EP3703869A1

EP3703869A1 - Device for nebulising a rinsing liquid

Info

Publication number: EP3703869A1
Application number: EP18703705.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick Kübler
Original assignee: Eisenmann SE
Current assignee: Eisenmann SE
Priority date: 2017-01-25
Filing date: 2018-01-25
Publication date: 2020-09-09
Also published as: US20190381532A1; WO2018138190A1; CN110167682A; DE102017101370A1

Abstract

A device for nebulising a rinsing liquid (12) comprises a housing (16) and a propellant gas connection (59), which can be connected to a propellant gas reservoir (38), and comprises a rinsing liquid connection (41), which can be connected to a rinsing liquid reservoir (14). There is a mixing chamber (34) and a propellant gas flow path (60, 62, 72), which connects the propellant gas connection (59) to the mixing chamber (34), and a propellant gas conveying device (68), by means of which propellant gas (36) can be fed to the mixing chamber (34) under overpressure. There is also a rinsing liquid flow path (42, 44, 54), which connects the rinsing liquid connection (41) to the mixing chamber (34). Nebulised rinsing liquid (12) can be discharged as rinsing fluid (20) from a rinsing fluid discharge connection (18), which is connected to the mixing chamber (34). An active rinsing liquid conveying device (50) is provided, by means of which rinsing liquid (12) can be conveyed to the mixing chamber (34) under overpressure.

Description

Device for atomizing a rinsing liquid

The invention relates to a device for atomizing a rinsing liquid with a) a housing; b) a propellant gas connection which can be connected to a propellant gas reservoir; c) a rinsing fluid port connectable to a rinsing fluid reservoir; d) a mixing room; e) a propellant gas flow path connecting the propellant gas port to the mixing chamber; f) a propellant gas conveying device, by means of which the mixing chamber propellant gas can be supplied under pressure; f) a rinse fluid flow path connecting the rinse fluid port to the mixing chamber; g) a flushing fluid discharge connection, which is connected to the mixing space and from which atomized flushing liquid can be delivered as flushing fluid.

When painting objects by means of coating systems is a Appli cation device, which may be, for example, a Hochrotationszerstäuber or a spray gun when painting, supplied with liquid mate rials. These may be, on the one hand, liquid coating materials, in particular paints, which are applied to a substrate to be coated. On the other hand, solvents, rinsing agents or separating agents also flow through the flow path to the application device and, if appropriate, are also emitted by the latter. For example, in a material change the material-carrying channels and lines must be cleaned by the previously used paint, including a detergent is conveyed through the corresponding channels and lines. For example, in the case of a paint shop for such a material change a changing device for coating materials, ie then a color changing device used when it occurs more frequently in normal operation, that for the coating of an object, a different paint is to be used as that paint, with which previous object was painted. For this purpose, the flushing fluid discharge connection is connected to the line to be cleaned or to the system to be cleaned.

It is known from DE 4 214 777 A1, DE 10 129 667 A1 or US Pat. No. 4,881,563 A that a good cleaning effect can be achieved in media-carrying lines when atomised or atomized cleaning agent flows into the lines.

For this purpose, for example, in DE 4 214 777 A1, rinsing agents and air having opposite directions are introduced into the flow path, resulting in a rinsing of the rinsing agent.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the type mentioned, which achieves a good atomization of a rinsing liquid, thus enabling effective cleaning of media-carrying lines and channels.

This object is achieved in that h) an active rinsing liquid conveying device is present, by means of which rinsing liquid of the mixing chamber can be supplied under positive pressure. The invention is based on the finding that an active supply of the rinsing liquid to the propellant gas and into the mixing space leads to a particularly effective treatment of the rinsing liquid. In known concepts, in contrast to the invention, a passive feed of the rinsing liquid is used, in which, according to the Venturi principle by the flowing propellant gas in the mixing chamber, a negative pressure is generated, through which then the rinsing liquid is sucked.

It is favorable if a catching nozzle is arranged in the flow path between the flushing fluid delivery connection and the mixing space. By means of such a collecting nozzle, the mixture of propellant gas and rinsing liquid generated in the mixing chamber can be accelerated once again and additionally swirled and atomized.

In this case, the catching nozzle preferably has a flow channel with a first flow section, which tapers in the flow direction and opens into a second flow section with a constant cross section, which merges into a third flow section, which widens in the flow direction. The second flow section with a constant cross section may also be defined only by the transition point between the first flow section and the third flow section.

Good acceleration values can be achieved if the cross section of the second flow section with a constant cross section is approximately 3.2 mm ² .

A good mixing of rinsing liquid and propellant gas is achieved when rinsing liquid and propellant gas at an angle, preferably at an angle of 90 °, each other in the mixing chamber and intersect in the mixing chamber.

It is advantageous if the active rinsing liquid conveying device is set up such that rinsing liquid is at a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably at a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and more preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar in the mixing chamber entry. Moreover, it is advantageous if the propellant gas conveying device is set up such that propellant gas enters the mixing chamber at a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably at a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and particularly preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar ,

It is favorable if a rinsing liquid bypass line is provided, by means of which rinsing liquid can be guided past the mixing space to the rinsing fluid discharge connection. In this way, flushing fluid can be injected directly into a connected conduit or system to loosen and remove stubborn contaminants.

It is also advantageous if a pulse device and a propellant gas pulse line are provided, so that a pulse propellant gas can be generated and injected via the propellant gas pulse line into the mixing chamber. In this way, flushing fluid packages of high pressure and good cleaning effect can be delivered by the device.

It is particularly favorable if a tempering device with at least one tempering element is provided on or in the propellant gas flow path and / or on or in the flushing liquid flow path, with which propellant gas and / or rinsing liquid can be tempered. Thus, the possibility is opened that heated flushing fluid is generated, whereby the cleaning effect can be further improved.

For this purpose, the tempering device is preferably a heating device.

Technically effective this can be implemented by the tempering an inductive heating device and the tempering is a heating coil, which can be passed by propellant gas and / or rinsing liquid. Alternatively, the tempering device may comprise as a tempering a heat exchanger unit or a Peltier element. In this way, propellant gas and / or rinsing liquid can be heated, but also cooled, if this should be necessary.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. In these show:

1 shows a section of a device for atomizing a rinsing liquid according to a first embodiment;

2 shows a section of a device for atomizing a rinsing liquid according to a second embodiment;

3 shows schematically the device for atomizing a rinsing liquid with other components.

First, reference is made to FIG. There, a device 10 is shown, with which a rinsing liquid 12 is atomized from a rinsing liquid reservoir 14.

Reservoir is understood herein to mean any technical solution to provide or accommodate different media. These include, for example, loop systems, as they are known in and of themselves.

The device 10 comprises an injector 15 with a housing 16 formed as a housing block with a flushing fluid discharge port 18, to which a line to be cleaned or a system to be cleaned or only a part of such a system can be connected. Such a system to be cleaned is in practice a paint application system with the components involved with media-carrying lines and channels. The connection can also be done via a connecting line, which itself is not part of the system to be cleaned. In any case, the atomized rinsing liquid 12 exits the device 10 via the rinsing fluid discharge connection as rinsing fluid 20.

Upstream of the flushing fluid discharge port 18, a catching nozzle 22 is arranged, which has a flow channel 24 which extends between an inlet opening 26 and an outlet opening 28 of the catching nozzle 22. The flow channel 24 has a first flow section 30, the cross-section of which linearly tapers in the flow direction, starting from the inlet opening 26 in the direction of the outlet opening 28, and opens into a second flow section 31 with a constant cross-section, which then flows into a third flow section 32 merges, which extends linearly in the flow direction, ie in the direction of the output port 28 back. In the present embodiment, the cross sections of the flow sections 30, 31, 32 are circular, wherein the constant cross section of the second flow section 31 has a diameter of about 2 mm and thus a cross section of about 3.2 mm ² . The second flow section 31 with a constant cross section may also be defined only by a transition point between the first flow section 30 and the third flow section 32. In non-specifically shown modifications, the cross sections of the first flow section 30 and the third flow section 32 can also be non-linearly tapered or widened.

Adjoining the inlet opening 26 of the catching nozzle 22 is a mixing space 34, to which the rinsing liquid 12 from the rinsing liquid reservoir 14 and a propellant gas 36 from a propellant gas reservoir 38 can be supplied. The catching nozzle 22 is thus arranged in the flow path between the flushing fluid discharge connection 18 and the mixing space 34. The mixing chamber 34 in the present embodiment has a volume of about 1 12.5 mm ³ and is cylindrical with a length of 9 mm and a cross section of 12.5 mm ² . In practice, mixing rooms lead 34 with lengths between 1 mm to 15 mm and cross sections between 12.5 mm ² to 50 mm ² for good results.

On the one hand, a rinsing liquid supply line 40 is connected to the mixing space 34 via a valve seat 42 and a valve seat chamber 44 for a sealing element 46 of a first compressed air-operated valve 48. The rinsing liquid supply line 40 is connected to the housing 16 via a rinsing liquid connection 41 and is fed with the rinsing liquid 12 from the rinsing liquid reservoir 14 by means of an active rinsing liquid conveying device 50 in the form of a conveying pump. In a release position shown in Figure 1, the first valve 48 releases the flow path from the valve seat chamber 44 into the mixing chamber 34, for which purpose it is acted upon by a first compressed air line 52 with compressed air. Without compressed air supply, the sealing element 46 assumes a closed position due to a spring bias, in which it seals against the valve seat 42. Overall, such compressed air valves are known, which is why further details are omitted.

Between the valve seat 42 and the mixing chamber 34 there extends a flow channel 54, through which the rinsing liquid 12 flows from the valve seat 42 to the mixing chamber 34, so that a total of a rinsing liquid nozzle 56 is formed, with which rinsing liquid 12 can be injected into the mixing chamber 34. The flow channel 54 for the rinsing liquid 12 has a diameter which in the present embodiment is about 2.5 mm to 3 mm. Overall, from the rinsing liquid connection 41 to the mixing space 34, a flow path for rinsing liquid 12 is formed, which comprises the valve seat 42, the valve seat chamber 44 and the flow channel 54.

On the other hand, for the supply of the propellant gas 36, a propellant gas supply line 58 via a valve seat 60 and a valve seat chamber 62 for a sealing element 64 of a second compressed air-operated valve 66 to the mixing chamber 34 is connected. The Propellant gas supply line 58 is connected via a propellant gas port 59 to the housing 16 and is fed by means of an active propellant gas conveyor 68 from the propellant reservoir 38 with the propellant gas 36. In practice, the propellant gas 36 is air and the propellant gas conveyor 68 is a compressor; the propellant gas 36 is injected into the mixing chamber 34 with overpressure. The propellant gas conveyor 68 is set up such that propellant gas 36 enters the mixing chamber 34 at a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably at a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and more preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar.

In a release position shown in Figure 1, the second valve 66 releases the flow path from the valve seat chamber 62 into the mixing chamber 34, to which it is acted upon via a second compressed air line 70 with compressed air. Also, the sealing element 64 of the second valve 66 assumes a compressed air supply due to a spring bias a closed position; it seals accordingly against the valve seat 60.

Between the valve seat 60 and the mixing chamber 34 extends a flow channel 72 through which the propellant gas 36 flows from the valve seat 60 to the mixing chamber 34, so that a total of a propellant nozzle 74 is formed, through which propellant gas 36 can be injected into the mixing chamber 34. The flow channel 72 has a relatively small cross section, which is 1 mm in the present embodiment. The propellant nozzle 74 scalds the propellant gas 36 in the direction of the inlet opening 26 of the catching nozzle 22 in the mixing chamber 34, wherein the flow channel 72 extends in the present embodiment, at least in an output section 72a coaxial with the flow channel 24 of the catching nozzle 22. Overall, from the propellant gas connection 59 to the mixing chamber 34, a flow path for propellant gas 36 is formed, which comprises the valve seat 60, the valve seat chamber 62 and the flow channel 72. The flow channel 54 of the rinsing liquid nozzle 56 and the flow channel 72 of the propellant nozzle 74 are at an angle to each other and are arranged so that the flows of the rinsing liquid 12 and the propellant 36 at an angle to each other in the mixing chamber 34 and intersect, so that there comes to a premixing of rinsing liquid 12 and propellant gas 36. In the present embodiment, the flow channels 54 and 72 and thereby the flows of the rinsing liquid 12 and the propellant gas 36 extend at an angle of 90 °.

The arrangement of the propellant nozzle 74, the mixing chamber 34, the catching nozzle 22 and the rinsing liquid nozzle 56 is designed in the manner of a Venturi nozzle known per se, for which reason the supply of the rinsing liquid 12 can be effected even without a rinsing liquid feed pump 50 in that a negative pressure is generated by the flow of the propellant gas 36 in the mixing space 34, through which rinsing liquid 12 is sucked out of the rinsing liquid reservoir 14 into the mixing space 34, in which case pressure equalization must then be provided accordingly. The promotion of the rinsing liquid 12 would thus be passive in such a case.

In the present embodiment, however, the rinsing liquid 12 is supplied to the mixing chamber 34 in deviation from the Venturi principle with the aid of the rinsing liquid conveying pump 50 actively with an overpressure. The active rinsing liquid delivery device 50 is set up such that rinsing liquid 12 is at a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably at a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and particularly preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar in the mixing chamber 34th entry. In the mixing chamber 34 so meets the pressurized washing liquid 12 the propellant gas 36 and is already effectively atomized there. This creates a highly turbulent propellant gas / rinsing liquid mixture, which may be a foam or a mist, for example, depending on the type of rinsing liquid 12 used.

This mixture flows into the catching nozzle 22, where it is accelerated again and additionally atomized, in order then to emerge as flushing fluid 20 from the device 10.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the valves 48 and 66 are housed in the housing 16. However, in a modification to this, it is also possible that one or both of these valves 48, 66 are not included in the injector 10 but are arranged separately therefrom. In particular, a separately provided from the injector 10 valve 48, 66 then as a switching valve in the associated

Rinsing liquid supply line 40 and arranged in the associated propellant gas supply line 58.

Figure 2 shows a modification in which this is the case with the second valve 66, which is arranged there in the propellant gas supply line 58. By virtue of this measure, the injector 10 can be made more compact overall than in the case where one or both of the valves 48, 66 are accommodated in the housing 16 and are covered by the injector 10 as an assembly.

Figure 3 illustrates again schematically additions in the above-described embodiments according to Figures 1 and 2 of the device 10 with injector 15, wherein only the essential components are shown greatly simplified and provided with a reference numeral.

In addition to the flow path of the rinsing liquid 12 to the mixing chamber 34, a rinsing liquid bypass line 76 is provided, which can be connected to the rinsing liquid reservoir 14 and past the mixing space 34 to the rinsing liquid. fluid discharge port 18 leads, so that there also pure, non-atomized rinsing liquid 20 can be discharged. This may be necessary, for example, for particularly stubborn soiling in the system to be cleaned, which can not be adequately removed by the flushing fluid 22, that is to say the atomized flushing fluid 12. In the flushing liquid bypass line 76, a valve 78 is arranged. The flushing liquid bypass line 76 may be formed as a corresponding flow channel in the housing 16.

In addition, in addition to the flow path of the propellant gas 36 to the mixing chamber 34, a propellant pulse line 80 is provided, which is also connected to the propellant nozzle 74 and which is associated with a separate valve 82. In a manner known per se, a pulse device 84 is present, so that a pulse propellant gas, usually pulse air, can be generated and injected into the mixing chamber 34 via the propellant gas pulse line 80 and the propellant nozzle 74. The pulsed air can be used to deliver mixture volumes of propellant gas 36 and flushing liquid 12 generated in the mixing space 34 at high pressure from the injector 10 and to blow it into a system to be cleaned. In Figure 3, only the essential components are provided with a reference numeral.

In addition, FIG. 3 shows that the device 10 in all exemplary embodiments is on or in the propellant gas flow path and / or on or in the propellant gas flow path

Rinse liquid flow path may include a tempering device 86, with which propellant gas 36 and / or rinsing liquid 12 tempered and in particular can be heated, so that the rinsing fluid 20 leaves the device 10 at the rinsing fluid discharge port 18 as heated rinsing fluid. As a result, the cleaning effect of the flushing fluid 20 compared to unheated flushing fluid 20 is increased again.

The tempering device 86 comprises one or more tempering elements 88 and is designed in the present embodiment as an inductive heating device whose tempering 88 heating elements 90 in the form of a respective heating coil 92. The heating coils 92 each surround the media-carrying lines, so that the heating coils 92 of propellant gas 36 and / or rinsing liquid 12 can be passed.

In not specifically shown modifications, the respective heating element 90 may also be designed differently. For example, a radiation source comes into consideration.

Alternatively or additionally, tempering elements 88 may also be present, which in principle can heat and cool. For this purpose, a tempering element 88 may, for example, be a heat exchanger unit or, in particular, a pelletizing element whose technique is known per se. Even pure cooling elements can be present.

Claims

claims

A device for atomizing a rinsing liquid (12) with a) a housing (16); b) a propellant gas connection (59) which can be connected to a propellant gas reservoir (38); c) a rinsing liquid connection (41) which can be connected to a rinsing liquid reservoir (14); d) a mixing chamber (34); e) a propellant gas flow path (60, 62, 72) connecting the propellant gas port (59) to the mixing space (34); f) a propellant gas conveying device (68) by means of which the propellant gas (36) can be fed under overpressure to the mixing chamber (34); f) a rinse fluid flow path (42, 44, 54) connecting the rinse fluid port (41) to the mixing chamber (34); g) a rinsing fluid discharge port (18), which is connected to the mixing chamber (34) and from which atomized rinsing fluid (12) can be dispensed as rinsing fluid (20), characterized in that h) an active rinsing fluid delivery device (50 ) is present, by means of which rinsing liquid (12) of the mixing chamber (34) can be supplied under pressure.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in the flow path between the flushing fluid discharge port (18) and the mixing chamber (34) a catching nozzle (22) is arranged.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the catching nozzle (22) has a flow channel (24) with a first flow section (30) which tapers in the flow direction and opens into a second flow section (31) with a constant cross-section which in a third flow section (32) merges, which widens in the flow direction.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cross section of the second flow portion (31) with constant cross-section is about 3.2 mm ^2.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that rinsing liquid (12) and propellant gas (36) at an angle, preferably at an angle of 90 ° to each other in the mixing chamber (34) and enter the mixing chamber (34 ).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the active rinsing liquid conveying device (50) is arranged such that rinsing liquid (12) with a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably with a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and particularly preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar enters the mixing chamber (34).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the propellant gas conveying device (68) is arranged such that propellant gas (36) with a pressure of 4 bar to 12 bar, preferably with a pressure of 6 bar to 10 bar and particularly preferably at a pressure of about 8 bar in the mixing chamber (34) occurs.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a rinsing liquid bypass line (76) is provided, by means of which rinsing liquid (12) on the mixing chamber (34) past the rinsing fluid discharge port (18) can be guided.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the one pulse means (84) and a propellant gas pulse line (80) are provided so that a pulse propellant gas generated and via the propellant gas pulse line (80) into the mixing chamber (80). 34) can be injected.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on or in the propellant gas flow path (60, 62, 72) and / or on or in the rinsing liquid flow path (42, 44, 54) a tempering device (86 ) is provided with at least one tempering (88), with which propellant gas (36) and / or rinsing liquid (12) is temperature controlled.

1 1. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that tempering device (86) is a heating device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 1, characterized in that the tempering device (86) is an inductive heating device and the tempering (88) is a heating coil (92), which of propellant gas (36) and / or rinsing liquid (12) can be passed.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that the tempering device (86) as the tempering (88) comprises a heat exchanger unit or a Peltier element.