Short-Path Evaporator Rotor for High Viscosity Material Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional short-path evaporators are not suitable for materials with high viscosity, typically above 25 Pas, as they struggle to ensure proper flow and distribution on the treatment surface, limiting their effectiveness for temperature-sensitive and highly viscous materials.
Innovation Solution
A short-path evaporator design featuring a rotor with both conveying and distribution elements, including teeth that form an angle with the axial direction, ensures efficient conveying and distribution of highly viscous materials, allowing for optimal treatment and degassing without thermal degradation, even at high viscosities up to 15,000 Pas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional short-path evaporators are used for high viscosity materials, then the device structure is simple, but the material cannot flow properly on the treatment surface
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is segmented into multiple functional elements: conveying elements with helical ribs for transporting viscous material, distribution elements with radially extending plates for spreading material across the treatment surface, and lifting elements for maintaining material contact. This segmentation allows each element to perform its specific function effectively, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and material flow capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor combines multiple functions into a single rotating component: material conveyance, distribution, and lifting are all achieved through different elements on the same rotor. This multi-functionality maintains ease of manufacture while significantly improving material flow capability for high viscosity materials.
2Manufacturing precision
If the residence time of viscous material on the treatment surface is increased, then the separation efficiency improves, but the thermal degradation risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a rotating rotor to dynamically control material movement on the treatment surface. The rotation speed can be adjusted to optimize the balance between residence time for separation and thermal exposure time. This dynamic control allows the system to achieve high separation efficiency while minimizing thermal degradation of temperature-sensitive materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters including rotation speed, heating temperature, and vacuum level to optimize the thermal treatment process. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves effective separation of material components while controlling the duration and intensity of thermal exposure to prevent degradation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the rotor speed is increased to improve material distribution, then the mixing efficiency improves, but the material conveyance speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor is divided into distinct functional zones: conveying elements for rapid material transport, distribution elements for uniform spreading, and lifting elements for maintaining surface contact. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its function independently, achieving both uniform distribution and adequate conveyance speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying elements use helical ribs that extend in the axial direction, adding a third dimension to material conveyance. This helical structure provides both radial distribution (improving uniformity) and axial conveyance (maintaining speed), resolving the contradiction between distribution quality and conveyance efficiency.
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
The device effectively treats and degases materials with viscosities up to 15,000 Pas, ensuring minimal thermal exposure and preventing degradation, making it suitable for temperature-sensitive polymers and applications in medicine, cosmetics, and food technology.
Implementation Method 1
the rotor (26) comprises a hollow shaft (28), around the circumference of which conveying and distribution elements (30) are arranged, in order to convey and distribute the material (M) onto the treatment surface (18)
Implementation Method 2
a housing (12) with a heatable housing shell (14), which encloses a treatment chamber (16) and forms a rotationally symmetrical, axially extending treatment surface (18)
Implementation Method 3
gaseous material components escaping from the material during the thermal treatment can enter the condensation chamber (32)
Implementation Method 4
a vacuum connection (56) which is designed to apply a vacuum directly to the condensation chamber (32)
Implementation Method 5
a drivable rotor (26) arranged in the treatment chamber (16) and extending coaxially for generating a material film on the treatment surface (18)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for the thermal treatment of viscous material, in particular for the thermal separation of material components contained in viscous material. The device comprises a housing (12) with a heatable housing jacket (14) which encloses a treatment chamber (16) and forms a rotationally symmetrical treatment surface (18) extending in the axial direction (A), and a driveable rotor (26) arranged in the treatment chamber and extending coaxially for generating a material film on the treatment surface. The rotor comprises a hollow shaft (28) around the circumference of which coating elements (30) are arranged. The hollow shaft encloses a condensation chamber (32) in which a condenser (34) is arranged. The coating elements are at least partially designed as conveying elements (301) which impart a conveying component to the material in the direction from the material inlet to the material outlet.The device is characterized in that, at least in one longitudinal section of the rotor, the sweeping elements are partly designed as conveying elements (301) and partly as distribution elements (302) projecting from the hollow shaft, which include teeth (48) whose shear edge (50) forms an angle of less than 45° with respect to the axial direction (A).