Press Exhaust Device Prevents Liquid Projection During Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pneumatic presses for separating solid and liquid parts of materials, such as grape harvest, suffer from the 'whale effect' at the drains in the drainage area, where liquid is projected outside the tank due to high pressure in the tank headspace during rotation.
Innovation Solution
The press incorporates a treatment chamber with an exhaust device featuring an exhaust member that moves between closed and open positions, controlled by a second material presence sensor. This arrangement allows for controlled venting to prevent overpressure and optimize drainage, minimizing the whale effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the tank rotates during operation with drains in the drainage zone, then drainage efficiency is improved, but liquid is projected outside the tank due to high pressure (whale effect)
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust member is activated in advance before the drain exits the liquid level to release pressure from the headspace. This preliminary pressure release prevents the whale effect (liquid projection) when the drain becomes exposed to atmosphere during tank rotation, while maintaining efficient drainage operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects the liquid level or drain position and provides feedback to the control system, which then activates the exhaust member at the appropriate moment. This feedback mechanism ensures pressure is released precisely when needed to prevent liquid projection while optimizing drainage efficiency.
2Stress or pressure
If pressure is maintained high in the tank headspace, then pressing efficiency is improved, but liquid is projected through drains during rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust member operates periodically rather than continuously, activating only at specific moments when drains are about to exit the liquid level. This periodic pressure release maintains high pressure during most of the cycle for efficient pressing while preventing liquid projection during the brief moments when drains are exposed.
Solution Approach 2:
Pressure is released in advance before the drain exits the liquid level, allowing the headspace to depressurize just enough to prevent liquid projection while maintaining overall high pressure conditions for effective pressing operation.
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 solution effectively limits or eliminates the whale effect by ensuring controlled pressure changes during tank rotation, optimizing drainage, and preventing liquid projection outside the tank.
Implementation Method 1
the membrane or membranes separating in a sealed manner the interior volume of the tank into a so-called treatment chamber, into which said axial filling orifice opens, and at least one so-called control chamber
Implementation Method 2
the treatment chamber is equipped with an exhaust device comprising at least one exhaust member mounted to move between a closed position and an open position for exhausting the treatment chamber
Implementation Method 3
said treatment chamber being equipped with at least one material presence sensor, called the first presence sensor, the control unit being configured to control the device for driving the tank in rotation as a function of at least the data provided by the first presence sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
Press (1) comprising a tank (2) with longitudinal axis (XX'), a frame (3) supporting the tank (2) horizontally, a device (4) for rotating the tank (2) and a pilot unit (16), said tank (2) being equipped with at least one pressurization port (9) having a tubular body (5) provided with a drainage zone (7) with longitudinal drains (71), one of the flanges (6) of the tank (2) being equipped with an axial filling port (8), said tank (2) comprising a membrane (10) separating the tank (2) into a treatment chamber (11) with the axial filling port (8), and a control chamber (12), said treatment chamber (11) being equipped with a first presence sensor (13), and an exhausting device (141) movable between a closed position and an open position,The control unit (16) being configured to control the rotation drive device (4) of the tank (2) based at least on the data provided by the first presence sensor (13), the treatment chamber (11) includes a second material presence sensor (15) located outside the drainage zone (7) and angularly offset from the first presence sensor (13), the control unit (16) is configured to control the passage of the exhaust device (141) from at least one position to another based at least on the data provided by the second presence sensor (15).