A concentration apparatus consisting of a concentrator and a crystallizer.

Abstract

Conventional concentration devices used evaporative concentrators, which required a large amount of energy. [Solution] The concentration apparatus of the present invention comprises a crystallization apparatus that precipitates and grows a raw material as crystals, a concentrator that holds the liquid containing the grown crystals discharged by the crystallization apparatus and concentrates the liquid, and a circulation means that introduces the liquid containing fine particles discharged from the concentrator into the crystallization apparatus, wherein the concentrator comprises a housing that holds the liquid containing the crystals crystallized by the crystallization apparatus, a classification rotor provided in the housing that classifies the crystals into fine particles and coarse particles, a fine particle discharge section that discharges the liquid containing the fine particles classified by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing, and a coarse particle discharge port that discharges the coarse particles that have been classified and concentrated by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, a concentrator for concentrating a liquid containing solid particles or a liquid containing crystals crystallized from a crystallization apparatus, and a concentrating apparatus comprising this concentrator and a crystallization apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] (1.1. Description of Conventional Dry Solid / Powder Generation Apparatus)

[0003] As a method for producing dry solids or powders by concentrating a liquid (slurry) containing solid particles or crystals, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a raw material slurry is introduced into the raw material inlet 1a of the crystallization apparatus 1, components contained in the raw material slurry are precipitated as crystals, and the liquid (slurry) containing crystals grown to a predetermined size is caused to flow out from the outlet 1b of the crystallization apparatus 1 and introduced into the evaporation concentrator 2 through the inlet 2a.

[0004] Then, the evaporation concentrator 2 evaporates moisture from the slurry, the evaporated moisture is rehydrated by the rehydration unit 3 and circulated into the crystallization apparatus 1, and the crystals from which moisture has evaporated are taken out as wet solids from the outlet 2b of the evaporation concentrator 2, and the wet solids are dried by a dryer unit (drying apparatus) 4 using warm air or the like to produce dry solids or powders as products.

[0005] (1.2. Description of Precision Classification Apparatus)

[0006] There is also a classification apparatus that rotates a classification rotor at high speed to classify particles in a liquid (slurry) according to the particle size (weight) of the particles (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0008] However, the aforementioned evaporator / concentrator 2 requires a large amount of energy to evaporate the liquid.

[0009] Furthermore, the initial and running costs of the process for reusing evaporated water are high.

[0010] Furthermore, in order to increase the product recovery rate, it was necessary to coarse the particles to a predetermined size, which required strict adherence to the crystallization process.

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a concentrator that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks by applying a classification device having a classification rotor and using the classification device as a concentrator, and also to provide a concentrator consisting of this concentrator and a crystallization device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To achieve the above objective, the present invention is characterized by comprising: a housing into which a liquid containing solid particles or a liquid containing crystals crystallized by a crystallization apparatus is contained; a classification rotor provided in the housing for classifying the solid particles or crystals into fine particles and coarse particles; a fine particle discharge section for discharging the liquid containing the fine particles classified by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing; and a coarse particle discharge port for discharging the coarse particles that have been classified and concentrated by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing.

[0013] Furthermore, the concentration apparatus of the present invention comprises a crystallization apparatus that precipitates and grows crystals from a raw material placed inside, a concentrator that holds the liquid containing the grown crystals discharged by the crystallization apparatus and concentrates the liquid, and a circulation means that introduces the liquid containing fine particles discharged from the concentrator into the crystallization apparatus, wherein the concentrator comprises a housing into which the liquid containing crystals crystallized by the crystallization apparatus is placed, a classification rotor provided inside the housing that classifies the crystals into fine particles and coarse particles, a fine particle discharge section that discharges the liquid containing the fine particles classified by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing, and a coarse particle discharge port that discharges the coarse particles classified and concentrated by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, both equipment costs and power consumption can be significantly reduced.

[0015] Furthermore, by employing a solid-liquid separation and concentration method based on specific gravity differences, strict control and the need for crystal coarsening are eliminated in the crystallization apparatus.

[0016] Furthermore, by recirculating the microcrystals back into the crystallization apparatus, they can be reused as seed crystals, and it is also possible to return them to a crystallization raw material liquid without crystals by reheating and melting. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram of the concentration apparatus of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram of the concentrator of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the classification rotor of the concentrator of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram of an example of the concentrator of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a diagram illustrating a conventional concentration device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Examples of the embodiments for carrying out the present invention are shown below.

[0019] Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in the prior art, and the description thereof is omitted.

Example

[0020] Example 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0021] (2. Description of the concentration device of the present invention)

[0022] In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in a concentration device comprising a crystallization device and a concentrator, instead of conventionally using an evaporation concentrator 2, a wet solid-liquid separation concentrator (concentrator) 5 having a classification rotor is used.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the wet solid-liquid separation concentrator 5 includes, for example, a housing 6 that receives a liquid (slurry) containing crystals flowing out from the crystallization device 1 through an inlet 6a, a classification rotor 7 provided in the housing 6 for classifying fine particles and coarse particles, a rotating means (not shown) for rotating the classification rotor 7, a fine particle discharge part 8 for discharging a liquid (fine particle slurry) containing fine particles classified by the classification rotor 7 and flowing into the classification rotor 7 to the outside of the housing 6, and a coarse particle discharge port 9 for discharging a wet solid (wet solid) composed of coarse particles that have not flowed into the classification rotor 7, have been concentrated, and are stored at the bottom of the housing to the outside of the housing 6.

[0024] Note that the rotating means includes, for example, a rotating shaft 10 connected to the classification rotor 7 and a motor or the like (not shown) for rotating the rotating shaft 10.

[0025] Further, the fine particle discharge part 8 and the crystallization device 1 are connected by a circulation pipe 11, and a liquid containing fine particles from the fine particle discharge part 8 is introduced into the crystallization device 1 so that the liquid in the crystallization device 1 is circulated.

[0026] Furthermore, the coarse particle discharge port 9 is connected to the dryer section 4, and the concentrated crystals (wet solid) discharged from the coarse particle discharge port 9 are introduced into the dryer section 4, where they are dried to produce a dried solid / powder.

[0027] (2.1. Description of Classification Rotors)

[0028] The classification rotor 7, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, for example, consists of a frame made up of two identical circular disc-shaped plates 12a and 12b spaced apart vertically and arranged coaxially, and an outlet 13 provided in the center of the upper plate 12a, and a plurality of classification blades 14 provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and radially from the rotation center, or provided slightly eccentrically from the rotation center (provided slightly inclined from the radial direction), between the outer peripheral portions of the opposing surfaces of the two plates 12a and 12b.

[0029] Then, the tubular rotating shaft 10 of the rotating means is connected to the upper plate 12a such that the opening of the rotating shaft 10 communicates with the discharge port 13, and the fine particle discharge section 9 is formed by the opening 13 and the tubular rotating shaft 10.

[0030] Furthermore, a classification chamber 15 is formed between each of the adjacent classification vanes 14, 14.

[0031] (3. Description of the mechanism of action of the present invention)

[0032] In the present invention, for example, a raw material liquid such as slurry is introduced into the crystallization apparatus 1, the components contained in the liquid are precipitated as crystals, and the crystals that have grown to a certain extent are discharged from the crystallization apparatus 1 and introduced into the wet solid-liquid separation and concentrating machine 5.

[0033] Furthermore, as will be described later, crystals that do not grow to a predetermined size by the classification rotor 7 are recirculated into the crystallization apparatus 1, and only crystals that have grown to a predetermined size are introduced into the dryer section 4. Therefore, in the crystallization apparatus 1, it is not necessary to strictly manage and control the size of the crystals introduced into the wet solid-liquid separation and concentrating machine 5.

[0034] The rotation speed of the classification rotor 7 of the wet solid-liquid separation and concentration machine 5 is adjusted to a speed that can classify crystals of a predetermined diameter (predetermined weight). As shown in Figure 4, the raw material slurry contained in the housing 6 is rotated by the high-speed classification rotor 7, and fine particles and liquid smaller than the predetermined particle size (weight) flow into the classification rotor 7 from the outer circumference. These particles are then introduced into the crystallization apparatus 1 through the outlet 13 formed in the center of the classification rotor 7, through the through hole 10a of the rotating shaft 10, and through the circulation pipe 11, so that the fine crystals are recirculated.

[0035] Furthermore, coarse particles larger than the predetermined diameter are discharged outside the classification rotor 7 and concentrated within the housing 6, accumulating at the bottom of the housing as wet crystals (wet solids). These wet solids are then discharged, for example, from an outlet 9 provided at the bottom of the housing 6 and introduced into the dryer section 4, where they are dried to produce dried solids or powders.

[0036] (4. Explanation of the effects of the present invention)

[0037] According to the present invention, the evaporated water is not condensed, and the liquid is recycled as is through wet separation and concentration, thus completely eliminating the evaporation energy.

[0038] Furthermore, since there is no process for reusing evaporated water, both initial and running costs, including equipment costs and electricity, can be significantly reduced.

[0039] Furthermore, in terms of energy consumption, only the motor drive for high-speed rotation is consumed, enabling extremely low-power wet continuous concentration.

[0040] Furthermore, by employing a solid-liquid separation and concentration method based on specific gravity differences, strict control and crystal coarsening are no longer required in the crystallization apparatus. This significantly reduces the operational burden, resulting in cost and energy savings.

[0041] Furthermore, by deliberately recirculating the fine crystals back into the crystallization apparatus, they can be reused as seed crystals, and it is also possible to return them to a crystallization raw material liquid without crystals by reheating and melting.

[0042] Furthermore, by incorporating a certain degree of classification, greater efficiency can be achieved.

[0043] Furthermore, since classification rotors do not require the same high level of classification accuracy as general classification equipment, it is possible to make the equipment relatively large in capacity.

[0044] Furthermore, since the concentrator of the present invention performs separation in a fluid rather than through physical separation, it also minimizes the shearing effect on the crystals. [Industrial applicability]

[0045] The concentrator and concentrator of the present invention are used, for example, to obtain intermediate and final products in the fields of pharmaceuticals, food, and the like. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 1. Crystallization apparatus 1a Raw material input port 1b Outlet 2. Evaporation Concentrator 2a Inlet 2b Outlet 3. Condensing section 4. Dryer section 5 Wet solid-liquid separation concentrator 6 Housing 6a Inlet 7-minute rotor 8 Fine particle discharge section 9 Coarse particle outlet 10 Rotation axis 10a through hole 11 Circulation tube 12a Upper plate 12b Lower plate 13 Outlet 14-grade feather 15 Classification room

Claims

1. A housing that contains a liquid containing solid particles or a liquid containing crystals crystallized by a crystallization apparatus, A classification rotor is provided within the housing for classifying the solid particles or crystals into fine and coarse particles, A particle discharge unit that discharges the liquid containing the fine particles classified by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing, A concentrator characterized by comprising a coarse particle discharge port for discharging the coarse particles, which have been classified and concentrated by the classification rotor, to the outside of the housing.

2. A crystallization apparatus that precipitates and grows the raw materials placed inside as crystals, A concentrater is provided to hold the liquid containing the grown crystals discharged from the crystallization apparatus and to concentrate the liquid. The system consists of a circulation means for introducing the liquid containing fine particles discharged from the concentrator into the crystallization apparatus. The aforementioned concentrator includes a housing into which a liquid containing crystals crystallized by a crystallization device is contained, A classification rotor is provided within the housing for classifying the crystals into fine grains and coarse grains, A particle discharge unit that discharges the liquid containing the fine particles classified by the classification rotor to the outside of the housing, A concentration apparatus characterized by comprising a coarse particle discharge port for discharging the coarse particles, which have been classified and concentrated by the classification rotor, to the outside of the housing.

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