Centrifugal Separator Flow Regulation for Plant Protein Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for concentrating plant-based protein suspensions face challenges, particularly with soft and bulky precipitates from non-soy sources like peas and mung beans, which are difficult to separate efficiently using traditional decanter centrifuges, leading to capacity issues and increased risk of overflow.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a high-speed centrifugal separator with a disc stack and a flow influencing means, such as valves or passive vortex generators, to actively or passively regulate the flow through the heavy phase outlet, allowing for the separation of a concentrated plant-based protein suspension from a liquid light phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If decanter centrifuges are used to separate plant-based protein precipitates, then separation is achieved, but capacity decreases when handling soft and bulky precipitates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the centrifugal separator by actively or passively regulating the flow through the heavy phase outlet. This involves adjusting flow rates, pressures, and potentially rotational speed to optimize the separation of soft and bulky protein precipitates, transforming the process from conventional fixed-parameter operation to dynamic parameter control that adapts to different precipitate characteristics
2Reliability
If flowrate to decanter centrifuge is reduced to prevent overflow, then separation reliability improves, but processing capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic flow regulation by actively or passively controlling the flow through the heavy phase outlet. This creates a dynamic system where flow rates can be adjusted in real-time based on the characteristics of the precipitate being processed, allowing the system to maintain high capacity while preventing overflow through adaptive control rather than fixed low-flow operation
3Productivity
If multiple parallel decanters are used to increase capacity, then processing capacity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single centrifugal separator multi-functional by enabling it to handle different types of plant-based protein precipitates (soft and bulky, as well as more compact forms) through active or passive flow regulation. This universal design allows one device to replace multiple specialized decanters, increasing capacity while reducing system complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables efficient recovery of concentrated plant-based protein suspensions with soft and bulky precipitates, increasing processing capacity while minimizing product losses and avoiding clogging issues, thus providing a high-capacity solution for protein concentration.
Implementation Method 1
High-speed centrifugal separators with a separation space comprising a disc stack have a high capacity and can provide separation of a material to a solid phase, liquid heavy phase and liquid light phase
Implementation Method 2
having means to influence, i.e. actively or passively regulate, the flow through a heavy phase outlet such that a concentrated protein suspension comprising the precipitated bulky protein particles is conveyed through the heavy phase outlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of recovering a concentrated plant-based protein suspension, which comprises providing a plant-based protein suspension comprising suspended particles and providing a high-speed centrifugal separator (2) which comprises a frame (23), a drive member (29) and a centrifuge bowl (20). The drive member is configured to rotate the centrifuge bowl in relation to the frame around an axis of rotation. The centrifuge bowl encloses a separation space comprising a stack of separation discs, and comprises an inlet (8) for receiving the plant-based protein suspension, a liquid light phase outlet (4) for a separated liquid light phase and a liquid heavy phase outlet (3) for a separated liquid heavy phase. The liquid heavy phase outlet and/or light phase outlet is arranged in fluid connection with a liquid flow influencing means (6, 12). The method further comprises feeding the plant-based protein suspension to the inlet of the high-speed centrifugal separator, separating the plant-based protein suspension into a liquid light phase and a liquid heavy phase, which comprises the concentrated protein suspension. The method comprises removing the concentrated plant-based protein suspension as the liquid heavy phase through the heavy phase outlet by influencing the discharge flow by means of the liquid flow influencing means.