Automatic production line for extracting natural pigment

Abstract

The utility model discloses an automatic production line for extracting natural pigment, which comprises a cleaning machine, a crusher, a filter press, supercritical extraction equipment and a spray dryer which are connected in sequence, the supercritical extraction equipment comprises an extraction kettle and a separation kettle, and the extraction kettle is provided with a filtrate inlet, a solvent inlet, a solid material inlet and an ultrasonic vibration system. A top liquid outlet pipeline of the extraction kettle is connected with the separation kettle through a circulating extraction pipeline, and a carbon dioxide outlet pipeline of the separation kettle is connected with a bottom inlet pipeline of the extraction kettle through a pressurizing tank, a circulating pump and a temperature controller in sequence; and at least one acrylic protective pipe section is arranged outside the circulating extraction pipeline of the bottom inlet pipeline for connecting the separation kettle and the extraction kettle. The extraction efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of natural pigment extraction technology, specifically an automated production line for natural pigment extraction. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of industrial technology, many fields now use chemical dyes. Chemical dyes synthesized through synthetic technology have simple processes and abundant raw materials. However, industries such as food, cosmetics, and medicine still require a large amount of natural dyes, and the pigment components in natural dyes are mostly natural pigments.

[0003] Currently, most natural pigments are extracted from fruits, vegetables, and green leaves. The most common method is to extract natural pigments from the juice of fruits and vegetables. Modern extraction processes often use additives, but this method has low extraction efficiency and is difficult to separate.

[0004] Therefore, in current natural pigment extraction processes, some utilize supercritical fluid extraction technology. This technology captures natural pigment components using carbon dioxide, and after capture, uses reduced pressure and increased temperature to change the phase of the carbon dioxide, thereby effectively separating the natural pigments. However, improving the efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction remains a problem for many practitioners. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an automated production line for the extraction of natural pigments, thereby improving extraction efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: an automated production line for natural pigment extraction, comprising a washing machine, a pulverizer, a filter press, a supercritical extraction device, and a spray dryer connected in sequence. The discharge port of the washing machine is connected to the feed port of the pulverizer via a conveyor belt, and the discharge port of the pulverizer is connected to the feed port of the filter press via a pipeline. The filter press has a branch pipe at its filtrate outlet connected to the filtrate inlet of the supercritical extraction device. The supercritical extraction device includes an extraction vessel and a separation vessel. The extraction vessel is equipped with a filtrate inlet, a solvent inlet, a solid material inlet, and an ultrasonic vibration system. The top outlet pipeline of the extraction vessel is connected to the separation vessel via a circulating extraction pipeline. The carbon dioxide outlet pipeline of the separation vessel is connected to the bottom inlet pipeline of the extraction vessel via a pressurizing tank, a circulating pump, and a temperature controller. At least one acrylic protective pipe section is provided outside the circulating extraction pipeline connecting the bottom inlet pipelines of the separation vessel and the extraction vessel.

[0007] In the above scheme: the acrylic protective pipe section is composed of two symmetrical semi-annular pipe sections connected to each other. The acrylic protective pipe section has a wrapping groove in the middle. The wrapping groove is equipped with a heat insulation sleeve. A metal temperature control sleeve is coaxially arranged inside the heat insulation sleeve. The circulating extraction pipe passes through the metal temperature control sleeve. A temperature control port extends from the middle of the metal temperature control sleeve.

[0008] In the above scheme: matching insert rods and insertion holes are provided on opposite sides of the acrylic protective tube section, and the insert rods and insertion holes are fixed by bolts.

[0009] In the above scheme: a rectangular heat-conducting block extends from the middle of the metal temperature control sleeve, and a temperature control socket extends from the top of the heat-conducting block to the outside of the acrylic protective tube section.

[0010] In the above scheme: a semiconductor temperature controller or temperature detector is connected to the temperature control port.

[0011] This invention provides an automated production line for extracting natural pigments. It offers the following advantages: It employs an automated supercritical fluid extraction device to extract natural pigments. An ultrasonic vibration system enhances the extraction efficiency through ultrasonic enhancement. To prevent attenuation during transport at the far end of the supercritical pipeline, which could easily reduce extraction efficiency, a flexibly arranged acrylic protective section is installed on the supercritical pipeline. Inside this section, a heat insulation layer and a metal temperature control sleeve are installed. These elements isolate heat exchange while the temperature control port on the metal sleeve allows for temperature detection and adjustment at the far end of the supercritical pipeline. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the automatic production line for natural pigment extraction according to this utility model.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the supercritical extraction equipment of this utility model.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a partial explosion structure of the acrylic protective pipe section of this utility model.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the acrylic protective pipe section of this utility model.

[0016] In the diagram: 1. Washing machine; 2. Crusher; 3. Filter press; 4. Spray dryer; 5. Supercritical extraction equipment; 51. Extraction vessel; 52. Circulating pump; 53. Pressurizing tank; 54. Temperature controller; 55. Separation vessel; 56. Circulating extraction pipeline; 57. Acrylic protective pipe section; 571. Insulation sleeve; 572. Metal temperature control sleeve; 573. Temperature control socket; 574. Insert rod; 575. Heat-conducting block; 576. Semiconductor temperature controller. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0018] Example 1

[0019] An automated production line for natural pigment extraction includes a washing machine 1, a pulverizer 2, a filter press 3, a supercritical extraction device 5, and a spray dryer 4 connected in sequence. The discharge port of the washing machine 1 is connected to the feed port of the pulverizer 2 via a conveyor belt. The discharge port of the pulverizer 2 is connected to the feed port of the filter press 3 via a pipe. A branch pipe from the filtrate outlet of the filter press is connected to the filtrate inlet 511 of the supercritical extraction device 5. The supercritical extraction device 5 includes an extraction vessel 51 and a separation vessel 55. The extraction vessel 51 is equipped with a filtrate inlet 511, a solvent inlet, a solid material inlet, and an ultrasonic vibration system. The ultrasonic vibration system includes an ultrasonic generator and an ultrasonic transducer, which is existing technology and will not be described in detail here. The top outlet pipe of the extraction vessel 51 is connected to the separation vessel 55 via the circulating extraction pipe 56. The carbon dioxide outlet pipe of the separation vessel 55 is connected to the bottom inlet pipe of the extraction vessel 51 via the pressurization tank 53, the circulating pump 52, and the temperature controller 54. At least one acrylic protective pipe section 57 is installed outside the circulating extraction pipe 56 connecting the bottom inlet pipes of the separation vessel 55 and the extraction vessel 51. The acrylic protective pipe section 57 is composed of two symmetrical semi-annular pipe sections connected to each other. A wrapping groove is provided in the middle of the acrylic protective pipe section 57, and an insulation sleeve 571 is provided on the wrapping groove. A metal temperature control sleeve 572 is coaxially installed inside the insulation sleeve 571. The circulating extraction pipe 56 passes through the metal temperature control sleeve 572, and a temperature control socket 573 extends from the middle of the metal temperature control sleeve 572.

[0020] Matching insert rods 574 and insertion holes are provided on opposite sides of the acrylic protective pipe section 57. The insert rods 574 and insertion holes are fixed by bolts. The connection of the acrylic protective pipe section 57 is achieved by the guiding effect of the insert rods 574 and insertion holes, and the snap-fit ​​connection of the acrylic protective pipe is achieved by bolts.

[0021] A rectangular heat-conducting block 575 extends from the middle of the metal temperature-controlled sleeve 572. A temperature control socket 573 extends from the top of the heat-conducting block 575 to the outside of the acrylic protective tube section 57. Heat transfer is achieved through the heat-conducting block 575, facilitating detection and adjustment. A semiconductor temperature controller 576 or a temperature detector is connected to the temperature control socket 573.

[0022] First, the raw plant material needs to be added to the washing machine 1 to clean it. The feeding port of the washing machine 1 is connected to the feeding port of the crusher 2 via a conveyor belt. The cleaned raw material is fed into the crusher 2 via the conveyor belt, where it is crushed. After crushing, the natural pigments in the plant tubers, fruits, or leaves are fully extracted. The feeding port of the crusher 2 is connected to the feeding port of the filter press 3, where the natural pigment mixture is squeezed and filtered to remove the natural pigments and juices from the fruit trees. For water-soluble plant pigments (such as those from radishes), we need the filtrate. We connect the filtrate to the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) equipment via pipeline. For fat-soluble pigments (such as chlorophyll), we directly discharge the filtrate and add the filter cake to the SFE equipment through the solid material inlet. The filter cake is transported by a conveyor belt (not shown in the diagram). Simultaneously, appropriate solvent additives are added through the solvent inlet according to the extraction requirements of different pigments. After the material is added to the SFE equipment, supercritical CO2 is continuously passed through the material through refrigeration and circulation. Utilizing the carrying capacity of the supercritical CO2, the extract is carried out. Further heating and depressurization are then performed to allow the CO2 to be discharged indirectly, thus achieving the separation of the natural pigments.

[0023] The material enters the extraction vessel 51. After the extraction vessel 51 stores a sufficient amount of extract for a certain period of time, supercritical CO2 from the pressurized tank 53 is introduced into the extraction vessel 51. An ultrasonic vibration system is installed on the extraction vessel 51 to vibrate the internal material, thereby increasing the precipitation rate of the extract. The natural pigment is dissolved by supercritical CO2. After dissolution, the mixture enters the separation vessel 55 for depressurization and heating. In this way, the CO2 is vaporized and separated, and the pigment is stored in the separation vessel 55. After the first stage of separation is completed, the pigment is introduced into the spray dryer 4 for further drying.

[0024] In the supercritical fluid extraction equipment 5, multiple devices require connection via a circulating extraction pipeline 56. This results in excessively long pipelines, inevitably leading to heat exchange with the external environment during fluid flow. Although an insulating coating can reduce energy loss, unavoidable heat exchange can still occur, causing the fluid to partially deviate from the supercritical state. This reduces the pigment carrying and extraction capacity. Therefore, at least one acrylic protective pipe section 57 is installed on the circulating extraction pipeline 56. Each acrylic protective pipe section 57 consists of two symmetrical semi-annular pipe sections connected to each other. The acrylic protective tube serves as an external fixing structure, wrapping and protecting the insulation sleeve 571 and the metal temperature control sleeve 572 as the main body of the installation. The metal temperature control sleeve 572 is in contact with the circulating extraction pipeline 56. On the one hand, the insulation sleeve 571 uses heat insulation material to prevent heat exchange between the inside and outside. On the other hand, a temperature control socket 573 extends from the middle of the metal temperature control sleeve 572. A detection device is connected through the temperature control socket 573 to detect the temperature of the supercritical fluid inside the pipeline. A temperature control device can also be connected to the temperature control socket 573 to control the temperature of locations far from the temperature controller 54 where temperature changes are likely to occur.

[0025] A carbon dioxide diversion seat can be arranged around the bottom surface of the extraction vessel 51. Several nozzles are arranged in a concentric ring on the carbon dioxide diversion seat. The carbon dioxide diversion seat is connected to the circulating extraction pipe 56, so that supercritical CO2 enters the carbon dioxide diversion seat for diversion and is sprayed out from several nozzles to extract the extract.

[0026] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automated production line for extracting natural pigments, comprising a washing machine (1), a pulverizer (2), a filter press (3), a supercritical extraction device (5), and a spray dryer (4) connected in sequence, wherein the discharge port of the washing machine (1) is connected to the feed port of the pulverizer (2) via a conveyor belt, and the discharge port of the pulverizer (2) is connected to the feed port of the filter press (3) via a pipe, characterized in that: A branch pipe is branched off from the filtrate outlet of the filter press and connected to the filtrate inlet (511) of the supercritical extraction device (5). The supercritical extraction device (5) includes an extraction vessel (51) and a separation vessel (55). The extraction vessel (51) is equipped with a filtrate inlet (511), a solvent inlet, a solid material inlet, and an ultrasonic vibration system. The top outlet pipe of the extraction vessel (51) is connected to the separation vessel (55) through a circulating extraction pipe (56). The carbon dioxide outlet pipe of the separation vessel (55) is connected to the bottom inlet pipe of the extraction vessel (51) in sequence through a pressurizing tank (53), a circulating pump (52), and a temperature controller (54). At least one acrylic protective pipe section (57) is provided outside the circulating extraction pipe (56) connecting the bottom inlet pipe of the separation vessel (55) and the extraction vessel (51).

2. The automated production line for natural pigment extraction according to claim 1, characterized in that: The acrylic protective tube section (57) is composed of two symmetrical semi-annular tube sections connected to each other. The acrylic protective tube section (57) has a wrapping groove in the middle. An insulation sleeve (571) is provided on the wrapping groove. A metal temperature control sleeve (572) is coaxially provided inside the insulation sleeve (571). The circulating extraction pipe (56) passes through the metal temperature control sleeve (572). A temperature control socket (573) extends from the middle of the metal temperature control sleeve (572).

3. The automated production line for natural pigment extraction according to claim 2, characterized in that, The acrylic protective tube section (57) has matching insert rods (574) and insertion holes on its opposite sides, and the insert rods (574) and insertion holes are fixed by bolts.

4. The automated production line for natural pigment extraction according to claim 3, characterized in that, A rectangular heat-conducting block (575) extends from the middle of the metal temperature-controlled sleeve (572), and a temperature-controlled socket (573) is opened at the top of the heat-conducting block (575) extending to the outside of the acrylic protective tube section (57).

5. The automated production line for natural pigment extraction according to claim 4, characterized in that, A semiconductor temperature controller (576) or a temperature detector is connected to the temperature control port (573).

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