GB830118A - Method of and apparatus for treating particulate gelatin - Google Patents

Abstract

Particulate gelatin in admixture with an oil in which the gelatin is substantially insoluble, e.g. mineral or triglyceride oils such as castor, cottonseed, coconut or soybean oil, is p treated in an enclosed filter zone 44 with an organic solvent in which the oil is soluble to dissolve substantially all the oil, filtering off the oilcontaining solvent through filter plate 15 by producing a subatmospheric pressure in zone 43 by vacuum pump 26, and passing a stream of gas at a predetermined temperature through the particulate gelatin in a direction opposite the flow of the solvent filtrate until the par <PICT:0830118/IV (b)/1> ticulate gelatin is substantially non-tacky and free flowing. The particulate gelatin may contain medicinals, e.g. vitamins, and the mixture of gelatine and oil may be treated with an organic solvent suitable to dehydrate the particulate gelatine, e.g. isopropanol, acetone, ethanol, n-propanol, dioxane, and is then separated therefrom by filtration. A mixture of solvents, e.g. hexane, petroleum ether, methylene chloride or dichloroethylene, may be blended and regulated by valves 20 and 21 and the solvent fed into zone 44 through nozzles 19a. The gas, which may be an inert gaseous mixture blended and regulated by valves 38 and 39, e.g. carbon dioxide, nitrogen, air, may be heated by heater 29 from initially room temperature to finally approximately 45 DEG C., and fed into the chamber via conduit 41. A minor amount of a finely powdered mineral material, e.g. sodium silico aluminate, may be added to the filtered solvent treated particulate gelatine before the gaseous treatment is completed. The particulate gelatine may be continuously agitated by means of stirrer 31. Suitable filter plates may be made from porous carbon, graphite, alundum, silica, porcelain or stainless steel.