US3726715A - Diffusion apparatus - Google Patents

Diffusion apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3726715A
US3726715A US00133530A US3726715DA US3726715A US 3726715 A US3726715 A US 3726715A US 00133530 A US00133530 A US 00133530A US 3726715D A US3726715D A US 3726715DA US 3726715 A US3726715 A US 3726715A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
diffusion
hollow shaft
housing
tower
discharge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00133530A
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English (en)
Inventor
F Mushack
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BMA Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt AG
Original Assignee
BMA Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt AG
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Publication date
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Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3726715A publication Critical patent/US3726715A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C13—SUGAR INDUSTRY
    • C13B—PRODUCTION OF SUCROSE; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • C13B10/00—Production of sugar juices
    • C13B10/08—Extraction of sugar from sugar beet with water
    • C13B10/10—Continuous processes
    • C13B10/102—Continuous processes having rotatable means for agitation or transportation

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a diffusion apparatus, more specifically to a diffusion tower for use in connection with the manufacture of sugar.
  • a diffusion tower for use in connection with the manufacture of sugar.
  • Such diffusion towers are generally used for extracting certain components from comminuted, sliced, crushed or shredded vegetable material, for example sucrose from shredded sugar beets and/ or sliced sugar cane, whereby the vegetable material is transported upwardly through the tower from the lower end to the upper discharge end by means of conveyor elements and in counter current flow to an extraction liquid.
  • a diffusion apparatus especially a diffusion tower for extracting noveltyd components from comminuted vegetable material, especially sugar beet shreds and sliced sugar cane, wherein the vegetable material is transported by means of conveyor elements from a lower portion of the diffusion tower in a counter current flow relative to an extraction liquid and, wherein said conveyor elements are attached to the inside as well as to the outside surface of a hollow shaft.
  • a hollow shaft requires a minimum of material for making it and it may be provided with a sufficient rigidity by selecting the necessary diameter without influencing or affecting the overall diameter of the diffusion tower by said hollow shaft diameter selection.
  • Another advantage of the invention is seen in the fact that the substantial waste of space prevailing in conventional diffusion towers is avoided.
  • the diameter of the shaft in conventional diffusion towers generally is several meters primarily due to said reasons mentioned above, namely the arrangement of the transporting elements along the shaft, whereby such conventional shafts take up a substantial space inside the diffusion tower which space is lost for the diffusion process. Accordingly, the :use of the shafts according to the invention achieves along with the more efficient use of the space an enormous increase in the output capacity.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a diffusion tower according to the invention illustrating a schematic representation of such tower;
  • FIG. 2 is a section along the section line II-II of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic top view of a group of discharge blade means arranged at the discharge end of the diffusion tower according to FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a diffusion tower according to the invention comprising for example, an upright cylindrical housing 1 supported on a foundation 1.
  • the top portion of the housing 1 is closed by an oil drip pan 2 which catches any oil which might drip downwardly from the drive means arranged above the oil drip pan 2.
  • the oil drip pan thus closes the diffusion space or spaces inside the housing 1.
  • a supporting column 3 extends from the foundation 1' through the entire length of the housing 1, preferably centrally thereof, and has at its upper end a bearing portion 4, preferably of reduced diameter, which is secured in a gear or drive support member 10 arranged on top of the housing 1.
  • the reduced diameter upper end 4 of the column 3 serves simultaneously as a bearing pin for the hollow shaft 6 which has attached to its upper end a ring gear or toothed wheel 5, for example by a weldment 5', for rotatably supporting the hollow shaft 6 at its upper end on the journal pin or bearing portion 4.
  • the lower end of the hollow shaft 6 is also rotatably supported relative to the column 3 or relative to the housing 1 as will be described in more detail below.
  • the hollow shaft may be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise by any suitable drive means, for example one comprising at least two drive motors 7 attached to the gear or drive support 10 and operatively connected to the toothed wheel 5 through pinions 8.
  • the supporting column 3 is itself rigidly held at its lower and upper ends.
  • the supporting column 3 may itself be a hollow cylindrical body. This feature has been found to be highly satisfactory in practice.
  • the supporting column 3 which extends longitudinally through the entire length of the hollow shaft 6, may be mounted for rotating the supporting column either in the direction of rotation of the hollow shaft 6 or in an opposite direction. In this embodiment, an additional feed advance will be imparted to the comminuted starting material by the rotation of the column 3 as will be described in more detail below with reference to the so called retarding members.
  • the sieves or filters 9 are easily replaceable or exchangeable and may be constructed as a multipart unit which forms a boundary for the ring space between the supporting column 3 and the inner wall surface of the housing 1.
  • the sieves 9 extend underneath the two diffusion spaces 63 and 64.
  • the diffusion space 63 extends between the supporting column 3 and the hollow shaft 6, whereas the diffusion space 64 extends radially outwardly from the hollow shaft 6 toward the inner wall surace of the housing 1.
  • the juice produced during the extraction is filtered by said sieves 9 into a so called juice space 11 provided underneath the sieves in the lower portion of the housing 1.
  • the juice is then removed from the juice space 11 through collection pipes 12.
  • the starting material from which certain components are to be extracted by diffusion is supplied to the above mentioned two separate diffusion spaces 63 and 64 through separate feed-in or inlet pipes I16 and 17.
  • the starting material for example comminuted or shredded beets which have been scalded prior to feeding them into said diffusion spaces, is pumped into the diffusion spaces after the admixture of a predetermined quantity of pre-heated raw juice.
  • the feed-in or inlet pipes 16 and 17 are located with their tower entering ends just slightly above the sieves 9 in the lower part of the diffusion tower in order to utilize efficiently the entire length of the apparatus.
  • the starting material is transported upwardly through the spaces 63 and 64 by the rotation of the hollow shaft 6 which is provided with conveying elements, such as transporting blades 18 and 19 attached to the hollow shaft 6.
  • This transportation of the starting material from the lower portion of the diffusion tower toward the upper portion of said tower takes place in a counter current flow relative to the down-flow of an extraction liquid.
  • the extraction liquid is slightly acidic, so called fresh water and, if desired, may partially comprises so called press water which is a liquid extracted from the lixiviated material under presure.
  • the extraction liquid is admitted to the upper portion of the diffusion tower through a respective inlet 65, the details of which are not shown.
  • the conveying elements comprise transporting blades 18 and 19 which cooperate with so called retarding members 20 and 30.
  • the retarding members 20 are attached to the inner surface of the housing 1, whereas the retarding members 30 are attached to the outer surface of the supporting column 3 as may be seen in FIG. 1.
  • the transporting blades 18 and 19 are spaced from each other and staggered.
  • the retarding members 20 reach into the spacings between the blades 19 and toward the outer surface of the hollow shaft 6 but out of contact therewith.
  • the retarding members 30 reach into the spacings between the transporting blades 18 and toward the inner surface of the hollow shaft 6 but also out of contact therewith.
  • the staggering of the transporting blades 18 and 19 is such that these blades form two interrupted feed worms, preferably, but not necessarily, having the same direction of pitch.
  • the just described combination of the transportaing blades I18 and 19 with the respective retarding members 20 and 30 according to the invention results in an especially advantageous and specific manner of transporting the material from which components are to be extracted because it assures a very intimate or intensive contact between the upwardly moving material and the down-flowing extraction liquid. This advantage is assured in both diffusion spaces 63 and 64.
  • the retarding members 20 and 30 which reach into the spacings between the transporting blades 18 and 19 are made, for example of flat, narrow sheet metal strips and if desired, may be hinged or pivoted for tilting or rotational movement about their longitudinal axis. In any event, these retarding members 20 and 3t) influence and thus contribute to controlling the dilfusion process.
  • the diffusion tower or apparatus it is further possible to control the diffusion process by adjusting the temperature inside the diffusion tower. Further control is possible by regulating or adjusting the liquid level and/or the transport velocity of the material which is subjected to the extraction process. Especially the latter control is possible by simply adjusting the revolutions per minute of the hollow shaft 6. The just mentioned combinations of adjustments provide an optimum control of the diffusion process.
  • the starting material is fed to the two separate diffusion spaces 63 and 64 through said separate inlet means 16 and 17.
  • This feature of the invention has the advantage that the two diffusion spaces in the diffusion tower according to the invention may be operated practically independently of each other, so that, if necessary or desired, these spaces may be utilized for different extraction processes simultaneously.
  • the starting material may be adapted to increase its transportability into the tower by means of pumps. This may be accomplished in a known manner by admixing to the comminuted material a suitable liquid, for example, water, or especially in connection with sugar beet shreds,
  • raw juice previously extracted may be added to the starting material.
  • the duration of the diffusion process depends on the duration of time required for transporting the material from the inlet means 16 and 17 into the upper region of the housing 1 where the material is lixiviated and thus ready for removal out of the tower.
  • This is accomplished by at least one discharge screw or worm 31 which is so located in the upper end of the housing 1 that it reaches into an area adjacent to an opening 33 in the hollow shaft 6.
  • two discharge worms are provided which operate in opposite discharge feed advance directions and which are arranged on two opposite sides of the hollow shaft 6 as well as in parallel to each other. These discharge worms are highly efficient and thus prevent an accumulation of material especially in the diffusion space 64 surrounding the hollow shaft 6.
  • the discharge worms serve simultaneously also for the discharging of the lixiviated material which is transported through the inner diffusion space '63.
  • the hollow shaft 6 is provided with openings 33.
  • the discharging may further be improved by attaching discharge blades 34 to the upper end of the supporting column 3 as shown in FIG. 3.
  • These discharge blades 34 may, for example, be relatively narrow sheet metal strips which are bent in the direction of the circumference of the supporting column 3, whereby the discharge blades are adapted to push the lixiviated material out of the space inside the hollow shaft 6 through the opening 33 and into the space surrounding the hollow shaft 6 and thus into the effective range of the discharge worms 31.
  • the housing 1 is provided with lateral extensions 66 in which the ends of the discharge worms 31 are supported in a known manner. These extensions may simultaneously comprise discharge openings 32 through which the material is removed out of the diffusion tower for further treatment by means not shown.
  • discharge openings 32 are located at the ends of said lateral extensions 66, whereas the openings 33 are evenly distributed about the circumference of the upper end of the hollow shaft 6.
  • the discharge blades 34 are rigidly attached to the supporting column 3 and the direction of bending of these discharge blades 34 corresponds to the direction of rotation of the hollow shaft 6, so that the lixiviated material which due to the rotation of the hollow shaft 6 also moves in the direction of said rotation, is moved along the discharge blades 34 through the openings 33' as described above.
  • bearings 35 which in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are located, for example, between the lowest inwardly reaching retarding members 20' and the outer surface of the hollow shaft 6.
  • bearings such as shown at 35 may also be provided between the inner surface of the hollow shaft 6 and any one of the outwardly reaching retarding members 30, preferably the lowest retarding members.
  • the transporting blades 18 and 19 as well as the retarding members 20 and 30 fill the entire length of the diffusion spaces 63 and 64.
  • a diffusion apparatus for extracting components from comminuted vegetable materials comprising an upright housing having a lower and an upper end, first inlet means located at said lower end for feeding said com minuted vegetable material into said housing at said lower end thereof, second inlet means located at said upper end for admitting an extraction liquid into said housing at said upper end thereof whereby the extraction liquid flows downwardly, discharge means for said comminuted vege table material located at said upper end of said housing, conveying means, means for rotatably supporting the conveying means in said housing, drive means operatively connected to said conveying means for rotating the latter, said conveying means comprising a hollow shaft having an inner and an outer surface, conveying elements attached to said inner and outer shaft surfaces, whereby two separate conveying paths are provided through which said comminuted vegetable material is transported simultaneously upwardly both inside and outside of the shaft from said first inlet means at the lower end to said discharge means, at the upper end of the housing in countercurrent movement to the downward flow of said extraction liquid, and outlet means arranged at the lower end of said housing for a
  • said two separate conveying paths provide a first diffusion space located between said housing and said hollow shaft, and a second separate diffusion space located between the hollow shaft and said column, said first inlet means for said comminuted vegetable material comprising two separate inlet ports and means for connecting said inlet ports separately to the respective one of said diffusion spaces at the lower end of said housing.
  • said worm means comprise two worms arranged on opposite sides at the upper end of the hollow shaft, said two worms having oppositely directed pitches, whereby said comminuted vegetable material is discharged from said housing in opposite directions.
  • said supporting means for rotatably supporting said conveying means comprise a column extending longitudinally through said hollow shaft, and means for mounting said column in said housing.
  • said housing has an inner wall surface and said column has an outer wall surface
  • said conveying elements comprising transporting blades attached to the inner surface and to the outer surface of said hollow shaft, said transporting blades having predetermined spacings therebetween, said transporting blades being staggered relative to each other
  • said apparatus further comprising retarding members attached to said inner wall surface of the housing and to said outer wall surface of the column, said retarding members being positioned so that the retarding members reach into said spacings between adjacent transporting blades toward said hollow shaft but out of direct contact therewith.
  • said supporting means for rotatably supporting said conveying means comprise bearing means arranged between any one of said retarding members and said hollow shaft.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Extraction Or Liquid Replacement (AREA)
  • Screw Conveyors (AREA)
US00133530A 1970-06-29 1971-04-13 Diffusion apparatus Expired - Lifetime US3726715A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2032014A DE2032014C3 (de) 1970-06-29 1970-06-29 Diffusionsturm

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3726715A true US3726715A (en) 1973-04-10

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00133530A Expired - Lifetime US3726715A (en) 1970-06-29 1971-04-13 Diffusion apparatus

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US (1) US3726715A (de)
AT (1) AT316459B (de)
DE (1) DE2032014C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2096218A5 (de)
SU (1) SU384234A3 (de)
YU (1) YU33731B (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3841908A (en) * 1971-10-25 1974-10-15 Danske Sukkerfab Auxiliary screw conveyors
US3867194A (en) * 1972-05-18 1975-02-18 Buckau Wolf Maschf R Diffusion tower construction
US3880667A (en) * 1972-09-01 1975-04-29 Buckau Wolf Maschf R Diffusion tower for extracting particulate material
US3953224A (en) * 1974-03-16 1976-04-27 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Extraction tower for sugar beets cossettes or crushed sugar cane
US3970469A (en) * 1974-11-30 1976-07-20 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Extraction tower
US4048344A (en) * 1973-12-05 1977-09-13 Societe D'assistance Technique Pour Produits Nestle S.A. Preparation of tea extracts
US4115145A (en) * 1977-07-05 1978-09-19 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Diffusion tower for sugar beet cossettes
US5458056A (en) * 1992-10-07 1995-10-17 Braunschweigische Maschinen-Bauanstalt Ag Extraction tower

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3841908A (en) * 1971-10-25 1974-10-15 Danske Sukkerfab Auxiliary screw conveyors
US3867194A (en) * 1972-05-18 1975-02-18 Buckau Wolf Maschf R Diffusion tower construction
US3880667A (en) * 1972-09-01 1975-04-29 Buckau Wolf Maschf R Diffusion tower for extracting particulate material
US4048344A (en) * 1973-12-05 1977-09-13 Societe D'assistance Technique Pour Produits Nestle S.A. Preparation of tea extracts
US3953224A (en) * 1974-03-16 1976-04-27 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Extraction tower for sugar beets cossettes or crushed sugar cane
US3970469A (en) * 1974-11-30 1976-07-20 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Extraction tower
US4115145A (en) * 1977-07-05 1978-09-19 Braunschweigische Maschinenbauanstalt Diffusion tower for sugar beet cossettes
US5458056A (en) * 1992-10-07 1995-10-17 Braunschweigische Maschinen-Bauanstalt Ag Extraction tower

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2032014C3 (de) 1980-10-09
FR2096218A5 (de) 1972-02-11
YU33731B (en) 1978-02-28
SU384234A3 (de) 1973-05-23
AT316459B (de) 1974-07-10
DE2032014A1 (de) 1972-01-13
YU71271A (en) 1977-08-31

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