EP1173325B1 - Press for the treatment of materials which are divided into pieces, especially refuse or waste, comprising a fraction of materials which may yield under the effect of pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a press for the treatment of materials such as refuse or waste which are divided into pieces, comprising an extrusion chamber (5) which is pierced by radial extrusion orifices, a pressure piston (19) which is adapted in such a way that it can be deployed in the extrusion chamber (5) until a predetermined pressure is obtained, a moveable obturator which is adapted in such a way that it can move alternately between a position in which it obturates the surface of the extrusion chamber (5) opposite the pressure piston (19), wherein it rests against an element (1) of the frame of the press, and a position in which it opens said surface, in addition to means (17,18) for axial displacement of the extrusion chamber (5) along the pressure piston which is disposed in a position of deployment between a sealing position in which said extrusion chamber is placed against the obturator (21) and an extraction position in which it is displaced axially at a given distance from the obturator.

Description

The invention relates to a press for processing materials. fragmented, in particular waste or garbage, containing a fraction of materials likely to flow under pressure.

• une chambre d'extrusion d'axe longitudinal (x) montée sur un bâti, d'une part, ouverte à ses deux extrémités selon des sections droites définissant deux faces opposées coaxiales, une face, dite face amont, d'entrée des matières et une face, dite face aval, et, d'autre part percée d'orifices d'extrusion sur sa périphérie,
• des moyens d'alimentation de la chambre d'extrusion, aptes à délivrer une quantité de matières à l'intérieur de ladite chambre d'extrusion, au travers de la face amont de cette dernière,
• des moyens de compression des matières renfermées dans la chambre d'extrusion, aptes à soumettre ces dernières à une compression dans des conditions propres à en extraire par extrusion les matières susceptibles de fluer et à former une fraction solide compressée, lesdits moyens de compression comprenant un piston, dit piston presseur, coaxial avec l'axe (x) de la chambre d'extrusion, associé à des moyens de manoeuvre agencés pour le déplacer entre une position rétractée où il libère la chambre d'extrusion et une position déployée où il pénètre dans ladite chambre d'extrusion jusqu'à l'obtention d'une pression prédéterminée,
• et des moyens d'extraction de la fraction solide compressée dans la chambre d'extrusion,

At present, there are many types of presses intended for the treatment of fragmented materials, such as waste or garbage, making it possible to recover these materials. Such presses described in particular in patents FR 2,577,167, US-4,208,188, EP-563,173 mainly include:

• an extrusion chamber with a longitudinal axis (x) mounted on a frame, on the one hand, open at its two ends in straight sections defining two opposite coaxial faces, one face, known as the upstream face, for material entry and a face, called the downstream face, and, on the other hand, pierced with extrusion orifices on its periphery,
• means for feeding the extrusion chamber, capable of delivering a quantity of material inside said extrusion chamber, through the upstream face of the latter,
• means for compressing the materials contained in the extrusion chamber, capable of subjecting the latter to compression under conditions suitable for extracting therefrom by extrusion the materials liable to creep and to form a compressed solid fraction, said compression means comprising a piston, called pressure piston, coaxial with the axis (x) of the extrusion chamber, associated with maneuvering means arranged to move it between a retracted position where it releases the extrusion chamber and a deployed position where it penetrates in said extrusion chamber until a predetermined pressure is obtained,
• and means for extracting the solid fraction compressed in the extrusion chamber,

The advantage of such presses is that they allow to separate, for example in the case of garbage, the materials fermentable mainly consisting of biomass, and the materials fuels of low relative humidity.

Indeed, due to its very low relative humidity and the absence of biomass, the combustible fraction collected at the end of the compression lends itself to cost-effective incineration in fluidized bed type ovens circulating, known per se, under conditions meeting standards, in terms of combustion discharges. These ovens, associated with steam generating boilers, thus make it possible to produce superheated steam, by exploiting in a optimal calorific value of the combustible fraction of garbage or waste.

In addition, this combustible fraction free of moisture and biomass can be stored for an indefinite period without any nuisance, especially in heaps on open air areas, to be used by combustion during periods with very high energy demands.

Furthermore, the fermentable fraction freed from non-fermentable materials can, for its part, be treated under conditions optimal by known methods, in particular by biological seeding and fermentation to produce composts, organic fertilizers or gases likely to provide heat energy.

The subjection of such a valuation process, however, is in that the presses must allow high pressures to be reached with cycles of high frequency, which lead in the long run to deformations of the structures of said presses except for strongly dimensioning said structures. In the practical therefore, the current presses constitute very heavy assemblies and bulky, with a high cost price, leading in addition to high maintenance and upkeep.

This fact emerges for example from the analysis of the presses of conventional type as described in patents EP-563,173 and FR-2,577,167 which include, in addition to the pressure piston, a booster piston adapted to sweep a raw product storage hopper, then to enter the extrusion chamber in order to exert a back pressure when the pressure piston is actuated.

According to this principle, in fact, the length of the elements of the frame subject to the forces of the thrust to the extrusion pressure, is very important, of the order of 5 to 6 meters, which requires to provide elements of structure very strongly dimensioned without being able to guarantee against a tendency to deformation of these elements.

In addition, the booster piston is a heavy and expensive element. because it must exercise very different functions consisting, on the one hand, in feeding the extrusion chamber, function during which it moves over a long stroke by exerting a slight push, and on the other hand, exerting pressure extrusion in a very short time.

In addition, such a design requires providing a central hydraulic capable of both large flows and high pressures, and leads to very frequently request hydraulic valves with a lifespan thus limited.

To overcome these drawbacks, a press such as this has been designed as described in European patent application EP-684 117, comprising a barrel rotary in which three uniformly distributed extrusion chambers are provided around the axis of said barrel, and three filling stations respectively raw material, compression of this material, and extraction of the solid fraction compressed, in front of which are successively brought the extrusion chambers by rotation of the barrel.

According to this principle, the length of the frame subjected to the efforts of the pushing to the extrusion pressure is advantageously reduced. However, this reduction is obtained in particular through the realization of a heavy rotary element which in practice turns out to lead to a relatively complex design with a high cost price, and leading at high maintenance and upkeep costs.

The present invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of current presses and aims to provide a design press simplified with a lighter structure compared to current presses and requiring reduced operating costs.

• les moyens de compression des matières composites comprennent, en outre :
  • un obturateur mobile interposé entre la face amont de la chambre d'extrusion et un élément du bâti, associé à des moyens de déplacement aptes à le déplacer parallèlement à ladite face amont, alternativement entre une position d'obturation dans laquelle il est en appui sur ledit élément de bâti, et une position d'ouverture de ladite chambre d'extrusion,
• les moyens de manoeuvre du piston presseur sont adaptés pour que dans la position rétractée de ce dernier, l'extrémité dudit piston presseur demeure à l'intérieur de la chambre d'extrusion, au voisinage de la face aval de cette dernière.
• les moyens d'extraction de la fraction solide de matières comprennent des moyens de déplacement axial de la chambre d'extrusion aptes à l'amener à coulisser le long du piston presseur disposé dans sa position déployée, entre une position, dite position d'étanchement, où la face amont de ladite chambre d'extrusion est plaquée contre l'obturateur, et une position, dite position d'extraction, dans laquelle ladite face amont est éloignée axialement d'une distance prédéterminée dudit obturateur.

To this end, the invention relates to a press as described in the preamble above, characterized in that:

• the means for compressing the composite materials also comprise:
  • a movable shutter interposed between the upstream face of the extrusion chamber and an element of the frame, associated with displacement means able to move it parallel to said upstream face, alternately between a closed position in which it is supported on said frame element, and an open position of said extrusion chamber,
• the means for operating the pressure piston are adapted so that in the retracted position of the latter, the end of said pressure piston remains inside the extrusion chamber, in the vicinity of the downstream face of the latter.
• the means for extracting the solid fraction of material comprise means for axial displacement of the extrusion chamber capable of causing it to slide along the pressure piston disposed in its deployed position, between a position, called the sealing position , where the upstream face of said extrusion chamber is pressed against the shutter, and a position, said extraction position, in which said upstream face is axially distant by a predetermined distance from said shutter.

The idea behind the invention was to make a press designed so that the functions, on the one hand, of filling the chamber extraction and, on the other hand, pressurization and extraction of the material fully separated, thus exempting significant effort from the part the longest of the press, i.e. the one devoted to loading.

According to the invention, this separation is obtained by providing the press of a shutter adapted to seal the upstream face of the extrusion chamber when the material is pressurized, so that the thrust exerted on this shutter is reflected on an element of the frame immediately juxtaposed audit shutter. Thus, the length of the part of the frame intended to compensate for the efforts of pressurization is limited to the axial length occupied by the chamber during extrusion. This design therefore reduces notably the length of the structural elements subjected to significant efforts and the risks of deformation of these elements, and therefore authorizes much lighter presses with production costs and reduced operation.

According to the invention, moreover, the pressurization is carried out by a pressure piston having to exert significant efforts but traveling only one weak stroke. In addition, thanks to the design of the press, the end of the piston presser is kept constantly inside the extrusion chamber, so that all problems of wear and shearing of the materials are eliminated extrude inherent in the entry and exit of conventional pistons.

Furthermore, the compressed fraction is ejected thanks to the axial displacement of the extrusion chamber along the pressure piston maintained in its deployed position, displacement which can be obtained easily seen the low relative weight of said extrusion chamber. In addition, it should be noted that the means for moving the extrusion chamber have the function, in addition to ejection function, to seal this extrusion chamber while maintaining the upstream face of the latter pressed against the shutter when setting pressure.

To this end, advantageously, and in order to perfect sealing, the press includes an annular seal integral with the shutter and diameter combined with that of the upstream face of the chamber extrusion, adapted to be compressed in the sealing position of this last.

It therefore appears from the design of the press according to the invention that the supply means, which can be of any type known per se (piston, Archimedes screw), have the sole function of supplying the extrusion chamber and does not participate in any way in the following pressurization operations and extraction. This limitation of the functions devolved to the supply means advantageously leads to making it possible to "lighten" the latter because they do not have to create or undergo significant efforts, and thus reduce the length to less than 2 meters elements of the frame subjected to the efforts of pressurizing extrusion.

Furthermore, the pressure piston advantageously has a diameter smaller than the internal diameter of the extrusion chamber, the downstream face of said extrusion chamber being closed by a wall integral with the latter, pierced with an orifice of diameter conjugate with that of said pressure piston.

Due to the Paschal behavior of pasty materials, more consistent, this differentiation of the diameters of the pressure piston and the extrusion chamber leads to creating a free space in which come spread, under the effect of pressure, the materials expelled. Thus, the expulsion of material outside the extrusion chamber is facilitated by the fact that this extrusion takes place through all the extrusion orifices and not only through the orifices located upstream side of said chamber, as is the case with a piston of diameter adjusted to that of the latter.

In addition, this differentiation in diameters exempts from a machining of the extrusion chamber suitable for adjusting the piston. Finally, she eliminates accelerated wear resulting from the presence of debris from treated materials sliding between the piston and the wall of the extrusion chamber.

The pressure piston advantageously also has a domed end section in the shape of a cap. Such a convex form of the end of the pressing piston makes it possible to obtain at any time but mainly to approaching the end of the race, i.e. approaching obtaining pressure final, a compression of the residual mass, then little Pascalian, more important in the center than on the outskirts. This arrangement thus facilitates the migration of the last pasty materials, the most linked to the residue, towards the orifices and towards the free space between the piston and the wall of the extrusion chamber.

Furthermore, and advantageously, each orifice of the extrusion chamber incorporates a removable jacket, said extrusion chamber being provided with means for holding each of the shirts in its orifice.

In addition, each orifice of the extrusion chamber has advantageously a counterbore made at the level of the external face of the wall peripheral of said extrusion chamber, while each jacket has a collar shaped to accommodate the counterbore of the corresponding orifice.

In addition, the means for holding the shirts comprises then an annular skirt of suitable shape to accommodate the extrusion chamber, pierced radial orifices arranged so as to each extend in the radial extension an orifice of said extrusion chamber.

These provisions result in providing the extrusion chamber with shirts whose change is easy in the event of wear or occlusion by a hard body. In addition, in order to obtain slower wear, the material used to make the shirts can be chosen to be more resistant to abrasion than steel extrusion chamber, the primary function of which is resistance to pressure.

In addition, the annular skirt, in addition to its function of blocking shirts allowing their change after removal of said skirt, allows consolidate the enclosure by forming a hoop.

Each orifice of this annular skirt has, in addition, advantageously a frustoconical shape of increasing section in the direction of the face external of said annular skirt, so as to reduce the "blunt" wear which is observed in practice.

• une trémie de chargement dotée d'un orifice de sortie coaxial avec l'axe (x) et relié au bâti par un conduit de liaison,
• des moyens d'acheminement des matières à l'intérieur de la chambre d'extrusion au travers du conduit de liaison.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the means for supplying the extrusion chamber comprise:

• a loading hopper with an outlet orifice coaxial with the axis (x) and connected to the frame by a connecting duct,
• means for conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber through the connecting pipe.

According to this embodiment, and in addition to the fact that the routing means do not have to create or undergo internal chamber pressure they do not have to be adjusted to the supply duct, but can on the contrary, be of dimensions smaller than those of this conduit. Therefore, are thus eliminated, on the one hand, the shearing of the materials at the entry of the conduit feed or extrusion chamber, and secondly, the subjugations of a bore pushed interfaces and fouling of those interfaces.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the element of frame consists of a flat wall parallel to the upstream face of the extrusion chamber, adapted to form the bottom wall of a shutter guide slide, and pierced with a hole coaxial with the axis (x).

In addition, the shutter advantageously comprises a wall of length greater than the diameter of the extrusion chamber, and has a portion of length consisting of a solid surface wall suitable for sealing the face upstream of said extrusion chamber, during this obturation and to pass on the frame member pushing the pressure piston and the extrusion chamber, and a wall of length pierced with an orifice of conjugate dimensions of said upstream face arranged to be positioned coaxially with axis (x), in the open position said shutter.

Such a shutter has a shape suitable for driving, during its movement towards its closed position, a quantity of materials to process with a volume smaller than that of the orifice provided in said obturator, because the routing means having already compacted the load of raw materials, the returns in background material will be limited. Any amount of material that remains in the orifice would then be driven in priority in the extrusion chamber during the next sequence.

In order to favor the shearing of possible materials to process, the shutter also advantageously comprises a contour portion posterior, considering the direction of movement of said shutter from its position opening towards its closed position, presenting an oblique profile inclined in direction of the frame element.

• un piston, dit piston de gavage, coaxial avec la chambre d'extrusion et de diamètre inférieur à celui de ladite chambre d'extrusion, ledit piston de gavage étant agencé pour se déplacer entre une position rétractée où son extrémité est située au voisinage d'une ouverture de la trémie de chargement opposée à l'ouverture de sortie, et une position extrême déployée où il traverse la trémie de chargement, le conduit de liaison, et pénètre dans la chambre d'extrusion sur une faible longueur déterminée de celle-ci,
• des moyens de manoeuvre du piston de gavage,
• et des moyens de guidage longitudinal du piston de gavage.

Concerning the means of feeding this press, and according to a first advantageous embodiment, the means of conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber include:

• a piston, said booster piston, coaxial with the extrusion chamber and of diameter smaller than that of said extrusion chamber, said booster piston being arranged to move between a retracted position where its end is located in the vicinity of an opening of the loading hopper opposite to the outlet opening, and an extreme deployed position where it passes through the loading hopper, the connecting duct, and enters the extrusion chamber over a short determined length thereof ,
• means for operating the booster piston,
• and means for longitudinally guiding the boost piston.

In addition, and advantageously, the guide means longitudinal of the boost piston consist of the bottom wall of the hopper load having a section in the shape of a circular sector of diameter conjugate with that of said booster piston.

Furthermore, and advantageously, the maneuvering means of the boost piston include control means adapted to allow to adjust the positioning of the end of said booster piston in the position retracted from the latter. As will be better understood later, this possibility of adjusting the retracted position of the boost piston allows the quantities of materials to be processed per cycle and the desired result.

• une vis sans fin disposée dans le fond de la trémie de chargement et dotée d'une extrémité, dite extrémité aval, positionnée sensiblement dans un même plan que l'élément du bâti,
• des moyens d'entraínement en rotation de la vis sans fin.

According to a second advantageous embodiment concerning the supply means, the means for conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber include:

• a worm screw arranged in the bottom of the loading hopper and provided with one end, called the downstream end, positioned substantially in the same plane as the frame element,
• means for driving the worm in rotation.

In addition, and advantageously, the drive means in rotation of the worm comprises control means adapted to allow to adjust the number of turns made by said worm during each supply operation of the extrusion chamber. This provision has an objective identical to that for adjusting the retracted position of the boost piston.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the hopper of loading and the extrusion chamber are carried by two separate frames sealed on a common base and connected by the connecting pipe, said connecting pipe being consisting of two longitudinal sections respectively secured to one and the other frames, and joined by means of a flexible junction.

According to this provision, the structures of the two parts of the assembly, feed and extrusion devices, subject to very constraints are separate. Indeed and in particular due to the differences in diameters between the pistons and / or screws and the cylinders, the rigor of their alignment does not require the more compactness of a common structure, necessarily more rigid due to its length, and therefore heavier and more expensive.

• actionnement des moyens d'alimentation de la chambre d'extrusion en vue de remplir celle-ci d'une quantité donnée de matières composites,
• actionnement des moyens de déplacement de l'obturateur jusqu'à amener ce dernier dans sa position d'obturation de la face d'entrée de la chambre d'extrusion.
• actionnement des moyens de déplacement axial de la chambre d'extrusion en vue d'exercer un effort de placage de la face d'entrée de cette dernière contre l'obturateur.
• déploiement du piston presseur dans la chambre d'extrusion jusqu'à atteindre une pression finale prédéterminée en vue d'assurer la compression requise des matières.
• actionnement des moyens de déplacement axial de la chambre d'extrusion jusqu'à amener cette dernière dans sa position d'extraction, en vue d'éjecter la fraction solide compressée.
• actionnement des moyens de déplacement de l'obturateur jusqu'à amener ce dernier dans sa position d'ouverture.
• actionnement des moyens de déplacement axial de la chambre d'extrusion jusqu'à ramener cette dernière en butée souple contre l'obturateur.
• retrait du piston presseur jusqu'à sa position rétractée.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the press comprises a control unit adapted to condition the following operating cycle, from an initial position where the pressure piston is in its retracted position, the shutter in its position opening, and the extrusion chamber positioned with its inlet face contiguous to said shutter.

• actuation of the means for supplying the extrusion chamber with a view to filling the latter with a given quantity of composite materials,
• actuation of the shutter displacement means until bringing the latter in its closed position of the inlet face of the extrusion chamber.
• actuation of the means for axial displacement of the extrusion chamber with a view to exerting a plating force on the entry face of the latter against the shutter.
• deployment of the pressure piston in the extrusion chamber until a predetermined final pressure is reached in order to ensure the required compression of the materials.
• actuation of the means of axial displacement of the extrusion chamber until bringing the latter into its extraction position, in order to eject the compressed solid fraction.
• actuation of the shutter displacement means until bringing the latter in its open position.
• actuation of the means for axial displacement of the extrusion chamber until the latter is brought into flexible abutment against the shutter.
• withdrawal of the pressure piston to its retracted position.

In addition, and advantageously, the control unit includes a manual control adapted to generate a withdrawal additional pressure piston, from its retracted position, to extract the end of said pressure piston of the extrusion chamber. This additional withdrawal pressure piston allows, in fact, to extract it from the extrusion chamber in view any disassembly of the latter.

Furthermore, the control unit is advantageously a controllable unit adapted to allow the progression of the climb to be programmed in pressure, the value of the final pressure, and the duration of maintenance of said pressure final. Indeed, certain results or characteristics of separate materials depend of these parameters.

To this end, the controllable press unit will allow the choice of the pressure rise curve, for example by controlling the flow rate of the pumps of the hydraulic power unit, as well as the choice of the final pressure and the duration of its maintenance.

Depending on the material to be treated and the characteristics sought for the two separate phases (extruded material and solid residue), the progressiveness will be more or less rapid, possibly comprising one or more sequences leading to the final extrusion pressure.

• la progressivité de la montée en pression ainsi que le niveau et la durée d'application de la pression finale d'extrusion, contribuent à déterminer le rendement ou la sélectivité de la séparation des matières fluentes.

This piloting leads in particular to the following possibilities:

• the progressiveness of the pressure increase as well as the level and the duration of application of the final extrusion pressure, contribute to determining the yield or the selectivity of the separation of the fluent materials.

Indeed, the choice of intermediate pressures, sufficient for initiate the ejection of fluent materials, but which do not yet create significant friction with the solids present in all composite materials, will facilitate the expulsion of the most fluent materials, those least bound to solids, to which do not need to reach the final pressure to obtain their ejection.

Thus, these most fluent materials will be integrally ejected without risk of being blocked inside micro-cavities created in the solid and prematurely closed by too high a speed of reaching a strong pressure, risk that remains for fluent materials very closely linked to solids (for example impregnation for example).

The pressure progression curve will be experimentally determinable according to the materials to be treated.

It is the same for the choice of the final pressure in function of the selectivity sought, pressure whose level unnecessarily high would result in a rapidly increasing specific cost.

The final pressure determines the dryness of the solid residue, which can be more or less sought, particularly in the case where the residue after extrusion must be stored and / or used as fuel.

• la figure 1 est une vue longitudinale partiellement en coupe par un plan vertical axial d'une presse conforme à l'invention,
• la figure 2 en est une coupe transversale par un plan vertical A,
• la figure 3 est une vue frontale de l'obturateur de cette presse,
• la figure 4 est une coupe longitudinale axiale de la chambre d'extrusion de cette presse,
• la figure 5 est une coupe longitudinale partielle à échelle agrandie d'une portion de paroi périphérique de la chambre d'extrusion,
• la figure 6 est une coupe transversale par un plan vertical B de la trémie de chargement de cette presse,
• et les figures 7 à 12 sont des vues longitudinales schématiques partiellement en coupe montrant les étapes essentielles du cycle de fonctionnement de la presse.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings which represent, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment. In these drawings:

• FIG. 1 is a longitudinal view partially in section through an axial vertical plane of a press according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a cross section through a vertical plane A thereof,
• FIG. 3 is a front view of the shutter of this press,
• FIG. 4 is an axial longitudinal section of the extrusion chamber of this press,
• FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the peripheral wall of the extrusion chamber,
• FIG. 6 is a cross section through a vertical plane B of the loading hopper of this press,
• and Figures 7 to 12 are schematic longitudinal views partially in section showing the essential stages of the press operating cycle.

The press according to the invention shown in Figure 1 is composed of two subsets sealed on a common base S of masonry army forming a non-deformable whole: a loading sub-assembly of materials, and a subset of extruding these materials.

First, the extrusion sub-assembly is supported by a frame comprising two end plates such as 1, conventional elements of chassis, such as tie rods 2, and longitudinal plates such as 3 in the form of angles possibly intended to reinforce the rigidity of the assembly, and giving press a general rectangular parallelepiped shape. These plates longitudinal 3 are, moreover, adapted so that each of the lateral faces, lower and upper, has an opening such as 4 extending over the major length of said face, for the purposes explained below.

This extrusion sub-assembly includes an extrusion chamber 5 cylindrical with horizontal axis of revolution (x), delimited on the one hand, by two faces open, called upstream 5a and downstream 5b, and on the other hand, by a peripheral wall perforated which has a plurality of radial extrusion orifices such as 6. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, each extrusion orifice 6 has a counterbore 6a formed at the level of the external face of the peripheral wall. In addition, each of these orifices 6 incorporates a cylindrical jacket 7 comprising a collar 7a of shape suitable for accommodating in the counterbore 6a.

This extrusion chamber 5 is, moreover, "shrunk" by a annular skirt 8, ensuring the maintenance of the shirts 7, and pierced opposite each extrusion orifices 6 of a radial orifice 9 of frustoconical shape of section increasing towards the outer face of said annular skirt.

These tapered orifices 9 open into a collector annular 10 provided with a lower discharge duct 11 which delivers the materials extruded to a conveyor belt 12 disposed in a pit 13 formed in the base 5 while a second conveyor belt 14 is intended to receive the residue extrusion.

The downstream face 5b of the extrusion chamber 5 is also partially closed by a plate 15 having a circular orifice coaxial with the axis (x) of diameter less than the diameter of said extrusion chamber bordered by a peripheral engraving housing an annular seal 15a.

The extrusion chamber / collector assembly 9 is, moreover, adapted to be able to move axially between the end plates 1 and is carried for this purpose by two lateral raceways such as 16. This displacement is, moreover, generated by two cylinders 17, 18 diametrically distributed under and above the extrusion chamber 5 and coupled to the closure plate 15.

The extrusion sub-assembly also includes a piston 19 of diameter combined with that of the orifice of the closure plate 15, provided with a convex end 19a in the form of a spherical cap or the top of a paraboloid.

This pressure piston 19 is moved by a jack 20 adapted for the move between a deployed position inside the extrusion chamber 5 and a retracted position where it remains inside the latter.

This sub-assembly finally includes a suitable shutter 21 for alternately closing and opening the upstream face Sa of the extrusion chamber 5. This shutter 21 consists of a wall adapted to move in a slide vertical 22 open at its upper and lower ends, and whose plate upstream end 1 of the press forms the bearing face, said wall being associated with this effect to a jack 23.

This wall 21 comprises, firstly, a portion bottom of full surface 21a of dimensions adapted to seal the upstream face 5a of the extrusion chamber 5 and to serve as a support for the upstream end face of the peripheral wall of the latter. This portion of solid surface comprises, in in addition, an annular groove housing a seal 24 adapted to be compressed by the extrusion chamber 5 when the latter is caused to be pressed against the shutter 21.

This wall 21 further comprises an upper portion 21b pierced with a circular orifice 25 with a diameter at least equal to that of the upstream face 5a of the extrusion chamber 5, adapted to be aligned with the latter in cylinder retracted position 23.

The lower edge 25a of this orifice 25 also has a oblique profile inclined towards the end plate 1, so as to favor the possible shearing of the materials which would have come out of the extrusion chamber 5 after force-feeding.

Finally, the extrusion sub-assembly includes a conduit 26 for connection with the material loading sub-assembly, said conduit extending coaxially with the axis (x) in the extension of an orifice circular of the same diameter formed in the upstream end plate 1.

The loading sub-assembly includes a loading hopper 27, the section of which has a general dihedral shape the edge of which is replaced by a cylindrical sector 27a of diameter smaller than that of the connecting pipe 26.

This loading hopper 27 further comprises a downstream lower opening in the extension of which extends a duct 28 connected to the connection conduit 26 by a flexible seal 29, and of the same diameter than the latter.

This loading hopper 27 also has an orifice upstream allowing the deflections of a boost piston 30 driven by a jack 31, and diameter combined with that of the cylindrical sector formed by the bottom 27a of said hopper, but lower than that of conduits 26, 28 in order to avoid shearing of materials.

This loading hopper 27 finally comprises a gland longitudinal 32 of conventional type intended to avoid the formation of a vault and to cause some compaction of the material in the lower portion of said hopper swept by the boost piston 30.

Press components described above are ordered by a programmable controller and adapted to move as follows.

First, the two cylinders 17, 18 are arranged to move the extrusion chamber 5 axially between a retracted position where this the latter is distant from the shutter 21 by a distance adapted to allow the fall on the conveyor belt 14 of the extrusion residues, and a deployed position where the upstream face Sa of said extrusion chamber is in contact with said shutter.

Considering the extrusion chamber 5 in its position deployed above, the cylinder 20 is adapted to move the piston 19 between a deployed position in which it spans most of the length of said extrusion chamber, and a retracted position where its end 19a remains in this extrusion chamber 5, near the downstream face 5b of the latter.

In addition, the programmable controller has a control manual which leads to a complementary withdrawal of the piston 19 allowing extract the end 19a of the latter from the extrusion chamber 5, in view authorize the withdrawal of the extrusion chamber 5 / collector 9 assembly through the opening chassis for maintenance of this assembly.

It should be noted, for this purpose, that in addition to this upper opening and as described above, the chassis comprises, on the one hand, side openings allowing access to all of the organs located inside the latter, in particular the raceways 16, and on the other hand, a lower opening by which the extruded materials and the extrusion residues are discharged.

The jack 31 is finally adapted to move the booster piston 30 between a variable retracted position in which the end of this piston 30 is located upstream opening side of the loading hopper 27, and a deployed position where this end penetrates a short distance into the extrusion chamber 5.

The variable retracted position of this booster piston 30 controlled from the programmable unit allows selection of the quantity of materials which will be introduced into the extrusion chamber 5 during each sequence.

• d₀ la densité de la matière brute dans la trémie de chargement 27,
• d₁ la densité dans le bas de la trémie 27, obtenue sous l'effet du fouloir 32, avant que la matière soit poussée dans les conduits 26, 28 (position "O" du chargeur),
• d₂ la densité dans la chambre d'extrusion 5 avant extrusion,
• d₃ la densité du résidu de l'extrusion,

le réglage de la position "O" du piston de gavage 30, c'est-à-dire le choix de la longueur de sa course, combiné au choix de la longueur de la course du fouloir 32 permettra le choix de la quantité de matières à traiter par cycle et des diverses densités en fonction des matières à traiter et du résultat recherché.Indeed, if we consider:

• d ₀ the density of the raw material in the loading hopper 27,
• d ₁ the density at the bottom of the hopper 27, obtained under the effect of the gland 32, before the material is pushed into the conduits 26, 28 (position "O" of the loader),
• d ₂ the density in the extrusion chamber 5 before extrusion,
• d ₃ the density of the residue from the extrusion,

adjusting the position "O" of the boost piston 30, that is to say the choice of the length of its stroke, combined with the choice of the length of the stroke of the gland 32 will allow the choice of the quantity of materials to be treated by cycle and various densities depending on the materials to be treated and the desired result.

In addition, it should be noted that the boost piston 30 includes a diameter smaller than that of the conduits 26, 28 and of the extrusion chamber 5 because that it does not have to seal this extrusion chamber or compensate for the pressure from the pressure piston 19. This feature leads to the elimination, on the one hand, of the shears at the inlet of the duct 28 and of the extrusion chamber 5, and on the other hand, the subjections of the deep bore of the interfaces and the fouling of the latter.

It should also be noted that the difference in diameter between the boost piston 30 and the conduits 26, 28 exempts from the need to align rigorously the two subsets, and subjugations inherent in such alignment.

Based on these movement possibilities, the machine is in particular programmed to condition the operating cycle illustrated in Figures 7 to 12 and described below.

The press is assumed to be in the following initial position: booster piston 30 and pressure piston 19 in their retracted position, chamber extrusion 5 in its deployed position in flexible support against the shutter 21, shutter 21 in its open position, and plugger 32 in its low position.

First, the boost piston 30 is deployed so as to sweep at least a portion of the loading hopper 27 and push a quantity of raw materials (determined by adjusting its "O" position) in the extrusion chamber 5, the front face 5b of which is closed by the pressure piston 19 (figure 7).

The boost piston 30 is retracted to its "O" position, while that the gland 32 is raised and the shutter 21 moved to its closed position of the extrusion chamber 5 (Figure 8).

The cylinders 17, 18 exert a significant force intended to press the upstream face Sa of the extrusion chamber 5 against the shutter 21, and at thus allow the radial sealing between these elements by compression of the joint seal 24 (Figure 9). In parallel, the gland 32 is lowered so as to compact the raw material in the bottom of the loading hopper 27.

The pressure piston 19 is deployed according to an evolution of programmed pressure until a final pressure, also programmed from compression, of the materials contained in the extrusion chamber 5 (FIG. 10). At during this compression, the extruded materials are further removed by the conduit 11 towards the conveyor belt 12.

The pressing piston 19 remaining in its deployed position, and after a programmed period of time, the extrusion chamber is moved to its retracted position (figure 11). The compressed residue is then prevented from following the displacement of the extrusion chamber 5, thanks to the pressure piston 19 deployed, and falls by gravity onto the conveyor belt 14.

The extrusion chamber 5 is then brought back to its position deployed but without exerting an effort likely to prevent displacement shutter 21 which is itself brought to its low open position (figure 12). Simultaneously, the pressure piston 19 is returned to its retracted position.

• impossibilité de mouvement pour le piston de gavage 30 si :
  • l'obturateur 21 n'est pas en position complète d'ouverture de la chambre d'extrusion 5,
  • la chambre d'extrusion 5 n'est pas en position déployée,
  • le piston presseur 19 n'est pas en position rétractée,
• impossibilité de fermeture par l'obturateur 21 si le piston de gavage 30 est en mouvement vers l'aval et s'il n'est pas hors de la chambre d'extrusion 5,
• impossibilité d'ouverture par l'obturateur 21 si les vérins 17, 18 de manoeuvre de la chambre d'extrusion 5 exercent sur lui la pression d'étanchement,
• impossibilité d'une avancée du piston presseur 19 si :
  • la chambre d'extrusion 5 n'exerce pas sur le joint d'étanchement radial 24 la poussée nécessaire à l'étanchéité de ladite chambre d'extrusion,
  • l'obturateur 21 n'est pas complètement en position de fermeture.

The control automaton is also programmed to trigger a certain number of safeties:

• impossibility of movement for the boost piston 30 if:
  • the shutter 21 is not in the full open position of the extrusion chamber 5,
  • the extrusion chamber 5 is not in the deployed position,
  • the pressure piston 19 is not in the retracted position,
• impossibility of closing by the shutter 21 if the boost piston 30 is moving downstream and if it is not outside the extrusion chamber 5,
• impossibility of opening by the shutter 21 if the actuators 17, 18 for operating the extrusion chamber 5 exert sealing pressure on it,
• impossibility of advancing the pressure piston 19 if:
  • the extrusion chamber 5 does not exert on the radial seal 24 the thrust necessary for sealing said extrusion chamber,
  • the shutter 21 is not completely in the closed position.

Claims (20)

1. Press for processing disintegrated materials, in particular refuse or waste, containing a fraction of materials that are capable of yielding under the effect of pressure, comprising :

   a frame (1-3),

   an extrusion chamber (5) with a horizontal axis (x) mounted on the said frame (1-3), on the one hand open at its two ends along straight sections defining two coaxial opposite faces, one face (5a), called the upstream face, being the inlet for the materials and one face (5b), called the downstream face, and on the other hand perforated with extrusion orifices (6) over its periphery,

   means (26-31) for feeding the extrusion chamber (5), capable of delivering a quantity of the materials inside the said extrusion chamber, through the upstream face (5a) of the latter,

   means for compressing the materials enclosed in the extrusion chamber (5) capable of subjecting the latter to compression under conditions suitable for extracting therefrom materials capable of yielding and of forming a compressed solid fraction, the said means of compression comprising manoeuvring means (20) and a piston (19), called the thrust piston, coaxial with the axis (x) of the extrusion chamber (5), associated with the manoeuvring means (20) arranged so as to move the thrust piston (19) between a retracted position where it frees the extrusion chamber (5) and a deployed position where it enters the extrusion chamber until a predetermined pressure is obtained,

   and means (17,18) for extracting the compressed solid fraction from the extrusion chamber (5),

   the said press being characterized in that :

   the means for compressing the composite materials additionally comprise :

   a movable shutter (21), interposed between the upstream face (5a) of the extrusion chamber (5) and an element (1) of the frame, and means of displacement (23) capable of displacing the movable shutter (21) in a parallel manner with respect to the upstream face, alternately between a closing position in which it is resting on the said frame element, and a position for opening the said extrusion chamber,

   the means (20) for manoeuvring the thrust piston (19) are adapted so that in the retracted position of the latter, the end (19a) of the said thrust piston remains inside the extrusion chamber (5), in the vicinity of the downstream face (5b) of the latter,

   the means for extracting the solid fraction of the materials comprising means (17, 18) for the axial displacement of the extrusion chamber (5) capable of causing it to slide along the thrust piston (19) disposed in a deployed position, between a position called the sealing position where the upstream face (5a) of the said extrusion chamber is pressed against the shutter (21), and a position called the extraction position in which the said upstream face is separated axially from the said shutter by a predetermined distance.
2. Press according to claim 1, characterized in that the thrust piston (19) has a diameter less than the internal diameter of the extrusion chamber (5), the downstream face (5b) of the said extrusion chamber being closed by a wall (15) secured to the latter, perforated by an orifice with a diameter matching that of the said thrust piston.
3. Press according to claim 2 characterized in that the thrust piston (19) has a domed end section (19a) in the form of a cap.
4. Press according to one of claims 1 or 3 characterized in that it comprises an annular seal (24) secured to the shutter (21) and having a diameter matching that of the upstream face (5a) of the extrusion chamber (5), adapted so as to be compressed in the sealing position of the latter.
5. Press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each orifice (6) of the extrusion chamber incorporates a detachable sleeve (7), the said extrusion chamber being provided with means (8) for holding each of the sleeves in its orifice (6).
6. Press according to claim 5, characterized in that :

   each orifice (6) of the extrusion chamber (5) has a recess (6a) provided in the region of the outer face of this peripheral wall of the said extrusion chamber,

   each sleeve (7) has a collar (7a) with a form adapted so as to be housed in the recess (6a) of the corresponding orifice (6),

   the means for holding the sleeves (7) comprises an annular skirt (8) with a form adapted so as to house the extrusion chamber (5), perforated with radial orifices (9) provided so that each extends in the radial extension of an orifice (6) of the said extrusion chamber.
7. Press according to claim 6, characterized in that each orifice (9) of the annular skirt (8) has a frustoconical shape with a crescent cross section in the direction of the outer face of the said annular skirt.
8. Press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for feeding the extrusion chamber comprises :

   a feed hopper (27) provided with an outlet orifice coaxial with the axis (x) and connected to the frame (1-3) by a connecting conduit (26, 28),

   means (30) for conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber (5) through the connecting conduit (26, 28).
9. Press according to claim 8, characterized in that the element of the frame (1) consists of a flat wall parallel to the upstream face (5a) of the extrusion chamber (5), adapted so as to form the bottom wall of a slide (22) for guiding the shutter (21), and perforated by an orifice coaxial with the axis (x).
10. Press according to either of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the shutter (21) has a wall with a length greater than the diameter of the extrusion chamber (5), and has a portion of the length consisting of a solid wall (21a) with a surface adapted so as to close the upstream face (5a) of the said extrusion chamber and, during this closure, for transmitting the thrust of the thrust piston (19) and the extrusion chamber (5) to the frame element (1), and a wall portion (21b) perforated with an orifice (22) with dimensions matching the said upstream face, provided so as to be positioned coaxially with the axis (x), in the open position of the said shutter.
11. Press according to claim 10, characterized in that the orifice (22) of the shutter (21) includes a portion (22a) contoured at the rear, with respect to the direction of displacement of the said shutter from its open position to its closing position, having an oblique profile inclined in the direction of the frame element (1).
12. Press according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the means for conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber (5) comprise :

    a piston (30), called the force-feeding piston, coaxial with the extrusion chamber (5) and having a diameter less than that of the extrusion chamber, the said force-feeding piston being provided so as to move between a retracted position where its end is situated in the vicinity of an opening of the feed hopper (27) opposite the outlet opening, and a deployed end position where it traverses the feed hopper (27), the connecting conduit (26, 28), and enters the extrusion chamber (5) over a small fixed length of the latter,

    means (31) for manoeuvring the force-feeding piston (30),

    and means (27a) for guiding of the force-feeding piston (30) longitudinally.
13. Press according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for guiding the force-feeding piston longitudinally consists of the bottom wall (27a) of the feed hopper (27) having a section in the form of a circular sector with a diameter matching that of the said force-feeding piston.
14. Press according to either of claims 12 or 13, characterised in that the means for manoeuvring the force-feeding piston (30) include control means adapted so as to enable the position of the end of the force-feeding piston to be adjusted in the retracted position of the latter.
15. Press according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the means for conveying the materials inside the extrusion chamber (5) comprise :

    an endless screw positioned in the bottom of the feed hopper (27) and provided with one end, called the downstream end, positioned substantially in the same plane as the element of the frame (1),

    means for driving the endless screw in rotation.
16. Press according to claim 15, characterized in that the means for driving the endless screw in rotation include control means adapted so as to enable the number of revolutions made by the said endless screw to be adjusted during each operation for feeding the extrusion chamber (5).
17. Press according to one of claims 8 to 16, characterized in that the feed hopper (27) and the extrusion chamber (5) are carried by two distinct frames sealed onto a common base (S) connected by the connecting conduit (26, 28), the said connecting conduit consisting of two longitudinal sections secured to one or other of the frames respectively, and joined by means of a flexible junction (29).
18. Press according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a control unit adapted so as to influence the following operational cycle, from an initial position where the thrust piston (19) is in its retracted position, the shutter (21) is in its open position, and the extrusion chamber (5) is positioned with its upstream inlet face (5a) positioned beside the said shutter.

    actuating the feed means (30) of the extrusion chamber (5) with a view to filling the latter with a given quantity of composite materials,

    actuating the means of displacement (23) of the shutter (21) until the latter is brought into its position closing the inlet face (5a) of the extrusion chamber (5),

    actuating the means of axial movement (17, 18) of the extrusion chamber (5) with a view to exerting a force pressing the inlet face (5a) of the latter against the shutter (21),

    deployment of the thrust piston (19) into the extrusion chamber (5) until the final predetermined pressure is reached with a view to ensuring the required compression of the materials,

    actuating the means of axial displacement (17, 18) of the extrusion chamber (5) until the latter is brought into its extraction position, with a view to ejecting the compressed solid fraction,

    actuating the means of displacement (23) of the shutter (21) until the latter is brought into its open position,

    actuating the means of axial movement (17, 18) of the extrusion chamber (5) until the later is brought to butt up in a flexible manner against the shutter (21),

    withdrawal of the thrust piston (19) to its retracted position.
19. Press according to claim 18, characterized in that the control unit comprises a manual control adapted so as to bring about a supplementary withdrawal of the thrust piston (19) from its retracted position, with a view to extracting the end (19a) of the said thrust piston from the extrusion chamber (5).
20. Press according to either of claims 18 or 19, characterized in that the control unit is a unit that can be regulated adapted so as to make it possible to programme the pressure rise, the value of the final pressure and the period during which the final pressure is maintained.

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