Separator and a method for separating milk
AssigneeTetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A.
InventorMax Leufstedt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A separator for separating raw milk into a skimmed milk phase, a cream phase and an ejection phase that comprises solid impurities is disclosed. The separator includes an ejection port arranged at a periphery of the separator to eject the ejection phase. A cyclone is connected to the ejection port to receive and decelerate the ejection phase, and a vessel in fluid communication with an ejection phase outlet of the cyclone to receive and collect the ejection phase from the cyclone. The cyclone includes a port that is open to the atmosphere, such that pressure build-up created in the cyclone when the ejection phase is ejected from the separator into the cyclone is released.
Claims18
A separator for separating raw milk into a skimmed milk phase, a cream phase and an ejection phase that comprises solid impurities, the separator comprises:
- a centrifuge bowl comprising
- an inlet for the raw milk and outlets for the skimmed milk phase and the cream phase,
- an ejection port arranged at a periphery of the centrifuge bowl to eject the ejection phase from the centrifuge bowl,
- a cyclone connected to the ejection port to receive and decelerate the ejection phase ejected from the centrifuge bowl, the cyclone comprising an ejection phase outlet and a pressure release port, and
- a vessel in fluid communication with the ejection phase outlet of the cyclone to receive and collect the ejection phase from the cyclone,
- wherein the cyclone is configured such that, when the cyclone is operating to receive the ejection phase from the centrifuge bowl:
- (i) the pressure release port is open directly to the atmosphere to release pressure build-up created in the cyclone when the ejection phase is ejected from the centrifuge bowl into the cyclone, and
- (ii) the through-flow area of the ejection phase outlet of the cyclone is smaller than the through-flow area of the pressure release port at least during the time when the cyclone receives the ejection phase from the centrifuge bowl to thereby facilitate the release of the pressure build-up and minimize vibrations of the cyclone.
A method for separating raw milk into a skimmed milk phase, a cream phase and an ejection phase that comprises solid impurities, the method comprises:
- receiving the raw milk into a centrifuge bowl,
- ejecting the ejection phase from the centrifuge bowl through an ejection port,
- receiving and decelerating the ejection phase ejected from the centrifuge bowl in a cyclone connected to the ejection port,
- receiving and collecting the ejection phase from the cyclone through an ejection phase outlet of the cyclone, and
- releasing pressure build-up created in the cyclone, when the ejection phase is ejected from the centrifuge bowl into the cyclone, through a pressure release port in the cyclone that is open directly to the atmosphere,
- wherein the through-flow area of the ejection phase outlet of the cyclone is smaller than the through-flow area the pressure release port at least during the time when the cyclone receives the ejection phase from the centrifuge bowl, thereby facilitating the release of the pressure build-up and minimize vibrations of the cyclone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.