Rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator and concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator

Abstract

To provide a rotating body structure for a vertical centrifuge that eliminates the adjustment plate, increases the degree of concentration of concentrated microorganisms, and allows for the recovery of concentrated microorganisms with superior commercial value. [Solution] In a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator 1 equipped with a light liquid chamber 18 and a heavy liquid chamber 21, the heavy liquid chamber 21 is partitioned into a room shape by an upper partition member 210, a side partition member 211 and a rear partition member 212, a heavy liquid impeller 22 for discharging concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid chamber 21 is disposed on the upper part of the rear partition member 211 without an adjustment plate, a heavy liquid flow path 150 is formed in the gap between the rotating body lid 12 connected to the side partition member 212 and the water intake plate 15, which allows concentrated liquid from the separation chamber 16 to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the water intake plate 15 extends toward the bottom 13 of the separation chamber 16, and a gap is formed between the tip of the water intake plate 15 and the bottom, characterized in that the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator 1.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge and a concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge. Specifically, it relates to a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge that can continuously supply a stock solution containing microorganisms and intermittently extract a high-concentration microbial concentrated liquid stored on the heavy liquid side, and a concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for separating a liquid mixture of yeast and beer into a yeast concentrated liquid and clarified beer, taking out the beer as a product from the light liquid phase, and taking out the yeast concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid phase. However, Patent Document 1 aims to obtain clarified beer, and it is stated that most of the cells leaving the separator by intermittent discharge are dead in the heavy-phase yeast concentrated liquid. Therefore, the commercialization of the heavy-phase yeast concentrated liquid obtained by intermittent discharge is not considered.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] Furthermore, even if only some cells of a microorganism rupture, the intracellular components are released into the liquid, causing the concentrate to spoil, producing a foul odor, and making it impossible to ship the concentrate as a product.

[0007] Conventional heavy liquid chambers have an adjustment plate located relatively close to the bottom of the heavy liquid impeller (see Patent Document 2). This adjustment plate is used to maintain the vertical separation interface between the light liquid and the heavy liquid within the rotating body within a certain range. The optimal adjustment plate is used for the specific gravity of the raw liquid being processed, thereby adjusting the position of the separation interface.

[0008] Figure 4 shows a half-section of the rotating body illustrating the main components of a conventional vertical centrifugal separator 100. As shown in Figure 4, in a conventional vertical centrifugal separator 100, an adjustment plate 112 is provided above the rear partition material 115, below the heavy liquid impeller 116 in the heavy liquid chamber 113.

[0009] Given the unique nature of the concentration target being microorganisms, we focused on the special characteristics of the heavy liquid chamber structure, specifically the fact that an adjustment plate 112 was provided above the rear partition material 115, below the heavy liquid impeller 116, when concentrating microorganisms.

[0010] In the structure of the heavy liquid chamber 113, we found that when a control plate 112 is present and this control plate 112 is long (extending toward the central axis), the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid side in a dilute state and only in small quantities. When the control plate 112 was shortened (moved away from the central axis), concentration was possible more than when the control plate 112 was long, but satisfactory concentration of microorganisms could not be achieved, and the quantity obtained was also unsatisfactory.

[0011] Based on these findings, the inventors considered that the presence of the control plate affects the concentration of concentrated microorganisms, and that the nozzle disclosed in Patent Document 1 also affects the extraction of concentrated microorganisms in the same way as the control plate when the heavy liquid is discharged to the second outlet. As a result of various studies, the inventors found that by eliminating the control plate, it is possible to obtain a rotating body structure for a vertical centrifuge that can increase the degree of concentration of concentrated microorganisms and recover concentrated microorganisms with superior commercial value, thus leading to the present invention.

[0012] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a rotating body structure for a vertical centrifuge that eliminates the adjustment plate, increases the degree of concentration of concentrated microorganisms, and allows for the recovery of concentrated microorganisms with superior commercial value, as well as a concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge.

[0013] Furthermore, other problems of the present invention will become clear from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The above problems are solved by the following inventions. 1. In the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge equipped with a light liquid chamber and a heavy liquid chamber, The heavy liquid chamber is divided into rooms by an upper partition, a side partition, and a rear partition. A heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is installed above the rear partition without providing an adjustment plate. A heavy liquid channel is formed in the gap between the rotating body lid and the water intake plate connected to the side partition material, allowing the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber, and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between the tip of the water intake plate and the bottom. The heavy liquid impeller is positioned in the heavy liquid chamber so as to rotate in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid flowing into the heavy liquid chamber, and the tip of the heavy liquid impeller is formed to be insertable from the central axis side of the heavy liquid chamber toward the inner side surface of the side partition plate. A rotating body structure for a vertical centrifuge, characterized in that the tip of the heavy liquid impeller is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber when the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is discharged by centrifugal force. 2. The rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis. 6. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge as described in 1 or 2 above, A heavy liquid discharge pipe is connected to the outlet of the heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid chamber through the heavy liquid impeller. The heavy liquid discharge pipe is equipped with a three-way valve. The aforementioned three-way valve is characterized by branching the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller back into a return channel for supplying the raw liquid to the vertical centrifuge, and into a recovery channel for recovering the concentrated liquid, wherein the device uses a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge. 7. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge as described in 1 or 2 above, When recovering the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller via the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A three-way valve is provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe. The three-way valve is configured to branch the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller into a waste flow path for collecting the concentrated liquid for disposal and a recovery flow path for collecting the concentrated liquid. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge is characterized by this. 8. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge according to the above item 1 or 2, When collecting the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller through the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A recovery flow path for collecting the concentrated liquid is communicated with the heavy liquid discharge pipe, and a return flow path for returning to the stock solution supply pipe of the stock solution introduced into the vertical centrifuge is provided so as to branch upstream of the recovery flow path. On-off valves are provided in the recovery flow path and the return flow path respectively. In either one of the recovery flow path and the return flow path, A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge is characterized in that it is configured to be able to branch the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller. 9. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge according to the above item 1 or 2, When collecting the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller through the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A recovery flow path for collecting the concentrated liquid is communicated with the heavy liquid discharge pipe, and a waste flow path for collecting for disposal is provided so as to branch upstream of the recovery flow path. On-off valves are provided in the recovery flow path and the waste flow path respectively. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge is characterized in that it is configured to be able to branch the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller in either one of the recovery flow path and the waste flow path.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, by not providing the adjusting plate, when sending the concentrated liquid to the heavy liquid chamber, the flow path leading to the heavy liquid impeller is not obstructed, so the degree of concentration can be increased, and the concentrated liquid as a product can be taken out without a decrease in quantity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] A half-section diagram of the rotating body showing the main components of a vertical centrifugal separator. [Figure 2] A half-section of the rotating body showing an example of another embodiment of a vertical centrifugal separator. [Figure 3] Schematic cross-sectional view of the main part of the heavy liquid chamber in Figure 2. [Figure 4] A half-section diagram of the rotating body showing the main components of a conventional vertical centrifugal separator. [Figure 5] Figure 1 shows a half-section of a rotating body illustrating an example of the main components of a recovery device for concentrated liquid discharged from a vertical centrifugal separator. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows another example of a modified configuration of the main components of the vertical centrifugal separator, as shown in the rotating body half-section diagram. [Figure 7] Figures 2 and 3 show examples of modified heavy liquid impellers. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the heavy liquid impeller being introduced into the heavy liquid chamber, viewed from above. [Figure 9] Figures 2 and 3 show another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller. [Figure 10] Figures 2 and 3 show yet another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of how to operate a concentrated liquid recovery device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The present invention will be described below based on the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0018] Figure 1 is a half-cross-sectional view of the rotating body of a vertical centrifugal separator, showing the main components of the rotating body structure. The drawing shows the main components of the rotating body structure of vertical centrifugal separator 1, with the right half of the rotating body being illustrated.

[0019] The vertical centrifuge 1, which uses a separation plate, separates the stock solution supplied via the stock solution supply pipe 10 into a concentrated solution and a clarified solution, and discharges them.

[0020] In the present invention, the stock solution may contain one of the following: microalgae (such as Chlorella, Spirulina, Nannochloropsis, and Chlamydomonas), microorganisms (such as Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, and Bacillus subtilis), fungi (such as yeast and mold), animal cells, viruses, or a combination of two or more of these. The following explanation uses stock solutions containing the microorganisms to be concentrated (e.g., cultured microorganisms) as illustrative examples.

[0021] The rotating body 11 of the vertical centrifugal separator 1 is constructed in a container shape by its main components, which consist of a rotating body lid 12 and a bottom 13. The rotating body 11 incorporates a separation chamber 16 having a separation plate 14 and a water intake plate 15, and a guide tube 17 that evenly distributes the raw liquid from the rotating body inlet to the separation chamber 16.

[0022] The stock solution containing the microorganisms to be concentrated, introduced into the separation chamber 16 via the guide tube 17 from the stock solution supply pipe 10, is centrifuged by the separation plate 14 into a light liquid (clarified liquid) PW and a heavy liquid (microbial concentrate: SS in the drawing) SW. This invention is effective even when the specific gravities of the light liquid (clarified liquid) PW and the heavy liquid SW are relatively close.

[0023] The light liquid PW in the separation chamber 16 is guided by the guide tube 17 and sent to the light liquid chamber 18. The light liquid in the light liquid chamber 18 is discharged to the outside as clarified liquid via the discharge pipe 20 by the light liquid impeller 19.

[0024] The heavy liquid SW in the separation chamber 16 passes through the gap between the rotating body cover 12 and the water intake plate 15 and is sent to the heavy liquid chamber 21. The heavy liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 is then transferred by the heavy liquid impeller 22, and the concentrated liquid can be obtained as a product via the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23.

[0025] In the separation chamber 16, when the stock solution containing microorganisms is centrifuged, the heavy liquid SW accumulates in the separation chamber 16, and the light liquid PW (clarified liquid) forms a vertical interface IF between itself and the heavy liquid SW (concentrated liquid). The light liquid is separated to the inner circumference of the separation chamber 16, and the heavy liquid to the outer circumference.

[0026] As centrifugation progresses within the separation chamber 16, the amount of heavy liquid SW increases and the interface IF moves toward the center of the separation chamber 16. This indicates that the volume of concentrated liquid is increasing. Meanwhile, the light liquid PW overflows from the inner circumferential end surface of the water intake plate 15 along the outer circumference of the guide cylinder 17 towards the light liquid impeller 19 within the separation chamber 16.

[0027] The light liquid impeller 19 faces the light liquid chamber 18 formed at the upper end of the water intake plate 15 and discharges the light liquid PW (clarified liquid) that overflows from the separation chamber 16 and accumulates in the light liquid chamber 18.

[0028] The heavy liquid impeller 22 is positioned to face the heavy liquid chamber 21 formed at the upper end of the rotating body cover 12, and discharges the heavy liquid SW that overflows from the gap between the rotating body cover 12 and the water intake plate 15 and is sent to the heavy liquid chamber 21.

[0029] In this embodiment, a heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 is connected to a heavy liquid impeller 22 facing the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23.

[0030] A heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 connected to the heavy liquid impeller 22 in order to intermittently extract the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid side. In this embodiment, it is preferable that a pressure gauge 27 is provided to measure the back pressure generated by the heavy liquid discharge valve 26.

[0031] While the raw liquid is supplied continuously, the concentrated liquid can be extracted intermittently. In cases where concentrated microorganisms are to be extracted from the concentrated liquid as a product, discontinuous concentration operation (batch operation) is suitable.

[0032] In batch operation according to the present invention, while the stock solution is continuously supplied from the stock solution supply pipe 10, the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is closed to stop the discharge of the concentrated liquid. With the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 closed and the discharge of the concentrated liquid stopped, the original liquid containing microorganisms is separated into a clarified liquid and a concentrated liquid by the action of the separation plate 14, and the concentrated liquid accumulates in the separation chamber 16.

[0033] Furthermore, the concentrated liquid accumulates in the heavy liquid chamber 21, and also in the flow path that sends the liquid to the heavy liquid chamber 21.

[0034] A preferred embodiment of the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge equipped with a light liquid chamber and a heavy liquid chamber is described below.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the heavy liquid chamber 21 is divided into rooms by an upper partition 210, a side partition 211, and a rear partition 212, forming an upper gap 24 on the side of the raw liquid supply pipe 10.

[0036] The heavy liquid impeller 22, which discharges the concentrated heavy liquid from the heavy liquid chamber 21, is positioned above the rear partition material 212 without any adjustment plate. That is, as shown in the figure, there is no adjustment plate between the heavy liquid impeller 22 and the rear partition material 212; nothing is provided between them.

[0037] Conventionally, the adjustment plate 112 was used to maintain the vertical separation interface between the light liquid and the heavy liquid within the rotating body within a certain range (see Figure 4). It has been believed that the shearing caused by the heavy liquid impeller 116 was the reason why microbial cell disruption occurred when microorganisms were concentrated using a centrifuge 100 installed in a heavy liquid chamber 113 with the adjustment plate 112. Furthermore, given the unique nature of the target of concentration being microorganisms, and the structure of the heavy liquid chamber 113 in which the adjustment plate 112 was located above the rear partition material 115 below the heavy liquid impeller 116, the inventors recognized that there was a problem in that microorganisms could not pass over the adjustment plate 112 by centrifugation, and the concentrated liquid could not be discharged to the outside. After diligent research, the inventors arrived at the present invention.

[0038] With the addition of the adjustment plate 112, if the adjustment plate 112 is long (extending toward the central axis), the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid side in a diluted state and only in small quantities. If the adjustment plate 112 is shortened (moving away from the central axis), the concentration is somewhat improved and the quantity increases slightly compared to when the adjustment plate 112 is long, but it is not possible to obtain a satisfactory amount.

[0039] In contrast, as shown in Figure 1, when no adjustment plate is used, the microbial concentrate is sent into the heavy liquid chamber 21 without pressure loss due to the adjustment plate, and the pressure of the concentrate does not decrease, and it is discharged from the heavy liquid impeller 22 by centrifugal force.

[0040] Based on these findings, after conducting various studies on the effect of the control plate on the extraction of concentrated microorganisms, it was found that removing the control plate increased the degree of concentration of the microorganisms, allowing for the recovery of highly valuable concentrated microorganisms.

[0041] According to the rotating body structure of the present invention, when performing batch operation (discontinuous concentration) to obtain the desired concentrate, the absence of a control plate allows for smooth extraction of the concentrate from the heavy liquid impeller during the process of removing the concentrate.

[0042] As shown in Figure 1, in the rotating body structure of the present invention, the rotating body lid 12 is connected to the rear partition member 212. The gap between the rotating body lid 12 connected to the rear partition member 212 and the water intake plate 15 forms a heavy liquid channel 150 that can deliver the heavy liquid (concentrated liquid) in the separation chamber 16 to the heavy liquid chamber 21.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is opened, the concentrated liquid accumulated by batch operation can be removed as a product via the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 after passing through the heavy liquid flow path 150 and the heavy liquid chamber 21.

[0044] Furthermore, in a conventional vertical centrifugal separator 100 as shown in Figure 4, the water intake plate 106 extends to near the center in the width direction of the rotating body cover 103, but does not extend to near the bottom of the rotating body cover 103.

[0045] In contrast, the present embodiment shown in Figure 1 is characterized by the fact that the water intake plate 15 extends to the vicinity of the lower part of the rotating body lid 12. Because the water intake plate 15 is long, the heavy liquid flow path 150 extends to the area in the separation chamber 16 where the concentrated liquid is concentrated, thus making it easier to extract the concentrated liquid.

[0046] In this embodiment, the upper partition material 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed by extending it toward the central axis side of the rotating body (the side with the raw liquid piping), thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material 210 and the central axis. In other words, in this embodiment, the tip portion 210a of the upper partition material 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed extending toward the central axis of the rotating body. The upper gap 24 formed by the tip portion 210a is formed circumferentially around the central axis and forms a gap between the tip portion 210a and the central axis. The diameter of the circumference of the upper gap 24 formed circumferentially at the top of the heavy liquid chamber 21 (the diameter of the circumference formed by the tip portion 210a) is smaller by the amount that the tip portion 210a is formed extending toward the central axis of the rotating body. This is because, by eliminating the adjustment plate, the vertical interface formed by the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber tends to shift more towards the central axis. Therefore, by reducing the diameter of the upper gap 24, even if liquid splashes occur at the vertical interface formed by the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber, that interface moves further away from the upper gap 24, thus preventing leakage from the upper gap 24.

[0047] Here, the upper partition member 210 in Figure 1 will be further explained in comparison with the upper partition member 114 in the rotating body half-section diagram showing the main components of a conventional vertical centrifugal separator, as shown in Figure 4.

[0048] In Figure 4, the central axis-side tip 114a of the upper partition member 114 is positioned at a distance equal to or slightly closer to the central axis than the inner diameter of the separation plate 105, which is indicated by the dashed line. Conventionally, the central axis-side tip 114a of the upper partition member 114 is positioned at a distance of approximately 95% of the distance from the central axis to the inner diameter of the separation plate 105, where 100% is the distance from the central axis.

[0049] The upper partition member 114 is a component that rotates during the operation of the centrifugal separator. The central axis side, which forms the supply and discharge passage for the liquid including the heavy liquid impeller 116, the raw liquid supply pipe, and the light liquid impeller (not indicated), is made of a fixed, non-rotating component and cannot be brought into contact with it, so it was necessary to form an upper gap 120. The raw liquid being handled is, for example, fuel oil. When fuel oil is centrifuged, solid components are discharged, oil is discharged from the light liquid side and water from the heavy liquid side. When fuel oil is centrifuged, the specific gravity of water is greater than that of oil, so the water interface formed in the heavy liquid chamber is formed outward compared to the oil interface formed in the light liquid chamber. Therefore, there was no need to narrow the upper gap formed at the top of the heavy liquid chamber.

[0050] If the location of the interface of the heavy liquid accumulated in the heavy liquid chamber 113 were to be affected, there was a risk of leakage to the outside through the upper gap 120. However, since the leakage from the upper gap 120 was water, it did not pose a major problem.

[0051] However, in this embodiment, there is almost no difference in specific gravity between the concentrated liquid and the clarified liquid separated in the stock solution, and the concentrated liquid that becomes the product is discharged from the heavy liquid side. Since there is no difference in specific gravity between the separated clarified liquid (light liquid) and concentrated liquid (heavy liquid), there is almost no difference in the interface formed between the light liquid chamber 18 and the heavy liquid chamber 21. For this reason, it is preferable that the tip portion 210a of the upper partition material 210 in Figure 1 is positioned significantly closer to the central axis than the inner diameter of the separation plate 14 shown by the dashed line. Specifically, it is preferable that it is about 85% or less of the distance from the central axis to the inner diameter of the separation plate. As a result, the diameter of the upper gap 24 is reduced, and leakage of concentrated liquid from the upper gap 24 can be reduced.

[0052] In this embodiment, it is preferable to use a vertical centrifuge capable of intermittent valve discharge. In the illustrated example, the bottom portion 13 located below the rotating body cover 12 is not provided as a rotating valve capable of valve discharge, but it may be provided. In this embodiment, since the microorganisms are removed from the heavy liquid chamber 21 side without valve discharge by the bottom portion 13, which is a rotating valve, valve discharge by the rotating valve is performed only in cases such as maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge or in the case of an emergency stop of the centrifuge, and it is preferable not to perform valve discharge of the concentrated liquid using the rotating valve during normal operation.

[0053] Figure 2 is a half-sectional view of the rotating body showing an example of another embodiment of a vertical centrifugal separator, Figure 3(a) is a partially enlarged view of the structure of the heavy liquid impeller in Figure 2, and Figure 3(b) is an explanatory diagram of the structure of the heavy liquid impeller in Figure 2.

[0054] Figure 2 shows modified examples of the structures of the heavy liquid chamber 21 and heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1.

[0055] As shown in Figure 2, the heavy liquid impeller 30 is formed in a shape that can be inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the heavy liquid impeller 30 has a curved tip portion 31 that follows the curved upper partition material 210 of the heavy liquid chamber 21. Hereinafter, in this specification, the heavy liquid impeller 30 may be referred to as the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 because it has a configuration that includes a curved tip portion 31. The heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed by an upper partition member 210, a side partition member 211, a rear partition member 212, and the outer surface portion 19a of the light liquid impeller 19. The heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed as a curved space, with the tip portion 210a of the upper partition member 210 curving upward from the top of the side partition member 211 toward the central axis. Between the lower part of the side partition member 211 and the rear partition member 212 of the heavy liquid chamber 21, an inlet portion 150a is formed through which concentrated liquid (heavy liquid) from the heavy liquid flow path 150 flows into the heavy liquid chamber 21. As shown in Figure 3(a), the orientation of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is rotated by approximately 90 degrees so that it can be inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. Here, the method for rotating the orientation by approximately 90 degrees is not particularly limited, and a conventional method can be used. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the distance between the position of the tip 310 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 when it is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 and the inner side surface of the side partition material 211 is approximately 3 to 5 mm. This makes it easier to supply concentrated liquid to the heavy liquid impeller 30.

[0056] As shown in Figure 3(b), the heavy liquid impeller 30, which has a curved tip 31, is provided with a rotating actuator 32 on one side that can rotate the tip 31, and a heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 on the other side.

[0057] The rotating actuator 32 can be rotated so that the curved tip 31 provided on the heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 shown in Figure 2. When the tip 31 is inserted, the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21 is supplied from the tip 31 and can be discharged to the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 via the heavy liquid impeller 30.

[0058] In the example of the heavy liquid impeller 30 of this embodiment, the internal flow path for the concentrated liquid may be spiral-shaped or perforated.

[0059] In this way, by rotating the direction of the heavy liquid impeller 30, the tip 31 of the heavy liquid impeller 30 passes through the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 and is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, allowing the concentrated liquid inside the heavy liquid chamber 21 to be extracted. The discharge of the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid impeller 30 is carried out by the centrifugal force of the concentrated liquid, which is the same as with conventional impellers. Furthermore, it is preferable that the upper partition material 210 is formed to curve upward and extend toward the central axis, in accordance with the shape of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30. This is because it allows the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 to rotate smoothly.

[0060] In this configuration, the direction of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is rotated until the concentrated liquid is concentrated, so that the tip portion 31 is no longer inside the heavy liquid chamber 21. This eliminates the temperature rise caused by friction resulting from the heavy liquid impeller being inside the heavy liquid chamber. This is because friction itself is eliminated. As a result, the death of microorganisms can be suppressed. The present invention is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0061] An example of a concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of the vertical centrifuge of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a half-sectional view of a rotating body showing an example of the main components of a recovery device for concentrated liquid discharged from a vertical centrifuge shown in Figure 1, and Figure 6 is a half-sectional view of a rotating body showing another example of a modified configuration of the main components of the vertical centrifuge shown in Figure 1. In the figures, the same reference numerals as in Figure 1 are omitted from explanation.

[0062] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, it is preferable to provide a three-way valve 28 just before the concentrated liquid is discharged from the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23.

[0063] The concentrated liquid is introduced from the heavy liquid impeller 22 through the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 to the inlet of the three-way valve 28. One outlet of the three-way valve 28 is connected to the recovery channel 29a for the concentrated liquid that will become the product, and the other outlet is connected to the return channel 29b which returns the concentrated liquid to the stock liquid that is introduced into the stock liquid supply pipe 10. By returning the concentrated liquid to the stock liquid supply pipe 10 via the return channel 29b, if the degree of concentration is too low to meet the quality standards for the product, it can be mixed with the stock liquid again and concentrated again in the centrifuge.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6, instead of the return channel 29b that returns the undiluted liquid to the other end of the outlet of the three-way valve 28 in Figure 5, it may be connected to a waste channel 29c for separate recovery of the discharged concentrated liquid, for example, for disposal. The waste channel 29c is preferably used to dispose of concentrated liquids with a low degree of concentration that do not meet the quality standards for the final product. As shown in Figure 5, if the concentrated liquid has a significant impact on the properties of the original liquid, it is preferable to dispose of it to ensure a stable recovery of the concentrated liquid that will become the final product.

[0065] The three-way valve 28 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is preferably configured to automatically switch the outlet direction. For example, it is preferable to perform automatic control such as switching based on the color of the concentrated liquid, switching based on a timer, or switching based on the cumulative flow rate of a flow meter. Switching control based on the color of the concentrated liquid can be achieved, for example, by making a portion of the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 transparent, installing a measuring instrument that can measure colors (not shown), and switching the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28 according to the color information.

[0066] Furthermore, the timer-based switching control can, for example, use the time the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 is open as a reference. Until a predetermined time has elapsed from the reference point, the return channel 29b is opened and the recovery channel 29a is closed. After the predetermined time has elapsed, the return channel 29b is closed and the recovery channel 29a is opened, thereby switching the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28.

[0067] Furthermore, the switching control based on the cumulative flow rate of the flow meter is performed by, for example, installing a flow meter downstream of the heavy liquid discharge valve 26 of the heavy liquid discharge pipe 23 and upstream of the three-way valve 28, and measuring the cumulative flow rate of the concentrated liquid flowing through the flow meter per unit time. The three-way valve 28 keeps the return channel 29b open and the recovery channel 29a closed until the cumulative flow rate reaches a predetermined flow rate. Once the predetermined flow rate is reached, the three-way valve 28 closes the return channel 29b and opens the recovery channel 29a, thereby switching the outlet direction of the three-way valve 28. In this embodiment, the same control may be performed using the waste channel 29c instead of the return channel 29b.

[0068] In this embodiment, if the raw material has consistent properties, a sufficiently high-quality concentrated liquid can be obtained even with timer-based switching control. If there are fluctuations in the properties of the supplied raw material, switching control based on the cumulative flow rate of the flow meter is preferable. These switching controls allow for the automatic acquisition of a concentrated liquid with high product quality.

[0069] Instead of the three-way valve 28 shown in Figures 5 and 6, on / off valves (not shown) may be provided in each of the recovery channel 29a and the return channel 29b (or waste channel 29c). In this case, on-off valves are provided in both the recovery channel 29a and the return channel 29b (or waste channel 29c), and control can be achieved in the same way as with the three-way valve 28 by switching the on-off valve of the recovery channel 29a and the on-off valve of the return channel 29b (or waste channel 29c) ON / OFF.

[0070] Modified examples of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 shows an example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 2 and 3, and Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the heavy liquid impeller of Figure 7 introduced into a heavy liquid chamber, viewed from above.

[0071] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the tip portion 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is the part that is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber, and the tip portion 31 that is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 from the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed in a curved shape. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the inlet 21a of the heavy liquid chamber 21 is circumferential when viewed from above, and the tip portion 31 is inserted from this inlet 21a to insert the tip portion 310 into the heavy liquid chamber 21, so the outer surface portion 311 of the tip portion 31 is formed in a curved shape that can pass through the inlet 21a. In other words, when the tip portion 31 is inserted into the inlet 21a, the outer surface portion 311 is always kept from interfering with the outer surface portion 19a of the light liquid impeller 19. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the heavy liquid chamber 21 is formed in a circular shape on a flat surface, and as the centrifuge rotates, the heavy liquid inside the heavy liquid chamber 21 flows in the same direction as the rotation. The tip 310 is formed such that the upstream tip 310b is shorter radially than the downstream tip 310a with respect to the heavy liquid flow of the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21. This increases the surface area of ​​the tip 310 that contacts the heavy liquid flow, making it easier for the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 to receive the heavy liquid when inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. Furthermore, because pressure loss to the heavy liquid flow can be suppressed, it becomes easier to extract the heavy liquid from the heavy liquid chamber 21. In addition, when inserting the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 into the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21, the contact area between the tip 310 and the liquid surface can be reduced, preventing splashing due to contact with the liquid surface.

[0072] Further modifications of this embodiment will be described based on Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 2 and 3, and Figure 10 shows yet another example of a modified heavy liquid impeller of Figures 2 and 3.

[0073] Figure 9 shows a perspective view with the tip 310 pointing upwards. As shown in Figure 9, the tip 310 of the tip portion 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 has a heavy liquid inlet 310c formed therein, and in the illustrated example, two heavy liquid inlets 310c are provided. Figure 9 shows an example in which a reinforcing rib 310e is provided between the two heavy liquid inlets 310c. When the heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21, if the thickness of the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c of the heavy liquid impeller 30 is insufficient to withstand the pressure generated by the water flow of the concentrated liquid flowing through the heavy liquid chamber 21, the heavy liquid inlet 310c may deform. Therefore, by providing a rib 310e, it is possible to prevent deformation of the heavy liquid inlet 310c due to the pressure from the water flow during operation of the centrifuge. If sufficient strength is maintained against the pressure generated by the water flow of the concentrated liquid flowing through the heavy liquid chamber 21, the rib 310e does not need to be provided.

[0074] Figure 10 shows an example of the shape around the heavy liquid inlet 310c at the tip 310 of the heavy liquid impeller.

[0075] As shown in Figure 10(A), the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c is preferably chamfered and provided in a curved shape. This prevents shearing of the concentrated liquid at the tip and suppresses pressure loss due to introduction into the heavy liquid inlet 310c.

[0076] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(A), the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c may be chamfered on the side facing the heavy liquid inlet 310c, and the peripheral end 310d of the heavy liquid inlet 310c may be curved towards the heavy liquid inlet 310c side. This can suppress pressure loss due to the introduction of concentrated liquid into the heavy liquid inlet 310c.

[0077] By adopting the shapes shown in Figures 10(A) and 10(B), the contact area with the liquid surface can be reduced when inserted into the liquid in the heavy liquid chamber 21, thereby preventing splashing.

[0078] Other embodiments of the concentrated liquid recovery apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 shows an example of how to operate the concentrated liquid recovery device. In the example shown in Figure 11 of this embodiment, the explanation will be given using the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figures 2 and 3, but it is not limited to this and can also be applied to the heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1. When using the heavy liquid impeller 22 shown in Figure 1, this is done by opening and closing the heavy liquid discharge valve 26.

[0079] As described above, the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 shown in Figure 11 can be rotated by driving the rotation actuator 32 (see Figures 2 and 3) so that the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into or not inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21.

[0080] First, as shown in Figure 11(A), the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is not inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21. As a result, the concentrated liquid is not discharged from the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentration of the concentrated liquid increases in the centrifuge.

[0081] Next, as shown in Figure 11(B), once the concentration of the concentrate has increased, the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber 21 to recover the concentrate. After a predetermined amount has been recovered, as shown in Figure 11(A), the rotary actuator is driven to withdraw the tip 31 of the curved heavy liquid impeller 30 from the heavy liquid chamber 21, and the concentration of the concentrate is increased again in the centrifuge.

[0082] The process shown in Figures 11(A) and 11(B) is repeated multiple times, for example, twice. During this process, any portion of the concentrated liquid that cannot be discharged accumulates inside the centrifuge. In particular, as shown in Figure 1, the concentrated liquid accumulates near the corner formed by the rotating lid 12 and bottom 13 in the separation chamber 16, and the concentrated liquid that cannot be discharged remains there.

[0083] In this embodiment, microorganisms are not discharged by the rotary valve at the bottom 13, but are removed from the heavy liquid chamber 21 side. Therefore, valve discharge by the rotary valve is performed only in cases of maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge, or in cases of emergency shutdown of the centrifuge, etc. During normal operation, valve discharge of the concentrated liquid using the rotary valve is not performed.

[0084] Therefore, after performing the steps in Figures 11(A) and 11(B) multiple times, intermittently, as shown in Figure 11(C), the concentrated liquid is discharged by the rotary valve at the timing of maintenance such as cleaning the centrifuge (partial discharge). Since the concentrated liquid discharged in this partial discharge does not become a product, it is preferable to recover it separately from the concentrated liquid that becomes the product recovered from the heavy liquid impeller and, for example, dispose of it.

[0085] Furthermore, if the concentrated liquid remains in the separation chamber without being discharged, it may solidify, making discharge impossible. This could lead to problems such as the liquid sticking to the separation chamber of a centrifugal separator, preventing the rotary valve from opening.

[0086] Performing this partial discharge makes cleaning the centrifuge easier. Furthermore, by performing partial discharge intermittently as shown in Figure 11(C), the concentrated liquid can be discharged before it solidifies in the separation chamber, thus preventing problems with the centrifuge.

[0087] In this description of the embodiment, an example was given in which the steps in Figures 11(A) and 11(B) are repeated twice. However, the number of repetitions is not particularly limited and can be set as appropriate depending on the degree of concentration of the concentrate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 1: Vertical centrifugal separator 10:Stock solution supply pipe 11: Solids of revolution 12: Rotating body cover 13: Bottom 14: Separation plate 15: Water tray board 150: Heavy liquid channel 150a: Inflow part 16: Separation room 17: Guide tube 18: Light liquid chamber 19: Light liquid impeller 19a: Outer surface part 20: Discharge pipe 21: Heavy liquid chamber 21a: Entrance 210: Top partition material 210a: Tip 211: Side partition material 212: Rear partition material 22: Heavy liquid impeller 23: Heavy liquid discharge pipe 24: Upper gap 26: Heavy liquid discharge valve 27: Pressure gauge 28: Three-way valve 29a: Recovery channel 29b: Return channel 29c: Disposal channel 30: Heavy liquid impeller 31:Tip 310: Tip 310a: Downstream end 310b: Upstream end 310c: Heavy liquid inlet 310d: Peripheral edge 310e: Rib 311: External part 32: Rotary actuator 100: Vertical Centrifugal Separator 103: Rotating body cover 105: Separation plate 106: Water tray board 112: Adjustment board 113: Heavy liquid chamber 114: Top partition material 114a: Center shaft side tip 115: Rear partition material 116: Heavy liquid impeller 120: Upper gap

Claims

1. In the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge equipped with a light liquid chamber and a heavy liquid chamber, The heavy liquid chamber is divided into rooms by an upper partition, a side partition, and a rear partition. A heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is installed above the rear partition without providing an adjustment plate. A heavy liquid channel is formed in the gap between the rotating body lid and the water intake plate connected to the side partition material, allowing the concentrated liquid in the separation chamber to be sent to the heavy liquid chamber, and the water intake plate extends toward the bottom of the separation chamber, with a gap formed between the tip of the water intake plate and the bottom. The heavy liquid impeller is positioned in the heavy liquid chamber so as to rotate in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the fluid flowing into the heavy liquid chamber, and the tip of the heavy liquid impeller is formed to be insertable from the central axis side of the heavy liquid chamber toward the inner side surface of the side partition plate. A rotating body structure for a vertical centrifuge, characterized in that the tip of the heavy liquid impeller is inserted into the heavy liquid chamber when the concentrated liquid in the heavy liquid chamber is discharged by centrifugal force.

2. The rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper partition material of the heavy liquid chamber is formed to extend toward the central axis of the rotating body, thereby reducing the diameter of the circumference formed in the circumferential upper gap between the tip of the upper partition material and the central axis.

3. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, A heavy liquid discharge pipe is connected to the outlet of the heavy liquid impeller for discharging the concentrated liquid from the heavy liquid chamber through the heavy liquid impeller. The heavy liquid discharge pipe is equipped with a three-way valve. The aforementioned three-way valve is characterized by branching the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller back into a return channel for supplying the raw liquid to the vertical centrifuge, and into a recovery channel for recovering the concentrated liquid, wherein the device uses a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge.

4. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, When recovering the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller via the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A three-way valve is provided in the heavy liquid discharge pipe. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator, characterized in that the three-way valve is configured to branch into a waste channel for recovering the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller for disposal and a recovery channel for recovering the concentrated liquid.

5. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, When recovering the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller via the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A recovery channel for recovering the concentrated liquid is connected to the heavy liquid discharge pipe, and a return channel is provided upstream of the recovery channel to return the raw liquid to the raw liquid supply pipe for introduction into the vertical centrifuge. The recovery channel and the return channel are each provided with an on / off valve. The heavy liquid impeller is discharged into either the recovery channel or the return channel. A concentrated liquid recovery device using a rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator, characterized by being configured to allow branching of the concentrated liquid.

6. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifuge according to claim 1 or 2, When recovering the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller via the heavy liquid discharge pipe, A recovery channel for recovering the concentrated liquid is connected to the heavy liquid discharge pipe, and a waste channel for recovering the liquid for disposal is provided to branch off upstream of the recovery channel. The recovery channel and the waste channel are each provided with an on / off valve. A concentrated liquid recovery device using the rotating body structure of a vertical centrifugal separator, characterized in that the concentrated liquid discharged from the heavy liquid impeller can be branched into either the recovery channel or the waste channel.

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