US2502939A - Arrangement for continuous diffusion - Google Patents

Description

April 4, 1950 v. FRYNTA 2,502,939

ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS DIFFUSION Filed Sept. 18, 1947 Illgll.

Vilm F1 111m Patented Apr. 4, 1950 ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTINUOUS DIFFUSION Vilm Frynta, Librantice, Trebechovice P. 0., Czechoslovakia, assignor of one-half to Skoda Works, National Corporation, Pilsen, Czechoslovakia Application September 18, 1947, Serial No. 774,711 In Czechoslovakia October 2, 1946 9 Claims.

My invention relates to a counter-current dif fusion apparatus for continuous operation and more particularly to such apparatus used for extracting sugar from beet chippings, cossettes, or the like.

The object of my invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the known apparatus of this type and more particularly to devise an apparatus which is simple in its construction and reliable in its operation.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with addie tional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a schematic sectional View of an illustrative embodiment of my invention, and

Fig. 2 a section in enlarged scale through a specific part of my apparatus more fully described hereinafter.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in both figures.

The diffusion apparatus comprises a top open vertical cylindrical tank I and centrally located within the same a tightly closed cylindrical core member 2 leaving a diffusion space of annular cross section.

This diffuser space is separated at its bottom by an annular sieve 3 and the said cylindrical tank l is closed at its bottom by a cover 4 which slopes in a neck 5 connected over a slide or other closing member 6 to a quick current pre-heater 2! from Where the juice passes through the pipe 22 into a mixer 20 wherein it is mixed with chippings coming from a beet cutter [9. Through the center of the cover 4 passes the inlet pipe 7 for introduction of the mixture of juice and chippings into the diffusion space within said tank i. Said inlet pipe 1 extends above said sieve 3 where it is bent to form an arm 8 lying reasonably close above said sieve 3. Said inlet pipe 1 and hollow arm 8 are revolving about a vertical axis by means of a worm gear 9. The knee between said arm 8 is covered with a cap l0 firmly attached thereto and this cap it [forms a free extension of said core member 2 thus closing the conforming central. opening of the annular sieve 3 and confining the diffusion space Within tank I. Said arm 8 extends close to the wall of cylinder I and is provided on its entire length with a longitudinally extending dischargeopening 8 for the mixture of chipping and juice, said opening facing in a direction opposite to its rotation as shown in enlarged scale in Fig. 2 wherein the arrow 25 indicates the direction of rotation of said arm 8, which may have a variable fiow profile to insure a uniform distribution of said mixture above the sieve 3.

A sloping boardlike member of a functionally similar wedgelike member H is attached to the rotating arm 8 in front of its rotating movement to lift the mixture resting upon the sieve 3 above the arm 8. This lifting member it may extend into a roofiike member l2 resting upon the arm 8 and projecting beyond the same to protect the arm opening 8 from the pressure resulting from the overlying mixture. The lifting member I! slides with its front edge, which may be sharpened, upon the sieve or screen 3 and the said arm 8 may be provided with brushes or scrapers 26 to keep the sieve or screen clean. In case that a grate is used instead of a sieve or screen then the same is preferably composed of concentric ring sections which easily cooperate with the rotating scrapers or the like.

Instead of arranging only one discharge arm 8 it may be advisable, particularly in the case of heavy-duty diffusion apparatus, to attach two or more radial arms to the inlet pipe 1. In such case it may be of further advantage to make these arms of different length, each of said arms cooperating with one annular surface portion of the diffusion sieve 3.

It will be also understood that said inlet pipe I may be stationary being firmly connected to the pressure pipe of the pump i3 and that the arm or arms 3 may be rotated by imparting a rotary movement to the connecting cap Hi to which the arm or arms 8 are attached.

The said pump i3 conveys the mixture of diffusion juice and fresh beet chippings into the diffusion space and a closable slide it is arranged preceding said inlet pipe 1.

Above the top open cylinder l and connected thereto is a casing 15 which houses a rake conveyor it for the exhausted chippings which are discharged through the opening ll upon a worm conveyor or the like which is not shown in the drawing. Hot water is introduced into said casing i5 through the pipe it which is provided with a slide or other closure member.

Moreover, Fig. l is showing a sugar beet cutter i9 and a mixing apparatus for mixing the chippings with the juice, the discharge of said mixing apparatus being connected to a centrifugal pump I3.

The mixer 20 is provided with a double jacket, the inner jacket being a fine sieve. From the space between both jackets the raw juice is drawn off through the pipe 24.

The apparatus described above operates as follows: The beets are introduced into the cutter l9, chipped therein and the chippings or cossettes carried into the mixer 26 wherein they are Inixed at the beginning of the operation with the hot water entering the mixer 20 through the pipe 22 and later on with the juice which leaves the diffusion space through the neck 5 and is preheated in the heater 2!. The amount .of juice admitted into the mixer may be controlled by a not shown slide or other regulating member mounted in said pipe .22. In the mixer 20 the fresh chippings are freed from air bubbles whereupon they are conveyed by the pump l3 through the pipe l and the rotating arm or arms 8 into the diffusion space above the sieve 3 in the tank l. The said arm or arms -8 rotate above the sieve 3 at such speed that the lifting members ll, l2 attached thereto set free sufficient space for the chippings leaving the arm or arms 8 through their'openings 8. tering t re diffusion space together with the chippings through the action of the pump 13 leaves said diffusion space again through the sieve 3 into the chamber between said sieve 3 and the tank cover 4 and returns through the neck 5, the quick-current preheater 2i and the pipe 22 into the mixer 20.

The said lifting members H, 12, while freeing sufficient space within the tank 9 for the chippings newly introduced therein, lift the entire chipping column within the tank at each revolution of the arm or arms .8 by the height of the newly arriving chipping layer. The exhausted chippings finally raised to the top opening of the tank 1 and into the casing l5 are removed therefrom by the conveyor 16 or any other suitable manner.

The raw juice is taken through the pipe 24 from the space between the two jackets of the mixer 20. amount of water leaving with the exhausted chippings, as well as any amount of water otherwise lost dm'ing the operation, is replaced :by hot water delivered into the apparatus through the pipe l8. In order to maintain an equilibrium of water and/or juice within the apparatus, the water level on top of the tank 3 and the juice level within the mixer 20 are permanently kept .constant by any suitable :device, for example :by a float not shown in the drawing, which device adjusts the closure means of the pipes l8 and 22 respectively.

While I have shown and described only one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be well understood that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated 'by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings the improvement comprising in combination a vertical top open cylindrical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of the tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet ch'ippings and beet juices, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feed- The juice en- The amount of raw juice and the ing pipe at least one radial distributing arm circularly rotatable above said sieve, driving means to effect such rotating movement, a discharge opening extending lengthwise in said distributing arm and facing in a direction opposite to rotation, and :a wedgelike rotating member closely preceding said rotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture from the sieve in front of and above the rotating distrib- -.uting arm.

2. Ina =countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extrac- .tion .of sugar from beet chippings, the improvement comprising in combination, a vertical top open cylindrical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of the tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion =sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial distributing arm circularly rotatable above the sieve and extending as nearly as possible to the latters outer border, driving means to effect the rotation of the distributing arm, said distributing arm having a lengthwise extending discharge opening facing in a direction opposite to rotation, and a wedgelike rotating member preceding said rotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture rom the sieve in front of and above the rotating'distri'buting arm.

3. In :a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, the improvement comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindrical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the 'bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice to be introduced into said tank, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial :distributing arm circularly rotating above the sieve, driving means to effect the rotation of said arm, a lengthwise extending discharge opening in the said arm facing in a direction opposite to its rotation, and attached to said arm a sloping boardlike member preceding the rotating arm, sliding with its free edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the upper :surface of the rotating arm.

4. In a c'ountercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet 'chippings, the improvement-comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindrical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice, 'said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial distributing arm circularly rotating above the sieve, driving means to effect the rotation of said arm, a lengthwise extending discharge opening in said arm facing in a direction opposite to its rotation, and attached to the arm a sloping member having an essentially horizontal roof-like extension, said sloping member preceding the rotating arm and sliding with its front edge upon said sieve, and said rooflike extension overhanging the rotating arm above its discharge opening.

5. In countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings the improvement comprising in combination a top open vertical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice to be introduced into said tank, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial distributin arm circularly rotating above the sieve, driving means to effect such rotation of said arm, a lengthwise extending discharge opening therein facing in a direction opposite to its rotation, and above said distributing arm a rooilike member having in the direction of rotation a sloping extension sliding with its free edge upon the sieve and in the other direction an extension overhanging the distributing arm.

6. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation according to claim 1, the

further improvement consisting therein that the diffusion sieve is concentrically shaped in respect to its axis to ensure a thorough cooperation between the acting edge of the rotating wedgelike member and the surface of the sieve.

7. In a countercurrent difiusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, the improvement comprising in combination a top open vertical cylindrical tank, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice, a rotatable extension of said feeding pipe entering the tank centrally through its bottom, driving means to effect such rotation of said rotatable pipe extension, the same passing into at least one radial distributing arm circularly rotating above said sieve, said distributing arm having lengthwise a discharge opening facing in a direction opposite to rotation, and a wedgelike rotating member closely preceding the rotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising with its breast plane to the upper surface of the rotating arm.

8. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings or slices, the improvement comprising in combination a top open vertical cylindrical tank an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chippings and beet juice, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe a plurality of radial distributing arms circularly rotatable above said sieve, at least one of the arms extending as nearly as possible to the outer border of the sieve, and the remaining arms being of different length, each distributing arm having a lengthwise extending discharge opening facing in a direction opposite to rotation, and a plurality of wedgelike rotating members each attached to and closely preceding one of said rotating distributing arms, each wedgelike member sliding with its acting front edge upon the sieve and rising with breast plane to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture from the sieve in front of and above the rotating distributing arm.

9. In a countercurrent diffusion apparatus for continuous operation, especially for the extraction of sugar from beet chippings, the improvement comprising in combination, a top open vertical cylindrical tank, a cylindrical core member concentrically arranged in said tank to form a diffusion space of annular cross section, an essentially horizontal diffusion sieve above the bottom of said tank, a feeding pipe for the mixture of beet chips or slices and beet juice, said feeding pipe entering said tank through its bottom and passing centrally through the diffusion sieve, attached to said feeding pipe at least one radial distributing arm circularly rotatable above the sieve, said distributing arm having lengthwise a discharge opening facing in a direction opposite to rotation, and a wedgelike rotating member preceding the rotating distributing arm, said wedgelike member sliding with its acting edge upon the sieve and rising'with its breast plane at least to the upper surface of the rotating distributing arm to lift the said mixture from the sieve in front of and above the rotating distributing arm.

V'ILEM FRYNTA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 860,810 Klandy et al July 23, 1907 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,270 France Apr. 26, 1855 132,035 France July 31, 1870 597,408 France Aug. 29, 1925 583,637 Germany Sept. 7, 1933

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