Powder material intake device and method for taking powder material into a liquid

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for collecting powder material in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 and a method for withdrawing powder material for liquids in accordance with the preamble of claim 7.

In the context of the present application, it should be understood that the term "gaseous medium" includes "air" or any other gaseous medium, preferably a gaseous medium, which is suitable for use in the food industry, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide and / or atmospheric air .

In the context of the present application, it should be understood that the term "powder material" includes "powder" or any other powder material, preferably powder material, which is suitable for use in the food industry, such as carbohydrates, proteins, stabilizers and / or emulsifiers.

[0004] GB 1 167 148 discloses a device for unloading sand from a hopper and for transferring sand by means of air pressure.

[0005] US 2004/0134930 A1 discloses a device for dispersing pigments in a liquid environment.

[0006] In the food industry, devices and methods for collecting material in the form of powder and methods of collecting material in the form of powder for liquids are used to collect materials in the form of powder for liquids in a process tank, in particular in situations where it is required discontinuous supply of powder material to liquids. In the process tank, low pressure or vacuum prevails over the liquid, so that the mixture of powdered material and gas / air is sucked into the liquid. In some known devices, the powder material is compressed prior to feeding the powder materials to the inlet device. These known powder sampling devices include a valve to open and close the paths through which the powder / gas mixture is sucked into the liquid in the process tank. Usually known devices for sucking in powder material are equipped with a single-seated valve. The single-seat valve of the powder sampling device has a wet side, i.e. the portion of the valve seat facing the outlet of the powder sampling device (or liquid in the process tank) and the dry side, i.e. the portion of the valve seat facing the inlet of the device collecting material in the form of powder (or powder container).

[0007] Known devices for collecting material in the form of powder suffer from a limited lifetime of the valve seal, because there are problems with wet material adhering in the form of powder for sealing, especially when the valve is open or closed.

[0008] When the valve opens, low pressure or negative pressure over the liquid in the process tank creates a stream of gas and powder mixture for the liquid. It is important that the pressure of the gas-powder mixture is greater than the pressure in the process tank. Therefore, to ensure that the pressure in the dry part of the valve seat is higher than the pressure in the pressure vessel. a specific mass flow rate of the gas-powder mixture will be necessary. If the pressure of the gas-powder mixture is too low, i.e. lower than the pressure in the process tank, there may be a return flow of wet powder or even fluid from the process tank to the valve, causing wetting of the dry valve side. Especially when the powder material has a high density, the powder material will collect before the closed valve, on its dry side, before opening the valve. In such cases, it will take some time for the gas / powder mixture to accelerate, which is needed to cause the gas / powder mixture to flow, which may prevent the dry side of the single-seat valve seat from contacting the powder or liquid. During the time that elapses before a sufficient flow of gas / powder mixture is established, backflow may occur, which sometimes causes wetting of the dry side of the valve seat. These wetted areas, including the valve seat and other sealing areas, will form the basis for powder buildup and / or covering wet areas.

[0009] When the valve closes, a gas / powder mixture will continue to flow between the valve seat and the closing element until the valve is fully closed and full contact is reached between the valve seat and the closing element. Therefore, the gas / powder mixture will be accelerated at the end of closing the valve, with heat being released. This will lead to abrasive wear on the valve seals. In addition, because of the heat generated, the coating of build-up powder material on the valve seal and seat becomes very dry and hard. This can eventually lead to valve leakage.

[0010] Due to these problems, the life of the valve seals is sometimes only one day or several days.

[0011] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a device for collecting powder material according to the preamble of claim 1, showing greater durability and providing a method for collecting powder material for liquids, according to the preamble of claim 7, with longer operating periods .

[0012] The object of the invention is achieved by a device for feeding powder material according to the features of claim 1 and a method according to the features of claim 7, respectively. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0013] Embodiments of the invention have the advantage of ensuring that the valves, especially the valve seat and seal, and the valve closing member are dry and clean. This will ensure a long service life of the valve seals and allow a reliable food production process (or other production process) with fewer failures caused by blockage of the powder sampling device. In addition, the advantage is that the valve system can be dismantled for inspection and maintenance.

[0014] Embodiments with a second valve have the additional advantage that the process tank does not need to be emptied for maintenance and cleaning, because the second valve can be closed. Preferably, the powder collection channel may be separated into two sections for maintenance and cleaning, so that one section houses the first valve and the other houses the second valve. The outlet of the gas pickup device can be located in both the first and second section but it is preferred that the outlet of the gas pickup device is in the first section so that the powder pickup device can be removed or almost completely dismantled from the process tank, i.e. without the second section and the second valve. The first and second sections of the inlet channel of the powder material can be connected in a manner known to those skilled in the art. For example, a connection can be made by means of flange and / or clamp and / or hinged connection elements. [0015] Optionally, the outlet of the gas medium withdrawal device is located in the powder material inlet channel, between the first valve and the outlet of the powder material intake device.

[0016] The first valve may be located in the inlet channel of the powder material, between the outlet of the gas sampling device and the inlet of the powder sampling device.

[0017] The outlet to the liquid container is designated as "powder material outlet and liquid container inlet" because the material outlet u in powder is also the container inlet. In other words, the term "liquid container outlet" should be understood as an inlet to the liquid container, which is also the outlet opening of the powder collection device. Therefore, the outlet of the device for collecting material in powder form (outlet to the liquid tank) is also the inlet to the liquid tank. From the outlet of the powder take-up device, the powdered material is introduced into the liquid in the liquid tank because the outlet to the liquid tank is the inlet of the liquid tank.

[0018] The flow of powdered material in the powder take-up channel is from the inlet of the powder take-up device to the outlet of the powder take-up device. Accordingly, the placement of the device for collecting the gas medium in the powder inlet channel after the first valve is equivalent to the fact that the outlet of the device for collecting the gas medium is located in the powder material intake channel between the first valve and the outlet of the device for collecting powder material and / or that that the first valve is located in the powder inlet channel between the outlet of the gas medium intake device and the inlet of the powder material intake device.

[0019] According to the invention, the powder material take-up device may further include a second valve for closing and opening the powder material inlet duct. Preferably, the second valve is located behind the outlet of the gas pickup device and / or the outlet of the gas pickup device is located between the first and second valve valves and / or the second valve is located between the outlet of the gas pickup device and the outlet of the device powder form.

[0020] According to the invention, the first valve and / or the second valve may or may include an on / off valve.

[0021] According to the invention, the first valve and / or the second valve may or may include a butterfly valve.

[0022] According to the invention, the first valve and / or the second valve may or may comprise a seat valve and / or a single-seat valve.

[0023] According to the invention, the powder material inlet channel may comprise at least two sections connected by a connecting element in such a way that the powder material inlet channel can be separated and / or divided and / or opened for maintenance and cleaning. The sections can be connected by means of connecting flanges and / or clamping connecting elements and / or hinged connecting elements known to a person skilled in the art.

[0024] According to the invention, the gas medium withdrawal device may or may comprise a gas medium withdrawal valve and / or a metering device such as, for example, a positive displacement pump.

[0025] The invention provides a method for withdrawing powder material for liquids according to claim 7.

[0026] According to the invention, the method may further comprise the step of placing a second valve in the inlet channel of the powder material, for closing and opening the inlet channel of the powder material, wherein the second valve is located downstream of the powder inlet channel section, in through which the gaseous medium is pressurized to the intake channel in the form of a powder.

[0027] According to the invention, the method may further comprise the step of closing the first valve, wherein the gaseous medium is fed into the powder inlet channel after the first valve at least before the end of closing the first valve, preferably at least after starting the closing of the first valve and for closing of the first valve, and preferably at least from the beginning of closing the first valve until the closing of the first valve.

[0028] According to the present invention, the gaseous medium may be fed into the powder inlet material channel after the first valve, after the first valve is closed or when the first valve is opened to clean the powder material powder inlet channel.

[0029] According to the invention, the method may further comprise the step of closing the second valve, in which the gaseous medium is supplied to the powder inlet channel after the first valve, after closing the first valve and before the second valve is fully closed, preferably before starting to close a second valve to clean the second valve and / or seal components of the second valve of powder material, wherein the gaseous medium is preferably fed until the second valve is completely closed.

[0030] According to the invention, the method may further comprise the step of opening the first valve, wherein the gaseous medium is supplied to the powder inlet channel downstream of the first valve, at least before the end of opening the first valve, preferably at least after starting the opening of the first valve and to fully opening the first valve, and preferably at least from the beginning of the opening of the first valve until the end of opening of the first valve.

[0031] According to the invention, the method may further comprise the step of opening the second valve, before opening the first valve and opening the second valve, after at least partially or preferably completely opening the first valve, wherein the gaseous medium is fed into the powder inlet channel after the first valve, at least before starting to open the second valve, preferably at least after starting the second valve to open and completely opening the first valve, and preferably at least before starting to open the first valve until the first valve is being opened.

[0032] According to the invention, the method can be carried out by means of a device for collecting material in the form of a powder according to the invention.

[0033] According to the invention, the powder material may or may contain food materials and / or food additives. For example, the powder material may or may contain sugar and / or carbohydrates and / or proteins and / or stabilizers and / or emulsifiers.

[0034] The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, using the following reference numbers:

powder withdrawal device without liquid container 2 inlet inlet channel material u in powder form 3 outlet inlet channel material u in powder form 4 inlet channel material in powder form 10 second valve axle closing element first valve axle closing element gas extraction device closing element actuating element of the gas medium device channel outlet of the gas medium device gas stream with powder incoming gas stream with powder outgoing gas stream with powder partially blocked part of the gas stream with powder passing part of the gas stream with powder gas stream with powder blocked by the closed first valve

46. ​​The remaining part of the gas stream with powder is pushed out of the material inlet channel as a powder through the gas medium stream 50 47 gas stream with powder blocked by the closed first valve 50 the gas medium stream the gas medium stream line indicating possible separation of the material inlet channel into powder sections for maintenance and / or cleaning A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, which does not show the tank with liquid:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a powder withdrawal device according to an embodiment of the invention in an open position, before closing the flow of powder.

Fig. 2. is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig. 1 showing the first step of closing the powder withdrawal.

Fig. 3 is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig. 1 showing the second stage of closing the powder withdrawal.

Fig. 4. is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig. 1 in a closed position after closing the powder withdrawal.

Fig. 5. is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig. 1 in a closed position before a powder withdrawal stream is formed.

Fig. 6. is a schematic top view of the powder take-up device of Fig. 1 showing the first step of forming the powder take-up stream.

Fig. 7. is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig.

1, showing the second step of forming the powder uptake stream.

Fig. 8 is a schematic top view of the powder withdrawal device of Fig.

1, in the closed position, before a powder withdrawal stream is formed.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention. Powder sampling equipment is marked with the general reference number 1 and consists of inlet 2 inlet in the material in powder form, outlet 3 inlet of the material in powder form and channel 4 of the inlet material in powder form extending from the inlet 2 of the inlet channel material in powder form to the outlet 3 of the inlet channel of material in powder form.

[0036] The apparatus comprises a process tank (not shown) filled with fluid into which material in the form of powder is to be taken. In a pressure vessel, in a manner known to those skilled in the art, low pressure or negative pressure above the liquid surface is provided.

[0037] The powder material may be supplied to the inlet 2 of the device 1 for collecting the powder material in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0038] In the intake channel 4 of the powder material 4, a first valve 20 is arranged, having a closing element 21 and an axis 22, around which the closing element 21 rotates to open and close the intake channel 4 the powder material u.

[0039] In the embodiment shown, the first valve 20 is a butterfly valve. However, any suitable valves may be used. For example, a single-seat valve may be used. Other options are ball valves, diaphragm valves, butterfly valves and / or pinch valves.

[0040] The gas medium receiving device 30 is located downstream of the first valve 20 in the inlet channel 4 of the powder material. The gas medium withdrawing device 30 includes a closure element 31 for providing and blocking the flow of the gas medium stream to the feed inlet 4 of the powder material. In addition, the device includes an actuation element 32 (e.g. lowered or any other suitable), and a gas medium inlet channel 33, extending from the gas medium tank (not shown) or from the ambient atmosphere (air or nitrogen, etc.) to outlet 34 of the device 30 for drawing gas medium.

[0041] There is also a second valve 10 located in the inlet channel 4 of the powder material behind the outlet 34 of the device 30 for sampling the gaseous medium. [0042] The second valve 10 may be similar to the first valve 20, or it may be another suitable type of valve, for example, as mentioned above in relation to the first valve 10, and comprises a closing element 11 and an axis 12 around which the element rotates closing device 11 for opening and closing the powder material inlet duct. However, it is clear that the first and second valves may be different.

[0043] For the first valve 20 and / or the second valve 10, other types of valves may be used, e.g. valves in which the closing element is moved (e.g., pushed, pulled and / or pressed against the elastic element) along the axis 22 to open and closing the powder inlet channel 4.

[0044] According to the invention, the second valve 10 may be omitted. Such embodiments include a first valve (the "first" has been added only to distinguish the "first" valve from the "second" valve in embodiments where at least two valves are provided), the device for taking the gas medium is located behind it, in material inlet in the form of powder. In this embodiment, it is preferred to maintain the flow of the gaseous medium stream to the process tank all the time after closing the first valve until the first valve is re-opened.

[0045] Line 60 indicates a possible position in which the inlet duct 4 material in powder form can be divided into two sections for maintenance and / or cleaning. These sections can be connected by means known to those skilled in the art, e.g. by means of flange and / or clamping connection elements.

Figures 1 to 4 show a preferred method of closing the material feed inlet channel 4 in powder form device 1 in material powder u.

Fig 1 shows the completely open material inlet channel 4 in powder form. The gas medium withdrawal device 30 is closed. There is a gas stream 40 with powder from the inlet 2 to the outlet 4 of the inlet channel 4 of the material in the form of a powder, with a flow of gas inlet stream 41 from the powder tank (not shown) and outgoing gas stream 42 with powder to the process tank (not shown) containing the liquid, to which the powder is to be taken. [0046] In order to close the inlet channel 4 of the powder material of the device 1 for collecting the powder material, the device for collecting the gaseous medium is opened, so that a stream of gaseous medium 50 flows into the liquid from the process tank of the tank, and the first valve 20 starts shut up. In this way, the powder gas flow will be partially blocked, so that a blocked portion 43 of the powder gas stream appears and the entire portion 44 of the powder gas stream flows.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows the state in which the first valve 20 is fully closed. The flow of gas medium 50 prevents the return flow of wet material in the form of powder or liquid to the inlet channel 4 of the material in the form of powder and affects the sealing function of the first valve 20. The gas stream 45 with powder is blocked by the closed first valve

twenty. The remaining portion 46 of the powder gas stream is forced out of the inlet channel 4 of the powder material through the flow of the gas medium stream 50, thereby cleaning the second valve 10.

[0048] The second valve 10 is then closed. This state is shown in Fig. 4. The flow of the powder gas gas 47 is blocked by the closed first valve 20. Liquid and wet powder material is blocked by the closed second valve 10. Fluid stream 51 the gas pressure will be lower due to the build up of pressure between the two closed valves 20 and 10.

Figures 5 to 8 show a preferred method of opening the material feed inlet channel 4 for powder material intake device 1.

Fig. 5 shows the fully closed devices 1 for collecting material in powder form, i.e. both valves 10 and 20 are closed. The device for taking the gas medium may be open. If it is closed, it should be opened to build up pressure in the inlet area 4 of powder material between valves 10 and 20.

[0049] Then, as shown in Fig. 6, the second valve 10 is opened. Due to the pressure in the area between the valves 10 and 20 and the open gas sampling device, the flow of the gas medium stream 50 is almost instantaneous by opening the second valve 10.

[0050] Then, as shown in Fig. 7, the first valve 20 is opened. A blocked gas stream portion 43 with powder and a passing gas stream portion 44 with powder is present. [0051] Finally, as shown in Fig. 8, both valves are completely open, a flow of gas with powder is created.