A tubular membrane device for camellia oil production

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of camellia oil production tubular membrane equipment, belong to fluid control engineering technical field.It solves the problem of single pressure relief path, higher risk of blockage, slow pressure relief speed.A kind of camellia oil production tubular membrane equipment, including series first stage, second stage tubular membrane, connecting pipe is connected between the two, first stage tubular membrane other end connects circulating pump;Connecting pipe and input pipe are externally connected with return pipe, and the camellia oil output by first stage tubular membrane is guided back to first stage tubular membrane;Three-way valve is equipped at the communicating place of return pipe and connecting pipe, and the flow direction of camellia oil is controlled to return pipe or second stage tubular membrane;Flowmeter is installed in the connecting pipe between three-way valve and first stage tubular membrane, to detect flow rate control three-way valve on-off;Three-way valve and flowmeter are connected with pressure relief pipe, and Tesla valve is equipped on pipe.Guarantee pressure relief channel optimization, prevent impurity blockage, can realize the advantage that higher the pressure is, the greater the fluid volume of shunt is, the faster the pressure relief speed is.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fluid control engineering technology, specifically to a tubular membrane device for camellia oil production. Background Technology

[0002] Camellia oil, a unique woody oil native to my country, has long relied on chemical refining processes (degumming, deacidification, decolorization, deodorization, etc.) for its processing. This has resulted in significant nutrient loss (e.g., over 30% loss of active substances like vitamin E and squalene), high energy consumption (refining energy accounts for over 40% of total processing costs), and environmental pollution (2-3 tons of wastewater are generated per ton of refining). While tubular ceramic membranes have been used for filtering camellia seed oil extract, achieving a degumming rate of 62% and a 7.4% reduction in acid value, the issue of safe pressure relief under high pressure remains unresolved.

[0003] The core of tubular membrane filtration for camellia oil is to use pressure to force oil molecules through the membrane pores, while impurities (such as colloids, solid particles, and free fatty acids) are retained, thus achieving purification and clarification. Because camellia oil is a high-viscosity fluid with viscous resistance, traditional pressure relief methods (such as spring-loaded safety valves and electric valves) often have a single-path pressure relief channel (e.g., the annular gap between the valve core and seat, or the single-hole channel of a solenoid valve), posing a high risk of impurity blockage. Furthermore, the "slow speed" of traditional pressure relief methods is not simply due to long physical time, but rather a "delayed effective pressure relief" caused by a mismatch between the response mechanism and the characteristics of camellia oil. Utility Model Content

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a tubular membrane device for camellia oil production. It features an optimized pressure relief channel to prevent impurity blockage, allowing for greater fluid diversion and faster pressure relief at higher pressures. This solves the problem of traditional pressure relief methods (such as spring-loaded safety valves and electric valves) having single-path pressure relief channels (e.g., the annular gap between the valve core and valve seat, or the single-hole channel of a solenoid valve), which carries a high risk of impurity blockage. Furthermore, the "slow speed" of traditional pressure relief methods is not simply due to long physical time, but rather a "delayed effective pressure relief" caused by a mismatch between the response mechanism and the characteristics of camellia oil.

[0005] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above-mentioned optimization of the pressure relief channel, prevent impurities from clogging the channel, and realize the goal of increasing the pressure, the volume of fluid diverted, and the speed of pressure relief, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a tubular membrane device for camellia oil production, comprising two interconnected primary and secondary tubular membranes, with a connecting pipe between the primary and secondary tubular membranes. The other end of the primary tubular membrane is connected to a circulation pump via an input pipe. A return pipe is externally connected to the connecting pipe and the input pipe. The return pipe is used to re-input the camellia oil output from the primary tubular membrane into the primary tubular membrane. A three-way valve is provided at the connection between the return pipe and the connecting pipe. The three-way valve is used to control the flow of camellia oil from the primary tubular membrane to the return pipe or the secondary tubular membrane. A flow meter is also installed on the connecting pipe between the three-way valve and the primary tubular membrane. The flow meter is used to detect the flow rate of camellia oil flowing out of the primary tubular membrane and to control the on / off state of the three-way valve by the flow rate of camellia oil. A pressure relief pipe is also connected between the three-way valve and the flow meter. A Tesla valve is installed on the pressure relief pipe, and a pressure relief valve is installed on the pressure relief pipe near the connecting pipe.

[0006] Preferably, a first one-way valve is provided on the return pipe.

[0007] Preferably, a second check valve is provided on the connecting pipe between the three-way valve and the two-stage tubular diaphragm.

[0008] Preferably, the primary tubular membrane and the secondary tubular membrane are also provided with liquid outlet pipes.

[0009] Preferably, the primary tubular membrane is a microfiltration membrane or a large-pore ultrafiltration membrane; the secondary tubular membrane is a small-pore ultrafiltration membrane or a nanofiltration membrane.

[0010] Preferably, the flow meter is signal-connected to a controller, and the controller controls the on / off state of the three-way valve based on the flow rate signal detected by the flow meter.

[0011] Preferably, the Tesla valve is installed in a direction that allows fluid to flow from the pressure relief pipe to the outside and prevents external fluid from flowing back into the pressure relief pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the other end of the pressure relief pipe is connected to the inlet end of the circulation pump.

[0013] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, this utility model provides a tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production, which has the following beneficial effects: This camellia oil production tubular membrane equipment utilizes the coordinated operation of its various components. Camellia oil requiring filtration is pumped into the primary tubular membrane via a circulation pump. As the filtered oil passes through the connecting pipe, a flow meter measures its flow rate. If the flow rate is too slow, it indicates that the camellia oil is too viscous, meaning the primary tubular membrane has not completely filtered it. In this case, the flow meter controls a three-way valve to connect the return pipe and disconnect the connection to the secondary tubular membrane, allowing the camellia oil to return to the primary tubular membrane for further filtration. Similarly, if the flow rate is normal, the primary and secondary tubular membranes are connected, and the return pipe is disconnected, allowing the camellia oil to smoothly enter the secondary tubular membrane for further filtration.

[0014] If blockages occur in the three-way valve, connecting pipe, or return pipe during the filtration process, the continuous pumping by the circulation pump increases the internal pressure of the pipeline. When the internal pressure becomes too high, the pressure relief valve opens, and camellia oil is rapidly discharged from the Tesla valve. The Tesla valve's labyrinthine flow channel with no moving parts and large-diameter pressure relief pipe eliminates the risk of blockage associated with traditional valve cores / gap structures, utilizing the fluid's self-flushing effect to discharge the camellia oil. Furthermore, the high-pressure fluid triggers low-resistance positive flow within the Tesla valve, and the pressure relief flow rate increases exponentially with increasing pressure. Combined with the dynamic adjustment of the pressure relief valve opening, this creates a positive feedback loop of "higher pressure → faster pressure relief." This optimizes the pressure relief channel, prevents impurities from clogging, and achieves the effect of higher pressure resulting in a larger diversion volume and faster pressure relief. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to the present invention.

[0016] In the diagram: 1. Primary tubular membrane; 2. Secondary tubular membrane; 3. Return pipe; 4. Tesla valve; 5. Discharge pipe; 6. Three-way valve; 7. Flow meter; 8. Pressure relief valve; 9. First check valve; 10. Second check valve; 11. Pressure relief pipe; 12. Circulation pump; 13. Connecting pipe; 14. Input pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0018] Please see Figure 1 A tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production is proposed. This solution is used in the camellia oil refining process (degumming, deacidification, etc.). It solves the problems of blockage and pressure shock of high-viscosity oils by combining two-stage series membrane filtration with an intelligent pressure relief mechanism.

[0019] Two interconnected tubular membranes, a primary tubular membrane 1 and a secondary tubular membrane 2, are connected by a connecting pipe 13. The other end of the primary tubular membrane 1 is connected to a circulation pump 12 via an input pipe 14. The primary tubular membrane 1 serves as the primary filtration unit, using a ceramic membrane for coarse filtration of camellia oil, removing large particulate impurities such as colloids and residues, thus reducing the risk of secondary membrane fouling. Its outlet is connected in series with the secondary tubular membrane 2 via the connecting pipe 13. The latter uses a PVDF ultrafiltration membrane for fine filtration, removing small molecules such as free fatty acids and pigments, thus improving the purity of the oil. The filtration drive for the camellia oil is provided by the circulation pump 12, which delivers the oil at a certain pressure (the pressure setting is determined based on specific filtration requirements, the type of tubular membrane, and the diameter of the pipe) to the inlet of the primary membrane via the input pipe 14.

[0020] A return pipe 3 is externally connected to the connecting pipe 13 and the input pipe 14. The return pipe 3 is used to re-input the camellia oil output from the first-stage tubular membrane 1 into the first-stage tubular membrane 1. The return pipe 3 is used to construct the circulation filtration path for camellia oil. Its core function is to guide camellia oil that does not meet the expected filtration effect output from the first-stage tubular membrane 1 (such as due to incomplete filtration leaving a lot of impurities or excessive viscosity, which does not meet the processing standards for entering the second-stage tubular membrane 2) back from the connecting pipe 13 between the first-stage tubular membrane 1 and the second-stage tubular membrane 2 to the input pipe 14 between the circulation pump 12 and the first-stage tubular membrane 1 through the external return pipe 3. This allows the camellia oil to re-enter the first-stage tubular membrane 1 for secondary filtration, thereby improving the overall filtration efficiency and ensuring that the camellia oil entering the second-stage tubular membrane 2 meets the subsequent processing requirements. Ultimately, this improves the purification accuracy and product quality of the multi-stage tubular membrane system for camellia oil.

[0021] A flow meter 7 is also installed on the connecting pipe 13 between the three-way valve 6 and the primary tubular membrane 1. The flow meter 7 is used to detect the flow rate of camellia oil flowing out of the primary tubular membrane 1 and controls the on / off state of the three-way valve 6 based on the flow rate of the camellia oil. The three-way valve 6 is located at the connection between the return pipe 3 and the connecting pipe 13. The three-way valve 6 is used to control the flow of camellia oil from the primary tubular membrane 1 to the return pipe 3 or the secondary tubular membrane 2. When the flow rate at the primary membrane outlet drops abnormally, the flow meter 7 integrated on the connecting pipe 13 triggers the control logic, switching the flow direction through the three-way valve 6: at normal flow rate, the secondary tubular membrane 2 is opened; at low speed, it switches to the return pipe 3, allowing the substandard camellia oil to return to the primary tubular membrane 1 for re-filtration through the return pipe 3. In this section, the determination of the camellia oil flow rate needs to be based on specific conditions, including the type of camellia oil being filtered, the required filtration precision, the diameter of the pipe, etc. Based on the specific filtration requirements, the critical flow rate is calculated, and then effective flow control is implemented.

[0022] A pressure relief pipe 11 is also connected between the three-way valve 6 and the flow meter 7. A Tesla valve 4 is installed on the pressure relief pipe 11, and a pressure relief valve 8 is also installed on the pressure relief pipe 11 near the connecting pipe 13. The pressure relief pipe 11 serves as a pressure release channel to discharge high-pressure camellia oil, preventing excessive pressure in the pipe from causing damage to the system (such as the tubular diaphragm, connecting pipe 13, valves, etc.) due to overpressure, thus ensuring the safe operation of the equipment.

[0023] The pressure relief valve 8 is installed on the pressure relief pipe 11 near the connecting pipe 13 and acts as a pressure control "switch". Its core function is to monitor the real-time pressure in the connecting pipe 13. When the pressure exceeds the preset safety threshold (e.g., due to excessively high viscosity of camellia oil, sudden changes in flow rate causing a sudden pressure rise, or blockage inside the pipe), it automatically opens, allowing high-pressure camellia oil to enter the pressure relief pipe 11. When the pressure drops to a safe range, it automatically closes, preventing unnecessary loss of camellia oil under normal filtration conditions and ensuring stable operation of the system within a safe pressure range. The setting of the safety threshold needs to be comprehensively determined by considering the maximum pressure withstand capability of components such as the primary tubular membrane 1, the secondary tubular membrane 2, the connecting pipe 13, the three-way valve 6, and the flow meter 7 (e.g., the burst pressure of the pipe material, the pressure resistance parameters of the membrane module).

[0024] Tesla valve 4 is a one-way flow restriction structure on pressure relief pipe 11. Utilizing its special fluid dynamics design, it does not require moving parts and achieves one-way flow only through bends and guide structures. It allows high-pressure camellia oil in pressure relief pipe 11 to flow unidirectionally to the outside of the system or to low-pressure areas, while preventing external fluids (such as air or impurities) from entering the connecting pipe 13 in the reverse direction, contaminating the camellia oil or interfering with the system pressure balance.

[0025] A first check valve 9 is installed on the return pipe 3. The first check valve 9 is used to restrict the fluid to flow only in one direction from the connecting pipe 13 to the input pipe 14, that is, only the camellia oil output from the first-stage tubular membrane 1 is allowed to flow back to the first-stage tubular membrane 1 through the return pipe 3, preventing reverse flow. This prevents the high-pressure camellia oil in the input pipe 14 from flowing back into the return pipe 3 driven by the circulation pump 12. Without the first check valve 9, the high-pressure fluid delivered by the circulation pump 12 may backflow into the connecting pipe 13 through the return pipe 3, interfering with the pressure balance at the outlet of the first-stage tubular membrane 1, and even causing the flow meter 7 to detect data inaccurately (such as a conflict between the actual flow direction and the detection direction).

[0026] A second check valve 10 is installed on the connecting pipe 13 between the three-way valve 6 and the secondary tubular membrane 2. The second check valve 10 is used to restrict the fluid to flow only in one direction from the three-way valve 6 to the secondary tubular membrane 2 (that is, only camellia oil flowing to the secondary tubular membrane 2 via the three-way valve 6 is allowed to enter the subsequent filtration stage, preventing reverse flow). This prevents the fluid in the secondary tubular membrane 2 from flowing back to the three-way valve 6 or the primary tubular membrane 1. As a subsequent filtration unit, the internal pressure of the secondary tubular membrane 2 may fluctuate due to changes in filtration resistance such as impurity accumulation. If the fluid flows back, it will interfere with the outlet pressure of the primary tubular membrane 1 and the detection accuracy of the flow meter 7, and may even cause the filtered camellia oil to mix with the unfiltered oil, reducing the filtration efficiency.

[0027] Both the primary tubular membrane 1 and the secondary tubular membrane 2 are equipped with outlet pipes 5. The clear liquid generated during the filtration process is collected through the outlet pipes 5.

[0028] The primary tubular membrane 1 is a microfiltration membrane or a large-pore ultrafiltration membrane; the secondary tubular membrane 2 is a small-pore ultrafiltration membrane or a nanofiltration membrane. The primary tubular membrane 1 (microfiltration or large-pore ultrafiltration membrane) has a larger pore size (typically 0.1-10 μm for microfiltration and 0.01-0.1 μm for large-pore ultrafiltration) and belongs to the "coarse filtration" or "pretreatment" level membrane module. The secondary tubular membrane 2 (small-pore ultrafiltration or nanofiltration membrane) has an even smaller pore size (typically 0.001-0.01 μm for small-pore ultrafiltration and 0.0001-0.001 μm for nanofiltration) and belongs to the "fine filtration" level membrane module. By connecting them in series, the primary tubular membrane 1 and the secondary tubular membrane 2 complement each other through the gradient difference in pore size. The primary membrane is responsible for pretreatment and reducing system load, while the secondary membrane is responsible for deep purification, combined with functions such as reflux circulation (improving coarse filtration efficiency) and pressure relief protection (adapting to the pressure sensitivity of fine filtration). This patent only shows an embodiment of two tubular membranes connected in series. This embodiment is the smallest unit, and higher and better filtration effects can be achieved by connecting multiple tubular membranes with different filtration precisions in series.

[0029] The other end of the pressure relief pipe 11 is connected to the inlet end of the circulating pump 12. The outlet end of the pressure relief pipe 11 is connected to the inlet end of the circulating pump 12, instead of being directly discharged to the outside of the system. This allows the high-pressure fluid to be directed to the low-pressure area. The inlet of the circulating pump 12 is usually the low-pressure point of the system. The pressure difference is used to accelerate the pressure relief process and improve the pressure relief efficiency.

[0030] Working principle: Camellia oil requiring filtration is pumped into the primary tubular membrane 1 via circulating pump 12. After filtration, the camellia oil flows through connecting pipe 13, and the flow rate is measured by flow meter 7. If the flow rate is too slow, it indicates that the camellia oil is too viscous, meaning the primary tubular membrane 1 has not filtered completely. In this case, flow meter 7 controls three-way valve 6 to connect the return pipe 3 and disconnect it from the secondary tubular membrane 2, allowing the camellia oil to return to the primary tubular membrane 1 for filtration. Similarly, if the flow rate is normal, the primary tubular membrane 1 and the secondary tubular membrane 2 are connected, and the return pipe 3 is disconnected, allowing the camellia oil to smoothly enter the secondary tubular membrane 2 for further filtration.

[0031] If blockage occurs at the three-way valve 6, connecting pipe 13, or return pipe 3 during the filtration process, the continuous pumping by the circulation pump 12 increases the internal pressure of the pipe. When the internal pressure becomes too high, the pressure relief valve 8 opens, and camellia oil is rapidly discharged from the Tesla valve 4. The labyrinthine flow channel of the Tesla valve 4, with its non-moving parts and large-diameter pressure relief pipe 11, eliminates the risk of blockage associated with traditional valve cores / gap structures, utilizing the fluid self-flushing effect to discharge the camellia oil. Furthermore, the high-pressure fluid triggers low-resistance positive flow in the Tesla valve 4, and the pressure relief flow rate increases exponentially with increasing pressure. Combined with the dynamic adjustment of the opening of the pressure relief valve 8, a positive feedback loop of "higher pressure → faster pressure relief" is formed. This optimizes the pressure relief channel, prevents impurities from clogging, and achieves the effect of higher pressure resulting in a larger diversion volume and faster pressure relief.

[0032] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0033] 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. A tubular membrane device for camellia oil production, comprising two interconnected primary tubular membranes (1) and secondary tubular membranes (2), characterized in that: A connecting pipe (13) connects the primary tubular membrane (1) and the secondary tubular membrane (2), and the other end of the primary tubular membrane (1) is connected to a circulation pump (12) through an input pipe (14). A return pipe (3) is connected to the connecting pipe (13) and the input pipe (14). The return pipe (3) is used to re-input the camellia oil output from the primary tubular membrane (1) into the primary tubular membrane (1). A three-way valve (6) is provided at the connection between the return pipe (3) and the connecting pipe (13). The three-way valve (6) is used to control the flow of camellia oil from the primary tubular membrane (1) to the return pipe (3) or the secondary tubular membrane (2). A flow meter (7) is also provided on the connecting pipe (13) between the three-way valve (6) and the first-stage tubular membrane (1). The flow meter (7) is used to detect the flow rate of camellia oil flowing out of the first-stage tubular membrane (1) and to control the on / off state of the three-way valve (6) by the flow rate of camellia oil. A pressure relief pipe (11) is also connected between the three-way valve (6) and the flow meter (7). A Tesla valve (4) is installed on the pressure relief pipe (11), and a pressure relief valve (8) is installed on the pressure relief pipe (11) near the connecting pipe (13).

2. The tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The return pipe (3) is equipped with a first check valve (9).

3. The tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 1, characterized in that: A second check valve (10) is provided on the connecting pipe (13) between the three-way valve (6) and the two-stage diaphragm (2).

4. A tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The primary tubular membrane (1) and the secondary tubular membrane (2) are also provided with liquid outlet pipes (5).

5. A tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The primary tubular membrane (1) is a microfiltration membrane or a large-pore ultrafiltration membrane; the secondary tubular membrane (2) is a small-pore ultrafiltration membrane or a nanofiltration membrane.

6. The tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flow meter (7) is connected to a controller, which controls the on / off state of the three-way valve (6) based on the flow rate signal detected by the flow meter (7).

7. A tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 6, characterized in that: The Tesla valve (4) is configured to allow fluid to flow from the pressure relief pipe (11) to the outside and to prevent external fluid from flowing back into the pressure relief pipe (11).

8. A tubular membrane equipment for camellia oil production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The other end of the pressure relief pipe (11) is connected to the inlet end of the circulating pump (12).

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