External Ejector Defoaming for Sanitary Treatment Tank Foam Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing defoaming methods for treatment tanks, such as those used in protein-containing dispersion liquids or microbial cultures, suffer from inefficiencies, contamination risks, and sanitation issues, particularly when dealing with firm foam containing proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, and require complex equipment.
Innovation Solution
A defoaming device that suctions and removes foam using a high-speed gas stream through a defoaming pipe, suction pipe, and reflux pipe, with specific flow rates and diameter ratios, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation by disposing the device outside the tank, and utilizing an ejector action and shearing action to break down foam without mechanical parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a defoaming agent is fed into the treatment tank, then foam is removed, but the treatment liquid is contaminated with impurities and treatments/reactions are inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful foam from the treatment tank through a suction pipe connected to an ejector, separating the foam removal process from the treatment liquid. The ejector creates a vacuum to suction foam without introducing any foreign substances into the treatment liquid, thus avoiding contamination while effectively removing foam.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary system consisting of the ejector and suction pipe that mediates between the foam in the treatment tank and the external environment. This intermediary mechanism allows foam removal without direct contact between defoaming agents and the treatment liquid, preventing contamination and inhibition of treatments.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If mechanical defoaming blades or tools are used, then foam is removed, but equipment complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical defoaming systems (blades, rotating tools) with a pneumatic system based on the ejector principle. The ejector uses fluid dynamics (high-speed gas flow creating vacuum) to suction foam, eliminating the need for moving mechanical parts inside the treatment tank and significantly reducing equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs pneumatic principles by using an ejector that generates a vacuum through high-speed gas flow. This pneumatic system suction s foam through a pipe without requiring mechanical contact with the foam, thereby simplifying the equipment structure while maintaining effective defoaming capability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the treatment liquid volume is reduced to prevent foam overflow, then foam leakage is prevented, but treatment efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary action by proactively removing foam as it forms in the treatment tank using the ejector-suction system. By continuously suctioning foam before it can overflow, the system allows the treatment liquid to be loaded to higher volumes without risk of foam leakage, thereby maintaining high treatment 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 removes firm foam entirely from treatment tanks, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation, and avoids contamination risks, while maintaining a simplified structure without auxiliary equipment, thus enhancing treatment efficiency and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
the foam is suctioned from the treatment tank through the suction pipe by means of an ejector action of the high-speed gas stream passing inside the defoaming pipe
Implementation Method 2
the suctioned foam is broken down by means of a shearing action of the high-speed gas stream
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of a defoaming device of the present invention, a treatment apparatus including the defoaming device, and a defoaming method using the defoaming device is to provide a defoaming device that does not readily fail and can efficiently remove foam generated at an upper part of a treatment liquid in a treatment tank while ensuring cleanliness and sanitation, a treatment apparatus including the defoaming device, and a defoaming method using the defoaming device. To achieve the object, one embodiment of a defoaming device according to the present invention has the following features 1) to 4). 1) The defoaming device is disposed outside a lid part or upper mirror part at an upper part of a treatment tank. 2) The defoaming device includes a) a defoaming pipe inside which a high-speed gas stream passes, b) a gas supply pipe through which the high-speed gas stream is supplied to the defoaming pipe, and c) a suction pipe that is connected at one end to the defoaming pipe and at the other end to the lid part or upper mirror part and through which the foam is suctioned from the treatment tank. 3) A gas discharge pipe through which gas is discharged outside and a reflux pipe through which the defoamed treatment liquid is refluxed to the treatment tank are connected to an end of the defoaming pipe on the downstream side of the high-speed gas stream. 4) The high-speed gas stream in the defoaming pipe has a flow rate of 10 m/s or more and 130 m/s or less, and the ratio (a/b) of the inner diameter a of the defoaming pipe to the inner diameter b of the gas supply pipe is 1.1 or more and 4.5 or less. 5) The foam is suctioned from the treatment tank through the suction pipe by means of the ejector action of the high-speed gas stream passing inside the defoaming pipe, and the suctioned foam is removed by means of the shearing action of the high-speed gas stream.