A refining tank for processing plant blend oil

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of refining tanks for plant blending oil processing, including tank body and multistage stirring structure installed on tank body. The multistage stirring structure is independently driven by first drive motor and second drive motor, including the central driving shaft and its on stirrer directly driven by first drive motor, helical blade, and by second drive motor through gear pair driving, the perturbation blade that can revolve around central axis. The design can be flexibly combined stirring mode according to the process requirement of different refining stages, realize the accurate control from gentle mixing to strong suspension. In addition, tank body inner wall and all the component surface contacted with material are provided with non-stick coating, fundamentally solve the material adhesion coking problem, avoid the abrasion pollution and cleaning dead angle brought by traditional mechanical wall-scraping mechanism, improve product quality, safety and equipment cleaning convenience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of vegetable blended oil production equipment, specifically a refining tank for processing vegetable blended oil. Background Technology

[0002] Edible vegetable blended oil is a finished oil product made from various crude vegetable oils through refining processes such as degumming, deacidification, decolorization, and deodorization. The refining process aims to remove gums, free fatty acids, pigments, odors, and other harmful substances from the oil, while preserving nutrients to the maximum extent possible. In the entire refining process, the refining tank is the core equipment; the uniformity of mixing of materials inside and its heat transfer efficiency directly determine the refining effect and the quality of the finished oil.

[0003] The refining process typically involves multiple stages, each with distinct requirements for the intensity and method of stirring: 1. Degumming and Deacidification Stage: Water or alkali solution needs to be injected into the oil. This stage requires medium-speed, gentle but uniform stirring to achieve sufficient contact between the oil phase and the water / alkali phase, forming easily separable soap particles or gum particles. If the stirring is too vigorous, it will lead to severe emulsification, forming a stable emulsion, making subsequent centrifugal separation extremely difficult, significantly increasing losses and costs.

[0004] 2. Decolorization Stage: An adsorbent (such as bleaching clay) needs to be added to the oil. During this stage, strong and uniform stirring is required to suspend the denser bleaching clay particles, preventing them from settling at the bottom of the tank and ensuring full contact between the bleaching clay and every part of the oil to achieve the best adsorption and decolorization effect. At the same time, stirring should not generate excessive local shear to avoid damaging the structure of the bleaching clay.

[0005] 3. Deodorization stage: This stage requires introducing a large amount of direct steam into the oil under high temperature and high vacuum. The core stirring force in this stage comes from the bubbling and stripping effect of the steam. The role of mechanical stirring is to help break the foam, maintain the uniformity of temperature and composition inside the tank, and prevent local overheating.

[0006] Currently, the agitation system design of many refining tanks on the market is rather crude. A common problem is that the use of a single agitation mode (such as a fixed speed and impeller type) cannot adapt to the specific process requirements of each refining stage, resulting in poor mixing effects or emulsification problems caused by improper agitation.

[0007] Furthermore, to address the adhesion and coking of materials on the high-temperature tank walls, existing technologies employ mechanical scrapers (e.g., disclosed in publication number CN112899075B). These solutions use complex transmission mechanisms such as gears, gear rings, and levers to drive the scraper to rotate close to the inner wall. However, this design has significant drawbacks: 1. Food safety risks: The complex transmission mechanism is completely immersed in high-temperature grease. Its moving parts (such as gear meshing and lever fulcrum) will inevitably generate wear particles during long-term operation. These metallic or non-metallic impurities will directly contaminate the product, posing a serious food safety hazard.

[0008] 2. Poor reliability and difficult maintenance: The long mechanical transmission chain has a high failure rate, and damage to any link can cause the entire system to fail.

[0009] 3. Numerous cleaning dead spots: The large number of moving parts and fixed supports inside the tank create dead spots that are difficult to clean thoroughly, making it easy for microorganisms to grow and causing cross-contamination between batches.

[0010] Therefore, we propose a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils. Utility Model Content

[0011] (a) Technical problems to be solved To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils. By setting up an independently controllable multi-stage stirring structure and combining it with a non-stick coating on all contact surfaces inside the tank, it achieves efficient and adaptable stirring at each stage of the refining process. At the same time, it fundamentally solves the risks of material sticking to the wall and contamination, improves product quality and safety, and can effectively solve the problems in the background technology.

[0012] (II) Technical Solution To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils, comprising a tank body, on which a multi-stage stirring structure is installed. The multi-stage stirring structure includes a protective cover, a first drive motor, a second drive motor, a sleeve, a connecting arm, a mounting shaft, baffle blades, a drive shaft, a stirrer, spiral blades, a first gear, a rotating shaft, and a second gear. The protective cover is fixed to the upper outer surface of the tank body. The upper ends of the sleeve and the drive shaft both extend into the protective cover, and the lower ends of the sleeve and the drive shaft both extend into the interior of the tank body. The connecting arm, mounting shaft, baffle blades, agitator, and spiral blades are all located inside the tank. The first gear, rotating shaft, and second gear are all located inside the protective cover. The first drive motor is fixed to the left end of the upper outer surface of the protective cover, and the second drive motor is fixed to the right end of the upper outer surface of the protective cover. The inner wall of the tank and the surfaces of all components in the multi-stage stirring structure that come into contact with the material are provided with a non-stick coating. The components that come into contact with the material include at least the sleeve, connecting arm, mounting shaft, baffle blades, drive shaft, agitator, and spiral blades.

[0013] Preferably, the non-stick coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating, a ceramic coating, or a Teflon-modified coating.

[0014] Preferably, the upper part of the drive shaft passes through the sleeve, and a sealed bearing is provided between the drive shaft and the sleeve. The outer wall of the upper part of the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the sleeve through the sealed bearing. A sealed bearing is provided between the drive shaft and the protective cover, and the outer wall of the upper part of the drive shaft is rotatably connected to the protective cover through the sealed bearing. A sealed bearing is provided between the sleeve and the tank body, and the sleeve is rotatably connected to the tank body through the sealed bearing.

[0015] Preferably, a coupling is provided between the rotating shaft and the second drive motor, and the upper end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the output shaft of the second drive motor through the coupling. Sealed bearings are provided between the rotating shaft and the protective cover and the tank, and the rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the protective cover and the tank through the sealed bearings. A coupling is provided between the drive shaft and the first drive motor, and the upper outer surface of the drive shaft is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the output shaft of the first drive motor through the coupling.

[0016] Preferably, the first gear is fixed to the outer wall of the upper part of the sleeve, the second gear is fixed to the outer wall of the middle part of the rotating shaft, the second gear is located on one side of the outer surface of the first gear, and the second gear meshes with the first gear.

[0017] Preferably, the agitator is located in the middle of the inner cavity of the tank and is fixed to the outer wall of the drive shaft. There are four sets of spiral blades, which are fixed at equal intervals along the axial direction to the lower part of the drive shaft. There are two sets of mounting shafts and connecting arms, which are fixed to the lower part of the outer surfaces on both sides of the sleeve. The upper outer surface of the mounting shaft is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the connecting arm away from the sleeve. The turbulence blades are fixed to the outer wall of the mounting shaft.

[0018] (III) Beneficial Effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils, which has the following beneficial effects: 1. This refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils features a multi-stage stirring structure independently controlled by a first drive motor and a second drive motor. This allows for flexible adjustment of the stirring method and intensity according to the process requirements of different refining stages. In the degumming and deacidification stages, only low-speed turbulence blades can be activated for gentle stirring, avoiding vigorous mixing that could lead to emulsification. In the decolorization stage, the central stirrer and spiral blades can be activated simultaneously to achieve strong axial and radial circulation, ensuring uniform suspension of the adsorbent and preventing sedimentation. In the deodorization stage, the spiral blades primarily assist in steam distribution, promoting the removal of volatile substances. This multi-stage, independently controllable stirring method improves the mixing efficiency and product quality at each refining stage.

[0019] 2. This refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils eliminates the traditional complex built-in mechanical scraping mechanism. By applying a non-stick coating (such as a polytetrafluoroethylene coating, ceramic coating, or Teflon-modified coating) to the inner wall of the tank and the surface of all parts in contact with materials, the problem of material adhesion and coking is fundamentally solved. This not only avoids contamination of oils caused by wear of transmission parts and ensures food safety, but also simplifies the internal structure of the tank, reduces cleaning dead corners, facilitates thorough cleaning, and effectively prevents cross-contamination between batches. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to this utility model.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-stage stirring structure in a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to this utility model.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial structural diagram of the multi-stage stirring structure in a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to this utility model.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a top cross-sectional view of the tank body of a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to this utility model.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Tank body; 2. Multi-stage stirring structure; 3. Protective cover; 4. First drive motor; 5. Second drive motor; 6. Sleeve; 7. Connecting arm; 8. Mounting shaft; 9. Turbulence blades; 10. Drive shaft; 11. Stirrer; 12. Spiral blades; 13. First gear; 14. Rotating shaft; 15. Second gear; 16. Non-stick coating. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0026] like Figure 1-4 As shown, this utility model discloses a refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils, mainly comprising a tank body 1 and a multi-stage stirring structure 2 installed on the tank body 1. The tank body 1 is the main container for the refining process. Its inner wall and all surfaces of the components in the multi-stage stirring structure 2 that come into contact with the material are provided with a non-stick coating 16. The components in contact with the material include at least a sleeve 6, a connecting arm 7, a mounting shaft 8, a baffle blade 9, a drive shaft 10, a stirrer 11, and a spiral blade 12. The non-stick coating 16 is preferably a polytetrafluoroethylene coating, a ceramic coating, or a Teflon-modified coating. Its function is to effectively prevent material from adhering to the tank wall and component surfaces at high temperatures, avoiding coking, ensuring food safety, and simplifying the cleaning process.

[0027] The protective cover 3 of the multi-stage stirring structure 2 is fixed to the upper outer surface of the tank 1 to encapsulate and protect the internal transmission components. The first drive motor 4 and the second drive motor 5 are respectively fixed to the left and right ends of the upper outer surface of the protective cover 3, serving as two independent power sources.

[0028] Both the upper ends of the sleeve 6 and the drive shaft 10 extend into the protective cover 3, and their lower ends extend into the interior of the tank body 1. The upper part of the drive shaft 10 passes through the sleeve 6, and the drive shaft 10 and the sleeve 6 are rotatably connected by a sealed bearing, allowing them to rotate independently. The upper end of the drive shaft 10 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the first drive motor 4 via a coupling. Therefore, when the first drive motor 4 is started, it can directly drive the drive shaft 10 and its components to rotate.

[0029] The sleeve 6 is rotatably connected to the tank 1 via a sealed bearing. Inside the protective cover 3, a first gear 13 is fixed to the upper outer wall of the sleeve 6. The upper end of the rotating shaft 14 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the second drive motor 5 via a coupling, and the rotating shaft 14 is rotatably connected to the protective cover 3 and the tank 1 via a sealed bearing. A second gear 15 is fixed to the outer wall of the middle part of the rotating shaft 14, and the second gear 15 is located on one side of the first gear 13 and meshes with the first gear 13. Therefore, when the second drive motor 5 is started, the rotating shaft 14 can drive the second gear 15 to rotate, thereby driving the meshed first gear 13 and the sleeve 6 to rotate.

[0030] Inside the tank 1, the agitator 11 is fixed to the middle outer wall of the drive shaft 10, located in the middle of the inner cavity of the tank 1, and is mainly used to provide radial mixing shear. There are four sets of spiral blades 12, which are fixed at equal intervals along the axial direction to the lower part of the drive shaft 10, and are mainly used to generate strong axial flow, push the material at the bottom of the tank upward, and prevent sedimentation.

[0031] There are two sets of connecting arms 7 and two sets of mounting shafts 8. The two sets of connecting arms 7 are fixed to the lower part of the outer surface on both sides of the sleeve 6. The upper end of the mounting shaft 8 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the connecting arm 7 away from the sleeve 6. The baffle blades 9 are fixed to the outer wall of the mounting shaft 8. When the sleeve 6 is driven to rotate by the second drive motor 5, it will drive the mounting shaft 8 and the baffle blades 9 to revolve around the sleeve 6 through the connecting arms 7, so as to gently agitate the material near the inner wall of the tank 1.

[0032] The working principle and process of this utility model are as follows: The multi-stage stirring structure 2 has two power sources (first drive motor 4 and second drive motor 5) that can be independently controlled, thereby enabling a combination of various stirring modes to meet the process requirements of different refining stages: During the degumming and deacidification stages: This stage requires gentle but uniform stirring to avoid the formation of a stable emulsion. Only the second drive motor 5 needs to be activated, which, through gear transmission, rotates the sleeve 6, causing the turbulence vanes 9 at the end of the connecting arm 7 to slowly revolve around the center of the tank. This low-speed, wide-range gentle stirring effectively promotes uniform mixing of the aqueous / alkali phase and the oil phase, while avoiding the risk of emulsification caused by the violent shearing of the central high-speed agitator 11.

[0033] During the decolorization stage: This stage requires vigorous stirring to suspend the high-density adsorbent (such as bleaching clay). The first drive motor 4 and the second drive motor 5 can be activated simultaneously. The first drive motor 4 drives the central drive shaft 10, which in turn drives the stirrer 11 for efficient radial mixing. Simultaneously, it drives the lower spiral blades 12 to rotate at high speed, generating a powerful axial pumping action. This lifts the adsorbent from the bottom of the tank and transports it to the upper part of the tank, forming a strong three-dimensional circulation that ensures the adsorbent remains in a uniform suspension state and is in full contact with the oil. At the same time, the revolution of the turbulence-disrupting blades 9 further disrupts the flow boundary layer near the tank wall, eliminating dead zones in the mixing process. The synergy of these two movements achieves uniform mixing throughout the entire system.

[0034] During the deodorization stage: Direct steam is introduced into the tank 1 from the outside. The first drive motor 4 is activated to rotate the spiral blades 12. The axial flow generated by the spiral blades 12 helps to evenly distribute and rise the steam bubbles, enhancing the stripping effect, while also promoting uniform temperature and composition within the tank and preventing localized overheating. At this time, the turbulence-inducing blades 9 can operate at low speed or stop as needed to help maintain the stability of the overall flow field.

[0035] The non-stick coating 16 on the inner wall of tank 1 and all surfaces of components in contact with liquid in the multi-stage stirring structure 2 fundamentally solves the problems of material adhesion and coking (especially in the high-temperature deodorization stage). Compared with traditional mechanical wall scraping mechanisms, this solution reduces the risk of contamination, has a simpler structure, cleans more thoroughly, and effectively ensures the safety and consistency of the product.

[0036] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as first and second (number one, number two), etc., 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.

[0037] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model.

Claims

1. A refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils, comprising a tank body (1), characterized in that: The tank (1) is equipped with a multi-stage stirring structure (2), which includes a protective cover (3), a first drive motor (4), a second drive motor (5), a sleeve (6), a connecting arm (7), a mounting shaft (8), a baffle blade (9), a drive shaft (10), a stirrer (11), a spiral blade (12), a first gear (13), a rotating shaft (14), and a second gear (15). The protective cover (3) is fixed to the upper outer surface of the tank (1). The upper ends of the sleeve (6) and the drive shaft (10) extend into the protective cover (3), and the lower ends of the sleeve (6) and the drive shaft (10) extend into the interior of the tank (1). The connecting arm (7), the mounting shaft (8), the baffle blade (9), the drive shaft (10), the stirrer (11), the spiral blade (12), the first gear (13), the rotating shaft (14), and the second gear (15) are all connected to the tank. 9) The agitator (11) and the spiral blade (12) are both located inside the tank (1). The first gear (13), the rotating shaft (14) and the second gear (15) are both located inside the protective cover (3). The first drive motor (4) is fixed to the left end of the upper outer surface of the protective cover (3), and the second drive motor (5) is fixed to the right end of the upper outer surface of the protective cover (3). The inner wall of the tank (1) and the surfaces of all parts in contact with the material in the multi-stage stirring structure (2) are provided with a non-stick coating (16). The parts in contact with the material include at least the sleeve (6), the connecting arm (7), the mounting shaft (8), the turbulence blade (9), the drive shaft (10), the agitator (11) and the spiral blade (12).

2. The refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to claim 1, characterized in that: The non-stick coating (16) is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating, a ceramic coating, or a Teflon-modified coating.

3. A refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper part of the drive shaft (10) passes through the sleeve (6). A sealed bearing is provided between the drive shaft (10) and the sleeve (6). The outer wall of the upper part of the drive shaft (10) is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the sleeve (6) through the sealed bearing. A sealed bearing is provided between the drive shaft (10) and the protective cover (3). The outer wall of the upper part of the drive shaft (10) is rotatably connected to the protective cover (3) through the sealed bearing. A sealed bearing is provided between the sleeve (6) and the tank (1). The sleeve (6) is rotatably connected to the tank (1) through the sealed bearing.

4. A refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to claim 3, characterized in that: A coupling is provided between the rotating shaft (14) and the second drive motor (5). The upper end of the rotating shaft (14) is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the output shaft of the second drive motor (5) through the coupling. Sealed bearings are provided between the rotating shaft (14) and the protective cover (3) and the tank (1). The rotating shaft (14) is rotatably connected to the protective cover (3) and the tank (1) through the sealed bearings. A coupling is provided between the drive shaft (10) and the first drive motor (4). The upper outer surface of the drive shaft (10) is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the output shaft of the first drive motor (4) through the coupling.

5. A refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first gear (13) is fixed on the outer wall of the upper part of the sleeve (6), and the second gear (15) is fixed on the outer wall of the middle part of the rotating shaft (14). The second gear (15) is located on one side of the outer surface of the first gear (13), and the second gear (15) meshes with the first gear (13).

6. A refining tank for processing blended vegetable oils according to claim 5, characterized in that: The stirrer (11) is located in the middle of the inner cavity of the tank (1) and the stirrer (11) is fixed on the outer wall of the drive shaft (10). There are four sets of spiral blades (12). The four sets of spiral blades (12) are fixed at equal intervals along the axial direction to the lower part of the drive shaft (10). There are two sets of mounting shaft (8) and connecting arms (7). The two sets of connecting arms (7) are fixed on the lower part of the outer surface of both sides of the sleeve (6). The upper outer surface of the mounting shaft (8) is fixedly connected to the lower outer surface of the connecting arm (7) away from the sleeve (6). The turbulence blades (9) are fixed on the outer wall of the mounting shaft (8).

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