JPS6219826B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and plant for treating algae.

Many types of algae plants have been known for a long time, and they have various uses, such as medicine,
It is used in food materials, cosmetics, fertilizers, etc. One of the basic steps in the treatment of algae is the step of turning algae (raw material) into a paste or fluid state. Various methods are conventionally known for completing this step. The first method is the fresh frozen method.
This involves freezing the algae and then crushing it. The second method is to dehydrate and dry the algae.
This dehydration drying method is carried out using various procedures, but
For example, (1) heating and crushing, (2) using chemicals,
and (3) a combination of the above procedures (1) and (2).

A problem with such conventional algae processing is that the fresh (eg, freshly harvested) material is wet and therefore slippery and difficult to handle and process.

The present invention was created in consideration of the current situation, and its purpose is to provide a method and a plant that can appropriately and efficiently treat algae even when they are in the above-mentioned natural state (wet state). This is what I am trying to do.

The present invention relates to a method for treating algae, which is characterized by applying physical force to algae raw material in a naturally moist state collected from algae plants, and crushing the algae raw material into microscopic particles by the physical force, and the same treatment method. This relates to a treatment plant used in the method.

Although the method and plant according to the present invention can be used to treat all algal plants, they are particularly useful for treating one or a combination of two or more of the following types.

(1) Ecklonia maxima
Maxima) (2) Laminaria Pallida (3) Macrocystis longifolium The algae treatment method and apparatus according to the present invention will be specifically described below with an example shown in the attached drawings. explain.

As shown in FIG. 1, the algae treatment plant 10 is composed of various units. To briefly explain the treatment of algae by this treatment plant, first, the algae plant, which has been washed or peeled to remove all impurities, is cut into tubular pieces of the required length by a cutting unit. However, this step can also be performed manually. Preferred length is 500
The length is 1000mm from

Thereafter, the cut pieces are fed to a worm gear plate mincer 14. In the mincer 14, the raw material is cut into small pieces or small blocks and fed to the first colloid mill 16. Details of the stator and rotor of this first colloid mill 16 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The raw material is then fed to pump 18 which is connected to conduit 22
It is discharged and fed into the storage tank 22 through the tank. A circulation feed pump 24 removes the raw material from the storage tank 22 and pumps the raw material into the storage tank 22 through a conduit 26 . A portion of the raw material is passed through conduit 28 to the second
It is discharged and fed into the colloid mill 30. Details of the stator and rotor of colloid mill 30 are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The raw material is then fed into a second storage tank 32, which has a circulation feed pump 34. Circulating feed pump 34 returns feedstock to storage tank 32 through conduit 36 . Part of the raw material is transferred to conduit 3
8 to the high pressure pump 40. The high pressure pump 40 pumps the first high pressure homogenization valve through conduit 42 at a pressure of approximately 500 bar.
high pressure homogenizer valve) 44. From the first high pressure homogenizer valve 44, the raw material is passed through a conduit 46 at a pressure of approximately 50 bar to a final homogenizer valve 48.
is press-fitted into the From the same final homogenization valve, the raw material is in a micro state having a size of about 50 microns through the conduit 50.
taken out through.

The structure of the first colloid mill 16 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. The colloid mill 16 has a stator 52 within which a rotor 54 rotates in the direction of an arrow 56. The rotor 54 has a cutting blade 58. A small gap is formed between the blade end 60 of the cutting blade 58 and the protrusion 62 inside the stator 52. The raw material supplied into the guide housing 64 along the arrow 66 with the above configuration is sent out from the annular outlet provided in the stator 52 in the direction of the arrow 68.

4 and 5 show the structure of the stator 70 and rotor 72 of the second colloid mill in detail. Stator 70 has a through-hole plate shape, while rotor 72 has cutting blades 74 and 76 extending in mutually opposing directions. Cutting blades 74, 76
has a triangular cross section as shown in FIG. 5, and a cutter that slides directly above the through-hole stator plate 70 is provided at its bottom end. The rotor 72 rotates in the direction of arrow 78. A small gap exists between the lower ends (ie, cutter ends) of the stator cutting blades 74, 76 and the through-hole stator plate 70. With the above configuration, the raw material fed into the guide housing 80 along the arrow 82 is cut by the cutter and forced out through the plate 70 in the direction shown by the arrow 84. Figure 6 shows the first homogenizing valve (firsh
homogenizer valve) 44 is shown in cross section. The valve includes a housing 86 having a supply tube 88 communicating with conduit 42. A valve seat 90 is provided within the housing 86 and allows the passage 88 to drop into a reduced passage 92 . The outlet 94 of the contraction passage 92 is closed by a valve 96, and a spring 98 is applied in the direction of arrow 100.
is energized by. The outlet 94 extends through a wear, impact or breaker ring 102 into a discharge chamber 104, which in turn opens into a discharge passageway 106. Passageway 106 is also connected to conduit 46 as shown in FIG.

In the above configuration, the raw material is pumped through the passage 88 in the direction of the arrow 108. The pressure in the valve 96 is thus regulated by the spring 98 and the pressure in the passage 88
The raw material supplied in the direction of arrow 108 is supplied through this valve 9.
6 will be forced open. During this opening, the raw material particles are mutually sheared and deformed,
Shattered. Since the wear ring 102 has its hard surface in a direction perpendicular to the direction of exit from the outlet 94, the impact of the raw material particles on the same surface further promotes the crushing of the same particles. It is believed that the rapid pressure drop when the raw material flows out of the outlet 94 also contributes to particle size refinement. After that, the raw materials are in aisle 10.
6 in the direction shown by arrow 110.

In FIG. 7, final pressure valve 48 is shown. Pressure valve 48 includes a housing 112 having a circular passageway 114 communicating with conduit 46 . Passage 1
4 widens conically and opens into an annular passage 116 communicating with conduit 50 . A valve 118 having a conical portion 120 is biased in the direction of arrow 110 by a spring 122 to close an opening 126 of the passage 114. The valve 118 has a distraction guide rod 128, which has a triangular cross section.

With the above configuration, the material is forced into the space formed between the triangular rod 128 and the passageway 114 along the arrow 130, and the valve 118 is retracted. As a result, the raw material particles are mutually sheared, deformed, and pulverized again. Then, the raw material in the form of fine particles of about 50 microns (this value varies slightly depending on the operating pressure) is discharged through the discharge passage 50 in the direction of arrow 132.

In addition, "homogenizing" described in the claims and detailed description of the invention refers to the term "homogenizing" in the present invention, which involves passing the algae raw material in a moist state under high pressure through the openings to form raw material particles. This refers to work aimed at reducing particle size.

By using the algae treatment method and apparatus according to the present invention, even if the algae plants are slippery and wet, there will be no problem, and the algae raw materials can be treated without freezing, heating, or using chemicals. It can be processed without the need for addition. If necessary, the algal raw material can also be screened in any necessary intermediate steps of the process described above, thereby removing impurities or oversized particles.

In addition, since the method of the present invention can cold-coagulate algal plants, growth regulators, trace elements, and other nutrients present in algal plants can be removed by cold coagulation. It also has the advantage of being able to be treated without being destroyed (although such components in the algae are often destroyed when heating and/or chemicals are added as in conventional methods).

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a layout diagram of a treatment plant used in the algae treatment method according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the stator and rotor of the first colloid mill, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the second colloid mill.
Figure - Sectional side view of the stator and rotor according to lines,
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the stator and rotor of the second colloid mill, Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the stator and rotor taken along the line of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the first homogenizing valve. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the final homogenization valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A method of treating algae by turning algae into a paste or fluid state, which method comprises: (a) preparing an algae raw material in a naturally moist state obtained from an algae plant; (b) cutting the algal raw material in its naturally moist state until it reaches a colloidal state, and (c) homogenizing the colloidal raw material so that the algal raw material is reduced to particles of very fine size. A method in which the above steps are performed without freezing or heating the algae raw material and without adding any chemical substances to the treatment of the algae raw material. 2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the algal raw material is homogenized at a pressure of at least 400 bar. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the step of first washing the algal plant to remove impurities. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of the homogenized algal raw material is maintained at 50°C or lower. 5. An algae treatment plant comprising a mincer cutter unit, a colloid mill, a storage tank provided with a circulation feed pump, a second colloid mill downstream of the storage tank, and a homogenization unit arranged in series. 6. Plant according to claim 5, in which a second storage tank with a circulating feed pump is provided downstream of the second colloid mill. 7. The homogenization unit comprises three parts in series: a high-pressure pump, a first high-pressure homogenization valve and a final homogenization pressure valve, the pump pressure during operation being at least 400 bar. The plant according to item 5 or 6.