Device for removing sludge in a pressing device, method, and pressing device

Abstract

Device for removing sludge (1) in a pressing device (100), method, and pressing device. The invention relates to a device for removing sludge in a pressing device, to a method, and to a pressing device. According to the invention, the sludge (1) accumulating on the strainer basket (102) of the pressing device is at least partially removed by means of a sludge-rinsing device (2).

Description

[0001] Device for removing sludge from a pressing device, as well as method and pressing device

[0002] The invention relates to a device for removing sludge from a pressing device.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method and a pressing device.

[0004] Such pressing processes and devices are used to extract liquids from a material, for example, oil from oil-bearing seeds or liquids from animal carcasses. For this purpose, the material is fed into a pressing device, for example, a screw press, in which liquid is extracted from the material by mechanical pressure, thus separating the solid and liquid components.

[0005] Screw presses feature a screw shaft that rotates within a press chamber. The press chamber is bounded by a tubular strainer basket, from which the material to be pressed is fed in at one end and the press cake is ejected at the other. The strainer basket has openings around its circumference, typically slots running parallel to the axis of rotation of the screw shaft, through which the pressed liquid can escape from the press chamber. These slots are usually formed by the spaces between adjacent strainer bars.

[0006] The pressed liquid exiting the strainer basket contains small particles of the solids from the material being pressed, known as sludge. Some of this sludge settles on the outside of the strainer basket. If it remains there and the amount increases during continuous operation of the press, the sludge can harden and, in addition to negatively impacting the pressing process, significantly complicate the disassembly of individual parts of the press, for example, for maintenance or cleaning.

[0007] To address this problem, so-called sludge shearing devices are used, which mechanically shear off the sludge on the outside of the strainer basket. In this process, shearing elements are guided along defined paths on the strainer basket.

[0008] Outside the working area accessible with the sludge removal devices and on the sludge removal device itself, sludge may still accumulate on the strainer basket, possibly due to manual work steps (cleaning) not carried out by the operating personnel.

[0009] The continuing accumulation of sludge, which may harden, not only significantly impairs maintenance work but also poses a potential risk to environmental and occupational health and safety (EHS) standards.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the invention to create an improved device for removing the sludge from a pressing device.

[0011] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device for removing the sludge for a pressing device according to claim 1.

[0012] Furthermore, it is an objective of the invention to create an improved pressing device.

[0013] This problem is solved according to the invention by a pressing device according to claim 14.

[0014] It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved pressing method.

[0015] This problem is solved according to the invention by a pressing method according to claim 15.

[0016] The dependent claims describe advantageous aspects of the invention. The features of a device for removing sludge from a press, a press itself, and a pressing method, disclosed below, are part of the invention in all feasible combinations.

[0017] An inventive device for removing sludge from a press device has a sludge rinsing device with which sludge deposited on the strainer frame and / or strainer basket of a press device can be rinsed and thus at least partially removed.

[0018] According to the invention, the sludge can be rinsed off at least on the outside of the strainer frame using the sludge rinsing device.

[0019] According to the invention, the device for removing the sludge is designed for integration into a pressing device.

[0020] In embodiments of the invention, the sludge rinsing device has at least one nozzle, preferably a plurality of nozzles, through which a rinsing medium can be discharged for rinsing the sludge.

[0021] The at least one nozzle is connected to a flushing medium line, through which the flushing medium can be directed from a source to the nozzle.

[0022] The flushing media line can be implemented, for example, using pipes and / or hoses, with hoses offering greater flexibility, especially during retrofitting or conversions.

[0023] Preferably, at least one pump is integrated into the rinsing medium line, so that the rinsing medium can be pumped from the source to the nozzle.

[0024] According to the invention, the source for the rinsing medium can be, for example, a separate storage container or a return device for the liquid extracted using the pressing device. A combination of these variants is also possible according to the invention.

[0025] According to the invention, embodiments with both low-pressure and high-pressure pumps are possible. The pump can, for example, be designed as a rotary lobe pump. In embodiments of the invention, the flushing medium can be discharged at a pressure between approximately 0.5 and approximately 10 bar. Preferably, the discharge pressure of the flushing medium is 2 to 5 bar. In embodiments of the invention, the maximum pressure of the flushing medium is 20 bar; however, a reduction in the discharge pressure is preferred, since undesirable atomization or swirling of the flushing medium occurs at this high pressure.

[0026] In embodiments of the invention, the turbidity rinsing device is designed to discharge approximately 500 to 1500 liters of rinsing medium per hour via the at least one nozzle.

[0027] In embodiments of the invention, a plurality of nozzles are arranged on a nozzle manifold.

[0028] In embodiments of the invention, the at least one nozzle and / or the nozzle holder is made of stainless steel.

[0029] In embodiments of the invention, the turbidity rinsing device has 4 to 16 nozzles. For example, a number of 16 nozzles is well suited for cleaning a strainer basket with a length of approximately 2.2 m.

[0030] The at least one nozzle can be designed, for example, as a hollow cone nozzle, a solid cone nozzle, or a flat jet nozzle. In embodiments with multiple nozzles, a combination of different nozzle shapes is also conceivable.

[0031] In embodiments of the invention, the at least one nozzle has a spray angle between 20° and 120°, preferably about 90°. With multiple nozzles, the combination of different spray angles is also considered.

[0032] In embodiments of the invention, at least one nozzle is designed to be extendable and / or rotatable. Extendable nozzles offer the advantage that they can be retracted when not in use and, depending on their mounting location, do not obstruct the strainer basket when retracted, thus protecting them from contamination and mechanical damage. Rotatable nozzles offer the advantage that cleaning can be performed all around, for example, within a 360° angular range, without requiring such a large spray angle of the nozzle itself. This allows the cleaning medium to be dispensed at a higher pressure and, similar to a high-pressure cleaner, can also loosen stubborn grime. In embodiments, at least one rotating cleaner is thus implemented, which extends upon activation and provides 360° cleaning coverage. This ensures thorough cleaning of all surfaces, even in hard-to-reach areas.

[0033] In advantageous embodiments of the invention, the nozzle assembly is divided into segments which can preferably be supplied with rinsing medium independently of one another. This enables targeted cleaning of specific areas of the strainer basket.

[0034] In embodiments of the invention, controllable valves are integrated into the rinsing media line to selectively supply the respective nozzles and / or segments of the nozzle assembly.

[0035] To achieve high cleaning performance, the angle at which the at least one nozzle is arranged relative to the strainer basket, the pressure, the quantity, and / or the temperature, etc., can be adjusted in embodiments of the invention.

[0036] In embodiments of the invention, at least one segment of the nozzle rod is movable relative to the strainer basket or strainer frame, for example in its longitudinal direction and / or in the circumferential direction of the strainer frame, so that a larger area of ​​the strainer basket can be rinsed with it.

[0037] In embodiments of the invention, the device for removing the sludge for a pressing device has at least one sludge rinsing device and at least one sludge shearing device, so that the various devices complement each other.

[0038] In embodiments of the invention, the turbidity rinsing device is designed to use the liquid, for example oil, extracted by the pressing device as a rinsing medium. Using the extracted liquid for rinsing avoids potential contamination of the liquid by a rinsing medium.

[0039] In other embodiments of the invention, the turbidity rinsing device is designed for the use of other rinsing media, for example water or chemical cleaning agents. Suitable chemical cleaning agents include, for example, smoke resin removers.

[0040] Preferably, when using a rinsing medium different from the pressed-off liquid, the turbidity rinsing device has an upstream, protected valve circuit to ensure process reliability. When using the pressed-off liquid as the rinsing medium, a portion of the collected liquid is preferably routed back to the rinsing medium line via a return line. Preferably, the pressed-off liquid is first cleaned using a cleaning device, for example, a separator and / or a decanter.

[0041] The slurry flushing device preferably includes a clarification device, for example, a sieve or filter, which is integrated into the flushing media line and / or the source. If a storage tank is used as the source or as part of the source, the clarification device can be integrated into it. Alternatively, a so-called clean oil tank can be used, as is often employed downstream of a separator or oil clarifier, e.g., a vibrating screen.

[0042] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the turbidity rinsing device has a control device by which the dispensing and, if applicable, the process parameters, such as pressure, temperature and / or quantity, of the rinsing medium can be controlled.

[0043] For example, the control device is designed as a frequency converter or, in automatic operation, as a corresponding automatic control device, such as a Siemens S7 controller.

[0044] Depending on which process parameters are to be controlled or regulated, the device according to the invention for removing sludge has at least one suitable measuring device, for example designed to measure the pressure, and / or the temperature and / or the volume flow of the rinsing medium.

[0045] Preferably, valves integrated into the rinsing media line and / or the pump can be controlled using the control device of the device for removing turbidity.

[0046] The main advantages of the invention lie in the prevention of sludge deposits in the pressing device, which leads to a significant reduction in maintenance. This means that employees no longer have to remove large quantities of sludge or clean screw connections. Furthermore, the disassembly of the strainer baskets is simplified.

[0047] In addition to cleaning the strainer basket during operation, the invention also provides for cleaning during downtime, for example, using chemicals in / as a rinsing medium. A press device according to the invention comprises a strainer basket, a screw conveyor for conveying the material to be pressed through the strainer basket, and at least one device according to the invention for removing sludge.

[0048] The nozzles of the turbidity rinsing device are arranged in the press device in such a way that at least the strainer basket, preferably also the conveyor screw and / or the transition zones, can be rinsed with them.

[0049] In embodiments of the invention, the pressing device has a control device, and the control device of the slurry rinsing device is preferably integrated into the control device of the pressing device.

[0050] Preferably, the pressing device includes a separator and / or a decanter for cleaning the pressed liquid.

[0051] In a pressing method according to the invention, at least one device according to the invention for removing sludge and / or a pressing device according to the invention is used.

[0052] In advantageous embodiments, the individual segments of the nozzle assembly of the turbidity flushing device are selectively controlled depending on the cleaning requirements. For example, some segments are activated more frequently to discharge the flushing medium than others in order to achieve a higher cleaning performance.

[0053] In embodiments of the method according to the invention, the liquid pressed out of the material being pressed using the pressing device is used as a rinsing medium for the turbidity rinsing device.

[0054] In other embodiments of the invention, other rinsing media, for example water or chemical cleaning agents, are used.

[0055] The figures described below illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0056] Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a section of a press device (100) according to the invention, comprising a device for removing sludge (1), a sludge rinsing device (2), and a sludge shearing device (3). The strainer frame (101) of the press device (100) is visible. The actual strainer basket (not shown here) is arranged in the strainer frame (101).

[0057] The slurry rinsing device (2) has a segmented nozzle assembly (4) with three nozzles (5) per segment.

[0058] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a section of a further embodiment of a pressing device (100) according to the invention, comprising a device for removing sludge (1), a sludge rinsing device (2), and a sludge shearing device (3). The nozzle assembly (4) of the sludge rinsing device (1) has eight nozzles (5) designed as full cone nozzles. The spray cone (6) of the rinsing medium sprayed from the nozzles (5) is shown schematically. The strainer basket required for operating the pressing device (100) is not inserted into the strainer frame (101) in the illustration shown.

[0059] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a section of a further embodiment of a press device (100) according to the invention, comprising a device for removing sludge (1) and a sludge rinsing device (2). The strainer frame (101) and the strainer basket (102) are open for better visibility of the individual components. In this illustration, only one half of the strainer basket (102) and one half of the strainer frame (101) are mounted. The auger (103) is arranged in the strainer basket (102). In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the nozzles (5) of the sludge rinsing device (2) are arranged in the press device (100) above the strainer frame (101) such that, during operation, they spray the rinsing medium, in particular, onto the strainer frame (101) from above.

[0060] The nozzles (5) shown are designed as extendable and retractable nozzles (5).

[0061] Figure 4 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a press device (100) according to the invention, comprising a device for removing sludge (1) and including at least one sludge rinsing device (2).

[0062] The pressing device (100) has a strainer frame (101) which can be rinsed from the outside with a rinsing medium by means of the 8 nozzles (5) arranged on a nozzle stock (4).

[0063] The liquid extracted from the material being pressed using the pressing device (100) is discharged at the lower side of the pressing device (100) and fed to a cleaning device (104), for example, a separator or a decanter. A return device (105), typically a return line, is connected to this. This return line can be connected directly to the cleaning device (104), to a downstream piping system, or to a storage container for the cleaned extracted liquid.

[0064] In particular to prevent clogging of the turbidity flushing device (2), it has at least one clarification device (10), for example designed as a filter or a sieve. This can be integrated at various positions in the flushing media line (12) of the turbidity flushing device (2), but in the corresponding embodiments should preferably be arranged upstream of the supply line of the flushing medium to the nozzles (5).

[0065] Furthermore, the turbidity flushing device (2) includes a pump (7) for conveying the flushing medium. This pump can be directly connected to the return device (105) and / or to a reservoir (11) for storing the flushing medium. In this case, the pump (7) is supplied from the reservoir (11), which in turn can be filled via the return device (105). A second pump can optionally be integrated into the return device (105) for this purpose. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, both the return device (105) and the reservoir (11) can be used as a source of flushing medium for the turbidity flushing device (2).

[0066] Two controllable valves (8) are integrated into the rinsing medium line (12), so that the flow of the rinsing medium to the nozzles (5) of the two segments of the nozzle assembly (4) shown can be controlled.

[0067] For this purpose, the turbidity rinsing device (2) has a control device (9) which is connected to the valves (8) for controlling them. Preferably, the control device (9) is also connected to the pump (7) for controlling it.

[0068] In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the turbidity flushing device (2) has a measuring device (13) with which at least one state value of the flushing medium in the flushing medium line (12) can be detected. This enables the control and / or regulation of various process parameters, in particular pressure, temperature and / or volume flow, of the flushing medium by means of the control device (9).

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device for removing sludge (1) for a pressing device (100) for pressing liquid from a pressing material, characterized in that it can be integrated into a pressing device (100) and has a sludge rinsing device (2) with which sludge deposited on the strainer frame (101) of a pressing device (100) can be rinsed off using a rinsing medium and thus at least partially removed.

2. Device for removing sludge (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sludge rinsing device (2) has at least one nozzle (5), a rinsing medium line (12) and a source for the rinsing medium, wherein the at least one nozzle (5) is connected to the source via the rinsing medium line (12) and wherein the rinsing medium can be discharged through the at least one nozzle (5) for rinsing the sludge.

3. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the rinsing media line (12) is implemented by at least one hose.

4. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one pump (7) is integrated into the rinsing medium line (12) so that the rinsing medium can be pumped from the source to at least one nozzle (5).

5. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the source for the rinsing medium is at least partially a A return device (105) is designed for the liquid pressed out using the pressing device (100).

6. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rinsing medium can be discharged using the sludge rinsing device (1) at a pressure between about 0.5 and about 10 bar.

7. Device for removing sludge (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the discharge pressure of the rinsing medium is 2 to 5 bar.

8. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sludge rinsing device (2) has 4 to 16 nozzles (5) arranged on at least one nozzle assembly (4).

9. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that at least one nozzle (5) is designed to be extendable and / or rotatable.

10. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the nozzle assembly (4) is divided into segments which can be supplied with rinsing medium independently of one another.

11. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that at least one segment of the nozzle assembly (4) is movable relative to the strainer frame (101), so that a larger area of ​​the strainer frame (101) can be rinsed with it.

12. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the sludge rinsing device (2) has a clarification device (10), for example designed as a sieve or a filter, which is integrated into the rinsing media line (12) and / or the source.

13. Device for removing sludge (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it additionally has a sludge shearing device (3).

14. Pressing device (10) comprising a strainer frame (101) for receiving a strainer basket (102) and a conveying screw (103) for conveying pressing material through the strainer basket (102), characterized in that it comprises a device for removing sludge (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

15. Pressing method, characterized in that a device for removing sludge (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12 or a pressing device (100) according to claim 14 is used.

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