SEPARATOR

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a separator according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] WO 2014 / 000829 A1 discloses a separator for separating a flowable product into different phases. The separator comprises a rotatable drum with a lower drum section and an upper drum section, and a clarification means arranged in the drum. One, several, or all of the following elements are made of plastic or a plastic composite material: the lower drum section, the upper drum section, and the clarification means. This makes it possible to design part of the drum, or preferably even the entire drum—preferably including the inlet and outlet systems or areas—for single use, which is particularly advantageous for processing pharmaceutical products such as fermentation broths or the like.This is interesting and advantageous because, after processing a corresponding product batch, the parts of the drum that come into contact with the product do not need to be cleaned after the batch is processed, but the entire drum can be replaced. This separator is therefore particularly advantageous from a hygienic point of view. To achieve a physical separation between this disposable drum and the drive, a contactless coupling between the drive and the drum is advantageous.

[0003] From WO2015 / 1100501 A1 and WO 2013 / 116800 A, a device for separating blood into two phases of different density is known, comprising a magnetic drive device and a container which is set into a rotational movement about its own axis by the drive device, wherein the container has at least one open end and at least one inlet therein, and wherein the container is magnetically suspended.

[0004] The problem is the unsatisfactorily designed bearing of the open, cup-shaped rotor, which is therefore prone to relatively strong precessional movements and is therefore limited in terms of the speed and thus also in terms of the separation performance with which the device can be operated.

[0005] The invention aims to solve this problem.

[0006] The invention solves this problem through the subject matter of claim 1. It provides a separator for separating a flowable suspension in a centrifugal field into at least two flowable phases of different densities, comprising: a housing which is stationary during operation and designed in the manner of a container, having at least two or more openings, wherein these openings comprise an inlet opening for an incoming suspension and at least one outlet or more outlets for one or more flowable phases, possibly of different densities, to which annular spaces of the housing are preferably assigned, as well as a rotatable drum arranged within the housing with a vertical axis of rotation, which has a number of openings corresponding to the housing and corresponding to the openings of the housing, a multi-part bearing and drive device, comprising at least one control device and an electric motor,consisting of a stator, a stator magnet arrangement, and a rotor magnet arrangement, with which the drum is held suspended within the housing, mounted radially and axially, and set in rotation, wherein the stator magnet arrangement is arranged outside the housing and the rotor magnet arrangement is formed on the drum within the housing, so that an air gap LS is formed between the housing and the drum during operation, wherein axial centering and mounting of the drum is realized exclusively by regulating the position of the rotor magnet arrangement by the control device by controlling the electric motor, characterized in that one or more sealing rings are arranged between the drum and the housing, which additionally radially mount the drum in the area in which they are arranged during operation, and a distributor and a separating means, in particular a plate pack, are arranged in the drum.

[0007] The axial and, essentially, radial centering of the drum is achieved with the aid of the control device, which regulates the rotational movement during operation in such a way that a largely defined axial and vertical alignment of the rotor magnet arrangement, and thus of the rotor and the associated drum, is ensured during operation. The sealing ring(s) are provided to additionally guide the drum radially in the area in which they are arranged, providing support during operation.

[0008] This means that the drum with the bearing and drive device can not only be supported in a radial direction, but can also be suspended and centered in an axial direction. Due to the intended one-way concept of the drum and the housing, the axial bearing properties of the rotor magnet are sufficient to ensure sufficient axial support of the drum for the current application until the intended amount of suspension has been processed. To achieve a higher speed and thus a higher separation efficiency of the separator, it is also advantageous for one or more mechanical seals to guide the drum radially at its upper end during operation. This provides further radial guidance of the drum in a simple design.

[0009] The term "casing" should not be interpreted too narrowly. It encompasses both completely inherently rigid containers and containers that are not inherently rigid, either in whole or in part.

[0010] It is advisable to have the sealing ring(s) distributed adjacent to the annular spaces between the drum and the housing to ensure leak-free sealing. It is also advantageous if the outlets and / or the annular spaces between the drum and the housing are sealed with one or more seals, particularly against each other. This reliably separates the flows of suspension, light phase, and possibly heavier phase into and out of the separator.

[0011] The sealing ring(s) can be designed as a mechanical seal. This allows for cost-effective and simple sealing using commercially available machine components.

[0012] It can be provided that the inlet is designed as an inlet pipe which extends vertically from above towards the centre of the housing and that the two outlets are aligned radially.

[0013] It is further preferred that a first liquid drain is formed on the drum in the upper axial section of the drum.

[0014] It can be provided that a second liquid outlet is formed on the drum in the upper axial region adjacent to the first liquid outlet.

[0015] Optionally, it can be provided that at least one of the liquid outlets is assigned a device for adjusting the separation zone within the drum.

[0016] Then, for one-way operation and / or leak-free processing, it can be provided that the housing has only the two or three openings and is otherwise hermetically sealed.

[0017] It may also be advantageous if the seal(s) are designed as a mechanical seal or egg-ring seal. This allows for cost-effective and simple sealing using commercially available machine components.

[0018] In order to achieve particularly high speeds and for particularly stable operation, it may further be advantageous for the first liquid outlet to be formed on the drum in the upper axial region - preferably at the upper axial end - and the second liquid outlet to be formed in the upper axial region of the drum.

[0019] It can further be advantageously provided that the housing has only the two or three openings and is otherwise hermetically sealed. This facilitates the creation of a separator that has the disposable components "drum" and "housing," while at least parts of the bearing and drive device are reusable.

[0020] According to a further development, which, however, can also be understood as an independent invention based on the preamble of claim 1, it is provided that the housing is designed as a container that is not inherently rigid, either entirely or in sections, but is deformable, preferably flexible. In these non-inherently rigid sections, the housing can still be stable enough to stand on its own, but it is not as inherently rigid as a solid plastic container, for example a dimensionally stable plastic tank, but can be easily deformed by hand or by touch without great expenditure of force. In particular, it is not designed to be so inherently rigid that it is possible to ensure a sufficient air gap without stabilizing the shape with an aid.

[0021] This allows the housing to be manufactured particularly easily from a relatively small amount of plastic material, and also from a relatively inexpensive plastic material, and to be disposed of particularly easily. In other words, the container, as a whole or at least in sections, is designed like a flexible bag.

[0022] In this case, it can be provided that the container has one or more inherently rigid sections in certain sections and one or more flexible sections in certain sections. In particular, it can be provided that the container has one or more inherently rigid sections in certain sections and one or more flexible sections in certain sections, which may connect the inherently rigid sections.

[0023] It can further be advantageously provided that the container has one of the inherently rigid sections at each of its two axial ends. One of these sections can be provided in the area of ​​the inlets and outlets, and one in the area of ​​the rotor magnet arrangement, where an inherently rigid design is particularly advantageous for ensuring a particularly defined distance between the housing and the drum.

[0024] According to a further development, it can advantageously be provided that the non-inherently rigid section(s) or the overall non-inherently rigid container are brought into a state during operation by means of an aid in which it is ensured that the overall non-inherently rigid container or the non-inherently rigid section(s) do not directly touch the drum during operation.

[0025] For this purpose, it can be provided, for example, that the aid is designed as a frame with which or on which the container is held clamped.

[0026] It can also be further provided that the frame is designed as a frame arranged outside the housing, on which the container is held in a clamped state. This allows the container to be clamped particularly easily to the frame inside, and the frame can be used for multiple purposes.

[0027] The housing may be made of a plastic or a plastic composite material. It may also be made of a plastic or a plastic composite material, preferably with the exception of one or more drive components (e.g., the rotor magnet arrangement). This is particularly advantageous for the use of a separator according to one or more of the related claims for a single operation for processing a limited amount of suspension and, if necessary, for disposal after this processing.

[0028] Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

[0029] The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which further advantageous variants and refinements are also discussed. It should be emphasized that the exemplary embodiment discussed below is not intended to be a complete description of the invention, but that variants and equivalents not shown are also feasible and fall within the scope of the claims. They show: Fig. 1: a schematic representation of a separator according to the invention; and Fig. 2: the separator with a surrounding receiving container in a) in a not yet clamped state and in b) in a clamped state.

[0030] The separator 1 of the Fig. 1 has a housing 10 that is stationary during operation. This housing is preferably made entirely or at least partially of a plastic or a plastic composite material.

[0031] After Fig.1The housing is designed as an essentially inherently rigid, stable container which, without any additional aids, is so stable that it remains at a defined distance from a rotor rotating within it during operation.

[0032] After Fig. 2 In contrast, the housing 10 is designed as a container that is only partially inherently rigid and dimensionally stable, and otherwise as a non-inherently rigid and flexibly deformable container. This container therefore behaves overall, or at least partially, like a deformable bag. This will be explained further below with reference to Fig. 2described in more detail. The term "housing" thus includes, on the one hand, containers that are so stable or inherently rigid that they remain spaced apart from the drum during operation, as well as, on the other hand, containers that are not inherently rigid in whole or in part, which can then optionally be maintained in an inherently rigid state by means of an aid such as a support structure 150 - e.g., designed as a scaffold. Fig. 2a and b the scaffold is an external scaffold outside the container, which can be clamped in it with clamping devices 151 such as tensioning belts, rubber rings or the like ( Fig. 2a ) and (in Fig. 2b ) is also kept clamped during operation.

[0033] The housing 10 here has a lower section 101 and an upper section 102. The lower section 101 can be configured as a cylindrical section. This, in turn, can be divided into one or more cylindrical regions 101a, 101b of different diameters.

[0034] Thus, the lower section 101 can have a first lower region 101a—here cup-shaped—with a first diameter, which has a closed bottom at the lower end. This first section 101a essentially serves to accommodate drive components of a rotor drive on a drum. A second section 101b, preferably of a larger diameter, can adjoin the first section 101a vertically upwards.

[0035] The upper section 102 thus adjoins the lower section 101 axially upwards. This section can be tapered at least in a lower region 102a. A housing head 102b can adjoin this conical section 102a upwards. This head can, in turn, be cylindrical and internally stepped.

[0036] This shape is preferred, but not mandatory. In particular, the lower section 102 can also be conical or partially conical and cylindrical.

[0037] After Fig. 2a and 2b In particular, the lower cup-like region 101a and the housing head 102b can be designed to be inherently rigid and, for example, be formed as injection-molded plastic elements. The region between these elements 101a and 102b can consist of a flexible plastic hose section 101b, 102a ( Fig. 2a ). This can be clamped ( Fig. 2b ). It can be attached to an external scaffold 150, using tensioning devices 151 such as traction devices and hooks or in another way, so that by this clamping ( Fig. 2b ) forms a housing 10 which is sufficiently stable during operation, so that it does not touch a rotating rotor, which will be explained later, which it surrounds.

[0038] The housing 10 is designed as a container, which is advantageously hermetically sealed except for openings, here at least two or three (to be discussed later). These openings are an inlet opening 103 and one or two liquid outlets 104, 105. If only a single outlet opening is provided, a solid phase can also be collected internally in a drum during batch operation and disposed of with the entire separator after a specified amount of suspension to be processed has been completely processed (not shown here).

[0039] The inlet opening 103 is penetrated by an inlet pipe 106 that extends vertically from above toward the center of the housing 10. The two fluid outlets 104, 105 shown here can extend essentially radially.

[0040] The first fluid outlet 104 and, in this case, the further second fluid outlet 105 are formed in the housing head 102b of the upper section 102 of the housing 10. Preferably, they are formed directly at the upper end of the housing 10.

[0041] One or more annular spaces 107, 108 of the housing are arranged upstream of the one or two or more outlets 104, 105. The outlet(s) 104, 105 enable one or more flowable phases to drain from the annular space(s) 107, 108 during operation of the rotating drum 20. The significance and beneficial effect of the one annular space or the two or more annular spaces 107, 108 will be explained in more detail below.

[0042] The fluid outlet(s) 104, 105 of the housing are designed here as nozzles leading radially out of the housing 10, to which lines, in particular hoses or the like (not shown here), can be connected. Preferably, one inlet and several outlet lines, in particular outlet pipes or hoses, are connected to the inlets and outlets. These, in turn, can have a certain inherent rigidity, so that they further stabilize the arrangement, in particular the housing, and hold it in place spatially within a limited space.

[0043] Within the housing 10, a rotatable rotor of a drive device is arranged on and with a rotatable drum 20 with an imaginary "ideal" axis of rotation D, which is a vertical axis of rotation. The actual axis of rotation deviates from the vertical due to precession movements.

[0044] The drum 20 and its components are made entirely or at least predominantly (ideally with the exception of magnets to be explained later) preferably also of a plastic or a plastic composite material. The drum 20 can also have a lower cylindrical and / or conical section 201 and an upper conical section 202, as well as a type of drum head consisting of cylindrical elements that can be aligned with the Fig.1 and 2 vertically upward extending approaches.

[0045] The inlet pipe 106 of the housing 10, like the housing 10, can remain stationary during operation. It extends vertically from the top through the inlet opening of the housing 10 into the drum 20 and into a distributor pipe 203 of the distributor 204 of the drum 20, which is concentric with the inlet pipe. The distributor forms part of the rotating system (rotor or drum).

[0046] Upstream of the fluid outlet(s) 104, 105 are one or more annular spaces 107, 108 of the housing. These outlets allow fluid to drain from the annular spaces 107, 108 while the rotating drum 20 is operating.

[0047] To seal the fluid outlet(s) 104, 105 and / or the annular spaces 107, 108, in particular to seal them from one another, one or more seals 109—here three—are provided between the drum 10 and the housing 20. These seals are designed as sealing rings.

[0048] In the example of Fig. 1 Three radially acting sealing rings 109a, 109b and 109c seal an axially upper outer region radially outside of the drum 20 against an axially upper and radially inner region of the housing 10 in an air gap between the drum 20 and the housing 10.

[0049] The sealing rings 109 are preferably designed as mechanical seals. Alternatively, other sealing rings, such as Elring seals, can also be used.

[0050] Due to the intended one-way concept of the drum 20 and the housing 10, the plain bearing properties of the mechanical seals 109 are sufficient to ensure adequate radial support of the drum 20 in the intended one-time operation.

[0051] The plain bearing properties of the mechanical seals 109 guide the drum 20 radially at its upper end - also called drum head - during operation.

[0052] Compensating and pendulum movements of the drum 20 due to the precession of the drum 20 can be compensated for by a rotor magnet 332, which will be explained later, in conjunction with a suitable control system in a manner sufficient for one-time operation.

[0053] First, the further structure of the rotor will be explained in more detail.

[0054] The distributor pipe 203 of the distributor 204 opens downward into radial distribution channels 205, which lead into a separation chamber or centrifuge chamber 206. A clarifying agent such as a plate stack 207 can be arranged in this separation chamber 206. The distributor 204 can have a distributor base 205a, which in turn has a lower cylindrical extension 205b that projects axially downward from the drum 20, in particular from its cylindrical section 201.

[0055] In the separation chamber 206, a suspension S to be processed, which is fed into the drum 20 through the inlet pipe 106, is separated by centrifugal force into at least two flowable phases LP and HP of different densities during the driven rotation of the drum 20. The lower-density phase LP flows radially inward in the separation chamber 206 and is directed upward via a first discharge channel 208 into the radial discharge line 209, through which it is radially expelled from the rotating drum into the first annular chamber 107. The LP phase exits the drum 20 at a radius ri. From there, it flows—circling due to its momentum in the annular chamber—through the upper liquid outlet 104 out of the housing 10.

[0056] The phase HP of greater density flows radially outwards in the separation chamber 206 and is directed upwards via a second discharge channel 210 into the radial discharge line 211, through which it is radially expelled from the rotating drum into the second annular chamber 108. The phase HP leaves the drum 20 at a radius ra. From there, it flows - circulating in the annular chamber 108 due to its momentum - through the lower liquid outlet 105 out of the housing 10. It can also be provided that this phase or another or another phase - e.g. a waste phase to be disposed of - collects outside the drum 20 during operation if it consists of solids, so that the solid phase is not discharged. The drum 20 then has only a single discharge line.

[0057] The ratio of ra to ri allows the radius of the separation zone between the two phases within the disk stack to be adjusted, thus regulating the flow rates of the individual phases. The radius of the separation zone can also be changed by throttling the fluid outlets 104 and / or 105.

[0058] In the vertical area below the annular spaces, the housing 10 and the drum 20 are separated by an air gap LS. This is advantageous because it allows a relatively high rotational speed of the drum 20 to be achieved. In this area, the air gap LS does not fill with one of the phases HP, LP to be diverted.

[0059] The drum 20 is suspended and rotated within the housing 10 by a single electromagnetic bearing and drive device 30. The single electromagnetic bearing and drive device 30 comprises a single bearing and drive unit.

[0060] The electromagnetic bearing and drive device 30 comprises an electric motor 330. This comprises a type of base with a stator 331 with a stator magnet arrangement 333 outside the housing 10. The housing 10 can be placed on the base during operation. A control unit can also be provided outside the housing 10. These drive components are thus advantageously reusable and not intended for single-use batch operation.

[0061] A rotor with a rotor magnet assembly 332, however, can be formed inside the housing 10 on the drum 20 and be intended for single-use operation only. This rotor magnet assembly 332 can be disposed of after operation or, alternatively, reused after appropriate disposal of the remainder of the housing 10 and drum 20.

[0062] The rotor magnet assembly 332 is then arranged on the drum 20 within the housing 10. This can be formed on the drum 20 in a lower region that extends into the lower cup-like portion of the housing, but which the drum 20 does not touch during operation.

[0063] As a result of suitable control of the drive by a control unit, the entire rotor is set in rotation, whereby due to the magnetic effect between stator and rotor it is not only rotated but enters a state of suspension, which is maintained during operation.

[0064] The axial and radial centering of the drum 20 is carried out by the control device, which regulates the rotational movement during operation and ensures that a largely defined axial or vertical arrangement of the rotor magnet arrangement and thus of the rotor, which rotates within the stator magnet arrangement, is ensured during operation.

[0065] The axial centering of the rotor magnet 332 and thus of the drum 20 is thus realized entirely or essentially solely by the control and regulation of the stator magnet 333 by the control unit. This regulation can be supported by one or more sensors on the non-rotating and / or rotating system.

[0066] In this way, the drum 20 can be supported not only in a radial direction, but also suspended and centered in an axial direction. Due to the intended one-way design of the drum 20 and the housing 10, sufficient radial and axial support of the drum 20 is ensured for the present application.

[0067] The drive device 30 can be operated electromagnetically. However, a drive via rotating permanent magnets is also possible.

[0068] Suitable bearing and drive devices 30 are used and offered by Levitronix, for example, for driving centrifugal pumps (EP2273124B1). The control system can be easily programmed by a specialist, possibly accompanied by experiments, to ensure the radial and axial bearing of a separator.

[0069] During operation, the drum 20 rotates. It is suspended axially and centered radially. Preferably, the drum 20 rotates at a speed between 1,000 and 20,000 revolutions per minute. The forces generated by the rotation lead to the separation of the suspension to be processed into different phases, as described above, and, if necessary, to their discharge, as described in detail above.

[0070] With the described embodiment, it is again possible to create a separator and housing that, with the exception of the drive system and parts of the bearings, can be designed for single use. This is particularly interesting and advantageous with regard to the processing of pharmaceutical products such as fermentation broths or the like, since after operation for processing a corresponding product batch in operation, which is preferably continuous during the processing of the product batch, no cleaning of the drum 20 is required, but the drum 20 and housing 10 can be replaced entirely. If necessary, individual elements such as magnets can be suitably recycled.

[0071] For certain applications, it may be necessary for all components that come into contact with the product to be completely sterile or sterilized. This requires sterilization of these components, for example, with beta rays. The materials may need to be suitable for such irradiation.

[0072] The contact surfaces of the seals can be made of steel sleeves, according to one variant. To be able to sterilize these, they must be made of autoclaved steel. Reference symbol

[0073] separator 1 Housing 10 lower cylindrical section 101 upper conical section 102 Inlet opening 103 Fluid drains 104, 105 Inlet pipe 106 Annular spaces 107, 108 seal 109, 109a, 109b, 109c Housing head 110 drum 20 lower cylindrical section 201 upper conical section 202 distribution pipe 203 Distributor 204 Distribution channels 205 Separation space 206 Plate package 207 Distribution base 205a cylindrical approach 205b drainage channel 208 Derivation 209 drainage channel 210 Derivation 211 Bearing and drive device 30 electric motor 330 stator 331 rotor magnet 332 Stator magnet 333 axis of rotation D suspension S flowable phases LP and HP air gap LS radius ri radius ra

Claims

1. Separator (1) for separating a flowable suspension S in a centrifugal field into at least two phases LP, HP of different density, comprising the following: a) a housing (10) which is stationary in operation and is designed in the manner of a container, which has at least two or more openings (103, 104, 105), wherein these openings (103, 104, 105) comprise an inlet opening (103) for an inflowing suspension S and at least one outlet or a plurality of outlets (104, 105) for flowable phases LP, HP of different density, which are preferably each assigned annular spaces (107, 108) of the housing (10), b) a rotatable drum (20) arranged inside the housing (10) and having a vertical axis of rotation D, which drum (20) comprises a number of openings (203, 209, 211) corresponding to the openings (103, 104, 105) of the housing (10) from a), c) a single multi-part support and drive device (30), comprising at least one control device and an electric motor (330), consisting of a stator (331), a stator magnet assembly (333) and a rotor having a rotor magnet assembly (332), with which the drum (20) is held in suspension within the housing (10), supported radially and axially and set in rotation, d) wherein the stator magnet assembly (333) is arranged outside the housing (10) and the rotor magnet assembly (332) is formed inside the housing (10) on the drum (20), e) so that an air gap LS is formed between the housing (10) and the drum (20) during rotation of the drum (20) in operation, f) wherein the axial bearing and centering of the drum (20) is realized by the multi-part support and drive device (30), by regulating the axial position of the rotor magnet assembly (332) by the control device by controlling the electric motor, characterized in that g) one or more sealing rings are arranged between the drum (20) and the housing (10), which radially support the drum (20) in the area in which they are arranged during operation and h) a distributor (204) and a separating means, in particular a disk pack (207), are arranged in the drum (20).

2. Separator according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing ring or rings are distributed adjacent to the annular spaces (107, 108) between the drum (10) and the housing (20) in the region of the one outlet or the plurality of outlets.

3. Separator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sealing ring(s) (109) is / are designed as a mechanical seal or Elring seal.

4. Separator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet is designed as an inlet pipe (106) extending vertically from above in the direction of the center of the housing (10), and in that the fluid outlet(s) (104, 105) is / are radially oriented.

5. Separator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first discharge (209) is formed on the drum (20) in the upper axial section (102) of the drum (20).

6. Separator (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that a second discharge line (211) is formed on the drum (20) in the upper axial region adjacent to the first discharge (209).

7. Separator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) exclusively comprises the two or three openings and is otherwise designed in a hermetically closed manner.

8. Separator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) is designed as a completely or sectionally non-inherently rigid, shape-changing container.

9. Separator (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the container, or at least sections thereof, is designed like a bag.

10. Separator (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the container has one or more inherently rigid sections in some areas and one or more non-inherently rigid sections in some areas.

11. Separator (1) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the container has one of the inherently rigid sections at each of its two axial ends.

12. Separator (1) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the non-inherently rigid section(s) or the overall non-inherently rigid container are placed in a state during operation by means of an auxiliary means, in which it is ensured that the overall non-inherently rigid container (10) or the non-inherently rigid section(s) do not directly contact the drum (20) during operation.

13. Separator (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the auxiliary means is designed as a framework with which or on which the container is held in a stretched-out manner.

14. Separator (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the framework is designed as a framework arranged outside the housing (10), on which container is held inside in a stretched-out state.

15. Separator (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) consists of a plastic or a plastic composite material in particular in such a way that the drum (20) consists predominantly, preferably except for one or more components of the drive, of a plastic or a plastic composite material.