JP2017093372A - Sugar manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sugar manufacturing apparatus 1 capable of preventing an abraded piece generated at a contact part from contaminating liquid sugar and crystal slurry in a vacuum crystallization tank 3 by separating the contact part of a fixed bearing 109 and a bearing bush 137, and an agitation shaft 107 from the inside of a vacuum crystallization tank 103.SOLUTION: A sugar manufacturing apparatus 1 for refining crystal slurry includes at least a vacuum crystallization tank 3, a propeller for agitation 5, an agitation shaft 7, a fixed bearing 9, an isolation box 41, a lid 43 of the box, and a pipe leg 45. The fixed bearing 9 is fixed in the isolation box 41 and enclosed with the lid 43 of the box to be completely separated from the inside of the vacuum crystallization tank 3. A hollow layer of the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside of the vacuum crystallization tank 3 via a hollow layer of the pipe leg 45.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a sugar producing apparatus capable of preventing foreign matters such as wear pieces generated from the apparatus during purification of crystal slurry from being mixed into liquid sugar and crystal slurry being processed.

  Conventionally, the sugar production process requires a step of purifying a crystal slurry by putting liquid sugar obtained by processing raw sugar into a vacuum crystal can and stirring and heating the liquid sugar (for example, Patent Document 1).

  In the sugar producing apparatus used for purification of such a crystal slurry, at least a vacuum crystal can serving as a vessel for stirring and heating the liquid sugar, a stirring propeller for stirring the liquid sugar inside the vacuum crystal can, A stirring shaft serving as a shaft of the stirring propeller and a fixed bearing for positioning the stirring shaft are provided.

  Here, FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the periphery of the fixed bearing 109 in the conventional sugar producing apparatus. Inside the vacuum crystal can 103, a stirring shaft 107 and a stirring propeller 105 are provided. A lower end portion of the stirring shaft 107 is provided with a stirring propeller 105 and a fixed bearing having a bearing bush 137. 109.

  The fixed bearing 109 is fixed to a bearing flange 31, and the bearing flange 31 is fixed to a crystal slurry receiver 125 provided at the lowermost portion of the vacuum crystal can 103 via a plurality of angle legs 33. ing.

  The liquid sugar injected into the vacuum crystal can 103 is indirectly stirred by a heating medium such as heating steam blown into the steam convection chamber 115 provided at the lower part of the vacuum crystal can 103 while being stirred by the stirring propeller 105. To be heated. As a result, the liquid sugar evaporates to the boiling point through the heating and stirring steps, and is gradually concentrated. Furthermore, liquid sugar forms a supersaturated region to achieve crystal growth, and the crystal slurry is purified.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-6520

  However, in the conventional sugar making apparatus, the fixed bearing 109 is submerged in the liquid sugar inside the vacuum crystal can 103. Therefore, the wear piece generated by friction between the fixed bearing 109 and the bearing bush 137 and the stirring shaft 107. However, there is a problem that the liquid crystal and the crystal slurry in the vacuum crystal can 103 are mixed.

  With respect to the above problems, the present inventors pay attention to the structure around the contact portion between the fixed bearing 109, the bearing bush 137, and the stirring shaft 107, and repeatedly carry out improved design and intensively study it. The inventors have arrived at an invention that solves the above problems.

  That is, the present invention was created in view of the above problems, and by dividing the contact portion between the fixed bearing 109 and the bearing bush 137 and the stirring shaft 107 from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3, An object of the present invention is to provide a sugar making apparatus 1 capable of preventing wear pieces generated from the contact portion from being mixed into the liquid sugar and crystal slurry inside the vacuum crystal can 103.

The present invention
A sugar producing apparatus 1 for purifying a crystal slurry,
At least a vacuum crystal can 3, a stirring propeller 5, a stirring shaft 7, a fixed bearing 9, an isolation box 41, a box lid 43, and a hollow pipe leg 45;
The fixed bearing 9 is fixed inside the isolation box 41 and closed by the box lid 43, and the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 is partitioned,
The inside of the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3 through the hollow portion of the pipe leg 45.

  The fixed bearing 9 containing the lower end portion of the stirring shaft 7 is fixed to the center of the bottom surface inside the isolation box 41, closed with a box lid 43, and completely separated from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 ( In other words, it is isolated.) The isolation box 41 is supported using a pipe leg 45 having a hollow layer inside, and the hollow layer of the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside via the pipe leg 45.

  Thereby, the contact portion between the fixed bearing 9 and the bearing bush 37 and the stirring shaft 7 is completely partitioned from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3, and the fixed bearing 9 or the bearing bush 37, the stirring shaft 7, It is possible to completely prevent the wear pieces generated by this friction from being discharged to the outside and mixed into the liquid sugar and crystal slurry inside the vacuum crystal can 3.

  In the sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration, it is preferable that three or four pipe legs 45 are provided.

  Since the isolation box 41 supports the agitation shaft 7 and the agitation propeller 5 that rotate via the fixed bearing 9, it is desirable to firmly fix the isolation box 41 using three or four pipe legs 45.

  In the sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration, the box lid 43 further includes a shaft through hole 47 through which the stirring shaft 7 passes, and the stirring shaft 7 and the shaft through hole 47 A mechanical seal is provided at the contact.

  A mechanical seal is provided at the contact point between the shaft through hole 47 provided in the box lid 43 and the stirring shaft 7, and the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 and the isolation box 41 are completely connected even when the stirring shaft 7 rotates. It is desirable to partition and seal so that the liquid sugar and crystal slurry inside the vacuum crystal can 3 do not enter the inside of the isolation box 41.

  Further, the sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present invention having the above-described configuration has a feature that a crystal slurry discharge valve 21 is further provided at the lowermost part of the vacuum crystal can 3.

  It is desirable that the crystal slurry be discharged from the crystal slurry discharge valve 21 provided at the bottom of the vacuum crystal can 3 after the crystal slurry is purified.

It is a fragmentary sectional view which shows the detail of the fixed bearing 109 periphery part in the conventional sugar manufacturing apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the outline | summary of the sugar manufacturing apparatus 1 in embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view which shows the detail of the fixed bearing 9 periphery part shown in FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view which shows the detail of the isolation box 41 and the pipe leg 45 which are shown in FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the convection of the liquid sugar in the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, although typical embodiment of the sugar manufacturing apparatus based on this invention is described in detail, referring FIGS. 1-5, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not restricted to what is illustrated. Moreover, since each drawing is for conceptually explaining the present invention, the dimensions, ratios or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary for easy understanding. Further, in the following description, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted.

  First, the outline | summary of the sugar manufacturing apparatus 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention is demonstrated using FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the sugar producing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the sugar making apparatus 1 of the present invention is a crystal slurry refining device in the step of producing sugar, evaporating water contained in the liquid sugar by stirring while heating the liquid sugar, Sugar crystals are grown to a predetermined particle size.

  The sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment generally includes a vacuum crystal can 3, a stirring propeller 5, a stirring shaft 7, a fixed bearing 9, an electric rotating machine 11, a steam inlet 13, and a steam convection chamber 15. , Heat transfer tube 16, vent port 17, drain drain 19, discharge valve 21, liquid sugar charge pipe 23, crystal slurry receiver 25, bearing bush 37, isolation box 41, and box lid 43, a pipe leg 45, a shaft through hole 47, and a mechanical seal 49.

  The vacuum crystal can 3 has a circular lid shape with a hollow layer inside, and is used for inserting liquid sugar into the hollow layer and performing heating and stirring treatment. Inside the vacuum crystal can 3, a stirring shaft 7 passed in the axial direction and a stirring propeller 5 provided on the stirring shaft 7 are provided. The stirring shaft 7 extends from the lower part to the upper part inside the vacuum crystal can 3, and the upper end protrudes outside the vacuum crystal can 3.

  In addition, an electric rotating machine 11 that can be driven using an electric motor or the like is provided on the upper portion of the vacuum crystal can 3. The electric rotating machine 11 can be directly or indirectly fitted to the upper end of the stirring shaft 7 protruding from the upper part of the vacuum crystal can 3 to transmit the rotational motion during driving to the stirring shaft 7. .

  Furthermore, a substantially annular steam convection chamber 15 is provided in the lower part of the vacuum crystal can 3, and the steam convection chamber 15 and the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3 communicate with the steam through a steam inlet 13. A heating medium such as heating steam can be blown into the convection chamber 15. The steam convection chamber 15 is provided with a plurality of pipe-shaped heat transfer tubes 16 penetrating from the top surface to the lower surface, and the liquid sugar convects the vacuum crystal can 3 by moving inside the heat transfer tube 16. It will be heated effectively.

  Further, the steam convection chamber 15 is provided with a gas vent 17 and a drain drain 19 communicated from the inside of the steam convection chamber 15 to the outside, and discharge of the heating steam blown into the steam convection chamber 15. It is possible to discharge the cooled and accumulated water.

  A substantially conical crystal slurry receiver 25 is provided at the lowermost part of the vacuum crystal can 3 to receive the crystal slurry processed inside the vacuum crystal can 3. Further, a crystal slurry discharge valve 21 is provided at the lower tip of the crystal slurry receiver 25. The crystal slurry discharge valve 21 is in a state of being completely in close contact with the crystal slurry receiver 25 when the liquid sugar is heated and stirred, but is received by the crystal slurry receiver 25 by pulling down after the purification of the crystal slurry. It becomes possible to discharge the crystal slurry to the outside.

  The stirring shaft 7 is cylindrical and extends from the lower part to the upper part inside the vacuum crystal can 3 as described above, and the upper end of the stirring shaft 7 protrudes to the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3. A contact point between the stirring shaft 7 and the vacuum crystal can 3 is provided with a first fixed mechanical seal 49 that is sealed so that outside air is not sucked into the vacuum crystal can 3. The first fixed mechanical seal 49 can easily be used in place of a stuffing box and a gland packing.

  The lower end of the stirring shaft 7 is provided with a stirring propeller 5 and is housed in a fixed bearing 9. Further, the stirring shaft 7 is integrally configured using a plurality of joints and guides, and is provided so as to be rotatable around the center of the vacuum crystal can 3. The stirring propeller 5 rotates according to the stirring shaft 7.

  The agitation propeller 5 is composed of a plurality of three or four blades and a shaft portion that supports the blades, and the agitation shaft 7 passes through the center of the shaft portion. doing. The stirring propeller 5 is disposed in the central opening in the vapor convection chamber 15 provided in the lower part of the vacuum crystal can 3 and rotates in the opening.

  In addition, a liquid sugar charge pipe 23 is disposed in the vicinity of the stirring propeller 5, and the liquid sugar injected from the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3 flows into the vicinity of the stirring propeller 5 so as to be effectively stirred. Yes.

  Next, details of the periphery of the fixed bearing 9 in the sugar producing device 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing details of the periphery of the fixed bearing 9 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, a stirring propeller 5 is provided at the lower end portion of the stirring shaft 7 described above, and the stirring shaft 7 is housed in a fixed bearing 9.

  Since the lower end side surface of the stirring shaft 7 and the inner surface of the fixed bearing 9 are not in direct contact with each other and are fitted via the bearing bush 37, the stirring shaft 7 rubs against the fixed bearing 9 during rotation. Thus, the rotation of the stirring shaft 7 is made smooth while preventing them from wearing each other. The bearing bush 37 may be replaced with a roller bearing.

  The fixed bearing 9 containing the lower end of the stirring shaft 7 is fixed to the center of the bottom surface inside the isolation box 41, closed with a box lid 43, and completely separated (isolated) from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3. ing. The isolation box 41 has a box shape or a cylindrical shape with a hollow layer inside, and an upper portion is opened before the fixed bearing 9 is fixed.

  As described above, the opening is closed by the box lid 43. The box lid 43 is provided with a shaft through hole 47 through which the stirring shaft 7 is passed. It is possible to close the isolation box 41 while passing the side tip.

  Further, a second mechanical seal 50 is provided at the contact point between the stirring shaft 7 and the shaft through hole 47 so as to prevent liquid sugar and crystal slurry in the vacuum crystal can 3 from entering the isolation box 41. Has been. Similarly to the first mechanical seal 49, the second mechanical seal 50 can be easily replaced with a stuffing box and a gland packing.

  Next, the details of the isolation box 41 and the pipe leg 45 in the sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing details of the isolation box 41 and the pipe leg 45 shown in FIG.

  The isolation box 41 is supported by using three or four pipe-like pipe legs 45 each having a hollow portion therein. One end of the pipe leg 45 is welded to a contact portion between the side surface portion and the bottom surface portion of the isolation box 41, and each pipe leg 45 is arranged to support the isolation box 41 evenly. ing. The isolation box 41 does not necessarily have to be supported by a plurality of pipe legs 45, and at least one pipe leg 45 is sufficient. Moreover, you may use combining the other leg comprised by the angle etc.

  The other end of the pipe leg 45 is welded with a predetermined length penetrating from the crystal slurry receiver 25 to the outside. That is, from the above structure, the hollow portion of the isolation box 41, the hollow portion of the pipe leg 45, and the outside are in communication with each other. In other words, the hollow part of the isolation box 41 and the hollow part of the pipe leg 45 are opened to the outside while being isolated from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3.

  The fixed bearing 9 containing the lower end portion of the stirring shaft 7 is completely isolated from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 by being fixed inside the isolation box 41 described above. As a result, it is possible to completely prevent wear pieces generated by friction between the stirring shaft 7 and the bearing bush 37 or the fixed bearing 9 from being mixed into the liquid sugar and crystal slurry in the vacuum crystal can 3. Become.

  Further, since the hollow layer in the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside through the hollow layer of the pipe leg 45, the wear piece discharged by the pipe leg 45 without collecting the wear piece in the hollow layer of the isolation box 41 is discharged. It will be discharged to the outside through the path 51.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the process of purifying the crystal slurry from the liquid sugar using the sugar making apparatus 1 of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing liquid sugar convection in the vacuum crystal can 3 shown in FIG. First, raw sugar is processed using various devices, and liquid sugar purified through a filter and a fine liquor tank is injected into the vacuum crystal can 3 from a liquid sugar charge pipe provided in the vacuum crystal can 3. .

  After a predetermined amount of liquid sugar has been injected into the vacuum crystal can 3, high-temperature heating steam is blown into the steam convection chamber 15 from the steam inlet 13 provided at the lower part of the vacuum crystal can 3, Heating steam is convected inside the steam convection chamber 15. At this time, the heating steam blown into the steam convection chamber 15 and the cooled and accumulated water are discharged to the outside by the gas vent 17 and the drain drain 19 provided in the steam convection chamber 15.

  Further, the electric rotating machine 11 is driven substantially simultaneously with the blowing of the heating steam, and the stirring shaft 7 and the stirring propeller 5 fitted directly or indirectly with the electric rotating machine 11 are rotated. The rotating direction of the stirring propeller 5 is set so that the liquid sugar is stirred downward.

  The liquid sugar in the vacuum crystal can 3 is indirectly heated by the steam convection chamber 15 heated by the heating steam. Further, since the liquid sugar inside the vacuum crystal can 3 is pushed downward by the rotation of the stirring propeller 5, the liquid sugar passes through the heat transfer tube 16 provided in the steam convection chamber 15 from the lower surface side to the top surface side of the steam convection chamber 15. Moving. The liquid sugar that has moved to the top side of the steam convection chamber 15 is guided by the rotation of the stirring propeller 5 and moves again to the lower side of the stirring propeller 5. Thus, since the liquid sugar is continuously stirred by the circulating flow formed by the stirring propeller 5, the liquid sugar is heated evenly in the vacuum crystal can 3. During the heating of the liquid sugar, the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3 is maintained in a substantially vacuum state, thereby lowering the boiling point of the liquid sugar.

  The liquid sugar inside the vacuum crystal can 3 is boiled and evaporated through the heating and stirring processes described above and gradually concentrated. Thereby, a supersaturated region is formed in the liquid sugar, crystal growth is achieved, and the crystal slurry is purified. After the crystal slurry of a predetermined concentration is refined, the driving of the electric rotating machine 11 and the blowing of the heating steam from the steam inlet 13 are stopped, the rotation of the stirring shaft 7 and the stirring propeller 5, and the steam convection chamber Finish heating.

  The crystal slurry purified inside the vacuum crystal can 3 can be discharged to the outside by lowering the crystal slurry discharge valve 21 downward, and the crystal slurry can be taken out from the vacuum crystal can 3.

  Although the purification process of the crystal slurry has been described above, the liquid sugar injected into the vacuum crystal can 3 does not enter the isolation box 41 in all the processes. Therefore, wear pieces generated by friction between the stirring shaft 7 and the bearing bush 37 or the fixed bearing 9 are not mixed into the liquid sugar and the crystal slurry after purification, and the hollow layer of the isolation box 41 and the pipe legs 45 are not mixed. It will be discharged to the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3 through the wear piece discharge passage 51 constituted by the hollow layer.

  It is possible to produce clean sugar free from foreign matter by crystal slurry refined by completely preventing contamination of wear pieces generated by friction between the stirring shaft 7 and the bearing bush 37 or the fixed bearing 9. Thus, consumers can provide safer sugar.

  The exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and does not depart from the spirit and teaching of the claims. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications and variations exist within the scope.

  In the sugar producing apparatus 1 of the present invention, the fixed bearing 9 in which the lower end portion of the stirring shaft 7 is housed is fixed to the center of the bottom surface inside the isolation box 41, and is closed with the box lid 43 and completely inside the vacuum crystal can 3. It is divided into. The isolation box 41 is supported using a pipe leg 45 having a hollow layer inside, and the hollow layer of the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside via the pipe leg 45. Thereby, the contact portion between the fixed bearing 9 and the bearing bush 37 and the stirring shaft 7 is completely separated from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3, and the fixed bearing 9 or the bearing bush 37 and the stirring shaft 7 are It is possible to completely prevent wear pieces generated by friction from being discharged to the outside and mixed into the liquid sugar and crystal slurry inside the vacuum crystal can 3.

103 vacuum crystal can 105 stirring propeller 107 stirring shaft 109 fixed bearing 115 steam convection chamber 125 crystal slurry receiver 137 bearing bush 1 sugar making apparatus 3 vacuum crystal can 5 stirring propeller 7 stirring shaft 9 fixed bearing 11 electric rotating machine 13 steam blow Inlet 15 Steam convection chamber 16 Heat transfer tube 17 Gas outlet 19 Drain drain 21 Crystal slurry discharge valve 23 Liquid sugar charge pipe 25 Crystal slurry receiver 31 Bearing flange 33 Angle leg 37 Bearing bush 41 Isolation box 43 Box lid 45 Pipe leg 47 Shaft through hole 49 First fixed mechanical seal 50 Second mechanical seal 51 Wear piece discharge passage

Claims (4)

A sugar producing apparatus 1 for purifying a crystal slurry,
At least a vacuum crystal can 3, a stirring propeller 5, a stirring shaft 7, a fixed bearing 9, an isolation box 41, a box lid 43, and a hollow pipe leg 45;
The fixed bearing 9 is fixed inside the isolation box 41 and closed by the box lid 43, and is partitioned from the inside of the vacuum crystal can 3.
The inside of the isolation box 41 communicates with the outside of the vacuum crystal can 3 through the hollow portion of the pipe leg 45;
A sugar production apparatus 1 characterized by the above. Comprising three or four pipe legs 45;
The sugar production apparatus 1 according to claim 1, wherein: The box lid 43 is provided with a shaft-through hole 47 through which the stirring shaft 7 is passed, and a mechanical seal is provided at a contact point between the stirring shaft 7 and the shaft-through hole 47;
The sugar production apparatus 1 according to claim 1 or 2, wherein A crystal slurry discharge valve 21 is provided at the bottom of the vacuum crystal can 3;
The sugar production apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.