A surface cleaning device for tobacco flavour microcapsules

Abstract

The application discloses a cigarette flavor microcapsule surface cleaning device, which comprises a main chamber, at least three material placing chambers are divided in the main chamber, diffusers are arranged at the bottom of the material placing chambers, the air inlet ends of the diffusers are connected with the air outlet ends of bubble generators arranged at the lower side of the material placing chambers, flow guide pipes are arranged at the middle positions of the main chamber, liquid injection pipes are distributed around the flow guide pipes, the liquid injection pipes are connected with flange pieces on the material placing chambers, the multiple-chamber independent cleaning supports multiple batches of synchronous cleaning, significantly improves single processing capacity, the chambers are independent of each other, cross contamination is avoided, the purity of different batches of microcapsules is ensured, the diffusers at the bottom are connected with the bubble generators, the cleaning liquid is circulated by small bubbles, the microcapsules are turned over, the cleaning coverage is improved, the hydrophobic microporous membrane material improves the quality of bubbles, liquid leakage is prevented, and the cleaning process is stable and controllable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of microcapsule cleaning technology, specifically a device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, microencapsulation technology has received widespread attention and application in the tobacco flavoring field. This technology encapsulates the active ingredients of flavorings and fragrances within a specific wall material, forming a microcapsule structure with responsive release capabilities. This allows for precise aroma delivery triggered by specific environmental conditions (such as temperature, pressure, and pH). However, in actual production, microcapsule products often require surface cleaning after preparation to remove residual encapsulation solvents, reaction byproducts, or unreacted raw materials, thereby improving their purity, stability, and safety. This process is crucial to the integrity of the microcapsules and their subsequent functionality. Uneven cleaning or improper operation can lead to microcapsule rupture, loss of active ingredients, and even affect their temperature response characteristics and sustained-release performance. Existing cleaning devices generally suffer from low cleaning efficiency, severe material adhesion, uneven liquid distribution, and low automation, making it difficult to meet the cleaning requirements of high-precision microcapsule products. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this application is to overcome the existing defects and provide a surface cleaning device for tobacco flavoring microcapsules, which can effectively solve the problems in the background art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: a surface cleaning device for tobacco flavoring microcapsules, comprising a main chamber, wherein the main chamber is divided into at least three material placement chambers, a diffuser is provided at the bottom of each material placement chamber, the air inlet of the multiple diffusers is connected to the air outlet of a bubble generator located on the lower side of the material placement chamber, a guide pipe is provided in the middle of the main chamber, and liquid injection pipes are distributed around the guide pipe, the liquid injection pipes are connected to flanges on the material placement chambers, and an upper seal is sleeved on the outside of the guide pipe, the discharge end of the conical guide seat of the upper seal corresponds to the inlet of the material placement chamber.

[0005] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the bottom of the material placement chamber is provided with a drain device, and the drain device is provided with a switch valve.

[0006] As a preferred technical solution of this application, an upper support plate is provided around the lower end of the upper seal, and the upper support plate is correspondingly provided with the main compartment.

[0007] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the upper sealing element includes a cover and a conical guide seat. The cover is circular and is coaxially arranged with the conical guide seat. A through hole is provided in the center of the cover, which corresponds to the flow guide tube. The guide plates evenly distributed on the conical guide seat constitute a material flow channel.

[0008] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the main compartment is provided with an outer covering layer, and the middle part between the outer covering layer and the main compartment is a cavity structure, which is used to fill coolant.

[0009] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the main compartment is located on an external support base, and a bubble generator is provided on the mounting platform at the lower end of the support base.

[0010] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the inner wall of the material placement chamber is provided with an anti-stick coating, which is a polytetrafluoroethylene or titanium dioxide composite material layer, used to prevent microcapsules from adhering to the chamber wall and causing residue during the cleaning process.

[0011] As a preferred technical solution of this application, the outer side of the diffuser is covered with a layer of hydrophobic microporous membrane material.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The multi-compartment independent cleaning in this application supports simultaneous cleaning of multiple batches, significantly improving the single-processing capacity. Each compartment is independent of the others, avoiding cross-contamination and ensuring the purity of microcapsules from different batches. The bottom diffuser is connected to a bubble generator, which drives the cleaning fluid circulation through fine bubbles, causing the microcapsules to tumble and improving the cleaning coverage. The hydrophobic microporous membrane material improves the quality of the bubbles, prevents liquid leakage, and ensures that the cleaning process is stable and controllable. The upper seal combined with the conical guide seat realizes directional feeding and conveying. The rubber or silicone sealing ring prevents liquid splashing and impurities from entering. The outer outer cover has a cavity structure in the middle, which can be filled with coolant to maintain a constant temperature environment. It is suitable for cleaning heat-sensitive or temperature-sensitive microcapsule materials, ensuring that their structure and release performance are not affected. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this application;

[0014] Figure 2 This is the main view of this application;

[0015] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view of AA;

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a tapered guide seat structure.

[0017] In the diagram: 1 Main compartment, 2 Material placement compartment, 3 Diffuser, 4 Bubble generator, 5 Guide pipe, 6 Injection pipe, 7 Support base, 8 Upper support plate, 9 Cover, 10 Conical guide base, 11 Outer covering layer. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application (for ease of description and understanding, hereinafter referred to as...), Figure 2 (The above is described above). All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0019] Please see Figure 1-4 This application provides a technical solution: a surface cleaning device for tobacco flavoring microcapsules, including a main chamber 1, the main chamber 1 is divided into at least three material placement chambers 2, the bottom of the material placement chamber 2 is provided with a diffuser 3, and the air inlet end of the plurality of diffusers 3 is connected to the air outlet end of a bubble generator 4 provided on the lower side of the material placement chamber 2.

[0020] The main chamber 1 is the supporting structure of the entire cleaning equipment, used to accommodate multiple material placement chambers 2 and other auxiliary components. The internal space is rationally divided into at least three independent material placement chambers 2 to achieve simultaneous cleaning of multiple batches. The material placement chambers 2 are used to hold the microcapsule materials to be cleaned. Each chamber works independently to prevent cross-contamination. There are no fewer than three chambers to improve the efficiency of single processing. The design of multiple chambers can avoid the adhesion of multiple microcapsules. The bottom of the chamber is equipped with a diffuser 3 interface, and the top is equipped with a feed port and a liquid injection port to facilitate the addition of materials and the introduction of cleaning liquid.

[0021] The diffuser 3 evenly distributes the gas supplied by the bubble generator 4 to the bottom of the material placement chamber 2, forming fine bubbles that drive the cleaning liquid circulation and cause the microcapsules to agitate; the gas is distributed to the bottom of the material placement chamber 2 to ensure uniform cleaning; the surface is coated with a hydrophobic microporous membrane material to improve the quality of the bubbles and prevent liquid leakage; and it is connected to the bubble generator 4 through a pipe to achieve centralized gas supply control.

[0022] The bubble generator 4 generates a controllable airflow to provide power to each diffuser 3. It is located below the material placement bin 2, saving space and facilitating maintenance. The output air pressure can be adjusted to control the bubble size and frequency. It supports timed start and stop control to achieve automated operation.

[0023] A guide pipe 5 is provided in the middle of the main compartment 1, and liquid injection pipes 6 are distributed around the guide pipe 5. The liquid injection pipes 6 are connected to the flange on the material placement compartment 2.

[0024] The guide pipe 5 is the main channel for conveying the cleaning fluid, which is introduced from the top and evenly distributed to each material placement chamber 2 through the branch injection pipe 6. It is set on the central axis of the main chamber 1 to ensure symmetrical liquid distribution. The upper end is connected to the external cleaning fluid supply system, and the lower end can be equipped with a valve or flow regulating device.

[0025] The pipe body is made of corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel or engineering plastics to ensure long-term stability. The injection pipe 6 is the connecting pipe between the guide pipe 5 and the material placement chamber 2, responsible for accurately delivering the cleaning fluid to each material placement chamber 2. It is radially distributed around the guide pipe 5, with the number corresponding to the material placement chamber 2. It is equipped with a flow control valve to adjust the amount of cleaning fluid input to each chamber. The flange is the connection interface between the injection pipe 6 and the material placement chamber 2, enabling quick loading and unloading and sealing connection. It adopts a standard flange form, which is convenient for replacing injection pipes 6 of different specifications. The sealing ring ensures no leakage at the connection, which is suitable for high-pressure or circulating cleaning scenarios.

[0026] The outer side of the guide pipe 5 is fitted with an upper sealing member, and the discharge end of the tapered guide seat 10 of the upper sealing member corresponds to the inlet of the material placement bin 2.

[0027] The top seal is used to seal the top opening of the guide tube 5 and the surrounding area to prevent liquid splashing, steam escape or external impurities from entering during the cleaning process.

[0028] Specifically, the cover 9 has a circular structure with a through hole in the center to accommodate the flow guide tube 5. The conical guide seat 10 is connected below the cover 9 and has a conical design. It has evenly distributed guide plates inside to form a material flow channel.

[0029] The cap 9 uses a rubber gasket or silicone sealing ring to ensure good overall sealing performance. The conical guide seat 10 guides the microcapsule material to flow downwards, and the discharge end is precisely aligned with the inlet of the material placement chamber 2 to achieve directional conveying.

[0030] Furthermore, a drain device is provided at the bottom of the material placement chamber 2, and a switch valve is provided on the drain device.

[0031] The drain device is the main channel for discharging waste liquid after cleaning. It guides the cleaning liquid from the material placement chamber 2 to the recovery system. It is installed at the bottom center or lowest point of the material placement chamber 2 to ensure that the liquid can be completely discharged. The switch valve controls the opening and closing of the drain device to achieve precise control of the cleaning liquid discharge process.

[0032] Furthermore, an upper support plate 8 is provided around the lower end of the upper seal, and the upper support plate 8 is provided in correspondence with the main compartment 1.

[0033] The upper support plate 8 is a material holding structure between the upper seal and the outer cover layer 11. It is provided with a square groove. The material enters the material guide channel formed by the guide plates between the conical guide seats 10 through the square groove. The outer diameter of the upper support plate 8 is consistent with the inner diameter of the outer cover layer 11 to prevent it from falling into the gap.

[0034] Furthermore, the upper sealing element includes a sealing cap 9 and a conical guide seat 10. The sealing cap 9 is circular and is coaxially arranged with the conical guide seat 10. A through hole is provided in the center of the sealing cap 9, which corresponds to the flow guide tube 5. The guide plates evenly distributed on the conical guide seat 10 constitute a material flow channel.

[0035] Furthermore, the main compartment 1 is provided with an outer covering layer 11, and the middle part between the outer covering layer 11 and the main compartment 1 is a cavity structure, which is used to fill coolant.

[0036] The outer cladding layer 11 wraps around the outside of the main compartment 1, serving to isolate external heat transfer and maintain stable temperature inside the compartment. It adopts a multi-layer composite structure, with the outer layer being high-strength engineering plastic and the middle being a cavity. The cavity is used to fill coolant to achieve active cooling. The outer wall can be equipped with insulation materials (such as polyurethane foam, vacuum insulation panels, etc.) to enhance thermal insulation performance.

[0037] Furthermore, the main compartment 1 is located on an external support 7, and a bubble generator 4 is installed on the mounting platform at the lower end of the support 7.

[0038] Furthermore, the inner wall of the material placement chamber 2 is provided with an anti-stick coating, which is a polytetrafluoroethylene or titanium dioxide composite material layer, used to prevent microcapsules from adhering to the chamber wall and causing residue during the cleaning process.

[0039] An anti-stick coating is applied to the inner wall surface of the material placement chamber 2 to reduce the adhesion between the microcapsule material and the chamber wall and prevent material retention. The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating has extremely low surface energy and excellent hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, low coefficient of friction, strong sliding properties, and is suitable for various cleaning fluid environments. It has high chemical stability, is resistant to acids and alkalis, and is resistant to high temperatures. It is evenly coated on the inner wall of the material placement chamber 2, covering all contact areas.

[0040] Furthermore, the diffuser 3 is covered with a layer of hydrophobic microporous membrane material on its outer side.

[0041] In use: Place the main chamber 1 on the external support 7. The bubble generator 4 is installed at the lower end of the support 7 and connected to each diffuser 3 through pipes. The guide pipe 5 is located at the center of the main chamber 1, and the injection pipes 6 are distributed around it and sealed to the flange on the material placement chamber 2. The upper seal is fitted onto the outside of the guide pipe 5. The discharge end of the conical guide seat 10 is aligned with the inlet of the material placement chamber 2. The upper support plate 8 is inserted into the groove on the outside of the main chamber 1 for precise positioning. The cavity in the middle of the outer cover layer 11 can be filled with coolant such as an ice-water mixture or a phase change material to control the chamber temperature. Open the upper seal and add the microcapsule material to be cleaned from the top opening of the guide pipe 5. The microcapsules slide down through the guide plate on the conical guide seat 10 and enter the corresponding material placement chamber 2 through the discharge end. Close the upper seal to ensure a good seal and prevent cleaning. During the process, if liquid splashes or vapor escapes, start the cleaning fluid delivery pump to flow the cleaning fluid into the surrounding injection pipes 6 through the guide pipe 5. The injection pipes 6 then guide the cleaning fluid into each material placement chamber 2 through the flange. The cleaning fluid level should cover the microcapsule material and leave space for bubble agitation. Start the bubble generator 4, and the gas is delivered to each diffuser 3 through the pipeline. The diffuser 3 releases fine bubbles, which drive the cleaning fluid to form an up-and-down circulation and local vortex. The microcapsules tumble continuously under the agitation of the bubbles, and the dirt is carried away by the cleaning fluid. The hydrophobic microporous membrane material improves the quality of the bubbles, enhances the cleaning power, and prevents liquid leakage. The anti-stick coating reduces microcapsule adhesion, improving cleaning efficiency and recovery rate. Turn off the bubble generator 4 according to the set time requirements, open the bottom drain valve, and the waste liquid is discharged to the recovery system through the drain. After the drain is completed, open the top seal and remove the microcapsules.

[0042] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning device for tobacco flavoring microcapsules, comprising a main chamber (1), characterized in that: The main chamber (1) is divided into at least three material placement chambers (2). A diffuser (3) is provided at the bottom of the material placement chamber (2). The air inlet of multiple diffusers (3) is connected to the air outlet of a bubble generator (4) located on the lower side of the material placement chamber (2). A guide pipe (5) is provided in the middle of the main chamber (1). Liquid injection pipes (6) are distributed around the guide pipe (5). The liquid injection pipes (6) are connected to the flange on the material placement chamber (2). An upper seal is sleeved on the outside of the guide pipe (5). The discharge end of the conical guide seat (10) of the upper seal corresponds to the feed inlet of the material placement chamber (2).

2. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the material storage bin (2) is provided with a drain device, and the drain device is provided with a switch valve.

3. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the upper seal is provided with an upper support plate (8), which is correspondingly provided with the main compartment (1).

4. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper sealing element includes a cover (9) and a conical guide seat (10). The cover (9) is circular and is coaxially arranged with the conical guide seat (10). A through hole is provided in the center of the cover and is correspondingly arranged with the guide pipe (5). The guide plates evenly distributed on the conical guide seat (10) constitute the material flow channel.

5. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main compartment (1) is provided with an outer cover (11) on the outside. The middle part between the outer cover (11) and the main compartment (1) is a cavity structure, which is used to fill coolant.

6. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main compartment (1) is located on an external support base (7), and a bubble generator (4) is installed on the lower end of the support base (7).

7. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the material placement chamber (2) is provided with an anti-stick coating, which is a polytetrafluoroethylene or titanium dioxide composite material layer, used to prevent microcapsules from adhering to the chamber wall and causing residue during the cleaning process.

8. The device for cleaning the surface of tobacco flavoring microcapsules according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diffuser (3) is covered with a layer of hydrophobic microporous membrane material on its outer side.

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