Patents Assigned to GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
  • Patent number: 11872570
    Abstract: A separator for centrifugally processing includes a rotatable drum having at least two drum parts, which can be rotated relative to one another at a screw thread. A drum tool is designed to open and close the drum by rotating the drum parts screwed together by the screw thread. The drum tool includes a retaining element attachable to the one drum part, a driver element attachable to the other, relatively rotatable drum part, and at least one rotation device for the relative rotation between the retaining element and the driver element together with the drum parts. The retaining and driver elements each having two or more points of engagement for the rotation device. The points of engagement are symmetrically arranged in such a way that forces produced by the rotation device produce a torque for the relative rotation of the drum parts, but no resulting force acting on the screwed drum parts on one side is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Bathelt, Wilfried Mackel, Marcel Weghake
  • Patent number: 11793209
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heating apparatus, which heats a substance in a chamber. The present invention further relates to a food production line and a method to heat a substance with radio-frequency waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GMBH
    Inventor: Joost Van Erp
  • Patent number: 11701669
    Abstract: An outlet nozzle for centrifugal drums has a nozzle body with at least one cylindrical portion and having an insert connected to the nozzle body. An inlet channel and an outlet channel, which is oriented at an angle with respect to the inlet channel, are formed in the nozzle body. The insert has a torque transmitting contour for arranging a tool with a complementary tool torque transmitting contour in position in order to rotatingly secure the nozzle body in an opening of a rotatable centrifugal drum and to release said nozzle body. The insert also has a polygonal cross-section, which is smaller than the cross-section of the cylindrical section. The insert starting from the polygonal, in particular, rectangular cross-section, merges with the cylindrical section of the nozzle body over rounded surfaces having a radius greater than 1.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Kristin Katja Ketterer
  • Publication number: 20230173509
    Abstract: A separator includes a unit that rotates during operation, the unit having a drum and a drive spindle, and an electric drive motor for rotating the drive spindle and having a stator and a rotor. The rotor is arranged on the drive spindle and the stator is radially spaced apart from the rotor in a drive housing that does not rotate during operation. The stator has at least one or multiple winding heads. At least one chamber is formed on at least one of the winding heads, and in this chamber a coolant film or coolant bath forms during operation so that this winding head is cooled by means of coolant during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes DROSTE, Eduard BRAK, Tim HUNDERTMARK
  • Patent number: 11660612
    Abstract: A method for processing a flowable product using a centrifuge includes pretreating the flowable product so that particles in the flowable product are increasingly attracted by electrically charged components, feeding the flowable product into the disc stack, generating an electric charge on the discs of the disc stack, and separating the charged particles from the flowable product within the disc stack under the influence of electrostatic attractive forces and a centrifugal field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Mackel, Klaus-Peter Eickhoff, Marc Kellens, Knud Schoeneberg, Detlef Ullmann
  • Patent number: 11661571
    Abstract: A separator having a vertical rotation axis includes a rotatably mounted drum having a drum interior for centrifugal processing of a liquid. The separator also includes a gas supply line for introducing gas into the liquid, which opens into the drum interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel Bussmann, Thomas Bathelt, Wolf-Dietrich Herberg, Tim Hundertmark, Björn Ströfer
  • Patent number: 11660616
    Abstract: A separator includes a preassembled drive and rotation system unit having an outer ring flange portion and a drive frame having an inner ring flange. The outer ring flange portion of the preassembled drive and rotation system unit is vertically connected to the inner ring flange of the drive frame. A rotatable drum is placed onto the preassembled drive and rotation system unit, in the drum at least one paring disk is arranged in a paring chamber, and one or more stacks each having one or more stackable intermediate elements are arranged between the inner ring flange and the outer ring flange portion in order to set an axial relative position at least between the drive frame and the drive and rotation system unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Tim Hundertmark, Johannes Droste, Jürgen Mackel, Eduard Brak
  • Publication number: 20230158514
    Abstract: A centrifuge includes a rotatable rotor and an assembly that is stationary during operation. The rotatable rotor is rotatably mounted in or on the stationary assembly by one or more mounting devices. The rotatable rotor has a rotatable drum and a drive element for rotating the drum as well as one or more electrical loads located on or in the rotor. The centrifuge includes at least one battery is also located on or in the rotor in order to supply the at least one load or the plurality of loads with electrical power. The load can include a data memory in the rotor or on the rotor. At least one actuator is provided as the at least one load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicants: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH, GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Axel BARTSCHER, Heinz HINZE, Jürgen MACKEL, Kathrin QUITER, Nico WENNEMER, Stefan PECORONI, Tim HUNDERTMARK
  • Patent number: 11596954
    Abstract: A separator for separating a flowable suspension in a centrifugal field into at least two flowable phases of different density. The separator includes a housing, which is stationary during operation and is designed as a tank having at least three openings. The three openings include an inlet for an inflowing suspension and two outlets vertically spaced apart from each other for flowable phases of different density. Annular spaces of the housing are associated with the two outlets. A rotatable drum is arranged within the housing and has a vertical axis of rotation. The drum has three openings, corresponding to the openings of the housing. A multi-part support and drive device, which keeps the drum suspended within the housing, is supported and is set into rotation. An air gap is formed vertically between the two outlets and annular spaces of the housing during operation. The air gap is not filled with one of the outflowing phases during operation when the drum is rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Rüdiger Göhmann
  • Patent number: 11559070
    Abstract: A processing apparatus to melt animal fat, in which an animal raw fat material is transported by a pump, through a microwave chamber and heated, the processing apparatus includes at least one solid-state radio frequency source that is configured to generate microwave energy, one or more sensors, and a control system. The at least one solid-state radio frequency source is configured to generate and transmit the microwave energy to the animal raw fat material, the one or more sensors are configured to measure the microwave energy that is reflected from the animal raw fat material, and the control system is configured to compare the transmitted microwave energy to the reflected microwave energy and then, based on the comparison, the control system is configured to adjust any additional microwave energy that is transmitted by the at least one solid-state radio frequency source to the animal raw fat material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Joost Van Erp
  • Patent number: 11420215
    Abstract: A method for clarifying a flowable starting product of solids using a self-emptying centrifuge in continuous operation in a centrifugal field in the rotating drum. A continuous draining of at least one clarified liquid phase occurs and solids emptying occurs repeatedly via outlet openings that are intermittently opened and closed. The emptying of solids from the drum of the centrifuge is initiated, the speed of the drum of the centrifuge is reduced, the solids are emptied from the solids collection chamber of the drum after lowering the speed of the drum, and the emptying of the solids from the drum is ended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Ulrich Rotermund
  • Patent number: 11389809
    Abstract: A self-emptying separator includes a rotatable drum with an inlet, a liquid outlet, outlet openings for solid material, and a control system. A flowable starting product is cleared of the solids in continuous operation in a centrifugal field in the rotating drum. A continuous discharge of a clear phase is performed. A solid phase is discharged via the outlet openings from a solids collecting space of the drum into an annular solids catcher. The solids catcher has a device for generating a fluid curtain against which the solids, issuing from the outlet openings for solid material, impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Tim Hundertmark, Mario Emanuele, Alexander Piek, Jürgen Mäckel
  • Patent number: 11359170
    Abstract: A method for metering hops pellets into a fermented beer precursor in order to produce beer using a system having a metering system and a pump. Hops pellets are supplied into the system. A specified quantity of hops pellets are metered from the metering system to the pump. The specified quantity of hops pellets is supplied into a beer precursor-conducting line or a tank filled with beer precursor by the pump. The metered hops pellets are supplied into the beer precursor-conducting line or into the tank filled with the beer precursor in a pelleted and/or granulated form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Veer, Daniel Bussmann, Wolf-Dietrich Herberg, Carsten Waubke
  • Patent number: 11219904
    Abstract: A facility for the centrifugal clarification of a suspension includes a centrifuge and a device with a container having a tubular envelope surface at least in sections for conducting the medium, which is arranged on a liquid outlet of the centrifuge. The container with a tubular envelope surface at least in sections includes an inlet for supplying a pressurizing gas, and the volume of the container with a tubular envelope surface at least in sections is smaller than the double receiving volume of the centrifuge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventors: Wolf-Dietrich Herberg, Meinolf Berlage
  • Patent number: 11219905
    Abstract: A drive device for a solid bowl screw centrifuge includes a motor for rotating a drum of the centrifuge, a transmission which is connected between the motor and the drum, and a cooling device for cooling the transmission during operation when the drum is rotating. The cooling device is an annular body which is fitted on the outside of the transmission and has an air guiding device that conducts air from farther outwards radially inwards onto a surface of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Hermeler, Volker Knospe, Martin Overberg, Stefan Terholsen, Andreas Knobel, Christian Driftschroeer
  • Publication number: 20210170425
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a lubricant throughflow of a centrifuge is monitored involves rotating the drive shaft with the motor and simultaneously operating the lubricant supply to generate a lubricant throughflow through the bearing arrangement and monitoring a temperature of the lubricant throughflow through the bearing arrangement at at least one measurement point at or in the device for supplying lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Applicant: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas BATHELT, Wilfried MACKEL
  • Patent number: 11028236
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing dandelion plant components, particularly dandelion plant components of the Taraxacum kok-saghyz variety, in which, according to the method, rubber is obtained as a first valuable product, said method being characterised by the following steps: A) grinding and/or squeezing the dandelion plant components, preferably while adding water to form a pulp; and B) first separation of the pulp into at least one phase 80 which is high in inulin and low in rubber and at least one phase 90 which is high in rubber and low in inulin, the phase 90 which is high in rubber and low in inulin forming the first valuable product or the first valuable product being obtained from the phase which is high in rubber and low in inulin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Hruschka, Luis Peixoto, Alexander Rossmeisl, Frans Kappen, Richard Op Den Kamp
  • Patent number: 11020754
    Abstract: An outlet nozzle for centrifugal drums has a nozzle body with at least one cylindrical portion and having an insert connected to the nozzle body. An inlet channel and an outlet channel, which is oriented at an angle with respect to the inlet channel, are formed in the nozzle body. The insert has a torque transmitting contour for arranging a tool with a complementary tool torque transmitting contour in position in order to rotatingly secure the nozzle body in an opening of a rotatable centrifugal drum and to release said nozzle body. The insert also has a polygonal cross-section, which is smaller than the cross-section of the cylindrical section. The insert starting from the polygonal, in particular, rectangular cross-section, merges with the cylindrical section of the nozzle body over rounded surfaces having a radius greater than 1.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Kristin Katja Ketterer
  • Patent number: 10987633
    Abstract: A filtration arrangement for a filtration device having a container. The filtration arrangement includes at least two or more hollow shafts, rotatably mounted in a machine frame, on which a plurality of membrane filter disks are arranged. At least one drive device is allocated to the plurality of hollow shafts. Permeate can be discharged from the container through the hollow shafts. Each hollow shaft can be inserted into the container on one of the ends thereof having the plurality of membrane filter disks, such that the opposite end thereof protrudes out of the container. Several or many of the membrane filter disks are arranged axially spaced apart on each hollow shaft, and deformable spacer sleeves are arranged between one part or all adjacent membrane filter disks and axially space apart the membrane filter disks on the hollow shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Verena Gröne
  • Patent number: D921919
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
    Inventor: Poul-Erik Aagaard