Screw Conveyor Dehydrator for Low-Substituted Hydroxypropyl Cellulose
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dehydration methods using a V-shaped disc press result in high water content in the cake of low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose due to insufficient compression and reduced throughput capacity, leading to increased energy burden and steam usage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a screw conveyor connected to the inlet of a compression type dehydrator, where the feed rate of hydrous low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose is matched to the discharge rate, and the filling ratio is optimized to increase pressure from 0.10 to 0.25 MPa, ensuring effective compression and reduced water content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the rotational speed of the V-shaped disc press is increased to improve throughput capacity, then the throughput capacity is improved, but the cake obtained has higher water content due to decreased staying time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the operational parameters of the dehydrator by controlling the filling ratio to be 60-80% and maintaining inlet pressure at 0.10-0.25 MPa. This allows optimization of both throughput and dehydration efficiency without the trade-off presented in the contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If a low filling ratio is used in the compression type dehydrator, then the operation is smoother, but dehydration efficiency is insufficient because the material floats and is not compressed enough
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the filling ratio parameter to a specific range of 60-80%, which is higher than conventional low filling ratios. This ensures sufficient compression and contact between material particles while maintaining smooth operation, thereby improving dehydration efficiency without causing operational problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The screw conveyor pre-compresses and pre-positionsthe material before it enters the dehydrator, ensuring proper filling density and distribution. This preliminary action prepares the material for effective compression during dehydration, preventing floating and ensuring uniform contact.
3Device complexity
If conventional dehydration methods are used, then the process is simple, but the water content remains high leading to increased energy burden and steam usage in drying
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies key operational parameters including filling ratio (60-80%) and inlet pressure (0.10-0.25 MPa) to achieve superior dehydration performance. These parameter changes enable the dehydrator to produce cake with lower water content, thereby reducing the energy required in subsequent drying operations while maintaining process simplicity.
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 approach reduces the water content of the dehydrated cake and enhances throughput capacity, minimizing the amount of steam required in subsequent drying steps.
Implementation Method 1
by connecting a screw conveyer to an inlet of a compression type dehydrator
Implementation Method 2
compression type dehydration in order to reduce the burden of a dryer
Implementation Method 3
the filling of the compression type dehydrator with the hydrous low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose results in a pressure increase at the inlet of the compression type dehydrator from 0.10 to 0.25 MPa
Implementation Method 4
the low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose swelling with water floats in an upper portion inside the compression type dehydrator
Data Source
AI summary
Reduction of the energy burden in a step of drying hydrous low-substituted hydroxypropyl cellulose (L-HPC), reduction of water content of a cake obtained by dehydration, and others are targeted. More specifically, provided are a method for dehydrating hydrous L-HPC with a compression type dehydrator by feeding the hydrous L-HPC to a screw conveyer connected to the inlet of the dehydrator, comprising steps of: starting the operation of the conveyer to fill the conveyer and the dehydrator with the hydrous L-HPC, starting the operation of the filled dehydrator, and feeding the hydrous L-HPC to the conveyer, while discharging dehydrated L-HPC from an outlet of the dehydrator, wherein a feed rate of feeding the hydrous L-HPC to the conveyer is equal to a discharge rate of discharging the dehydrated L-HPC in terms of net weight of cellulose ether, and a method for producing L-HPC by using the above method.