JPH0425056B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] <<Industrial Application Field>> This invention involves mixing a liquefied gas into a liquid fluid moving at a constant speed in a casing by a spiral conveyance means to freeze it, and turning the frozen material into flakes. Regarding the technology for forming solids or granules, it freezes liquid materials into granules or flakes regardless of the degree of viscosity, and can be used in the food freezing field, pharmaceutical field, cosmetics field, brewing field, etc. can.

<<Prior Art>> In recent years, technology has been used to freeze various articles using the thermal energy possessed by liquefied gas.

In this case, in the case of products in which the liquid material is distributed in a frozen state, a certain amount of the liquid material is placed in a bag, and then the entire bag is frozen into one block.

<<Problems to be solved by the invention>> In the conventional method, the bagged liquid fluid is
Because it is frozen in blocks, even if you only want to use a portion, you have to thaw the entire block, which takes time, and refreezing once thawed has a negative impact on quality. Therefore, there was a problem that the unused portion after being thawed had to be discarded, making it uneconomical.

<<Means for Solving the Problems>> The present invention provides a method for forming a frozen liquid into flakes or granules so that the required amount can be measured in a frozen state and thawed for use. To provide a device, the method of the present invention involves applying liquefied gas ejected from two different locations in the axial direction of the casing to a liquid fluid moving at a constant speed within a casing by a spiral conveying means. The amount of liquefied gas supplied from each liquefied gas injection nozzle is adjusted so that the amount of liquefied gas from the injection nozzle located on the upper side in the conveyance direction is such that the liquefied fluid is semi-frozen (freezing does not progress completely). At the same time, the total amount of liquefied gas ejected from the remaining liquefied gas injection nozzles is calculated by subtracting the ejection amount of the injection nozzle located on the uppermost side from the amount necessary for completely freezing the liquid fluid. In addition, in order to efficiently carry out the above-described method, the device of the present invention has a fluid supply port opened on the upper surface of the cylindrical casing near one end, and a fluid supply port opened on the bottom surface near the other end of the cylindrical casing. The product outlet is opened and a spiral conveyance shaft is arranged inside the cylindrical casing so that the fluid flowing in from the supply port can be conveyed at a constant speed toward the product outlet. A turbine is arranged so as to be continuous with the terminal end, and the end of this turbine on the lower side in the fluid transport direction is slightly protruded into the lower side in the transport direction than the upper edge of the product outlet in the transport direction, and The liquefied gas injection nozzles are arranged at at least two locations at an appropriate distance in the axial direction of the casing on the downstream side, and the liquefied gas jetting direction from each liquefied gas injection nozzle is tilted toward the downstream side in the fluid transport direction. There is.

<<Operation>> In the present invention, a spiral conveyance means is disposed within the casing to forcibly convey the liquid fluid at a constant speed,
During this transfer, the liquefied gas is ejected from at least two locations separated from each other in the axial direction of the casing, so that the contact time between the fluid and the liquefied gas within the casing is equalized, and the spiral conveyance means , the fluid and the liquefied gas are mixed, and the overall degree of freezing is made uniform. Furthermore, the amount of liquefied gas ejected from the injection nozzle located on the uppermost side in the transport direction of the fluid is limited to the amount that will semi-freeze the fluid, and the total amount of liquefied gas ejected from the remaining injection nozzles is required to completely freeze the fluid. Since the amount is controlled by subtracting the amount ejected from the injection nozzle located at the uppermost position, freezing progresses in stages, and the frozen material does not reach the inner peripheral surface of the casing or the spiral conveyor. It will not stick to the inside of the casing and clog it.

《Example》 Fig. 1 shows an example of a freeze granulation device for carrying out the present invention.This freeze granulation device has a cylindrical casing 2 placed horizontally on a main frame 1, and a spiral casing inside the casing 2. A conveyance shaft 3 is arranged.

The cylindrical casing 2 has a double pipe structure, and a heat insulating material 6 is filled between an inner cylinder 4 and an outer cylinder 5. In the upper half of this cylindrical casing 2,
A pressure relief port 7, a supply port 8 for a liquid fluid serving as a raw material, a liquefied gas jet port 9, and a gas vent port 10 are opened in this order from one end side, and a product (frozen material) is placed on the lower surface of the other end of the casing 2. A take-out port 11 is provided.

The liquefied gas outlets 9 are formed at three locations at appropriate intervals in the axial direction of the casing 2, and the liquefied gas outlet 9a is located closest to the supply port 8 side.
In the upper half of the casing 2 where the liquefied gas outlet 9a is formed, two locations are formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction around the liquefied gas outlet 9a.

Each liquefied gas injection port 9 has a liquefied gas injection nozzle 1.
Two support tubes 13 are attached to each injection nozzle support tube 13, and a liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 is attached to each injection nozzle support tube 13 in a state in which relative rotation is not possible. Each injection nozzle 12
The tip portion is formed in a shape along the inner circumferential surface of the casing 2. Further, the tip of the injection hole 14 of the liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 is formed into a tapered shape that widens toward the tip.

In addition, each liquefied gas ejection port 9 is oriented so that the liquefied gas is ejected from the injection nozzle 12 toward the downstream side in the direction of movement of the raw material within the casing, and is arranged along the axial direction of the casing 2. The three jet ports 9 are directed toward the spiral conveyance shaft 3, and the two jet ports 9, which are disposed close to the supply port 8 and spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, are directed toward the blade portion 15 of the spiral transport shaft 3. It is formed.

A turbine 16 is provided at the end of the spiral conveyance shaft 3, and the end of the turbine 16 projects slightly downstream from the upstream edge of the product outlet 11.

In the figure, numeral 17 is a liquefied gas storage tank, 18 is a liquid fluid (raw material) tank, 19 is a raw material delivery pump, and 20
is an electric motor with a speed reduction mechanism, 21 is a product receiving device, 2
2 is a power transmission mechanism consisting of a synchronized belt.

Next, a freeze granulation procedure using the above-mentioned apparatus will be explained.

The raw material supplied into the casing 2 from the raw material tank 18 via the pump 19 is moved within the casing 2 at a constant speed by the spiral conveyance shaft 3. Liquefied gas is applied to the raw material moving at a constant speed.
This liquefied gas is injected from multiple locations in the conveyance direction, and at the first injection position closest to the supply port 8, an amount of liquefied gas that does not completely freeze the raw material is injected, and the first injection position The remaining amount necessary to completely freeze the fluid is injected from the second injection position and the third injection position located downstream from the position.

As a result, freezing of the raw material progresses in stages, and the raw material and liquefied gas are effectively mixed by the spiral conveyance shaft, so that the overall degree of freezing is made uniform. In addition, a pressure release port 7 is provided on the upper side in the conveyance direction than the raw material supply port 8, and the pressure at the supply port 8 and the liquefied gas spout 9 is maintained at a low pressure, so that the liquefied gas is not spouted out in a liquid state. This prevents ice from forming on the supply port and causing resistance to raw material supply.

Frozen material that freezes while moving inside the casing 2 is removed by a turbine 16 located at the end of the spiral conveyance shaft 3.
The product is formed into flakes or granules and discharged from the product outlet 11. The particle size of the product can be arbitrarily set by changing the lead angle of the blades of the turbine 16.

<<Effects of the Invention>> In the method of the present invention, the raw material is frozen by ejecting liquefied gas from at least two different locations in the axial direction of the casing to the liquid fluid moving at a constant speed by the helical conveyance shaft. Freezing of the liquid fluid progresses in stages, preventing it from adhering to the spiral conveyance means due to rapid freezing, preventing clogging in the casing, and allowing efficient mixing by the spiral conveyance shaft. As a result, the overall degree of freezing becomes uniform.

Furthermore, in the apparatus of the present invention, the above-mentioned method can be carried out effectively, and since the fuel injection nozzle is arranged at an angle to the downstream side in the conveyance direction, the ejected liquefied gas smoothly flows in the conveyance direction of the liquid fluid. flows into
The liquid does not splash up and does not adhere to the injection hole or supply port of the injection nozzle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the device of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front view with main parts cut away, Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a main part showing the installation state of the liquefied gas jet nozzle. FIG. 2... Cylindrical casing, 3... Spiral conveyance means (spiral conveyance shaft), 8... Supply port, 11... Product take-out port, 12... Injection nozzle, 14... 12 injection holes, 15... Spiral Blade part, 16...Turbine.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spiral conveying means 3 inside the cylindrical casing 2.
liquefied gas is ejected from at least two locations spaced apart at an appropriate distance in the axial direction of the casing to freeze the fluid that is being transferred at a constant speed;
The amount of liquefied gas ejected from the injection nozzle 12 disposed at the first injection position on the upper side in the transport direction of the fluid is controlled to an amount that causes the fluid to be in a semi-frozen state, and the amount of liquefied gas ejected from the injection nozzle 12 at the first injection position is controlled in the transport direction. The amount of liquefied gas ejected from the injection nozzle 12 disposed on the lower side is controlled to an amount obtained by subtracting the injection amount by the injection nozzle 12 at the first injection position from the amount required for complete freezing, and is arranged at the terminal end of the spiral conveyance means 3. 1. A method for freezing and granulating a liquid fluid, characterized in that the frozen fluid is crushed in a turbine 16 in which granules of arbitrary particle size are obtained. 2 A fluid supply port 8 is opened on the upper surface of the cylindrical casing 2 near one end, a product outlet 11 is opened on the bottom surface of the cylindrical casing 2 near the other end, and a single helical conveyance shaft 3 is installed inside the cylindrical casing 2. A turbine 16 is disposed continuously at the end of the helical conveyance shaft 3, and a turbine 16 is disposed so as to be continuous with the end of the helical conveyance shaft 3. The downstream end in the conveying direction of the fluid is slightly protruded into the downstream side in the conveying direction from the upper edge of the product take-out port 11 in the conveying direction, and the liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 is positioned downstream from the supply port 8 in the conveying direction. A freezing granulation device for a liquid fluid, characterized in that the liquefied gas jetting nozzles 12 are arranged at at least two locations at an appropriate distance in the direction, and the liquefied gas jetting direction from each liquefied gas jetting nozzle 12 is inclined to the downstream side in the fluid transport direction. . 3. Claim 2, wherein at least two liquefied gas injection nozzles 12 are arranged at an appropriate distance in the circumferential direction in the upper half of the casing at the liquefied gas injection nozzle arrangement position located closest to the supply port 8. A freezing granulation device for a liquid fluid as described in . 4 One of the at least two liquefied gas injection nozzles 12 arranged at an appropriate distance in the circumferential direction is arranged in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the helical conveyance shaft 3, and the other liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 liquefied gas injection nozzle 1, one of which is arranged in the vertical plane;
3. The freezing granulation device for a liquid fluid according to claim 3, wherein the device is disposed toward the spiral blade portion 15 on the upper side in the direction of rotation of the spiral conveyance shaft. 5. A patent claim in which the tip of the liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 is formed in a shape that follows the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical casing 2, and the injection hole 14 that opens at the tip of the liquefied gas injection nozzle 12 is formed in a tapered shape. A freeze granulation device for a liquid fluid according to item 2, 3 or 4.