JP2024106918A - Sprinkling device and sprinkling apparatus using same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a liquid dispersion device which enables reduction of energy needed for each operation such as distillation, mixing, and stirring of a process liquid, and to provide a liquid dispersion apparatus using the liquid dispersion device.SOLUTION: A liquid dispersion device of the invention includes: one rotary shaft extending in a vertical direction; at least one attachment tool attached to the rotary shaft and extending in a rotation radial direction of the rotary shaft; and at least one liquid flow member attached to the attachment tool. The liquid flow member includes a discharge part located at the upper side, a liquid absorption part located at the lower side, and a cylindrical flow channel extending between the discharge part and the liquid absorption part and partially bending. With reference to a horizontal surface, the discharge part is open against a rotation advancing direction of the rotary shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a sprinkler device and a sprinkler apparatus using the same.

Technology that synthesizes various compounds through reactions such as asymmetric synthesis reactions in reaction systems with two or more liquid phases using phase transfer catalysts or slurry catalysts has been attracting attention. In many of these reactions, the reaction is promoted by vigorously stirring the reaction system.

Two-liquid phase reactions are sometimes used in the production of biodiesel fuel. For example, transesterification reactions using enzyme catalysis, such as lipase, can be mentioned. In transesterification reactions using enzyme contact methods, the enzyme used is, for example, a liquid enzyme or an enzyme immobilized on a carrier such as an ion exchange resin (immobilized enzyme). Liquid enzymes are less expensive than immobilized enzymes because they are made from concentrated and purified culture liquid. In addition, the enzyme remains in the glycerin water by-product generated by the above transesterification reaction, and this can be used in the next batch reaction. This allows the liquid enzyme to be used repeatedly, thereby reducing the costs required for the production of biodiesel fuel (Non-Patent Document 1).

In transesterification reactions using liquid enzymes, a two-phase system of an oil layer and an aqueous layer is used, and an emulsion is formed, for example, by stirring the reactants at high speed. Here, high-speed stirring of the reactants requires a considerable energy load on the stirrer. On the other hand, in order to increase the productivity of industrial products, it is desirable to reduce the energy required for operations such as stirring the reactants. However, doing so reduces the ability to form an emulsion using the above reactants, creating a contradiction in that the transesterification reaction cannot be carried out effectively.

In recent years, it has been reported that a reaction apparatus equipped with a cylindrical dispersing member that is attached at an angle to a vertically arranged rotating shaft is useful, for example, for the production of fatty acid esters using transesterification reactions (Patent Document 1). In this reaction apparatus, the reaction liquid absorbed from the lower end of the dispersing member by the rotation of the rotating shaft is moved to the upper end of the dispersing member by utilizing the centrifugal force caused by the rotation, and is then discharged toward the inner wall of the reaction tank, etc., thereby promoting circulation and stirring of the reaction liquid while reducing the power to the rotating shaft. However, further improvements in reducing such power are desired.

Patent No. 7121958

M. Nordblad et al., Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2014, Vol.11, No.12, pp.2446-2453

The present invention aims to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a sprinkling device and a sprinkling apparatus using the same that can reduce the energy required for various operations such as distillation, mixing, and stirring of the treatment liquid.

The present invention relates to a liquid dispersion device, comprising:
A single rotation axis extending in a vertical direction;
At least one mounting fixture attached to the rotating shaft and extending in a radial direction of the rotating shaft;
at least one fluid flow member attached to the fitting;
The liquid flow member is provided with a discharge portion located at an upper portion, a liquid suction portion located at a lower portion, and a cylindrical flow path that extends between the discharge portion and the liquid suction portion and is partially curved, and the discharge portion opens in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotating shaft with respect to a horizontal plane.

In one embodiment, the liquid dispersion member is inclined relative to the axis of the rotating shaft so that the liquid suction portion is located closer to the discharge portion.

In one embodiment, an angle θ ₂ between a direction in which the outlet portion opens and an axial direction of the mounting fixture with respect to the horizontal plane satisfies 90°≦θ ₂ <180°.

In one embodiment, an angle θ ₃ between the direction in which the discharge portion opens and the horizontal plane is −90°≦θ ₃ ≦20° with respect to the vertical direction.

In one embodiment, the tubular flow path has a cylindrical cross section.

The present invention also provides a sprinkling device comprising a treatment tank for containing a treatment liquid and the above-mentioned sprinkling device provided within the treatment tank.

According to the present invention, the discharge of the treatment liquid from the discharge portion of the dispersing member acts as a driving force to promote the rotation of the dispersing member itself around the rotation axis. This reduces the power required to rotate the rotation axis, and as a result, the treatment liquid can be efficiently mixed with less power. The present invention can also reduce the energy required for physical operations to mix and stir reactants, for example, when producing various reaction products. For example, when a treatment liquid composed of two phases, an oil phase and an aqueous phase, is stored in the dispersing device of the present invention, it is possible to promote emulsification of the treatment liquid and/or extraction of by-products (e.g., glycerin) with water without using extra power.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating a sprinkling device of the present invention, with a portion cut away. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the sprinkling device shown in FIG. 1, viewed from the right side with a portion cut away. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the sprinkler device shown in FIG. 1 along the line AA. 1 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating another example of the sprinkling device of the present invention. 2A is a front view of a flow member constituting a sprinkling device incorporated in the sprinkling apparatus shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2B is a right side view of the flow member, and FIG. 2C is a rear view of the flow member. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the vicinity of the discharge portion of a liquid-flowing member that can be incorporated in the liquid-sprinkling device of the present invention. FIG. (a) is a front view of another example of a flow member constituting a sprinkling device that can be incorporated into the sprinkling apparatus of the present invention, (b) is a right side view of the flow member, and (c) is a rear view of the flow member. 1 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating the sprinkling device of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating the sprinkling device of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating another sprinkling device of the present invention.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that components with the same reference numbers in all the following drawings are the same as those shown in the other drawings.

(Liquid Sprinkler Device)
Hereinafter, the sprinkling device of the present invention will be described using an example in which it is incorporated into a sprinkling apparatus.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sprinkling device 100 incorporating the sprinkling device 120 of the present invention.

The liquid-sprinkling device 120 of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a rotating shaft 121 arranged along the vertical direction, at least one mounting fixture 122 attached to the rotating shaft 121 and extending in the direction of the rotation radius of the rotating shaft 121, and at least one liquid-flow member 123 attached to the mounting fixture 122. The liquid-flow member 123 has a liquid-suction portion 124 and a discharge portion 125, as well as a cylindrical flow path 126 extending between the liquid-suction portion 124 and the discharge portion 125.

In the sprinkling device 120 shown in FIG. 1, the suction part 124 of the flow member 123 is disposed below the liquid level 128 of the treatment liquid 116, and the discharge part 125 of the flow member 123 is disposed above the liquid level 128 of the treatment liquid 116. As a result, the sprinkling device 120 can, for example, draw the treatment liquid 116 contained in the treatment tank 110 as shown in FIG. 1 from the suction part 124 of the flow member 123 by the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 and the resulting centrifugal force acting on the treatment liquid 116 contained in the flow member 123, and flow it from the bottom to the top of the treatment tank 110 through the cylindrical flow path 126. The drawn treatment liquid is then discharged from the discharge part 125 of the flow member 123 above the liquid level 128.

The rotating shaft 121 is a shaft having a certain rigidity, and has, for example, a cylindrical or columnar shape. The rotating shaft 121 is usually arranged vertically within the treatment tank 110. The thickness of the rotating shaft 121 is not necessarily limited, but is, for example, 8 mm to 200 mm. The length of the rotating shaft 121 varies depending on the size of the treatment tank 110 used, and an appropriate length can be selected by a person skilled in the art.

One end of the rotating shaft 121 is connected to a rotating means such as a motor 140 at the top of the treatment tank 110. The other end of the rotating shaft 121 is not connected to the bottom 109 of the treatment tank 110, and is disposed, for example, at a certain distance from the bottom 109 of the treatment tank 110 (preferably away from the liquid surface 128 of the treatment liquid 116). This reduces the chance of the rotating shaft 121 coming into contact with the treatment liquid 116. Alternatively, the other end of the rotating shaft may be housed in a bearing provided at the bottom 109 of the treatment tank.

In the sprinkling device 120 shown in FIG. 1, the liquid suction portion 124 of the liquid flow member 123 is inclined relative to the axis J of the rotating shaft 121 so that it is closer to the discharge portion 125. In other words, in the sprinkling device 120, the liquid flow member 123 is inclined so that the shortest distance between the liquid suction portion 124 of the liquid flow member 123 and the axis J of the rotating shaft 121 is shorter than the shortest distance between the discharge portion 125 and the axis J of the rotating shaft 121.

1, the flow member 123 is attached at a predetermined angle (also called the mounting inclination angle) θ ₁ with respect to the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121. The mounting inclination angle θ ₁ can be set to any angle by a person skilled in the art, and is, for example, 5° to 45°, preferably 10° to 25°.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the sprinkler device 100 shown in Figure 1, viewed from the right with a portion cut away.

In the sprinkling device 120 of the present invention, the discharge part 125 opens against the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 121 with respect to the horizontal direction. By having the discharge part 125 open on such a side, the discharge of the treatment liquid from the discharge part 125 obtained through the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 becomes part of the propulsive force around the rotating shaft 121 of the sprinkling device 120. As a result, the more forcefully the treatment liquid is discharged, the more the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 is promoted, and as a result, part of the power applied to the rotating shaft 121 is reduced.

The liquid-dispersing member 123 is arranged so as to be substantially in line with the rotating shaft 121 when viewed from the direction of FIG. 2, but the present invention is not particularly limited to this arrangement. For example, the liquid-suction portion 124 of the liquid-dispersing member 123 may be arranged so as to advance in the direction of rotation relative to the rotating shaft 121, and the discharge portion 125 of the liquid-dispersing member 123 may be arranged at an incline so as to retreat in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation relative to the rotating shaft 121.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the sprinkler device 100 shown in Figure 1 taken along the line A-A.

In Fig. 3, the sprinkling device 120 is shown to rotate clockwise around the rotation shaft 121. In contrast, it can be seen that the discharge part 125 of the sprinkling member 123 constituting the sprinkling device 120 opens in a direction directly opposite to the rotational direction of the rotation shaft 121. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the angle _θ2 between the direction _Jk in which the discharge part 125 opens and the axial direction _Jt of the mounting fixture 122 is shown to be approximately a right angle (90°). However, in the present invention, the angle _θ2 is not limited to this.

4, the angle _θ2 between the direction _Jk in which the discharge part 125 opens and the axial direction _Jt of the mounting fixture 122 may form an obtuse angle in a horizontal cross section. By making _θ2 an obtuse angle in a horizontal cross section, there is an advantage that the discharge of the treatment liquid from the discharge part 125 becomes a driving force, and the rotation of the sprinkling device 120 around the rotation shaft 121 is enhanced.

Alternatively, the angle _θ2 between the direction _Jk in which the discharge portion 125 opens and the axial direction _Jt of the mounting fixture 122 is preferably 90°≦ _θ2 <180°, more preferably 91°≦ _θ2 ≦160°, and even more preferably 92°≦ _θ2 ≦135° in the horizontal cross section. If _θ2 is below 90°, it may become difficult for the treatment liquid to be discharged from the discharge portion.

The flow member 123 constituting the dispersing device 120 has a shape in which a part of the cylinder is bent, for example, as shown in (a) to (c) of Figure 5. Such a cylinder may have any cross-sectional shape, such as a cylindrical, elliptical, or rectangular cylinder. In addition, the flow member 123 shown in (a) to (c) of Figure 5 has a shape that is approximately straight from the liquid suction part 124 to the bent part P, and from the bent part P to the discharge part 125, but is not particularly limited to such a shape. For example, it may have a shape in which a part is bent.

The size of the liquid flow member 123 is not particularly limited. For example, when a cylindrical member is used as the liquid dispersion member 123, its inner diameter is, for example, 2 mm to 200 mm. The length from the liquid suction portion 124 to the bent portion P is not particularly limited, and an appropriate length can be selected by a person skilled in the art. Note that in FIG. 5(b), the inner diameter of the liquid suction portion 124, the inner diameter of the cylindrical passage 126, and the inner diameter of the discharge portion 125 are described as being approximately the same size, but the present invention is not limited to this form. For example, the inner diameter of the liquid flow member 123 may be gradually or stepwise reduced from the liquid suction portion 124 through the bent portion P toward the discharge portion 125.

Furthermore, in FIG. 5(b), an example is shown in which the suction portion 124 of the dispersing member 123 is oriented vertically and the discharge portion 124 is oriented horizontally, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the vicinity of the discharge portion 125 of a liquid flow member 123' that can be incorporated into the liquid sprinkling device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the flow member 123', the angle θ ₃ between the direction T in which the discharge portion 125 is directed and the horizontal direction H is preferably −90°≦θ ₃ ≦20°, more preferably −30°≦θ ₃ ≦10°, based on the horizontal direction. In addition, this angle θ ₃ is expressed as a positive value above the horizontal direction (i.e., above the horizontal direction H shown in FIG. 6), and a negative value below the horizontal direction (i.e., below the horizontal direction H shown in FIG. 6). If the angle θ ₃ is below −90°, the treatment liquid may flow back in the flow member, and the treatment liquid may not be effectively discharged from the discharge portion. If the angle θ ₃ is above 20°, even if the cylindrical passage 126 is filled with the treatment liquid through rotation as described below, the treatment liquid does not move like a siphon, and as a result, it may be difficult to reduce the power applied to the sprinkler. From the viewpoint of increasing the propulsive force in the rotational direction of the sprinkling device 120, it is more preferable that _θ3 is designed to be close to 0°.

Furthermore, in the present invention, since this can further increase the propulsive force in the rotational direction of the sprinkler device 120, it is even more preferable that the angle _θ2 between the direction Jk in which the discharge portion 125 opens and the axial direction Jt of the mounting fixture 122, and the angle _θ3 between the direction T in which the discharge portion 125 points and the horizontal direction H, are both within the ranges described above.

The dispersion members 123, 123' shown in Figures 5(a) to (c) and 6 all have a bent portion P, but in the present invention, the dispersion member may be configured in a form that does not have such a bent portion P. An example of a dispersion member that does not have a bent portion is the elbow-shaped (or elbow-curve-shaped) dispersion member 123'' shown in Figures 7(a) to (c).

The features of the liquid dispersion device 120 of the present invention are explained using Figure 1.

Generally, according to the siphon principle, when a tube is filled with liquid and liquid is discharged from an outlet located at a low position (corresponding to the discharge section in this invention), new liquid is sucked in from an inlet located at a high position (corresponding to the suction section in this invention), and the movement of liquid from the inlet to the outlet continues until all the liquid at the inlet has been moved away or until air bubbles begin to form in the tube and cause cavitation.

In contrast, in the present invention, when the treatment liquid 116 moves from the suction part 124 of the flow member 123 through the cylindrical flow path 126 to the discharge part 125, once the cylindrical flow path 126 is filled with the treatment liquid, the dispersing member 123 can continuously move the treatment liquid from suction of the treatment liquid at the suction part 124 through the cylindrical flow path 126 to discharge of the treatment liquid at the discharge part 125, just like a tube used in the principle of a siphon, while the rotation shaft 121 continues. This continuous movement of the treatment liquid is referred to in this specification as "siphon-like" movement of the treatment liquid.

In the present invention, once this siphon-like movement of the processing liquid occurs, the amount of processing liquid moving per unit time (e.g., mL/sec) increases compared to the amount of liquid (e.g., mL/sec) before the continuous movement occurred when the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 is the same, thereby allowing a large amount of processing liquid to be efficiently mixed.

In the sprinkling device 120 of the present invention, it is possible to create the above-mentioned siphon-like movement of the treatment liquid between the suction section 124, the cylindrical flow path 126, and the discharge section 125 that constitute the liquid flow member 123. As a result, once the siphon-like movement of the treatment liquid begins, even if the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 is relatively suppressed within the liquid flow member 123 (i.e., even if the power required for rotation is reduced), hysteresis allows the suction of the treatment liquid from the suction section 124 and the discharge of the treatment liquid from the discharge section 125 to be performed substantially continuously.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the positioning state of the liquid suction part 124 and the discharge part 125 relative to the liquid level 128 (i.e., the state in which the liquid suction part 124 is positioned below the liquid level 128 and the discharge part 125 is positioned above the liquid level 128) is maintained not only during the stationary stage (i.e., when the rotating shaft 121 is not rotating and the liquid level of the treatment liquid 116 is in a state in which it is spread in an approximately horizontal direction) but also during the stage in which the rotating shaft 121 is rotating at a desired rotation speed (i.e., when the treatment liquid 116 is being agitated through the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 as described below). As a result, the treatment liquid 116 in the treatment tank 110 can be easily drawn from the liquid suction portion 124 of the liquid flow member by the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 and the liquid flow member 123, and then moved by centrifugal force through the cylindrical flow path 126 in the liquid flow member 123 to the discharge portion 125, and can be discharged from the discharge portion 125, for example, toward the inner wall 111 of the treatment tank 110 or the liquid surface 128 of the treatment liquid 116.

The sprinkling device 120 of the present invention can be used not only in the treatment tank 110 of the sprinkling apparatus 100 as shown in FIG. 1, but also in the mixing tank or stirring tank of a mixing or stirring apparatus used when physical mixing or stirring of the contents is required.

(Sprinkler device)
Next, a sprinkling apparatus incorporating the sprinkling device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The sprinkling device 100 of the present invention comprises a treatment tank 110 and the above-mentioned sprinkling device 120.

The treatment tank 110 is a sealable tank capable of containing and stirring the treatment liquid 116, and has, for example, a flat, round, or conical bottom or a bottom 109 that slopes downward.

The size (volume) of the treatment tank 110 is set appropriately depending on the application of the sprinkler system 100 (e.g., the type of reaction to be carried out using the device) and the amount of treatment liquid to be treated, and is not necessarily limited thereto, but is, for example, 0.1 liters to 1,000,000 liters.

In one embodiment, the treatment tank 110 also includes a treatment liquid supply port 112 and a product outlet 114. The treatment liquid supply port 112 is an inlet for newly supplying the treatment liquid 116 into the treatment tank 110. The treatment liquid supply port 112 is provided, for example, above the treatment tank 110 (e.g., on the top lid). Alternatively, the treatment liquid supply port 112 may be provided on the side of the treatment tank 110. The number of treatment liquid supply ports 112 provided in the treatment tank 110 is not limited to one. For example, the treatment tank 110 may be provided with multiple treatment liquid supply ports.

The product outlet 114 is an outlet for removing the product obtained in the treatment tank 110 from the treatment tank 110. In addition to the product, the product outlet 114 can also discharge reaction residues and waste liquid, and the discharge can be regulated, for example, by opening and closing a valve 115 provided downstream of the product outlet 114. The product outlet 114 is also provided, for example, in communication with the center of the bottom 109 in the treatment tank 110.

The upper part of the treatment tank 110 may have an openable and closable structure, such as a lid or a maintenance hole. Furthermore, the upper part of the treatment tank 110 may be provided with a pressure adjustment port (not shown) for adjusting the pressure inside the treatment tank 110. Furthermore, the pressure adjustment port may be connected to, for example, a pressure reducing pump (not shown).

The treatment liquid 116 contained in the treatment tank 110 is a liquid such as an aqueous solution or a slurry. When the dispersion device 100 is used, for example, for the production of fatty acid esters by the transesterification reaction described below, the treatment liquid 116 is composed of, for example, a two-phase system of an oil phase 116a and an aqueous phase 116b, and each of the oil phase 116a and the aqueous phase 116b contains a reactant such as a starting material and a medium such as a solvent.

Furthermore, when the treatment tank 110 contains the treatment liquid 116, the fittings 122 constituting the sprinkler device 120 are preferably positioned above the liquid level 128 of the treatment liquid 116 to avoid unnecessary resistance during rotation that would increase the power required for said rotation. This can be achieved, for example, by positioning the fittings 122 at or near the same height as the discharge portion 125 of the flow member 123 constituting the sprinkler device 120.

1, the motor 140 rotates the rotating shaft 121, and the flow member 123 in the sprinkling device 120 draws the treatment liquid 116 from the suction port 124. The drawn treatment liquid moves to the discharge port 125 through the cylindrical passage 126 by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotating shaft 121, and is discharged from the discharge port 125 into the treatment tank 110, specifically above the liquid level 128 of the treatment liquid 116 in the treatment tank 110. Furthermore, when the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 continues and the cylindrical flow path 126 is completely filled with the treatment liquid, the treatment liquid can move in a "siphon-like" manner between the suction portion 124, the cylindrical flow path 126, and the discharge portion 125. At that time, even if the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 121 is reduced, this "siphon-like" phenomenon continues due to hysteresis. This allows the treatment liquid 116 to move upward from the bottom 109 of the treatment tank 110 while colliding with the inner wall 111 and the liquid surface 128 of the treatment tank 110, and allows the treatment liquid 116 to be mixed (e.g., stirred or circulated in the vertical direction) in the height direction of the treatment tank 110 with less rotation of the rotating shaft 121 (with less power). As a result, the production of the reaction product in the sprinkling device 100 can proceed more effectively.

Furthermore, as described above, the discharge port 125 of the liquid dispersion member 123 opens in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 121, so that the discharge of the treatment liquid 116 from the discharge port 125 acts as a propulsive force to promote the rotation of the liquid dispersion member 123 itself around the rotating shaft 121.

In the present invention, the treatment tank 110, the rotating shaft 121, the fitting 122, and the liquid flow member 123 are each independently made of a metal such as iron, stainless steel, Hastelloy, titanium, or a combination of these materials. Alternatively, they may be made of ceramics produced using a 3D printer or the like. To improve chemical resistance, these may be provided with a coating known in the art, such as Teflon (registered trademark), glass lining, or rubber lining.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a sprinkler system incorporating the sprinkler device of the present invention.

In the sprinkler system 200 of the present invention shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of baffles 210 are provided on the inner wall 111 of the treatment tank 110, extending from the bottom 109 of the treatment tank 110 to a height above the liquid level 128 of the treatment liquid 116. In FIG. 8, the baffles 210 are provided so as to be located, for example, approximately in the center of the treatment liquid 116 that is left stationary (i.e., the upper end of the baffle 210 is located inside the oil phase 116a, the lower end of the baffle 210 is located inside the aqueous phase 116b, and the upper and lower ends are located near the interface between the oil phase 116a and the aqueous phase 116b).

The baffle plate 210 serves to prevent the treatment liquid 116 in the treatment tank 110 from rotating together with the flow member 123 that rotates through the attachment 122 due to the rotation of the rotating shaft 121. In other words, the baffle plate 210 acts as a barrier when the treatment liquid 116 rotates horizontally in the treatment tank 110, preventing the formation of a vortex. As a result, the treatment liquid 116 is given an irregular movement in the treatment tank 110, and as a result, the efficiency of mixing and stirring the treatment liquid 116 can be improved, along with the above-mentioned "siphon-like" phenomenon that occurs between the suction part 124, normal flow path 126, and discharge part 125 of the flow member 123 that constitutes the sprinkler device 120.

In the sprinkler system 200 of the present invention, the number of baffles 210 provided in the treatment tank 110 is not necessarily limited, but for example, one to eight are provided at approximately equal intervals on the inner wall 111 of the treatment tank 110.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a sprinkling apparatus incorporating the sprinkling device of the present invention.

In the sprinkler system 300 shown in FIG. 9, a jacket 310 for adjusting temperature is provided around the treatment tank 110. In FIG. 9, the jacket 310 is made of, for example, a hollow material, and a heat medium such as steam, water, or thermal oil can be introduced from the jacket inlet 320 through a pipe (not shown) and discharged from the jacket outlet 330. The heat medium introduced into the jacket 310 heats the treatment liquid 116 from outside the treatment tank 110, thereby enabling temperature control of the treatment liquid 116 in the treatment tank 110.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, an example is described in which a heating medium is used as the heat medium to heat the inside of the treatment tank 110, but the present invention is not limited to this. Instead of the heating medium, a cooling medium such as liquefied nitrogen, water, brine, or a gas refrigerant (e.g., carbon dioxide or freon) may be introduced into the jacket 310.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sprinkler system incorporating another sprinkler device of the present invention.

The sprinkling device 400 shown in FIG. 10 is the same as that shown in FIG. 1, except that the structure of the flow member 223 constituting part of the sprinkling device 220 is different from that shown in FIG. 1. That is, this sprinkling device 220 also has a structure in which the discharge part 225 opens against the rotational direction of the rotating shaft 121, based on the horizontal plane, like the sprinkling device 120 shown in FIG. 1.

The liquid flow member 223 includes a liquid suction portion 223a that extends vertically along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121 in the treatment tank 110, and a discharge portion 223b that is arranged at an angle in the treatment tank 110. The liquid suction portion 223a and the discharge portion 223b communicate in a bent state at point P located midway through the liquid flow member 223 (for example, between the liquid suction portion 224 provided at the lower end of the liquid suction portion 223a and the discharge portion 225 provided at the upper end of the discharge portion 223b). Accordingly, the cylindrical flow path 226 in the liquid flow member 223 is also bent near point P.

When the treatment liquid 116 is contained in the sprinkler device 400, the portion where the suction portion 223a and the discharge portion 223b are bent and connected (the portion where point P of the flow member 223 is located) is positioned at a position (height) such that it is immersed in the treatment liquid 116. As a result, the lower portion of the discharge portion 223b constituting the flow member 223 is positioned below the liquid level 118 of the treatment liquid 116 (i.e., immersed), and the discharge portion 225 of the discharge portion 223b is designed to open above the liquid level 118.

Because the sprinkling device 220 has this structure, the sprinkling device 400 shown in FIG. 10 can rotate the sprinkling device 220 more smoothly within the treatment liquid 116 without placing a large load on the motor 140.

According to the sprinkling device 400 shown in FIG. 10, by rotating the rotating shaft 121 via the motor 140, the treatment liquid 116 present in the flow member 223 (particularly in the discharge portion 223b) of the sprinkling device 220 is pushed up inside the discharge portion 223b by centrifugal force and discharged from the discharge portion 225 to the outside. Due to this movement of the treatment liquid 116, new treatment liquid 116 is drawn into the flow member 223 from the suction portion 224 of the suction portion 223a within the flow member 223. Here, because the suction portion 223a extends vertically along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 121, the power required to rotate the sprinkling device 220 can be kept relatively small.

Furthermore, when the rotation of the rotating shaft 121 continues and the inside of the cylindrical flow path 226 is completely filled with the treatment liquid, the treatment liquid can move in a "siphon-like" manner inside the liquid suction portion 223a and the discharge portion 223b (i.e., between the liquid suction portion 224, the cylindrical flow path 226, and the discharge portion 225). At this time, even if the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 121 is reduced, this "siphon-like" phenomenon continues due to hysteresis. As a result, the treatment liquid 116 can move upward from the bottom 109 of the treatment tank 110 while colliding with the inner wall 111 of the treatment tank 110 and the liquid surface 128, and the mixing of the treatment liquid 116 in the height direction of the treatment tank 110 (e.g., stirring or circulation in the vertical direction) can be promoted with reduced rotation of the rotating shaft 121 (with less power).

Furthermore, as described above, the discharge port 225 of the liquid dispersion member 223 opens in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotating shaft 121, so that the discharge of the treatment liquid 116 from the discharge port 225 acts as a propulsive force to promote the rotation of the liquid dispersion member 223 itself around the rotating shaft 121.

A sprinkler system incorporating the sprinkler device of the present invention is useful in the production of various reaction products in which stirring of the treatment liquid (reactant) is desired. In particular, in a two-phase system (heterogeneous reaction system) consisting of an oil phase and an aqueous phase, reaction products can be obtained more effectively than when a conventional stirrer is used. An example of such a two-phase system is a transesterification reaction for producing fatty acid esters.

(Method for Producing Reaction Product)
Next, a method for producing a predetermined reaction product using a sprinkling apparatus incorporating the sprinkling device of the present invention will be described.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, agitation is performed by circulating the treatment liquid in a sprinkler apparatus incorporating the above-mentioned sprinkler device. In this specification, the term "agitation by circulation" includes both agitation by applying horizontal rotation to the target liquid (e.g., the treatment liquid) and mixing (or mixing) the entire liquid through vertical movement and circulation of the liquid, as in the case of using the above-mentioned sprinkler apparatus.

The processing liquid used in the present invention contains an inorganic or organic liquid medium, and generally allows a chemical reaction to proceed and be controlled through stirring with a stirrer or the like. For example, the processing liquid is a heterogeneous processing liquid. For example, a processing liquid composed of an oil phase and an aqueous phase is useful in that the emulsification of the processing liquid can be improved and promoted through stirring by the above-mentioned circulation.

When the treatment liquid is a heterogeneous treatment liquid, the treatment liquid contains, for example, raw oil or fat, a liquid enzyme, an alcohol having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and water.

The raw fats and oils are fats and oils that can be used, for example, in the production of fatty acid esters for biodiesel fuel. The raw fats and oils can be either pre-refined fats and oils, or unrefined fats and oils containing impurities. Examples of raw fats and oils include edible fats and oils and waste edible fats and oils, crude oil, and other waste-based fats and oils, and combinations thereof. Examples of edible fats and oils and waste edible fats and oils include vegetable fats and oils, animal fats and oils, fish oils, microbially produced fats and oils, and waste oils thereof, and mixtures thereof (mixed fats and oils). Examples of vegetable fats and oils include, but are not limited to, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, and olive oil. Examples of animal fats and oils include, but are not limited to, beef tallow, lard, chicken fat, whale oil, and mutton tallow. Fish oils include, but are not limited to, sardine oil, tuna oil, and squid oil. Examples of microbially produced oils include, but are not limited to, oils produced by microorganisms such as Mortierella or Schizochytrium.

Crude oil is, for example, unrefined or unprocessed oil obtained from a conventional oil extraction process for edible oils and fats, and may contain, for example, gummy impurities such as phospholipids and/or proteins, free fatty acids, pigments, trace metals and other hydrocarbon-based oil-soluble impurities, and combinations thereof. There is no particular limit to the amount of such impurities contained in the crude oil.

Examples of waste oils and fats include oil cakes obtained by refining crude oil generated during the production of edible oils and fats in the presence of alkali, heat-treated oils, press oils, rolling oils, and combinations of these.

The raw oil may contain any amount of water as long as the original properties of the oil are not impaired. Furthermore, the raw oil may be unreacted oil remaining in the solution used in the reaction to produce the fatty acid ester.

In the present invention, the liquid enzyme refers to any enzyme catalyst that can be used in the reaction for producing fatty acid esters and that has liquid properties at room temperature. Examples of liquid enzymes include lipase, cutinase, and combinations thereof. Here, the term "lipase" as used in this specification refers to an enzyme that has the ability to act on glycerides (also called acylglycerol) to decompose the glycerides into glycerin or partial glycerides and fatty acids, and has the ability to produce fatty acid esters by transesterification in the presence of linear lower alcohols.

In the present invention, the lipase may be 1,3-specific or non-specific. In terms of being able to produce linear lower alcohol esters of fatty acids, it is preferable that the lipase is non-specific. Examples of lipase include lipases derived from filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Rhizomucor (Rhizomucor miehei), Mucor, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Penicillium, etc.; lipases derived from yeasts belonging to the genus Candida (Candida antarcitica, Candida rugosa, Candida cylindracea), Pichia, etc.; lipases derived from bacteria belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, Serratia, etc.; and lipases derived from animals such as porcine pancreas. Liquid lipases can be obtained, for example, by concentrating and purifying the culture broth of these microorganisms containing the lipase produced by the microorganisms, or by dissolving powdered lipase in water. Commercially available liquid lipases can also be used.

The amount of the liquid enzyme used in the present invention is not necessarily limited, as it varies depending on, for example, the type and/or amount of the raw oil and fat, but is preferably 0.1 to 50 parts by mass, and preferably 0.2 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the raw oil and fat used. If the amount of the liquid enzyme used is less than 0.1 parts by mass, it will not be possible to effectively catalyze the transesterification reaction, and there is a risk of reducing the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester. If the amount of the liquid enzyme used is more than 50 parts by mass, there will no longer be any change in the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester obtained through the transesterification reaction, and there is a risk of reducing the production efficiency.

The alcohol in the present invention is a straight-chain or branched-chain lower alcohol (e.g., an alcohol having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, preferably an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms). Straight-chain lower alcohols are preferred. Examples of straight-chain lower alcohols include, but are not limited to, methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol, and combinations thereof.

The amount of the alcohol used is not necessarily limited, as it varies depending on, for example, the type and/or amount of the raw oil and fat used, but is preferably 5 to 100 parts by mass, and preferably 10 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the raw oil and fat. If the amount of alcohol used is less than 5 parts by mass, an effective transesterification reaction cannot be performed, and there is a risk of reducing the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester. If the amount of alcohol used is more than 100 parts by mass, there is no change in the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester obtained through the transesterification reaction, and there is a risk of reducing the production efficiency.

The water used in the present invention may be distilled water, ion-exchanged water, tap water, or pure water. The amount of water used is not necessarily limited because it varies depending on, for example, the type and/or amount of the raw oil and fat used, but is preferably 0.1 to 50 parts by mass, preferably 2 to 30 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of the raw oil and fat. If the amount of water used is less than 0.1 parts by mass, the amount of the water layer formed in the reaction system is insufficient, and an effective transesterification reaction cannot be performed using the raw oil and fat, liquid enzyme, and alcohol, which may reduce the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester. If the amount of water used is more than 50 parts by mass, there is no change in the yield and/or yield of the desired fatty acid ester obtained through the transesterification reaction, and there is a risk of reducing the production efficiency.

In the manufacturing method of the present invention, a predetermined electrolyte may be added to the treatment solution. The anions constituting the electrolyte are not necessarily limited, but include, for example, hydrogen carbonate ions, carbonate ions, chloride ions, hydroxide ions, citrate ions, hydrogen phosphate ions, dihydrogen phosphate ions, and phosphate ions, as well as combinations thereof. The cations constituting the electrolyte include, for example, alkali metal ions and alkaline earth metal ions, as well as combinations thereof, and more specific examples include sodium ions, potassium ions, and calcium ions, as well as combinations thereof. In the present invention, examples of electrolytes include sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate), sodium carbonate, calcium chloride, calcium hydroxide, trisodium citrate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, and trisodium phosphate, as well as combinations thereof. Sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate) is more preferred for reasons such as its versatility and ease of availability.

In the present invention, the raw oil and fat, catalyst, alcohol, and water are added simultaneously or in any order to the treatment tank 110 of the sprinkling device 100 shown in FIG. 1 through the treatment liquid supply port 112, and the treatment liquid 116 consisting of the oil phase 116a and the water phase 116b is formed. Then, by rotating the flow member 123 of the sprinkling device 120 in the treatment tank 110 through the rotation of the rotating shaft 121, the treatment liquid 116 is drawn from the suction part 124 of the flow member 123 as described above, and the drawn treatment liquid moves upward through the cylindrical flow path 126 along with the above-mentioned "siphon-like" phenomenon occurring between the suction part 124, normal flow path 126, and discharge part 125 of the flow member 123 constituting the sprinkling device 120, and is discharged from the discharge port 125 of the flow member 123 against the rotational direction of the rotating shaft 121. This movement of the treatment liquid 116 promotes agitation of the treatment liquid 116, which produces the reaction product, fatty acid ester. The temperature applied inside the treatment tank 110 is not necessarily limited, but is, for example, 5°C to 80°C, preferably 15°C to 80°C, and more preferably 25°C to 50°C.

In the present invention, the rotation of the rotating shaft in the sprinkler device 100 does not necessarily have to be performed at high speed (e.g., 600 rpm or more). For example, it may be set to a low speed (e.g., 80 rpm or more and less than 300 rpm) or a medium speed (e.g., 300 rpm or more and less than 600 rpm). Furthermore, the reaction time varies depending on the amounts of the raw oil and fat, catalyst, alcohol, and water used, so it is not necessarily limited and can be set by a person skilled in the art to any desired time.

After the reaction is completed, the product and reaction residue are removed from the treatment tank 110 of the dispersion device 100 and separated into a layer containing fatty acid esters and a layer containing the by-product glycerin, for example, using a means known to those skilled in the art. The layer containing fatty acid esters can then be further isolated and purified, as necessary, using a method known to those skilled in the art.

The fatty acid ester obtained as described above can be used, for example, as a biodiesel fuel or a component thereof.

100, 200, 300, 400 Sprinkler 109 Bottom 110 Treatment tank 111 Inner wall 112 Treatment liquid supply port 114 Product outlet 115 Valve 116 Treatment liquid 116a Oil phase 116b Water phase 120, 220 Sprinkler device 121 Rotating shaft 122 Mounting fixture 123, 123', 123", 223 Flow member 124, 224 Liquid suction section 125, 225 Discharge section 126, 226 Cylindrical flow path 128 Liquid surface 140 Motor 210 Baffle plate 223a Liquid suction section 223b Discharge section 310 Jacket 320 Jacket inlet 330 Jacket outlet

Claims (6)

A liquid dispersion device comprising:
A single rotation axis extending in a vertical direction;
At least one mounting fixture attached to the rotating shaft and extending in a radial direction of the rotating shaft;
at least one fluid flow member attached to the fitting;
The liquid flow member has a discharge portion located at an upper portion, a liquid suction portion located at a lower portion, and a cylindrical flow path extending between the discharge portion and the liquid suction portion and having a curved portion, and the discharge portion opens in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of the rotating shaft with respect to a horizontal plane. The liquid dispersion device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid dispersion member is arranged at an angle relative to the axis of the rotating shaft so that the liquid suction portion is located closer to the discharge portion. The sprinkling device according to claim 1 , wherein an angle θ ₂ between a direction in which the outlet portion opens and an axial direction of the mounting fixture is 90°≦θ ₂ <180° with respect to the horizontal plane. The sprinkling device according to claim 1, wherein an angle θ ₃ between a direction in which the discharge portion opens and the horizontal plane is −90°≦θ ₃ ≦20° with respect to the vertical direction. The liquid dispersion device according to claim 1, wherein the tubular flow passage has a cylindrical cross section. A sprinkler system comprising a treatment tank for containing a treatment liquid and a sprinkler device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 provided in the treatment tank.

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