US3854870A

US3854870A - Process for treating continuous filaments

Info

Publication number: US3854870A
Application number: US00342731A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Boyer; A Chen
Original assignee: Miles Laboratories Inc
Current assignee: Specialty Foods Investment Co; Bayer Corp
Priority date: 1973-03-19
Filing date: 1973-03-19
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17
Also published as: ZA74754B; BR7402084D0; ES423982A1; JPS49125556A; AU456260B2; FR2222145B1; AU6527674A; GB1404305A; JPS547866B2; FR2222145A1

Abstract

Process and apparatus are described for washing a tow of continuous filaments, such as protein fibers, wherein the tow and a treating liquid, such as an alkaline solution or water, are concurrently passed longitudinally along a conduit and several fluid streams, such as air streams, are passed transversely through the tow to agitate the filaments and enable the treating liquid to contact all the filaments.

Description

United States Patent Boyer et a1.

PROCESS FOR TREATING CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS Inventors: Robert Allan Boyer; Anthony Hing Chen, both of Columbus, Ohio Miles Laboratories, Inc., Elkhart, Ind.

Filed: Mar. 19, 1973 Appl. No.: 342,731

Assignee:

US. Cl 8/139, 8/151, 68/163 Int. Cl D061 l/12 Field of Search 8/139, 151; 68/183 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1964 Oshan 8/151 3,159,017 12/1964 Oshan 23/151 Primary Examiner-Mayer Weinblatt [57] ABSTRACT Process and apparatus are described for washing a tow of continuous filaments, such as protein fibers, wherein the tow and a treating liquid, such as an alkaline solution or water, are concurrently passed longitudinally along a conduit and several fluid streams, such as air streams, are passedtransversely through the tow to agitate the filaments and enable the treating liquid to contact all the filaments.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PROCESS FOR TREATING CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART It has been known for several years that continuous filaments, such'as proteinaceous fibers, can be prepared by extruding an alkaline solution of protein, such as casein or soy protein, through a plurality of small openings into an acid bath whereby the extrudate is coagulated into a tow of protein fibers. One use for such fibers is in the production of textured food products. U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,466 describes the combination'of spun protein fibers and edible binders to form textured protein food products, such as simulated meats.

The as-spun protein fibers have an acidic pH value below about 4, for example, and thus are not directly suitable in simulated meats. It is known that the spun fibers can be treated with a neutralizing bath, such as an aqueous sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride solution, to adjust their pH to a more desirable value between about 4 and 7. The neutralized fibers are then washed with water to remove the salts resulting from the neutralization step. The prior art techniquesand apparatus for adjusting the pH of protein fibers, such as that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,269,841; 3,3l4,356; 3,403,027; 3,554,] 13; and 3,677,038, were undesirably complex and did not produce a completely satisfactory product. Similar problems exist when attempts have been made to treat other continuous filaments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away, of one form of apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of another form of apparatus suitable for carrying out the process of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. 1 shows apparatus consisting of an elongated conduit having an entrance mouth 12 and an exit 14. Conduit 10 is located in a substantially horizontal position, but it may be tipped slightly downward toward exit 14 if this is desired. A plurality of spaced vertical inlet pipes 16, each having an outlet 18 which communicates with the interior of conduit 10, are located longitudinally along the bottom 20 of conduit 10. Inlet pipes 16 all are in communication with a supply pipe 22 which has an inlet 23. A collector 24 having an open mouth 26 is located beneath the outlet of exit 14 of conduit 10. Collector 24 communicates with a pipe 28 which, in turn, communicates with a pipe 30. Pipe 30 is in communication with conduit 10 near inlet 12 and has its own inlet 32. A pump 34 is located in pipe28.

In the operation of the process of the present invention, a treating liquid 36, such as an alkaline neutralizing solution or a water wash, is introduced from a supply source (not shown) through the inlet 32 and pipe 30 into conduit 10. The treating liquid 36 leaving conduit 10 through exit 14 is collected by collector 24, is recycled by pump-34 through pipe 28 and is combined with fresh treating liquid 36 in pipe 30 for introduction into conduit 10.

A tow of continuous filaments 38, such as protein fi-. bers, obtained from a previous processing step (not shown) is introduced to conduit 10 through inlet 12. Sufficient liquid 36 is introduced to maintain conduit 10 substantially full. The tow 38 is immersed in the treating liquid 36 and is concurrently passed with the treating liquid longitudinally and substantially horizontally along conduit 10. The flow of the treating liquid from pipe 30 to the exit 14 of conduit 10 acts as a conveyor for the tow 38.

A fluid 40 is introduced from a supply source (not shown) through the inlet 23 of pipe 22 and then through the plurality of pipes 16. This fluid 40 forms a plurality of fluid streams which simultaneously pass upwardly and substantially vertically transversely through the tow of protein fibers 38 to agitate and separate the fibers and enable the treating liquid to contact all the fibers. Fluid 40 is preferably gaseous, such as air or any other gas which does not adversely react with the treat ing liquid or the tow. Fluid 40 could also be another liquid, such as the treating liquid, or a mixture of gas and liquid. Gaseous fluid 40 leaves conduit 10 through exit 14 and mixes with the ambient atmosphere.

The tow 38 leaving the conduit 10 through exit 14 can then be used as such in the production of endproducts, such as textured protein products, or it can be processed further as desired.

As discussed above, an acidic tow of protein fibers originally produced by coagulation of the proteinaceous raw material should be neutralized and then washed with water to remove the salts due to the neutralization. This is conveniently accomplished by the apparatus shown in FIG. 2. The elements of the twostage apparatus of FIG. 2 have the same identifying numbers with the suffix a for the first. stage and the suffix .b for the second stage. The operation of the individual stages of FIG. 2 are the same as the operation of the single stage of FIG. 1.

The acidic tow 38a enters conduit 10a while treating liquid 36a, such as a neutralizing solution, concurrently flows through conduit 10a. Fluid 40a, such as air, passes upwardly transversely from pipes 16a through conduit 10a and agitates and separates the fibers of tow 38a.

As tow 38a exits from conduit 10a, .it passes over

guide rollers

42 and 44 and enters inlet 12b of conduit 10b as tow 38b.

Guide rollers

42 and 44 can be motor driven by means not shown, if desired, to assist in conveying tow 38a from conduit 10a to conduit 10b. Treat ing liquid 36b, such as water, concurrently flows through conduit 10b along with tow 38b. Fluid 4012, such as air, passes upwardly transversely from pipes 16b through conduit 10b and agitates and separates the fibers of tow 38b. The number and size of the pipes 16b can be the same, greater, or less than the number and size of the pipes 16a as desired or-necessary for proper operation.

The tow 38b leaving conduit b can be squeezed by

rollers

46 and 48, adjusted and driven by means not shown, to remove liquid adhering to and absorbed by the fibers, if desired. The resulting tow can be used directly in subsequent processing.

The process and apparatus described above introduced the plurality of agitating fluid streams along the bottom of the horizontal conduit so that such streams flowed vertically upward through the tow. It isunderstood that the scope of the present invention also includes the process and apparatus wherein the plurality of agitating fluid streams are introduced along the top or the sides of the horizontal conduit. In this way such fluid streams still flow transversely through the tow.

The invention is described in further detail in the following example.

EXAMPLE Four tows of acid protein fibers were produced by passing an alkaline solution of soy protein through four spinnettes, each having 15,000 holes (0.004 in. dia.), and the resulting extrudates were coagulat ed at room temperature in an acidic aqueous solution containing 2-5 weight percent phosphoric acid and 7-l0 weight percent sodium chloride and having a pH of 0.7-1.1. The resulting tows having a pH of 2.2 were then passed through another acidic aqueous solution having the above composition at a temperature of 200F. (93C.) for 5-6 seconds. The four acidic tows were then combined into one tow of continuousfilaments and passed at a linear velocity of 33 ft./min. into a single horizontal 6 in. dia. pipe ft. long through which an aqueous alkaline solution containing 0.8 weight percent sodium bicarbonate and 8 weight percent sodium chloride was also concurrently passed at a flow rate of 20 gpm. A series of 45 /4 in. dia. pipes each having a l /l 6 in. dia. outlet nozzle were longitudinally located along the bottom of the above 6 in. dia. pipe in three rows of 15 pipes each in which the pipes in each row were substantially equally spaced along the length of the longitudinal pipe. A total of 50 cu. ft. per min. of air was passed upwardly and transversely from these'pipes through the tow to agitate and separate the fibers. The tow leaving this neutralizing stage contained 4.2 weight percent sodium chloride and had a pH of 6.0. It was separated from the neutralizing solution which was then recycled through the neutralizing stage. The tow then passed over a pair of transferring rollers and entered another single horizontal 6 in. diaQpipe 45 ft. long through The process and apparatus of the present invention have the advantages over the prior art of 1) improved agitation with more complete neutralization and rinsing and (2) less complex apparatus. The tow is conveyed through the processing stations by the concurrent treating solution flow and the agitation means requires no which water was also concurrently passed at a flow rate of 15 gpm. A series of 68% in. dia. pipes each with a l/l6 in. dia. outlet nozzle were longitudinally located along the bottom of the above 6 in. dia. in three rows of 23, 23 and 22 pipes, respectively, in which the pipes in each row were substantially equally spaced along the length of the longitudinal pipe. A total of 40 cu. ft. per min. of air was passed upwardly and transversely from these pipes through the tow to agitate and separate the fibers. The tow leaving the rinsing stage was separated from the rinsing solution which was then recycled through the rinsing stage. The tow was then dewatered by passing through a pair of squeezing rollers and cut into desired length for product usage. The tow product contained 80 weight percent moisture, 1 weight percent sodium chloride and had a pH of 6.0.

moving parts.

The dimensions of the apparatus, the number of stages and the flow rates of the reactants are not critical and will be dependent upon the size and speed of the.

tow and the treating specifications, such as the neutralization and rinsing specifications.

While the above description has been directed primarily at neutralization and rinsing of soy protein fibers, it is understood that the process and apparatus of the present invention is also applicable for the addition of flavoring and other ingredients to such protein fibers and for the treatment of other continuous filaments, such as edible alginate andcasein fibers and various textile filaments;

What is claimed is:

1. A process for treating a tow of continuous protein filaments with a treating liquid which comprises immersing the tow of continuous protein filaments in the treating liquid and concurrently passing the tow of continuous protein filaments and the treating liquid longitudinally and substantially horizontally along a conduitgaseous, said gaseous fluid being a gas which does not adversely react with the treating liquid or the tow of protein filaments.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the treating liquid is recycled for reuse in concurrent flow.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of fluid streams are passed upwardly through the tow. p i

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the tow of continuous protein filaments is separated from a first treating liquid as it exits from a first conduit and is sub sequently treated a second time by immersing the tow of continuous protein filaments in a second treating liquid and concurrently passing the tow of continuous protein filaments and the second treating liquid longitudinally and substantially horizontally along a second conduit while simultaneously passing a second plurality of fluid streams transversely through the tow of continuous protein filaments to agitate the protein filaments and enable the second treating liquid to contact all the protein filaments, the amount and flow rate of said second treating liquid being such as to completely cover the protein filaments.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the various plurality of fluid streams which are passed transversely 3,854,870 6 7. A process according to claim 5 wherein the first treating liquid is an alkaline neutralizing solution, the treating liquid is different in composition from the secsecond treating liquid is water and the various plurality ond treating liquid. of fluid streams are air.

8. A process according to claim 5 wherein the first

Claims

1. A PROCESS FOR TREATING A TOW OF CONTINUOUS PROTEIN FILAMENTS WITH A TREATING LIQUID WHICH COMPRISES IMMERSING THE TOW OF CONTINUOUS PROTEIN FILAMENTS IN THE TREATING LIQUID AND CONCURRENTLY PASSING THE TOW OF CONTINUOUS PROTEIN FILAMENTS AND THE TREATING LIQUID LONGITUDINALLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY ALONG A CONDUIT WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PASSING A PLURALITY OF FLUID STREAMS TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE TOW OF CONTINUOUS PROTEIN FILAMENTS TO AGITATE THE PROTEIN FILAMENTS AND ENABLE THE TREATING LIQUID TO CONTACT ALL THE PROTEIN FILAMENTS, THE AMOUNT AND FLOW RATE OF SAID TREATING LIQUID BEING SUCH AS TO COMPLETELY COVER THE PROTEIN FILAMENTS.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of fluid streams which are passed transversely through the tow of continuous protein filaments are gaseous, said gaseous fluid being a gas which does not adversely react with the treating liquid or the tow of protein filaments.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of fluid streams are passed upwardly through the tow.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the tow of continuous protein filaments is separated from a first treating liquid as it exits from a first conduit and is subsequently treated a second time by immersing the tow of continuous protein filaments in a second treating liquid and concurrently passing the tow of continuous protein filaments and the second treating liquid longitudinally and substantially horizontally along a second conduit while simultaneously passing a second plurality of fluid streams transversely through the tow of continuous protein filaments to agitate the protein filaments and enable the second treating liquid to contact all the protein filaments, the amount and flow rate of said second treating liquid being such as to completely cover the protein filaments.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the various plurality of fluid streams which are passed transversely through the tow of continuous protein filaments are gaseous, said gaseous fluids being of gases which do not adversely react with the treating liquids or the tow of protein filaments.

7. A process according to claim 5 wherein the first treating liquid is different in composition from the second treating liquid.

8. A process according to claim 5 wherein the first treating liquid is an alkaline neutralizing solution, the second treating liquid is water and the various plurality of fluid streams are air.