RU2142331C1 - Apparatus for homogenization and homogenizing head - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: equipment for preparing homogeneous emulsions, possibly in food and chemical industry branches. SUBSTANCE: apparatus for homogenization includes supplying 1 and discharging 2 pipelines, pump 4 with drive unit 5, at least two homogenizing heads 9. Outlet duct of each homogenizing head includes two branches 10 and 11. Branches 10-1...10-n of all homogenizing heads with high throughput are joined by means of branch pipes with supplying pipeline 1, branches 1-1...11-n are joined with discharging pipeline 2. Inlet branch pipe 3 of pump 4 is connected with supplying pipeline 1, outlet branch pipe 6 through branching device 7 is connected with inlet branch pipes 8-1. ..8-n of homogenizing heads 9-1 ...9-n. Homogenizing head includes housing with inner cylindrical chamber embedding unit for dispersing. Said unit has slit-type nozzle and elastic plate. The last has sharpened edge and it is mounted in housing with possibility of frontal motion relative to slit of slit-type nozzle. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency at high quality of product, operational reliability and repairability. 7 cl, 2 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to devices for producing homogeneous emulsions and can be used in the food and chemical industries.

 A device for homogenization is known, comprising an inlet pipe, a dispersion unit installed in the inlet pipe and having a hollow body with at least two tangential channels, and a discharge pipe with an expansion chamber attached to the end part of the dispersion unit, made in the form of a diffuser (see descriptions IPC 5 A 01 J 11/16, B 01 F 5/06, publ. 1992, Bull. N 12).

 Such a device for homogenization is distinguished by structural simplicity, low cost.

 However, the low degree of dispersion does not allow to achieve a high quality product, which significantly reduces the consumer value of the device.

 Homogenizer for liquid food products, protected by the USSR copyright certificate N 1706486, IPC 5 A 01 J 11/16, B 01 F 3/00 publ. 1992, bull. N 2, comprises a housing, a delivery plunger unit for the product, a drive, a two-stage homogenizing head with hydraulic cylinders for controlling the first stage homogenizing valve and the second stage valve, and a hydraulic pump with tanks and connecting pipelines.

 To improve the quality of the product homogenization process, the homogenizer is equipped with a pressure control device installed on the second-stage power supply pipe and made in the form of a housing closed by covers with a plunger with an adjustment screw located inside it, and a longitudinal continuous channel and an annular cavity are made between the plunger and the housing, which the pipeline is connected to the hydraulic cylinder of the second stage, and the cavities in front of the ends of the plunger are connected - one to the chamber of the pump and the other to with a hydraulic pump tank. The disadvantage of this homogenizer is the structural complexity, low reliability due to the presence of nodes with high (up to 250 MPa) pressure.

 Wave homogenizer, protected by USSR patent N 1839612, IPC 5 A 01 J 11/16, B 01 F 3/00, publ. 1993 Bull. N 47 ... 48, contains a receiving and draining tank, a pump with a drive, a homogenizing head, including a housing with input and output channels, a fairing installed to form an annular channel with the inner surface of the housing, and a plate radiator. To increase the productivity of the homogenization process, the homogenizing head is made with a toroidal chamber coaxially mounted relative to its body with an annular hole for product inlet and outlet, hydraulically connected to the annular channel formed by the fairing surface and the inner surface of the homogenizing head body, with a section passing through the body axis The toroidal chamber is elliptical in shape.

 According to the largest number of matching features, the device protected by USSR patent N 1839612 is selected as a prototype.

 The disadvantage of the prototype is low maintainability, because the device does not contain replaceable elements, relatively low productivity, narrow specialization, because the device is designed to homogenize a product with a narrow range of viscosities.

 The purpose of the invention is to increase productivity with high quality product, increase operational reliability and maintainability.

 This goal is achieved in that the device for homogenization, including the inlet and outlet pipelines, a pump with a drive, a homogenizing head with inlet and outlet channels, contains at least two homogenizing heads, and in it the output channel of each homogenizing head has two outlets, one of which the throughput is not less than three times the throughput of the other, taps with a higher throughput of all the output channels of the homogenizing heads through the nozzles are connected to tive pipeline bends with a smaller bandwidth of all output channels homogenizing heads via tubes connected to the discharge pipe, a supply conduit connected to the inlet of the pump, the outlet of which is connected via a splitter with the input channels of homogenizing heads. The bends may contain either a removable diaphragm or a shutter, the outlet pipe may contain a three-position valve.

 The homogenizing head is also an object of the invention.

 Known homogenizing heads (dispersants, devices for the homogenization of milk) are either structurally complex (see, for example, the description of the USSR copyright certificate N 1706486, IPC 5 A 01 J 11/16, publ. 1992, Bull. N 14), or they do not provide a high quality product (see, for example, the description of RF patent N 2094108, IPC 6 B 01 F 3/00, publ. 1997, Bull. N 30), or they do not differ in high reliability and maintainability (see , for example, description to the USSR author's certificate N265606, CL A 01 J, B 06 B, publ. 1970, Bull. N 10).

 As a prototype of the selected device for the homogenization of milk, protected by copyright certificate of the USSR N 265606, class. A 01 J 11/16 publ. 1970, Bull. N 10. This device contains a housing, inside of which an oscillating circuit consisting of a package of plates is placed, and a nozzle for supplying milk to the oscillating circuit. The housing is a cylindrical chamber with a conical transition on one side, which serves to connect to the milk pipe.

 The plates fill the inner cavity of the chamber, are located along its longitudinal axis in the direction of movement of the milk, and are attached at one end to the cruciform holder.

 The nozzle is a pipe segment with a cylindrical displacer centrally mounted inside it.

 The disadvantage of the prototype is the structural complexity and the resulting relatively low reliability, low maintainability and unitarity of use.

 The purpose of the invention is the expansion of functionality, improving maintainability and operational reliability.

 This goal is achieved by the fact that in a homogenizing head containing a housing in the form of a cylindrical chamber with nozzles for supplying and discharging the product and a dispersion unit located inside the chamber, the dispersion unit contains a slot nozzle in the end part of the cylindrical chamber associated with the nozzle for supplying the product, and an elastic plate with a pointed edge, the end of which is fixed in the mechanism of movement of the plate, articulated with the end of the cylindrical chamber opposite to the slot nozzle, while the slot nozzle is elastic the plate is placed in one diametrical plane of the cylindrical chamber, the longitudinal size of the nozzle slit is not less than 8 times its transverse size, and the mechanism of movement of the plate provides frontal movement of the pointed edge of the plate relative to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle slit. The homogenizing head contains two branch pipes for product discharge, installed in the middle part of the body symmetrically to the diametrical plane of the cylindrical chamber, in which an elastic plate and a slot nozzle are placed. The width of the elastic plate should be not less than the longitudinal size of the slit, and the thickness should be transverse.

 The invention is illustrated by drawings.

 Figure 1 shows a structural diagram of the claimed device for homogenization.

 Figure 2 shows the design of the homogenizing head.

In figures 1 and 2, the numbers indicate:
1 - Inlet pipe
2 - discharge pipe
3 - Pump inlet
4 - Pump
5 - Pump drive
6 - Pump Outlet
7 - Splitter
8-1 ... 8-n - input channels (pipes) of homogenizing heads
9-1 ... 9-n - homogenizing heads
10-1 ... 10-n - bends of homogenizing heads with higher throughput
11-1 ... 11-n - taps of homogenizing heads with lower throughput
12 - three-position valve
13 - return pipe
14 - housing homogenizing head
15 - slot nozzle
16 - elastic plate
17 - nozzle clamping nut
18 - sealing gasket
19 - plate mounting screw
20 - the rod of the movement mechanism
21 - a directing level
22 - nut of the movement mechanism
23 - locking washer
24 - a basic nut
25 - guide pins
26 - sealing ring
27 - thrust screw
28 - wall
The claimed homogenizing device (Fig. 1) contains a supply pipe 1, through which a product enters the device from a receiving tank (not shown), a discharge pipe 2, through which the final product is supplied to a drain tank (not shown). The inlet pipe 1 is connected to the inlet pipe 3 of the pump 4, driven by a drive 5.

 The outlet pipe 6 of the pump 4 through a splitter 7 is connected to the inlet pipes (channels) 8-1 ... 8-n of the homogenizing heads 9-1 ... 9-n. The output channel of each homogenizing head 9-1 ... 9-n has two taps. Bends 10-1. . .10-n have more than three times greater throughput than 11-1 ... 11-n taps.

 Taps 10-1 ... 10-n nozzles are connected to the inlet pipe 1, and taps 11-1. ..11-n - with a discharge pipe 2. At the outlet of the pipeline 2, a three-position valve 12 can be installed, with which it is possible either to shut off the pipeline 2, or to connect it to the output, or to connect the pipeline 2 to the return pipe 13, through which the product returns into a receiving container (not shown).

 The homogenizing head 9 (in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2) comprises a housing 14 with an internal cylindrical chamber in which a dispersion unit is located, consisting of a slot nozzle 15 coupled to the inlet pipe 8, and an elastic plate 16 with a pointed edge fixed in the housing 14 is movable. The slotted nozzle 15 with a nut 17 through the sealing gasket 18 is pressed against the end of the housing 14. The elastic plate 16 is attached to the movement mechanism by means of a screw 19, which comprises a rod 20 with a guide bar 21 and a thread, a nut 22 connected to the housing 14 through a fixing washer 23, the support nut 24 and the wall 28. The guide strip 21 is worn on the guide pins 25, rigidly fixed in the wall 28. By rotating the nut 22, coupled with the thread on the rod 20, provides a frontal movement of the sharp edge of the elastic plate 16 relative to nozzle slots 15. The sealing ring 26 ensures the tightness of the cylindrical chamber from the side of the movement mechanism. The screw 27 is designed to fix the rod 20 during operation. The rod 20 moves in the wall 28 attached to the end of the housing 14 with screws.

The device for homogenization (Fig. 1) works as follows: from the receiving tank (not shown), the product enters the supply pipe 1. When the drive 5 is turned on, the product is pumped by the pump 4 through the splitter 7 into the homogenizing heads 9-1 ... 9-n under pressure of 2-4 kg / cm ² (0.2-0.4 MPa) and is subjected to dispersion. Since the throughput of the taps 10-1 ... 10-n of the output channels of the homogenizing heads 9-1 ... 9-n is more than three times higher than the throughput of the taps 11-1 ... 11-n, most of the dispersed product fed back through the inlet pipe 1 to the inlet of the pump 4 and then to the homogenizing heads and is re-dispersed. In the steady state, it can be assumed that the product is dispersed as many times as the throughput of the outlet 10 is greater than the throughput of the outlet 11, thereby significantly improving the quality of the product. In order to have the opportunity to promptly influence the quality of the product, in the inlet and outlet pipelines 1 and 2, an adjustment flap can be installed or it is possible to install interchangeable diaphragms. In the presence of a three-position valve 12 at the outlet of the pipeline 2, three modes of operation of the device are possible. By shutting off the pipeline 2, any degree of dispersion of the product filling the device can be achieved. This mode can be set at the beginning of the device to prevent product with a low degree of dispersion from entering the drain tank (not shown). After several cycles of dispersion, when each time the whole product from yields 10-1. . . 10-n of the homogenizing heads 9-1 ... 9-n returns to the supply pipe 1, the three-position valve 12 is installed in the position in which the pipe 2 is connected to the outlet and the final product with the desired degree of dispersion is fed into the drain tank (not shown).

 In the third mode, the three-position valve 12, the pipe 2 is connected to the return pipe 13 connected to the receiving tank. This mode of operation can be used when it is necessary to obtain a high degree of dispersion of the product volume limited by the receiving capacity.

 The homogenizing head 9 (Fig. 2) operates as follows: the product pumped by the pump 4 through the inlet 8 enters the slotted nozzle 15. Having a turbulent movement, the product from the nozzle slit 15 is sent to the elastic plate 16. at a high speed. The plate 16 acquires intense oscillatory motion in the transverse direction and affects the product, which undergoes dispersion under the action of cavitation. To create optimal conditions for the occurrence and maintenance of vibrations, the plate 16 is installed in the housing 14 with the possibility of movement along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical chamber. The pointed edge of the plate 16 facilitates the occurrence of vibrations.

 Structurally, the homogenizing head 9 is designed in such a way that its parts could be manufactured without the use of special technological equipment by a mid-level worker.

 The housing 14, the pipe 8, bends 10 and 11, nuts 17, 22, 24, the rod 20, the thrust screw 27 are easily made on a lathe. For the manufacture of a slotted nozzle 15 and an elastic plate 16, a milling machine is required. Holes for taps 10, 11 and for guides 25 are drilled. A set of such equipment is available in most rural workshops. The connection of the pipe 8 with the slotted nozzle 15, taps 10, 11 with the housing 14 and the guide plate 21 with the rod 20 is feasible both gas welding and electric welding. Glue connection is also possible, as the homogenizing head 9 operates at low pressures and relatively low speeds of the product.

 The homogenizing head 9 (Fig. 2) is assembled in the following sequence: a rod 20 with a sealing ring 26 is threaded into the hole of the wall 28 so that the guide bar 21 is put on the guide rods 25. The wall 28 is fixed with screws on the end of the housing 14.

 Then, in turn, the support nut 24 is screwed onto the wall 28, and the nut 22 onto the shaft 20. The nut 22 is screwed until the flow groove on it coincides with the surface of the support nut 24. After that, the fixing washer 23 is inserted into the flow groove of the nut 22 and fastened with screws to the support nut 24. Then, a slotted nozzle with a nozzle 8 is inserted from the other end of the housing 14 so that the longitudinal axis of its slot coincides with the pointed edge of the elastic plate 16. The position of the slotted nozzle 15 is fixed with the clamping nut 17.

 During operation of the homogenizing head 9, rotating the nut 22 in one direction or another, the plate 16 is moved along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical chamber of the housing 14 so that the intensity of its vibrations is maximum, after which the position of the rod 20 is fixed by a stop screw 27.

 The presence of two taps 10 and 11 extends the functionality of the homogenizing head 9, because it can be used in homogenization devices with a multiple dispersion cycle.

In comparison with the prototype and analogues of the claimed device for homogenization has several advantages:
firstly, to achieve a high degree of dispersion does not require the creation of high pressure, which allows the use of industrial low-pressure pumps, characterized by high reliability;
secondly, the claimed device for homogenization is implemented on the same standard nodes, regardless of the technical requirements for it. This greatly simplifies both the design of the device and industrial development;
thirdly, due to the fact that the product is subjected to repeated dispersion, and the increase in the number of homogenizing heads is not difficult, the claimed device for homogenization is able to provide both high productivity and high quality of the product;
fourthly, the lack of high requirements for homogenizing heads can significantly reduce their weight and size characteristics. For example, a unit for the homogenization of milk mixtures using the claimed technical solutions with a capacity of up to 350 - 500 l / h and having the same product quality as an industrial unit (OGB-M homogenizer) with a valve homogenizing head based on a plunger pump, contains two homogenizing heads with a diameter of 70 mm, a length of 250 mm and a weight of 2.5 kg each, a gear pump with an engine of 1.0 kW and weight and size characteristics of approximately 10 times, and operating pressure 50 times less than the industrial exhaust system BM
fifthly, the claimed device can be manufactured in any workshop, because the only restriction in its manufacture is presented only to the material from which the parts are made. For food, the material should not be toxic, such as stainless steel. For the chemical industry, the device must be made of a material that does not interact with the product.

 The remaining requirements, including the accuracy of manufacturing, are not critical and are quite accessible to fulfillment by average skilled workers and on equipment of low accuracy.

 Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the claimed device for homogenization has high operational reliability, increased maintainability and, theoretically, has no restrictions on performance and product quality.

Claims (7)

 1. Device for homogenization, containing inlet and outlet pipelines, a pump with a drive, a homogenizing head with inlet and outlet channels, characterized in that it contains at least two homogenizing heads, the output channel of each homogenizing head has two branches, one of which the throughput is not less than three times the throughput of the other, taps with a higher throughput of all the output channels of the homogenizing heads through the nozzles are connected to the inlet pipe gadfly, bends a lower bandwidth of all output channels homogenizing heads via tubes connected to the discharge pipe, a supply conduit connected to the inlet of the pump, the outlet of which is connected via a splitter with the input channels of homogenizing heads.  2. The device for homogenization according to claim 1, characterized in that the tap with less bandwidth of the output channel of the homogenizing head contains a removable diaphragm.  3. The device for homogenization according to claim 1, characterized in that the tap with less bandwidth of the output channel of the homogenizing head contains a shutter.  4. Device for homogenization according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the outlet pipe contains a three-position valve.  5. A homogenizing head, comprising a housing in the form of a cylindrical chamber with nozzles for supplying and discharging the product and a dispersion unit located inside the chamber, characterized in that the dispersing unit contains a slot nozzle in the end part of the cylindrical chamber associated with the nozzle for supplying the product, and elastic a plate with a pointed edge on the nozzle side, cantileverly fixed in the mechanism for moving the plate, articulated by a threaded connection to the end of the cylindrical chamber opposite the nozzle, while The e nozzle and the elastic plate are located in the same diametrical plane of the cylindrical chamber, the longitudinal size of the nozzle slit is not less than 8 times its transverse size, the plate moving mechanism provides frontal movement of the pointed edge of the plate relative to the longitudinal axis of the slit.  6. The homogenizing head according to claim 5, characterized in that it contains two nozzles for product discharge, installed in the middle part of the housing symmetrically to the diametrical plane of the cylindrical chamber, in which the elastic plate and the slot nozzle are placed.  7. The homogenizing head according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the width of the elastic plate is equal to or greater than the longitudinal dimension of the gap, and the thickness is equal to or greater than the transverse dimension of the gap.

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