Glycerin residue demulsification and sedimentation device in biodiesel production

Abstract

The utility model discloses a glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device in biodiesel production, which comprises a stainless steel stirring tank with a jacket, a dial thermometer and a magnetic flap liquid level meter, a stirrer, an observation sight glass and a feeding pipe on the top of the tank, a hydrophobic valve on the side of the upper part of the tank, a steam inlet valve on the lower part of the tank, a glass liquid level meter on a stainless steel feeding tank, an outlet pipeline connected to the top of the stainless steel stirring tank, a glycerol buffer bag and a pneumatic valve connected to the outlet pipeline of the stainless steel stirring tank, a glycerol storage tank connected to the other end of the outlet pipeline, a gear pump connected to the outlet pipeline of the glycerol storage tank, a sampling ball valve arranged in front of the gear pump, and an outlet pipeline of the gear pump connected to the feeding pipeline of the stainless steel stirring tank and a glycerol recovery pipeline. The utility model has the advantages of high efficiency and reliability in the glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation treatment in biodiesel production, which can greatly improve the raw material utilization rate and the product yield in biodiesel production and reduce the difficulty in subsequent processing of the by-product crude glycerol.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of biodiesel production equipment, and in particular to a demulsification and sedimentation device for glycerol residue in biodiesel production. Background Technology

[0002] The main chemical change in biodiesel production is the methylation of natural oils. Currently, a two-step process is widely used in China: First, under specific conditions and with an acidic catalyst, free fatty acids in the feedstock react with methanol to form fatty acid methyl esters, significantly reducing the feedstock acid value to below 2 mg KOH / g. Second, under an alkaline catalyst, glycerides undergo transesterification with methanol to further produce fatty acid methyl esters, with a certain amount of crude glycerol as a byproduct. Due to differences in solubility and density, the crude glycerol byproduct, carrying impurities, gradually settles to the bottom of the production container, forming glycerol sludge. Because the large, complex compounds in the feedstock, catalyst residues, and soaps generated from the byproducts have strong surface activity, a large amount of feedstock oils and crude methyl esters are mixed in with the glycerol sludge. These materials are crucial for biodiesel production; if discharged with the glycerol sludge, it will not only significantly reduce feedstock utilization and product yield but also increase the difficulty of downstream processing of crude glycerol. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device for biodiesel production that is simple and compact in structure, low in manufacturing and maintenance costs, and highly efficient and reliable in demulsification and sedimentation treatment, so as to improve the utilization rate of raw materials and the yield of finished products during biodiesel production, while reducing the difficulty of subsequent processing of by-product crude glycerol.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the glycerol residue demulsification and settling device for biodiesel production of this utility model includes a stainless steel feeding tank 1, a stirrer 3, a stainless steel mixing tank 6, a glycerol buffer pack 8, a glycerol storage tank 10, and a gear pump 22. The stainless steel mixing tank 6, as the main equipment for glycerol residue demulsification and settling, has a jacketed body. It is equipped with a dial thermometer 14 and a magnetic level gauge 15. The stirrer 3 is installed at the center of the top of the tank, and an observation mirror 5 is located on the top of the tank. A drain valve 7 is located on the upper side of the tank, and a steam inlet valve 16 is located at the lower conical surface of the tank. The stainless steel feeding tank 1 is used to store and add demulsifier. It is equipped with a glass level gauge 2, and the bottom outlet pipe is connected to the stainless steel mixing tank after being connected to an acid-resistant ball valve 4. On one side of the top agitator 3, there is a feed pipe with a feed ball valve 12 on the other side; the discharge pipe of the stainless steel mixing tank 6 is divided into two paths. One path connects to the top of the glycerin storage tank 10 after connecting the glycerin buffer bag 8 with the online density meter 18 and the pneumatic valve 9. The glycerin storage tank 10 is equipped with a glycerin storage tank magnetic flap level gauge 11. The other path connects to the discharge pipe of the glycerin storage tank 10 with the glycerin storage tank discharge ball valve 19 after connecting the circulation discharge ball valve 17. The combined pipe is connected to the inlet of the gear pump 22. A sampling pipe with a sampling ball valve 21 is provided in front of the pump. The outlet pipe of the gear pump 22 is divided into two paths. One path connects to the feed pipe at the top of the stainless steel mixing tank 6 after connecting the circulation feed ball valve 13. The other path is a glycerin recovery pipe with a recovery discharge ball valve 20.

[0005] The stainless steel feeding tank 1 has a capacity of 200L; the conical-bottomed, jacketed stainless steel mixing tank 6 has a capacity of 3m. 3 The specifications of glycerin storage tank 10 are 1m. 3 .

[0006] The glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device for biodiesel production of this utility model has the following technical features and beneficial effects:

[0007] 1. This device uses a dual mixing method of internal stirring and external circulation to fully disrupt the solubility balance of the oil phase in glycerol with a demulsifier, thereby achieving efficient separation of oil and glycerol from the glycerol residue.

[0008] 2. This device achieves automatic discharge of glycerol and separate recovery and reuse of the heavy and light phases after separation through a simple, efficient, and multi-purpose setup.

[0009] 3. This device enables the separation and recovery of glycerol and oil from glycerol residue, improving material utilization and product yield during biodiesel production and reducing the load on subsequent processing.

[0010] 4. The entire device has a simple and compact structure, low manufacturing and maintenance costs, and is highly efficient and reliable in use. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device in biodiesel production according to this utility model.

[0012] Attached reference numerals: 1. Stainless steel feeding tank; 2. Glass level gauge; 3. Agitator; 4. Acid-resistant ball valve; 5. Stainless steel mixing tank; 6. Steam trap; 7. Glycerin buffer pack; 8. Pneumatic valve; 9. Glycerin storage tank; 10. Glycerin storage tank magnetic flap level gauge; 11. Feed ball valve; 12. Circulating feed ball valve; 13. Dial thermometer; 14. Mixing tank magnetic flap level gauge; 15. Steam inlet valve; 16. Circulating discharge ball valve; 17. Online density meter; 18. Glycerin storage tank discharge ball valve; 19. Recovery discharge ball valve; 20. Sampling ball valve; 21. Gear pump; 22. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The following is a detailed description of the glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device for biodiesel production according to the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0014] Figure 1As shown, the glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device for biodiesel production of this utility model includes a 200L stainless steel feeding tank 1, a stirrer 3, a 3m³ stainless steel mixing tank 6, a glycerol buffer pack 8, a 1m³ glycerol storage tank 10, and a gear pump 22. The stainless steel mixing tank 6, as the main equipment for glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation, has a jacket. This tank is equipped with a dial thermometer 14 and a magnetic level gauge 15, allowing for steam heating of the material inside the tank and direct and effective control of the temperature and quantity of the material, ensuring the demulsification and sedimentation process proceeds at a suitable temperature. The process is carried out under the following conditions: A stirrer 3 is installed at the center of the top of the stainless steel mixing tank 6, which achieves thorough mixing of glycerol residue and demulsifier through mechanical stirring and material circulation, thus achieving efficient demulsification; an observation mirror 5 is provided on the top of the tank to observe the material status inside the tank in real time; a drain valve 7 is provided on the upper side of the tank; a steam inlet valve 16 is provided at the lower conical surface of the tank; the stainless steel feeding tank 1 is used to store and add demulsifier, and its tank is equipped with a glass level gauge 2 for easy calculation of the feeding amount. The bottom outlet pipe of the tank is connected to one side of the stirrer 3 at the top of the stainless steel mixing tank 6 after being connected to an acid-resistant ball valve 4. The acid ball valve 4 controls the amount and speed of demulsifier addition. The other side of the agitator 3 is equipped with a feed pipe with a feed ball valve 12. The stainless steel mixing tank 6 has a conical bottom discharge pipe with two branches. One branch connects to the top of the glycerin storage tank 10 after connecting to the glycerin buffer bag 8 with an online density meter 18 and a pneumatic valve 9. Through online density monitoring and the pneumatic valve, the settled glycerin can be automatically discharged into the glycerin storage tank 10. This glycerin storage tank 10 is equipped with a magnetic level gauge 11 for glycerin storage tanks, allowing for pan-feed recovery based on the storage volume. The other branch connects to the circulating discharge ball valve 17 and then to the glycerin buffer bag 8 with an online density meter 18. The discharge pipes of the glycerin storage tank 10 and the discharge ball valve 19 of the storage tank merge. The merged pipe is connected to the inlet of the gear pump 22. A sampling pipe with a sampling ball valve 21 is provided in front of the pump. The outlet pipe of the gear pump 22 is divided into two paths. One path connects to the feed pipe at the top of the stainless steel mixing tank 6 after connecting to the circulation feed ball valve 13. The other path is a glycerin recovery pipe with a recovery discharge ball valve 20. The gear pump 22 can be used as a circulation pump for circulating materials in the stainless steel mixing tank 6, or as a discharge pump for the glycerin storage tank 10 and the stainless steel mixing tank 6, through the switching combination of matching pipeline valves.

[0015] The specific operating procedure for the glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device in biodiesel production according to this invention is as follows:

[0016] 1. Before the demulsification and sedimentation of glycerin residue, confirm that all valves are closed, all electrical and gas-using equipment is powered off and gas is cut off, and the stainless steel mixing tank 6 and stainless steel feeding tank 1 are empty.

[0017] 2. Open the feed ball valve 12 and inject the predetermined amount of glycerol residue to be treated. After observing the predetermined liquid level in the tank through the magnetic flap level gauge 15, close the feed ball valve 12. Open the steam inlet valve 16 and the drain valve 7 to heat the glycerol residue in the tank. Turn on the agitator 3 to make the glycerol residue heat up evenly. Observe the temperature of the material in the tank at any time through the dial thermometer 14. When the predetermined temperature is reached, close the steam inlet valve 16 and the drain valve 7, and continue stirring.

[0018] 3. During the heating of the glycerol residue, add demulsifier to the stainless steel feeding tank 1 and determine the amount of demulsifier in the feeding tank by the glass level gauge 2. After the glycerol residue reaches the predetermined temperature, open the acid-resistant ball valve 4, control the opening and closing degree of the ball valve, and slowly add demulsifier into the tank at a predetermined speed. Then open the circulating discharge ball valve 17 and the circulating feed ball valve 13, start the gear pump 22 to circulate the material in the tank, and keep stirring at the same time. Observe the status of the material in the tank at any time through the observation window 5.

[0019] 4. Calculate the amount of demulsifier added by observing the glass level gauge 2. When the predetermined amount is reached, close the acid-resistant ball valve 4 and keep the tank agitated and the material circulating outside the tank. Take a sample from the sampling ball valve 21 for testing according to the operation requirements. When the test index meets the requirements, turn off the agitator 3, turn off the gear pump 22, and close the circulating discharge ball valve 17 and the circulating feed ball valve 13 to keep the material in the tank stationary.

[0020] 5. After the predetermined settling time, turn on the power to the online density meter 18, set the upper limit and hysteresis values ​​of the density meter appropriately, and open the pneumatic valve 9 to supply air. The settled glycerin is discharged into the glycerin storage tank 10 through the pneumatic valve 9. The liquid level in the glycerin storage tank can be observed at any time through the magnetic flap level gauge 11 of the glycerin storage tank.

[0021] 6. Open the discharge ball valve 19 of the glycerin storage tank, and take a sample from the sampling ball valve 21 for testing according to the operating requirements. If the test is qualified, open the recovery discharge ball valve 20 and start the gear pump 22 to recover and store the qualified glycerin. If the test is unqualified, open the circulation feed ball valve 13 and start the gear pump 22 to pump the material in the glycerin storage tank 10 back to the stainless steel mixing tank 6 for re-demulsification and sedimentation.

[0022] 7. After all the settled glycerol is discharged into the glycerol storage tank 10, the separated light phase material, due to its low density, cannot trigger the pneumatic valve 9 and is thus retained in the stainless steel mixing tank 6. After the glycerol recovery operation is completed, the discharge ball valve 19 of the glycerol storage tank is closed, the circulation discharge ball valve 17 is opened, the recovery discharge ball valve 20 is opened, and the external pipeline is switched to recover the light phase material in the tank to the designated container.

Claims

1. A demulsification and sedimentation device for glycerol residue in biodiesel production, characterized in that: It includes a stainless steel feeding tank (1), a stirrer (3), a stainless steel mixing tank (6), a glycerin buffer pack (8), a glycerin storage tank (10), and a gear pump (22); the stainless steel mixing tank (6) is the main equipment for demulsification and sedimentation of glycerin residue. Its tank body is equipped with a jacket. The stainless steel mixing tank (6) is equipped with a dial thermometer (14) and a magnetic level gauge (15). The stirrer (3) is installed at the center of the top of the tank. An observation mirror (5) is provided at the top of the tank body. A drain valve (7) is provided on the upper side of the tank body. A steam inlet valve (16) is provided at the lower conical surface of the tank body; the stainless steel feeding tank (1) is used to store and add demulsifier. Its tank body is equipped with a glass level gauge (2). The bottom outlet pipe of the tank is connected to the side of the stirrer (3) at the top of the stainless steel mixing tank (6) after connecting to the acid-resistant ball valve (4). The feed pipe is equipped with a feed ball valve (12) on one side; the discharge pipe of the stainless steel mixing tank (6) is divided into two paths. One path is connected to the top of the glycerin storage tank (10) after connecting the glycerin buffer bag (8) with the linear density meter (18) and the pneumatic valve (9). The glycerin storage tank (10) is equipped with a glycerin storage tank magnetic flap level gauge (11). The other path is connected to the discharge pipe of the glycerin storage tank (10) with the glycerin storage tank discharge ball valve (19) after connecting the circulation discharge ball valve (17). The pipe after the merger is connected to the inlet of the gear pump (22). A sampling pipe with a sampling ball valve (21) is provided in front of the pump. The outlet pipe of the gear pump (22) is divided into two paths. One path is connected to the feed pipe at the top of the stainless steel mixing tank (6) after connecting the circulation feed ball valve (13). The other path is a glycerin recovery pipe with a recovery discharge ball valve (20).

2. The glycerol residue demulsification and sedimentation device for biodiesel production as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The stainless steel feeding tank (1) has a capacity of 200L; the conical bottom jacketed stainless steel mixing tank (6) has a capacity of 3m. 3 The glycerin storage tank (10) has a specification of 1m. 3 .

Images