Defoaming method and defoaming apparatus

Abstract

To provide a defoaming method and a defoaming apparatus capable of removing foams staying on the liquid surface of a liquid without using an antifoam agent.SOLUTION: This defoaming method for removing foams B, 10 staying on the liquid surface Ls of a liquid L comprises: an insertion step of lowering a cylinder 2 from above the foams B, 10 and inserting one end 2a of the cylinder 2 into the foams B, 10; and a taking-out step of raising the cylinder 2 until the foams B, 10 remaining on the liquid surface L and the foams B which have entered the cylinder 2 are separated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a degassing method and a degassing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] During the manufacturing and fermentation process of food and beverages, bubbles may be generated from the liquid and remain on the liquid surface. For example, if bubbles generated inside a fermented food remain on the liquid surface, it can cause problems such as reduced production efficiency and reduced quality. A method of using a defoaming agent to eliminate such bubbles has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] This is a defoaming agent for liquid ingredients of food and drink, which contains, for example, one or more components selected from alcohols having 3 to 12 carbon atoms that are used as flavoring components added to food and drink. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-195409 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when using the above-mentioned defoaming agents, the defoaming agent must be selected in consideration of the reaction between the components of the defoaming agent and the components of the liquid to be defoamed, safety, etc. Therefore, there is a problem that the defoaming agent must be changed according to the manufacturing process and the target liquid.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a defoaming method and defoaming apparatus for removing foam remaining on the liquid surface without using a defoaming agent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means.

[0008] A degassing method according to one aspect of the present invention is a method for removing foam (e.g., foam B or foam layer 10 in the embodiments) remaining on the liquid surface (e.g., liquid surface Ls in the embodiments) of a liquid (e.g., liquid L in the embodiments), and includes an insertion step of lowering a tube (e.g., tube 2 in the embodiments) from above the foam and inserting one end of the tube (e.g., lower end 2a in the embodiments) into the foam, and a removal step of raising the tube until the foam remaining on the liquid surface and the foam (e.g., penetrating foam 11 in the embodiments) that has entered the interior of the tube (e.g., interior S of the embodiments) are separated.

[0009] A degassing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention (e.g., degassing apparatus 1 of the embodiment) comprises a tube that is positioned so as to overlap with the foam remaining on the liquid surface when viewed from above the foam, and a moving device (e.g., moving device 3 of the embodiment) to which the tube is attached and which lowers and raises the tube, the moving device lowering the tube to insert one end of the tube into the foam, and raising the tube inserted into the foam until the foam remaining on the liquid surface and the foam inside the tube are separated. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a defoaming method and defoaming apparatus for removing foam remaining on the liquid surface without using a defoaming agent. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a degassing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state before an insertion step in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a state during an insertion process in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state during a removal step in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state after a removal step in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between time and the volume of foam penetrating into a cylinder in an experiment using the degassing apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between time and the height of a foam layer in a liquid tank in an experiment using the defoaming apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] <Defoaming device> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a degassing apparatus 1 in this embodiment. Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the degassing apparatus 1, and is shown on a modified scale. 1, the defoaming apparatus 1 is disposed near a liquid tank 20 that contains a liquid L and foam B that is to be defoamed and remains on a liquid surface Ls of the liquid L. A foam layer 10, which is a layer of foam B, is formed on the liquid surface Ls. The degassing apparatus 1 includes a tube 2 and a moving device 3 that supports the tube 2 so that it can move up and down. In this embodiment, the tube 2 is a cylinder with an inner diameter of 3 mm or more. The tube 2 is made of a hydrophilic material such as acrylic resin or glass. In other words, the inner surface 2b of the tube 2 is hydrophilic. The tube 2 is disposed such that its axial direction is aligned in the vertical direction. The tube 2 is attached to the moving device 3.

[0014] The moving device 3 includes a base 6, a stage 7 supported so as to be movable relative to the base 6, and a mounting part 5 provided on the stage 7 and on which the cylinder 2 is mounted. The base 6 is fixed to, for example, a floor, a table, or the like.

[0015] The stage 7 is supported so as to be movable relative to the base 6, for example, via a rack-and-pinion mechanism. In this case, the base 6 includes a rack gear. The stage 7 includes a pinion gear that meshes with the rack gear, and an actuator 4 that rotates the pinion gear. The actuator 4 is, for example, a motor for rotating the pinion gear. A control device 8 that controls the actuator 4 is connected to the stage 7 via a cable 9.

[0016] The control device 8 outputs signals that indicate the rotation speed and direction of the motor. The control device 8 also controls the timing of outputting the signals. The actuator 4 receives the signals output from the control device 8 and controls the direction and magnitude of the current for rotating the motor in response to the signals.

[0017] One end of the mounting portion 5 is fixed to the stage 7. The tube 2 is attached to the mounting portion 5 via, for example, a clamp or the like.

[0018] Next, the installation of the defoaming apparatus 1 before starting defoaming will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the cylinder 2 is arranged at a position overlapping the foam B when viewed from above the foam B, and is arranged so that the lower end 2a of the cylinder 2 is higher than the foam B. To arrange it in this way, first, the stage 7 is arranged at the lowest end of the movable range without the cylinder 2 attached. Next, the cylinder 2 is fixed to the attachment part 5 so that the lower end 2a of the cylinder 2 is located at the same height as the liquid level Ls. The stage 7 is moved to the highest end of the movable range. At this time, if the lower end 2a of the cylinder 2 is located lower than the foam layer 10, the height of the stage 7 is adjusted so that the lower end 2a of the cylinder 2 is located above the foam layer 10. Defoaming is started from this state.

[0019] <Defoaming method> Next, a degassing method will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the state before the insertion step in this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the state during the insertion step in this embodiment. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the state during the removal step in this embodiment. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the state after the removal step in this embodiment. For the sake of explanation, Figs. 2 to 5 only show the liquid tank 20 and the vicinity of the lower end 2a of the cylinder 2. Hereinafter, the foam B that has penetrated into the interior S of the cylinder 2 is referred to as penetrated foam 11.

[0020] The degassing method includes an insertion step in which a tube 2 is lowered from above the foam B (foam layer 10) remaining on the liquid surface Ls of the liquid L so that the lower end 2a of the tube 2 is inserted into the foam B (foam layer 10), and a removal step in which the tube 2 is raised until the foam B (foam layer 10) remaining on the liquid surface Ls is separated from the foam B (penetrating foam 11) that has entered the interior S of the tube 2.

[0021] First, the insertion process will be described. As shown in Fig. 2, the tube 2 is placed above the foam layer 10, and the lower end 2a is placed above the foam layer 10. The insertion process starts from this state. The insertion process starts when the moving device 3 is actuated by a signal from the control device 8. The actuation of the moving device 3 lowers the stage 7, and the mounting part 5 and tube 2 provided on the stage 7 also lower. As shown in Fig. 3, the stage 7 is lowered until the lower end 2a of the tube 2 is inserted into the foam layer 10. At this time, the lower end 2a of the tube 2 has not reached the liquid level Ls. At this time, a part of the foam layer 10 is mechanically pushed into the interior S of the tube 2. Even if foam B is already present in the interior S of the tube 2, additional foam is pushed into the interior S of the tube 2. This is the insertion process.

[0022] Next, the removal step will be described. The removal process starts when the moving device 3 is operated by a signal from the control device 8 with the penetrating foam 11 inside the cylinder 2. The operation of the moving device 3 raises the stage 7, and the mounting part 5 attached to the stage 7 and the cylinder 2 also rise.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, when the tube 2 starts to rise, the invading foam 11 and the foam layer 10 are pulled up together due to the adhesive force between the inner surface 2b of the tube 2 and the invading foam 11. When the tube 2 is further raised, the invading foam 11 and the foam layer 10 separate as shown in Figure 5. This is because the invading foam 11 is pulled up by the adhesive force between the inner surface 2b of the tube 2 and the invading foam 11, while being pulled down by the elastic force of the foam layer 10. The invading foam 11 that has separated from the foam layer 10 gradually rises inside S of the tube 2 due to capillary action. This is the removal process.

[0024] <Action and effect> Next, the actions and effects of the degassing method and the degassing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. In the defoaming method and the defoaming method of this embodiment, when the lower end 2a of the tube 2 is inserted into the foam layer 10 remaining on the liquid level Ls of the liquid L, the foam B penetrates into the interior S of the tube 2. The tube 2 is then raised until the penetrating foam 11 and the foam layer 10 are separated. Here, the penetrating foam 11 continues to remain in the interior S or bursts over time, becoming liquid and dropping from the interior S of the tube 2 into the liquid tank 20. This makes it possible to remove the foam B remaining on the liquid level Ls of the liquid L without using a defoaming agent. In addition, it is possible to prevent the amount of the liquid L from decreasing.

[0025] In this embodiment, the tube 2 is a cylinder with an inner diameter of 3 mm or more. As a result, even if the lower end 2a of the tube 2 is inserted up to the liquid L and the liquid L penetrates into the interior S of the tube 2, the liquid L is sucked up by capillary action and can be prevented from remaining in the interior S of the tube 2. As a result, the liquid L that penetrates into the interior S of the tube 2 can be returned to the liquid tank 20. Therefore, the foam B remaining on the liquid surface Ls can be removed while suppressing a decrease in the amount of liquid.

[0026] In this embodiment, the cylinder 2 is formed of a hydrophilic material such as acrylic resin or glass. This allows the foam B to easily adhere to and remain on the inner surface 2b of the cylinder 2. This makes it easy to remove the foam B remaining on the liquid surface Ls.

[0027] <Experimental Results> An experiment was carried out to demonstrate the above-mentioned defoaming method and the possibility of removing foam B by the defoaming method. In the experiment, a defoaming apparatus 1 similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. The sample foam B was produced from a 20 wt% solution mainly composed of alpha olefin sulfonate sodium, polyoxyethylene fatty acid alkanolamide, alkylamine oxide, etc. The average size of the foam B was 200 μm, and the liquid fraction was about 10%. The liquid tank 20 had a size of 100 mm length × 100 mm width × 30 mm height, and was made of resin. Only the foam B was placed in the liquid tank 20 so that the entire liquid tank 20 was filled. In other words, the foam B formed a foam layer 10 having a size of 100 mm length × 100 mm width × 30 mm height.

[0028] The cylinder 2 was a cylinder, and three types were prepared with inner diameters of 12 mm, 6 mm, and 3 mm. In this experiment, each experiment was performed using one cylinder 2. The moving speed of the stage 7 was 20 mm / s. The cylinder was inserted to a depth of 25 mm from the upper surface of the foam layer 10 and immediately removed. In other words, the insertion process and the removal process were performed continuously. The start of the insertion process was repeated at 30-second intervals, and continued for 40 minutes.

[0029] In this experiment, the change over time in the volume of the infiltrated foam 11 that had infiltrated into the cylinder and the change over time in the height of the foam layer 10 directly below the axial center of the cylinder were measured. In addition, the mass of the foam B remaining in the liquid tank 20 at the start of the experiment and after 30 minutes were measured and compared.

[0030] The experimental results will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between time in this experiment and the volume of the infiltrated foam 11 inside the tube 2. In Figure 6, the vertical axis represents the infiltrated foam volume V [mm 3] and the horizontal axis is time t [min]. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between time and the height of the foam layer 10 in the liquid tank 20 in this experiment. In Fig. 7, the vertical axis represents the foam layer height H [mm] directly below the axial center of the cylinder, and the horizontal axis represents time t [min]. In Figs. 6 and 7, the "○" marks, "□" marks, and "△" marks indicate experimental values ​​when the inner diameters of the cylinder are 12 mm, 6 mm, and 3 mm, respectively. The solid line, dotted line, and dashed dotted line are approximation curves for the experimental values ​​when the inner diameters of the cylinder are 12 mm, 6 mm, and 3 mm, respectively.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 6, it can be seen that the infiltrated foam volume V is able to remove foam B faster when the inner diameter is 12 mm than when it is 6 mm or 3 mm. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, it can be seen that the foam layer height H decreases faster when the inner diameter is 12 mm than when it is 6 mm or 3 mm. Therefore, it can be seen that foam B is easily removed directly below the tube 2, and the liquid surface is easily exposed.

[0032] In addition to the above, this experiment also involved tests with inner diameters of 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm. However, in these tubes 2, the results showed that foam B had difficulty entering the interior S of the tube 2. As the inner diameter of the tube 2 increases, the amount of invading foam 11 increases. Therefore, the force pulling the invading foam 11 downward due to the elastic force of the foam B becomes greater than the adhesive force between the inner surface 2b of the tube 2 and the invading foam 11. As a result, foam B cannot remain in the interior S of the tube 2.

[0033] Furthermore, in the case where the inner diameter is 3 mm or less, for example, when the liquid L enters the interior S of the cylinder 2, the liquid L remains in the interior S due to the surface tension of the liquid L. Therefore, not only is the foam B removed, but the liquid L is also reduced. Therefore, when the tube 2 is cylindrical, it is recommended that the inner diameter be 3 mm or more and 12 mm or less. Furthermore, if the inner diameter is 12 mm, the foam B can be removed more efficiently.

[0034] The change in mass of foam B remaining in liquid tank 20 at the start of the experiment and after 30 minutes is shown below. When the inner diameter was 12 mm, it decreased from 10.0 g to 9.7 g. When the inner diameter was 6 mm, it decreased from 10.5 g to 10.3 g. Here, in the case of foam B with a liquid fraction of 10%, it can be estimated that if the same volume of foam B as that removed in tube 2 is scooped up, the mass will decrease by approximately 1.0 g. Therefore, when the defoaming method and defoaming apparatus 1 of this embodiment are used, the foam B can be removed without reducing the amount of liquid, as compared to the case where the foam is directly scooped and removed.

[0035] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the lower end 2a of the tube 2 is inserted into the foam layer 10, but not into the liquid L, in the insertion step. However, this is not limited to this, and the lower end 2a of the tube 2 may be inserted into the liquid L. In this case, since the tube 2 has an inner diameter of 3 mm or more, even if the liquid L enters the interior S of the tube 2, it is possible to prevent the liquid L from remaining in the interior S of the tube 2. Therefore, the same effects as those of the above embodiment are achieved.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the tube 2 is a cylinder with an inner diameter of 3 mm or more. However, this is not limited to the above, and the shape of the tube 2 may be any shape in which a circle with a diameter of 3 mm can exist when viewed from the axial direction. For example, the tube 2 may have a cross-sectional shape of a polygon in which a circle with a diameter of 3 mm is inscribed, or may have a cross-sectional shape formed by combining multiple figures and their outer shapes. Even in such a configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the case where one tube 2 is used has been described. However, this is not limited to this, and multiple tubes 2 may be used. Even in this configuration, the same effects as in the above embodiment are achieved. Furthermore, with this configuration, a large amount of foam B can be removed at once. This provides the effect of efficiently removing the foam B. In addition, when multiple tubes 2 are used, the multiple tubes 2 may perform the insertion process simultaneously, or each tube 2 may start the insertion process at a different timing. In this case, it is sufficient to configure so that new foam B is not generated by the insertion of the tube 2. Even with this configuration, the foam B can be efficiently removed.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the case where the tube 2 is made of a hydrophilic material has been described. However, this is not limited to this, and the inner surface 2b of the tube 2 may be configured to be hydrophilic. Even in such a configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the case where the penetrating foam 11 bursts or continues to remain in the interior S of the tube 2 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the penetrating foam 11 may be actively burst or eliminated. For example, a defoaming agent may be used for the penetrating foam 11. In this case, it is sufficient to make it difficult for the defoaming agent to be mixed into the liquid L and the foam B in the liquid tank 20. For example, a region where the defoaming agent is applied may be provided in the interior S of the tube 2 above the lower end 2a and below the highest point that the penetrating foam 11 can reach. As a result, the penetrating foam 11 bursts in the region where the defoaming agent is applied. Also, for example, another space communicating with the interior S of the tube 2 may be provided as the region where the defoaming agent is applied. Even in this case, the same effect as the above embodiment is achieved.

[0040] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the control device 8 that controls the actuator 4 is connected to the stage 7 of the moving device 3 via the cable 9. However, this is not limited to this, and the actuator 4 may be configured to continue moving up and down without using the control device 8. In this case, for example, a link mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the motor into a reciprocating motion up and down may be provided. Even in such a configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be achieved.

[0041] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the control device 8 that controls the actuator 4 is connected to the stage 7 of the moving device 3 via a cable 9. However, this is not limiting, and a signal from the control device 8 may be transmitted wirelessly. Even in such a configuration, the same effects as those of the above embodiment can be obtained. Furthermore, remote operation is possible, making it easier to manage the degassing apparatus 1.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the case where the time from the insertion step to the next insertion step is controlled has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various control methods may be used for control. For example, a video processing device may be connected to the control device 8. The control device 8 may recognize the presence and amount of foam B on the liquid level Ls recognized by the video processing device through an image or video, and output a signal according to the state of the foam B. With this configuration, the defoaming device 1 can be operated according to the state of the foam B. Therefore, the foam B can be removed efficiently.

[0043] In addition to the image processing device described above, a signal may be output based on information obtained from various sensors or a combination of these. Even with this configuration, the bubbles B can be efficiently removed.

[0044] In addition, it is possible to replace the components in the above-described embodiments with well-known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the above-described embodiments and variations may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 1…Defoaming device 2...tube 2a…lower end (one end) 2b…Inner surface 3. Mobility device 10...Foam layer (foam remaining on the liquid surface) 11...Foam penetration (foam that has entered the inside of the tube) B…foam L…Liquid Ls…liquid level S...Internal

Claims

1. A defoaming method for removing foam remaining on the surface of a liquid, comprising the steps of: an insertion step of lowering a tube from above the foam and inserting one end of the tube into the foam; a removal step of lifting the cylinder until the foam remaining on the liquid surface is separated from the foam that has entered the cylinder; Including, A degassing method comprising the steps of:

2. The shape of the cylinder includes a shape in which a circle having a diameter of 3 mm can exist when viewed from the axial direction. The method for removing bubbles according to claim 1 .

3. The inner surface of the cylinder is hydrophilic. The method for removing bubbles according to claim 1 .

4. The inserting step and the removing step are performed using a plurality of the cylinders. The method for removing bubbles according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A cylinder arranged at a position overlapping with the foam when viewed from above the foam remaining on the liquid surface; a moving device to which the cylinder is attached and which lowers and raises the cylinder; Equipped with The moving device lowers the cylinder to insert one end of the cylinder into the foam, and then raises the cylinder inserted into the foam until the foam remaining on the liquid surface and the foam inside the cylinder are separated. A degassing apparatus characterized by the above.

6. The shape of the cylinder includes a shape in which a circle having a diameter of 3 mm can exist when viewed from the axial direction. The degassing apparatus according to claim 5 .

7. The inner surface of the cylinder is hydrophilic. The degassing apparatus according to claim 5 .

8. The cylinder is provided in plurality. The degassing apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7.

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