Procedure for start-up and operation of a separator for the separation of oil-seeds and a separator for carrying out the procedure

Abstract

 In a separator for the separation of sorts of seeds such as rape, sunflower and palm kernel into a fluid fraction and a solid fraction which are separated at an outlet opening (11) in the separator, and at which point a clot (22) is formed, which hardens after some time of standstill of the separator, there are means (23-25) for the breaking up of the hardened material (22) when the separator is restarted. The material thus broken up is conveyed out of the separator. There is thus no longer any need to dissemble the separator and then break up the solid material and reassemble the separator every time the separator is to be restarted, and the separator can consequently be an integral part of a processing plant.

Description

[0001] Procedure for start-up and operation of a separator for separation of oil-seeds and a separator for carrying out the procedure.

[0002] The present invention relates to a procedure for start-up and operation of a separator of the kind described in the pre-characterising part of claim 1.

[0003] Such a separator is known from DK 170153.

[0004] Separators are also known in which the worms are pivotally suspended only at one end, close to the inlet.

[0005] It is a disadvantage in the known separators which are used for the separation of sorts of seeds into a solid fraction such as cattle cake, and a fluid fraction such as oil, that the solid fraction - when the separator is idle for a period, which may vary from 20 minutes to 24 hours - becomes so hard that it cannot be forced out of the separator. It is therefore necessary, when the separator has been left unused for a period, to dissemble it, knock the solid fraction to pieces and remove it, and then afterwards assemble the separator again before it can be restarted. Consequently, these known separators cannot form part of a process controlled plant.

[0006] It is one purpose of the present invention to describe a procedure for start-up and operation of a separator by which the said disadvantages are avoided.

[0007] This is achieved by the procedure described in the characterising part of claim 1. Thereby it is achieved that the solid fraction which sits as a clot of a massive, hard material at the outlet end of the separator when the separator is restarted after a standstill, is cut into pieces or divided into fine particles to enable it to be moved out of the separator by the separator itself.

[0008] It is thus not necessary to dissemble the separator, clean it and assemble it again before it can be restarted, and it can therefore form part of an automatic plant.

[0009] The invention also describes a separator for the carrying out of the procedure according to claim 1. Claim 2 describes such a separator.

[0010] Claim 3 describes a special embodiment of the knives in a separator according to the invention.

[0011] By what is described in claim 4 it is achieved that the cone in a separator according to the invention can be adjusted to the correct position.

[0012] Claim 5 describes other means for the adjustment of the position of the cutting organs in relation to the clot which is formed of the solid fraction in the separator.

[0013] The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawing in which

fig. 1

shows a separator according to the invention, viewed from above, in which part of a feeder duct for the material to be processed is removed,

fig. 2

is an illustration corresponding to that of fig. 1, where part of the housing surrounding the worms is cut out.

fig. 3

is a sectional view seen in the direction of arrows I-I in fig. 1,

fig. 4

is a sectional view seen in the direction of arrows II-II in fig. 1,

fig. 5

is a larger-scale side view of a cutting organ for a separator according to the invention,

fig. 6

is an illustration seen in the direction of arrows III-III in fig 5, and

fig. 7

is a picture seen in the direction of arrows IV-IV in fig 5.

[0014] As shown in the drawing a known separator consists of two equally long worms 1 and 2, which are in mesh with each other, and which have opposite directions of rotation and equal number of revolutions.

[0015] As shown, the worms can be driven by a gear motor 3, which is coupled to one of the shafts 4 or 5 for the worms 1 or 2, respectively. The power transmission from one shaft 4 to the other shaft 5 can for example be by means of two identical gear wheels 6. The shafts 4 and 5 are pivotally hinged at the ends in bearings 7, which are mounted on a frame 8.

[0016] The worms 1,2 are surrounded by a common housing 9 made of perforated plate. The housing 9 has an inlet opening 10 and an outlet opening 11.

[0017] At the outlet end the housing 9 is extended a distance X outside the end 12 of the worms 1,2.

[0018] As shown in figs. 3 and 4 the frame can be embodied with two side members with a plane topside, and the housing 9 can in each side be embodied with a horizontal bracket or profile 18, which can slide on the top surface of the side members.

[0019] The frame 8 can be stationary and mounted on legs 19. However, the housing 9 can be stationary, and in that case the frame 8 and worms 1,2 are displaceably mounted in the longitudinal direction of the housing 9.

[0020] Below the housing 9 can be mounted a watertight pan 20 with a discharge pipe 21 for the fluid fraction.

[0021] The material to be processed is taken to the inlet opening 10 by means of a not shown conveyor. The material is moved forward by the worms 1,2 towards the outlet opening 11 of the housing 9. On its way the fluid fraction runs through the openings of the housing 9 and down into the pan 20, from which it runs off through the pipe 21 into a not shown container.

[0022] As shown in the drawing each of the shafts 4 and 5 is - close to the separator's outlet end - fitted with a cutting organ, which preferably is embodied as a cone 23, which is oriented with its conical surface 24 directed towards the clot 22 of the solid fraction. Each cone 23 extends a distance into the housing 9 at the outlet end 11. The conical surface 24 is embodied with one or more cutters 25, which for example can be milled out in the conical surface.

[0023] When the separator, after some time of standstill during which the clot 22 has hardened, is restarted, the clot 22 will be forced forward by the worms 1,2 against the cutting organs 23, where the end of the clot is cut to pieces or divided into fine particles by the cutting organs and the finely sliced material is forced out of the space between the cutting organs 23 and the housing 9 and discharged from the separator.

[0024] The cutting organs can be adjustably mounted in the longitudinal direction, each on its own shaft 4 or 5, so that they can be brought to their optimum positions in relation to the clot 22 of the solid fraction.

[0025] This adjustment of the cutting organs' position in relation to the clot 22 of the solid fraction can also be obtained by having the housing 9 displaceably mounted in relation to the shafts 4 and 5. This displacement can for example be carried out by means of two tightening arrangements 14, which can each consist of a screw 15, which at one end is pivotally, but not axially displaceable, mounted in a bracket or plate 16, which is mounted on the frame 8, and at the other end is screwed into a thread in a bracket or plate 17, which is mounted on the housing 9. Instead of a screw 15 it is also possible to use a screw shackle.

[0026] The shown and described separator serves only the purpose of illustrating the invention.

Claims

1. Procedure for start-up and operation of a separator for the separation of sorts of seeds - such as rape, sunflower and palm kernel - into a fluid fraction and a solid fraction, which is separated at an outlet opening (11) in the separator, and which at this point forms a clot 22
characterised by the fact that
the solid fraction (22), when the separator after some time of operational standstill has become hard, is cut into pieces or finely divided into particles by cutting organs (23) in the separator, and that the finely divided material is thereafter removed from the separator.

2. Separator for the carrying out of the procedure according to claim 1, which separator consists of two equally long worms (1,2), which are mounted each on its own shaft, respectively (4) and (5), which are embedded at both ends in bearings (7), and which have equally large pitch and are meshing with each other and rotate in opposite directions with identical number of rotations, and are driven, for example, by a common gear motor, which said worms are surrounded by a common housing (9), which is made of perforated plate, and which has an inlet opening (10), for example in the shape of a funnel, and an outlet opening for the solid fraction (11), and which at the outlet end is extended a distance (X) outside the end of the worms (1,2), where a clot (22) is formed of the solid fraction,
characterised by the fact that
each shaft (4) and (5) close to the outlet end, is mounted with a cutting organ, preferably embodied as a cone (23), which rotates together with the shaft and which extends into the housing (9) at the outlet opening (11) and which is oriented with the conical surface (24) turned towards the clot (22) and which has a larger external diameter (d), which is a little smaller than the internal diameter of the housing (9), and that the conical surface (24) is embodied with one or more cutting organs (25) or knives.

3. Separator according to claim 2,
characterised by the fact that
the cutters (25) are embodied as milled grooves in the conical surface (24).

4. Separator according to claim 2,
characterised by the fact that
each cone (23) is adjustably mounted in the longitudinal direction on its own shaft (4) or (5).

5. Separator according to claim 2,
characterised by the fact that
the housing (9) is displaceably mounted in the longitudinal direction in relation to the shafts (4,5).

Drawing