Procedure and device for homogenizing

• US 20070189112A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sandra Knape
• Original Assignee: Sandra Knape
• Inventors: Knape, Sandra
• Application Number:
  US11/433,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20070189112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/104
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/41 Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/53 using driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/59 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/52 with a rotary stirrer in the recirculation tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/53 in which the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle through a recirculation tube, into which an additional component is introduced
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/1453 by means of jets of fluid, e.g. air
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/213 of the properties of the mixtures, e.g. temperature, density or colour

Abstract

A process for homogenizing a pumpable product, in which the product is pressurized and homogenized in an homogenization means equipped with a drive which has a drivable rotor rotatably mounted in a housing, and a stator that is stationary or drivable at an adjustable relative speed relative to the rotor, characterised in that a pressure which can be set independently of the drive of the homogenization means is applied to the product upstream of the homogenization means by means of a pump means equipped with a separate drive, the pressure being controlled such that no cavitation occurs in the homogenization means, and a device for carrying out the process.

Claims

1. A process for homogenizing a pumpable product, comprising the steps of:

pressurizing and homogenizing a product in an homogenization means equipped with a drive which has a drivable rotor rotatably mounted in a housing, and a stator that is stationary or drivable at an adjustable relative speed relative to the rotor;

applying a pressure, which can be set independently of the drive of the homogenization means, to the product upstream of the homogenization means by means of a pump means equipped with a separate drive; and

controlling the pressure such that no cavitation occurs in the homogenization means.

2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure is controlled by a map-controlled control unit, a characteristic map containing at least the speed of the homogenization means and the nature of the product as input parameters and is based on data either measured in advance or calculated.

3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure is controlled by a controller with a computing unit, wherein the computing unit uses empirically or theoretically determined correlations between at least the speed of the homogenization means and at least one characteristic property of the product, on the one hand, and the pressure required in order to avoid cavitation, on the other hand, in order to calculate the pressure on that basis.

4. A device for homogenizing a pumpable product, comprising:

an homogenization means which has a drivable rotor rotatably mounted in a housing, and a stator that is stationary or drivable at an adjustable relative speed relative to the rotor;

a pump means upstream of the homogenization means;

wherein the pump means can be driven independently of the homogenization means, there being associated with the pump means a control unit connected to a pressure sensor disposed upstream of the homogenization means in order to detect a pressure, which is designed to control the pressure such that no cavitation occurs in the homogenization means.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit is map-controlled, with a characteristic map containing at least the speed of the homogenization means and the nature of the product as input parameters and based on data either measured in advance or calculated.

6. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control unit includes a computing unit which is arranged in such a way that uses empirically or theoretically determined correlations between at least the speed of the homogenization means and at least one characteristic property of the product, on the one hand, and the pressure required in order to avoid cavitation, on the other hand, in order to calculate the pressure on that basis.

7. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump means and the homogenization means are disposed in a common housing.

8. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump means has a separate pump housing.

9. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the homogenization means and the pump means are disposed spatially apart from one another and connected by a conduit.

10. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump means is disposed vertically beneath a product boiler.

11. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pump means is designed as a single or multi-stage radial or axial pump.

12. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one fitting, in particular a valve, is disposed between the pump means and the homogenization means.

13. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a particle size sensor and/or a flow meter is/are disposed between the pump means and the homogenization means.

14. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a pressure measuring means and/or a particle size sensor and/or a flow meter is/are disposed downstream of the homogenization means.

15. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the homogenization means includes a pumping stage which is joined to the rotor such that it cannot rotate independently.

16. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a by-pass branch containing a heat exchanger is disposed in a parallel circuit to the homogenization means and surrounding the latter.

17. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the pumping stage is a pump impeller.