JP2008200588A - Apparatus and method for control of powder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable avoiding troubles of powder apparatuses by phenomena including adhesion, coagulation and clogging effectively without adverse effects on the apparatuses. <P>SOLUTION: An apparatus for controlling powder has ferromagnetic bodies 11 which are mixed with a powder 1 in a powder apparatus 2 and consist of a grain or a small ball containing a magnetic material and a magnet 12 which is arranged outside the powder apparatus 2 and applies a magnetic field to the ferromagnetic bodies 11. The behavior of the powder 1 is controlled by changing the position of the ferromagnetic bodies 11 in the powder 1 through adjustment of the field from the magnet 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder control apparatus and method for controlling the behavior of powder in a powder device in order to prevent adhesion, aggregation, and clogging of powder contained in the powder device.

  In many industrial fields, such as food, cement, ceramics, semiconductors, chemicals, and waste disposal, powders are often handled. The powder process plays an important role in such various industrial fields, but troubles in the powder process are difficult problems unlike gas and liquid processes. The main causes are that the physical properties of the powder differ greatly in each industrial field, the data is not sufficiently maintained, and the theoretical model is difficult because a continuum model such as a gas-liquid system cannot be applied. This is probably because the unique characteristics of the powder have not yet been elucidated.

  Typical troubles in the powder process are an adhesion phenomenon, agglomeration phenomenon, and a clogging phenomenon of the powder on the wall surface. These three phenomena account for 57% of the total number of troubles, and these troubles mainly occur in the respective steps of supplying, discharging, transporting and storing powder (Non-patent Document 1).

  In each of these steps, a hopper, piping, feeder, and storage tank are used as powder equipment. In these powder devices, in order to suppress each phenomenon of adhesion, aggregation and blockage, for example, the wall surface is vibrated so that the powder does not adhere to the wall surface of the powder device (vibration method), There are methods such as providing a screw inside the powder device (stirring method), injecting gas directly into the powder (venting method), and mixing different powders to restore fluidity (microparticle addition method). Has been considered.

  That is, a method as shown in FIG. 3 is conventionally used in order to prevent adhesion, aggregation and blockage of the powder. In FIG. 3, a hopper is employed as the powder device 2, and an example of a vibration method, a stirring method, a ventilation method, and a fine particle addition method is shown. The same applies to the powder device 2 other than the hopper.

The wall surface 8 of the powder device 2 is shaken by the vibration device 3 to prevent the powder 1 from adhering to the wall surface 8. Further, the gas 5 is injected into the powder device 2 through the ventilation device 4, thereby imparting fluidity to the agglomerated powder 1. Further, the fluidity is restored to the powder 1 by the stirring device 6 to prevent aggregation. In addition, the powder 1 contains a very small amount of fine particles 7 to prevent clogging. Although the mechanism of this occlusion has not been fully elucidated, it is considered that it occurs due to the long-range correlation of the powder 1, and the fine particles 7 have a role of breaking the long-range correlation. Actually, the angle of repose as an index of the ease of occurrence of the clogging phenomenon is somewhat reduced by the mixing of the fine particles 7, and as a result, the fluidity of the powder 1 may be recovered. Although there are other methods, the above is given as a representative method for solving troubles of the powder equipment in the powder process.
Japan Powder Industry Technology Association: “Survey and research on problems and countermeasures in the powder industry” (1992)

  As measures for preventing adhesion, agglomeration, and clogging that occur in the powder process, a method of reducing the adhesion force of the powder 1 by the vibration method, the stirring method, the aeration method, and the fine particle addition method as described above has been adopted. .

  However, in the vibration method in which the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2 is vibrated by the vibration device 3, a force is repeatedly applied to the powder device 2, so that there is a possibility that the wall surface 8 may crack. Further, in the aeration method and the agitation method, the powder 1 itself is dynamically moved by the gas 5 and the agitation device 6, so that dust is likely to be generated and the aeration device 4 itself may be clogged. There is a risk of malfunction due to pressure. In some cases, the stirring device 6 may not be installed in the powder device 2. Further, in the fine particle addition method, fine particles 7 suitable for addition may not be present, and even when added, the amount is in the order of ppm, but the quality of the powder 1 may be significantly affected.

  Therefore, these vibration, agitation, aeration, and fine particle addition methods are not always sufficient as measures for preventing adhesion, aggregation, and clogging that occupy most of the troubles in the powder process. In particular, when the powder 1 contains a radioactive substance or a poisonous substance, an operator cannot easily approach the powder device 2 when the powder device 2 is repaired. For this reason, it is necessary to configure the powder device 2 to have a structure that does not easily break down, and also to repair the powder device 2 so that the operator does not have to touch the powder device 2 directly. .

  The object of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and troubles of powder equipment based on each phenomenon of powder adhesion, aggregation and blockage are good without affecting the powder equipment and the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a powder control apparatus and method that can be avoided.

  A plurality of powder control devices according to the present invention are mixed in powder in a powder device, and are installed in or outside the powder device, a magnetic body made of particles or small spheres containing a magnetic material, A magnet that applies a magnetic field to the magnetic body, and is configured to control the behavior of the powder by changing the position of the magnetic body in the powder by adjusting the magnetic field from the magnet. It is a thing.

  In the powder control method according to the present invention, a plurality of magnetic bodies made of particles or small spheres containing a magnetic material are mixed in the powder in the powder device, and the magnet is installed inside or outside the powder device. By adjusting the magnetic field from the above, the position of the magnetic body in the powder is changed to control the behavior of the powder.

  According to the powder control apparatus and method according to the present invention, by mixing a plurality of magnetic bodies in the powder in the powder device and adjusting the magnetic field from the magnet installed inside or outside the powder device. Since the behavior of the powder is controlled by changing the position of the magnetic material in the powder, the magnetic material is placed on the wall surface of the powder device by the magnetic field from the magnet to prevent the powder from adhering to the wall surface. In addition, the magnetic material is vibrated in the powder by the magnetic field from the magnet, thereby imparting or recovering the fluidity of the powder to prevent the powder from agglomerating, and the long-range correlation between the powders. Block to prevent powder clogging. By these, the trouble of the powder apparatus based on each phenomenon of adhesion, aggregation, and blockage of powder can be favorably avoided. At this time, since the magnetic field from the magnet acts only on the magnetic material mixed in the powder in the powder device, the powder device or the like is not affected.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[A] First embodiment (FIG. 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a powder control apparatus according to the present invention, together with a hopper which is a powder device. In the first embodiment, the same parts as those in the background art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is simplified or omitted.

  In the powder control apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, each phenomenon of adhesion, aggregation and blockage to the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2 occurs with respect to the powder 1 accommodated in the powder device 2 (for example, hopper). In order to prevent this, the behavior of the powder 1 is controlled, and it includes a ferromagnetic body 11 as a magnetic body and a magnet 12.

  A plurality (large number) of ferromagnetic bodies 11 are mixed in the powder 1 accommodated in the powder device 2. Each of the ferromagnetic bodies 11 may be made of a magnetic material as a whole, but may be made of a resin material containing a magnetic material, for example. Examples of the magnetic material include iron, cobalt, nickel, and the like, but compounds containing these as main components may also be used. In order for the magnetic material to maintain ferromagnetism, the temperature of the powder 1 in which the ferromagnetic material 11 is mixed needs to be equal to or lower than the Curie temperature. This Curie temperature is 770 ° C. when the magnetic material is iron, and 354 ° C. when the magnetic material is nickel.

  The shape of the ferromagnetic material 11 is preferably a particle or small sphere shape, and is selected as appropriate depending on the conditions of the powder 1 and the strength of the magnetic field provided by the magnet 12.

  The magnet 12 is disposed outside or inside the powder device 2 in a non-contact state with respect to the powder 1. In this embodiment, the magnet 12 is disposed around the outside of the powder device 2. The magnet 12 applies (acts) a magnetic field to the ferromagnetic material 11 mixed in the powder 1 in the powder device 2, and an electromagnet or a permanent magnet is employed.

  The magnet 12 is preferably an electromagnet in consideration of controllability. This electromagnet may be a normal conducting magnet or a superconducting magnet, but a superconducting magnet is used when a strong magnetic field is formed, and a normal conducting magnet is used when cost is important.

  When a permanent magnet is employed as the magnet 12, for example, an air cylinder 13 serving as a magnet moving unit or a magnetic field blocking plate 14 serving as a magnetic field blocking unit is provided. The air cylinder 13 makes the magnet 12, which is a permanent magnet, approach the powder device 2 or separate from the powder device 2. Moreover, the magnetic field interruption | blocking plate 14 is arrange | positioned so that insertion or extraction is possible between the magnet 12 which is a permanent magnet, and the powder apparatus 2, and interrupts | blocks the magnetic field from the magnet 12 at the time of insertion, and this magnetic field is powder apparatus. Do not act on 2. The air cylinder 13 or the magnetic field cutoff plate 14 controls the magnetic field that acts on the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 from the magnet 12 that is a permanent magnet.

  The above-described installation position of the magnet 12 and the specification of the magnet 12 are for changing the position of the ferromagnetic material 11 mixed in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 in the case of either a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. It is set based on what kind of magnetic field arrangement is preferable. For example, the magnet 12 is installed continuously around the outside of the powder device 2 or at a predetermined interval.

  By adjusting the magnetic field applied from the magnet 12 (permanent magnet or electromagnet) to the ferromagnetic material 11 mixed in the powder 1 in the powder device 2, the position of the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 is adjusted. The behavior of the powder 1 is changed and the powder 1 is prevented from adhering to the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2, aggregation, and clogging.

  Specifically, when the magnet 12 is a permanent magnet, the air cylinder 13 causes the magnet 12 to approach the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2 or the magnetic field blocking plate 14 is inserted between the magnet 12 and the powder device 2. By pulling out, the magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 is strengthened, whereby the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 is collected inside the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2, and this wall surface is collected. 8 prevents the powder 1 from adhering. When the magnet 12 is an electromagnet, the magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 is strengthened by supplying a large current to the magnet 12, and the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 is replaced with the powder device 2. In the same manner, the powder 1 is prevented from adhering to the wall surface 8.

  Further, when the magnet 12 is a permanent magnet, the air cylinder 13 causes the magnet 12 to alternately approach or separate from the powder device 2, or the magnetic field blocking plate 14 is interposed between the magnet 12 and the powder device 2. By alternately inserting or extracting, the magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 is changed, whereby the ferromagnetic material 11 is attracted or pulled away from the magnet 12 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 to vibrate. When the magnet 12 is an electromagnet, by supplying an alternating current to the magnet 12, the magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 is changed, and the ferromagnetic material 11 is vibrated in the powder 1 in the powder device 2. Let In this way, by vibrating the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1, fluidity is imparted to or recovered from the powder 1 to prevent aggregation, and the long distance correlation from the powder 1 is blocked and blocked. To prevent.

  In order to prevent clogging of the powder 1, as in the conventional method of mixing fine particles into the powder 1, many ferromagnetic bodies 11 are mixed into the powder 1 to break the long-range correlation between the powders 1. However, it becomes more effective by vibrating the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1.

  Since it is configured as described above, the following effects (1) to (3) are achieved according to the present embodiment.

  (1) By mixing a large number of ferromagnetic materials 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 and adjusting the magnetic field from the magnet 12 installed outside the powder device 2, the strength in the powder 1 is increased. The behavior of the powder 1 is controlled by changing the position of the magnetic body 11. In other words, the ferromagnetic material 11 is arranged inside the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2 by the magnetic field from the magnet 12, thereby preventing the powder 1 from adhering to the wall surface 8 and strong by the magnetic field from the magnet 12. The magnetic body 11 is vibrated in the powder 1 to impart or recover the fluidity of the powder 1 to prevent the aggregation of the powder 1 and to block the long distance correlation between the powders 1. Prevent obstruction of the body 1. By these, the trouble of the powder apparatus 2 based on each phenomenon of adhesion, aggregation, and blockage of the powder 1 can be favorably avoided. At this time, since the magnetic field from the magnet 12 only acts on the ferromagnetic material 11 mixed in the powder 1 in the powder device 2, cracks or the like do not occur on the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2. The device 2 is not affected.

  (2) The position of the ferromagnetic material 11 is changed by adjusting the magnetic field applied from the magnet 12 to the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2, and the powder in the powder device 2 Since the behavior of 1 is controlled, the position of the ferromagnetic body 11 can be changed to non-contact using magnetic force. For this reason, since only the maintenance of the magnet 12 is sufficient, the maintenance becomes easy. Moreover, even if the powder 1 is toxic, the operator does not directly touch the powder 1 in the powder device 2 during maintenance, so safety can be ensured.

  (3) The powder 1 in the powder device 2 is stirred using the stirring device 6 (FIG. 3), or the gas 5 is blown into the powder 1 in the powder device 2 from the aeration device 4 (FIG. 3). In the case of the background art, mechanical problems such as the gas blowing port of the ventilation device 4 being blocked by the powder 1 and the stirring device 6 being inoperable due to the powder pressure of the powder 1 are likely to occur. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the ferromagnetic material 11 mixed in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 is moved by the action of the magnetic force from the magnet 12 arranged outside the powder device 2, Since only the position is changed, the above-described mechanical problems do not occur.

[B] Second embodiment (FIG. 2)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the powder control apparatus according to the present invention, together with a hopper which is a powder device. In the second embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment and the background art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description will be simplified or omitted.

  The powder control device 20 of the present embodiment differs from the powder control device 10 of the first embodiment in that the powder 1 discharged from the powder device 2 or the powder in the powder device 2 1, a magnetic field adjustment system 21 that adjusts the magnetic field that the magnet 12 acts on the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1, a ferromagnetic material recovery system 22 as a recovery means, and a neutron beam shielding means This is a point having a neutron beam shielding material 23.

  The magnetic field adjustment system 21 adjusts the magnetic field that the magnet 12 acts on the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 based on the measuring device 24 that measures information on the powder 1 and the information on the powder from the measuring device 24. And a magnetic field adjuster 25 that outputs an adjustment signal A to be configured. The measuring device 24 functions as a measuring unit, and the magnetic field adjuster 25 functions as a magnetic field adjusting unit.

  The measuring instrument 24 is installed in the vicinity of the powder discharge port 26 of the powder device 2 or in the powder device 2, and information on the powder discharged from the powder discharge port 26 or the powder in the powder device 2. Information on the body 1 is measured at any time. The information regarding the powder is the particle size distribution of the powder 1, the discharge amount of the powder 1 discharged from the powder device 2, and the like.

  When the magnet 12 is an electromagnet, the adjustment signal A output from the magnetic field adjuster 25 changes the value of the current supplied to the magnet 12 or supplies a power supply device (not used for supplying an alternating current to the magnet 12). Output). When the magnet 12 is a permanent magnet, the adjustment signal A output from the magnetic field adjuster 25 is sent to an air supply device (not shown) that supplies compressed air to the air cylinder 13 to move the magnet 12. Or a drive device (not shown) for moving the magnetic field shielding plate 14.

  By adjusting the magnetic field applied to the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 by the adjustment signal A from the magnetic field adjuster 25, the ferromagnetic material 11 moves to the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2, The behavior of the powder 1 in the powder device 2 is controlled by changing the position of the ferromagnetic material 11 such as the vibration of the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1. As a result, the powder device 2 can prevent the powder 1 from adhering, agglomerating or clogging.

  For example, when the measuring device 24 measures that the particle size of the powder 1 discharged from the powder device 2 is small, the powder 1 is likely to adhere to the wall surface 8 in the powder device 2, and thus the magnetic field The adjuster 25 outputs an adjustment signal A for collecting the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 on the wall surface 8 of the powder device 2, and acts on the ferromagnetic material 11 from the magnet 12. The magnetic field is adjusted to prevent the powder 1 from being attached.

  Further, when the measuring device 24 measures that the discharge amount of the powder 1 discharged from the powder device 2 is small, it is assumed that the powder 1 is agglomerated or blocked in the powder device 2. Therefore, the magnetic field adjuster 25 outputs an adjustment signal A for vibrating the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 in the powder device 2 to adjust the magnetic field acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 from the magnet 12. Then, aggregation and blockage of the powder 1 are prevented.

  The ferromagnetic material recovery system 22 includes a ferromagnetic material recovery unit 27 and a ferromagnetic material transport path 28, and the ferromagnetic material recovery unit 27 includes a recovery magnet 29. The ferromagnetic body recovery unit 27 is installed in the vicinity of the powder outlet 26 of the powder device 2, and attracts the ferromagnetic body 11 discharged together with the powder 1 from the powder outlet 26 using the recovery magnet 29. And collect. The recovered ferromagnetic material 11 is transported by the ferromagnetic material transport path 28 and is put into the powder device 2.

  When the powder 1 accommodated in the powder device 2 is a radioactive substance, the neutron beam shielding material 23 is disposed between the powder device 2 and the magnet 12 to cover the magnet 12, and the powder device The neutron beam emitted from 2 is shielded from reaching the magnet 12. Thereby, the damage etc. by the neutron beam of the magnet 12 are avoided.

  Since it was configured as described above, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the same effects as the effects (1) to (3) of the first embodiment, the following effects (4) to ( Play 6).

  (4) The measuring device 24 measures information on the powder 1 in the powder device 2 or the powder 1 discharged from the powder device 2, and based on this information, the magnetic field adjuster 25 moves in the powder device 2 An adjustment signal A for adjusting the magnetic field from the magnet 12 acting on the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 is output, the position of the ferromagnetic material 11 in the powder 1 is changed, and the powder device 2 Since the behavior of the powder 1 in the inside is controlled, it is possible to reliably and quickly prevent the respective phenomena of adhesion, aggregation and blockage of the powder 1 in the powder device 2.

  (5) Since the ferromagnetic material 11 discharged together with the powder 1 from the powder discharge port 26 of the powder device 2 is recovered by the ferromagnetic material recovery unit 27 using the recovery magnet 29, the powder 1 Since the ferromagnetic material 11 is not mixed and removed, it is possible to prevent the quality of the powder 1 from being affected. In addition, since the recovered ferromagnetic material 11 is introduced into the powder device 2 through the ferromagnetic material transport path 28 and reused, the waste of the ferromagnetic material 11 can be saved.

  (6) When the powder 1 accommodated in the powder device 2 is a radioactive substance, a neutron beam shielding material 23 is installed between the powder device 2 and the magnet 12, and the neutron beam shielding material 23 As a result, the magnet 12 is shielded from the neutron beam, so that the magnet 12 can be prevented from being damaged by the neutron beam. Furthermore, the operator does not directly touch the powder 1 in the powder device 2 during maintenance of the magnet 12, and the magnet 12 is shielded from the neutron beam, so that the operator can easily repair the magnet 12. Can be implemented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment of the powder control apparatus which concerns on this invention with the hopper which is a powder apparatus. The block diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the powder control apparatus which concerns on this invention with the hopper etc. which are powder apparatuses. The schematic sectional side view which shows the hopper which is the conventional powder apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Powder 2 Powder apparatus 8 Wall surface 10 Powder control apparatus 11 Ferromagnetic material (magnetic material)
12 Magnet 13 Air cylinder (magnet moving means)
14 Magnetic field interruption plate (magnetic field interruption means)
20 Powder control device 21 Magnetic field adjustment system 22 Ferromagnetic material recovery system 23 Neutron beam shielding material (neutron beam shielding means)
24 Measuring instrument (measuring means)
25 Magnetic field adjuster (magnetic field adjusting means)
27 Ferromagnetic material recovery part (recovery means)
28 Ferromagnetic material transport route (transport route)
29 Recovery magnet

Claims (8)

A magnetic substance composed of particles or small spheres containing a magnetic material mixed in the powder in the powder device;
Installed inside or outside the powder device, and having a magnet that acts a magnetic field on the magnetic body,
A powder control device configured to control the behavior of the powder by changing the position of the magnetic body in the powder by adjusting a magnetic field from the magnet. 2. The powder according to claim 1, further comprising: a magnet moving unit that moves the permanent magnet when the magnet is a permanent magnet, or a magnetic field blocking unit that can block a magnetic field from the permanent magnet. Body control device. Measuring means for measuring information about the powder in the powder device or the powder discharged from the powder device, and a magnetic field adjusting means for adjusting the magnetic field from the magnet based on the information from the measuring means, The powder control device according to claim 1, wherein the powder control device has a powder control device. 4. The powder control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a collection unit configured to collect a magnetic material that has flowed out of the powder device together with the powder. 5. The powder control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recovery means is configured to re-inject the recovered magnetic material into the powder device via a conveyance path. The neutron beam shielding means for shielding neutron rays is arranged so as to cover the magnet when the powder accommodated in the powder device is a radioactive substance. Powder control device. In the powder in the powder device, a plurality of magnetic bodies composed of particles or small spheres containing magnetic material are mixed,
The behavior of the powder is controlled by changing the position of the magnetic body in the powder by adjusting a magnetic field from a magnet installed inside or outside the powder device. Powder control method. 8. The position of the magnetic body in the powder is changed by adjusting a magnetic field applied to the magnetic body in the powder based on information on the powder in the powder device. The powder control method described in 1.

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