Apparatus and method for concentrating a fluid
AssigneePivotal Enterprises Pty Ltd
InventorsChristopher Thomson, Stephen Fahry, Georgios Mihos, Paul Pallaghy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of concentrating a process fluid, including a carrier fluid, including: (a) maintaining a process fluid at a predetermined temperature value/range; (b) evaporating the carrier fluid from the process fluid to produce a concentrated process fluid; (c) monitoring at least one process variable of steps (a) or (b) to detect fouling formed in either step (a) or (b); and (d) initiating a cleaning protocol if the process variable deviates from a predetermined value/range to reduce the fouling formed.
Claims20
A method of concentrating a process fluid, including a carrier fluid, including:
- (a) maintaining the process fluid at a predetermined temperature value/range;
- (b) evaporating the carrier fluid from the process fluid in an evaporator to produce a concentrated process fluid and an effluent mass transfer medium;
- (c) monitoring at least one process variable of steps (a) or (b) to detect fouling formed in either step (a) or (b);
- (d) initiating a cleaning protocol if the process variable deviates from a predetermined value/range to reduce the fouling formed;
- and
- (e) directing part of the effluent mass transfer medium into a drift chamber having a plurality of run-off outlets, the drift chamber located downstream of the evaporator to remove entrained process fluid from the mass transfer medium prior to returning the mass transfer medium to the evaporator.
A method of producing a sugar concentrate from sugar cane, including:
- (a) obtaining a sugar-containing extract from sugar cane;
- (b) maintaining the extract at a predetermined temperature value/range;
- (c) clarifying the extract in the absence of added lime;
- (d) evaporating water from the extract in an evaporator to form a sugar concentrate and an exiting air stream;
- (e) monitoring a process variable of step (b) or (d) to detect fouling formed in either step (b) or (d);
- (f) initiating a cleaning protocol if the process variable deviates from a predetermined value/range to reduce the fouling formed;
- and
- (g) directing part of the exiting air stream into a drift chamber having a plurality of run-off outlets, the drift chamber located downstream of the evaporator to remove entrained non-vaporised sugar cane extract droplets from the air stream prior to returning the air stream to the evaporator.
An apparatus for concentrating a process fluid, including a carrier fluid, comprising:
- a heat exchanger to maintain the process fluid at a predetermined temperature value/range;
- an evaporator in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to receive the process fluid and evaporate the carrier fluid from the process fluid to produce a concentrate and an effluent mass transfer medium;
- at least one sensor for monitoring a process variable across the heat exchanger or the evaporator to detect fouling of the heat exchanger or the evaporator;
- a cleaning system to reduce fouling in the apparatus;
- a controller configured to receive signals from the sensor or a manual user input to initiate the cleaning system if the process variable deviates from a predetermined value/range;
- and
- a drift chamber having a plurality of run-off outlets, the drift chamber located downstream of the evaporator to remove at least part of the entrained process fluid from the mass transfer medium prior to returning the mass transfer medium to the evaporator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.