A birch sap concentrating system

Abstract

This invention discloses a birch sap concentration system, relating to the field of birch sap concentration technology. It includes a first-effect separator and a condensate tank. A first-effect secondary steam pipe is installed at the top of the first-effect separator, and a second-effect plate evaporator is installed at the end of the first-effect secondary steam pipe. A second-effect separator is installed at one end of the second-effect plate evaporator, and a first-effect plate evaporator is installed on one side of the second-effect plate evaporator. This birch sap concentration system achieves staged recovery and utilization of secondary steam through the first-effect and second-effect secondary steam pipes. Combined with three-stage heat exchange operations using first-effect, second-effect, and third-effect plate evaporators, it significantly improves the problem of high energy consumption in traditional single-effect evaporation. The evaporators are arranged with uniform spacing, and each is equipped with a corresponding condensate tank and condensate pump, enabling efficient recovery of heat exchange condensate and achieving dual recycling of water resources and waste heat, greatly reducing steam consumption and water waste.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of birch sap concentration technology, specifically a birch sap concentration system. Background Technology

[0002] Birch sap is rich in various amino acids, minerals, and bioactive substances, possessing high nutritional and application value, and is widely used in food, health products, and other fields. Concentration is a key process in the processing of birch sap. Traditional single-effect evaporation and concentration equipment suffers from problems such as high energy consumption, low heat exchange efficiency, and high operating costs. Furthermore, high-temperature evaporation can easily damage heat-sensitive active ingredients, affecting product quality.

[0003] Existing multi-effect evaporation systems generally suffer from defects such as unreasonable structural layout, incomplete gas-liquid separation, low condensate and waste heat recovery and utilization rate, and poor system negative pressure stability. These defects result in insufficient concentration efficiency, poor material flowability, and easy scaling and local overheating. At the same time, most equipment has not been optimized for the characteristics of birch slurry, and the matching between evaporators and separators at each stage is poor, making it difficult to achieve continuous, stable, and efficient low-temperature concentration. This fails to meet the energy-saving, high-efficiency, and quality-assured requirements of industrial production of birch slurry. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a birch sap concentration system to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a birch sap concentration system, comprising a first-effect separator and a condensate tank, wherein a first-effect secondary steam pipe is installed on the top of the first-effect separator, and a second-effect plate evaporator is provided at the end of the first-effect secondary steam pipe; a second-effect separator is installed at one end of the second-effect plate evaporator; a first-effect plate evaporator is provided on one side of the second-effect plate evaporator; and a third-effect plate evaporator is installed on the side of the second-effect plate evaporator away from the first-effect plate evaporator. The condensate tanks are respectively located on the outside of the first-effect plate evaporator, the second-effect plate evaporator, and the third-effect plate evaporator, and three sets of condensate tanks are installed.

[0006] Furthermore, a condensate pump is installed on the outer side of the first-effect separator and the second-effect separator, and three sets of condensate pumps are installed.

[0007] Furthermore, the condensate tank and the condensate pump are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0008] Furthermore, the size of the first-effect separator is larger than that of the second-effect separator, and a pump body is provided on one side of the outside of the second-effect separator.

[0009] Furthermore, the distance between the first-effect plate evaporator and the second-effect plate evaporator is the same as the distance between the second-effect plate evaporator and the third-effect plate evaporator.

[0010] Furthermore, a support frame is installed at the bottom of the first-effect separator and the second-effect separator.

[0011] Furthermore, a circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe is provided on one side of the triple-effect plate evaporator, and the circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe is connected to the condensation channel inside the triple-effect plate evaporator to maintain the negative pressure of the system and condense the secondary steam.

[0012] Furthermore, a first-effect discharge pump is provided at the bottom of the first-effect separator, and a second-effect discharge pump is provided at the bottom of the second-effect separator. The outlet of the first-effect discharge pump is connected to the feed end of the second-effect plate evaporator, and the outlet of the second-effect discharge pump is connected to the feed end of the third-effect plate evaporator.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the birch sap concentration system according to the claim, the top of the double-effect plate evaporator is connected to a double-effect secondary steam pipe, and the other end of the double-effect secondary steam pipe is connected to the heating side of the triple-effect plate evaporator, so as to realize the step-by-step utilization of secondary steam.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the birch sap concentration system according to the claim, the first-effect plate evaporator, the second-effect plate evaporator, and the third-effect plate evaporator together form a negative pressure evaporation unit, and the negative pressure is maintained by a vacuum system, so that the birch sap is evaporated and concentrated under low temperature conditions.

[0015] This invention provides a birch sap concentration system, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention achieves the step-by-step recovery and utilization of secondary steam through a first-effect secondary steam pipe and a second-effect secondary steam pipe. Combined with a three-stage heat exchange operation using a first-effect plate evaporator, a second-effect plate evaporator, and a third-effect plate evaporator, it significantly improves the problem of high energy consumption in traditional single-effect evaporation. Each evaporator adopts a uniform spacing layout and is equipped with a corresponding condensate tank and condensate pump, which can efficiently recover heat exchange condensate and achieve dual recycling of water resources and waste heat. This greatly reduces steam consumption and water waste, effectively reduces operating energy consumption and production costs, and improves concentration processing efficiency. At the same time, the first-effect separator and the second-effect separator, together with a dedicated discharge pump structure, ensure continuous and stable material transportation.

[0016] 2. This invention adopts a negative pressure low-temperature evaporation mode, combined with a staged concentration structure to achieve progressive dehydration and concentration of birch sap. This avoids the deterioration and loss of heat-sensitive active ingredients in birch sap caused by traditional high-temperature evaporation, effectively ensuring the quality and nutritional value of the finished product. The entire equipment is supported and fixed by a support frame, with a stable and regular structure. The dimensions of the first-effect separator and the second-effect separator are adapted to multi-stage evaporation conditions, and can accurately match the pressure and temperature gradients of each effect, resulting in good vapor-liquid separation and high uniformity of material concentration. The components of the entire set of equipment have strong synergy, and the pump body can assist in stabilizing pressure and conveying materials, significantly improving operational stability and reliability, reducing the probability of failure, and extending the service life of the equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of a birch sap concentration system according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of a partial internal structure of a single-effect separator and a single-effect plate evaporator in a birch sap concentration system of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the distribution structure of a single-effect plate evaporator and a condensate tank in a birch sap concentration system according to the present invention. Figure 4 This is a top view schematic diagram of the structure of a birch sap concentration system of the present invention, comprising a two-effect separator, a first-effect secondary steam pipe, a first-effect plate evaporator, a second-effect plate evaporator, and a third-effect plate evaporator. Figure 5 This is a partial top view of the internal structure of the two-effect separator, the first-effect secondary steam pipe, the first-effect plate evaporator, the second-effect plate evaporator, and the third-effect plate evaporator of a birch sap concentration system according to the present invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. First-effect separator; 2. Second-effect separator; 3. Second-effect secondary steam pipe; 4. Second-effect secondary steam pipe; 5. First-effect plate evaporator; 6. Second-effect plate evaporator; 7. Third-effect plate evaporator; 8. Condensate tank; 9. Support frame; 10. Condensate pump; 11. First-effect discharge pump; 12. Second-effect discharge pump; 13. Pump body. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0020] like Figures 1-5As shown, a birch sap concentration system includes a first-effect separator 1, a second-effect separator 2, a first-effect secondary steam pipe 3, a second-effect secondary steam pipe 4, a first-effect plate evaporator 5, a second-effect plate evaporator 6, a third-effect plate evaporator 7, a condensate tank 8, a support frame 9, a condensate pump 10, a first-effect discharge pump 11, a second-effect discharge pump 12, and a pump body 13. The first-effect separator 1 has a first-effect secondary steam pipe 3 mounted on its top, and a second-effect plate evaporator 6 is installed at the end of the first-effect secondary steam pipe 3. The size of the first-effect separator 1 is larger than that of the second-effect separator 2, and the pump body 13 is installed on one side of the second-effect separator 2. A condensate pump 10 is installed on one side of both the first-effect separator 1 and the second-effect separator 2. Three sets are installed. A second-effect plate evaporator 2 is installed at one end of the second-effect plate evaporator 6. A first-effect plate evaporator 5 is installed on one side of the second-effect plate evaporator 6. A third-effect plate evaporator 7 is installed on the side of the second-effect plate evaporator 6 away from the first-effect plate evaporator 5. A circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe is installed on one side of the third-effect plate evaporator 7, and the circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe is connected to the condensation channel inside the third-effect plate evaporator 7 to maintain the negative pressure of the system and condense the secondary steam. The distance between the first-effect plate evaporator 5 and the second-effect plate evaporator 6 is the same as the distance between the second-effect plate evaporator 6 and the third-effect plate evaporator 7. First, the vacuum system and the preheating unit are started to make the first-effect plate evaporator 5 and the second-effect plate evaporator... 6. A stable negative pressure environment is formed inside the triple-effect plate evaporator 7, the first-effect separator 1, and the second-effect separator 2, significantly reducing the boiling point of birch sap and achieving low-temperature evaporation. This avoids the degradation of nutrients and active substances caused by high temperatures. The pretreated birch sap is first fed into the first-effect plate evaporator 5, where external live steam enters the heat exchange channel. The material is heated by efficient heat exchange through the plates, causing the birch sap to boil and vaporize rapidly, forming a gas-liquid mixture. The material that has completed one evaporation enters the first-effect separator 1, where efficient gas-liquid separation is achieved under the coupling of gravity and centrifugal force. The high-grade secondary steam generated by the separation is sent from the top through the first-effect secondary steam pipe 3 to the second-effect plate evaporator 6 as a heating source, realizing the first-stage utilization of thermal energy. The initial steam after separation... The primary concentrate is collected at the bottom of the first-effect separator 1 and pressurized by the first-effect discharge pump 11 to be transported to the second-effect plate evaporator 6 for secondary concentration. The first-effect plate evaporator 5 and the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the second-effect plate evaporator 6 and the third-effect plate evaporator 7 are arranged symmetrically at equal intervals to optimize the flow field distribution, ensure smooth material conveying, balanced steam heat exchange, and stable system operation. After the primary concentrate enters the second-effect plate evaporator 6, it is reheated and vaporized again using the secondary steam of the first effect as a heat source to complete the secondary dehydration and concentration. The resulting gas-liquid mixture enters the second-effect separator 2 for gas-liquid separation. The secondary steam separated by the second-effect separator 2 is transported from the top through the second-effect secondary steam pipe 4 to the third-effect plate evaporator 7 to provide a heat source for the final effect evaporation.The concentrated liquid from the second-effect evaporator is pumped by the second-effect discharge pump 12 to the third-effect plate evaporator 7 for further concentration. A pump 13 on one side of the second-effect separator 2 assists in stabilizing the system's pressure and regulating pipeline flow, maintaining continuous and stable material flow, and preventing air blockage and flow fluctuations. The third-effect plate evaporator 7, as the final effect unit, uses the secondary steam from the second effect as a heat source to complete the final concentration, further increasing the material concentration. Its circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipes are connected to the internal condensation channel, condensing the secondary steam from the final effect into distilled water, while continuously discharging non-condensable gases from the system to maintain stable negative pressure throughout the process. The system is equipped with three independent condensate tanks 8, corresponding to the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the third-effect plate evaporator 7, respectively, for condensing steam from each effect. Water is collected in the corresponding condensate tank 8. Three sets of condensate pumps 10 are paired with the condensate tanks 8 to promptly extract and recover the condensate. The condensate tanks 8 are located on the outside of the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the third-effect plate evaporator 7, respectively. Three sets of condensate tanks 8 are installed, with each tank and pump 10 distributed in a one-to-one correspondence. The system is configured with three independent condensate tanks 8, corresponding to the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the third-effect plate evaporator 7. The condensate from the heat exchange of each evaporator is collected in the corresponding condensate tank 8. The three sets of condensate pumps 10 are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence with the condensate tanks 8 to promptly extract and recover the collected condensate, achieving water resource recycling.

[0021] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the bottom of the first-effect separator 1 and the second-effect separator 2 is equipped with a support frame 9. It mainly consists of the first-effect separator 1, the second-effect separator 2, the first-effect secondary steam pipe 3, the second-effect secondary steam pipe 4, the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, the third-effect plate evaporator 7, the condensate tank 8, the support frame 9, the condensate pump 10, the first-effect discharge pump 11, the second-effect discharge pump 12, and the pump body 13. The three sets of condensate pumps 10 correspond one-to-one with the condensate tank 8, and promptly extract and recover the condensate, realizing the efficient reuse of water resources and waste heat, and reducing water and energy consumption. The structural dimensions of the first-effect separator 1 are larger than those of the second-effect separator 2, which is adapted to the progressively decreasing steam and material processing capacity, ensuring that the pressure, temperature, and flow rate of each effect are reasonably matched, so as to enable the continuous and efficient operation of the cascade evaporation.

[0022] In summary, this birch sap concentration system is first based on... Figures 1-5The structure shown in the diagram, when in use, mainly consists of a first-effect separator 1, a second-effect separator 2, a first-effect secondary steam pipe 3, a second-effect secondary steam pipe 4, a first-effect plate evaporator 5, a second-effect plate evaporator 6, a third-effect plate evaporator 7, a condensate tank 8, a support frame 9, a condensate pump 10, a first-effect discharge pump 11, a second-effect discharge pump 12, and a pump body 13. It adopts an integrated design of three-effect cascade evaporation, negative pressure low-temperature evaporation, and waste heat recovery and utilization. It completes continuous concentration of birch sap under mild operating conditions, maximizes the protection of heat-sensitive active substances, and realizes cascade utilization of heat and recycling of condensate. It has the advantages of high concentration efficiency, low operating energy consumption, and stable material quality. The entire system is rigidly supported and fixed by the support frame 9 for the first-effect separator 1 and the second-effect separator 2, ensuring stable equipment operation, uniform pipeline stress, and safe and reliable operation. During equipment operation, the vacuum system and preheating unit are first activated to create a stable negative pressure environment inside the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, the third-effect plate evaporator 7, and the first-effect separator 1 and the second-effect separator 2. This significantly lowers the boiling point of the birch sap, achieving low-temperature evaporation and preventing the degradation of nutrients and active substances caused by high temperatures. The pretreated birch sap is first fed into the first-effect plate evaporator 5, where external live steam enters the heat exchange channel. The material is heated through efficient plate heat exchange, causing the birch sap to rapidly boil and vaporize, forming a gas-liquid mixture. The material after one evaporation enters the first-effect separator 1, where efficient gas-liquid separation is achieved under the coupling of gravity and centrifugal force. The separated product... High-grade secondary steam is fed from the top through the first-effect secondary steam pipe 3 into the second-effect plate evaporator 6 as a heating source, achieving the first-stage utilization of thermal energy. The primary concentrate after separation collects at the bottom of the first-effect separator 1 and is pressurized and transported by the first-effect discharge pump 11 to the second-effect plate evaporator 6 for secondary concentration. The first-effect plate evaporator 5 and the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the second-effect plate evaporator 6 and the third-effect plate evaporator 7 are arranged equidistantly and symmetrically to optimize the flow field distribution, ensure smooth material conveying, balanced steam heat exchange, and stable system operation. After entering the second-effect plate evaporator 6, the primary concentrate is reheated and vaporized using the first-effect secondary steam as a heat source, completing the secondary dehydration and concentration, forming... The gas-liquid mixture enters the double-effect separator 2 for gas-liquid separation. The secondary steam separated by the double-effect separator 2 is transported from the top through the double-effect secondary steam pipe 4 to the triple-effect plate evaporator 7, providing a heat source for the final effect evaporation. The concentrated liquid from the double-effect separator is transported by the double-effect discharge pump 12 to the triple-effect plate evaporator 7 for deep concentration. The pump body 13 configured on one side of the double-effect separator 2 can assist the system in stabilizing the pressure and regulating the pipeline flow, maintaining continuous and stable material flow, and avoiding air blockage and flow fluctuations. The triple-effect plate evaporator 7, as the final effect unit, uses the secondary steam from the double-effect separator as a heat source to complete the final concentration, further increasing the material concentration. The circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipes on one side are connected to the internal condensation channel to further concentrate the final product. The secondary steam is condensed into distilled water, while non-condensable gases are continuously discharged from the system to maintain stable negative pressure throughout the process. The system is equipped with three independent condensate tanks 8, corresponding to the first-effect plate evaporator 5, the second-effect plate evaporator 6, and the third-effect plate evaporator 7, respectively. The steam condensate from each effect is collected in the corresponding condensate tank 8. Three condensate pumps 10 correspond one-to-one with the condensate tanks 8 to promptly extract and recover the condensate, achieving efficient reuse of water resources and waste heat, and reducing water and energy consumption. The first-effect separator 1 has a larger structural size than the second-effect separator 2, which is adapted to the progressively decreasing steam and material handling capacity, ensuring reasonable matching of pressure, temperature, and flow rate in each effect, and enabling continuous and efficient operation of the cascade evaporation.

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention are given for illustrative and descriptive purposes only, and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to better illustrate the principles and practical application of the invention, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the invention and to design various embodiments with various modifications suitable for a particular purpose.

Claims

1. A system for concentrating white birch juice, comprising a one-stage separator (1) and a condensate tank (8), characterized in that, The top of the first-effect separator (1) is equipped with a first-effect secondary steam pipe (3), and the end of the first-effect secondary steam pipe (3) is equipped with a second-effect plate evaporator (6). One end of the second-effect plate evaporator (6) is equipped with a second-effect separator (2). One side of the second-effect plate evaporator (6) is equipped with a first-effect plate evaporator (5), and a third-effect plate evaporator (7) is installed on the side of the second-effect plate evaporator (6) away from the first-effect plate evaporator (5). The condensate tanks (8) are respectively located on the outside of the first-effect plate evaporator (5), the second-effect plate evaporator (6) and the third-effect plate evaporator (7), and three sets of condensate tanks (8) are installed.

2. A system for concentrating birch sap as claimed in claim 1, wherein, A condensate pump (10) is provided on one side of the outside of the first-effect separator (1) and the second-effect separator (2), and three sets of condensate pumps (10) are installed.

3. A system for concentrating birch sap as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The condensate tank (8) and the condensate pump (10) are distributed in a one-to-one correspondence.

4. The system for concentrating birch sap of claim 1, wherein, The size of the single-effect separator (1) is larger than that of the double-effect separator (2), and a pump body (13) is provided on one side of the double-effect separator (2).

5. The system for concentrating birch sap of claim 1, wherein, The distance between the single-effect plate evaporator (5) and the double-effect plate evaporator (6) is the same as the distance between the double-effect plate evaporator (6) and the triple-effect plate evaporator (7).

6. A birch sap concentration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the single-effect separator (1) and the double-effect separator (2) are equipped with support frames (9).

7. A birch sap concentration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The triple-effect plate evaporator (7) is provided with a circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe on one side, and the circulating cooling water inlet and outlet pipe is connected to the condensation channel inside the triple-effect plate evaporator (7) to maintain the negative pressure of the system and condense the secondary steam.

8. A birch sap concentration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the first-effect separator (1) is provided with a first-effect discharge pump (11), and the bottom of the second-effect separator (2) is provided with a second-effect discharge pump (12). The outlet of the first-effect discharge pump (11) is connected to the feed end of the second-effect plate evaporator (6), and the outlet of the second-effect discharge pump (12) is connected to the feed end of the third-effect plate evaporator (7).

9. A birch sap concentration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the double-effect plate evaporator (6) is connected to a double-effect secondary steam pipe (4), and the other end of the double-effect secondary steam pipe (4) is connected to the heating side of the triple-effect plate evaporator (7) to realize the step-by-step utilization of secondary steam.

10. A birch sap concentration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The single-effect plate evaporator (5), the double-effect plate evaporator (6), and the triple-effect plate evaporator (7) together form a negative pressure evaporation unit. The negative pressure is maintained by a vacuum system, so that the birch sap can be evaporated and concentrated under low temperature conditions.

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