaning the line piping.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel pig system method and apparatus for solving the above-mentioned defects.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pig system method comprising the steps of: introducing a mass of a sharp-pet-like material or a gel-like material into a line pipe as a pig; It is characterized in that it is fed by hydraulic pressure such as water pressure.

A pig system method according to claim 2 is characterized in that the pig is obtained by freezing a liquid such as water or a liquid product into a sharppet shape.

A pig system method according to claim 3 is characterized in that the pig is obtained by converting a liquid material such as a liquid product into a gel.

The pig system method according to claim 4 is characterized in that the pig is pumped by a liquid such as water or sterile water.

A pig system method according to a fifth aspect is characterized in that the pig is pumped by a gas such as air or sterile air.

[0010] Further, in order to achieve the above object, claim 6
The pig system device according to (1) is provided with a launcher that feeds a lump of a sharp pet-like substance or a gel-like substance into a line pipe as a pig.

The pig system according to claim 7 is configured such that the pig is pumped by a liquid such as water or sterile water.

The pig system apparatus according to claim 8 is configured so that the feed of the pig is performed by gas such as air or sterile air.

[0013] A pig system apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is provided with a catcher for collecting a pig made of a lump of a sharp pet or a gel.

[0014]

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment, and is a configuration diagram of a pig system apparatus in a step of recovering a residual liquid of a liquid product. That is, first, the sterilized water is frozen in a sharppet shape to prepare the sharppet-shaped pig material 1 in advance.

When it becomes necessary to recover the residual liquid after the treatment of the liquid product, one end of the line pipe 2 from which the residual liquid is to be recovered is opened, and the open end is provided with a hopper for the sharp-pet-like pig material 1. 3 and sterile water supply pipe 5 and hoppers 3 for these and three-way valve 6 for switching supply pipe 5
, And the above-mentioned pigtail material 1 is put into the hopper 3.

After that, the switching three-way valve 6 is switched to the hopper 3 for the pig-shaped pig material, and the pig-shaped pig material 1 is placed in the target line pipe 2 so that the pig material 1 is several tens cm to several meters. Until it reaches the length.

Next, the switching three-way valve 6 is switched to the side of the pipe 5 for supplying the sterile water 4 to pump the sterile water 4 into the target line pipe 2.

By doing so, the sharpened pig material 1 functions as a pig by pumping the aseptic water 4 to push out the residual liquid 8 of the liquid product remaining in the target line piping 2 while extruding the treated liquid product. Enter tank 9.

That is, the residual liquid 8, the Sherpet-like pig material 1, and the aseptic water 4 from the feed pipe 5 are collected in the treated liquid product tank 9.

When the sterile water 4 is collected in the treated liquid product tank 9 as described above, it is needless to say that the concentration of the product in the treated liquid product tank 9 should be reduced. Absent. If this concentration reduction is not desired, the sterile water may be separately collected by connecting a sterile water tank as a catcher as in the second embodiment described below, or may be recovered after circulation. It is also possible.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment,
It is a lineblock diagram of a pig system device shown in a process of washing line piping 12 to be washed. That is, first, the washing water is frozen in the shape of a sharppet to prepare the sharppet-shaped pig material 11 in advance.

The line piping 12 of the product tank 18
When cleaning becomes necessary, one end of the target line piping 12 is opened, and the sharp end of the pigpet material 1
The hopper 13 for 1 and the feed pipe 15 for the washing water 14 and the hopper 13, the launcher 17 comprising the three-way valve 16 for switching the feed pipe 15 are connected, and the other end of the target line pipe 12 is opened, A washing water tank 19 is connected to this open end as a catcher. still,
The cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning water tank 19 to the feed pipe 15 and circulated by the circulation pump 20.

After that, the switching three-way valve 16 is placed on the side of the hopper 13 for the pig-shaped pig material, and the pig material 11 becomes several meters long in the target line pipe 12. Send to the extent.

Next, the cleaning water 14 is fed into the target line pipe 2 by setting the three-way switching valve 16 to the side of the feed pipe 15 for the cleaning water 14.

By doing so, the sharpening pig-like material 1 functions as a pig by the pumping of the washing water 14, and the inner wall of the target line pipe 12 is washed by the solid (ice) and the liquid is washed. It is sent to the washing water tank 19 while dropping, that is, while obtaining a physical effect.

In this case, the circulation cleaning can be performed by alternately repeating the feeding of the sharp pig-like pig material 1 and the feeding of the washing water 14 by the switching operation of the three-way valve 16. Alkaline cleaning liquid, aseptic water, pure water, fresh water or tap water can be used. In the case of aseptic water, pure water, fresh water or tap water, the washing water tank 19 can be omitted.

Incidentally, sterile water,
When clean water such as pure water is used as a sharp pet-shaped pig, the remaining product (residual liquid) can be collected without waste.

Also, for example, product production → recovery of the residual liquid by pushing the pig with water → washing with an alkali agent → recovery of the residual liquid by pushing the pig made of the same alkaline agent → rinsing with water → washing with an acid agent → pig made of an acid agent It is possible to perform a process such as recovery of the remaining washing liquid by water pushing → rinsing with water → rinsing with an alkali agent → recovering the remaining washing liquid by pushing the pig made of the same alkaline agent → water rinsing → sterilization. When such a process is performed, i.e., product recovery / cleaning liquid recovery is performed, waste of the product / cleaning liquid can be significantly reduced, and dilution of the cleaning liquid by rinsing water / rinsing water can be prevented to a considerable extent. In addition, the washing time with rinsing water / rinsing water can be shortened.

According to the present invention, the pumping can be performed with a negative pressure.
Further, it is also possible to perform the pressure feeding of the sharp pet pig by using a part of the liquid product.

[0030]

The present invention has the following remarkable effects as described above. a. Pigs need only be dissolved and do not need to be recovered. b. Since the shape can be freely changed, it can be pressure-fed even in a valve or a place having a small radius of curvature. c, no foreign substances such as rubber pieces are mixed. d. At the time of pressure feeding, since a water film is formed between the inner wall of the pipe and the pipe, the plug property (the property of not forming a gap) and the fluidity are good. e. There is a scraping effect by ice crystals. f. In the case where the liquid is fed under the same water as that of the sharp pet pig, sterile water, pure water, or a liquid product such as a liquid product, the catcher can be eliminated. Since the g and pigs are low in temperature, they do not affect the recovered products such as heat denaturation. h. A circulation system can be provided as in the second embodiment, and automation is also possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sharpet-like pig material 2 Line piping 3 Shopper-like pig material hopper 4 Sterile water 5 Feeding piping 6 Switching three-way valve 7 Launcher 8 Residual liquid 9 Treated liquid product tank 11 Sharpet-like pig material 12 Line piping 13 Hopper for Sharpet Pig Pig Material 14 Cleaning Water 15 Injection Pipe 16 Three-way Valve for Switching 17 Launcher 18 Product Tank 19 Cleaning Liquid Tank 20 Circulation Pump

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A pig system method wherein a lump of a sharp-pet-like substance or a gel-like substance is put into a line pipe as a pig, and is fed under hydraulic or hydraulic pressure or pneumatic or atmospheric pressure. 2. The pig system method according to claim 1, wherein the pig is obtained by freezing a liquid such as water or a liquid product into a sharppet shape. 3. The pig system method according to claim 1, wherein the pig is obtained by converting a liquid such as water or a liquid product into a gel. 4. The pig system method according to claim 1, wherein the pig is pumped by a liquid such as water or sterile water. 5. The pig system method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the pig is pumped by a gas such as air or sterile air. 6. A pig system device having a launcher for feeding a lump of a sharp-pet-like material or a gel-like material into a line pipe as a pig. 7. A pig system device according to claim 6, wherein the pig is pumped by a liquid such as water or sterile water. 8. The pig system device according to claim 6, wherein the pig is pumped by a gas such as air or sterile air. 9. The pig system device according to claim 7, comprising a pig made of a lump of a sharp-pet-like material or a gel-like material and a catcher for collecting a pumping body of the pig.