Title of Invention

A MASSECUITE FILTER FOR SEPARATION OF SUGAR CRYSTALS AND MOLASSES BY VACUUM

Abstract

A continuous massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses by vacuum comprising pair of rubber coated drums mounted on a chassis over the parallel shafts; an endless rotary stainless steel screen is provided over the said drums; a number of vacuum chambers are provided below the upper side of the said screen and between the said drums; each of the said vacuum chamber is connected to molasses separator through pipe with valve means; a massecuite discharge valve, knife type, connected to the crystalizer is provided at one of the said drums from which said screen moves towards the other drums; the said discharge valve is provided with spray nozzle; above the upper side of the said screen provided with colour and thickness sensor and hot water sprayer; and below the said upper side of the said screen hot air flow is provided for drying crystal sugar.

Full Text

FORM-2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION SECTION 10 TITLE : A MASSECUITE FILTER FOR SEPARATION OF SUGAR CRYSTALS AND MOLASSES BY VACCUM. APPLICANTS : KAY BOUVET ENGINEERING PRIVATE LTD. N-3, ADDITIONAL MIDC AREA, SATARA-415 004, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA AN INDIAN PRIVATE LIMITED COMPANY The following Specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :- Present invention relates to the Massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses by vacuum. Sugar crystals produced by such separation, is high grade as it is separated by vacuum. In prior art, the separation of sugar crystals and molasses is done with the help of high-grade centrifugal machine. In this type of machines, baskets are made of perforated steel plates, which are revolving at very high speed. Thus, when massecuite is fed into these baskets due to high centrifugal force, sugar crystals hit on the inside wall of the baskets and the thick layer of sugar crystals is formed on the wall. This thick layer of sugar crystal is scrapped by means of plaugh discharger which directly cuts the sugar layer. Because of the high speed , direct cutting of sugar crystals and scrapping, sugar crystals get damaged. Thus the method of separation of sugar crystals and molasses from massecuite by using high grade centrifugal machines has the following disadvantages: 1. Batch type operation i.e. non-continuous process. 2. The power consumed per machine is very high i.e. 250 hp. 3. As separation of sugar crystals is achieved by centrifugal machine, there are more chances of damage of sugar crystals. 4. Heavy foundation and structures are required for installation of centrifugal machines. 5. The separated sugar crystals are of low grade. It is object of the present invention to eliminate the separation of sugar crystals by centrifugal machine thereby avoiding the damage of the sugar crystals. It is also object of the present invention to provide continuous massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses by vacuum having low operating cost and also keeping the initial cost low. 2 It is also object of the present invention to provide continuous massecuite filter, which does not require any heavy foundation and structure as it is extremely light in weight. The filter according to this invention is provided between crystaliser and sugar convator, it consists of the following components, 1. Massecuite discharge valve It is knife type electrically or pneumatically operated. Same is provided to the crystalizer massecuite, outlet. 2. Spray Nozzles It is provided to the massecuite discharge valve for spraying massecuite directly on the screen. 3. Drive unit It is consisting of main chassis with drive and idler drums and a steel endless screen. The said screen is mounted on th said drums. The drive drum is rotated with the help of motor and gearbox. 4. Vacuum chambers Number of vacuum chambers is provided below the said upper side of the said screen. Solenoid valves and manually operated valves are provided to the vacuum chambers. 5. Molasses separator It is a tank having tow level switches to control the molasses levels in side the tank, this is connected to vacuum chamber. 6. Massecuite pump Variable speed positive displacement massecuite pump is provided near the crystaliser outlet connecting to the said discharge valve. According to this invention therefore, a continuous massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses by vacuum comprises pair of rubber coated drums 3 mounted on a chassis over the parallel shafts; an endless rotary stainless steel screen is provided over the said drums; a number of vacuum chambers are provided below the upper side of the said screen and between the said drums; each of the said vacuum chamber is connected to molasses separator through pipe with valve means; a massecuite discharge valve, knife type, connected to the crystalizer is provided at one of the said drums from which said screen moves towards the other drums; the said discharge valve is provided with spray nozzle; above the upper side of the said screen provided with colour and thickness sensor and hot water sprayer; and below the said upper side of the said screen hot air flow is provided for drying crystal sugar. The invention will now be described with the help of drawing accompanying this specification where in the fig. 1 show elevation of the filter system according to this invention. The massecuite filter will replace the conventional centrifugal machine, therefore it will be fitted exactly in place of the centrifugal machine. Referring to the figure I the drive unit is having pair of rotation drums 11 & 12 mounted on parallel shafts supported on main chassis 16. The said drums are coated with rubber. The one of the drum is drive drum and driven by the motor and other is idler. An endless screen 13 of stainless steel is mounted on the said drums. A number of vacuum chambers are provided below the upper side of the said screen. The said vacuum chambers preferably is required is four number. The number of solenoid valves 14 are provided to the said vacuum chambers for controlling and maintaining the vacuum inside the said vacuum chambers. The molasses separator 15 is connected to the vacuum chambers for separating molasses from vacuum chambers. The molasses separator is provided with two level control switches to control the molasses level the said tank. Above the said upper side of the screen is provided with spray nozzles 17 for spraying hot water over the said screen for washing sugar crystal during filter process. The spray is controlled by the number of control valves provided there in. A colour sensor 20 is 4 provided to monitor the colour sugar crystal during process of filtering. The said screen is provided with a masecuite discharge valve 18 at one of the drum side. The said discharge valve is of knife shape and provided with spray nozzle for direct spray of the massecuite on to the said screen near last vacuum chamber hot air flow 19 is provided to the crystal sugar. The positive displacement massecuite pumps are provided near the crystaliser outlet above the filter connecting the massecuite discharge valve. The thickness of the massecuite on the screen is controlled by the thickness sensor 22 provided above the said screen. The said drive motor is of variable speed type for precise control of filtering process. The level thickness of massecuite layer is adjustable. The combination for better output can be adjusted for which programmable logic control is used. The vacuum is established in the said vacuum chamber by means of pipe connected to vacuum source and vacuum chamber with solenoid valves. Operation :- First the massecutie is warmed and diluted with hot water and steam the warm and diluted massecuite is fed on the continuous rotatory screen of the massecuite filter through a massecuite feeding nozzle having in buik connection of hot water/steam to adjust the viscosity of massecuite having its opening on rotary screen side . The massecuite start filling the screen up to certain thickness that is controlled with the help of thickness sensor provided at feeding point on the screen. When the massecuite passes over the vacuum chambers provided and fitted just below the rotatory screen at the same time hot water and steam is spread over the massecuite to wash the massecuite. Due to increase of the vacuum in the vacuum chamber the molasses is sucked in to the vacuum chamber which will be further passed to the molasses separator and sugar crystals will be discharged to the sugar conveyor. The hot water and steam flow will be provided to wash and dry the sugar. The output will be adjusted by varying the speed of the screen as well as thickness of the massecuite on the screen. After separation the sugar will be sent for bagging. 5 To sum up the following advantages are achieved: 1. This filter is meant to be replacement to the conventional high grade centrifugal. 2. It does not require special foundation ( as centrifugals do ) since it is extremely light in weight and virtually no forces and moments are transmitted to the foundation by the operation of the filter. 3. The crystals will not be damaged because they are deposited gently on the filtering screen at about the same speed as the motion of the screen. 4. The crystals will hardly dissolve by the cleaning because the water/steam flows very rapidly through a thin layer of loosely packed sugar and therefore passes through the sugar layer in an extremely short time i.e. not enough time to dissolve the crystals. Therefore, very less purity rise in molasses as compared to Centrifugal Machine. 5. Very Low Power Consumption : Only 50 HP. Is required for one No. Filter as against about @ 250 HP. For one no Centrifugal Machine. 6. Very Low Maintenance will be required: No special Maintenance apart from usual oiling and greasing or cleaning motors and bearings and cleaning of the Systems during and after operation. 6 We CLAIM: 1. A continuous massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses by vacuum comprising pair of rubber coated drums mounted on a chassis over the parallel shafts; an endless rotary stainless steel screen is provided over the said drums; a number of vacuum chambers are provided below the upper side of the said screen and between the said drums; each of the said vacuum chamber is connected to molasses separator through pipe with valve means; a massecuite discharge valve, knife type, connected to the crystalizer is provided at one of the said drums from which said screen moves towards the other drums; the said discharge valve is provided with spray nozzle; above the upper side of the said screen provided with colour and thickness sensor and hot water sprayer; and below the said upper side of the said screen hot air flow is provided for drying crystal sugar. 2. A continuous massecuite filter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the vacuum chambers are provided with vacuum pump and solenoid valve to generate the vacuum. 3. A massecuite filter as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein the massecuite discharge valve opens on the rotatory screen side and has an in-built connection of hot water / steam to adjust the viscosity by maintaining the specific temperature. 4. A continuous massecuite filter as claimed in Claims 1 to 3 wherein thehot water / steam are provided above the rotatory screen to wash the massecuite. 5. A process for filtering massecuite for separating crystal sugar from molasses using massecuite filter as claimed in claims 1 to 4 comprising steps of: 7 i) Massecuite is taken to the screen through the discharge valve by means of pump and the said massecuite is heated by means of hot water and steam; ii) And sprayed on the said screen to the set thickness by means of nozzle on the rotating screen; iii) The vacuum chamber below the said screen sucks the molasses while the said screen moves over the said vacuum chambers; iv) The crystal sugar free of molasses is washed with hot water and subjected to hot air blown from the below the last vacuum chamber for drying, and v) Said dried crystal sugar coming out of the said vacuum chamber is made to fall on the sugar conveyor for filling and packing. 6. A continuous massecuite filter for separation of sugar crystals and molasses as claimed in claims 1 to 4 and as herein described with reference to figure of accompanying drawing. Dated this 27th Day of February,2001 (M.D.BHATE) AGENT FOR APPLICANT

Documents:

213-mum-2001-cancelled pages(20-05-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-claims (granted)-(20-05-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-claims(granted)-(20-05-2004).doc

213-mum-2001-correspondence(20-05-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-correspondence(ipo)-(16-08-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-drawing(20-05-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-form 1(28-02-2001).pdf

213-mum-2001-form 19(20-06-2003).pdf

213-mum-2001-form 2 (granted)-(20-05-2004).doc

213-mum-2001-form 2 (granted)-(20-05-2004).pdf

213-mum-2001-power of authority(28-02-2001).pdf

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