Patent Publication Number: US-2022235864-A1

Title: Separating Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2020/058113 filed Mar. 24, 2020, and claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2019 207 167.8 filed May 16, 2019, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The invention relates to a separating device with a separating unit for separating and sealing two chambers of a container, wherein the separating unit comprises a main body which has a radial outer peripheral surface which is designed as a sealing surface. 
     Related Art 
     Inflatable seals are applied in the state of the art for the separation and sealing of moving components such as filter plates or foldable onflow bases, in order to avoid process gas flowing laterally through a gap, in particular an annular gap, which is formed between the movable components which are subjected to through-flow and a container wall. For this, the inflatable seals are assembled in a groove which is formed in the movable component. The inflatable seal in the state in which it subjected to pressure, on account of the shape intrinsic of the groove, is forced to expand in the direction of the container wall, which is designed as a sealing surface, by which means a very robust sealing is created between the components which are to be sealed off. 
     The disadvantage of this installation manner which is known from the state of the art is the fact that a clean-in-place (CIP) cleaning of the groove and of the inflatable seal which is brought into the groove is not possible. It is therefore necessary to remove the inflatable seal and to manually clean the groove as well as the inflatable seal for a cleaning result which can be validated. For this reason, concerning Super Clean (SC) facilities which are designed for an automatic residue-free cleaning, if possible one makes do without the use of inflatable seals. For achieving the complete functionality of the facility, this forgoing of inflatable seals entails technical replacement solutions which are complicated in design. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a separating device which permits CIP cleaning and is designed for the automatic, residue-free cleaning of SC facilities. Concerning a separating device of the initially mentioned type, this object is achieved by way of the separating unit comprising a support structure which is arranged in the region of the outer periphery, the main body with the support structure forming a receiving space which at least partly receives the inflatable seal, and the separating unit in the installed state being arranged in the container which comprises a container wall which forms the counter sealing surface, in a manner such that the sealing surface is annularly enclosed by the counter sealing surface, so that the inflatable seal in the pressure-free, relaxed state is arranged loosely in the receiving space and in the state in which it is subjected to pressure is expanded and bears on the sealing surface as well as the counter sealing surface, so that the inflatable seal separates the container into two chambers and seals these with respect to one another. 
     Advantageously, the separating device according to the invention which is designed in the manner of a support basket permits the validated cleaning process of an automated CIP cleaning of sealing seats of inflatable seals, in particular in fluidisation apparatus such as fluidised bed or spouted bed apparatus. 
     Further advantageously, it is possible to allow the separating unit of the separating device to be peripherally rinsed by cleaning water during the cleaning process. The separating device with a separating unit is therefore capable of CIP. 
     Further advantages of the design according to the invention of the separating device with a separating unit are specified hereinafter. Instead of a groove which presupposes a solid component, and which must be machined on manufacture which requires some effort, a support structure in the manner of a filigree, grid-like support basket is arranged on the main body, by which means the separating device becomes significantly more lightweight in comparison to the solid component with a groove. Furthermore, an automated CIP cleaning of the facility is possible without any problem even with an installed inflatable seal. For this, for example a cleaning system with a multitude of nozzles which is built into the facility is used. It is likewise advantageous for an insertion of the inflatable seal into the receiving space of the separating unit of the separating device and a removal of the inflatable seal out of this to be possible without a tool. The aforementioned working steps are therefore effected significantly more rapidly and simply than technical solutions which are known from the state of the art. 
     According to an advantageous embodiment of the separating device according to the invention, the support structure each comprises a support structure unit which is arranged above and below the main body. The receiving space which at least partly receives the inflatable seal is advantageously formed by the support structure unit which is arranged above the main body and the support structure unit which is arranged below the main body. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the receiving space is designed in a trough-like manner. On account of this embodiment, the inflatable seal is also held in position, i.e., in the receiving space, between the sealing surface and the counter sealing surface, even in the pressure-free relaxed state. 
     In a further development of the separating device, which is preferably in respect to this, the support structure units are each designed in a grid-like manner. By way of this, it is rendered possible for the inflatable seal to be held in position in the state in which it is subjected to pressure and to simultaneously undergo a directed expansion in the direction of the container wall which forms the counter sealing surface, for sealing and separation of the two chambers of the container. 
     Furthermore, on account of the grid-like construction manner, it is ensured that the inflatable seal and the separating device, in particular the separating unit, are always cleaned in an optimal manner, so that an automated CIP cleaning which fulfils the validated cleaning process can be carried out simply and reliably by way of a cleaning system. 
     In a further embodiment according to the invention, the support structure comprises a multitude of support arms. The support arms preferably have an arcuate cross section. 
     Advantageously, ring structures which are aligned radially to one another in the circumferential direction of the main body are arranged on the multitude of support arms. Particularly preferably, the ring structures can be formed or are formed by way of struts between the support arms. By way of such an embodiment of the separating device according to the invention, the separating device is constructed in a very lightweight construction manner given a simultaneous high stability and furthermore can be manufactured in a very inexpensive manner with regard to the manufacturing costs. 
     Furthermore, the ring structures and the main body are aligned coaxially to one another with respect to a separating unit main axis and furthermore are arranged at a mutual axial distance to one another. According to an additional advantageous embodiment, the ring structures have a larger diameter with an increasing distance to the main body. Furthermore, between the ring structures which have a larger diameter with an increasing distance to the main body, a distance between two ring structures which are aligned to one another reduces with an increasing distance to the main body. By way of this, the lightweight construction manner of the separating unit is additionally encouraged. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is hereinafter explained in more detail by way of the accompanying drawing. In this are shown in 
         FIG. 1  an inflatable seal according to the state of the art, said seal being arranged in a groove and sealing a main body with respect to a container which comprises a container wall, 
         FIG. 2  a partly sectioned representation of a container with a separating device which comprises a separating unit, in the state in which it is installed in the container, 
         FIG. 3  a perspective partly sectioned representation of an inflatable seal which is received in a receiving space of the separating unit of the separating device in a pressure-free, relaxed state, wherein the receiving space is designed in a trough-like manner and 
         FIG. 4  a perspective partly sectioned representation of an inflatable seal which is received in a receiving space of the separating unit of the separating device in the state in which it is subjected to pressure, wherein the receiving space is designed in a trough-like manner. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an inflatable seal  5  according to the state of the art, said seal being arranged in a groove  1  and sealing a main body  2  with respect to a container  4  which comprises a container wall  3 . 
     The formed groove  1  is arranged in a main body  2 , for example a filter plate or an onflow base of a fluidisation apparatus, in particular of a fluidised bed apparatus or spouted bed apparatus and comprises a groove base  7  which is offset parallel to the outer peripheral surface  6  in the direction of a container middle axis A-A, and two groove side surfaces  8  which are arranged essentially perpendicularly to the groove base  7 . Such an embodiment of the groove  1  is denoted as a “closed groove”. The inflatable seal  5  in the pressure-free, relaxed sate is arranged in the groove  1  in a loose manner as an inflatable seal  5   a.  The inflatable seal  5   a  which is arranged loosely in the groove  1  hereby bears on the groove base  7  and on a groove side surface  8 . 
     In the state in which it is subjected to pressure, the inflatable seal  5  which is represented as an inflatable seal  5   b  is expanded against the groove base  7 , the groove side surfaces  8  and the container wall  3  of the container  4  which is designed as a counter sealing surface  9 , for example of a fluidisation apparatus, such as in particular a fluidised bed apparatus or spouted bed apparatus. The inflatable seal  5   b  thus in the state in which it is subjected to pressure seals an annular gap  10  which is formed between the main body  2  and the container wall  3 , and therefore separates two chambers, for example a raw gas chamber  11  and a pure gas chamber  12  of the container  4 , from one another. 
     This installation manner of the groove  1  which is known from the state of the art has the disadvantage that for example a CIP cleaning of the groove  1  and of the inflatable seal  5  which is brought into the groove  1  is not possible and hence the inflatable seal  5  is necessarily to be disassembled out of the groove  1  and the inflatable seal  5  as well as the groove  1  manually cleaned of residues of the previously carried out process, for a validatable cleaning result. 
     A partly sectioned representation of a container  104  which has a container middle axis A-A and a container wall  103 , with a preferred separating device  114  which comprises a separating unit  114  in the installed state is shown in  FIG. 2 . The container middle axis A-A hereby corresponds to a separating unit main axis B-B. 
     The separating unit  113  comprises a main body  102  and a support structure  116  which is arranged in the region of the outer periphery  115  of the separating unit  113 . The inflatable seal  105  is arranged between the main body  102 , the support structure  116  which is arranged in the region of the outer periphery  115  of the separating unit  113  and the container wall  103  of the container  104 . The separating unit  113  of the preferred separating device  114  hereby by way of the inflatable seal  105  separates a raw gas chamber  111  of the container  104  from a clean gas chamber  112  of the container  104 . Here, the separating unit  113  is designed as a filter plate. 
     A filter system  118  which comprises a filter  117 , in particular a metal filter is arranged on the one separating unit middle axis C-C, wherein the separating unit middle axis C-C is aligned perpendicularly to the separating unit main axis B-B. A gas flow which is contaminated with particles, and which is to be cleaned by the filter system  118  flows from an inlet which is not shown here, into the raw gas chamber  111 , from there via the filter  117  of the filter system  118  for cleaning the gas flow, which is contaminated with particles, into the pure gas chamber  112  and out of the pure gas chamber  112  via an outlet  120  which is designed as a pipe stub  119 . 
     The separating unit  113  is can be retracted and extended out of the container  104  by way of a displacement device  122  which is drivable or is driven by way of a drive unit  21 , in particular an electric motor or the like. This functionality is used for example for cleaning the filter  117  of the filter system  118 . 
     The detailed construction of the preferred separating device  114  with a separating unit  113  is explained in more detail in  FIGS. 3 and 4  in a perspective partly sectioned representation. 
     The separating unit  113  is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  in the state in which it is installed in the container  104 .  FIG. 3  hereby shows a perspective partly sectioned representation of an inflatable seal  105  which is received in a receiving space  123  of the separating unit  113  of the preferred separating device  114  in the pressure-free, relaxed state, wherein the receiving space is designed in a trough-like manner. The inflatable seal  105  is not inflated, in the pressure-free, relaxed state. 
     The separating unit  113  comprises a main body  102  which comprises a radial outer peripheral surface  106  which is designed as a sealing surface  124 . 
     The main body  102  is arranged coaxially to a container  104  which comprises a container wall  103 . The main body  102  has a smaller diameter that the container  102 , so that an annular gap  110  forms between the container wall  103  and the main body  102 . 
     Furthermore, the separating unit  113  comprises a support structure  116  which is arranged in the region of its outer periphery  115 . The support structure  116  comprises a support structure unit  125  which is arranged above the main body  102  and a support structure unit  126  which is arranged below the main body  102 . The main body  102  and the support structure  116  from the receiving space  123  which at least partly receives the inflatable seal  105  which has a wall thickness  127 . The receiving space  123  of the separating unit  113  which is hence generated for the at least partial receiving of the inflatable seal  105  is designed in a trough-like manner. By way of this design, the inflatable seal  105  is also held in its position in the pressure-free, relaxed state. 
     The support structure  116  comprises a multitude of support arms  128  which have an arcuate cross section. Ring structures  129  which are aligned radially to one another in the circumferential direction of the main body  102  are arranged on the multitude of support arms  128 . The ring structures  129  as is shown in  FIG. 3  are preferably formed by struts  130  between two adjacent support arms  128 . The struts  130  which are arranged radially in the peripheral direction of the main body  102  on the multitude of the support arms  128  are accordingly also aligned to one another. On account of the ring structures  129  which are aligned to one another, the support structure units  125 ,  126  of the support structure  115  are each designed in a grid-like manner. By way of this, the separating device  114  is designed in a very lightweight construction manner with as simultaneous high stability and furthermore can be manufactured in a very economical manner with regard to the manufacturing costs. 
     Moreover, by way of this it is possible for the inflatable seal  105  to be held in position in the state in which it is subjected to pressure and to simultaneously undergo a directed expansion for the sealing and separation of the two chambers  111 ,  112  of the container  104 . Furthermore, on account of the grid-like construction manner, it is ensured that the inflatable seal  105  and the separating device  114 , in particular the separating unit  113  is always optimal to clean, so that an automated CIP cleaning which fulfils the validated cleaning process can be carried out in a simple and reliable manner. 
     Furthermore, the ring structures  129  and the main body  102  are aligned coaxially to one another with respect to a separating unit main axis B-B and are furthermore arranged at a mutual axial distance to one another. Furthermore, the ring structures  129  have a larger diameter with an increasing distance to the main body  102 . 
     Between the ring structures  129  which have a larger diameter with an increasing distance to the main body  102 , a distance  131  between two ring structures  129  which are aligned to one another decreases with an increasing distance to the main body  102 . By way of this, the lightweight construction manner of the separating device  114  with the separating unit  113  is additionally encouraged. 
     The number of support arms  128  themselves which are arranged on the main body  102  as well as the number of ring structures  129  which are arranged between the support arms  128  can vary. 
     The ring structures  129  which are formed by the struts  130  can also be arranged between the support arms  128  differently than coaxially to one another, for example in an oblique, meandering or cross-like manner. 
     It is possible to permit the separating unit  113  of the separating device  114  to be peripherally rinsed by cleaning water during the cleaning process, i.e., in the pressure-free, relaxed state by way of nozzle devices which are not shown here and are arranged in the container  104 . The separating device  114  is therefore capable of CIP. Furthermore, an automated CIP cleaning of the facility is also possible without any problem with an installed inflatable seal  105 . 
       FIG. 4  as a perspective partly sectioned representation shows an inflatable seal in the state in which it is subjected to pressure, said seal being received in a receiving space  123  of the separating unit  113  of the separating device  114  and said receiving space being designed in a trough-like manner. The separating unit  113  of the separating device  114  differs from the separating unit  113  which is represented in  FIG. 3  in that the inflatable seal  105  is subjected to pressure, i.e., is inflated. The separating unit  113  in the installed state is arranged in the container  104  which comprises the container wall  103  which forms a counter sealing surface  109 , in a manner such that the sealing surface  124  is annularly enclosed by the counter sealing surface  109 . By way of this, the inflatable seal  105  is arranged loosely in the receiving space  123  in the pressure-free, relaxed state. In the state in which it is subjected to pressure which is shown in  FIG. 4 , the inflatable seal  105  expands and bears on the sealing surface  124  as well as on the container wall  103  of the container  104  which is designed as a counter sealing surface  109 , so that the inflatable seal  105  divides the container  105  into two chambers, specifically into a raw gas chamber  111  and a clean gas chamber and seals these with respect to one another. The inflatable seal  105  thus fills out the annular gap  110  in the state in which it is subjected to pressure. 
     Additionally, an expansion of the inflatable seal  105  which is subjected to pressure is guided by way of the trough-like receiving space  123  which is formed by the main body  102  and the support structure  116 , so that an expansion of the inflatable seal  105  is effected essentially in the direction of the separating unit middle axis C-C which is not shown here, i.e. in the direction of the sealing surface  124  and counter sealing surface  109 .