IP Library Granted Patent US 8,092,362
Granted Patent B2
US 8,092,362 · App. 12/282,424 · Granted Jan 10, 2012

Separator arrangement in sanitary design

Assignee: Westfalia Separator AG
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,092,362
App. No.
12/282,424
Granted
Jan 10, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A separator arrangement includes a separator having a drum with a vertical rotation axis. The drum is placed on a rotatable drive spindle and is surrounded by a shroud. A separating wall separates the separator arrangement into a sanitary area that includes the drum and the shroud and a drive area that includes the drive device. The separator and the drive device are decoupled as a unit, in terms of vibration, by at least one of the separating wall and a foundation attachment. The drive device includes a motor, a coupling, at least one bearing device, and a flange section around the drive spindle underneath a drive cover, and a sealing device. A membrane arrangement is formed in a region of the drive cover and, for vibration purposes, decouples the drive cover from the machine frame in a region around the drive spindle.

Claims (22)

1. A separator arrangement comprising:

a separator including a drum having a vertical rotation axis, the drum being placed on a rotatable drive spindle and being surrounded by a shroud, and the drum being rotatable during operation by a drive device at a rotation speed of more than 1000 rpm but less than 8500 rpm;

a separating wall separating the separator arrangement into a sanitary area that includes the drum and the shroud and a drive area that includes the drive device;

wherein the separator, which includes a machine frame, the shroud and the drum, and the drive device are decoupled as a unit, in terms of vibration, by at least one of the separating wall and a foundation attachment;

wherein the drive device includes a motor, a coupling, at least one bearing device, and a flange section around the drive spindle underneath a drive cover, and a sealing device; and

wherein a membrane arrangement is formed in a region of the drive cover and, for vibration purposes, decouples the drive cover from the machine frame in a region around the drive spindle.

2. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sanitary area is arranged above the separating wall, and the drive area is arranged below the separating wall.

3. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sanitary area and the drive area are two areas of a building which are separated from one another and surrounded by the separating wall in the form of a ceiling.

4. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sanitary area is subdivided into a first sanitary region outside the shroud and a second sanitary region inside the shroud.

5. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the first sanitary region outside the shroud is subject to less stringent cleanliness requirements than the second sanitary region inside the shroud.

6. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the second sanitary region is a sterile region configured to be sterilized by steam.

7. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the separator, including the machine frame, the shroud and the drum, and the drive unit are supported on one of the separating wall and the foundation attachment by at least one elastic element.

8. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a motor having an output-drive shaft which is arranged as an axial extension of the drive spindle.

9. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shroud is sealed with respect to the drive spindle by a sealing device, which sealing device includes one of a sliding-ring seal and a barrier chamber.

10. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive spindle is mounted rotatably in a bearing housing by at least one bearing device and is supported via elastic elements on the machine frame.

11. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a coupling device is arranged between the drive spindle and the output-drive shaft of the motor.

12. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shroud is connected in a gas-tight manner in a lower region of the shroud to the machine frame.

13. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a gap is formed between the separating wall and the machine frame and is bridged and sealed by an elastic sealing element.

14. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drum and the shroud are configured to be removable from the sanitary area without having to open a connection between the sanitary area and the drive area.

15. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a motor and the motor is arranged under the machine frame.

16. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a motor and the motor is arranged inside the machine frame.

17. The separator arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the drive device includes a motor and the motor and the drum have a common bearing.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: WESTFALIA SEPARATOR AG
To: WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GMBH
Reel/Frame 033225/0782 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GMBH
To: GEA WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GMBH
Reel/Frame 033225/0828 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2014
From: GEA WESTFALIA SEPARATOR GMBH
To: GEA MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT GMBH
Reel/Frame 033225/0853 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2009
From: KOHLSTETTE, WERNER; HOMANN, THOMAS; MULLER, OLAF
To: WESTFALIA SEPARATOR AG
Reel/Frame 022770/0945 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2006 011 895 · Mar 15, 2006 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090253565A1 · Oct 8, 2009