A transesterification reactor

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of transesterification reaction kettles, including reaction kettle, feed end, discharge end, feed end is set to reaction kettle top, for conveying raw materials to reaction kettle;Discharge end is set to reaction kettle bottom, for finished product discharge;Reaction kettle bottom is equipped with first filter plate, for filtering enzyme in reaction kettle, the discharge port of first filter plate is connected to discharge end by first discharge pipe, reaction kettle is equipped with several vertically arranged second filter plates, the discharge port of second filter plate is connected to discharge end by second discharge pipe, the utility model has the advantages that, structure is reasonable, it is easy to operate, especially suitable for EPA / DHA in fish oil Enzymatic transesterification, especially suitable for high value-added nutritional oil preparation field, in improving product quality, reduce operating cost, prolong the service life of enzyme etc. It has remarkable industrial application value of industrialization.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of transesterification technology, specifically relating to a transesterification reactor. Background Technology

[0002] Fish oil is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which have significant health benefits and pharmacological effects. To improve its bioavailability, stability, and performance in food and pharmaceutical applications, enzymatic transesterification is often used to modify the structure of triglycerides in fish oil. By transesterifying with short-chain fatty acid esters (such as ethyl esters), ethyl esters of EPA and DHA can be prepared, thereby improving their purity and absorption efficiency.

[0003] Traditional transesterification reaction equipment mostly consists of ordinary stirred tanks or high-temperature, high-pressure reactors. These devices present several technical challenges in practical use. For example, the reaction relies on mechanical stirring, which can easily lead to localized overheating and enzyme deactivation, affecting catalytic efficiency. Furthermore, separating the material from the enzyme is difficult; conventional filtration methods are prone to clogging and difficult to clean, reducing production efficiency and equipment lifespan. Enzyme residue during discharge also results in low product purity, increasing the difficulty of subsequent purification. Simultaneously, traditional heating methods have low thermal efficiency and uneven temperature control, which is detrimental to maintaining enzyme activity. In addition, most existing reactors lack efficient discharge reflux and gas-assisted systems, making them unsuitable for continuous or semi-continuous production.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a transesterification reactor with optimized structure, integrated functions, and suitable for enzyme catalysis conditions to solve the problems of enzyme filtration difficulties, poor material discharge, low heating efficiency, and unstable reaction process control in traditional equipment, thereby improving the overall production efficiency and product quality of fish oil transesterification process. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention provides a transesterification reactor with a reasonable structure and simple operation. It is suitable for the enzymatic transesterification reaction of EPA / DHA in fish oil, and is particularly applicable to the preparation of high-value-added nutritional oils. It has significant industrial application value in improving product quality, reducing operating costs, and extending enzyme lifespan.

[0006] The technical solution provided by this utility model is as follows:

[0007] An esterification reaction vessel, comprising a reaction vessel;

[0008] The feed end, located at the top of the reactor, is used to transport raw materials into the reactor.

[0009] The discharge end is located at the bottom of the reactor and is used for discharging the finished product.

[0010] The bottom of the reactor is equipped with a first filter plate for filtering the enzymes in the reactor. The outlet of the first filter plate is connected to the outlet end through a first discharge pipe. The reactor is equipped with several vertically arranged second filter plates. The outlet of the second filter plates is connected to the outlet end through a second discharge pipe.

[0011] In some embodiments, the feed end includes a glycerol feed end, an ethyl ester feed end, and a high-pressure nitrogen feed end;

[0012] In some embodiments, the nitrogen feed end is also loosened, and the bottom of the reactor is provided with a plurality of first nitrogen nozzles, the outlets of the plurality of first nitrogen nozzles are set toward the bottom of the reactor, and the plurality of first nitrogen nozzles are connected to the loosened nitrogen feed end.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outlet of the first filter plate is provided with a second nitrogen nozzle, which is connected to the loose nitrogen feed end.

[0014] In some embodiments, a return pipe is provided before the inlet of the discharge end, and the return pipe is connected to the reactor. When the inlet of the discharge end is closed, the material pressed out by the first discharge pipe and the second discharge pipe is returned to the reactor.

[0015] In some embodiments, a heating device is provided on one side of the reactor.

[0016] In some embodiments, the heating device is a water bath heating device, which includes a heating wall disposed on the reactor vessel wall, a heating tank, and a circulating water circuit connecting the heating wall and the heating tank.

[0017] In some implementations, the top of the reactor is provided with an enzyme feed end.

[0018] In summary, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0019] (1) This utility model achieves efficient separation of enzymes by setting a first filter plate and several second filter plates in the reactor body, preventing them from entering the finished product and improving product purity; by setting nitrogen nozzles in the filter plates and discharge pipes, the material is discharged smoothly, preventing the filtration system from being blocked, while protecting the enzyme structure and extending its service life.

[0020] (2) This utility model is equipped with a return pipeline structure, which can realize material return when the outlet end is closed, which is beneficial to the circulation reaction and improves the material utilization rate; the matching water bath heating system achieves uniform temperature control through the circulating water circuit, avoids local overheating and damage to enzymes, and improves catalytic efficiency and product yield. The top is independently equipped with feed ports for glycerol, ethyl ester, high-pressure nitrogen and enzymes, which facilitates precise feeding and reaction control, and meets the needs of different raw material ratios and process stages. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system structure of this application;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the reactor structure.

[0023] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0024] 1. Reactor; 2. Discharge end; 3. First filter plate; 4. First discharge pipe; 5. Second filter plate; 6. Second discharge pipe; 7. Glycerol inlet; 8. Ethyl ester inlet; 9. High-pressure nitrogen inlet; 10. Loose nitrogen inlet; 11. First nitrogen nozzle; 12. Second nitrogen nozzle; 13. Return pipeline; 14. Heating wall; 15. Heating tank; 16. Enzyme inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To enhance understanding of this utility model, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to explain the present utility model and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0026] like Figure 1-2 As shown, a transesterification reactor includes a reactor 1, which is used to carry out a transesterification reaction between glycerol and ethyl ester to generate the target product under the action of a catalytic enzyme.

[0027] The reactor 1 is equipped with a feed end at the top, which includes a glycerol feed end 7, an ethyl ester feed end 8, and a high-pressure nitrogen feed end 9. The glycerol feed end 7 and the ethyl ester feed end 8 are connected to external raw material storage tanks via corresponding pipelines, allowing glycerol and ethyl ester to be fed into the reactor 1 sequentially or simultaneously. The high-pressure nitrogen feed end 9 is used to supply high-pressure nitrogen into the reactor, assisting in controlling the reaction atmosphere or aiding in material stirring and discharge.

[0028] The bottom of the reactor 1 is provided with a discharge end 2 for discharging materials. To facilitate enzyme separation, a first filter plate 3 is also provided at the bottom of the reactor 1. The first filter plate 3 can be a high-temperature resistant and corrosion-resistant stainless steel porous filter screen, used for preliminary filtration of the materials after the reaction. The discharge port of the first filter plate 3 is connected to the discharge end 2 through a first discharge pipe 4.

[0029] The reactor 1 is also equipped with several vertically arranged second filter plates 5. The second filter plates 5 can be arranged in parallel to increase the filtration area of ​​the enzyme and improve the filtration efficiency. Their outlets are connected to the outlet end 2 through the second outlet pipe 6, forming a two-stage filtration structure with the first filter plate 3 to ensure the discharge rate.

[0030] To further improve filtration efficiency and prevent filter plate clogging, a loosening nitrogen inlet 10 is also provided at the bottom of the reactor 1. The loosening nitrogen inlet 10 is connected to several first nitrogen nozzles 11, which are arranged at the bottom of the reactor 1 with the nozzle direction facing the bottom area of ​​the filter plate. Nitrogen gas can be injected intermittently during the filtration process to loosen the enzymes deposited on the filter plate, avoid clogging, promote the filtration process, and ensure the uniformity of the reaction.

[0031] In addition, to further facilitate smooth material discharge, a second nitrogen nozzle 12 is provided at the discharge port of the first filter plate 3. This second nitrogen nozzle 12 is also connected to the loose nitrogen feed end 10, which can spray nitrogen during discharge to promote the flow of material in the discharge pipe and prevent material stagnation.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, a return pipe 13 is provided before the discharge end 2. One end of the return pipe 13 is connected to the junction of the first discharge pipe 4 and the second discharge pipe 6, and the other end is connected to the upper middle part or the feed area of ​​the reactor 1. When the discharge end 2 is closed, the discharged material is pumped and returned to the reactor 1 through the return pipe 13 to ensure that the material reacts fully.

[0033] As a further optimized implementation, in order to control the reaction temperature and maintain enzyme activity, a heating device, preferably a water bath heating device, is provided on one side of the reactor 1. This water bath heating device includes a heating wall 14 located on the outer wall of the reactor 1, a heating tank 15 for heating the medium (such as water or heat transfer oil), and a circulating water path connecting the heating tank 15 and the heating wall 14. In this embodiment, the circulating water comes from the condensate of other equipment or tap water, which is heated and heat exchanged before being discharged into a drain. By controlling the water temperature in the circulating water path, the temperature inside the reactor 1 can be precisely controlled, improving the efficiency of the transesterification reaction.

[0034] In addition, an enzyme feed end 16 is provided at the top of the reactor 1, which facilitates the quantitative addition of enzyme catalyst before or during the reaction, further improving the efficiency of the transesterification reaction and ensuring the continuity and stability of the reaction process. It should be noted that each pipeline in this application is equipped with at least one control valve to control the gas or liquid path.

[0035] The structural design described in this embodiment achieves precise control of the reaction raw materials, efficient utilization of the reaction enzymes, and smooth filtration of the discharge process, while also taking into account equipment cleanliness and operating efficiency. It is suitable for the enzymatic catalytic transesterification reaction of fatty acid glycerides, and is especially suitable for the production process requirements of fish oil.

[0036] It should also be noted that this document may provide examples of parameters containing specific values, but these parameters need not be exactly equal to the corresponding values, but can approximate the corresponding values ​​within acceptable error tolerances or design constraints. Directional terms mentioned in the embodiments, such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," are only for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0037] The foregoing description illustrates and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. It can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments, and can be altered within the scope of the inventive concept described herein through the foregoing teachings or techniques or knowledge in related fields. Any modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A transesterification reactor characterized by, Including the reactor (1); The feed end is located at the top of the reactor (1) and is used to transport raw materials into the reactor (1); The discharge end (2) is located at the bottom of the reactor (1) and is used for discharging the finished product; The bottom of the reactor (1) is provided with a first filter plate (3) for filtering the enzyme in the reactor (1). The outlet of the first filter plate (3) is connected to the outlet end (2) through the first outlet pipe (4). The reactor (1) is provided with several vertically arranged second filter plates (5). The outlet of the second filter plate (5) is connected to the outlet end (2) through the second outlet pipe (6).

2. The transesterification reactor of claim 1, wherein, The feed end includes a glycerol feed end (7), an ethyl ester feed end (8), and a high-pressure nitrogen feed end (9).

3. The transesterification reactor of claim 2, wherein, It also includes a loose nitrogen feed end (10), and the bottom of the reactor (1) is provided with a plurality of first nitrogen nozzles (11), the outlets of the plurality of first nitrogen nozzles (11) are set toward the bottom of the reactor (1), and the plurality of first nitrogen nozzles (11) are connected to the loose nitrogen feed end (10).

4. The transesterification reactor of claim 3, wherein, The discharge port of the first filter plate (3) is provided with a second nitrogen nozzle (12), which is connected to the loose nitrogen feed end (10).

5. The transesterification reactor of claim 4, wherein, A return pipe (13) is provided in front of the inlet of the discharge end (2). The return pipe (13) is connected to the reactor (1). When the inlet of the discharge end (2) is closed, the material pressed out by the first discharge pipe (4) and the second discharge pipe (6) is returned to the reactor (1).

6. The transesterification reactor of claim 1, wherein, A heating device is provided on one side of the reactor (1).

7. The transesterification reactor of claim 6, wherein, The heating device is a water bath heating device, which includes a heating wall (14) installed on the wall of the reactor (1), a heating tank (15), and a circulating water path connecting the heating wall (14) and the heating tank (15).

8. The transesterification reactor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The reactor (1) is equipped with an enzyme feed end (16) at the top.

Images