MICROWAVE-ULTRASONIC EXTRACTOR

Abstract

The utility model relates to the food industry, namely to devices for extracting useful substances from plant materials, in particular, pectin, inulin, anthocyanins. The technical result is the intensification of the extraction process and an increase in the yield of useful substances due to the design improvement. The device comprises a cylindrical vertical body with process pipes, a shaft with a mixing device mounted thereon, made in the form of stirrers, a collector of the extraction mixture, made in the form of a cylindrical vertical working chamber, rigidly installed inside the cylindrical vertical body of the device, there are upper, middle and lower stirrers in the form of blades, between the stirrers of the mixing device rigidly fixed magnetrons with protective housings and screens are installed in a circular array with an equal pitch, the blades of the upper stirrer of the mixing device are installed at an angle of 45 ° to the shaft, the blades of the middle stirrer - at an angle of 90 ° to the shaft,the blades of the lower stirrer are at an angle of 135° to the shaft, and the collector of the extraction mixture is made of a dielectric material, while in the upper part of the cylindrical vertical housing on the outside above the magnetrons, ultrasonic generators equipped with piezoelectric emitters are rigidly fixed in a circular array, and the collector of the extraction mixture is rigidly connected to the cylindrical vertical housing by means of upper and lower metal support rings rigidly connected to the housing.

Description

[0001] The utility model relates to the food industry, namely to devices for extracting useful substances from plant materials, in particular, pectin, inulin, and anthocyanins.

[0002] An ultrasonic extractor is known (see Russian Federation Patent No. 240 110, 2025), characterized in that it contains a vertically located cylindrical body with process pipes, a drive mixer of a frame structure coaxially mounted in the body, consisting of a shaft and blades fixed on the shaft, curved horizontal blades are installed and rigidly fixed along the height of the drive mixer shaft, and ultrasonic generators are installed and rigidly fixed in a circular array with an equal pitch on the cylindrical vertical body of the extractor along its height, equipped with rod working elements rigidly fixed to them, which are placed in the body between the curved horizontal blades, a hydraulic nozzle with a process pipe for supplying an extractant is built into the upper part of the cylindrical body, rigidly fixed on the wall of the body, and a false bottom is rigidly installed in the lower part of the body, made in the form of a sieve made of wedge-shaped metal wires,The gap size does not exceed the size of the raw material particles, and a discharge pipe for the spent raw material is rigidly mounted on the outer lower wall of the housing. However, this design is complex to manufacture and does not allow for the combination of ultrasonic treatment and microwave energy supply to the raw material-extractant system to intensify the extraction process.

[0003] The closest solution in technical essence, chosen as a prototype, is an extractor for a solid-liquid system (seeRussian Federation Patent No. 235 208, 2025), comprising a cylindrical vertical body with process pipes, in the lower part of which a horizontal lattice partition is installed, above which a mixing device is installed on a shaft, made in the form of stirrers, there are upper, middle and lower stirrers in the form of blades, a collector of the extraction mixture, made in the form of a cylindrical vertical working chamber installed inside the cylindrical vertical body of the device and rigidly fixed on the horizontal lattice partition, between the stirrers of the mixing device, rigidly fixed magnetrons with protective housings and screens are installed in a circular array with an equal pitch, wherein the blades of the upper stirrer of the mixing device are installed at an angle of 45° to the shaft, the blades of the middle stirrer - at an angle of 90° to the shaft, and the blades of the lower stirrer at an angle of 135° to the shaft, and the collector of the extraction mixture is made of a dielectric material.The design's drawbacks include the low efficiency of the device, which does not provide for ultrasonic energy supply to the solid-liquid extraction system to further intensify the extraction process and increase the yield of useful components.

[0004] Technical task - creation of a device that allows for the combined effect of microwave energy and ultrasound on the extraction mixture during its circulation.

[0005] The technical result is the intensification of the extraction process and an increase in the yield of useful substances due to the improvement of the design.

[0006] It is achieved by the fact that in the known device containing a cylindrical vertical body with process pipes, a shaft with a mixing device installed on it, made in the form of stirrers, a collector of the extraction mixture, made in the form of a cylindrical vertical working chamber, rigidly installed inside the cylindrical vertical body of the device, there are upper, middle and lower stirrers in the form of blades, between the stirrers of the mixing device, rigidly fixed magnetrons with protective housings and screens are installed in a circular array with an equal pitch, the blades of the upper stirrer of the mixing device are installed at an angle of 45 ° to the shaft, the blades of the middle stirrer - at an angle of 90 ° to the shaft, the blades of the lower stirrer at an angle of 135 ° to the shaft, and the collector of the extraction mixture is made of a dielectric material,wherein in the upper part of the cylindrical vertical housing, on the outside above the magnetrons, ultrasonic generators equipped with piezoelectric emitters are rigidly fixed in a circular array, and the collector of the extraction mixture is rigidly connected to the cylindrical vertical housing by means of upper and lower metal support rings rigidly connected to the housing.

[0007] The drawing shows the proposed device [Fig. 1 - general view, Fig. 2 - top view, Fig. 3 - sectional view with ultrasonic devices (USD), Fig. 4 - sectional view with microwave devices (MW)].

[0008] The drawing shows the proposed device. The device has a cylindrical vertical body 1 with a conical bottom 2, with process pipes 3, 4, 5, wherein pipe 3 serves to load the extraction mixture, pipe 4 serves to unload the extraction mixture, pipe 5 is necessary for loading part of the extraction mixture and updating the working surface, a shaft 6 with a mixing device 7 installed on it, made in the form of an upper 8, middle 9 and lower 10 mixers in the form of blades, the blades of the upper mixer 8 of the mixing device 7 are installed at an angle of 45° to the shaft 6, the blades of the middle mixer 9 - at an angle of 90°, and the blades of the lower mixer 10 at an angle of 135° to the shaft 6, a collector of the extraction mixture 11 from a dielectric material, made in the form of a cylindrical vertical working chamber installed inside the cylindrical vertical body 1 of the device,between the stirrers of the mixing device 7, magnetrons 12 are installed in a circular array with equal spacing, rigidly fixed, with protective housings 13 and screens 14, while in the upper part of the cylindrical vertical housing 1 on the outside above the magnetrons 12, ultrasonic generators 15 are rigidly fixed in a circular array, equipped with piezoelectric emitters 16, and the collector of the extraction mixture 11 is rigidly connected to the cylindrical vertical housing 1 with the help of upper 17 and lower 18 metal support rings, rigidly connected to the housing 1.

[0009] The device operates as follows.

[0010] The extraction mixture, consisting of raw materials and extractant, is pre-loaded into body 1 through process pipe 3 and then into extraction mixture collector 11, installed inside the cylindrical vertical body 1. Extraction of the target components from the raw materials into the extractant is carried out with continuous circulating mixing of the extraction mixture. Circulating mixing of the extraction mixture is achieved by withdrawing a portion of the mixture from conical bottom 2 through pipe 4 and directing it to the upper part of the apparatus through pipe 5. Circulation of the extraction mixture allows for its uniform distribution within extraction mixture collector 11 and facilitates the intensification of mass transfer processes during extraction.

[0011] Ultrasonic generators 15, equipped with piezoelectric emitters 16, create a uniform ultrasonic vibration effect on the extraction mixture. The angle α between generators 15 is α=360 / n, where n is the number of generators. The number of ultrasonic generators 15 is determined based on their characteristics (frequency, power, etc.), extractor performance, extraction mode, geometric parameters of the working chamber, and the type of raw material and extractant. Ultrasonic action from generators 15, equipped with piezoelectric emitters 16, on the extraction mixture is carried out continuously during operation of the device in the upper part of the vertical cylindrical housing 1. This action intensifies the extraction of the target component from the raw material due to cavitation effects and promotes mixing of the extraction mixture, which minimizes the formation of stagnant zones.

[0012] On the other hand, the intensification of the extraction process is achieved through the constant volumetric exposure of the extraction mixture to microwave energy, which is transmitted from magnetrons 12. Protective screens 13 and protective housings 14 are necessary to prevent the spread of microwave energy into the environment. Magnetrons 12 provide a uniform supply of microwave energy in the volume of the extraction mixture collector 11. The angle β between magnetrons 12 is β=360 / m, where m is the number of magnetrons 12. The number of magnetrons 12 is determined taking into account their characteristics (frequency, power, etc.), extractor performance, extraction mode, geometric parameters of the working chamber, type of raw material and extractant.

[0013] The upper stirrer 8 is positioned at a 45° angle to the top of the shaft 6, with its blades facing upward. This angle is measured from the top of the shaft 6, enabling active mixing, with the extraction mixture particles being forced downward at a 45° angle. The 45° angle ensures uniform mixing in both the horizontal and vertical planes.

[0014] Lower stirrer 10 is positioned at an angle of 135° to the bottom of shaft 6, with its blades facing upward. This angle is measured from the bottom of shaft 6. This ensures active mixing, with the extraction mixture particles being drawn upward at an angle of 135°. This angle ensures uniform mixing in both the horizontal and vertical (upward) planes.

[0015] The mixing device 7 with stirrers 8 and 10 with blades installed at an angle of 45° and 135° relative to the shaft 6 create cross-flows of liquid, which help to organize intensive mixing of the mixture. As a result, the mass transfer is accelerated and the yield of target components increases (Zhmatova G.V., Nefedov A.N., Gordeev A.S., Kilimnik A.B. Methods of intensifying technological processes of extracting biologically active substances from plant materials / / Bulletin of TSTU. 2005. No. 3. P. 701-707; Stepin B.D. Technique of laboratory experiment in chemistry: Textbook for universities. Moscow: Chemistry, 1999. - 600 p.).

[0016] In addition, the use of the upper stirrer 8, the blades of which are installed at an angle of 45° relative to the shaft 6, helps to organize uniform mixing in the upper part of the extractor by increasing the axial flow of the extraction mixture (Razinov, A. I. Processes and apparatuses of chemical technology / A. I. Razinov, A. V. Klinov, G. S. Dyakonov. - 4th ed., reprinted - St. Petersburg: Lan, 2023. - 688 p.)

[0017] To effectively stir the mixture in the lower part of the extractor and keep the particles of the extraction mixture suspended, the blades of the lower stirrer 10 are set at an angle of 135°, which provides the greatest mixing effect, which was determined experimentally and confirms the technological efficiency of the device. This arrangement of the stirrers improves the mixing process, which corresponds to the technical result (Šterbáček Z., Tausk P. Mixing in the chemical industry. - Translated from Czech. - Pavlushenko I.S., L.: Chemistry, 1963. - P. 416).

[0018] When carrying out the extraction process, the use and arrangement of stirrers 8, 9, 10 allows for the intensification of the mixing process, and therefore, increases mass transfer, which also allows for the achievement of the specified technical result.

[0019] The combination of ultrasonic and microwave action on the extraction mixture helps to increase the efficiency and productivity of the extraction process, as well as increase the product yield, which corresponds to the technical result.

[0020] After the extraction process is completed, the mixture is removed from the apparatus for further separation into extract and waste material through pipe 4.

[0021] The intensification of the process of extracting useful components from plant materials by combining ultrasound and microwave energy occurs due to the combination of the positive aspects of both types of energy, which allows for a reduction in process time, an increase in the yield of useful substances, which corresponds to the technical result.

[0022] Example of specific implementation.

[0023] Ultrasonic generators 15, equipped with piezoelectric emitters 16, act on the extraction mixture in the upper part of the cylindrical vertical housing 1, increasing the extraction of the target component from the raw material, and also promoting mixing of the extraction mixture, which minimizes the occurrence of stagnant zones. The increase in the yield of useful components occurs due to the use of ultrasound on the extraction mixture, since the mechanical action of ultrasound increases the penetrating ability of the extractant into the solid body (raw material). Ultrasound promotes weakening, softening and destruction of cell walls, thereby facilitating the flow of extraction substances from the cells into the extractant. In addition, particle crushing by ultrasonic cavitation increases the contact area between the extracted substances and the extractant. (Potoroko, I. Yu. Prospects for the use of ultrasound in the technology of extraction processes / I. Yu.Potoroko, I. V. Kalinina / / Bulletin of the South Ural State University. Series: Food and Biotechnology. - 2014. - T. 2, No. 1. - P. 42-47.).

[0024] The combined effect on the extraction mixture of ultrasonic energy from generators 15 equipped with piezoelectric emitters 16 and microwave energy transmitted to the mixture from magnetrons 12 allows to increase the efficiency and productivity of the extraction process. The increase in the efficiency of active component extraction occurs due to the synergistic action of microwave and ultrasound radiation, which causes the destruction of the structure of cellular tissues. Compared with microwave and ultrasound extraction, the combined method of microwave-ultrasonic extraction has such advantages as increased productivity and extraction efficiency, as well as improved properties of biologically active compounds (Burak L. Ch., Zavaley A. P. Efficiency of the combined effect of ultrasound and microwaves in food processing. Review / / Engineering and technology of food production. 2024. Vol. 54. No. 2. Pp. 342-357. https: / / doi.org / 10.21603 / 2074-9414-2024-2-2510).

[0025] Compared with the prototype, the proposed device has a number of advantages: the combination of ultrasound and microwave action on the extraction mixture allows to increase the yield of useful components during the extraction process from plant materials (Laina, K.T.; Drosou, C; Stergiopoulos, C; Eleni, P.M.; Krokida, M. Optimization of Combined Ultrasound and Microwave-Assisted Extraction for Enhanced Bioactive Compounds Recovery from Four Medicinal Plants: Oregano, Rosemary, Hypericum, and Chamomile. Molecules 2024, 29, 5773. https: / / doi.org / 10.3390 / molecules29235773). The use of metal upper and lower support rings allows for the extraction mixture collector to be rigidly fixed to the cylindrical vertical body to ensure tightness, strength, rigidity and stability (Mordanov, S. V. Strength calculation of general industrial vessels and apparatus: a tutorial / S. V.Mordanov; Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin. - Yekaterinburg: Ural University Publishing House, 2020. - 236 p.).

[0026] Positive effect - the proposed device allows to increase the intensity of the extraction process due to the combined effect of microwave energy and ultrasound on the extraction mixture during its circulation and to increase the yield of useful substances.

Claims

A microwave-ultrasonic extractor comprising a cylindrical vertical body with process pipes, a shaft with a mixing device mounted thereon, made in the form of stirrers, a collector of the extraction mixture made in the form of a cylindrical vertical working chamber rigidly installed inside the cylindrical vertical body of the device, there are upper, middle and lower stirrers in the form of blades, between the stirrers of the mixing device, rigidly fixed magnetrons with protective housings and screens are installed in a circular array with an equal pitch, the blades of the upper stirrer of the mixing device are installed at an angle of 45° to the shaft, the blades of the middle stirrer - at an angle of 90° to the shaft, the blades of the lower stirrer at an angle of 135° to the shaft, and the collector of the extraction mixture is made of a dielectric material, characterized in that,that in the upper part of the cylindrical vertical housing, on the outside above the magnetrons, ultrasonic generators equipped with piezoelectric emitters are rigidly fixed in a circular array, and the collector of the extraction mixture is rigidly connected to the cylindrical vertical housing by means of upper and lower metal support rings rigidly connected to the housing.

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