Device and method for treating stream of substance to be treated by countercurrent flow of extraction substance

Abstract

A device (11) for treating a flow of substance to be treated by countercurrent extraction of substance, said device comprising a motor-driven treatment assembly (13) in which the flow of substance passes in substantially opposite directions (F1, F2), in which assembly at least one first fixed member (15) and at least one corresponding first movable member (17) are defined, the at least one fixed member (15) and / or the at least one movable member (17) is provided with a plurality of radial projections (21a, 21b), and the first movable member (17) can rotate relative to the fixed member and cooperate with the fixed member to define a corresponding cavitation section (19) capable of generating a hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon in the mixture of the substances, and the at least one fixed member (15) and / or the at least one movable member (17) is provided with a plurality of radial projections (21a, 21b). Wherein the at least one radial projection is configured to impel the flow of substance to be treated in a direction (F1) substantially opposite to the countercurrent flow (F2) of the extracted substance during rotation of the movable member (17).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for treating a material flow to be treated by extracting a countercurrent of the material. 1.1.1 Technical Field The present invention relates to the technical field for enhancing phase contact and thereby improving mass and heat transfer and improving the kinetics of chemical reactions.

[0003] The device of the present invention has good application prospects in multiple industrial fields, for example, it can be used as an extractor for extracting high-quality functional foods from plant substances and natural products.

[0004] A particular but not exclusive application of the invention relates to the extraction of functional foods from plant substrates in solid or powdered form or comminuted into fragments of various sizes, for example spent malt grains obtained from beer production or waste residues obtained from food industry processes, for example containing orange peels. 1.1.2 Background Technology WO2018 / 146647 discloses a device for increasing the phase contact between one or more liquid phases and a solid phase, comprising high turbulence sections alternating with fluid dynamic cavitation sections with high shear forces, wherein a first flow of a first substance in the solid phase can flow in an isocurrent or countercurrent manner relative to a second flow of a second substance in the liquid phase.

[0006] According to a specific embodiment of the technical teaching disclosed therein, when it is beneficial to cause countercurrent contact between the phases, such as in unit operations such as stripping, extraction, and leaching, the phases can be fed in opposite directions.

[0007] In a particular embodiment, the device disclosed in the above-mentioned prior art can treat a flow of material to be treated by extracting a counter-flow of the material. In a configuration provided for this purpose, the known device comprises a motor-driven treatment assembly in which the flows pass in substantially opposite directions and along substantially parallel directions.

[0008] In the known device, a first fixed member and at least one corresponding member rotating relative to and cooperating with the fixed member are provided to define cavitation sections and turbulent mixing sections alternating with the cavitation sections; wherein the cavitation sections are capable of inducing hydrodynamic cavitation phenomena in a mixture of substances passing in opposite directions in the device.

[0009] In the known device, a first fixed member and at least one corresponding member rotating relative to and cooperating with the fixed member are provided to define cavitation sections capable of inducing hydrodynamic cavitation phenomena in a mixture of substances passing in opposite directions within the device. The cavitation sections are further alternated with turbulent mixing sections.

[0010] One of the drawbacks encountered in the technical teachings provided by the above-mentioned prior art is that the performance of the device is relatively poor when working in countercurrent.

[0011] The applicant noted that in a device of the type disclosed in WO2018 / 146647, due to the solid phase concentration gradient formed along the axis of the device, the solid phase of the substance to be treated has a countercurrent flow relative to the liquid phase of the extracted substance, wherein the gradient decreases from the device end for solid phase feed to the device end for liquid phase feed, and the device end for liquid phase feed is also the device end from which the waste solid phase flows out after extraction.

[0012] Applicants further observed that by the following ratio: L / S>40, where: L = liquid mass flow rate; and S = solid phase mass flow rate; In the presence of liquid countercurrent, a state of stable solid flow can be obtained.

[0013] As the L / S ratio decreases, the criticality of maintaining a stable flow regime for the solid phase increases. When the L / S ratio reaches about 30, a point is reached where stable countercurrent operation is no longer possible, resulting in accumulation of solids in the first turbulent mixing chamber, i.e., the mixing chamber into which the solid phase is typically fed, blocking the operation of the device.

[0014] As is known to all, the L / S ratio is a very important parameter in the industrial operation of solid-liquid extraction, because the higher the L / S ratio, the higher the flow rate of the liquid containing the extracted solutes that needs to be separated, purified, concentrated and dried to obtain the same amount of final product. This means that the higher the L / S ratio of the solid-liquid extraction operation, the higher the investment cost of the separation, purification, concentration and drying stage and its operating cost.

[0015] In order to make the investment and operation costs of the solid-liquid extraction device economically competitive, the solid-liquid extraction section must be operated at the lowest possible L / S ratio, preferably L / S<10, more preferably L / S<5.

[0016] Therefore, one of the main objects of the present invention is to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem, namely how to optimize the performance of the device for improving the contact when the material to be treated flows countercurrently with respect to the flow of the extracted material.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method for treating a flow of material to be treated by extracting a countercurrent of the material, which has higher efficiency and lower operating costs than the prior art.

[0018] An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method of the above type which can be applied industrially on a large scale.

[0019] The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved by means of the devices and methods defined in the appended claims, which form an integral part of the technical teaching provided by the description of the invention. 1.1.3 Summary of the invention The device of the invention is capable of treating the material flow to be treated by extracting the countercurrent of the material.

[0021] According to the present invention, the substance to be treated and the extracted substance may have different physical states from each other, for example, solid and liquid, respectively.

[0022] The material stream to be processed may include, for example, a large amount of solid material, usually in the form of powders, chips, sludge, granules and flakes, in which components useful for extraction, such as polyphenols, proteins, dietary fibers and essential oils, are dispersed. The extraction material stream may consist of a liquid material, usually water.

[0023] Advantageously, the apparatus of the present invention is capable of increasing the relative slip velocity of the phases in a multiphase flow passing through the apparatus.

[0024] Advantageously, the device of the present invention can realize a low-temperature extraction process, prevent the induction of oxidation, and thus produce high-quality polyphenols and proteins with high antioxidant capacity.

[0025] Advantageously, compared with the prior art, the device of the present invention can extract the above components more efficiently, and the yield is higher than 70%, or even more than 90%.

[0026] Advantageously, the device of the present invention can extract components such as polyphenols, proteins, dietary fibers and essential oils from the treated material without using or with reduced use of volatile solvents.

[0027] Advantageously, the apparatus of the present invention is able to carry out an extraction process of the type described above more rapidly than currently known methods.

[0028] The device of the present invention also has the important advantage of lower energy consumption compared to currently used extraction technologies.

[0029] In one embodiment of the device of the present invention, due to the combined effects of high turbulence, shear forces and cavitation, the components of the substance to be treated are extracted quickly, usually in less than 3 minutes, and brought into the liquid phase.

[0030] The device of the present invention mainly comprises a motor-driven processing assembly, in which the flow of the material to be processed and the counter-flow of the extracted material flow in a counter-current manner. More specifically, although in the motor-driven processing assembly, the flow of the material to be processed and the flow of the extracted material have various directions brought about by the movement and shape of the components forming the processing assembly, these material flows pass through the processing assembly completely in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions, that is, from corresponding inlet ports to corresponding outlet ports.

[0031] According to the invention, the motor-driven processing assembly has at least one fixed member and at least one corresponding movable member, wherein the movable member is rotatable relative to the fixed member and cooperates therewith to define a corresponding cavitation section capable of forming hydrodynamic cavitation phenomena in the mixture of substances.

[0032] According to the invention, turbulent mixing of the substances is provided upstream and / or downstream of the cavitation section.

[0033] Preferably, the cavitation stage is capable of generating high shear and high cavitation on the mixture of substances. Even more preferably, the stage with high shear and high cavitation can subject the mixture of substances to a cavitation regime characterized by a cavitation number σ<1.

[0034] According to the invention, advantageously, the movable member and / or the fixed member is provided with a plurality of radial protrusions or teeth.

[0035] Advantageously, according to the invention, the movable member with high shear hydrodynamic cavitation section and the protrusions of the fixed member make it possible to form an optimized countercurrent flow state of the solid phase, ie the substance to be treated, with respect to the liquid phase.

[0036] Specifically, referring to FIG. 1 , which schematically shows a preferred configuration of the protrusions of the fixed member and the movable member, wherein the protrusions are linear and inclined relative to the rotation axis S1 of the movable member, the movable member rotates in the direction indicated by arrow R1 .

[0037] The applicant has noted that by tilting the geometry of the protrusion 21a of the fixed member 15 and the geometry of the protrusion 21b of the movable member 17 relative to the rotation axis S1 of the motor-driven processing assembly, a pushing effect on the solid phase can be obtained, thereby allowing the solid phase to flow countercurrently with respect to the liquid phase even at very low L / S ratios, typically L / S<1.

[0038] The so-called driving force refers to the effect of pushing forward or moving forward.

[0039] Any inclination angle of the protrusions 21a, 21b of the fixed or movable member relative to the rotation axis of the movable member except α=0° and α=90° can produce a pushing effect on the forward direction F1 of the solid flow of the material to be treated, wherein the forward direction F1 is countercurrent to the direction F2 of the liquid phase flow of the extracted material.

[0040] However, the study found that: i: For angles in the range 0° < α < 3°, the push effect is so important that it is necessary to operate the motor-driven processing assembly at a lower rotational speed, typically less than 500 rpm, to avoid treating an uneven solid phase concentration along the rotation axis S1 of the assembly, i.e., to avoid C sn / C s1 The ratio is >3, where: C s1 = solid phase concentration in the turbulent mixing chamber of the solid phase feed; and C sn =The solid phase concentration in the turbulent mixing chamber when the solid phase itself leaves the turbulent mixing chamber.

[0041] However, at this speed, the intensity of turbulence, shear forces and cavitation are affected.

[0042] ii. For angles in the range of 80°<α<90°, the pushing effect is limited, so it is necessary to operate the processing assembly at a higher speed, usually greater than 3000 rpm, to avoid uneven solid phase concentration along the component rotation axis S1, i.e., to avoid C s1 / C sn The ratio is >3.

[0043] However, at these speeds, turbulence, shear forces and cavitation intensity are affected because the speed is too high and cannot be adjusted down; the power consumption absorbed by the motors moving the movable parts of the motor-driven processing assembly and the resulting operating costs are also affected.

[0044] iii. Preferably, in order to improve the convenience of industrial implementation, the inclination angle of the protrusions of the movable member and the fixed member relative to the rotation axis of the movable member must be in the range of 3°<α<80°. Within this range, 5°<α<60° is the range that enables the processing assembly to obtain maximum operational flexibility and is therefore the preferred range. A more preferred optimal inclination angle range is 10°<α<45°.

[0045] The inclination of the radial projections of the fixed and movable members relative to the axis of rotation of the treatment assembly produces a thrust in the direction of advance of the solid phase, i.e. the material to be treated, which also produces a counter-thrust on the liquid phase advancing in the countercurrent. Due to this phenomenon, the pressure inside the treatment assembly tends to increase, which also increases the flow rate required by the pump that delivers the liquid phase to the device.

[0046] To avoid this phenomenon, the gap between the rotating member and the fixed member must determine a cross-section on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the movable member so that the average forward speed of the liquid phase (i.e., the "average liquid phase cross-sectional speed") is <1 m / s; preferably <0.1 m / s.

[0047] In order to prevent uncontrolled local turbulence phenomena from occurring, it is also preferred that the inclination of the protrusion of the fixed member and the inclination of the protrusion of the movable member are selected to be the same.

[0048] The dimensionless Froude number is used to determine the characteristic parameters of the operating mechanism of the treatment component or solid-liquid contactor, wherein the Froude number is defined as follows: Froude number, Fr = w2R / g in: w: angular velocity of rotor rotation [rad / s]; g: gravitational acceleration = 9.806 [m / s]; R: rotor outer radius [m], And, α represents the inclination angle of the protrusions of the fixed member and the movable member relative to the rotation axis of the contactor, thereby defining the following mutual push index (TPI): TPI = Log(Fr) x Cos(α), in: Log(Fr): logarithm of the Froude number to base 10; Cos(α): The cosine of the radial protrusions or teeth of the fixed member or stator and the movable member or rotor, ie the inclination angle α of the teeth of the stator and rotor relative to the axis of rotation S1 of the rotor.

[0049] In order for the solid-liquid contactor to operate in a stable countercurrent mode within the L / S ratio range of interest in the industry, i.e. 0.2 < (L / S) < 100, the inclination of the rotor-stator teeth and the configuration of the contactor and its operating mechanism must meet the following ratios: 0.1 <TPI<4。

[0050] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the teeth of the rotor and the stator are linear helical teeth.

[0051] According to the present invention, the pushing effect in the advancing direction of the solid phase can also be obtained by other tooth structures, for example, teeth with parabolic or sigma-shaped structures.

[0052] Figure 2 shows an example of a parabolic tooth, where: α: Back tilt angle = push tilt angle corresponding to the actual tilt angle of the tooth and the angle used when evaluating TPI; β: front angle.

[0053] α≥0 e β≥0 applies to this construction, and α=30° and β=0° applies to the example shown.

[0054] Figure 3 shows an example of a "sigma-shaped" tooth, where: α: Back tilt angle = push tilt angle corresponding to the actual tilt angle of the tooth and the angle used when evaluating TPI; β: front angle.

[0055] α≥0 e β≥0 applies to this construction, and α=β=45° applies to the example shown.

[0056] According to the invention, at least one of the protrusions of the first fixed member and / or the first movable member is configured to generate a push on the flow of the substance to be treated during rotation of the movable member, in a direction substantially opposite to the counterflow of the extracted substance.

[0057] According to the invention, the at least one pushing radial protrusion comprises a pushing surface which is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating member.

[0058] Still according to the invention, the surface faces downstream of the stationary member or the rotating member, respectively, in the direction of travel of the flow of material to be treated through the cavitation section.

[0059] Still according to the invention, said at least one pushing radial projection comprises a pushing surface, the projection of which on a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the movable member defines a surface having a non-zero area on said plane.

[0060] More specifically, said at least one pushing radial projection comprises a surface whose projection onto a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said rotating member and situated downstream of said rotating member in the direction of travel of the flow of material to be treated defines a surface having a non-zero area.

[0061] Furthermore, the motor driven processing components are preferably arranged to cause the flows to pass within the device in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions.

[0062] The motor driven processing assembly is capable of rotating the movable member at a suitable speed to create cavitation and mixing phenomena within the assembly. The speed may be between 500 and 5000 rpm, and preferably between 700 and 3000 rpm.

[0063] For example, rotation of the movable member of the motor drive assembly may be imparted by an electric gear motor.

[0064] In order to ensure a suitable cavitation effect on the mixture of matter passing through the motor driven processing assembly, the facing surfaces of the projections of the rotating and stationary members preferably have a parabolic profile.

[0065] More preferably, the protrusion of the rotating member has a parabolic profile in the circumferential direction. In addition, the parabolic profile of the protrusion is preferably located along the curve of a parabola and along a radius connecting the edge and the center of the movable member or the fixed member, wherein the vertex of the parabola is located at the rear edge of the protrusion relative to the rotation direction of the movable member, and the focus of the parabola is also located on the radius.

[0066] According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions of the rotating member and the fixed member are made to have the same mirror parabolic profile.

[0067] The preferred parabolic equation of the profile of the protrusion of the fixed member and the movable member is represented by the function Y = 0.0062974 × X2.

[0068] A gap is provided between the projections of the fixed and movable members, the gap being smallest at the rear edges of the teeth of the movable and fixed members when the edges are substantially aligned along respective radii of the movable and fixed members.

[0069] Advantageously, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor-driven process is provided with at least one second fixed member and at least one corresponding second movable member rotatable relative to the second fixed member. The second fixed member and the second movable member cooperate with each other to define corresponding mixing stages, thereby promoting mixing of the substances passing in opposite directions within the motor-driven process assembly.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises a housing for accommodating the motor-driven treatment assembly. The first fixing member of the motor-driven treatment assembly and the second fixing member of the motor-driven treatment assembly are also preferably formed integrally with the housing and may be made in one piece with the housing so that the fixing members of the motor-driven treatment assembly are substantially unitary structures.

[0071] In one embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a motor-driven processing assembly provided with a plurality of cavitation sections and a plurality of mixing sections which alternate with one another and are arranged so that the flow of the substance to be processed and the counterflow of the extracted substance pass sequentially in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions.

[0072] Preferably, the first fixed member further comprises a corresponding first cylindrical stator ring provided with radial protrusions, and the first rotating member comprises a plurality of rotor disks provided with radial protrusions and surrounded by the first stator ring. The first stator ring defines a corresponding cavitation chamber in which the first rotating member operates. According to the invention, at least a portion of the radial protrusions are push radial protrusions.

[0073] The second stationary member comprises a corresponding second cylindrical stator ring, and the second rotating member comprises a plurality of radial protrusions surrounded by the second stator ring. The second stator ring defines a corresponding mixing chamber in which the second rotating member operates.

[0074] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the radial protrusions of the second rotating member comprise respective cylindrical pins or spikes capable of generating a highly turbulent state in the mixture of substances encountered during the rotation of the movable member.

[0075] According to the present invention, preferably, the mixing section can make the multiphase flow reach a high turbulence state of Re>500000.

[0076] Preferably, the cylindrical pin extends radially from the rotation axis of the second movable member by a length such that the outer peripheral diameter of the pin is in the range of 0.3-0.9xD, wherein D is the inner diameter of the mixing chamber defined by the inner wall of the second fixed member or the second stator ring.

[0077] Furthermore, it is preferred that the pins are at least two in number, or even preferably three, and are arranged in parallel, preferably non-coincident planes perpendicular to the rotation axis of the second rotation member.

[0078] Preferably, all movable members are rotationally fixed to a single common rotation axis driven by a motor.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the motor-driven treatment assembly includes three cavitation sections and four mixing sections. Still in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the flow of the material to be treated flows in a first direction and passes through: the first mixing section, the first cavitation section, the second mixing section, the second cavitation section, the third mixing section, the third cavitation section, and the fourth mixing section in sequence. The counterflow of the extracted material passes through the following sections in a second direction opposite to the first direction in sequence: the fourth mixing section, the third cavitation section, the third mixing section, the second cavitation section, the second mixing section, the first cavitation section, and the first mixing section.

[0080] The motor-driven treatment assembly has an inlet for the material to be treated and an outlet for the waste material to be treated, as well as an inlet for the extracted material and an outlet for the extracted material.

[0081] Preferably, the inlet for the substance to be treated and the outlet for the extracted substance are arranged in the first mixing section, while the inlet for the extracted substance and the outlet for the waste substance to be treated are arranged in the last mixing section.

[0082] In a typical form of use of the device according to the invention, the substance to be treated arrives at the inlet in a solid or fluid state comprising solid fractions in the form of powders, fragments, sludge and flakes, while the waste substance to be treated arrives at the outlet substantially in the form of squeezed solid residues. Still referring to this form of use of the device, the extraction substance and the extracted substance arrive in liquid form.

[0083] According to the invention, the extraction liquid phase can also be fed in the high turbulence section through transverse nozzles on the stator wall, thereby forming an extraction stream, which is usually liquid and is composed of the extraction streams from the corresponding inlet and transverse nozzles. 1.1.4 Description of the Figures Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be provided by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 An example of linear helical teeth is shown; Figure 2 An example of a parabolic helical tooth is shown; FIG3 shows an example of a sigma-shaped helical tooth; Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of the device of the present invention is shown; Figure 5 Shown along Figure 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of a longitudinal plane of the device; Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 a perspective view of a rotating portion of a processing assembly of the apparatus; Figure 7 Shows Figure 1 A plan view of the fixed part of the processing assembly of the device. 1.1.5 Specific implementation methods refer to Figures 4 to 7 , which shows a device 11 for treating a flow or fluid of a substance to be treated Cl by extracting a countercurrent or reverse flow of a substance C2, made according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] In the embodiment shown, the device 11 comprises a motor-driven treatment assembly 13, wherein the flow of the treated substance C1 and the counter-flow of the extracted substance C2 pass in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions, respectively indicated by arrows F1 and F2 in the figure.

[0087] Still referring to the illustrated embodiment, the motor-driven treatment assembly 13 is provided with three first fixed members 15 and three corresponding first movable members 17. The movable members 17 rotate relative to the fixed members 15 about the rotation axis S1 and cooperate therewith to define corresponding cavitation segments 19a, 19b, 19c capable of generating hydrodynamic cavitation phenomena in the substance mixture flowing inside the motor-driven treatment assembly 13 in opposite directions.

[0088] According to the invention, the first fixed member 15 and the first movable member 17 are provided with a plurality of radial protrusions 21a, 21b configured to exert a push on the flow to be processed in a direction F1 substantially opposite to the counterflow F2 of the extracted substance during rotation of the movable member 17 about the axis S1.

[0089] The push radial protrusions 21 a , 21 b include push surfaces 23 that are inclined relative to the rotation axis S1 of the first movable member 17 .

[0090] The first fixed member 15 comprises a corresponding first cylindrical stator ring 25 provided with a pushing radial protrusion 21 a , and the first rotating member 17 comprises a corresponding rotor disk 27 provided with a pushing radial protrusion 21 b and surrounded by the stator ring 25 .

[0091] As shown in Figure 1, the pushing surface 23 of the first fixed member 15 and the first movable member 17 is such that the projection of the surface on the plane P1 determines the corresponding surfaces 23a, 23b having non-zero areas on the plane P1, wherein the plane P1 is perpendicular to the rotation axis S1 and is located downstream of the pushing surface 23 in the travel direction F1 of the material to be processed.

[0092] Reference again Figures 4 to 7The motor-driven treatment assembly 13 is provided with four second fixed members 29 and four second movable members 31. The movable members 31 are rotatable about the axis S1 relative to the fixed members 29 and cooperate with them to define corresponding turbulent mixing sections 33a, 33b, 33c, 33d, thereby promoting the mixing of materials passing in opposite directions inside the motor-driven treatment assembly 13.

[0093] The second fixed member 29 comprises a corresponding second cylindrical stator ring 35 , and the second movable member 31 comprises a plurality of second radial protrusions 37 and they are surrounded by the second stator ring 35 .

[0094] In the embodiment shown, said second radial protrusions 37 comprise corresponding linear cylindrical pins or spikes.

[0095] In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the motor-driven processing assembly 13 includes a total of three cavitation sections 19 and four mixing sections 33 .

[0096] In the exemplary structure shown, the cavitation sections 19 and mixing sections 33 alternate with each other and are arranged so that the flow of the substance to be treated in a first direction F1 and the counterflow of the extracted substance in a second opposite direction F2 pass sequentially in substantially parallel directions.

[0097] Still referring to the embodiment shown, all movable members 17, 31 are rotationally fixed to a common rotation axis 39 driven by a motor.

[0098] Other embodiments of the invention are conceivable in which the cavitation and mixing sections may be present in any number and may be arranged in a variety of ways.

[0099] The motor-driven treatment assembly 13 is provided with inlets and outlets for the passage of substances. In the embodiment shown, the assembly 13 is provided with an inlet 41 for the substance to be treated C1, an outlet 43 for the waste substance to be treated C3, an inlet 45 for the extracted substance C2 and an outlet 47 for the extracted substance C4.

[0100] Still referring to the illustrated embodiment, the device 11 comprises a housing 49, with which the fixed members of the cavitation section 19 and the mixing section 33 are formed in one piece. The first fixed member 15 and the second fixed member 29 are also formed in one piece with the housing 49. The shaft 39 is connected to a gear motor 51 which enables the movable members 17 and 31 of the motor-driven treatment assembly 13 to rotate.

[0101] In the illustrated embodiment, adjacent first radial protrusions 21a, 21b comprise parallel, inclined, facing surfaces 23 defining respective inclined grooves or channels 51a, 51b for the passage of the substance during rotation of the first movable member 17.

[0102] Example The solid phase of the solid-liquid extraction test includes plant matrix (either in powder form with a particle size of 50 to 250 microns or in the form of crushed leaves or "tea pieces" with a particle size of 0.5 to 2.5 mm), and water as the extraction liquid, which enters the device 11 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a countercurrent phase, wherein the device 11 has the following characteristics: The number of turbulent mixing sections 33: four; Number of high shear and cavitation sections 19: three (the first fixed member and the first movable member are both provided with a pushing protrusion, i.e., a protrusion defining an inclined surface 23 that can push the flow of the treated material during the rotation of the movable member 17); Turbulent mixing sections 33 are arranged alternately with high shear and cavitation sections 19; Inner diameter of turbulent mixing section 33: 206 mm; Axial length of turbulent mixing section 33: 80 mm; Spikes 37 of the mixing section: Six spikes are arranged on a parallel plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation S1 of the motor-driven treatment assembly so as to form a spiral with a forward propulsion force when the axis 39 rotates. During rotation, the circumference described by the spikes 37 is 0.9×D, where D=the inner diameter of the mixing section 33; Inner radius of cavitation section 19: 96 mm; Minimum rotor-stator clearance of cavitation sections 19: 3 mm (first section 19a), 2.2 mm (second section 19b) and 1.5 mm (third section 19c); Axial length of the first stator ring 25 and the rotor disk 27 of the cavitation section: 30 mm; The rotation speed of the shaft 39 is in the range of 500-2500 rpm; Number of stator slots 51a: 18; Number of rotor slots 51b: 18; Stator teeth 21 a : linear, with an inclination angle α of 18° relative to the rotation axis S1 of the device.

[0103] Rotor teeth 21 b : linear, with an inclination angle α of 18° relative to the rotation axis S1 of the device.

[0104] With this configuration, a countercurrent flow of the solid phase with respect to the liquid phase can be obtained and remains stable over the entire experimental rotational speed range (i.e., 500–2500 rpm, corresponding to a TPI range between 1.35 and 2.68) and up to a ratio of L / S = 0.2.

[0105] Numerous alternatives and modifications are possible to the invention described and illustrated within the same inventive principle.

Claims

1. A device (11) for treating a flow of material to be treated by extracting a counter-flow of the material, the device comprising a motor-driven treatment assembly (13), the material flow passing through the motor-driven treatment assembly (13) in substantially opposite directions (F1, F2), and at least one first fixed member (15) and at least one corresponding first movable member (17) are defined in the motor-driven treatment assembly (13), the first movable member (17) being rotatable relative to the first fixed member (15) and cooperating therewith to define a corresponding cavitation section (19) capable of forming a hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon in the mixture of the material, characterized in that: The at least one fixed member (15) and / or the at least one movable member (17) is provided with a plurality of radial protrusions (21a, 21b), wherein at least one radial protrusion is configured to exert a driving effect on the flow of the treated material in a direction (F1) substantially opposite to the counterflow (F2) of the extracted material during rotation of the movable member (17).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one radial protrusion (21a, 21b) comprises a push surface (23), wherein a projection of the push surface (23) on a plane (P1) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the movable member (17) defines a surface (23a, 23b) having a non-zero area on the plane.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The at least one radial protrusion (21a, 21b) comprises a push surface (23) inclined relative to the rotation axis (S1) of the movable member (17).

4. The device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that: The motor-driven processing assembly (13) is provided with at least one second fixed member (29) and at least one second movable member (31), wherein the second movable member (31) rotates relative to and cooperates with the second fixed member (29) to define a corresponding turbulent mixing section (33) to promote mixing of the substances passing in opposite directions within the motor-driven processing assembly.

5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The motor-driven processing assembly (13) comprises a plurality of cavitation sections (19) and a plurality of mixing sections (33), wherein the plurality of cavitation sections and the plurality of mixing sections are alternately arranged so as to be passed sequentially by the flow of the material to be processed and the flow of the extracted material in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first fixed member (15) comprises a corresponding first cylindrical stator ring (25) provided with radial protrusions (21a), and the first rotating member (17) comprises a rotor disk (27) provided with radial protrusions (21b) and surrounded by the first stator ring, wherein the radial protrusions (21a, 21b) are push radial protrusions.

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The at least one pushing radial protrusion (21a, 21b) has a linear or parabolic or sigma-shaped inclined configuration.

8. The device according to claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that: The second fixed member (29) comprises a corresponding second cylindrical stator ring (35), and the second rotating member (31) comprises a plurality of radial protrusions (37) surrounded by the second stator ring, wherein the radial protrusions comprise corresponding cylindrical pins.

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: Adjacent radial projections (21a, 21b) include mutually parallel facing inclined surfaces (23) defining respective inclined grooves or channels (51a, 51b) for the passage of the substance.

10. A method for treating a material flow to be treated by extracting a countercurrent of the material, the method comprising the following steps: A motor-driven processing assembly (13) is provided, the motor-driven processing assembly (13) comprising at least one first fixed member (15) and at least one first movable member (17), wherein the first movable member (17) is rotatable relative to the first fixed member (15) and cooperates therewith to define a corresponding cavitation section (19) capable of forming a hydrodynamic cavitation phenomenon in the mixture of substances, and the at least one first fixed member (15) and / or the at least one first movable member (17) have a plurality of radial protrusions (21a, 21b); causing the flows to pass in substantially parallel but substantially opposite directions within the motor-driven processing assembly (13); During the rotation of the first movable member, a pushing effect is exerted on the flow of the substance to be treated by at least one of the radial protrusions (21a, 21b) in a direction substantially opposite to the counterflow (F2) of the extracted substance.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that: Also included is the step of creating turbulent mixing within the substance upstream and downstream of the cavitation section.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The radial protrusion (21a, 21b) comprises a push surface (23), the projection of which on a plane (P1) perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the movable member (17) defines a surface (23a, 23b) having a non-zero area on the plane.

13. The method according to claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that: The radial protrusions (21a, 21b) are push radial protrusions and include a push surface (23) that is inclined relative to the rotation axis (S1) of the movable member (17).

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