WO2022259261A1

WO2022259261A1 - Centrifugal basket for separation of molasses from sugar

Info

Publication number: WO2022259261A1
Application number: PCT/IN2022/050152
Authority: WO
Inventors: Netaji Gundu Chavan; Amol Vijay Phadnis
Original assignee: Phadnis Centrifuge And Balancing
Priority date: 2021-06-07
Filing date: 2022-02-21
Publication date: 2022-12-15

Abstract

Disclosed is a centrifugal basket (50) for separation of molasses from sugar. The centrifugal basket (50) comprises double skirt ring and double outlet for separation of molasses from sugar. The centrifugal basket (50) facilitates separation of light and heavy molasses at two different points. The centrifugal basket (50) helps in improving magma color as well as sugar color due to which recovery of the sugar improves. The centrifugal basket (50) facilitates higher yield and saves costs, energy and time.

Description

Centrifugal Basket for Separation of Molasses from Sugar

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to separation of molasses and more particularly, to a centrifugal basket with double skirt ring and double outlet for separation of molasses from sugar.

Background of the invention

Traditional centrifugal machines have only one separator skirt ring. Due to this, the process of separation of various kinds of molasses from sugar requires it to pass through more machines to achieve the final results. For continuous type centrifugal machines at present one skirt ring is used in the conical basket and there is a cup and cone distribution arrangement inside the basket. When the basket is rotating, the mother liquor rises on the surface of the screen (basket) due to the centrifugal action. Magma gets discharged at single point and heavy and light molasses mix together. This in turn increases the purity of molasses causing losses in recovery as well as making color of sugar inferior.

The currently used process of separation of molasses from sugar of various purities and forms is done from one machine to the other which is lengthy and time consuming. Further, these processes and machines require more energy due to consumption of more water and steam. Furthermore, prior art processes require more inventory cost as the number of machines are more therefore the maintenance cost and spare material required have to stocked up, down time if any is heavy, output may suffer and more sugar has to pass through molasses causing wastage of the end product.

Disadvantages of the traditional prior art machines:

1. Magma color deteriorates 2. Molasses purity is at its lowest and has to be reprocessed hence more machines are required which results in more energy being consumed

3. Excess money is blocked in maintenance and spares

4. Machine capacity remains under utilized

5. Color of sugar is pale

6. With large quantities of sugar, travel time is high as the sugar moves along with the molasses as the separation points are less and travel time of sugar upwards on the cone increases

7. Chromium plating working screen is used for separation of the sugar from molasses which is costly and gets damaged frequently. The screen needs to be changed once month for every basket which is on an average, 6 continuous machines in every factory due to high viscosity material.

Efforts are seen in the prior art to develop centrifugal baskets. Reference may be made to US7335302B2 that discloses a centrifuge basket having a basket casing, on the inside of which is formed a working screen for separating off suspension liquid. The basket casing has openings of elliptical design. The openings are offset in relation to one another in the axial direction and in the circumferential direction of the basket casing. The contours of the openings overlap in the axial direction such that the basket circumference is covered by openings.

CN2666924Y discloses a sugar-refining material-discharge centrifuge cone basket. An internal wall of the cone basket body is provided with a ring-shaped honey-discharge trough which is internally provided with honey-discharge holes. By adopting the sugar-refining material-discharge centrifuge cone gasket, the honey-discharge trough of the cone basket is internally provided with the honey- discharge holes, the honey-discharge of the confection in the ring-shaped trough is accelerated, the honey-discharge time is shortened, and the production capability can be improved to the largest extent. However, both these inventions do not disclose about separate removal of heavy and light molasses from different points using a single centrifugal basket.

Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a centrifugal basket with double skirt ring and double outlet for separation of molasses from sugar that overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

Objects of the invention

An object of the present invention is to facilitate separation of light and heavy molasses at two different points on a single centrifugal machine basket.

Another object of the present invention is to improve magma color and sugar color.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, the present invention provides a centrifugal basket for separation of molasses from sugar. The centrifugal basket is fitted inside an inner casing and an outer casing, and being supplied with a cold water spray and a steam/hot water assembly. The centrifugal basket comprises a cone, a first skirt ring, a square bar, a second skirt ring, a plurality of holes, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first skirt ring is fitted on a top portion of the cone at a predefined location. The first skirt ring has thickness ranging from 1 mm to 50 mm and has length between 200 mm to 4 meter. The square bar of a predefined dimension is fitted onto the cone. Specifically, the square bar has dimension in a range of 3 mm to 30 mm. The shape of the square bar is selected from anyone of a conical, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, flat and pentagonal shape. The second skirt ring of a predefined dimension is fitted and welded on the square bar. Specifically, the second skirt ring of 3 mm thickness and made of stainless steel is fitted and welded on the square bar. The plurality of holes is configured on the cone for separation of molasses therefrom. The first outlet is configured on the centrifugal basket for removal of heavy molasses therefrom, and the second outlet is configured on the centrifugal basket for removal of light molasses therefrom. The molasses comes in contact with the second skirt ring and gets separated through the plurality of holes of the cone and is collected in a gutter area which is then separated through a pipe.

Brief description of the drawings

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein Figure 1 shows a casing assembly and a centrifugal basket for separation of molasses from sugar, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a top view of the casing assembly and the centrifugal basket of figure 1; and

Figure 3 shows the centrifugal basket for separation of molasses from sugar, in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.

The present invention provides a centrifugal basket having double skirt ring and double outlet for separation of molasses from sugar. The centrifugal basket of the present invention facilitates separation of light and heavy molasses at two different points. The centrifugal basket of the present invention improves magma color and sugar color.

This present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description.

Referring to figures 1-3, a centrifugal basket (50) for separation of molasses from sugar in accordance with the present invention is shown. The centrifugal basket (50) is enclosed in an inner casing (2). The inner casing (2) is enclosed in an outer casing (4). The inner casing (2) and the outer casing (4) are supported on a base plate and base frame assembly (6). The massecuite is feed to the centrifugal basket (50) through a feed pipe (8). The feed pipe (8) is suspended centrally in the centrifugal basket (50) and connected to a product distributor assembly (10) mounted in the centrifugal basket (50). The product distributor assembly (10) is supported on a housing and shaft assembly (12) that is connected to a drive motor (14). The centrifugal basket (50) is supplied with a cold water spray (16) and a steam/hot water assembly (18).

As shown in figure 3, the centrifugal basket (50) comprises a cone (20), a first skirt ring (22), a square bar (24), a second skirt ring (26), a plurality of holes (28), a first outlet (30) and a second outlet (32).

The first skirt ring (22) is fitted on a top portion of the cone (20) at a predefined location. In an embodiment, the first skirt ring (22) has thickness ranging from 1 mm to 50 mm. Further, the length of the first skirt ring (22) is between 200 mm to 4 meter. However, it is understood here that the dimensions of the first skirt ring (22) may vary in other alternative embodiments of the present invention. In the context of the present invention, the square bar (24) of a predefined dimension is turned and bent with the help of machining and welded and fitted on the cone (20) as per the degree and diameter calculation. The shape of the square bar (24) is selected from anyone of a conical, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, flat and pentagonal shape. In an embodiment, the square bar (20) has a dimension in a range of 3 mm to 30 mm. The second skirt ring (26) of a predefined dimension is fitted on the square bar (24). Specifically, the second skirt ring (26) of 3 mm thickness and made of stainless steel grade 316 is fitted and welded on the square bar (24). However, it is understood here that the square bar (24) and the second skirt ring (26) of different material and dimensions may be used in other alternative embodiments of the present invention and the dimensions mentioned herein are in no way to be construed as a limitation.

The plurality of holes (28) is configured on the cone (20) for separation of molasses therefrom. Specifically, the centrifugal basket (50) allows separation of molasses from sugar (magma) of 2 point purity/ viscosity. The heavy molasses are removed from the first outlet (30) and light molasses are removed from the second outlet (32). During operation, the molasses comes in contact with the second skirt ring (26) and is separated through the plurality of holes (28) on the cone (20) of the centrifugal basket (50) and is collected in a gutter area (not numbered) which is then separated through a pipe. Suitable dynamic balancing is done of the centrifugal basket (50) at high speed to avoid vibrations caused while the machine is in process. For molasses out flow, mine-steel gutter an area where the liquid is collected, is fabricated by using 8 mm x 3 mm plate. However, it is understood here that the material and dimensions mentioned here for the components of the centrifugal basket (50) may be customized in other alternative embodiments of the present invention and they are in no way to be construed as a limitation.

In accordance with the present invention, in an operation, the centrifugal basket (50) is fitted inside the casings (2, 4) and spun. After spinning operation takes place, the massecuite is dropped from a massecuite tank into the centrifugal basket (50) and is spread by the product distributor assembly (10) on the basket inside a working screen. The heavy massecuite is then passed from the purging area i.e. the plurality of holes (28) on the cone (20) due to centrifugal force. The magma and molasses further start to travel from low diameter to the high diameter and while travelling because of the second skirt ring (26) the molasses is again separated and only dry magma travels further.

Advantages of the invention

1. The centrifugal basket (50) facilitates separation of light and heavy molasses at two different points. The purity of heavy molasses is low as separation of sugar takes place at the center of the basket (50) at 290 mm height on the cone (20). Due to this, sugar extracts are on the higher side.

2. The centrifugal basket (50) helps in improving magma color as well as ICUMSA of sugar color due to which recovery of the sugar improves.

3. Molasses purity drop at single point on a single basket which helps in distillery as well (higher yield).

4. The centrifugal basket (50) gives an output of x +2 with the same centrifugal machine basket as against the current output of x with savings on costs, energy and time.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omission and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. A centrifugal basket (50) for separation of molasses from sugar, the centrifugal basket (50) being fitted inside an inner casing (2) and an outer casing (4), and being supplied with a cold water spray (16) and a steam/hot water assembly (18), the centrifugal basket (50) characterized in that , a square bar (24) of a predefined dimension being fitted onto a cone (20) thereof, wherein a first skirt ring (22) is fitted on a top portion of the cone (20) at a predefined location; a second skirt ring (26) of a predefined dimension being fitted and welded on the square bar (24); a plurality of holes (28) configured on the cone (20) for separation of molasses therefrom; and a first outlet (30) configured thereon for removal of heavy molasses therefrom, and a second outlet (32) configured thereon for removal of light molasses therefrom, wherein, the molasses comes in contact with the second skirt ring (26) and separated through the plurality of holes (30) of the cone (20) and is collected in a gutter area which is then separated through a pipe.

2. The centrifugal basket (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the square bar (24) has dimension in a range of 3 mm to 30 mm.

3. The centrifugal basket (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second skirt ring (26) of 3 mm thickness and made of stainless steel is fitted and welded on the square bar (24).

4. The centrifugal basket (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first skirt ring (22) has thickness ranging from 1 mm to 50 mm and length between 200 mm to 4 metre.

5. The centrifugal basket (50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein shape of the square bar (24) is selected from anyone of a conical, triangular, hexagonal, octagonal, circular, flat and pentagonal shape.