Filtration device and maintenance method for the filtration device

Abstract

A filtration device and a maintenance method for the filtration device that can improve maintenance workability are provided. [Solution] The filtration device includes a container (12), a filter unit (18), and a liquid discharge unit (36). The filter unit (18) has a filter medium (66) removably positioned in a liquid discharge path (V), a filter medium advancing / retracting device (68) that advances and retracts the filter medium (66), and a pivot support unit (70) that pivotally supports the filter medium advancing / retracting device (68) between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2). When the pivot support unit (70) supports the filter medium advancing / retracting device (68) at the first position (P1) and the filter medium (66) is advanced by the filter medium advancing / retracting device (68), the filter medium (66) is positioned in the liquid discharge path (V). When the pivot support unit (70) supports the filter medium advancing / retracting device (68) at the second position and the filter medium (66) is retracted by the filter medium advancing / retracting device (68), the filter medium (66) is separated from the liquid discharge path (V) and exposed to the exterior space of the container (12). This makes it easy for an operator to perform maintenance on the exposed filter medium (66) and the liquid discharge path (V).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a filtration device that filters materials to be treated and a maintenance method for the filtration device. [Background technology]

[0002] The filtration and drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a container for accommodating the material to be treated, a filter medium provided at the bottom of the container, and an agitator blade for agitating the material to be treated. In the filtration process, solid matter contained in the material to be treated is captured by the filter medium, and the filtrate separated from the solid matter is discharged to the outside of the container through a drain outlet provided at the bottom of the container.

[0003] When inspecting the filter media and surrounding areas of this filtration and drying device, the worker first removes the bottom lid, which forms the bottom of the container, from the container body and moves the bottom lid to the side of the container body. Next, the worker inspects the filter media attached to the bottom lid and also inspects the opening on the bottom of the container body from below. Once the inspection is complete, the worker attaches the bottom lid to the container body in the reverse order of removal.

[0004] The filtering and drying device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that the lower lid must be removed from the container body and moved when inspecting the filter medium and its surrounding area, which makes maintenance work less efficient. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5486186 Summary of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a filtration device and a maintenance method for the filtration device that can improve the efficiency of maintenance work.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, a feature of the filtration device according to the present invention is a filtration device comprising: a container having a storage space for storing a material to be processed; a filter section for filtering the material to be processed; and a liquid discharge section provided in the container and constituting a liquid discharge path for discharging liquid generated by filtering the material to the outside of the storage space, the filter section comprising a filter medium detachably positioned in the liquid discharge path, and a filter element provided outside the container and advancing the filter medium relative to the liquid discharge path. The filter medium advancement / retraction device has a filter medium advancement / retraction device that retracts the filter medium, and a pivotal support part that supports the filter medium advancement / retraction device so that it can rotate between a first position and a second position, and when the filter medium advancement / retraction device is supported at the first position by the pivotal support part and the filter medium is advanced by the filter medium advancement / retraction device, the filter medium is positioned in the liquid discharge path, and when the filter medium advancement / retraction device is supported at the second position by the pivotal support part and the filter medium is retracted by the filter medium advancement / retraction device, the filter medium is exposed to the external space of the container.

[0008] In this filtration device, the filter media advancement / retraction device is supported by a pivotal support part so as to be rotatable between a first position and a second position. When the filter media advancement / retraction device is supported at the first position and the filter media is advanced, the filter media is positioned in the liquid discharge path. In this state, the filtration device is capable of filtering the material to be treated. When the filter media advancement / retraction device is supported at the second position and the filter media is retracted, the filter media is exposed to the external space of the container. In this state, an operator can perform maintenance on the filter media and the liquid discharge path. Therefore, when performing maintenance on the filter media and the liquid discharge path, there is no need to remove and move the bottom lid of the container as in the conventional case, making maintenance work easier.

[0009] Another feature of the filtering device according to the present invention is that the rotation support portion has a rotation shaft extending in the vertical direction for rotating the filter medium advancing and retracting device in the horizontal direction.

[0010] In this configuration, the filter medium advancing and retracting device can be rotated horizontally around a rotation axis extending vertically, so the filter medium advancing and retracting device can be rotated with a smaller force than when the filter medium advancing and retracting device is rotated around a rotation axis extending horizontally against gravity. Therefore, it is easy to rotate the filter medium advancing and retracting device between the first position and the second position.

[0011] Another feature of the filtration device of the present invention is that the filter material advancing / retreating device has a filter material mounting portion to which the filter material is attached, a drive portion for advancing and retracting the filter material mounting portion, and a secondary discharge portion that constitutes a secondary discharge path for discharging the liquid matter that has passed through the filter material, and the filter material mounting portion is formed with a funnel-shaped receiving port for receiving the liquid matter that has passed through the filter material, and the secondary discharge path is connected to the internal space of the receiving port.

[0012] In this configuration, the liquid that has passed through the filter medium can be efficiently guided to the secondary discharge passage through the funnel-shaped receiving port.

[0013] Another feature of the filtration device of the present invention is that one receiving port is formed in the filter material mounting portion, and the small diameter end of the receiving port is connected to the upstream end of the secondary discharge path.

[0014] In this configuration, the liquid that has passed through the filter medium can be efficiently guided to the secondary discharge path via one funnel-shaped receiving port.

[0015] Another feature of the filtration device of the present invention is that the filter material advancing / retracting device has a cylindrical cylinder, a piston that is driven back and forth by fluid pressure inside the cylinder, and a piston rod connected to the piston, and the filter material mounting portion is provided at the tip of the piston rod.

[0016] In this configuration, the filter medium and the filter medium attachment portion can be advanced and retreated using the pressure of the fluid, making maintenance work easy even when the filter medium and the filter medium attachment portion are heavy.

[0017] Another feature of the filter device according to the present invention is that at least a portion of the secondary discharge passage is formed inside the piston rod.

[0018] In this configuration, at least a portion of the piston rod functions as the secondary discharge portion, which reduces the number of parts that make up the secondary discharge portion and keeps manufacturing costs low.

[0019] Another feature of the filtration device of the present invention is that it is provided with a solid discharge section that is provided in the container and forms a solid discharge path for discharging solid matter captured by the filter section to the outside of the storage space, and the liquid discharge section is switched to the solid discharge section by retracting the filter material from the liquid discharge path.

[0020] In this configuration, the liquid discharge section also serves as the solid discharge section, eliminating the need for a separate solid discharge section. This reduces manufacturing costs and facilitates maintenance. Furthermore, if a heating or cooling jacket is provided on the wall of the container, a large heat transfer area can be secured, allowing the workpiece to be heated or cooled efficiently.

[0021] Another feature of the filtration device according to the present invention is that it includes a jacket provided on the wall of the container for heating or cooling the object to be treated housed in the housing space.

[0022] In this configuration, a large area (heat transfer area) can be secured for the portion of the wall of the container where heat from the jacket is transferred, and the object to be treated can be efficiently heated or cooled.

[0023] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the maintenance method for a filtration device according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a retraction step of retracting the filter material from the liquid discharge path using the filter material advancing / retracting device, a rotation step of rotating the filter material advancing / retracting device from the first position to the second position using the rotation support part, and a maintenance step of maintaining at least one of the filter material and the liquid discharge path.

[0024] In this configuration, the filter medium can be removed from the liquid discharge path and exposed to the external space of the container by a retraction step of retracting the filter medium from the liquid discharge path and a rotation step of rotating the filter medium advancing and retracting device from the first position to the second position, making it easy for an operator to perform maintenance work on the filter medium and the liquid discharge path. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a filtering device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, illustrating the configuration of the filtration device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3A is a plan view showing the configuration of the main part of the filtration device, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIB-IIIB in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter portion. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a filter section, in which (A) is a plan view and (B) is a front view. [Figure 6] (A) is a diagram showing the adding step, and (B) is a diagram showing the filtration preparation step. [Figure 7] (C) is a diagram showing the filtration process, and (D) is a diagram showing the drying process. [Figure 8] (E) shows the discharge process. [Figure 9] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the filter medium has been retracted, and FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a state in which the filter medium advancing and retracting device has been rotated. [Figure 10]1A is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section according to a first modified example, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section according to a second modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section according to a third modified example. [Figure 12] 10(A) is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filtration device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 10(B) is a view showing a discharging step in the filtration device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, a filtering device and a filtering method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] (Filtering device according to an embodiment) FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a filtration device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1 showing the configuration of the filtration device 10. FIG. 3(A) is a plan view showing the configuration of the main parts of the filtration device 10, and FIG. 3(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIB-IIIB in FIG. 3(A). FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a filter unit 18. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the filter unit 18, with FIG. 5(A) being a plan view and FIG. 5(B) being a front view. FIG. 6(A) is a diagram showing the loading process, and FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing the filtration preparation process. FIG. 7(C) is a diagram showing the filtration process, and FIG. 7(D) is a diagram showing the drying process. FIG. 8(E) is a diagram showing the discharging process. Note that the directions of "front, back, left, right, up, and down" used in the following description correspond to the directions indicated by arrows in the figures.

[0028] The filtration device 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is an apparatus for performing the steps of the filtration method shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8 in a chemical plant or the like. As shown in Figure 3(B), the filtration device 10 includes a container 12 having a storage space S for storing a workpiece W (Figures 6, 7, and 8), and a first jacket 14, a second jacket 16, a filter unit 18, and an agitator 20 provided in the container 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the filtration device 10 includes a container state change unit 22 and a control unit 24.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3(B), the container 12 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 26 extending in the vertical direction, a disk-shaped upper wall 28 provided at the upper end of the peripheral wall 26 to close the upper opening, and a disk-shaped lower wall 30 provided at the lower end of the peripheral wall 26 to close the lower opening. The peripheral wall 26, the upper wall 28, and the lower wall 30 are formed of a metal such as stainless steel, and together they form a cylindrical, bottomed "wall" of the container 12. Here, the "vertical direction" refers to the vertical direction defined by focusing on the state of the container 12 when the center line L of the container 12 is positioned parallel to the vertical direction, and does not refer to the vertical direction. Therefore, if the container 12 is tilted with respect to the vertical direction, the "vertical direction" becomes a direction that intersects with the vertical direction.

[0030] 3(B), a discharge port 32 is formed in a forward-facing portion of the lower part of the peripheral wall 26, for discharging liquid or solid matter produced by filtering the material W to be treated by the filter unit 18 to the outside of the storage space S. In this embodiment, the discharge port 32 is formed in a circular shape, and the lower end of the discharge port 32 is located at the same height as the upper surface of the lower wall 30. A seat portion 34 of the filter unit 18 is provided on the outer surface of the inner peripheral portion 32a of the discharge port 32 so as to protrude outside the container 12.

[0031] 7(C), in the filtering process using the filtering device 10, the outlet 32 ​​and the seat 34 form a liquid discharge path V for discharging the liquid of the workpiece W to the outside of the storage space S. In other words, in the filtering process, the outlet 32 ​​and the seat 34 serve as a liquid discharge section 36 that forms the liquid discharge path V.

[0032] 8(E), in the discharge step using the filtration device 10, the discharge port 32 and the seat portion 34 form a solid discharge path U for discharging solid matter of the workpiece W to the outside of the storage space S. That is, in the discharge step, the discharge port 32 and the seat portion 34 serve as a solid discharge section 38 that forms the solid discharge path U. In other words, the liquid discharge section 36 also serves as the solid discharge section 38.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 3(B), a shaft through-hole 42 through which the drive shaft 40 of the agitator 20 is inserted is formed in the center of the upper wall 28, and an input port 44 for inputting the workpiece W into the storage space S and an instrument mounting hole 46 are formed in a portion off the center of the upper wall 28. As shown in Fig. 3(A), two sight window mounting holes 48a, 48b and two pressure pipe connection holes 50a, 50b are also formed in a portion off the center of the upper wall 28. Pressure pipes (not shown) are connected to the pressure pipe connection holes 50a, 50b.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3(B), a first jacket 14 is provided on the peripheral wall 26 for heating or cooling the workpiece W in contact with the peripheral wall 26. The first jacket 14 has a jacket body 52 formed along the peripheral wall 26 of the vessel 12. A first heat medium flow path 54, through which a heat medium (hot water or cold water) flows, is defined between the peripheral wall 26 and the jacket body 52. ​​As shown in FIG. 3(A), a heat medium inlet 56a and a heat medium outlet 56b are provided in the jacket body 52, spaced apart from each other. Although not shown, a heat medium supply pipe and a heat medium supply pump are connected to the heat medium inlet 56a, and a heat medium discharge pipe is connected to the heat medium outlet 56b. The heat medium supply pump is electrically connected to the control unit 24 (FIG. 1), and the heat medium supply pump is driven or stopped in response to a control signal provided by the control unit 24.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3(B), a second jacket 16 is provided on the lower wall 30 for heating or cooling the workpiece W in contact with the lower wall 30. The second jacket 16 has a jacket body 58 formed along the lower wall 30 of the vessel 12. A second heat medium flow path 60, through which a heat medium (hot water or cold water) flows, is defined between the lower wall 30 and the jacket body 58. The jacket body 58 is provided with a heat medium inlet 62a and a heat medium outlet 62b, shown in FIG. 3(A), spaced apart from each other. Although not shown, a heat medium supply pipe and a heat medium supply pump are connected to the heat medium inlet 62a, and a heat medium discharge pipe is connected to the heat medium outlet 62b. The heat medium supply pump is electrically connected to the control unit 24 (FIG. 1), and the heat medium supply pump is driven or stopped in response to a control signal provided by the control unit 24.

[0036] 3(B), the peripheral wall portion 26 and the lower wall portion 30 are heated or cooled by the heat medium. Heat is then exchanged between the workpiece W accommodated in the accommodation space S and the peripheral wall portion 26 and the lower wall portion 30, and the workpiece W is heated or cooled.

[0037] The filter section 18 shown in Fig. 3(B) is a section that filters the workpiece W in the filtering step (Fig. 7(C)), and is provided at the portion of the peripheral wall section 26 where the discharge port 32 is formed. As shown in Fig. 4, the filter section 18 has a housing 64, a seat section 34, a filter material 66, a filter material advancing / retracting device 68, and a rotation support section 70.

[0038] The housing 64 has a cylindrical main body 72. The direction in which the center line of the main body 72 extends coincides with the direction in which the center line of the discharge port 32 extends, and one axial end 72a of the main body 72 faces the discharge port 32. A cylindrical nozzle 74 is provided at the top of the main body 72, and a lid 76 is attached to the opening of the nozzle 74. A discharge chute 78 is provided at the bottom of the main body 72 to guide the solid matter of the workpiece W discharged from the discharge port 32 downward.

[0039] A disk-shaped first wall 80 is provided at one axial end 72a of the main body 72, and a circular hole 80a is formed in the first wall 80, into which a filter medium mounting portion 82 of the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 is inserted. A disk-shaped second wall 84 is provided at the other axial end 72b of the main body 72, and a circular hole 84a is formed in the second wall 84, into which a piston rod 86 of the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 is inserted.

[0040] The seat 34 is formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the discharge outlet 32, and is joined to the outer surface of the inner periphery 32a of the discharge outlet 32. The inner periphery 34a of the seat 34 is formed in a tapered shape that expands in diameter toward the outside of the container 12. An annular groove 34b is formed in the end face of the seat 34 facing the inner periphery 32a of the discharge outlet 32, and the opening of the groove 34b is closed by the inner periphery 32a of the discharge outlet 32.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5(A), the seat 34 is formed with a heat medium inlet 88a for supplying a heat medium (hot water or cold water) to the internal space Q of the groove 34b, and a heat medium outlet 88b for discharging the heat medium from the internal space Q. Although not shown, a heat medium supply pipe and a heat medium supply pump are connected to the heat medium inlet 88a, and a heat medium discharge pipe is connected to the heat medium outlet 88b. The heat medium supply pump is electrically connected to the control unit 24 (FIG. 1), and the heat medium supply pump is driven or stopped in response to a control signal provided by the control unit 24. When the heat medium is supplied to the internal space Q of the groove 34b, the inner periphery 32a of the discharge port 32 is heated or cooled by the heat medium, and the workpiece W in contact with the inner periphery 32a is heated or cooled.

[0042] The filter material 66 shown in FIG. 4 is a member that filters the material to be treated W, and is removably positioned in the liquid discharge path V that is made up of the liquid discharge portion 36 (discharge port 32 and seat portion 34). The filter material 66 in this embodiment is a sintered wire mesh formed in a disk shape, and is strong enough to maintain its shape independently. The type of filter material 66 is not limited to sintered wire mesh, and filter cloth made of woven or nonwoven fabric may also be used. The filter material 66 may also be supported by a plate-like support (not shown) that has a large number of holes that allow the liquid material of the material to be treated W to pass through.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, the filter material advancing / retreating device 68 is provided outside the container 12 and is a device that moves the filter material 66 forward and backward relative to the liquid discharge path V, and has a filter material mounting section 82, a drive section 90, and a secondary discharge section 92 that is connected to the liquid discharge section 36.

[0044] The filter medium mounting portion 82 is the portion to which the filter medium 66 is attached, and is formed in a truncated cone shape with a tapered outer peripheral surface 82a that contacts the tapered inner peripheral surface 34a of the seat portion 34. A tip end surface 82b, which is the end surface on the small diameter side of the filter medium mounting portion 82, and a base end surface 82c, which is the end surface on the large diameter side, are formed on planes that are perpendicular to the center line of the filter medium mounting portion 82. A through hole 94 extending in the axial direction is formed in the center of the filter medium mounting portion 82. The through hole 94 is part of the secondary discharge path F that communicates with the liquid discharge path V.

[0045] A funnel-shaped receiving port 96 opens in the distal end surface 82b of the filter medium attachment portion 82. The inner surface of the receiving port 96 is formed in a conical shape with the diameter greatest at the distal end surface 82b. The upstream end of the secondary discharge channel F is connected to the apex of the cone on the inner surface of the receiving port 96, i.e., the small-diameter end of the receiving port 96. In other words, the secondary discharge channel F is connected to the narrowest part of the internal space of the receiving port 96. The outer periphery of the filter medium 66 is fixed to the distal end surface 82b, and the part of the filter medium 66 inside the outer periphery faces the internal space of the receiving port 96. Therefore, all of the liquid that passes through the filter medium 66 is guided through the receiving port 96 to the through-hole 94, i.e., the secondary discharge channel F.

[0046] The outer diameter of the tip end, including the tip surface 82b, of the filter medium mounting portion 82 is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the discharge port 32, and the outer diameter of the base end, including the base end surface 82c, of the filter medium mounting portion 82 is set to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the circular hole 80a formed in the first wall portion 80 of the housing 64. An annular groove (not shown) is formed in the outer peripheral surface 82a of the filter medium mounting portion 82, and a sealing member 98 such as an O-ring is fitted in this groove. When the filter medium 66 attached to the filter medium mounting portion 82 is positioned in the liquid discharge path V, the outer peripheral surface 82a of the filter medium mounting portion 82 and the inner peripheral surface 34a of the seat portion 34 come into contact, and the gap between the outer peripheral surface 82a and the inner peripheral surface 34a is sealed by the sealing member 98.

[0047] 4, the drive unit 90 is a part for advancing and retracting the filter medium attachment unit 82, and has a cylinder 100 to which high-pressure fluid (hydraulic in this embodiment) is supplied, a piston 102 that is driven to reciprocate inside the cylinder 100 by the pressure of the fluid, a piston rod 86 connected to the piston 102, and a bellows 104 that protects the piston rod 86. In other words, the drive unit 90 in this embodiment is a hydraulic cylinder device.

[0048] Cylinder 100 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an internal space for accommodating piston 102, and is disposed outside housing 64. One end 100a of cylinder 100 is fixed to the outer surface of second wall portion 84 of housing 64 via a fixing member 106. A fluid supply pipe, a fluid supply pump, a valve, and the like (not shown) are connected to cylinder 100, and control unit 24 (FIG. 1) is electrically connected to the fluid supply pump and the valve.

[0049] The piston rod 86 is cylindrically shaped to form part of the secondary discharge path F. The portion of the piston rod 86 that protrudes from the cylinder 100 toward the discharge port 32 is disposed inside the housing 64. A bellows 104 is disposed around the piston rod 86 inside the housing 64. The end of the piston rod 86 on the discharge port 32 side, i.e., the tip 86a, is inserted into the through-hole 94 of the filter media mounting portion 82 and fixed to the base end surface 82c of the filter media mounting portion 82 via a fixing member 108. In other words, the filter media mounting portion 82 is provided at the tip 86a of the piston rod 86. The base end 86b of the piston rod 86 protrudes from an opening 100c formed in the other end 100b of the cylinder 100, and a drainage pipe, a drainage pump, a valve, and the like (not shown) are connected to the base end 86b. The drainage pump and the valve are electrically connected to the control unit 24 (FIG. 1).

[0050] The secondary discharge section 92 is a part that constitutes the secondary discharge path F for discharging the liquid that has passed through the filter medium 66. In this embodiment, the secondary discharge section 92 is constituted by the filter medium attachment section 82 and the piston rod 86.

[0051] 5(A) and (B) is a portion that supports the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 so that it can rotate between a first position P1 and a second position P2 shown in FIG. 9(B). The first position P1 is the position of the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 relative to the container 12 when each processing step is performed using the filtration device 10. The second position P2 is the position of the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 relative to the container 12 when an operator performs maintenance on the filter medium 66 and the liquid discharge path V.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 5(B), the rotation support unit 70 has a base 110 provided on the container 12, a rotation shaft 112 provided on the base 110, and two bearings 114 provided on the housing 64. The rotation shaft 112 is configured so that the filter media advancing and retracting device 68 can be rotated horizontally when an operator performs maintenance work. In this embodiment, when performing maintenance work, the container 12 is held with its center line L (FIG. 3(B)) extending vertically. Therefore, the rotation shaft 112 is provided parallel to the center line L of the container 12. In other words, when performing maintenance work, the rotation support unit 70 has the rotation shaft 112 extending vertically for rotating the filter media advancing and retracting device 68 horizontally.

[0053] 5(A), the rotation support part 70 has a locking mechanism 116 for prohibiting rotation of the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 when the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 is located at the first position P1. The locking mechanism 116 has a hooking part 118 provided on the container 12 and a hooking mechanism 120 provided on the housing 64. The hooking mechanism 120 has a hooking part 120a that can be hooked onto the hooking part 118, and an operating lever 120b. An operator can hook the hooking part 120a onto the hooking part 118 or detach it from the hooking part 118 by manually operating the operating lever 120b.

[0054] As shown in Figure 4, the filter material advancing / retracting device 68 is supported at a first position P1 relative to the container 12 by the pivotal support portion 70, and when the filter material 66 is advanced by the filter material advancing / retracting device 68, the filter material 66 is positioned in the liquid discharge path V.

[0055] 8(E), when the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68 is supported at a first position P1 relative to the container 12 by the pivot support part 70 and the filter medium 66 is retracted by the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68, the filter medium 66 is removed from the liquid discharge path V and the solid discharge path U is opened. In other words, the liquid discharge part 36 is switched to the solid discharge part 38 by retracting the filter medium 66 from the liquid discharge path V.

[0056] As shown in Figure 9 (B), the filter material advancing / retracting device 68 is supported at a second position P2 relative to the container 12 by the pivotal support portion 70, and when the filter material 66 is retracted by the filter material advancing / retracting device 68, the filter material 66 and the liquid discharge path V are exposed to the external space of the container 12.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 3(B), the agitator 20 is a device for agitating the workpiece W in the storage space S, and includes a drive shaft 40, an agitator blade 122, and a drive motor 124. The drive shaft 40 is inserted into a shaft through-hole 42 formed in the upper wall portion 28 of the container 12. The agitator blade 122 is attached to the lower end of the drive shaft 40, and a rotating shaft (not shown) of the drive motor 124 is connected to the upper end of the drive shaft 40. The control unit 24 (FIG. 1) is electrically connected to the drive motor 124, and the drive motor 124 rotates or stops in response to a control signal provided by the control unit 24.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container state change unit 22 is a member that supports the container 12 so that the angle can be changed, and has a pair of stands 126a, 126b arranged on both the left and right sides of the container 12, a pair of bearing units 128a, 128b, a pair of rotation shafts 130a, 130b extending in the left-right direction, and a rotation operation unit 132.

[0059] Each of the pair of mounts 126a, 126b is formed by joining rod-shaped bases 134a, 134b having a rectangular cross section and rod-shaped supports 136a, 136b also having a rectangular cross section in an inverted T shape. The bases 134a, 134b are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction, and the supports 136a, 136b are arranged to extend in the vertical direction. Bearings 128a, 128b are provided at the upper ends of the supports 136a, 136b.

[0060] The right end of the left rotating shaft 130a is joined to the left side surface of the container 12, and the left end of the right rotating shaft 130b is joined to the right side surface of the container 12. The left end of the left rotating shaft 130a is rotatably supported by bearing portion 128a, and the right end of the right rotating shaft 130b is rotatably supported by bearing portion 128b.

[0061] The rotation operation unit 132 is a part that changes the tilt angle of the container 12 by rotating the left-side rotation shaft 130a, and has a gear unit 138 incorporated in the left-side bearing unit 128a, a drive motor 140 for inputting rotational force to the input end of the gear unit 138, and a manual handle 142 for inputting rotational force to the input end of the gear unit 138. The output end of the gear unit 138 is connected to the left-side rotation shaft 130a. The control unit 24 (FIG. 1) is electrically connected to the drive motor 140, and the drive motor 140 rotates or stops in response to a control signal provided by the control unit 24. Note that the operator may also change the tilt angle of the container 12 by turning the manual handle 142 to rotate the rotation shaft 130a.

[0062] 1 is a device that controls each electrical device for operating the filtering device 10, and is configured by a microcomputer (not shown) that includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The ROM stores operation programs for each electrical device.

[0063] (Filtration method using a filtration device) When filtering the workpiece W using the filtering device 10, a loading step, a filter preparation step, a filtering step, a drying step, and a discharging step are performed in this order. The workpiece W may be in one of three states: a state containing both solid matter and liquid matter, a state containing only solid matter, or a state containing only liquid matter.

[0064] The loading step shown in Fig. 6(A) is a step of loading the workpiece W into the storage space S of the container 12. In the loading step, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 140 of the container state change unit 22 so as to hold the container 12 with the center line L extending vertically. The worker loads the workpiece W into the storage space S through the loading port 44 of the container 12. The workpiece W loaded into the storage space S includes a liquid material and a solid material.

[0065] The filtration preparation step shown in FIG. 6(B) is a step in which solid matter from the workpiece W introduced into the storage space S is dissolved in a liquid to create a solution, and then the solid matter is precipitated from the solution. In the filtration preparation step, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 140 of the container state change unit 22 so as to rotate the container 12 in the introduction step shown in FIG. 6(A) 45 degrees counterclockwise from the state shown in the figure and stop it. Therefore, the inclination angle of the container 12 with respect to the horizontal plane becomes 45 degrees. The control unit 24 also controls the drive motor 124 of the agitator 20 so as to rotate the agitator blade 122.

[0066] When dissolving solid matter in the workpiece W into a liquid, the control unit 24 controls a heat medium supply pump (not shown) to supply hot water to the first jacket 14 and the second jacket 16. When precipitating solid matter from the solution, the control unit 24 controls a heat medium supply pump (not shown) to supply cold water to the first jacket 14 and the second jacket 16.

[0067] The filtration process shown in Fig. 7(C) is a process in which the material W is filtered by the filter medium 66, thereby discharging the liquid material of the material W from the liquid discharge path V and capturing the solid material of the material W. In the filtration process, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 140 of the container state change unit 22 so as to rotate the container 12 in the filtration preparation process shown in Fig. 6(B) 90 degrees clockwise from the state shown in the figure and stop it. Therefore, the container 12 is tilted to the side opposite to the filtration preparation process, and the tilt angle of the container 12 with respect to the horizontal plane is 45 degrees.

[0068] In the filtering process, the outlet 32 ​​and the seat 34 form a liquid discharge section 36 that constitutes the liquid discharge path V, and the filter medium 66 is positioned in the liquid discharge path V by the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68. Then, the liquid of the workpiece W is discharged through the liquid discharge path V and the secondary discharge path F.

[0069] The drying step shown in Fig. 7(D) is a step of heating and drying the solid matter of the workpiece W captured by the filter unit 18. In the drying step, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 140 of the container state change unit 22 so as to rotate the container 12 of the filtering step shown in Fig. 7(C) 45 degrees counterclockwise from the state shown in the figure and stop it. The control unit 24 also controls the drive motor 124 of the agitator 20 so as to rotate the agitating blade 122, and controls a heat medium supply pump (not shown) so as to supply hot water to the first jacket 14 and the second jacket 16.

[0070] The discharge process shown in Fig. 8(E) is a process in which solid matter of the workpiece W, which was captured in the filtering process and dried in the drying process, is discharged from the solid matter discharge path U. In the discharge process, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 140 of the container state change unit 22 so that the container 12 in the drying process shown in Fig. 7(D) is rotated 45 degrees clockwise from the state shown in the figure and stopped. Therefore, the inclination angle of the container 12 with respect to the horizontal plane becomes 45 degrees, and the state of the container 12 becomes the same as the state in the filtering process shown in Fig. 7(C).

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 24 controls the drive motor 124 of the agitator 20 to rotate the agitating blade 122, and also controls a fluid supply pump and a valve (not shown) connected to the cylinder 100 to retract the filter medium 66. When the filter medium 66 retracts, the filter medium 66 is removed from the liquid discharge path V and the solid discharge path U is opened. In other words, the liquid discharge unit 36 ​​is switched to the solid discharge unit 38. Therefore, the solids of the workpiece W are discharged through the solid discharge path U and the discharge chute 78.

[0072] (How to maintain the filtration device) 9(A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the filter medium 66 has been retracted, and FIG. 9(B) is a plan view showing a state in which the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 has been rotated. When an operator performs maintenance work on the filtration device 10, the retraction step is carried out by the control unit 24, followed by a rotation step carried out by the operator's hands, and then a maintenance step is carried out by the operator's hands.

[0073] 9(A), the retraction step is a step of retracting the filter medium 66 from the liquid discharge passage V. In this embodiment, the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68 retracts the filter medium 66 to the inside of the housing 64. Therefore, in the subsequent rotation step, the filter medium 66 and the filter medium attachment portion 82 can be prevented from getting caught on the seat portion 34.

[0074] 9(B), the rotation step is a step of rotating the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 from a first position P1 to a second position P2 using the rotation support part 70. When the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 is supported at the second position P2 by the rotation support part 70, the filter medium 66 is separated from the liquid discharge path V and exposed to the external space of the container 12.

[0075] The maintenance step is a step of performing maintenance on at least one of the filter medium 66 and the liquid discharge path V. In the previous rotation step, the filter medium 66 is separated from the liquid discharge path V and exposed to the external space of the container 12, making it easy to perform maintenance work on at least one of the filter medium 66 and the liquid discharge path V.

[0076] (Effects of the embodiment) The filtering device 10 and filtering method of this embodiment have the following advantages due to the above-described configuration: When the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68 is supported at the first position P1 by the pivot support 70 and the filter medium 66 is advanced, the filter medium 66 is positioned in the liquid discharge path V. In this state, the filtering device 10 can filter the material W to be treated.

[0077] When the filter medium advancing / retracting device 68 is supported at the second position P2 by the pivot support portion 70 and the filter medium 66 is retracted, the filter medium 66 is exposed to the external space of the container 12. In this state, an operator can perform maintenance on the filter medium 66 and the liquid discharge path V. Therefore, maintenance work on the filter medium 66 and the liquid discharge path V can be easily performed.

[0078] Since the pivot support part 70 can pivot the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 horizontally around the pivot shaft 112 extending vertically, the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 can be pivoted with less force than when the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 is pivoted against gravity around a pivot shaft extending horizontally. Therefore, the filter medium advancing and retracting device 68 can be easily pivoted between the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0079] Since the upstream end of the secondary discharge path F is opened to the small diameter end of one of the receiving ports 96, the liquid that has passed through the filter material 66 can be efficiently guided to the secondary discharge path F via the receiving port 96.

[0080] The filter media advancing / retracting device 68 can advance and retract the filter media 66 and the filter media mounting portion 82 using fluid pressure, making maintenance easy even when the filter media 66 and the filter media mounting portion 82 are heavy.

[0081] At least a portion of the secondary discharge path F is formed inside the piston rod 86, so that at least a portion of the piston rod 86 functions as the secondary discharge section 92. Therefore, the number of parts constituting the secondary discharge section 92 can be reduced, and manufacturing costs can be kept low.

[0082] Since the liquid discharge section 36 also serves as the solid discharge section 38, there is no need to provide a solid discharge section 38 separately from the liquid discharge section 36. This makes it possible to keep manufacturing costs low and facilitate maintenance work. Furthermore, a large area (heat transfer area) can be secured for the portion of the wall of the container 12 through which heat from the first jacket 14 is transferred, allowing the workpiece W to be heated or cooled efficiently.

[0083] (Variation) It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the rotation shaft 112 of the rotation support unit 70 shown in FIG. 5(B) is provided on the container 12, and the bearing unit 114 is provided on the housing 64, but the rotation shaft 112 may be provided on the housing 64, and the bearing unit 114 may be provided on the container 12. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the rotation shaft 112 of the rotation support unit 70 extends vertically at the time of performing maintenance work, but the rotation shaft 112 may extend in a direction inclined relative to the vertical.

[0084] In the above embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder device is used as the drive unit 90 of the filter material advancement / retraction device 68, but instead, an air cylinder device may be used, or a mechanical linear motion mechanism driven by a motor may be used.

[0085] In the above embodiment, the secondary discharge path F formed inside the piston rod 86 is used solely for the flow of liquid matter, but the secondary discharge path F may also be used for the flow of gas to be sprayed onto the filter medium 66. In this case, foreign matter adhering to the filter medium 66 can be blown away into the storage space S by the gas.

[0086] In the above embodiment, one receiving port 96 is formed in the filter material mounting portion 82 of the filter section 18, and one secondary discharge path F is connected to the internal space of the receiving port 96, but two or more receiving ports 96 may be formed in the filter material mounting portion 82, and two or more secondary discharge paths F may be connected to the internal space of one receiving port 96.

[0087] Fig. 10(A) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section 144 according to a first modified example, and Fig. 10(B) is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section 146 according to a second modified example. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filter section 148 according to a third modified example.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the secondary discharge path F is formed inside the piston rod 86, but the secondary discharge path F may also be formed outside the piston rod 86. For example, as in the filter section 144 shown in FIG. 10(A), one communication path 150 communicating with the internal space of the receiving port 96 may be formed in the filter medium mounting section 82, and the upstream end of a flexible pipe 152 extending from the outside of the housing 64 may be connected to the downstream end of the communication path 150. In this case, the secondary discharge path F is formed inside the communication path 150 and the flexible pipe 152.

[0089] 10(B), two communication passages 154a, 154b communicating with the internal space of the receiving port 96 may be formed in the filter medium mounting portion 82, and the upstream ends of two discharge pipes 156a, 156b movably penetrating the second wall portion 84 may be connected to the downstream ends of the communication passages 154a, 154b. In this case, a secondary discharge path F is formed inside the communication passages 154a, 154b and the discharge pipes 156a, 156b.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the rotation shaft 112 of the rotation support unit 70 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B is provided in the container 12, and the bearing unit 114 is provided in the housing 64. However, the objects on which the rotation shaft 112 and the bearing unit 114 are provided may be changed as appropriate. For example, as in the filter unit 148 shown in FIG. 11 , the rotation shaft 112 may be provided in the main body unit 72 of the housing 64, and the bearing unit 114 may be provided in a second wall unit 84 separated from the main body unit 72. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 116 may be configured to fix the second wall unit 84 to the main body unit 72. In this case, since the main body unit 72 is fixed to the container 12, the rotation shaft 112 is fixed to the container 12 via the main body unit 72. Note that even in this case, the rotation shaft 112 and the bearing unit 114 may be provided in the reversed positional relationship.

[0091] FIG. 12(A) is a partial cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a filtering device 158 according to another embodiment, and FIG. 12(B) is a diagram showing a discharging process in the filtering device 158 according to the another embodiment.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the liquid discharge portion 36 also serves as the solid discharge portion 38, but these may be provided independently of each other. For example, as in a filtration device 158 shown in Fig. 12(A), a cylindrical solid discharge portion 38 may be formed on the side of the peripheral wall portion 26 of the container 12 opposite the discharge port 32, and a lid portion 160 may be attached to the solid discharge portion 38.

[0093] Although not shown, in the filtration process using the filtration device 158, as in the above embodiment, the liquid is discharged from the liquid discharge path V formed by the liquid discharge section 36. As shown in FIG. 12(B), in the discharge process using the filtration device 158, the lid 160 (FIG. 12(A)) is removed from the solid discharge section 38, and solids are discharged from the solid discharge path U formed by the solid discharge section 38. Even in this configuration, when the filter media advancing and retracting device 68 is rotated, the filter media 66 is separated from the liquid discharge path V and exposed to the external space of the container 12, making it easy for an operator to perform maintenance work on the filter media 66 and the liquid discharge path V.

[0094] (Reference example) In the filtration and drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the liquid material discharge section and the solid material discharge section are provided separately and independently, which results in many parts requiring maintenance, making the maintenance work less efficient, and also increasing the manufacturing cost.

[0095] 4, when the liquid discharge section 36 also serves as the solid discharge section 38, fewer parts require maintenance, improving maintenance workability. Furthermore, manufacturing costs can be kept low. In view of these actions and effects, the filtration device does not necessarily have to include the pivot support section 70 that pivotally supports the filter media advancing and retracting device 68, and the filtration device according to the following reference example can be used.

[0096] The filtering device according to the reference example is characterized in that it comprises a container 12 having a storage space S for storing the material to be treated W, a filter section 18 for filtering the material to be treated W, and a liquid discharge section 36 provided in the container 12 and constituting a liquid discharge path V for discharging the liquid produced by filtering the material to be treated W in the filter section 18 to the outside of the storage space S, wherein the filter section 18 has a filter material 66 positioned so as to be detachable from the liquid discharge path V, and a filter material advancing / retracting device 68 provided outside the container 12 for advancing / retracting the filter material 66 relative to the liquid discharge path V.

[0097] More specifically, the feature of the filtration device of the reference example is that it is provided in the container 12 with a solid discharge section 38 that constitutes a solid discharge path U for discharging solid matter captured by the filter section 18 to the outside of the storage space S, and the liquid discharge section 36 is switched to the solid discharge section 38 by retracting the filter material 66 from the liquid discharge path V.

[0098] The filtering device according to the reference example does not require the provision of a solid discharge section 38 separately from the liquid discharge section 36, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving maintenance workability. Furthermore, when heating or cooling jackets 14, 16 are provided on the wall of the container 12, a large area (heat transfer area) can be secured for the portion of the wall of the container 12 through which heat from the jackets 14, 16 is transferred, allowing the workpiece W to be heated or cooled efficiently.

[0099] Another feature of the filtration device of the reference example is that the filter material advancing / retreating device 68 has a filter material mounting portion 82 to which the filter material 66 is attached, a drive portion 90 for advancing and retracting the filter material mounting portion 82, and a secondary discharge portion 92 that forms a secondary discharge path F for discharging liquid matter that has passed through the filter material 66.

[0100] In this configuration, the filter medium 66 and the filter medium attachment portion 82 can be advanced and retreated by the drive portion 90, making maintenance work easy even when the filter medium 66 and the filter medium attachment portion 82 are heavy. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] F...secondary discharge passage, L...center line, P1...first position, P2...second position, Q...internal space, S...storage space, U...solid discharge passage, V...liquid discharge passage, W...material to be treated, 10...filtration device, 12...vessel, 14...first jacket, 16...second jacket, 18...filter section, 20...agitator, 22...vessel state change section, 24...control section, 26...circumferential wall section, 28...upper wall section, 30...lower wall section, 32...discharge port, 32a...inner periphery, 34...seat section, 34a...inner periphery, 34b...groove, 36...liquid discharge section, 38...solid discharge section, 40...drive shaft, 42...shaft through hole, 44... Inlet, 46...instrument mounting hole, 48a, 48b...sight window mounting holes, 50a, 50b...pressurization pipe connection hole, 52...jacket body, 54...first heat medium flow path, 56a...heat medium inlet, 56b...heat medium outlet, 58...jacket body, 60...second heat medium flow path, 62a...heat medium inlet, 62b...heat medium outlet, 64...housing, 66...filter medium, 68...filter medium advancing / retracting device, 70...rotation support portion, 72...main body, 72a...one end, 72b...other end, 74...nozzle, 76...lid, 78...discharge chute, 80...first wall portion, 80a...circular hole, 82...filter medium mounting portion, 82a...periphery surface, 82b...tip surface, 82c...base end surface, 84...second wall portion, 84a...circular hole, 86...piston rod, 86a...tip portion, 86b...base end portion, 88a...heat medium inlet, 88b...heat medium outlet, 90...drive portion, 92...secondary discharge portion, 94...through hole, 96...receiving port, 98...sealing member, 100...cylinder, 100a...one end portion, 100b...other end portion, 100c...opening, 102...piston, 104...bellows, 106, 108...fixing member, 110...base, 112...rotating shaft, 114...bearing portion, 116...locking mechanism, 118...hooked portion, 120...pulling Hanging mechanism, 120a...hook portion, 120b...lever, 122...mixing blade, 124...drive motor, 126a, 126b...frame, 128a, 128b...bearing portion, 130a, 130b...rotating shaft, 132...rotating operation portion, 134a, 134b...base, 136a, 136b...support, 138...gear unit, 140...drive motor, 142...manual handle, 144, 146, 148...filter portion, 150...communicating passage, 152...flexible pipe, 154a, 154b...communicating passage, 156a, 156b...discharge pipe, 158...filtration device, 160...lid portion.

Claims

1. a container having a storage space for storing the object to be treated; a filter unit that filters the object to be processed; a liquid discharge part provided in the container and constituting a liquid discharge path for discharging liquid generated by filtering the object to be processed by the filter part to the outside of the storage space, The filter unit includes a filter medium removably positioned in the liquid discharge path, a filter medium advancing / retracting device provided outside the container for advancing / retracting the filter medium relative to the liquid discharge path, and a rotation support part for supporting the filter medium advancing / retracting device so that the filter medium can rotate between a first position and a second position. When the filter medium advancing / retracting device is supported at the first position by the pivot support portion and the filter medium is advanced by the filter medium advancing / retracting device, the filter medium is positioned in the liquid discharge path, A filtration device in which the filter medium advancing / retracting device is supported at the second position by the pivotal support portion, and when the filter medium is retracted by the filter medium advancing / retracting device, the filter medium is exposed to the external space of the container.

2. The filtering device according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation support portion has a rotation shaft extending in a vertical direction for rotating the filter medium advancing and retracting device in a horizontal direction.

3. The filter medium advancing and retracting device has a filter medium mounting part to which the filter medium is attached, a drive part for advancing and retracting the filter medium mounting part, and a secondary discharge part that constitutes a secondary discharge path for discharging the liquid matter that has passed through the filter medium, The filter medium mounting portion is formed with a funnel-shaped receiving port for receiving the liquid that has passed through the filter medium, The filtering device according to claim 2 , wherein the secondary discharge passage is connected to an internal space of the receiving port.

4. The filter medium mounting portion has one receiving port formed therein, The filtering device according to claim 3 , wherein an upstream end of the secondary discharge passage is connected to a small-diameter end of the receiving port.

5. The filter medium advancing and retracting device has a cylindrical cylinder, a piston reciprocated by fluid pressure inside the cylinder, and a piston rod connected to the piston, The filtration device according to claim 3 , wherein the filter medium attachment portion is provided at the tip end of the piston rod.

6. The filtering device according to claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the secondary discharge passage is formed inside the piston rod.

7. a solid matter discharge section provided in the container and constituting a solid matter discharge path for discharging the solid matter captured by the filter section to the outside of the storage space; 7. The filtering device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid discharge section is switched to the solid discharge section by retracting the filter medium from the liquid discharge path.

8. The filtering device according to claim 7 , further comprising a jacket provided on a wall of the container for heating or cooling the object to be processed housed in the housing space.

9. A maintenance method for the filtration device according to claim 1, a retracting step of retracting the filter material from the liquid discharge path by the filter material advancing / retracting device; A rotating step of rotating the filter medium advancing and retracting device from the first position to the second position by the rotation support part; and a maintenance step of performing maintenance on at least one of the filter medium and the liquid discharge path.

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