Separation device

Abstract

To provide a small-sized separation device capable of efficiently separating an evaporated component and a non-evaporated component.SOLUTION: A separation device 1 includes: a vacuum container 3 into which a liquid to be treated 2 containing an evaporated component and a non-evaporated component is introduced; heating means 15 for heating the liquid to be treated 2 in the vacuum container 3; stirring means 20 for stirring the liquid to be treated 2 placed in the vacuum container 3 and heated by the heating means 15 within the vacuum container 3; and an upper discharge port 12 for discharging the evaporated component evaporated in the vacuum container 3 from the vacuum container 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a separation device for separating a liquid to be treated into evaporable and non-evaporable components. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, wastewater from the production of artificial milk or milk replacer, washing water from milking facilities, or discarded milk contains fat and other substances derived from milk, which places a heavy burden on the environment and makes it desirable to dispose of them appropriately.

[0003] For example, a separation apparatus is known in which the liquid to be treated that has passed through a plurality of settling tanks and thickening storage tanks is discharged via a plurality of aeration tanks. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-120959 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the above-mentioned separation apparatus requires a large number of tanks, and therefore the apparatus is large in scale, requiring a large installation space and huge costs.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a small-sized separation device capable of efficiently separating evaporative components and non-evaporative components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] request request 1 The separation device described is a vacuum container into which a liquid to be treated, which is a waste liquid containing evaporative components and non-evaporative components such as oils and fats, is introduced; a heating means for heating the liquid to be treated in the vacuum container from the outside of the vacuum container; a stirring means for stirring the liquid to be treated introduced into the vacuum container and heated by the heating means in the vacuum container; an evaporative component discharging means for discharging the evaporative components that have evaporated in the vacuum container from the vacuum container; and a non-evaporative component discharging means for discharging the non-evaporative components that have been separated from the liquid to be treated by evaporation of the evaporative components and have been melted and turned into a fluid by heating by the heating means from the vacuum container, The vacuum vessel is of a vertical type having an axis extending in the up-down direction, and has a polygonal cross section perpendicular to the axis.

[0008] Claim 2 The separation device described in claim 1 is characterized in that the stirring means has a baffle disposed in the vacuum vessel.

[0009] Claim 3 The separation device according to claim 2 In the separation device described, the baffle is provided with an opening.

[0010] Claim 4 The separation device according to the present invention comprises: 3 In the separation apparatus according to any one of the above, the heating means heats by burning the oil and fat components separated from the liquid to be treated and discharged from the vacuum vessel by the non-evaporated component discharge means.

[0011] Claim 5 The separation device according to the present invention comprises: 3 In the separation apparatus according to any one of the above, the liquid to be treated contains a milk component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently separate evaporative components and non-evaporative components in a compact size. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the separation device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] 1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a separation apparatus. The separation apparatus 1 is an agitation-type vacuum separation apparatus that separates a liquid to be treated 2 containing evaporative and non-evaporative components into evaporative and non-evaporative components by heating and agitating the liquid. In this embodiment, the liquid to be treated 2 is preferably a liquid to be treated containing milk components, such as wastewater from the production of artificial milk or milk replacer for livestock or infants, washing water from a milking facility, or waste milk.

[0016] The separation device 1 includes a vacuum vessel 3. The vacuum vessel 3 is an airtight vessel whose interior can be made into a vacuum or near-vacuum state (reduced pressure state) by a pressure reducing means such as a vacuum pump. The vacuum vessel 3 is fixed at an installation position.

[0017] The vacuum vessel 3 is made of a heat-resistant metal, such as stainless steel. The vacuum vessel 3 is formed in the shape of a vertically elongated cylinder with a bottom. Preferably, the vacuum vessel 3 has a polygonal cross section. In this embodiment, the vacuum vessel 3 is formed in a square cross section. The vacuum vessel 3 has a bottom 5, side portions 6 rising from the outer edges of the bottom 5, and a top portion 7 covering the upper ends of the side portions 6. In the example shown in the figure, the bottom 5 gradually slopes downward toward the center. The side portions 6 rise from each side of the bottom 5. The top portion 7 is continuous with the upper ends of the side portions 6. In this embodiment, the top portion 7 gradually slopes upward toward the center.

[0018] The vacuum vessel 3 is formed with an inlet 10 for introducing the liquid to be treated 2 into the interior. The inlet 10 is located at the top of the vacuum vessel 3. In this embodiment, the inlet 10 is opened at the top surface 7 of the vacuum vessel 3, but this is not limitative and the inlet 10 may be formed at a position closer to the upper part of the side surface 6. The inlet 10 may be connected to a pressure reducing means after the liquid to be treated 2 is introduced, and used as an opening / closing port for opening and closing the pressure reduction. The inlet 10 is covered by a lid 11 in an openable and closable manner.

[0019] The vacuum vessel 3 is also formed with an upper outlet 12, which is an evaporative component discharge means for discharging the evaporative components separated inside to the outside. The upper outlet 12 is located at the top of the vacuum vessel 3. The upper outlet 12 is formed on the top surface 7. Preferably, the upper outlet 12 is disposed in a position close to the center of the top surface 7. The upper outlet 12 is preferably provided with an opening and closing valve. A pressure reducing device is connected to the upper outlet 12 for discharging the evaporative components to the outside of the vacuum vessel 3. The upper outlet 12 may be provided with a cooling means or a condensing means for cooling and condensing the evaporative components.

[0020] Furthermore, the vacuum vessel 3 is formed with a lower outlet 13, which is a non-evaporated component discharge means for discharging the non-evaporated components separated inside. The lower outlet 13 is located at the bottom of the vacuum vessel 3. The lower outlet 13 is formed in the bottom 5. The lower outlet 13 is preferably provided with an opening and closing valve.

[0021] The liquid to be treated 2 introduced into the vacuum vessel 3 is heated by the heating means 15. The heating means 15 heats the liquid to be treated 2 from outside the vacuum vessel 3. For example, the heating means 15 may heat the vacuum vessel 3 by burning fuel, or may heat the vacuum vessel 3 by circulating hot water through a water pipe arranged in a serpentine manner at the bottom 5 of the vacuum vessel 3. Preferably, the heating means 15 is configured to heat the vacuum vessel 3 by burning oils and fats, which are non-evaporable components discharged to the outside of the vacuum vessel 3 from the lower outlet 13.

[0022] The liquid to be treated 2 that has been introduced into the vacuum vessel 3 and heated by the heating means 15 is stirred by the stirring means 20. Preferably, the stirring means 20 stirs the liquid to be treated 2 so as to generate turbulence within the vacuum vessel 3 (turbulent stirring).

[0023] The stirring means 20 has a shaft 22 inserted into the vacuum vessel 3 along its axis. The shaft 22 is inserted through an insertion opening 23 formed in the upper surface 7 into the vacuum vessel 3 to a position at least near the bottom 5. The shaft 22 is rotatably supported by a bearing 24 or the like. The gap between the shaft 22 and the insertion opening 24 is sealed by a seal. An impeller 25 is disposed on the shaft 22. The impeller 25 is positioned so as to be immersed in the liquid 2 to be treated in the vacuum vessel 3. In this embodiment, the impeller 25 is located near the lower end of the shaft 22. The shape of the impeller 25 may be set arbitrarily. In this embodiment, the impeller 25 is formed in a blade shape extending perpendicular to the shaft 22 and is disposed at multiple locations, for example, two locations, in the vertical direction, which is the axial direction of the shaft 22. A motor 26, which rotates the shaft 22 together with the impeller 25, is connected to the shaft 22 via a reducer or a transmission.

[0024] The stirring means 20 also has a baffle (baffle plate) 28. The baffle 28 generates a vertical flow in the stirred liquid 2 to uniformize its temperature, concentration, and the like. The baffle 28 is arranged along the side surface 6 of the vacuum vessel 3 and protrudes from the side surface 6 toward the center of the vacuum vessel 3. The baffle 28 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the surface direction of the side surface 6. The baffle 28 is arranged toward the bottom of the vacuum vessel 3 so that at least its lower portion is immersed in the liquid 2 to be treated. In this embodiment, the baffle 28 is formed in a rectangular plate shape and extends vertically along the side surface 6. The baffle 28 is located a predetermined distance away from the stirring blade 25 in the radial direction of rotation. The lower end of the baffle 28 is located below the stirring blade 25, and the upper end of the baffle 28 is located above the stirring blade 25.

[0025] In the illustrated example, a plurality of openings 28a are formed in the baffle 28. The openings 28a are formed by penetrating the baffle 28 in the plate thickness direction. The openings 28a are formed in a quadrangular shape and are arranged spaced apart from each other in the up-down direction.

[0026] Preferably, a baffle 28 is disposed on each of the side surfaces 6. In this embodiment, a baffle 28 is disposed on each of the four side surfaces 6.

[0027] In the separation device 1, the liquid to be treated 2 is introduced into the vacuum container 3 through the inlet 10, the vacuum container 3 is sealed and the pressure is reduced to a vacuum or near vacuum, and then the liquid to be treated 2 is heated and warmed by the heating means 15 to lower the boiling point, and in this state the liquid to be treated 2 is agitated by the agitation means 20. In the initial heating stage, the heating means 15 heats the vacuum container 3 by burning a predetermined fuel.

[0028] In the stirring means 20, the motor 26 rotates the stirring blades 25 together with the shaft 22 at high speed, causing ripples on the surface of the liquid 2 to form, and as shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 1, the liquid 2 to be treated forms a vortex flow in which the peripheral part rises along the side surface 6 compared to the central part in the vacuum vessel 3. Furthermore, the liquid 2 to be treated in the peripheral part of the vacuum vessel 3 comes into contact with the baffle 28, causing a vertical flow at the position of the side surface 6 of the vacuum vessel 3, increasing turbulence and homogenizing the temperature and concentration of the liquid 2 to be treated. Furthermore, the liquid 2 to be treated passes through the opening 28a, further increasing the turbulence and further increasing the surface area.

[0029] Therefore, the liquid to be treated 2 is heated under reduced pressure with its surface area greatly expanded, evaporating moisture and other volatile components. The evaporated components move to the top of the vacuum vessel 3 and are discharged to the outside of the vacuum vessel 3 through the upper outlet 12, thereby accelerating the evaporation of moisture and other volatile components from the liquid to be treated 2 within the vacuum vessel 3. The upper outlet 12 discharges the volatile components from a position close to the shaft 22 of the agitator 20, i.e., near the center of the vortex of the liquid to be treated 2 within the vacuum vessel 3, thereby preventing the liquid to be treated 2 from being discharged. Meanwhile, non-evaporated components such as oils and fats accumulate on the bottom 5 of the vacuum vessel 3, but because the vacuum vessel 3 is heated by the heating means 15, they melt and become fluid (liquid), and can then flow out of the lower outlet 13 and be discharged to the outside of the vacuum vessel 3. In this way, the separation device 1 vacuum-separates the volatile and non-evaporated components of the liquid to be treated 2.

[0030] In addition, when the amount of non-evaporated grease and fat discharged from the vacuum vessel 3 reaches a predetermined amount, the heating means 15 heats the vacuum vessel 3 by burning the grease and fat, and consumes the separated grease and fat using the heating means 15, thereby reducing waste other than evaporative components such as water.

[0031] Thus, according to one embodiment, the liquid to be treated 2 introduced into the vacuum vessel 3 is heated by the heating means 15 while being stirred by the stirring means 20 within the vacuum vessel 3, thereby increasing the surface area of ​​the liquid to be treated 2 whose boiling point has been lowered by reducing the pressure by the stirring means 20, and efficiently evaporating the evaporative components of the liquid to be treated 2 within the vacuum vessel 3, and the evaporated components are discharged from the vacuum vessel 3 via the upper outlet 12, thereby promoting evaporation of the evaporative components within the vacuum vessel 3. This makes it possible to efficiently separate the evaporative components from the non-evaporative components using the small separation device 1, without increasing the size of the device by, for example, arranging multiple tanks.

[0032] Since the vacuum vessel 3 has a polygonal cross section, the liquid to be treated 2 being stirred by the stirring means 20 is less likely to rotate along the side surface 6 of the vacuum vessel 3 compared to when the cross section is circular, and turbulence is more likely to occur in the liquid to be treated 2.

[0033] By disposing the baffle 28 inside the vacuum vessel 3, turbulence is more likely to occur in the liquid to be treated 2 being stirred by the stirring means 20. Moreover, by forming the opening 28a in the baffle 28, part of the liquid to be treated 2 being stirred passes through the opening 28a, making it more likely that turbulence will occur in the liquid to be treated 2.

[0034] As a result, the surface area of ​​the liquid to be treated 2 can be further increased, and the evaporative components can be evaporated more effectively.

[0035] Furthermore, the baffle 28 makes uniform the temperature, concentration, etc. of the liquid 2 to be treated, thereby promoting more efficient evaporation of the evaporation components.

[0036] Furthermore, since the heating means 15 heats the liquid to be treated 2 by burning the non-evaporated oil and fat components separated from the liquid to be treated 2, the separated non-evaporated components can be effectively utilized to heat the vacuum container 3 when separating and processing the liquid to be treated 2, and the oil and fat components can be consumed as fuel, thereby reducing waste.

[0037] The separation device 1 separates the treated liquid 2 containing milk components into water, which is an evaporative component, and oils and fats, which are non-evaporative components, so that the water can be discharged directly into rivers, the sea, etc., and the oils and fats can be reused as fuel in addition to the heating means 15, etc., and the treated liquid 2 containing milk components, which have a large environmental impact, can be separated and processed appropriately in a small, inexpensive manner.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the vacuum vessel 3 may be any other polygonal shape, such as a hexagonal shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 Separation device 2. Liquid to be treated 3 Vacuum container 12 Upper outlet as discharge means 15 Heating means 20 Stirring means 28 Baffle 28a opening

Claims

1. A vacuum vessel into which a liquid to be treated, which is a waste liquid containing evaporative components and non-evaporative components such as oils and fats, is introduced; a heating means for heating the liquid to be treated in the vacuum container from outside the vacuum container; a stirring means for stirring the liquid to be treated that has been introduced into the vacuum vessel and heated by the heating means within the vacuum vessel; an evaporated component discharge means for discharging the evaporated components evaporated in the vacuum container from the vacuum container; a non-evaporated component discharge means for discharging the non-evaporated components, which have been separated from the liquid to be treated by evaporation of the evaporative components and melted into a fluid state by heating with the heating means, from the vacuum container; The vacuum vessel is a vertical type having an axis in the up-down direction, and the cross section in the direction perpendicular to the axis is formed in a polygonal shape. A separation device characterized by:

2. The stirring means includes a baffle disposed within the vacuum vessel.

2. The separation device according to claim 1.

3. The baffle includes an opening.

3. The separation device according to claim 2.

4. The heating means burns and heats the oil and fat components separated from the liquid to be treated and discharged from the vacuum vessel by the non-evaporated component discharge means.

4. A separation device according to claim 1.

5. The liquid to be treated contains milk components.

4. A separation device according to claim 1.

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