Sugar – starch – and carbohydrates – Apparatus – Treating sacchariferous material
Patent
1992-03-02
1993-04-13
Morris, Theodore
Sugar, starch, and carbohydrates
Apparatus
Treating sacchariferous material
127 16, C13D 300, C13F 100
Patent
active
052019578
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application is a PCT application. This application claims the priority date of Jul. 28, 1989 for Great Britain Patent No. 8917313.2.
This invention concerns improvements in or relating to sugar production apparatus and particularly to evaporators where crystalline sugar is prepared from sugar solution.
Various apparatus have been proposed in the past, for example that disclosed in U.K. Patent No. 1190243. Past evaporators have either been batch evaporators in which sugar is processed in successive batches or alternatively continuous evaporators where production is continuous. A disadvantage of all such apparatus is the formation of sugar crystals on the evaporator walls and other components of the apparatus, such crystal formation reducing the efficiency of the apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous evaporator in which the disadvantages of prior evaporators are obviated or mitigated.
According to the present invention there is provided an evaporator including a shell, at least part of which is partitioned, between an inlet and an outlet, into a plurality of transversely extending compartments by spaced partitions over which, in use, fluid may flow from each compartment to the adjacent downstream compartment, at least one heating fin extending transversely into each compartment, and at least one rotatable, longitudinally extending shaft extending through the shell and being provided with vanes which pass over the surface of the respective fins to agitate the fluid to be evaporated within the compartments.
Preferably a pair of the rotatable shafts are provided in a parallel relation, the vanes on one shaft being staggered with respect to the vanes on the other shaft so that they inter-mesh.
Preferably also, in a direction from inlet to outlet, the number of fins in each of the compartments increases. The fins may be steam heated, and at least one pair of the fins may be arranged in each compartment to extend towards each other from respective sides of the shell.
Outer walls of the shell in the region of each compartment may be steam heated, and also the or each shaft may be steam heated. Further, the vanes may be steam heated.
Preferably each partition is provided with a weir in an edge to control fluid passing thereover.
Preferably also the or each fin is supported on the shell such that there is a gap defined between the fin and the shell.
Means may be provided for maintaining the shell at sub-atmospheric pressure, and means may be provided for introducing make-up fluid into the compartments, the fluid introduction means comprising, for example, nozzles located above the compartments. The nozzles may deliver a curtain of make-up fluid or a spray. The shell may also be provided with vapour extraction means.
Further according to the present invention there is provided an evaporator including a shell, at least part of which is partitioned, between an inlet and an outlet, into a plurality of transversely extending compartments by spaced partitions over which, in use, fluid may flow from each compartment to the adjacent downstream compartment, heating means for heating the fluid, and fluid make-up means located above the compartments for introducing make-up fluid into the evaporator.
The fluid make up means may be nozzles adapted to deliver fluid as a curtain or a spray. Agitation means may be provided in each compartment, and heat transfer fins may be provided in each compartment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a transverse elevation through an evaporator and;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal elevation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An evaporator in the form of a vacuum pan comprises a shell 10 having an arcuate top 12 incorporating sight glasses 14, illumination means 16 and a hatch 18 on a manway 20, none of which form part of the present invention and will not be described in detail. The top 12 is connected to
REFERENCES:
patent: 3687636 (1972-08-01), Dambrine et al.
patent: 3879215 (1975-04-01), De Villiers et al.
Adams, III W. Thad
Fletcher Smith Limited
Hailey P. L.
Morris Theodore
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