The present matter relates to a fluid removal system for removing fluid from a product stream. More particularly, the present matter relates to a fluid removal system used in processing food products.
Shaker conveyors are known to be used to remove fluid from product surfaces. In many food processing applications, it is advantageous to mount a suction plenum onto a shaker conveyor to enhance product drying. However, these configurations often have several disadvantages. For instance, adding suction in the form of a suction plenum typically results in product being held tightly to a top surface of the shaker conveyor. Vibration of the shaker is often not strong enough to overcome this suction. As a result, product sticks to the top surface of the shaker conveyor and fluid is not thoroughly removed. One mechanism to overcome this problem is to introduce a belt conveyor in place of a shaker conveyor. In these configurations, vibrating the conveyor belt can improve fluid removal by the system. However, vibration of the conveyor belt is typically achieved by directly deflecting the conveyor belt from the underside. This can lead to stretching and slipping of the belt. Also, belt conveyors typically suffer from poor product dispersion and unequal vibration across the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,217 teaches a liquid removal conveyor system that includes a liquid permeable conveyor belt, a vertically moveable agitator and an air suction plenum. The agitator is positioned below the conveyor belt adjacent to the air suction plenum such that when the agitator moves up and down, liquid on the material on the belt falls off the material onto the belt. As the belt continues to move the material, the material passes over the air suction plenum and liquid is sucked through the belt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,590 teaches a method and apparatus for drying products such as lettuce. Drying is said to be accomplished by subjecting the products to irregular movement through the use of vibration in conjunction with movement of air over the surface of the products. Suction openings are arranged behind the moisture absorbing conveyor to draw moisture off of the products on top of the conveyor after vibration is conducted. Knocking members on a rotating shaft intermittently contact and deflect the conveyor belt in an irregular manner to achieve vibration. As the rotating shaft continues to rotate, the knocking members stop contacting the belt and the tension of the belt results in the belt returning to its original shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,902 describes a blueberry drying apparatus comprising a wire mesh conveyor belt to allow air flow through the conveyor. Four paddle vibrators are mounted below the top conveyor run. An electrical motor rotates the paddles such that the paddles intermittently contact the conveyor belt to impart a slight vibration through the conveyor belt to the berries. The motors are of a variable speed to control the amount of vibrations generated.
A fluid removal system for removing fluid from a product stream is described herein. The fluid removal system comprises a table, a permeable conveyor to transport the product stream across a top surface of the table, and a suction plenum disposed below the permeable conveyor to draw fluid from the product stream through the permeable conveyor. At least one vibration inducing device is mounted to the table to indirectly provide vibratory motion to the permeable conveyor. The table is supported by oscillating mounts and vibrating and oscillating forces provided to the table can break a surface tension between a product and a fluid thereon on the surface of the table. Vibrating and oscillating forces can also disperse the product across the surface of the conveyor to reduce product bunching as it crosses the suction plenum. The conveyor transports the product across the suction plenum as it is vibrated.
Additional aspects of the present invention will be apparent in view of the description which follows. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
In order that the subject matter may be readily understood, embodiments are illustrated by way of examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:
The fluid removal system described herein combines a vibratory conveyor with a continuous belt conveyor to remove fluid from a product stream. Specifically, a product stream comprising solid particulates (i.e. product) and fluid either on the surface of or adjacent the product is transported by a permeable conveyor belt across a suction plenum disposed under the conveyor belt. Prior to reaching the suction plenum, excess fluid is drawn through the permeable conveyor belt by at least one of gravitational, vibratory and oscillating forces into a drip tray. As the product stream travels across the suction plenum, vibratory motion and oscillating motion are indirectly provided to the conveyor and the product stream to break a surface tension between a surface of the product and the fluid. As this surface tension is broken, fluid is drawn through the permeable conveyor and into the suction plenum. Air entrained fluid in the suction plenum passes through a duct to a separation chamber where fluid can be separated from air and captured for removal or recycle. Air can then pass through a pressure blower and be discharged and/or re-circulated to the fluid removal system.
It should be noted that herein “fluid” refers to any liquid on the surface of or adjacent the product to be removed by the fluid removal system, for example, water and/or oil.
In the embodiment shown in
Conveyor 107 is supported by carryway 112 as shown in
System 100 is typically used to remove fluid from a product stream that is initially placed upon conveyor 107 at a position proximate to entrance side 123, however, a system 100 can also be used to separate fluid from particulate matter or to separate a particulate only product stream. Fluid present in a product stream is typically drawn off of a product therein by passing through perforations 901 (see for example
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
To provide product dispersion and drying of the product stream, system 100 utilizes vibratory motion and oscillating motion. Vibrations and oscillations of table 102 can be independently controlled and operated as described herein.
One example configuration for achieving oscillatory motion and isolating vibrational motion to table 102 is shown in
Vibrational motion of table 102 can be achieved through the use of at least one vibration inducing device 110. Sides 103,105 can provide mounting locations for vibration inducing device 110. The number of and power of each vibration inducing device 110 can be based on an amplitude and frequency of vibration that is desired for system 100. For example, frequencies in a range of ˜20 Hz to ˜65 Hz and amplitudes in a range of zero to ˜¾″ could be used for processing product streams using the embodiments discussed herein. In each of the embodiments shown in
Sides 103,105 of table 102 can be manufactured from stainless steel, regular steel, aluminum, or any sufficiently ridged material. In the embodiments shown, stainless steel is used to manufacture sides 103, 105 of table 102. Stainless steel can provide a surface to sufficiently withstand the caustic cleaning and wet environment of, for example, a food processing facility.
There are numerous variations in which to configure oscillating mount 106 such as hinged arms as shown, torsion mounts, shock absorbers, springs (ie. coil and leaf), dog bones, fibers and air mounts. In one non-limiting embodiment (as shown in
Movement of elements 306 as described can provide oscillatory motion to table 102 and a product stream thereupon. In both embodiments described herein, a plurality of extensions 108 extend substantially perpendicularly to sides 103,105 to communicate with an element 306 of each oscillating mount 108 to support table 102. It should be noted that generation of oscillatory motion by the configuration described is one non-limiting example of generating oscillatory motion for the system 100. Any configuration wherein oscillating mounts provide oscillating motion to table 102 can be used.
Sides 103,105 are substantially parallel to one another and are spaced apart to permit conveyor 107 to be positioned there between. This spacing can be provided by crossing member 114 as shown
Plenum 131 is positioned below top surface 111 of table 112 and particularly below grate 130. Plenum 131 communicates with flexible tube 132. Air entrained fluid can be conveyed through a duct (not shown) coupled to a separation chamber (not shown) where fluid can be separated from air and captured for removal or recycle. Air can then be passed through a pressure blower and discharged and/or re-circulated to the fluid removal system.
Grate 130 is positioned above plenum 131 and can be made of sufficiently rigid material to support the product stream. Grate 130 comprises apertures 133 which provide access to plenum 131 through which air, fluid and particulate matter from the product stream atop conveyor 107 can travel. Apertures 133 can be sized to selectively provide access to plenum 131. A negative pressure generated by blower/fan attached to plenum 131 and flexible tube 132 can draw fluid and particulate matter sized to pass through apertures 133 into plenum 131. As shown in
As shown in
Conveyor 107 is permeable to fluid such that fluid can pass through conveyor 107 to plenum 131 disposed below. Perforations 901 are present in conveyor 107 facilitate movement of fluid through conveyor 107. A diameter of perforations 901 can be customized to selectively permit filtering of other small particulates as well as fluid. Gravitational forces, vibratory forces and oscillatory forces can all act on the product stream to facilitate movement of fluid and other particulate matter through perforations 901 in conveyor 107.
In another embodiment (not shown), an area immediately around the system can be shrouded such that air within the area can be circulated and/or filtered to control a temperature of the immediate environment surrounding the system. Controlling the temperature of the immediate environment surrounding the system can permit control of the temperature of the fluid in the system to maintain or control specific properties of the fluid, such as but not limited to viscosity.
As a product stream is placed on conveyor 107 of table 102, product stream is transported across table 102 from entrance side 123 towards exit side 124. In one non-limiting example, a product stream for use with system 100 comprises blueberries and water. Movement of conveyor 107 can be provided by a variable speed motor (not shown). In the embodiment shown in
System 100 is intended to remove fluid from a product stream placed atop conveyor 107. As such, conveyor 107 is permeable to fluid. As product stream is placed on conveyor 107, gravity will immediately act on the product stream to draw fluid through conveyor 107 onto drip tray 160 positioned below. Drip tray 160 is angularly positioned such that fluid falling onto drip tray 160 can be drawn towards trough 580 and be drained off for reuse or disposal.
As product moves across top surface 111 of table 102 towards plenum 131, vibrational forces and oscillatory forces can be imposed thereupon by vibration inducing devices 110 and oscillatory mounts 106, respectively. Vibratory and oscillatory forces may increase dispersion of the product across conveyor 107 as the product travels from entrance side 123 to exit side 124.
As conveyor 107 moves product from entrance side 123 to exit side 124 it carries product over grate 130 and plenum 131 positioned below grate 131. A suction force provided by blower/fan (not shown) may pull fluid vertically off of a surface of the product down though conveyor belt 107 and grate 130 into plenum 131. After passing over grate 130, product continues moving towards exit side 124. While passing over the plenum/suction, vibration and oscillation forces break the surface tension between the fluid and the product and fluid is drawn off of the product surface by the suction forces of the plenum.
Tables 1 and 2 show the results of a water removal comparison study between a fluid removal system according to an embodiment described herein and a competitor liquid removal conveyor system.
The fluid removal system according to an embodiment described herein featured a permeable conveyor belt mounted on a vibratory table and a suction plenum disposed under the conveyor belt. The permeable conveyor belt carried the product across the suction plenum. To achieve dewatering of the product, the product was indirectly vibrated by the vibratory table as the product passed over the suction plenum.
The competitor liquid removal conveyor system comprised a mesh belt and an air suction plenum disposed beneath the mesh belt. An agitator of the system consisting of a rotatable shaft and a lobe attached to the rotatable shaft was positioned below the mesh belt and adjacent to the plenum. As the product was carried towards the suction plenum on the mesh belt, rotation of the shaft caused the lobe to intermittently deflect an underside of the mesh belt and indirectly jostle the product thereon adjacent to the plenum. The mesh belt then carried the product over the plenum to achieve dewatering of the product.
For each system, product was removed from the product stream feeding the system using a food grade shovel prior to dewatering. The quantity of product removed from the product stream filled a 5 gallon bucket to the top and was subsequently weighed. The product was placed on the respective conveyor belt and carried across the plenum to dewater the product. Using the food grade shovel, the dewatered product was removed from the product stream after crossing the plenum and weighed again. The exact same procedure was performed on both systems with care to avoid all vibration and shaking that could settle the product after removal from the system. The results are presented in Tables 1 and 2.
The total amount of water recovered over 12 tests was 218% higher for the fluid removal system according to one of the embodiments described herein when compared to the competitor liquid removal system. When the test results for each system were normalized by removing the tests that produced the highest and lowest individual amounts of water removal and the tests that showed an increase in water from pre-dewatering to post-dewatering, a normalized average recovery of water was calculated from the remaining tests. The normalized average recovery by the fluid removal system according to one of the embodiments described herein was 82% higher than the normalized average recovery by the competitor liquid removal system.
While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention in the appended claims. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2910181 | Oct 2015 | CA | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/503,545 filed Jul. 4, 2019 and entitled “Fluid Removal System” which is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/503,545 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/573,324 filed May 12, 2016 and entitled “Fluid Removal System” which, in turn, is a 371 of International PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CA2016/000140 filed May 12, 2016 and entitled “Fluid Removal System”. PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CA2016/000140 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/160,399 filed May 12, 2015 as well as a claim to foreign priority.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62160399 | May 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16503545 | Jul 2019 | US |
Child | 17316477 | US | |
Parent | 15573324 | Nov 2017 | US |
Child | 16503545 | US |