Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D19/00—Degasification of liquids
  • B01D19/0063—Regulation, control including valves and floats
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/0318—Processes
  • Y10T137/0324—With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid
  • Y10T137/0363—For producing proportionate flow
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/2496—Self-proportioning or correlating systems
  • Y10T137/2514—Self-proportioning flow systems
  • Y10T137/2534—Liquid level response
  • Y10T137/2536—Float controlled weir or valve
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/7287—Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
  • Y10T137/7313—Control of outflow from tank
  • Y10T137/7323—By float
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
  • Y10T137/7287—Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
  • Y10T137/7358—By float controlled valve
  • Y10T137/7439—Float arm operated valve

Definitions

• One of the objects of the present invention is procedure for use in air separation pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids, in said procedure the foodstuff liquid being conducted through a suction pipe or suction tube to an air separator and from the air separator through a pumping device and, possibly, a volumetric device into a tank or equivalent, and in said procedure the air present among the feedstuff liquid being separated in the air separator with the aid of vacuum in that the vacuum device is activated when the pressure prevailing in the air separator exceeds a given preset value.
• Another object of the invention is a means for use in air separation pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids, said means comprising a suction pipe or suction tube, a control valve, an air separator, provided with a vacuum device for removing the air from the foodstuff liquid in the air separator, and possibly a volumetric device, by this means the foodstuff liquid being drawn from the liquid tank or equivalent into the air separator, whence the foodstuff liquid is conducted through a pumping device and, possibly, a volumetric device towards further use.
• One further object of the invention is a procedure for use in air separation pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids, in said procedure the foodstuff liquid being conducted through a suction pipe or suction tube to an air separator and fran the air separator through a pumping device and, possibly, a volumetric device into a tank or equivalent, and in said procedure the air that is present among the foodstuff liquid being separated in the air separator with the aid of vacuum in that an air venting valve connected to the air separator is activated when the pressure prevailing in the air separator exceeds a given preset value.
• Still one object of the invention is a means for use in air separation pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids, said means comprising a suction pipe or suction tube, an air separator provided with an air venting valve, a pumping device, and a control valve, by said means the foodstuff liquid being drawn from a liquid tank or equivalent into the air separator, whence the foodstuff liquid is conducted through a pumping device and a control valve towards further use.
• Liquid volumetry is carried out, for instance, in milk collection from milk producers taking place with the aid of tank lorries, or when receiving milk in a dairy from such tank lorries.
• the milk is pumped, or allowed to flow, through a pipe system into an air separator tank, in which the milk level rises until a shut-off member, attached to the stem of a float sensing the liquid level, finally closes the air aperture leading to an air venting valve.
• the closure of the air venting valve may be managed either mechanically or electrically.
• an enclosed system is established in the upper part of the air separator tank, in this system a pressure building up gradually, and upon reaching a given value this pressure overcomes the spring force of the directional valve, causing the directional valve to open.
• the liquid then begins to flow through the apparatus, and the flow goes on until the air present in the liquid steps the operation and escapes through the air venting valve, or until the liquid runs out and nothing but air is pushed out through the pipe.
• a volumetric system especially applied to milk collection with the aid of tank lorries from milk producers, in said system the liquid being conducted through a suction pipe or suction tube to an air separator and from the air separator to a volume meter, and in said system being provided a pumping device which has been so disposed in relation to the air separator that the air separator is located on the intake side of the pumping device, the pumping device being controlled with the aid of a control system so that when the liquid level in the air separator rises to a first upper level the control system has been arranged to switch the pumping device to lew pumping rate, and when the liquid level therein rises in the air separator to a second upper level, higher than the first upper level, the control system is arranged to switch the pumping device to operate at a higher pumping rate.
• the object of the invention is to achieve an improvement of presently known procedures in the pumping and volumetry of foodstuff liquids.
• the more detailed object of the invention is to provide a procedure which is applicable as universally as possible in air separation problems, e.g. on milk collection tank lorries, in the liquid receiving and processing equipment in dairies, breweries, and other equivalent production plants.
• the aims of the invention are attained with a procedure which is mainly characterized in that the flow of the foodstuff liquid to the air separator is controlled with a control valve disposed in the suction pipe and which is controlled in accordance with the foodstuff liquid level in the air separator so that when the level of the foodstuff liquid rises in the air separator to an upper level the control valve is arranged to be fully closed, and that when the level of the foodstuff liquid reaches in the air separator a somewhat lower level the control valve has been arranged to be fully open, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is falling in the air separator between said upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to increase the foodstuff liquid flow entering the air separator, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is rising in the air separator between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to reduce the foodstuff liquid flow entering the air separator.
• the aims of the invention are also achieved with a procedure which is characterized in that the control valve disposes in the suction pipe has been arranged to control the foodstuff liquid flow into the air separator so that when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the upper level the control valve has been arranged to be fully closed, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the lower level the control valve has been arranged to be fully open, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is falling in the air separator between the upper and lcwer levels the control valve has been arranged to increase the foodstuff liquid flow entering the air separator, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is rising between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to reduce the foodstuff liquid flow entering the air separator.
• the more detailed object of the invention is to provide a means which is applicable as universally as possible in connection with air separation problems e.g. on milk collection tank lorries, in the liquid receiving and processing equipment in dairies, breweries, and other equivalent production plants.
• the aims of the invention are achieved with a means which is mainly characterized in that the flew of the foodstuff liquid from the air separator through the pumping device further onwards is controlled with a control valve which is controlled in accordance with the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator in such manner that when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the upper level the control valve has been arranged to be fully open, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the lower level the control valve has been arranged to be fully closed, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is falling in the air separator between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to reduce the foodstuff liquid flow drawn from the air separator, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is rising between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to increase the foodstuff liquid flow drawn from the air separator.
• the aims of the invention are further achieved with a means which is characterized in that a control valve has been arranged to control the flew of foodstuff liquid frcan the air separator through the pumping device and onwards in such manner that when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the upper level the control valve has been arranged to be fully open, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid in the air separator reaches the lower level the control valve has been arranged to be fully closed, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is falling in the air separator between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to reduce the foodstuff liquid flow drawn from the air separator, and when the level of the foodstuff liquid is rising between the upper and lower levels the control valve has been arranged to increase the foodstuff liquid flow from the air separator.
• Fig. 1 presents schematically an advantageous einbodiment of the means employed in the procedure of the invention.
• Fig. 2 presents schematically another advantageous embodiment of the means employed in the procedure of the invention.
• Fig. 3 presents schematically the operation and construction of the control valve employed in the means of the invention.
• the means 10 comprises a liquid tank 11, a suction pipe 14 provided with shut-off valve 12 and pump 13, a control device 15, an air separator 16, a pumping device 23, and a directional valve 24.
• the air separator 16 is provided with a liquid level sensor 17, a pressure switch 18, a pressure gauge 19, and a vacuum device 20.
• a temperature pick-up 22 which supplies to the pressure switch 18 a signal consistent with the temperature.
• the pressure switch controls a compressed air shut-off valve 21, this valve in its turn communicating with the vacuum device 20.
• the operation of the means 10 of the invention runs as follows.
• the shut-off valve 12 is first opened and the pump 13 started, and the controlling electricity of the compressed air shut-off valve 21 is connected to be controlled by the pressure switch 18.
• the liquid new begins to flow from the tank 12, and through the pump 13, through the control device 15 into the air separator 16.
• the liquid level sensor 17 in the air separator rises along with the liquid level.
• the liquid level sensor 17 is for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, mechanically connected to the control device 15 so that when the sensor 17 rises upwards the flew cross section in the control device 15 is reduced, whereby the liquid flew into the air separator 16 also diminishes.
• the control device 15 When the liquid level has risen in the air separator 16 to the predetermined upper level A, the control device 15 closes c ⁇ pletely, thus inhibiting the flow into the air separator 16. Similarly, when the liquid level in the air separator 16 has fallen to the predetermined lower level B, the control device 15 has opened to full aperture and the liquid flow to the air separator 16 is at its maximum.
• the air separator 16 prevails a vacuum (subatmospheric pressure), which has been set in advance with the pressure switch 18.
• the pressure switch shuts off the compressed air supply to the shut-off valve 12.
• the vacuum device 20 keeps the vacuum at the preset pressure height.
• the vacuum device 20 contains a one-way valve, no return flow into the air separator 16 taking place after this valve has closed.
• the pressure gauge 19 indicates the vacuum prevailing at any given time, and it is used as aid in setting the limit value of the pressure with the pressure switch 18.
• the pumping device 23 is started, whereby the liquid flows through the directional valve 24 into the pipe system and thence further into a tank or equivalent.
• the operation of the pump 23 may be intermittent or continuous because the means 10 adapts itself to the flow conditions prevailing at any given time.
• the pump 13 is not absolutely necessary in the apparatus if flow conditions are such that they render the operation of the means 10 feasible even otherwise. This is understood to refer, for instance, to those instances in which the liquid tank 11 is located so much higher than the air separator 16 that the liquid flows freely with sufficient pressure from the liquid tank 11 to the air separator 16.
• the control device 15 changes the flew velocity of the liquid consistent with the liquid level height in the air separator so that the control device 15 maintains the same liquid flow which the pumping device 23 transports forward from the air separator 16 at any given time.
• the vacuum device 20 maintains in the air separator 16 the degree of subatmospheric pressure that has been set.
• the setting of the pressure switch 18 can be changed in accordance with temperature so that the vacuum is changed consistent with the vapour pressure of the liquid at the measured temperature. The temperature is measured in the liquid with the temperature pick-up 22.
• the means of the invention, 10 removes the air bubbles from the liquid, as well as part of the dissolved air or all of it, or even removes part of the liquid according to the evaporation principle, and such liquid may later be returned to join the rest of the liquid, or it may be left unreturned.
• the means of the invention in general is indicated by reference numeral 30.
• the means of the invention, 30, has been connected to a liquid tank 31, which may be, for instance, a farm milk tank, a milk lorry or equivalent. From the tank 31, the liquid is conducted through the shut-off valve 32 of the tank and through a suction tube 34 to the liquid entrance connector 34a, and hence further to the air separ ator 36.
• the air separator 36 is provided with a liquid level sensor 37, a pressure switch 38, an air venting valve 39 comprising a push button 42 inhibiting closure of the valve, and a directional valve 41.
• to the air separator 36 has furthermore been attached a vacuum device 40.
• a pumping device 43 In the exhaust pipe leading away from the air separator 36 is installed a pumping device 43, whence the liquid is conducted through the control device 35 and the tubular filter 44 to the volumetric device 45, and thence farther through the directional valve 46 to the tank 47 or equivalent.
• the power source 48 for the pumping device which may be e.g. a hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or equivalent power source.
• the operation of the means 30 of the invention is as follows.
• the shut-off valve 32 of the tank is opened, whereby the liquid will flow through the suction tube 34 and through the entrance connector 34a into the air separator 36.
• air escapes frcan the air separator 36 through the air venting valve 39 and the directional valve 41 to the vacuum device 40 and thence further to the atmosphere.
• the air separator 36 contains a liquid level sensor 32, which moves within the air separator in accordance with the liquid level height.
• the liquid level sensor 37 has been connected to the control device 35 in equivalent manner as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. When the liquid level in the air separator is on the lower level B or therebelow, the control valve is fully closed.
• the control device 35 connected to the liquid level sensor 37 begins to open, and when the liquid level reaches the upper level A the control device 35 has opened fully. Similarly, when the liquid level falls, the control device 35 closes by a distance consistent with the liquid level height.
• the pumping device 43 may be activated before starting operations, or only when the liquid level in the air separator 36 has risen to the upper level A. When the pumping device 43 has been activated, the liquid will flow from the pumping device to the control valve 35 and thence further through the tubular filter 44 through the volumetric device 45, and through the directional valve 46 to the tank 47.
• the pumping device is stepped when the liquid in the tank 31 has been used up and the liquid level is at the lower level B in the air separator 36. If a vacuum device 40 is connected to the means 30, its control can be connected to control the pressure switch 38 at the same time, or separately when the pumping device 43 is deactivated, respectively stepped.
• the means 30 of the invention depicted in Fig. 2 removes from the liquid the air bubbles and part of the dissolved air. At the same time, the means takes care at the beginning and end of pumping of retention of the liquid quantity in the same system. Hereby the means 30 standardizes its proper volume and enables a volumetric device 45 to be used.
• the liquid height levels A and B in the air separator 16, respectively 36, introduced in the preceding description and in Figs 1 and 2 are not fixed: they change in accordance with the flow. When the flow rate is high, the distance between levels A and B is larger than when the flow rate is low.
• the changing of levels A and B is above all influenced by the internal construction of the control device 15, respectively 35, which is more closely described later on.
• Fig. 3 is schematically presented the control device 15, respectively 35, employed in the means 10, respectively 30, of Figs 1 and 2.
• the control device 15,35 which is a control valve, comprises a valve body 51 enclosing within itself a control piston 52 with packings. Inside the control valve 15,35 are provided, concentrically with the control piston 52, a first pilot valve 53 and a second pilot valve 54, these valves having been disposed in a bore in the control piston 52.
• the pilot valves 53 and 54 have been disposed on one and the same spindle, whereby they move synchron ously.
• the spindle 55 of the pilot valves has been connected to the liquid level sensor 17, respectively 37, in the air separator 16, respectively 36, by the connection 56.
• control valve In the control valve have furthermore been formed, a liquid entrance volume 57 disposed partly inside the control piston 52 and a liquid outflow volume 58, which has been established in the pipe leading away from the valve.
• the valve has, furthermore, on the opposite side of the control piston as related to the liquid entrance volume 57, an auxiliary liquid control volume 59.
• the control valve 15,35 is attached to the wall 61 of the air separator, and an aperture 60 has been made for the valve in the wall 61, this aperture defining a volume 60 communicating with the interior volume of the air separator 16,36.
• the operation of the control valve 15,35 of Fig. 3 is as follows.
• the liquid is conducted into the liquid entrance volume 57 under a pressure which is higher or lower than the pressure prevailing in the volume 60 in the air separator.
• the position of the control piston 52 is defined by means of the position of the control spindle 55.
• the control valve 15,35 (or rather the control piston 52 closes and stays closed when the spindle 55 of the pilot valves is moved in the closing direction, that is to the right in Fig. 3, so that the second pilot valve 54 closes and the first pilot valve 53 opens.
• the liquid will then flow from the entrance volume 57 into the auxiliary liquid control volume 59 and its flew into the liquid outflow volume 58 and into the volume 60 in the air separator is inhibited.
• the liquid pressure prevailing in the auxiliary control volume 59 urges the control piston 52 into its closed position towards the liquid entrance volume 57 with a force higher than that with which the liquid pressure in the liquid entrance volume 57 tends to urge the control piston 52 into the open position, because the surface areas acting on the control piston 52 in the auxiliary control volume 59 are larger than the areas of the control piston 52 in the liquid entrance volume 57.
• the force pushing on the piston 52 from the auxiliary volume 59 correspondingly increases and the valve 15,35 closes with progressively increasing force. From the liquid entrance volume 57 there exists at this time a free flow connection to the auxiliary liquid control volume 59.
• the control spindle 55 When it is desired to open the flew path from the liquid entrance volume 57 to the liquid cutflow volume 58, the control spindle 55 is pulled so (to the left in Fig. 3) that the second pilot valve 54 opens and the first pilot valve 53 closes, whereby the liquid can flow from the auxiliary liquid control volume 59 into the volume 60 in the air separator and the pressure in the auxiliary control volume 59 falls below the pressure prevailing in the liquid entrance volume 57. The pressure in the entrance volume 57 will then push the control piston 52 towards the auxiliary control volume 59 and the control piston 52 will slowly open the flow path from the entrance volume 57 to the cutflow volume 58.
• the control spindle 55 can be used for stepless control of the control piston and thereby the flow rate from the liquid entrance volume 57 to the liquid outflow volume 58 can be changed.
• the liquid exerts en the control piston 52 a high inertia force (dynamic pressure) and therefore closing the control piston 52 would require an unreasonably high force.
• this force is derived from the flow energy of the liquid, in the following manner.
• the control spindle 55 is used to close the second pilot valve 54 and to open the first pilot valve 53, whereby the pressure increase on the side of the control piston 52 facing the entrance volume 57 is conducted from the entrance volume 57 to the auxiliary control volume 59.
• the pressure increase in the auxiliary control volume 59 begins slowly to close the control piston 52, until the liquid flew from the entrance volume 57 to the cutflow volume 58 is inhibited.
• the control valve 15,35 of the invention controls the liquid flow with minimal control force, and it derives the control energies from the energy in the liquid, and at the same time it adapts to the state of motion or pressure of the liquid at any given time.

Landscapes

• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)
• Degasification And Air Bubble Elimination (AREA)
• Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
• Gas Separation By Absorption (AREA)
• Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8520388

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (17)

Citations (11)

• 1985
  • 1985-02-15 FI FI850640A patent/FI73950C/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1986
  • 1986-02-14 EP EP86901405A patent/EP0214206B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1986-02-14 JP JP61501304A patent/JPS62501825A/ja active Pending
  • 1986-02-14 WO PCT/FI1986/000018 patent/WO1986004828A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1986-02-14 AU AU55104/86A patent/AU594947B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1986-02-14 US US06/915,247 patent/US4704140A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1986-09-15 DK DK441286A patent/DK441286D0/da not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (11)

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