Apparatus for use in the fractionation of proteinaceous solutions

Claim 2

Apparatus for use in recovering a protein fraction from a solution of proteinaceous material by reacting the solution with a liquid precipitant, said apparatus including in combination: reaction means comprising (a) a heat-exchanger apparatus provided with a casing having a double walled passageway means therein for throughflow of a fluid constituting a heatexchanging cooling fluid, and an axial space in said casing for throughflow of a liquid; said heat-exchanger apparatus including a heat transfer device within said axial space, said device in conjunction with said casing defining liquid passageway means for throughflow and exit therefrom of said liquid; said heatexchanger apparatus thereby providing cooling surfacing for contact by said liquid; and (b) a pair of nozzles for discharging respectively jets of said solution and said liquid precipitant; said nozzles disposed so that said jet liquids convergingly merge to form a composite stream which impinges upon said cooling surfacing and instantly upon impingement becomes a reaction mixture containing the precipitated protein fraction, and said reaction mixture constituting the said liquid which then flows over said cooling surfacing and from said passageway means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, said heat transfer device comprising tubing for conducting a throughflow of said cooling fluid to provide cooling surfacing, said tubing embodying an upright helical-coil formation and having at its upper end a wall portion with a top cooling surface for impingement by the composite stream so that the reaction mixture flows over the tubing and from the casing.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said tubing embodies also an upright axial portion disposed within the said helical-coil formation and having at its upper end said Wall portion.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said double walled passageway means of said heat-exchanger casing and said tubing are interconnected so that cooling fluid flows from one into the other.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said heat transfer device within said axial space comprises a generally cylindrical rod extending longitudinally and in contact with the casing and constituting a peripherally helically grooved rotor within said casing forming in conjunction with said casing the said passageway means; said rotor being cooled by said casing and having an end surface thereof at the entrance to said passageway means for impingement by the composite stream.

Claim 7

Apparatus for use in recovering a protein fraction from a liquid solution of proteinaceous material by reacting the solution with a liquid precipitant, said apparatus including in combination: (i) titrating means having a mixer for receiving and mixing liquids, a pair of supply tanks respectively for proteinaceous solution and a buffer solution connected to said mixer to supply the solutions thereto, pH sensing means operatively associated with said mixer for contact by the liquid mixture, and valve means connected between said supply tank of buffer solution and said mixer and in operative connection with said pH sensing means to control the flow of buffer solution into said mixer whereby the pH value of the proteinaceous solution is controlled; (ii) reaction means comprising (a) a heat-exchanger apparatus provided with a casing having a double walled passageway means therein for throughflow of a fluid constituting a heat-exchanging cooling fluid, and an axial space in said casing for throughflow of a liquid; said heat-exchanger apparatus including a heat transfer device within said axial space, said device in conjunction with said casing defining liquid passageway means for throughflow and exit therefrom of said liquid; said heat-exchanger apparatus thereby providing cooling surfacing for contact by said liquid; and (b) a pair of nozzles for discharging respectively jets of said solution and said liquid precipitant; said nozzles disposed so that said jet liquids convergingly merge to form a composite stream which impinges upon said cooling surfacing and instantly upon impingement becomes a reaction mixture containing the precipitated protein fraction, and said reaction mixture constituting the said liquid which then flows over said cooling surfacing and from said passageway means; one of said nozzles being connected to said titrating means so as to receive as its liquid a proteinaceous solution of predetermined pH value from said mixer; the other of said nozzles being connected to a supply tank of liquid precipitant whereby the liquids intermix and react together upon said impingement to form said reaction mixture containing the precipitated protein fraction; and (iii) separating means connected to said reaction means to receive the reaction mixture and to separate the protein fraction therefrom.

Claim 8

Apparatus for use in recovering a protein fraction from a liquid solution of proteinaceous material by reacting the solution with a liquid precipitant, said apparatus including in combination: (i) titrating means having a mixer for receiving and mixing liquids, a pair of supply tanks respectively for proteinaceous solution and a buffer solution connected to said mixer to supply the solutions thereto, pH sensing means operatively associated with said mixer for contact by the liquid mixture, and valve means connected between said supply tank of buffer solution and said mixer and in operative connection with said pH sensing means to control the flow of buffer solution into said mixer whereby the pH value of the proteinaceous solution is controlled; (ii) reaction means comprising (a) a heat-exchanger apparatus provided with a casing having a double walled passageway means therein for throughflow of a fluid constituting a heat-exchanging cooling fluid, and an axial space in said casing for throughflow of a liquid; said heat-exchanger apparatus including a heat transfer device within said axial space, said device in conjunction with said casing defining liquid passageway means for throughflow and exit therefrom of said liquid; said heat-exchanger apparatus thereby providing cooling surfacing for contact by said liquid; and (b) a pair of nozzles for discharging respectively jets of said solution and said liquid precipitant; said nozzles disposed so that said jet liquids convergingly merge to form a composite stream which impinges upon said cooling surfacing and instantly upon impingement becomes a reaction mixture containing the precipitated protein fraction, and said reaction mixture constituting the said liquid which then flows over said cooling surfacing and from said passageway means; one of said nozzles being connected to said titrating means so as to receive as its liquid a proteinaceous solution of predetermined pH value from said mixer; the other of said nozzles being connected to a supply tank of liquid precipitant whereby the liquids intermix and react together upon said impingement to form said reaction mixture containing the precipitated protein fraction; and (iii) separating means connected to said reaction means to receive the reaction mixture and to separate the protein fraction therefrom.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said mixer of said titrating means includes a vessel, valve means for controlling both the flow of solutions from said supply tanks to said vessel and the flow of mixture from the vessel, and level-sensing means associated with said vessel and operatively connected to said valve means to provide for repeated charging and discharging of said vessel.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said vessel of said titrating means has the proteinaceous solution inlet and the charge outlet disposed tangentially in said vessel wall below said vessel''s lowermost liquid level to provide for submerged tangential inflow and outflow so that foaming of the charge in the vessel is reduced.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said mixer of said titrating means is a flow mixer having an outlet duct connected to the proteinaceous liquid nozzle of said reaction means; and the pH sensing means project into said outlet duct.

Claim 12

ApparatuS as defined in claim 6, said heat transfer device comprising tubing for conducting a throughflow of said cooling fluid to provide cooling surfacing, said tubing embodying an upright helical-coil formation and having at its upper end a wall portion with a top cooling surface for impingement by the composite stream so that the reaction mixture flows over the tubing and from the casing.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said tubing embodies also an upright axial portion disposed within the said helical-coil formation and having at its upper end said wall portion.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said heat transfer device within said axial space comprises a generally cylindrical rod extending longitudinally and in contact with the casing and constituting a peripherally helically grooved rotor within said casing forming in conjunction with said casing the said passageway means; said rotor being cooled by said casing and having an end surface thereof at the entrance to said passageway means for impingement by the composite stream.