WO2003028486A2 - Device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance - Google Patents

Device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2003028486A2
WO2003028486A2 PCT/EP2002/010703 EP0210703W WO03028486A2 WO 2003028486 A2 WO2003028486 A2 WO 2003028486A2 EP 0210703 W EP0210703 W EP 0210703W WO 03028486 A2 WO03028486 A2 WO 03028486A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pellets
coolant
liquid
channel
substance
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2002/010703
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
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WO2003028486A3 (en
Inventor
Wolfgang Hoffmanns
Stefan Kosock
Friedrich Moser
Stefan Zerwas
Original Assignee
Messer Griesheim Gmbh
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Application filed by Messer Griesheim Gmbh filed Critical Messer Griesheim Gmbh
Priority to AU2002338764A priority Critical patent/AU2002338764A1/en
Publication of WO2003028486A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003028486A2/en
Publication of WO2003028486A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003028486A3/en

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
    • A23L3/361—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling the materials being transported through or in the apparatus, with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules, or flakes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
    • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
    • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
    • A23L3/36—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
    • A23L3/37—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of or treatment with chemicals
    • A23L3/375—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of or treatment with chemicals with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid nitrogen, at cryogenic temperature

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a device for pelletizing or granulating a liquid or pasty substance, with a feed for a liquid coolant and with an entry device from which a substance to be pelletized is introduced into a flow of the coolant in an at least partially open channel and together with the coolant is supplied to a separating device.
  • a method and a device for pelleting liquid egg is known from US Pat. No. 4,655,047.
  • Pellets are produced by dropping liquid egg through a nozzle into a liquid stream of a cryogenic liquid that runs over an inclined trough.
  • the liquid flow with the pellets produced leads to a vibrating screen in which the cryogenic liquid is separated from the pellets.
  • the cryogenic liquid is returned and the pellets are passed through the sieve into a collection container.
  • the device is no longer isolated in the area of the vibrating screen or the collecting container; the process therefore presupposes that the pellets are frozen before they hit the sieve, otherwise the pellets will be damaged.
  • the flow path must therefore be relatively large in order to achieve a dwell time that leads to frozen pellets.
  • EP-0 919 279 A1 discloses a method for producing large-volume pellets, in which a substance to be pelletized is dropped into a channel through which a cryogenic coolant flows. The drops freeze on their surface when they come into contact with the coolant. The pellets thus created are entrained by the flow of the coolant and fed to a conveyor in which the pellets are fed separately from the coolant to a collecting container. The pellets are cooled through contact with a gaseous coolant, for example the exhaust gas from coolant evaporated on contact with the substance. This process enables the production of large-volume pellets with a high yield.
  • a gaseous coolant for example the exhaust gas from coolant evaporated on contact with the substance.
  • the invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus for producing pellets, with which small-volume pellets or granulate particles can be easily produced with high yield.
  • the separating device comprises at least one container which is at least partially open at the top and the bottom of which is formed by screen fabric.
  • the material to be pelletized is usually liquid or pasty. Examples are liquid or pasty preparations for the manufacture of medicines, foods or for use in the chemical industry.
  • the substance to be pelletized is brought into contact with the liquid coolant by means of the insertion device in the channel.
  • An atomizing device or another device is used as the entry device, for example, in which the material to be pelletized is atomized into fine particles.
  • the particles entered are so small that they completely freeze into solid pellets during transport through the trough, which are separated from the coolant in the separator.
  • this separating device comprises at least one container which is at least partially open at the top and the bottom of which is formed from screen fabric.
  • the separating device advantageously comprises a plurality of containers which are at least partially open at the top and which are arranged along a conveyor belt. By means of the conveyor belt, the pellets are guided out of the heat-insulated housing of the device according to the invention and fed to their further processing.
  • the screen fabric of the container (s) preferably has a mesh size of less than 100 micrometers, preferably less than 75 micrometers.
  • the screen fabric is expediently formed from a wire mesh, the wires of which have a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, preferably less than 0.05 mm.
  • a further embodiment of the invention provides that the separating device is in flow connection with a return device for returning liquid coolant into the feed region of the channel.
  • An advantageous development of the invention provides that the pellets produced in the device according to the invention are fed to a device for after-cooling.
  • the pellets are therefore completely frozen and their mechanical stability is improved.
  • the complete freezing or freezing out of the particles or pellets is preferably carried out by cooling with a gaseous coolant, preferably the cold exhaust air.
  • the gaseous coolant is brought into contact with the particles or pellets to be completely frozen.
  • a stream of the gaseous coolant is advantageously conducted over the pellets to be frozen out.
  • the flow of gaseous coolant is generated, for example, with the help of a gas extraction device.
  • the gas extraction device can, for. B. be built with a fume fan.
  • a low-boiling, cryogenic liquid such as a refrigerated liquefied gas, in particular refrigerated liquefied nitrogen (LN 2 ), is preferably used as the liquid coolant.
  • Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through an inventive device
  • Fig. 2 shows a container for receiving pellets in a) a perspective side view and b) in a view from below.
  • the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a thermally insulated housing 3, in which a storage container 4 for a low-boiling, liquefied refrigerant (preferably liquid nitrogen; LN 2 ) is accommodated, the fill level of which is checked by means of a fill level measurement and is automatically refilled from a storage tank.
  • a storage container 4 for a low-boiling, liquefied refrigerant preferably liquid nitrogen; LN 2
  • the liquefied, low-boiling refrigerant is conveyed out of the storage container 4 via an upwardly open, horizontally or obliquely downwardly arranged channel 6 in such a way that a laminar flow of the coolant is produced on the channel 6.
  • the entry device 7 is thus arranged in the region of the end of the channel 6 facing the storage container 4.
  • the entry device 7 generally has at least one nozzle from which material particles with a diameter of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm in diameter, which are introduced into the coolant flow and moved with the coolant flow to the other end of the channel 6.
  • the distance of the coolant flow or the length of the channel 6 is dimensioned such that the liquid coolant exactly matches the substance to be pelletized withdraws so much energy that at least the outer shell of the pellets is frozen. Smaller pellets are even completely frozen. Here, part of the coolant evaporates.
  • the separating device 9 comprises a series of containers 11 which are guided along a conveyor belt 12. A container 11 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2. These containers 11 are essentially rectangular boxes with preferably heat-insulated outer walls 14. The bottom side 15 is formed from a fine-meshed sieve fabric 16.
  • This screen mesh is preferably a wire mesh, the mesh openings of which are, for example, 75 micrometers, with a wire thickness of 50 micrometers.
  • this composition of the sieve fabric 16 it is ensured that pellets with a diameter of less than 100 micrometers are also collected in the containers 11 and discharged via the conveyor belt 12. Thus essentially only liquid components of the coolant pass through the mesh openings of the screen fabric 16.
  • the pellets collected in the containers 11 are guided by the conveyor belt 12 to an outlet opening of the housing 3 and are collected outside the device 1, for example in a collecting container 21.
  • the remaining coolant is conveyed back into the storage container 4 by means of a return channel 18.
  • the channels 6 and 18, as well as the conveyor belt 12, are encased by the heat-insulated housing 3 in such a way that by means of an exhaust gas extractor 19 installed at the end of the conveyor belt 12, the entire evaporated coolant accumulated in the system above the conveyor belt 12 co-current with the direction of transport of the pellets ( Arrow) is sucked in, that is, the direction of flow of the gaseous coolant 8 (exhaust air) corresponds to the direction of transport of the pellets on the conveyor belt 12.
  • the gaseous coolant thereby extracts further energy from the pellets as it flows through this path and thus cools them down. Since pellets with an average diameter of e.g. B. 1 mm are already completely frozen inside the channel 6, the after-cooling serves through the exhaust air only to keep the pellets in a completely frozen state until further processing.
  • the conveyor belt 12 can be arranged in a line to the pelletizing tine 6, backwards or 5 transversely. If the arrangement is transverse, the common one
  • the device is preferably not only thermally insulated in the area of use of the liquid coolant (coolant reservoir, flow path), but also in the area of the conveyor.
  • L5 housing used as a conveyor.
  • a gas channel through which the gaseous coolant is conducted is formed by a tunnel-like, heat-insulating housing of the conveyor device, in particular the conveyor belt 12, which is not shown here.
  • the gaseous coolant can also be carried out by appropriate measures so that a gas channel 0 is formed, the z. B. is limited by the surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor belt 12 and the thermally insulated housing.
  • small-volume pellets of the substance to be frozen can be produced, ensuring a high yield of small-volume pellets 5, the diameter of which can be below 2000 micrometers.
  • the pellets can be classified in a manner not shown here in order to obtain pellets of a uniform size.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Nutrition Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance using a liquid cooling medium. A prior art device contains a pump for the liquid cooling medium, a horizontal or sloped channel that is open at the top and provided for the cooling medium, a feed device for the substance to be pelleted, and a conveyor belt for conveying the produced pellets away. The prior art device has a drawback in that smaller pellets are entrained by the liquid cooling medium whereby rendering their utilization impossible. In order to overcome this drawback, the invention provides that the channel is flow-connected to a separating device. The separating device comprises one or more receptacles whose bottom(s) is/are formed by a fine-meshed straining cloth. This makes it possible to use small-volume pellets.

Description

Vorrichtung zum Pelletieren oder Granulieren eines flüssigen oder pastösen Stoffes Device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance
Die Erfindung betrifft eine Vorrichtung zum Pelletieren oder Granulieren eines flüssigen oder pastösen Stoffes, mit einer Zuführung für ein flüssiges Kühlmittel sowie mit einer Eintragsvorrichtung, aus der ein zu pelletierender Stoff in einen Strom des Kühlmittels in einer nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Rinne eingetragen und zusammen mit dem Kühlmittel einer Trenneinrichtung zugeführt wird.The invention relates to a device for pelletizing or granulating a liquid or pasty substance, with a feed for a liquid coolant and with an entry device from which a substance to be pelletized is introduced into a flow of the coolant in an at least partially open channel and together with the coolant is supplied to a separating device.
Aus der US 4,655,047 ist ein Verfahren und eine Vorrichtung zum Pelletieren von Flüssig - Ei bekannt. Hierbei werden Pellets erzeugt, indem Flüssig - Ei durch eine Düse in einen Flüssigkeitsstrom einer kryogenen Flüssigkeit, der über eine schräge Wanne läuft, getropft wird. Der Flüssigkeitsstrom mit den erzeugten Pellets führt zu einem Rüttelsieb, in dem die kryogene Flüssigkeit von den Pellets getrennt werden. Die kryogene Flüssigkeit wird zurückgeführt und die Pellets über das Sieb in einen Sammelbehälter befördert. Die Vorrichtung ist im Bereich des Rüttelsiebes bzw. des Sammelbehälters nicht mehr isoliert; das Verfahren setzt daher voraus, dass die Pellets durchgefroren sind, bevor sie auf das Sieb treffen, da sonst die Pellets beschädigt werden. Die Fließmittelstrecke muss daher relativ groß bemessen sein, um eine Verweilzeit zu erreichen, die zu durchgefrorenen Pellets führt.A method and a device for pelleting liquid egg is known from US Pat. No. 4,655,047. Pellets are produced by dropping liquid egg through a nozzle into a liquid stream of a cryogenic liquid that runs over an inclined trough. The liquid flow with the pellets produced leads to a vibrating screen in which the cryogenic liquid is separated from the pellets. The cryogenic liquid is returned and the pellets are passed through the sieve into a collection container. The device is no longer isolated in the area of the vibrating screen or the collecting container; the process therefore presupposes that the pellets are frozen before they hit the sieve, otherwise the pellets will be damaged. The flow path must therefore be relatively large in order to achieve a dwell time that leads to frozen pellets.
Aus der EP-0 919 279 A1 ist ein Verfahren zur Herstellung großvolumiger Pellets bekannt, bei der ein zu pelletierender Stoff in eine von einem kryogenen Kühlmittel durchströmten Rinne eingetropft wird. Beim Kontakt mit dem Kühlmittel gefrieren die Tropfen an ihrer Oberfläche. Die so entstehenden Pellets werden vom Strom des Kühlmittel mitgerissen und einer Fördereinrichtung zugeführt, in der die Pellets vom Kühlmittel getrennt einem Sammelbehälter zugeführt werden. Durch Kontakt mit einem gasförmigen Kühlmittel, beispielsweise dem Abgas aus beim Kontakt mit dem Stoff verdampften Kühlmittel, werden die Pellets durchgekühlt. Dieses Verfahren ermöglicht die Herstellung großvolumigen Pellets mit großer Ausbeute. In jüngerer Zeit hat sich jedoch auf vielen Gebieten, insbesondere der Pharmazie und der Lebensmitteltechnik, die Nachfrage nach streufähigen Substanzen erhöht, deren Partikelgröße sehr klein, d.h. deren Durchmesser unterhalb von 2 mm liegt.EP-0 919 279 A1 discloses a method for producing large-volume pellets, in which a substance to be pelletized is dropped into a channel through which a cryogenic coolant flows. The drops freeze on their surface when they come into contact with the coolant. The pellets thus created are entrained by the flow of the coolant and fed to a conveyor in which the pellets are fed separately from the coolant to a collecting container. The pellets are cooled through contact with a gaseous coolant, for example the exhaust gas from coolant evaporated on contact with the substance. This process enables the production of large-volume pellets with a high yield. In Recently, however, in many areas, in particular pharmaceuticals and food technology, the demand for scatterable substances has increased, the particle size of which is very small, ie the diameter of which is below 2 mm.
Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, ein Verfahren und eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Pellets bereitzustellen, mit dem sich kleinvolumige Pellets oder Granulatpartikel problemlos mit hoher Ausbeute herstellen lassen.The invention has for its object to provide a method and an apparatus for producing pellets, with which small-volume pellets or granulate particles can be easily produced with high yield.
Gelöst wird diese Aufgabe bei einer Vorrichtung der eingangs genannten Art und Zweckbestimmung dadurch, dass die Trenneinrichtung wenigstens einen nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Behälter umfasst, dessen Boden von Siebgewebe gebildet ist.This object is achieved in a device of the type and purpose mentioned at the outset in that the separating device comprises at least one container which is at least partially open at the top and the bottom of which is formed by screen fabric.
Der zu pelletierende Stoff ist in der Regel flüssig oder pastös. Beispiele sind flüssige oder pastöse Zubereitungen für die Herstellung von Arzneien, Lebensmitteln oder zum Einsatz in der chemischen Industrie. Der zu pelletierende Stoff wird vermittels der Eintragvorrichtung in der Rinne mit dem flüssigen Kühlmittel in Kontakt gebracht. Als Eintragsvorrichtung kommt dabei beispielsweise eine Zerstäubungseinrichtung oder eine sonstige Einrichtung zum Einsatz, bei der der zu pelletierende Stoff in feine Teilchen zerstäubt wird. Die eingetragenen Teilchen sind so gering bemessen, dass sie während des Transports durch die Rinne vollständig zu festen Pellets gefrieren, die in der Trenneinrichtung vom Kühlmittel getrennt werden. Erfindungsgemäß umfasst diese Trenneinrichtung zumindest einen nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Behälter, dessen Boden aus Siebgewebe gebildet ist.The material to be pelletized is usually liquid or pasty. Examples are liquid or pasty preparations for the manufacture of medicines, foods or for use in the chemical industry. The substance to be pelletized is brought into contact with the liquid coolant by means of the insertion device in the channel. An atomizing device or another device is used as the entry device, for example, in which the material to be pelletized is atomized into fine particles. The particles entered are so small that they completely freeze into solid pellets during transport through the trough, which are separated from the coolant in the separator. According to the invention, this separating device comprises at least one container which is at least partially open at the top and the bottom of which is formed from screen fabric.
Im Gegensatz zu Vorrichtungen nach dem Stande der Technik, bei der die in der Rinne erzeugten Pellets lediglich über eine Fördereinrichtung der Weiterverarbeitung zugeführt wurden, und bei denen demzufolge kleinereIn contrast to devices according to the prior art, in which the pellets produced in the trough were only fed to further processing via a conveying device, and in which consequently smaller ones
Pellets vom Kühlmittel mitgerissen wurden und verloren gingen, werden bei der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung selbst kleine Pellets erfasst und können einer Weiterverarbeitung zugeführt werden. Um einen kontinuierlichen Betrieb der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zu ermöglichen, umfasst die Trenneinrichtung vorteilhafterweise eine Mehrzahl von nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Behältern, die entlang eines Förderbandes angeordnet sind. Mittels des Förderbandes werden die Pellets aus dem wärmeisolierten Gehäuse der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung heraus geführt und ihrer Weiterverarbeitung zugeführt.Pellets were entrained by the coolant and were lost, even small pellets are detected in the device according to the invention and can be sent for further processing. In order to enable continuous operation of the device according to the invention, the separating device advantageously comprises a plurality of containers which are at least partially open at the top and which are arranged along a conveyor belt. By means of the conveyor belt, the pellets are guided out of the heat-insulated housing of the device according to the invention and fed to their further processing.
Vorzugsweise weist das Siebgewebe des Behälters/der Behälter eine Maschengröße von weniger als 100 Mikrometer, bevorzugt von weniger als 75 Mikrometer auf. Das Siebgewebe ist zweckmäßigerweise aus einem Drahtgeflecht gebildet, dessen Drähte einen Durchmesser von weniger als 0,1 mm, vorzugsweise weniger als 0,05 mm aufweisen.The screen fabric of the container (s) preferably has a mesh size of less than 100 micrometers, preferably less than 75 micrometers. The screen fabric is expediently formed from a wire mesh, the wires of which have a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, preferably less than 0.05 mm.
Um einen besonders ökonomischen Betrieb der erfindungsgemäßenTo a particularly economical operation of the invention
Vorrichtung zu ermöglichen, sieht eine weiterführende Ausgestaltung der Erfindung vor, dass die Trenneinrichtung mit einer Rückführeinrichtung zum Rückführen von flüssigem Kühlmittel in den Zuführungsbereich der Rinne in Strömungsverbindung steht.To enable the device, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the separating device is in flow connection with a return device for returning liquid coolant into the feed region of the channel.
Eine vorteilhafte Weiterbildung der Erfindung sieht vor, die in der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung hergestellten Pellets einer Einrichtung zur Nachkühlung zuzuführen. Die Pellets werden also vollständig durchgefroren, und dadurch in ihrer mechanischen Stabilität verbessert. Das vollständige Gefrieren oder Ausgefrieren der Teilchen oder Pellets erfolgt dabei bevorzugt durch Kühlung mit einem gasförmigem Kühlmittel, vorzugsweise der kalten Abluft. Das gasförmige Kühlmittel wird mit den vollständig zu gefrierenden (auszufrierenden) Teilchen oder Pellets in Kontakt gebracht. Vorteilhaft wird ein Strom des gasförmigen Kühlmittels über die auszufrierenden Pellets geführt. Der Strom von gasförmigem Kühlmittel wird beispielsweise mit Hilfe einer Gasabzugseinrichtung erzeugt. Die Gasabzugseinrichtung kann z. B. mit einem Abzugsventilator aufgebaut werden. Als flüssiges Kühlmittel kommt vorzugsweise eine tiefsiedende, kryogene Flüssigkeit wie etwa ein kälteverflüssigtes Gas, insbesondere kälteverflüssigter Stickstoff (LN2), zum Einsatz.An advantageous development of the invention provides that the pellets produced in the device according to the invention are fed to a device for after-cooling. The pellets are therefore completely frozen and their mechanical stability is improved. The complete freezing or freezing out of the particles or pellets is preferably carried out by cooling with a gaseous coolant, preferably the cold exhaust air. The gaseous coolant is brought into contact with the particles or pellets to be completely frozen. A stream of the gaseous coolant is advantageously conducted over the pellets to be frozen out. The flow of gaseous coolant is generated, for example, with the help of a gas extraction device. The gas extraction device can, for. B. be built with a fume fan. A low-boiling, cryogenic liquid such as a refrigerated liquefied gas, in particular refrigerated liquefied nitrogen (LN 2 ), is preferably used as the liquid coolant.
Die Erfindung wird im folgenden anhand der Zeichnungen mit weiteren Einzelheiten näher erläutert.The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of the drawings.
In schematischen Ansichten zeigen:Schematic views show:
Fig. 1 einen Vertikalschnitt durch eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung undFig. 1 shows a vertical section through an inventive device and
Fig. 2 einen Behälter zur Aufnahme von Pellets in a) einer perspektivischen Seitenansicht und b) in einer Ansicht von unten.Fig. 2 shows a container for receiving pellets in a) a perspective side view and b) in a view from below.
Die in Fig. 1 gezeigte Vorrichtung 1 umfasst ein wärmeisoliertes Gehäuse 3, in dem ein Vorratsbehälter 4 für ein tiefsiedendes, verflüssigtes Kältemittel (vorzugsweise Flüssigstickstoff; LN2) aufgenommen ist, dessen Füllstand mittels einer Füllstandsmessung kontrolliert und automatisch aus einem Vorratstank nachgefüllt wird.The device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a thermally insulated housing 3, in which a storage container 4 for a low-boiling, liquefied refrigerant (preferably liquid nitrogen; LN 2 ) is accommodated, the fill level of which is checked by means of a fill level measurement and is automatically refilled from a storage tank.
Mittels einer Pumpe 5 wird das verflüssigte, tiefsiedende Kältemittel aus dem Vorratsbehälter 4 über eine nach oben offene, horizontal oder schräg nach unten angeordnete Rinne 6 derart gefördert, dass auf der Rinne 6 ein laminarer Strom des Kühlmittels entsteht. Stromabwärts der Pumpe 5 befindet sich oberhalb des Kühlmittelstromes auf der Rinne 6 eine Eintragsvorrichtung 7 für den zu pelletierenden Stoff. Die Eintragsvorrichtung 7 ist also im Bereich des dem Vorratsbehälter 4 zugewandten Endes der Rinne 6 angeordnet. Die Eintragsvorrichtung 7 besitzt in der Regel mindestens eine Düse, aus der Stoffteilchen mit einem Durchmesser von weniger als 2mm, bevorzugt weniger als 1mm Durchmesser, entströmen, die in den Kühlmittelstrom eingebracht und mit dem Kühlmittelstrom zum anderen Ende der Rinne 6 mitbewegt werden. Die Wegstrecke des Kühlmittelstroms beziehungsweise die Länge der Rinne 6 ist so bemessen, dass das flüssige Kühlmittel dem zu pelletierenden Stoff genau so viel Energie entzieht, dass zumindest die äußere Hülle der Pellets angefroren ist. Kleinere Pellets werden dabei sogar vollständig durchgefroren. Hierbei verdampft ein Teil des Kühlmittels. Am unteren Ende der Rinne 6 wird der gemeinsame Strom von restlichem flüssigem Kühlmittel und halbgefrorenen Pellets in eine Trenneinrichtung 9 geführt. Die Trenneinrichtung 9 umfasst eine Reihe von Behältern 11 , die entlang einem Förderband 12 geführt werden. Ein Behälter 11 ist in vergrößerter Ansicht in Fig. 2 gezeigt. Es handelt sich bei diesen Behältern 11 um im wesentlichen rechteckige Kästen mit vorzugsweise wärmeisolierten Außenwänden 14. Die Bodenseite 15 ist aus einem feinmaschigen Siebgewebe 16 gebildet. Bei diesem Siebgewebe handelt es sich bevorzugt um ein Drahtgewebe, dessen Maschenöffnungen beispielsweise 75 Mikrometer betragen, bei einer Drahtstärke von 50 Mikrometern. Bei dieser Zusammensetzung des Siebgewebes 16 wird sichergestellt, dass auch Pellets mit einem Durchmesser von unterhalb 100 Mikrometern in den Behältern 11 aufgefangen und über das Förderband 12 abgeführt werden. Durch die Maschenöffnungen des Siebgewebes 16 hindurch gelangen damit im wesentlichen nur noch flüssige Bestandteile des Kühlmittels. Die in den Behältern 11 gesammelten Pellets werden vom Förderband 12 zu einer Ausgangsöffnung des Gehäuses 3 geführt und außerhalb der Vorrichtung 1 z.B. in einem Sammelbehälter 21 aufgefangen.By means of a pump 5, the liquefied, low-boiling refrigerant is conveyed out of the storage container 4 via an upwardly open, horizontally or obliquely downwardly arranged channel 6 in such a way that a laminar flow of the coolant is produced on the channel 6. Downstream of the pump 5 there is an entry device 7 for the substance to be pelletized on the channel 6 above the coolant flow. The entry device 7 is thus arranged in the region of the end of the channel 6 facing the storage container 4. The entry device 7 generally has at least one nozzle from which material particles with a diameter of less than 2 mm, preferably less than 1 mm in diameter, which are introduced into the coolant flow and moved with the coolant flow to the other end of the channel 6. The distance of the coolant flow or the length of the channel 6 is dimensioned such that the liquid coolant exactly matches the substance to be pelletized withdraws so much energy that at least the outer shell of the pellets is frozen. Smaller pellets are even completely frozen. Here, part of the coolant evaporates. At the lower end of the channel 6, the common stream of residual liquid coolant and semi-frozen pellets is led into a separating device 9. The separating device 9 comprises a series of containers 11 which are guided along a conveyor belt 12. A container 11 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2. These containers 11 are essentially rectangular boxes with preferably heat-insulated outer walls 14. The bottom side 15 is formed from a fine-meshed sieve fabric 16. This screen mesh is preferably a wire mesh, the mesh openings of which are, for example, 75 micrometers, with a wire thickness of 50 micrometers. With this composition of the sieve fabric 16 it is ensured that pellets with a diameter of less than 100 micrometers are also collected in the containers 11 and discharged via the conveyor belt 12. Thus essentially only liquid components of the coolant pass through the mesh openings of the screen fabric 16. The pellets collected in the containers 11 are guided by the conveyor belt 12 to an outlet opening of the housing 3 and are collected outside the device 1, for example in a collecting container 21.
Das restliche Kühlmittel wird mittels einer Rücklaufrinne 18 in den Vorratsbehälter 4 zurückbefördert. Die Rinnen 6 und 18, sowie das Förderband 12, sind durch das wärmeisolierte Gehäuse 3 derart eingehaust, dass mittels eines am Ende des Förderbandes 12 installierten Abgasabzuges 19 das gesamte in der Anlage angefallene verdampfte Kühlmittel oberhalb des Förderbandes12 im Gleichstrom mit der Transportrichtung der Pellets (Pfeil) angesaugt wird, das heißt die Richtung der Strömung des gasförmigen Kühlmittels 8 (Abluft) entspricht der Transportrichtung der Pellets auf dem Förderband 12. Das gasförmige Kühlmittel entzieht dabei beim Durchströmen dieser Wegstrecke den Pellets weitere Energie und kühlt diese damit ab. Da Pellets mit einem durchschnittlichen Durchmesser von z. B. 1 mm bereits innerhalb der Rinne 6 vollständig durchgefroren sind, dient die Nachkühlung durch die Abluft lediglich dazu, die Pellets bis zu einer Weiterverarbeitung im vollständig gefrorenen Zustand zu halten.The remaining coolant is conveyed back into the storage container 4 by means of a return channel 18. The channels 6 and 18, as well as the conveyor belt 12, are encased by the heat-insulated housing 3 in such a way that by means of an exhaust gas extractor 19 installed at the end of the conveyor belt 12, the entire evaporated coolant accumulated in the system above the conveyor belt 12 co-current with the direction of transport of the pellets ( Arrow) is sucked in, that is, the direction of flow of the gaseous coolant 8 (exhaust air) corresponds to the direction of transport of the pellets on the conveyor belt 12. The gaseous coolant thereby extracts further energy from the pellets as it flows through this path and thus cools them down. Since pellets with an average diameter of e.g. B. 1 mm are already completely frozen inside the channel 6, the after-cooling serves through the exhaust air only to keep the pellets in a completely frozen state until further processing.
Das Förderband 12 kann dabei in Linie zur Pelletierrine 6, rücklaufend oder 5 querab angeordnet sein. Bei einer Anordnung querab ist die gemeinsameThe conveyor belt 12 can be arranged in a line to the pelletizing tine 6, backwards or 5 transversely. If the arrangement is transverse, the common one
Nutzung eines abfördernden Bandes 12 für mehrere Rinnen möglich. Ferner ist eine Aufteilung der Rinne 6 in mehrere kürzere Rinnen , auf denen der flüssige Kühlmittelstrom/Pelletstrom hin- und zurückfließt vorteilhaft, z. B. für eine raumsparende Bauweise.Use of a conveyor belt 12 possible for several channels. Furthermore, a division of the channel 6 into a plurality of shorter channels on which the liquid coolant stream / pellet stream flows back and forth is advantageous, for. B. for a space-saving design.
.0.0
Die Vorrichtung ist vorzugsweise nicht nur im Einsatzbereich des flüssigen Kühlmittels (Kühlmittelvorratsbehälter, Fließstrecke) wärmeisoliert, sondern auch im Bereich der Fördereinrichtung. Besonders vorteilhaft wird ein Förderband 12 mit einer tunnelartigen Wärmeisolierung (wärmeisoliertesThe device is preferably not only thermally insulated in the area of use of the liquid coolant (coolant reservoir, flow path), but also in the area of the conveyor. A conveyor belt 12 with tunnel-like thermal insulation (heat-insulated
L5 Gehäuse) als Fördereinrichtung eingesetzt. Durch eine - hier nicht gezeigte - tunnelartige, wärmeisolierende Einhausung der Fördereinrichtung, insbesondere des Förderbandes 12, wird ein Gaskanal gebildet, durch den das gasförmige Kühlmittel geleitet wird. Das gasförmige Kühlmittel kann aber auch durch entsprechende Maßnahmen so geführt werden, dass ein Gaskanal 0 entsteht, der in der Höhe z. B. durch die Oberfläche des Transportbandes des Förderbandes 12 und dem wärmeisolierten Gehäuse begrenzt wird.L5 housing) used as a conveyor. A gas channel through which the gaseous coolant is conducted is formed by a tunnel-like, heat-insulating housing of the conveyor device, in particular the conveyor belt 12, which is not shown here. The gaseous coolant can also be carried out by appropriate measures so that a gas channel 0 is formed, the z. B. is limited by the surface of the conveyor belt of the conveyor belt 12 and the thermally insulated housing.
Auf diese Weise lassen sich kleinvolumige Pellets des einzufrierenden Stoffes erzeugen, wobei eine hohe Ausbeute an kleinvolumigen Pellets sichergestellt 5 wird, deren Durchmesser unterhalb von 2000 Mikrometern liegen kann. Im Anschluss an die Erzeugung können die Pellets in hier nicht gezeigter Weise einer Klassierung unterworfen werden, um Pellets einer einheitlichen Größenordnung zu gewinnen.In this way, small-volume pellets of the substance to be frozen can be produced, ensuring a high yield of small-volume pellets 5, the diameter of which can be below 2000 micrometers. Following production, the pellets can be classified in a manner not shown here in order to obtain pellets of a uniform size.
0 Bezugzeichenliste0 LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
I . Vorrichtung 2. -I. Device 2. -
3. wärmeisolierendes Gehäuse3. heat-insulating housing
4. Vorratsbehälter für kryogene Flüssigkeit (Flüssigstickstoff; LN2)4. Storage container for cryogenic liquid (liquid nitrogen; LN 2 )
5. Pumpe für LN2 5. Pump for LN 2
6. Rinne 7. Eintragsvorrichtung für den zu pelletierenden Stoff6. Channel 7. Entry device for the material to be pelletized
8. Kühlmittel (Abluft)8. Coolant (exhaust air)
9. Trenneinrichtung 10.-9. Separating device 10.-
I I. Behälter 12. FörderbandI I. Container 12. Conveyor belt
13.-13.-
14. Außenwand14. Outer wall
15. Bodenseite15. Bottom side
16. Siebgewebe 17.-16. screen fabric 17.-
18. Rücklaufrinne für kryogene Flüssigkeit18. Return channel for cryogenic liquid
19. Abgasabzug (Abgaspumpe) 20.-19. Exhaust fume hood (exhaust pump) 20.-
2 I.Sammelbehälter für fertige (ausgefrorene) Pellets 2 I. Collection container for finished (frozen) pellets

Claims

Patentansprüche claims
1. Vorrichtung zum Pelletieren oder Granulieren eines flüssigen oder pastösen Stoffes, mit einer Zuführung (5) für ein flüssiges Kühlmittel1. Device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance, with a feed (5) for a liquid coolant
5 sowie mit einer Eintragsvorrichtung (4), aus der ein zu pelletierender5 and with an entry device (4), from which a pelletizing
Stoff in einen Strom des Kühlmittels in einer nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Rinne (6) eingetragen und zusammen mit dem Kühlmittel einer Trenneinrichtung (9) zugeführt wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet,Substance is introduced into a flow of the coolant in a channel (6) which is at least partially open at the top and is fed together with the coolant to a separating device (9), characterized in that
.0 dass die Trenneinrichtung (9) wenigstens einen nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Behälter (11) umfasst, dessen Boden von Siebgewebe (16) gebildet ist..0 that the separating device (9) comprises at least one container (11) which is at least partially open at the top, the bottom of which is formed by screen fabric (16).
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 , dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the
L5 Trenneinrichtung (9) eine Mehrzahl an nach oben zumindest teilweise offenen Behältern (11) umfasst, die entlang eines Förderbandes (12) angeordnet sind.L5 separating device (9) comprises a plurality of upwardly at least partially open containers (11) which are arranged along a conveyor belt (12).
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das 0 Siebgewebe (16) eine Maschengröße von weniger als 100 Mikrometer, von vorzugsweise von weniger als 75 Mikrometer aufweist.3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the 0 sieve fabric (16) has a mesh size of less than 100 microns, preferably of less than 75 microns.
4. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Siebgewebe (16) aus einem Drahtgeflecht 5 gebildet ist, dessen Drähte einen Durchmesser von weniger als 0,1 mm, vorzugsweise weniger als 0,05 mm aufweisen.4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screen fabric (16) is formed from a wire mesh 5, the wires of which have a diameter of less than 0.1 mm, preferably less than 0.05 mm.
5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzßichnet, dass die Trenneinrichtung (9) mit einer 0 Rückführeinrichtung (18) zum Rückführen von flüssigem Kühlmittel in den Zuführungsbereich der Rinne strömungsverbunden ist. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating device (9) is connected to the flow with a return device (18) for returning liquid coolant into the feed area of the channel.
6. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Trenneinrichtung (9) eine Einrichtung zum Nachkühlen des gefrorenen Stoffes umfasst.6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating device (9) comprises a device for after-cooling the frozen material.
7. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass als Kühlmittel ein tiefsiedendes verflüssigtes Gas, etwa flüssiger Stickstoff, zum Einsatz kommt. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a low-boiling liquefied gas, such as liquid nitrogen, is used as the coolant.
PCT/EP2002/010703 2001-09-26 2002-09-24 Device for pelleting or granulating a liquid or pasty substance WO2003028486A2 (en)

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EP2305372A3 (en) * 2009-10-05 2011-12-28 Messer Group GmbH Device and method for pelletising or granulating a fluid or paste material
WO2011053959A1 (en) 2009-11-02 2011-05-05 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
EP2496253A1 (en) * 2009-11-02 2012-09-12 MannKind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
EP2496253A4 (en) * 2009-11-02 2013-04-03 Mannkind Corp Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
US8590320B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2013-11-26 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
AU2010313173B2 (en) * 2009-11-02 2015-02-12 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
US9566243B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2017-02-14 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
RU2638794C2 (en) * 2009-11-02 2017-12-15 Мэннкайнд Корпорэйшн Method for pharmaceutical composition cryogranulation
US10052285B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2018-08-21 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
US10500159B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2019-12-10 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
US11077063B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2021-08-03 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition
US11839688B2 (en) 2009-11-02 2023-12-12 Mannkind Corporation Apparatus and method for cryogranulating a pharmaceutical composition

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DE10147526B4 (en) 2009-07-09

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