JP2005144202A - Advanced freeze/concentration apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an advanced freeze/concentration apparatus in which cylindrical ice, which is formed by freezing/concentrating the liquid to be concentrated and grown on the wall surface of a multiple pipe on the side of a flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated, can easily be discharged surely in safety from the multiple pipe while saving a discharge space. <P>SOLUTION: This advanced freeze/concentration apparatus is constituted so that the liquid to be concentrated is frozen/concentrated by forming/growing ice crystals successively on the wall surface of the multiple pipe on the side of the flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated by circulating the liquid to be concentrated through the flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated of the multiple pipe and circulating a cooling medium through a cooling medium flow passage of the multiple pipe. A ball valve having a valve element the opening of which has the diameter equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of the flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated is connected to the lower part of each of the multiple pipes and communicated with the flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated. A controller for controlling the opening/closing of the ball valve is arranged so that the ice grown on the wall surface of each of the multiple pipes on the side of the flow passage of the liquid to be concentrated is discharged through the ball valve. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a forward freeze concentration apparatus. As a method of concentrating liquids to be concentrated such as foods and pharmaceuticals, a freeze concentration method that can obtain an excellent quality concentrate has attracted attention. The suspension crystallization method and the forward freeze concentration method are known as the freeze concentration method. Among these, the present invention relates to the improvement of the apparatus used for the forward freeze concentration method, and in particular, the liquid to be concentrated and the refrigerant are used. The present invention relates to an improvement in an apparatus for forward freezing and concentrating the liquid to be concentrated while circulating.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a forward freeze concentration apparatus as described above, a freeze concentrator having one or more multiple tubes installed upright is provided, and a concentrated solution is circulated through a concentrated solution flow path of the multiple tubes. The refrigerant is circulated through the refrigerant flow path of the multiple pipe, and ice crystals are sequentially formed and grown on the wall surface forming the liquid concentrate flow path of the multiple pipe so that the liquid to be concentrated is freeze-concentrated. (See, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 and Non-Patent Document 1).

By the way, when the concentrated solution is freeze-concentrated using such a forward freeze concentrating device, after the concentrated solution is freeze-concentrated, the cylindrical ice grown on the wall surface forming the concentrated solution flow path of the multiple tube is added to the multiplexed ice. Must be drained from the tube. For this reason, in Patent Document 1, a door-type opening / closing door is provided at the lower part of the multiple pipe forming the concentrated liquid flow path, and the cylindrical ice is discharged from the multiple pipe by manually opening and closing the door. Yes. However, in such a conventional discharge mechanism, not only is the manual opening / closing operation of the opening / closing door difficult, but also the liquid to be concentrated is likely to leak due to poor sealing when the opening / closing door is closed, and the opening / closing door is opened. The cylinder ice block falls by its own weight when it falls, and there is a safety concern for the operator. Furthermore, handling the cylinder ice block that has fallen by its own weight is troublesome, and the door is opened and closed. Extra space is also required to do this.
JP 2003-28546 A JP 2003-265150 A Abstracts of the 1st Annual Meeting of the Japan Food Engineering Society (FY2000) (page 85)

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that, after freezing and concentrating the liquid to be concentrated, the cylindrical ice that has grown on the wall surface that forms the liquid channel to be concentrated in the multi-tube can be easily and safely and securely removed from the multi-tube in a small space. It is a place to provide a forward freeze concentration device that can be discharged.

  The present invention that solves the above-mentioned problems includes a freeze-concentrator having one or more multi-tubes installed upright, and a refrigerant while circulating the concentrate to be concentrated in the multi-tube flow path of the multi-tube. Is circulated through the refrigerant flow path of the multiple pipe, and ice crystals are sequentially formed and grown on the wall surface forming the concentrated liquid flow path of the multiple pipe, so that the concentrated liquid is freeze-concentrated. In the forward freeze concentrator, a ball valve having an opening diameter of the valve body that is equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of the concentrated liquid flow path is connected to the lower part of each multi-tube and communicated with the concentrated liquid flow path. And a control device for controlling the opening and closing of the ball valve is provided to discharge ice grown on the wall surface forming the liquid flow path to be concentrated for each of the multiple tubes through the ball valve. It relates to the forward freeze concentration apparatus.

  A forward freeze concentrating apparatus according to the present invention includes a freeze concentrator having one or two or more multi-tubes installed upright, and a refrigerant to be condensed while circulating the liquid to be concentrated in a multi-condensate flow path of the multi-tube. Is circulated through the refrigerant flow path of the multiple pipe, and ice crystals are successively formed and grown on the wall surface forming the concentrated liquid flow path of the multiple pipe, so that the concentrated liquid is freeze-concentrated. ing.

  The multiple pipe is a double pipe or a triple pipe or more. For example, in the case of a double pipe, normally, the liquid to be concentrated flows inside and the refrigerant flows outside. In some cases, the liquid to be concentrated flows through the inner side, and the refrigerant flows through the innermost side and the outermost side. Such multiple tubes are erected in the vertical direction, usually in the vertical direction, and are arranged side by side when there are two or more, and the cross section as a whole has a circular shape, a rectangular shape, or the like. When there are two or more multiplex pipes, the concentrated liquid flow paths of each multiplex pipe are connected in series or in parallel, and the refrigerant flow paths of each multiplex pipe are also connected in series or in parallel, with one multiplex pipe. In this case, the concentrated liquid circulates in the concentrated liquid flow path of the multi-pipe, and the refrigerant circulates in the multi-pipe refrigerant flow path.

  In general, a supply tank for a concentrated liquid is connected to a circulation system connecting a concentrated liquid flow path of a multiple pipe, a concentrated liquid pump and a flow meter are interposed, and a refrigerant flow path of the multiple pipe The refrigerant system is connected to a refrigerant cooler, a refrigerant pump and a thermometer are interposed, and a control device is further provided. The flow rate of the concentrated liquid in the concentrated liquid flow path of the multi-tube is controlled by adjusting the number of revolutions of the concentrated liquid pump according to the signal from the control device that receives the measured value of the flow meter, and the measured value of the thermometer The temperature and flow rate of the refrigerant in the refrigerant flow path of the multiple pipe are controlled by adjusting the operation of the cooling unit and the rotation speed of the refrigerant pump in accordance with a signal from the control device.

  In the forward freeze concentration apparatus according to the present invention, including the case where there is a single multi-pipe, each multi-pipe is communicated with the concentrated liquid flow path at the lower part thereof, and the opening diameter of the valve body is the concentration of the concentrated liquid flow path. A ball valve that is equal to or larger than the maximum diameter is connected, and a control device that controls the opening and closing of the ball valve is provided, and the ice that has grown on the wall surface that forms the concentrate flow path for each of the multiple tubes is It discharges through a ball valve.

  In each of the multiple pipes, a tube forming the concentrated liquid flow path is extended downward, and a ball valve is attached to the lower end portion thereof, and the valve body of the ball valve forms the concentrated liquid flow path. It has an opening diameter equal to or larger than the maximum inner diameter of the tube. When the valve body of the ball valve is opened by a signal from the control device, and the cylindrical ice grown on the wall surface forming the concentrated liquid flow path of the multiple pipe is dropped by its own weight, the cylindrical ice becomes the valve of the ball valve. Without being caught in the body, it is smoothly dropped by its own weight and discharged. Such a control device for controlling the opening and closing of the valve body of the ball valve can be shared by being incorporated in the control device for controlling the flow rate of the liquid to be concentrated, the temperature and the flow rate of the refrigerant.

  When the ball valve is used as described above, not only can the valve body be automatically opened / closed, but also the valve body can be sealed to ensure the sealing, so that leakage of the liquid to be concentrated can be reliably prevented. Worker safety can be ensured and further space saving can be achieved.

  In the forward freeze concentration apparatus according to the present invention, the freeze concentrator preferably has two or more multiple tubes, and the concentrated liquid flow paths of the multiple tubes are preferably connected in series. The multiple tube is preferably a double cylindrical tube. Further, the ball valve is preferably one in which the valve element is opened and closed intermittently by a signal from the control device, and the cylindrical ice discharged through the ball valve is crushed by such opening and closing. Furthermore, it is preferable that a receiver is provided below the ball valve, and the receiver is provided with means for crushing or melting the ice discharged through the ball valve. In this case, the crushing itself can be performed by a known mechanical means, and the dissolution can also be performed by a known heating means. In any case, the forward freeze concentration of the liquid to be concentrated is efficiently performed, and after freezing and concentration of the liquid to be concentrated, the cylindrical ice that has grown on the wall surface that forms the liquid flow path to be concentrated in the multiple pipe is removed from the multiple pipe. It is for discharging in a simpler, safer and more reliable manner.

  According to the forward freeze concentration apparatus according to the present invention, after freezing and concentrating the concentrated liquid, the cylindrical ice grown on the wall surface forming the concentrated liquid flow path of the multiple pipe can be easily and safely and securely small-spaced from the multiple pipe. Can be discharged.

  FIG. 1 is an overall view illustrating a part of a forward freeze concentration apparatus according to the present invention in a longitudinal section. The forward freeze concentrator illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a freeze concentrator 13 having two double cylindrical tubes 11 and 12 erected side by side. The double cylindrical tubes 11 and 12 have coaxial inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a and outer cylindrical tubes 11b and 12b. Concentrated liquid channels 21 and 22 are formed in the inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a. Refrigerant flow paths 31, 32 are formed between the cylindrical tubes 11a, 12a and the outer cylindrical tubes 11b, 12b. The upper part of the inner cylindrical pipe 11a and the inner cylindrical pipe 12a is connected by a circulation system 41, and the lower part thereof is communicated. Therefore, the liquid flow channels 21 and 22 to be concentrated are one circulation flow connected in series. Forming a road. Further, the outer cylindrical tube 11b and the outer cylindrical tube 12b are connected at the upper portion thereof, and the lower portion thereof is also communicated, and the upper portion and the lower portion of the outer cylindrical tube 12b are connected by the circulation system 51. 32 forms one circulation flow path connected in parallel.

  A concentrated liquid supply tank 42 is disposed above the double cylindrical tubes 11 and 12, and the concentrated liquid supply tank 42 is connected to a circulation system 41. A concentrated liquid pump 43 is interposed in the circulation system 41 between the concentrated liquid supply tank 42 and the inner cylindrical pipe 11a, and the circulating system 41 between the concentrated liquid supply tank 42 and the inner cylindrical pipe 12a is provided in the circulating system 41. A flow meter 44 is interposed, and the liquid concentrate pump 43 and the flow meter 44 are connected to a control device 61. The circulation system 51 connecting the upper part and the lower part of the outer cylindrical tube 12b is provided with a cooler 52, a refrigerant pump 53, and a thermometer 54. The cooler 52 and the thermometer 54 are connected to the controller 61. ing.

  In the forward freeze concentration apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, the control device 61 is based on the difference between the two so that the actual flow rate value of the liquid to be concentrated measured by the flow meter 44 becomes a preset value set in the control device 61. The rotational speed of the liquid concentrate pump 43 is controlled by a signal emitted from the control unit 61, and the difference between the two is set so that the actual measured value of the refrigerant measured by the thermometer 54 becomes a preset value set in the control device 61. The operation of the cooler 52 is controlled by a signal generated from the control device 61 based on the above.

  The inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a of the two double cylindrical tubes 11 and 12 are extended downward from the outer cylindrical tubes 11b and 12b, and a ball valve 71 is provided at the lower ends of the extended inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a. , 72 is mounted, and a receiver 81 is disposed further below the ball valves 71, 72, and the receiver 81 is placed on a carriage 91. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the ball valve 71 has a valve body having an opening diameter equivalent to the maximum diameter of the concentrated liquid passage 21 of the double cylindrical tube 11, and in the case of FIG. 21 is formed by the inner cylindrical tube 11a, and therefore, a valve body having an opening diameter equivalent to the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical tube 11a is provided, and the ball valve 72 is also provided with a valve body having the same opening diameter. . These valve bodies are connected to the control device 61, and the opening and closing of the ball valves 71 and 72, specifically, the opening and closing operations of these valve bodies are controlled by signals sent from the control device 61.

  In the forward freeze concentration apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, the concentrated liquid supplied from the concentrated liquid supply tank 42 is circulated to the concentrated liquid channels 21 and 22 through the circulation system 41 under the flow rate control as described above. Of the inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a forming the concentrated liquid flow channels 21 and 22 by circulating the refrigerant to the refrigerant flow channels 31 and 32 through the circulation system 51 under the temperature control as described above. The ice crystals are sequentially formed and grown on the inner wall surface to freeze and concentrate the liquid to be concentrated, and then the frozen and concentrated liquid is recovered from the communicating portion at the lower part of the inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a. Usually, the refrigerant is heated a little by a heater (not shown), and the cylindrical ice grown on the inner wall surfaces of the inner cylindrical tubes 31 and 32 is peeled off from the inner wall surface. The valve bodies (not shown) of 71 and 72 are opened, and the peeled cylindrical ice is dropped by its own weight onto the receiver 81 through the ball valves 71 and 72 and discharged.

  2 to 4 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views schematically showing the discharge state of the cylindrical ice as described above. A ball valve 71 attached to the lower end portion of the inner cylindrical pipe 11a extending downward includes a casing 71a having a spherical inner peripheral surface, and a valve body 71b having a spherical outer peripheral surface that slides on the inner peripheral surface of the casing 71a. And the opening part 71c penetrated by the valve body 71b is provided, and the opening diameter of the opening part 71c is equivalent to the inner diameter of the inner cylindrical tube 11a. As schematically shown in FIG. 2, when the valve body 71b is opened by a signal from the control device 61, that is, when the opening portion 71c is linearly communicated with the inner wall surface of the inner cylindrical tube 11a, a cylindrical shape is obtained. The lower end of the ice A falls by its own weight into the opening 71c. In this state, as schematically shown in FIG. 3, when the valve body 71 b is slightly closed by a signal from the control device 61, that is, in a half-open state, the lower end portion of the cylindrical ice A that has fallen under its own weight into the opening 71 c. Is broken and separated from the original cylindrical ice A. Further, in this state, as shown in FIG. 4, when the valve body 71b is opened again by a signal from the control device 61, that is, when the valve body 71b is fully opened as in FIG. 2, the lower end of the cylindrical ice A broken in the opening 71c. The part falls by its own weight onto the receiver 81, and the lower end of the cylindrical ice A falls again by its own weight into the opening 71c. The following is repeated, and the relationship between the inner cylindrical tube 12a and the ball valve 72, which will not be described, is also the same. In the forward freeze concentration apparatus described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, when the ball valves 71 and 72 are opened and closed intermittently by a signal from the control device 61, that is, when these valve bodies are opened and closed intermittently, The cylindrical ice A grown on the inner wall surfaces of the inner cylindrical tubes 11a and 12a forming the liquid flow paths 21 and 22 is discharged through the ball valves 71 and 72 and simultaneously crushed by the ball valves 71 and 72. It is.

  FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view illustrating another forward freeze concentration apparatus according to the present invention. Other configurations that are not shown and described are the same as those of the forward freeze concentration apparatus described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, but the forward freeze concentration apparatus illustrated in FIG. A freeze concentrator 18 having double cylindrical tubes 14 to 17 is provided. Concentrated liquid channels 23 to 26 are formed inside the double cylindrical tubes 14 to 17, and refrigerant channels 33 to 36 are formed outside the double cylindrical tubes 14 to 17. The liquid concentrate channels 23 to 26 form one circulation channel connected in series via a circulation system (not shown), and the refrigerant channels 33 to 36 are connected in parallel via a circulation system (not shown). A single circulation channel is formed.

  The inner cylindrical tubes 14a to 17a of the four double cylindrical tubes 14 to 17 are extended downward from the outer cylindrical tubes 14b to 17b, and a ball valve is provided at the lower ends of the extended inner cylindrical tubes 14a to 17a. 73 to 76 are attached, and a receiver 82 is disposed further below the ball valves 73 to 76, and the receiver 82 is equipped with a crusher 93 having a rotary blade 92. The ball valves 73 to 76 have the same configuration as the ball valve 71 of FIG. 1, and these valve bodies (not shown) are connected to a control device (not shown) to open and close the ball valves 73 to 76, specifically. The opening / closing operation of these valve bodies is controlled by a signal emitted from the control device.

  In the forward freeze concentration apparatus of FIG. 5 as well, when the ball valves 73 to 76 are intermittently opened and closed by a signal from the control device, that is, when these valve bodies are intermittently opened and closed, the concentrated liquid flow paths 23 to 26 are opened. The cylindrical ice grown on the inner wall surfaces of the inner cylindrical tubes 14a to 17a to be formed is discharged through the ball valves 73 to 76 and simultaneously crushed by the ball valves 73 to 76. It is designed to re-crush with 93 rotary blades 92.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole figure which illustrates in part a longitudinal cross-section the forward freezing concentration apparatus which concerns on this invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a discharge state of cylindrical ice in the forward freeze concentration apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view schematically showing another discharge state of cylindrical ice in the forward freeze concentration apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view schematically showing still another discharge state of cylindrical ice in the forward freeze concentration apparatus of FIG. 1. The fragmentary longitudinal cross-section which illustrates the other forward freezing concentration apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11, 12, 14-17 Double cylindrical tube 11a, 12a, 14a-17a Inner cylindrical tube 11b, 12b, 14b-17b Outer cylindrical tube 13, 18 Freeze concentrator 21-26 Concentrated liquid channel 31-36 Refrigerant flow Channels 41 and 51 Circulating system 42 Concentrated liquid supply tank 43 Concentrated liquid pump 44 Flow meter 52 Cooler 53 Refrigerant pump 54 Thermometer 61 Controller 71 to 76 Ball valve 71a Casing 71b Valve body 71c Opening 81 and 82 Receiving machine 91 Bogie 92 Rotary blade 93 Crusher

Claims (5)

  A freeze concentrator having one or more multi-tubes standing upright is provided, and the refrigerant is circulated through the refrigerant flow path of the multi-pipe while the liquid to be concentrated is circulated through the multi-pipe liquid flow path of the multi-pipe. In the forward freeze concentration apparatus in which the concentrated liquid is freeze-concentrated by sequentially forming and growing ice crystals on the wall surface forming the concentrated liquid flow path of the multiple pipe, In the lower part, a ball valve is connected to the concentrated liquid flow path and the opening diameter of the valve body is equal to or larger than the maximum diameter of the concentrated liquid flow path, and the opening and closing of the ball valve is controlled. A forward freezing and concentrating device characterized in that a control device is provided, and ice grown on the wall surface forming the liquid flow path to be concentrated for each of the multiple tubes is discharged through the ball valve.   The forward freeze concentration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the freeze concentrator has two or more multiple tubes, and the concentrated liquid flow paths of the multiple tubes are connected in series.   The forward freeze concentration apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the multiple tube is a double cylindrical tube.   The forward freezing and concentrating apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein ice discharged through the ball valve is crushed by opening and closing the ball valve. The forward freeze concentration apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a receiver provided below the ball valve, and the receiver is provided with means for crushing or melting ice discharged through the ball valve. .

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