Patents Assigned to Alfa Laval AB
  • Patent number: 4426283
    Abstract: A multiple hydrocyclone separator comprises a pair of spaced concentric standpipes mounting a series of mono hydrocyclones each having a body containing a separating chamber and provided with first and second cylindrical external parts on opposite ends of the body. The body has a tangential inlet to the chamber and a first axial outlet formed by a third part screwed into the larger end of the body, the body forming a second axial outlet at its smaller end. Sealing rings are located in grooves in the respective cylindrical parts and seal against the walls defining openings in the respective standpipes. To secure the body, a nut on its smaller end clamps the adjacent standpipe against a collar of the body. Thus, the cylindrical part at the larger end of the body can slide with its sealing ring in the hole of the corresponding standpipe, thereby accommodating thermal expansion and contraction of the body while maintaining the sealing action of the sealing rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Aurel J. Fecske
  • Patent number: 4423772
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a plurality of plates arranged adjacent to each other and provided with mutually corssing corrugation patterns of ridges and grooves which form supporting areas in which the plates abut each other. According to the invention, at least some of the heat exchange passages are defined by plates at least one of which has recessed supporting areas, whereby the volume of the passage is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1984
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Jons A. Dahlgren
  • Patent number: 4410318
    Abstract: At a centrifugal separator (21), where separated sediment is thrown out in jets (26) from the rotor (22) of the separator through a determined number of nozzles (1, 2, 3) a sensing means (28) is arranged to be influenced by the respective jet and give off a signal (U), which is a measure of a quantity, e.g. the flow, of the medium of the jet, which signals (U) are given off to an apparatus (38), which is arranged to record the signals (U) and in its turn give off a signal (39, 39A, 39B, 39C), if said quantity of the medium in one or more jets is changed, e.g. if the flow through a nozzle ceases by the nozzle having been blocked or if the flow through a nozzle has increased by the nozzle having been eroded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa Laval AB
    Inventors: Johan E. G. Bjork, Kaj Lindfors, Klaus H. D. Stroucken
  • Patent number: 4390350
    Abstract: In a process for sterilization of liquids like milk, containing gases such as air and carbon dioxide and microbes, a microbal enriched partial stream is separated by centrifugation and is degassed in a first step, whereupon the so treated partial stream is heated for sterilization and is then remixed with the rest of the original stream. The novelty is constituted by the manner of heating said partial stream, namely by injecting it in finely divided form into a closed container in which there is provided a steam atmosphere, the stream being discharged with level control from said container, whereas the remaining gas is separated and is discharged through an extra outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Bengt A. Palm
  • Patent number: 4387765
    Abstract: This invention relates to arrangement in heat exchangers, comprising a large number of heat exchange plates which, in compressed position, form throughflow passages for the heat exchange media, a first preferably stationary end wall situated on one side of the heat exchange plates and a second end wall situated on the opposite side of said plates and adapted to be displaced by clamping means towards said first end wall in order to sealingly compress the heat exchange plates, said preferably stationary end wall supporting a bar projecting therefrom and extending through recesses arranged in the heat exchange plates in order to locate said plates mutually and relative to the end walls against displacement in the plane of the plates when the clamping means are disconnected and/or the second end wall is removed, said bar having a length exceeding the distance between the end walls in the position where they compress the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Ingmar Kristoffersson
  • Patent number: 4383639
    Abstract: Liquid forming an annular body in a rotating housing is removed therefrom by a stationary paring device with an annular part adapted to extend substantially radially into said body and having a channel for draining liquid from the housing. Sunken into a surface of the annular part is an opening forming an entrance to the channel, and liquid flows in through said opening along a path located at a substantially constant radius from the rotation axis, the opening having a sloping bottom for guiding the liquid into the channel. In that portion of the annular part which is immersed in the liquid body, said channel extends in a plane substantially parallel with said surface of the annular part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Hovstadius
  • Patent number: 4377204
    Abstract: Each plate of the heat exchanger has the usual groove for receiving a gasket; but the latter is secured to the plate at fastening points spaced from each other and located outside the sealing area defined by the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Karl B. V. Johansson
  • Patent number: 4376460
    Abstract: In a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of plates arranged adjacent to each other and provided with turbulence-generating corrugations, sealed passages for two heat exchanging media are enclosed between the plates, and two heat exchanging media flow through the passages in mutually inclined flow directions. In order to provide different thermal properties of the passages for the two media, the corrugations on an average extend at a wider angle relative to the flow direction of one of the media than to that of the other medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Malte Skoog
  • Patent number: 4376163
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing ethanol by continuous fermentation of polysaccharide-containing raw materials. The fermentation is carried out in one or several fermentors, a stream of fermentation liquor being separated into a yeast concentrate stream and a yeast-free stream, and possibly one sludge stream, of which the yeast concentrate stream is recirculated to the fermentor, at least part of the yeast-free stream being fed to a simple evaporator unit, corresponding to one or a few distilling stages, wherein it is separated, partly into a first vapor stream, enriched in ethanol, which is fed to a plant for production of the desired ethanol grade, and partly into a first liquid bottom stream, which is at least in part recirculated to the fermentor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Lars K. J. Ehnstrom
  • Patent number: 4375870
    Abstract: The rotor of a centrifugal separator has at its periphery a plurality of valves for discharging medium from the interior of the rotor, which interior communicates with the valves through channels. Each valve is opened by a slot through a sleeve-formed section of a first part being uncovered by an edge of a second part of the valve. When the valve is closed, it is kept tight by said edge being pressed against an abutment surface of a seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Berth I. A. Bodelson
  • Patent number: 4373579
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a plurality of first plates clamped in a frame-work. The plates are generally rectangular and have an opening at each of their corners, said opening forming together with corresponding openings of adjacent plates a first manifold duct for a heat exchanging fluid. A plurality of second plates have a recess at one or more of their corners, said recess corresponding to said openings of the first plates. A connection piece connected to said first manifold duct is clamped in the space formed by the recesses. All the plates have an additional opening forming a second manifold duct through which said first manifold duct is connected to the heat exchanging passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Ake Jernqvist, Ulf Bolmstedt
  • Patent number: 4372845
    Abstract: A multiple hydrocyclone assembly comprises a housing, a plurality of groups of radially extending cyclones provided at different levels in said housing, and inlet and outlet conduits connected to the bottom portion of the assembly. In order to avoid collection of air in the housing the outlet conduit comprises a central tube extending vertically through the housing to the top portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Aurel J. Fecske
  • Patent number: 4359087
    Abstract: In an assembly of spaced heat exchange plates, each second interspace is sealed from the surrounding atmosphere by gasket means extending along the periphery of the adjacent plates forming such interspace, the other interspaces being sealed from the surrounding atmosphere by permanent joints between the adjacent plates forming said other interspaces. The plates have pressed corrugations in their heat exchanging surfaces and also have pressed grooves extending around said surfaces for receiving the gasket means. The permanent joints are formed along abutting bottoms of the pressed grooves of the respective adjacent plates. The seals formed by said joints and the seals formed by the gasket means are disposed in aligned relation across the plate heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Borje Johansson
  • Patent number: 4358536
    Abstract: A flow of fermenting liquor from a fermentor is separated into a yeast concentrate flow, which is recirculated to the fermentor, and a yeast-free flow which is separated in a simple evaporator unit into a first ethanol-enriched vapor flow and a first liquid bottom flow. The first vapor flow is treated to produce the desired ethanol while a major part of the first liquid bottom flow is recirculated to the fermentor. A minor, residual part of the latter flow is fed to a stripping unit where it is separated into a second ethanol-enriched vapor flow and a second liquid bottom flow exhausted of ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Conny R. Thorsson, Indrek J. Viira
  • Patent number: 4356932
    Abstract: An evacuable casing for a rotor machine comprises a cover surrounding the machine, bearing means mounting the cover for rotation on a foundation, the cover having an endless base edge, and sealing means extending along the base edge to seal against the foundation when a vacuum is applied within the cover. One part of the cover is mounted for movement relative to a second part of the cover to form a large opening in the cover, this opening in combination with said rotation of the cover on the foundation providing easy access to the machine from any radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Lennart Wahlstrom, Lars K. J. Ehnstrom
  • Patent number: 4354632
    Abstract: In a centrifugal rotor having an axially movable slide for opening and closing peripheral outlets from the separating chamber, there is formed a so-called closing chamber between the slide and the rotor body. The closing chamber is charged with operating liquid from the central axis of the rotor through a channel in the rotor. In the passage between the channel and the closing chamber are means by which the hydraulic pressure exerted on the slide from operating liquid in the channel is first reduced or eliminated in connection with discharge of operating liquid from the closing chamber and thereafter is again caused to act for closing of the slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Klaus H. D. Stroucken
  • Patent number: 4354551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger intended for cooling of a fluid when a compressed refrigerant is evaporated. The heat exchanger comprises one or more plate-shaped pressure cells (1, 1', 1") provided with inlet (6) and outlet (9) for refrigerant. The pressure cell consists of thin plates which have been joined together along their outer edges and at points over the heat exchange surface. The pressure cell is surrounded by a container (2) for the fluid which is to be cooled when the refrigerant changes its state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventors: Ingmar Kristoffersson, Gustav S. Heurlin
  • Patent number: 4344976
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for recovery of meal of high protein quality and oil from fish. To obtain a high protein quality in fish meal, one or both of the conditions of short process time and low temperature are essential factors. In the process according to the invention, the heating of the fish mass is carried out in any conventional way, and oil is separated from the heated fish mass by means of a centrifuge provided with a separate outlet for separated oil phase. The new and characterizing feature of the invention is that the stick water and sludge discharged from the centrifuge are fed together to an evaporation unit where the mixture of sludge and stick water is fed through one or several indirectly heated tubes, the internal walls of which are continuously cleaned by means of a scraping device and the outlet of which is connected to a separation space for steam and evaporated product. Finally, the evaporated product is dried in any known way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Per Bladh
  • Patent number: 4343431
    Abstract: This invention relates to centrifugal separators of the kind having sludge ports at the rotor periphery to be opened during operation and separate outlets for separated heavier liquid phase and separated lighter liquid phase. To reduce the losses of valuable lighter liquid phase during total discharge or partial discharge of the separator by opening the sludge ports, the centrifuge is provided with an overflow device connected to the heavy phase outlet, said overflow device having an inner annular overflow and also having a number of passages at a larger diameter than the inner overflow border. The passages are dimensioned to let through all heavier liquid phase in normal operation but not to let through an increased amount of heavier liquid phase fed to the separator just before opening the sludge ports for the purpose of displacing the interface between the heavier and the lighter liquid phase towards the rotor axis to a level that corresponds to said inner overflow border.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Holger Wehling
  • Patent number: 4339333
    Abstract: A filter device comprising a tubular housing with an inlet for the fluid to be filtered in one end of the housing, an outlet for filtrate in the opposite end of the housing and a filter tube mounted inside the housing and extending essentially in the axial direction of the tubular housing. At least part of the filter tube wall forms the filter surface. One end of the filter is openly connected to said inlet, whereas the other end is closed so that an annular feed conduit is formed between the housing and the filter tube. A first valve means is arranged inside the filter tube to shut off the filter tube, during cleaning periods, thereby dividing the filter tube and the filter surface into an upstream part and a downstream part, and forcing the entire filtrate stream to pass through said upstream part of the filter surface into the filtrate conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1982
    Assignee: Alfa-Laval AB
    Inventor: Peter Sjoberg