EP3016744B1 - Valve/mill arrangement - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a compact valve-mill arrangement in which a mill is at least partially integrated in a valve.

In today's process for the production of granules, mills are used to eliminate irregularities in the particle sizes with respect to maximum grain size and / or to give structure to wet granules. As a result, follow-up processes can be optimized or made possible in the first place. By way of example, for dry granulates, particle size reduction for the tabletting process or for wet granules, grain size reduction is faster in order to dry them or to give them this structure in order to improve their drying, flowability and / or meterability. These mills are grown in the prior art as additional equipment to machinery and apparatus for producing these granules. Since these machines were developed and built for closed batch operation, these are provided with lockable emptying and filling openings. Due to the properties of the material and the process requirements, these apparatuses are designed or operated in such a way that the risks of explosion are minimized and their effects do not pose a risk to the persons around the machine.

The use of these mills increases the overall height of the machines, as well as the space requirements in general, since these mills are equipped with separate carrier devices to pivot the mill to its operating position or to bring it into a service position.

From the GB 898976 A is a generic device known for reducing the particle size. This discloses a valve, a closure element for closing an inlet opening and a mill with a mill rotor with a corresponding mill tool. Furthermore, she knows a mill screen and a drive device for driving the mill rotor.

Disclosure of the invention

The valve-mill arrangement according to the invention with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that no mill is required as additional equipment. According to the invention, the mill is integrated into the valve. The valve-mill assembly comprises a valve having a valve housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a closure element for closing the inlet opening. Furthermore, the valve-mill arrangement comprises a mill with a mill rotor with at least one mill tool, at least one mill screen and a drive device for driving the mill rotor. In this case, the mill rotor and the mill screen are at least partially disposed in the valve housing, and a travel of the closure element extends at least partially coaxially to a rotational axis of the mill rotor. Thus, unused space inside the valve housing is used by the mill. This allows a compact construction of the valve-mill arrangement. Thus, by integrating the mill and valve, cost-saving manufacture can be achieved by material savings, and the dimension of a plant with the valve-mill assembly is minimized. The mill tool is preferably a cutting element or a scraping element.

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve-mill arrangement is characterized in that the at least one mill tool is rotatably arranged and defines a rotational space, wherein the travel of the closure element extends in the interior of the rotational space. By using this otherwise unused space through the closure element a particularly compact design is possible. In particular, the mill tool or the mill rotor can be operated with different uniform or non-uniform speeds forward or backward or oscillating.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the entire travel is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the mill rotor. In this way, possible collisions of the closure element with the mill tools can be easily excluded.

It is also advantageous if the axis of rotation of the mill rotor is directed coaxially to the inlet opening. In this orientation, a maximum flow of material is achieved in the mill.

In a further advantageous embodiment, an emptying housing is attached to the outlet opening of the valve housing. The emptying housing allows a lateral down to vertically down and closed outflow of the ground material. By choosing advantageous angles, the material flow is optimized, and a stagnation of the material runoff is prevented, for example, allowing a pneumatic removal of the ground product.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the mill screen is integrated in the valve housing. This results in a further reduction of the valve-mill arrangement. In addition, this prevents people from reaching into the running mill or the valve. It is also advantageous if the mill screen rotates in a range of 15 ° -360 ° of the circumference of the valve housing about the axis of rotation.

Further preferred is an embodiment in which the mill rotor is arranged completely in the valve housing. In this way a maximum space saving is achieved.

In an equally advantageous embodiment of the valve-mill arrangement, the outlet opening is arranged laterally on the valve housing. This allows a simplified lateral removal of the ground material.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to arrange the drive device coaxial with the axis of rotation of the mill rotor. In this way, an optimal power transmission of the drive device can be achieved on the mill rotor.

In a further preferred embodiment, the drive device is a ring motor with an annular stator and an annular rotor, wherein the travel of the closure element extends through the center of the ring motor.

In particular, the valve-mill arrangement may be characterized in that the arrangement further comprises a cleaning nozzle for cleaning the mill screen and the valve. This allows for automatic cleaning of the valve-mill assembly, thus reducing or avoiding manual cleaning steps by, i.a. Avoid contamination and increase availability.

It is also advantageous to attach the mill screen interchangeably. This makes it easy to replace the screens to use different screen types for different product and process requirements. These screens may be provided with a coding system for automatic identification of the scheduled types. Likewise, interchangeability allows easy access and safe access to the mill interior for troubleshooting or maintenance activities.
This leads to a higher availability of the valve-mill arrangement, since the time required for service activities is reduced.

Furthermore, it is expedient to arrange the mill tool exchangeable. This makes it possible to easily exchange the mill tools in order to be able to use different mill tools for different product and process requirements. The mill tools may be provided with a coding system for automatic identification of the scheduled types. Likewise, the interchangeability allows easy troubleshooting and maintenance. This also leads to a higher availability of the valve-mill arrangement.

In addition, it is expedient to arrange the mill tools and / or other components of the mill rotor, for example their receptacles, in such a way that they abut or almost rest against the valve housing, the mill screen and / or the closure element, at least in a partial area, so that these surfaces move when moving Mill tools and / or other components of the mill rotor are freed of product deposits. Thus, a guide of the mill tools is also generated, and thus avoided an imbalance. In particular, the axis of rotation of the mill rotor can be arranged vertically. Thus, an imbalance during the grinding process is reduced because the material to be ground presses evenly on the cutting elements and a feed of the material to be ground can be simplified. An arrangement of the axis of rotation of the mill rotor at all angles from vertical to horizontal may be advantageous since this allows adaptation of the valve mill arrangement to an installation environment.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to flanging the valve-mill arrangement on a material-supplying machine housing, or to provide a housing of the valve-mill arrangement in one piece with a machine housing.

Short description of the drawing

Figur 1

ein schematischer Querschnitt durch eine Ventil-Mühle-Anordnung gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Figur 2

ein schematischer Querschnitt durch eine Ventil-Mühle-Anordnung gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung,

Figur 3

ein schematischer Querschnitt durch eine Ventil-Mühle-Anordnung gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung in einer ersten Achse, und

Figur 4

ein schematischer Querschnitt durch eine Ventil-Mühle-Anordnung gemäß dem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung in einer zweiten Achse.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the embodiments, identical or functionally identical components are designated by the same reference numerals. In the drawing is:

FIG. 1

a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement according to a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2

a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement according to a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3

a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement according to a third embodiment of the invention in a first axis, and

FIG. 4

a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement according to the third embodiment of the invention in a second axis.

Embodiments of the invention

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section through a valve-mill assembly 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention. The valve mill assembly 1 comprises at least one valve 2 and a mill 3.

In this exemplary embodiment, the valve 2 comprises a barrel-shaped valve housing 11 with an overhead inlet opening 12 and a laterally disposed outlet opening 13, as well as a closure element 14. The closure element 14 comprises a piston 15 and is adapted to close the inlet opening 12. The piston 15 can be moved along its longitudinal axis and is driven by a valve drive 16. The valve drive 16 is any drive means for producing a linear movement, such as a linear motion. an actuator, a linear motor or a pneumatic or hydraulic drive.

The mill 3 comprises a mill rotor 20, a mill screen 23 and a drive device 24. The mill rotor 20 comprises two mill tools 22 and a base part 21. The mill tools 22 are shaped such that they lie against the valve housing 11 along their entire length. The cross-sectional profile of the mill tools 22 may have different shapes. Appropriately, a round, oval square or undercut profile. Nevertheless, other profiles are conceivable. The shape of the mill tools 22 in their axial direction in this embodiment are U-shaped (right mill tool 22 in FIG FIG. 1 ) and V-shaped (left mill tool 22 in FIG. 1 ). Although not shown in this embodiment, any combination of various mill tool of a valve mill assembly 1 according to the invention is possible. However, the use of mill tools 22 of the same design is advantageous. For example, all mill tools 22 of a valve-mill arrangement 1 may be U-shaped or V-shaped.

The two mill tools 22 are attached to the base part 21. The base part 21 is a part of the mill rotor 20, is rotatably mounted and offers a possibility for releasably securing the mill tools 22. This allows a simple installation and removal of the mill tools 22 allows.

An axis of rotation 25 of the mill rotor 20 is coaxially directed to the inlet port 12. The mill screen 23 is integrated into the valve housing 11, the mill screen 23 being adapted to the barrel shape of the valve housing 11 proposed in this embodiment. The mill tools 22 rest on the mill screen 23 in the corresponding rotational position at least over part of their length. Furthermore, the mill tools 22 are in at least one portion 32 on an inner wall of the valve housing, and the base member 21 abuts in another portion 33 on the adjoining surfaces of the piston 15 and on the inner wall of the valve housing. These components of the mill rotor lie on these surfaces so that between the components of the mill rotor 20 and the inner wall of the valve housing 11 or the surface of the closure member 14 is a gap to avoid contact between rotating and static parts.

The mill rotor 20 is driven by the drive device 24, which is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation 25 of the mill rotor 20. In this embodiment, the drive device is a ring motor having an annular stator 27 and an annular rotor 28. Although an electrically driven motor has been selected for this embodiment, other drive devices, such as those shown in Figs. a pneumatic or a hydraulic drive conceivable.

To close the valve 2, the closure element 14 is moved coaxially to the axis of rotation 25 of the mill rotor 20 in the direction of the arrow A until the closure element 14 closes the inlet opening 12. It will go through a travel. In this case, the closure element 14 moves through a rotation space 26, which lies between the two mill tools 22. The mill tools 22 are shaped such that at no time can a collision occur between the closure element 14 and the mill tools 22. To open the valve, the closure element 14 is returned to the in FIG. 1 shown starting position moves. The piston 15 of the closure element 14 and thus the travel of the closure element 14 thereby passes through the annular stator 27 of the ring motor.

A cleaning nozzle 30 is used to clean the mill screen 23. For this purpose, air and / or liquid is blown or sprayed through the nozzle onto the mill screen.

An emptying housing 31 is attached laterally to the outlet opening 13. The emptying housing 31 may be e.g. To act a gutter or a tube that allows a catching and slipping of the ground material. The emptying housing 31 is attached to the valve housing 11 at an angle (α) to the axis of rotation 25. The angle (α) is 45 ° in this embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement 1 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The second embodiment corresponds in its essential features to those of the first embodiment. However, this embodiment shows an alternative form of the mill tools 22. The mill tools 22 are wound in the form of a helix around the rotation region 26 of the mill rotor 20. In addition, the valve housing 11 is cylindrically shaped. The mill screen 23 is formed as a partial cylinder.

FIG. 3 and 4 show a valve mill assembly 1 according to a third embodiment of the invention. The third embodiment corresponds in its essential features to those of the second embodiment. This embodiment shows a further advantageous form of the mill tools 22. These lie straight on the inside of the valve housing 11. Further, this embodiment shows an alternative attachment of the drive device 24. The drive device 24 is not coaxial with the axis of rotation 25 of the mill rotor 20 arranged here. The driving force is transmitted to the mill rotor 20 by means of a belt or a chain. In a similar form, the transmission by gears or a transmission is advantageous.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section through a valve-mill arrangement according to the third embodiment of the invention. It can be seen that the mill tools 22 rest against the valve housing 11 and the integrated mill screen 23 in each rotational position.

Claims (10)

1. Valve-mill arrangement (1), comprising

   - a valve (2) with

   - a valve housing (11) with an inlet opening (12) and an outlet opening (13); and

   - a closure element (14) for closing the inlet opening (12);

   - and also a mill (3) with

   - a mill rotor (20) with at least one mill tool (22);

   - at least one mill screen (23); and

   - a drive device (24) for driving the mill rotor (20);

   - characterized in that the mill rotor (20) and the mill screen (23) are at least partially arranged in the valve housing (11); and

   - in that an adjustment path of the closure element (14) runs at least partially coaxially with respect to an axis of rotation (25) of the mill rotor (20).
2. Valve-mill arrangement according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one mill tool (22) is arranged rotatably and defines a rotation space (26), wherein the adjustment path of the closure element (14) runs in the interior of the rotation space (26).
3. Valve-mill arrangement according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the entire adjustment path runs coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation (25) of the mill rotor (20).
4. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axis of rotation (25) of the mill rotor is directed coaxially with respect to the inlet opening (12).
5. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an emptying housing is attached to the outlet opening (13) of the valve housing (11).
6. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mill screen (23) is integrated in the valve housing (11), and/or in that the mill rotor (20) is completely arranged in the valve housing (11).
7. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet opening (13) is arranged laterally on the valve housing.
8. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive device (24) is arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation (25) of the mill rotor (20).
9. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive device (24) is a ring motor with an annular stator (27) and an annular rotor (28), wherein the adjustment path of the closure element (14) runs through the annular stator (27) of the ring motor.
10. Valve-mill arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arrangement furthermore comprises a cleaning nozzle (30) for cleaning the mill screen (23) and/or the valve, and/or the mill screen and/or the mill tool (22) are interchangeable.

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