JP2011185528A - Drying device of powder and granular material - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drying device of powder and granular material capable of reducing heat loss of heated gas supplied into a hopper as well as saving electric power. <P>SOLUTION: The drying device 1 of powder and granular material includes the hopper 20 for storing the powder and granular material and a heated gas supply part 3 for supplying the heated gas into the hopper. The heated gas supply part has a gas receiving port supplied with the gas on its one end, and includes a thin and long gas ventilation passage 31 communicated to the hopper and a linear heater arranged along the gas ventilation passage in the gas ventilation passage, on the other end. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a powder material drying apparatus including a hopper in which powder material is stored and a heated gas supply unit that supplies heated gas into the hopper.

As a conventional powder material drying apparatus, a heater box in which a heating element such as a sheathed heater or a pipe heater is arranged in a box-shaped heating section is connected to a gas introduction pipe line to a hopper ( For example, see Patent Document 1 below).
In such a drying apparatus, a heating gas that drives a blowing means such as a blower, introduces gas such as outside air into the heater box, and heat-exchanges with the heating element in the heater box. Was introduced into the hopper, and the granular material stored in the hopper was heated and dried.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-292176

However, since the drying apparatus configured as described above is configured to perform heat exchange with the gas in the box-shaped heating section, the heater box itself can be enlarged and installed near the gas inlet of the hopper. It was sometimes difficult. As a result, there is a problem that heat loss increases.
Further, in order to prevent damage to the heating element in the heater box, it is necessary to introduce a relatively large amount of gas into the heater box, and improvement has been desired from the viewpoint of power saving. That is, if the gas introduced into the heater box has a small air volume, the gas does not uniformly contact the entire heating element, that is, heat exchange with the entire heating element is not performed, and a part of the heating element is contacted. Thus, it may be derived to follow a short circuit path, and as a result, local overheating may occur in the heating element. Therefore, it was necessary to introduce a relatively large amount of gas.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drying apparatus for a granular material that can reduce the heat loss of the heated gas supplied into the hopper and can save power. Yes.

  In order to achieve the above object, a drying apparatus for a granular material according to the present invention includes a hopper in which the granular material is stored, and a heated gas supply unit that supplies heated gas into the hopper. An apparatus for drying granular material, wherein the heated gas supply unit has a gas inlet through which gas is supplied at one end, and an elongated gas ventilation path having the other end communicated with the hopper; A linear heater disposed along the gas ventilation path is provided in the gas ventilation path.

In the present invention configured as described above, a heating gas supply unit having an elongated gas ventilation path and a linear heater arranged along the gas ventilation path in the gas ventilation path is provided. The gas supplied into the hopper can be efficiently heated. That is, the gas passing through the elongated gas passage and the linear heater efficiently contact each other, and these heat exchanges incorporate a heating element such as a sheathed heater, a plate heater, or a heater with a radiation fin. This is more efficient than a heater such as a heater box, and the gas can be heated efficiently.
Thus, since heating efficiency can be improved, electric capacity can be made comparatively small compared with heaters, such as the above-mentioned heater box, for example, and power saving can be attained.
Further, in the conventional box type heater, the casing of the heater itself is enlarged, and the gas path from the box type heater to the gas inlet of the hopper tends to be relatively long. On the other hand, according to the present invention configured as described above, since the linear heater is disposed in the elongated gas ventilation path, the degree of freedom of installation of the gas ventilation path can be increased, and the gas ventilation path of the gas ventilation path can be increased. The terminal (other end) can be installed near the gas inlet of the hopper, or the terminal can be connected to the gas inlet. Therefore, heat loss can be reduced.

  Here, the above-mentioned granular material refers to a powder / granular material, and includes fine flaky, short fiber, sliver, etc., and the material is a resin such as a synthetic resin material. Examples thereof include materials that require heat drying, such as pellets, resin fiber pieces, or metal materials, semiconductor materials, wood materials, chemical materials, food materials, and the like.

In the present invention, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the gas supplied into the hopper, and a predetermined temperature at which the temperature of the gas supplied into the hopper is preset based on the detected temperature of the temperature sensor. It is good also as what further provided with the control part which controls the said linear heater.
With such a configuration, the gas heated to a predetermined temperature can be introduced into the hopper based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, and the particulate material in the hopper can be efficiently heated. Can do.
Further, since the gas passing through the elongated gas passage is heated by the linear heater, the responsiveness can be relatively enhanced and the stability of the temperature control can be enhanced. That is, since the heating element for heating the gas to be heated that passes through the gas ventilation path is linear, the heat capacity of the heating element itself is relatively small, and the heating element itself is not heated or cooled. It is done relatively quickly. As a result, when the flow rate of the gas passing through the elongated gas passage is increased or decreased, fluctuations in the temperature of the outlet side (hopper side) due to fluctuations in the outside air temperature or other disturbances may occur. In such a case, the temperature of the gas on the outlet side of the heated gas supply unit due to the energization control of the linear heater is caused to follow the predetermined temperature relatively quickly in accordance with the increase / decrease or variation of the linear heater. be able to. That is, overshoot and undershoot are less likely to occur, and the temperature of the heated gas supplied into the hopper can be controlled to a relatively stable temperature. Therefore, it is difficult for the granular material in the hopper to be overheated or to cause insufficient heating of the granular material, and an efficient heat drying process can be executed.

In the present invention, the gas ventilation path may be formed in a spiral shape.
With such a configuration, it is possible to efficiently heat the gas supplied into the hopper and reduce the size. That is, for example, the contact efficiency between the gas and the linear heater can be improved by the turbulent flow action by the spiral gas ventilation path, etc., compared with the gas ventilation path formed in a straight tube, and the size can be reduced efficiently. Can be achieved. Further, for example, the pressure loss can be reduced by forming the gas ventilation path in a spiral shape as compared with the gas ventilation path formed in a zigzag shape.

Moreover, in this invention, you may make it provide the said gas ventilation path helically along the circumferential direction on the outer periphery of the said hopper.
With such a configuration, the linear heater arranged along the gas ventilation path can also be used as a heating means for keeping or heating the outer periphery of the hopper. Thereby, the granular material material stored in the hopper can be heated and dried more efficiently. For example, power can be saved as compared with the case where a heater for heating the outer periphery of the hopper is provided separately. it can.
Moreover, the heating means for heating the gas supplied into the hopper is positioned very close to the hopper, and heat loss can be reduced more effectively.

Moreover, in this invention, it is good also considering the said gas ventilation path as the helical channel unit which bent the tubular member helically.
With such a configuration, it is possible to efficiently reduce the size of the gas ventilation path, and it is possible to install the spiral pipeline unit in the vicinity of the hopper. Therefore, heat loss can be reduced and maintainability can be improved.

Further, in the present invention, the other end of the gas ventilation path is opened in the inner peripheral wall formed in a mortar shape at the lower end of the hopper, and the gas discharged from the opening is covered with the inner peripheral wall. You may provide the perforated plate which disperse | distributes so that this inner peripheral wall may be followed.
With such a configuration, it is possible to introduce gas that has been dispersed from the opening at the other end of the gas passage and heated into the hopper.

Further, in the present invention, the heated gas supply unit is provided at the upper and lower sides of the hopper at the upper and lower sides, and the other end of the gas vent path is connected to the lower end of the gas vent pipe. A gas discharge port provided may be further provided.
With such a configuration, the gas heated from the lower end portion in the hopper can be supplied into the hopper through the gas ventilation pipes provided in the upper and lower sides in the hopper.
In addition, the granular material in the hopper can be heated by the heated gas discharged from the gas discharge port, and can also be heated by heat transfer from the outer periphery of the gas vent pipe.

In the present invention, the heating gas supply unit may be provided with a flow rate adjusting unit for adjusting the flow rate of the gas supplied into the hopper. In this case, a detection means for detecting a predetermined control factor indicating the heat drying treatment state of the granular material in the hopper is provided, and the control section controls the flow rate adjusting section based on the detection value of the detection means. And you may make it increase / decrease the flow volume of the heating gas supplied so that it may become a flow volume suitable for the heat drying process of the granular material material made with the said apparatus. For example, when the detection value of the detection means exceeds a preset threshold value while supplying the heating gas, the flow rate of the heating gas is decreased, and when the detection value falls below the threshold value, the heating gas is supplied. The flow rate adjusting unit may be controlled so as to increase the flow rate.
Examples of the control factor include various physical quantities that vary as the granular material in the hopper is heat-dried. Examples include time, temperature, and humidity (dew point). And as a detection means which detects these control factors, what is necessary is just to be able to detect the fluctuation | variation of these physical quantities.

  Further, in the present invention, the heating gas supply unit includes a gas storage unit that stores gas from a compressed air source, an on-off valve provided in a pipeline that communicates the gas storage unit and the hopper, A gas introduction port for introducing the gas that has passed through the pipe line into the lower end of the hopper, and the control unit opens the on-off valve so that the gas in the gas storage unit is instantaneously emitted into the hopper. However, the pressure inside the hopper may be increased rapidly.

  Since the drying apparatus for granular material according to the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to reduce the heat loss of the heated gas supplied into the hopper and to save power.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows typically one Embodiment of the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention. (A) is a partially broken schematic plan view corresponding to the XX line arrow in FIG. 1, and (b) is a partially broken schematic exploded side view schematically showing the lower part of the hopper of the drying apparatus. . (A)-(c) shows typically other embodiment of the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention, (a) is a schematic block diagram, (b) is the drying apparatus. The schematic block diagram which shows typically the heating gas supply part with which (1) is equipped, (c) is a schematic front view which shows typically the heat exchanger of the heating gas supply part. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows typically the modification of the heating gas supply part applied to the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention. (A)-(c) is a schematic block diagram which each shows typically the modification of the heating gas supply part applied to the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention, respectively, (d) is this It is a partially broken schematic enlarged longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a modification of the gas inlet applied to the powder material drying apparatus according to the invention. (A), (b) is a schematic block diagram which each shows typically other embodiment of the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention, respectively.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG.1 and FIG.2 is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on 1st Embodiment.
In FIGS. 1 to 3 to 6, a part of pipes (gas pipes, powder material transport pipes, etc.) through which gas or granular material flows are schematically shown by solid lines. ing.
Moreover, in FIG.2 (b), illustration of the heat insulating material 26 mentioned later is abbreviate | omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, a drying apparatus 1 for a granular material in the example includes a hopper portion 2 having a hopper body 20 as a storage tank in which the granular material is stored, and the hopper body 20 is heated. A heated gas supply unit 3 for supplying the prepared gas and a control panel 8 are provided.
A material input part 5 is provided on the input side (upper side) of the hopper part 2, and a material discharge part 6 is provided on the discharge side (lower side) of the hopper part 2.
Further, in the illustrated example, the drying apparatus 1 is installed in a machine base 9 having a frame shape and having a caster at the bottom.

The hopper body 20 of the hopper 2 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum, and the upper part has a cylindrical shape and the lower part has an inverted conical shape. A material discharge pipe 20a is provided at the lower end of the hopper body 20. It is coupled.
A conical first-in first-out umbrella 20b as a rectifying unit for smoothly discharging the stored granular material in order from the lower side (lower layer side) is provided at a lower side portion of the inner space of the hopper body 20. .
The lower inner peripheral wall having an inverted conical shape is formed in a mortar shape, and the lower inner peripheral wall is for introducing the gas heated through the heated gas supply unit 3 into the hopper body 20. An inner peripheral wall opening 21 is provided as a gas inlet (see also FIG. 2 (a)). The inner peripheral wall opening 21 is provided in the vicinity of the lower end of the lower inner peripheral wall, that is, in the vicinity of the material discharge pipe 20a.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2A, the lower inner peripheral wall is provided with a porous plate 22 so as to cover the inner peripheral wall opening 21 and to be along the lower inner peripheral wall. The perforated plate 22 is provided with a large number of vent holes 22a. The vent holes 22a are capable of gas flow and have a hole diameter that prevents passage of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20. Has been.
The heated gas discharged and supplied into the hopper body 20 from the inner peripheral wall opening 21 is distributed and supplied into the hopper body 20 by the perforated plate 22. That is, the heated gas discharged from the inner peripheral wall opening 21 is diffused in the space between the porous plate 22 and the lower inner peripheral wall covered by the porous plate 22 along the circumferential direction and the vertical direction. Is introduced into the hopper main body 20 through the vent hole 22a.

In the illustrated example, the vent hole 22a has a circular shape, but may have other shapes such as a rectangular shape, an elliptical shape, a long hole shape, and a hexagonal shape. Further, the arrangement of the air holes 22a is not limited to that arranged radially around the center of the hopper main body 20 in plan view, as shown in the figure, and may be arranged in a zigzag or parallel manner. . Furthermore, such a porous plate is not limited to a plate having a large number of air holes formed by punching as shown in the drawings, and may be a mesh-like or net-like porous plate.
In addition, depending on the powder material, the pore diameter of the air holes may include fine powder that deviates from the average particle diameter, and it is necessary to make the hole diameter to prevent passage to such fine powder Absent.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the perforated plate 22 may be provided so as to cover from the vicinity of the lower end edge of the lower inner peripheral wall to a portion having a height of about 1/3 to 1/2 of the lower inner peripheral wall. The lower inner peripheral wall may be provided so as to cover substantially the whole. The degree of covering the lower inner peripheral wall by such a porous plate 22 depends on the solid angle formed by the conical surface of the lower inner peripheral wall formed in a mortar shape, the aperture ratio of the porous plate, the hole diameter, etc. What is necessary is just to set so that heating gas can be distributed and supplied to the whole.
Furthermore, the surface of the porous plate 22 and the inner peripheral wall surface of the hopper body 20 are substantially flush with each other, or the surface of the porous plate 22 has a stepped outer periphery than the inner peripheral wall surface of the hopper body 20. The inner peripheral wall of the hopper body 20 may have a double structure or a step shape so as to be located on the side.

The upper end of the hopper main body 20 in the cylindrical shape is opened upward, and a lid 20c for hermetically sealing the opening is detachably provided at the upper end. Yes. The lid 20c is provided with a gas discharge port 23 opened in the hopper body 20. At the end of the gas exhaust pipe connected to the gas exhaust port 23, a dust collecting filter as a dust collecting means for capturing dust, dust and the like contained in the exhausted air, a dust accommodating portion for accommodating the captured matter, and the like are provided. A dust collection unit 7 is provided. As this dust collecting means, a cyclone filter, a bag filter, or the like may be adopted.
Instead of providing the gas outlet 23 on the lid 20c, a gas outlet opening in the hopper body 20 is provided on the upper outer peripheral wall of the hopper body 20, and the dust collecting unit 7 is connected to the end of the gas outlet. It is good also as an aspect which connects the made gas exhaust pipe.

In the upper part of the hopper body 20, a hopper material sensor (level meter) 24 for detecting the material level of the powder material stored in the hopper body 20 and the powder material stored in the hopper body 20. A temperature sensor (material layer passing temperature detection sensor) 25 is provided as a detecting means for detecting the temperature of the gas that has passed through the layer.
In the present embodiment, the hopper material sensor 24 is configured so that the material level in the hopper body 20 is at a full level by turning on / off the limit switch by swinging the arm portion depending on the presence or absence of the granular material. However, any level meter may be used as long as it can detect the material level in the hopper body 20.

In the present embodiment, the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 is configured so that the granular material stored in the hopper main body 20 is stored from the uppermost layer portion of the granular material in a state where the granular material is stored to the full level. The detection unit is disposed in a space up to the lid 20c that seals the upper end of the main body 20. That is, the material layer passage temperature detection sensor 25 measures the ambient temperature in the space above the granular material layer (material non-reserved space) stored in the hopper body 20.
The hopper material sensor 24 and the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 are connected to a CPU 80 as a control unit provided in the control panel 8 described later via a signal line or the like.
In the example shown in the figure, the hopper material sensor 24 and the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 are provided through the lid 20c. It is good also as an aspect which provides. Alternatively, the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 may be provided so that the detection unit faces the gas discharge pipe connected to the gas discharge port 23.

On the outer periphery of the hopper body 20, hopper outer periphery heat retaining portions 30 and 26 are provided that retain or heat the outer peripheral wall of the hopper body 20. In the present embodiment, a hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit is configured by a spiral gas heating unit 30 of the heating gas supply unit 3 to be described later and a heat insulating material 26 provided on the outer periphery so as to cover the spiral gas heating unit 30. is doing.
As the heat insulating material 26, various foam-based (foaming-based) heat insulating materials, fiber-based heat insulating materials, and resin-based heat insulating materials may be used. Or, for example, it is formed by forming a core material with porous urethane foam, fiber such as silica or fiber such as glass fiber, and covering the core material with a packaging material such as a gas barrier metal film and vacuuming it. It is good also as the made vacuum heat insulating material.

The material input part 5 is installed in the cover body 20c, and in this embodiment, the granular material conveyed through the material transport pipe 12 from material storage parts, such as the material storage tank 11 which stores granular material. The suction type collector 5 which collects material is illustrated.
The collector 5 is connected to a material transport pipe connecting portion to which the material transport pipe 12 is connected, and to an air suction pipe 13 having a terminal connected to suction means as a material transport air source such as a blower. And a suction pipe connecting portion.

The material input unit 5 configured as described above is controlled by the CPU 80 provided in the control panel 8 on the basis of the material request signal from the hopper material sensor 24. For example, the collection and input operations are executed as follows. Is done.
If a material request signal (OFF signal) is output from the hopper material sensor 24, the material transportation air source is driven, or an open / close valve provided in the air suction pipe 13 is opened. As a result, the particulate material stored in the material storage tank 11 is transported toward the collector 5 via the material transport pipe 12, collected in the collector 5, and put into the hopper body 20. .
The driving of the material transportation air source or the opening of the open / close valve provided in the air suction pipe 13 is continued while the material request signal is output from the hopper material sensor 24, and the material request signal is output. After disappears, it may be stopped or closed. Alternatively, they may be driven or released for a predetermined time set in advance.

An opening / closing means such as a sliding valve device or a flap damper is provided at the lower part of the collector 5, and the powder material collected in the collector 5 is transferred into the hopper body 20 by controlling the opening and closing thereof. It is good also as an aspect thrown into.
Moreover, it is not restricted to the aspect conveyed by a suction type, It is good also as an aspect which provides a compressed air source as an air source for material conveyance, and conveys to a collector by a pressure feeding system.

The material discharge part 6 is connected to the lower end part of the material discharge pipe 20a provided at the lower end part of the hopper body 20, and in the illustrated example, the valve is provided along the same direction as the discharge direction (axial direction of the discharge pipe). The push damper type discharge damper which opens and closes the lower end discharge port by moving the is illustrated.
The discharge damper 6 has a material transport pipe connecting portion to which a material transport pipe 14 for transporting the particulate material is transported to a temporary storage hopper 16a installed on a processing machine such as a resin molding machine 16. Is provided. An air suction pipe 15 is connected to the temporary storage hopper 16a, and an air source for material transportation such as a blower similar to the above is provided at the end of the air suction pipe 15. Further, a molding machine side material sensor 16b is attached to the material input storage pipe of the temporary storage hopper 16a.

In the material discharge unit 6 having the above-described configuration, the discharge operation is executed as follows, for example, under the control of the CPU 80 provided in the control panel 8 based on the material request signal from the molding machine side material sensor 16b. The
When a material request signal is output from the molding machine side material sensor 16b, the discharge damper 6 is opened, the material transporting air source is driven, or an open / close valve provided in the air suction pipe 15 is opened. Thereby, the granular material material discharged from the hopper body 20 through the discharge damper 6 is transported toward the temporary storage hopper 16a through the material transport pipe 14, and is collected and collected in the temporary storage hopper 16a. Input into the input storage pipe. The granular material material charged into the material charging storage tube is sequentially processed into a molded product and consumed (processed) in the resin molding machine 16.
The driving of the air source for material transportation or the opening of the open / close valve provided in the air suction pipe 15 is continued while the material request signal is output from the molding machine side material sensor 16b. After the request signal disappears, it may be stopped or closed. Alternatively, they may be driven or released for a predetermined time set in advance.

In addition, in the case where the collection and charging operations in the material charging unit 5 and the discharging and transporting operations in the material discharging unit 6 are controlled at different timings, air suction on the molding machine side is performed. The pipe 15 is connected to the air suction pipe 13 on the collector side via a switching valve or the like, and the air source for transporting the material to the collector 5 and the material to the temporary storage hopper 16a as the supply destination You may make it share the air source for transportation.
The material discharging unit 6 may be any material as long as it is connected to the CPU 80 via a signal line or the like and is controlled to be discharged (operation control or opening / closing control), for example, a rotary valve or a flap damper. Also, a slide damper, a screw feeder or the like may be used. Or you may make it employ | adopt as a material discharge | emission part the measurement (mass) damper which fixed the measurement container to the slide damper and enabled the measurement of the transport amount of a granular material.

The heated gas supply unit 3 includes a spiral gas heating unit 30 and a gas supply unit 40 having a flow rate adjusting unit as well as supplying gas to the spiral gas heating unit 30.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spiral gas heating unit 30 is a spiral as an elongated gas ventilation path provided in a spiral shape so as to be wound around the outer periphery of the hopper body 20 along the circumferential direction. And a linear heater 32 (see FIG. 2B) having a linear heating element inserted into the spiral gas conduit 31. As described above, the helical gas heating unit 30 constitutes a hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit in the present embodiment, and the linear heater 32 also functions as a heating unit for the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit.
As shown in FIG. 2 (b), a connection portion that communicates with the inner peripheral wall opening 21 of the hopper body 20 is connected to the end of the spiral gas pipe 31. A gas temperature sensor 33 for detecting the temperature of the gas on the outlet side of the gas heating unit 30, that is, the temperature of the gas introduced into the hopper body 20 is provided.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the spiral gas pipe 31 is provided along the outer peripheral side surface of the hopper body 20 with the vicinity of the upper end portion of the outer peripheral side surface of the hopper main body 20 as a base end. The upper and lower portions of the hopper main body 20 are arranged over substantially the whole, and the end thereof is connected to the connecting portion provided in the vicinity of the lower end portion of the outer peripheral side surface of the hopper body 20. In other words, in the present embodiment, the spiral gas pipe 31 is disposed over substantially the entire outer periphery of the upper part of the hopper body 20 that has a cylindrical shape and the outer periphery of the lower part that has an inverted conical shape. Further, in the illustrated example, the spiral gas pipeline 31 is wound so that adjacent pipelines are relatively close to or in contact with each other.
The spiral gas pipe 31 is formed, for example, by spirally bending a copper pipe having an inner diameter of about 4 mm to 30 mm and a pipe length of about 1 m to 10 m. The inner diameter and length of the spiral gas pipe 31 may be set according to the flow rate of the heating gas introduced into the hopper body 20, the outer shape of the hopper body 20, and the like.
In addition, the base end portion of the spiral gas pipe 31 is connected to a gas supply pipe 41 of a gas supply unit 40 described later via a three-way joint or the like, and this base end portion serves as a gas receiving port.

The linear heater 32 is, for example, a linear heating element is inserted from a connection port such as a three-way joint provided at the base end of the spiral gas pipe 31, and the connection port is connected to a terminal portion of the linear heater 32. It is sealed and provided.
The linear heating element of the linear heater 32 is configured by covering a heating wire such as a nichrome wire with an insulating material, and in the spiral gas pipeline 31 in the longitudinal direction of the spiral gas pipeline 31. It is arranged along. The linear heating element of the linear heater 32 may be disposed over the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the spiral gas conduit 31 from the proximal end portion of the spiral gas conduit 31. For example, you may make it arrange | position until it reaches the site | part exceeding about 2/3 from the part.
The diameter of the linear heating element of the linear heater 32 may be about several mm, for example. Further, the length of the linear heating element of the linear heater 32 may be less than the length of the spiral gas pipeline 31, and the target heating temperature set by the type of the granular material, the initial moisture content, etc. You may make it set according to the emitted-heat amount of the said linear heating element itself.
The heater (gas heating means) including the linear heater 32 and the spiral gas pipe line 31 inserts the linear heating element of the linear heater 32 into the copper pipe as described above. It may be formed by bending a copper tube in a spiral shape.

  The linear heater 32 of the helical gas heating unit 30 has a predetermined temperature at which the temperature of the heated gas supplied into the hopper body 20 is set based on the measured temperature signal (detected temperature) of the gas temperature sensor 33. Thus, the CPU 80 provided in the control panel 8 controls energization such as ON / OFF control or PID control. The predetermined temperature is set on the target heating temperature set by the type of the granular material, the initial moisture content, the capacity of the hopper body 20 and the next processing step (the resin molding machine 16 or the resin molding machine 16). Although it can be set according to the discharge amount discharged at a time toward the temporary storage hopper 16a, other processing machines (not shown), etc., for example, it may be about 80 ° C. to 160 ° C.

The gas supply unit 40 is disposed at a suitable position of the gas supply pipe 41 and a gas supply pipe 41 for sending the gas from the compressed air source 4 as a gas source toward the spiral gas heating unit 30. And a flow rate adjusting valve for increasing and decreasing the flow rate of the gas fed through the supply pipe 41. The flow rate adjusting valve may be a flow rate adjusting valve such as a motor valve or a diaphragm valve whose opening degree can be controlled by a CPU 80 provided in the control panel 8. This flow rate adjusting valve and the CPU 80 constitute a flow rate adjusting unit.
The compressed air source 4 may be, for example, an air tank that stores air compressed by a compressor such as a compressor via an aftercooler, a drain separator, or the like. Such a compressed air source 4 may be provided with a compressed air source 4 dedicated to the heated gas supply unit 3, but in a factory or the like where a pneumatic device is installed, the compressed air source 4 as described above is provided. Since it is generally provided as factory equipment, the equipment may be used.
Note that an on-off valve such as an electromagnetic valve for supplying and blocking the compressed air to the compressed air source 4 may be provided.

In the gas supply pipe 41 having one end connected to the compressed air source 4, a refining unit 41a and a dryer 41b are arranged in this order from the compressed air source 4 toward the other end side.
The tempering unit 41a includes a regulator for adjusting the pressure of compressed air (compressor air), a filter for capturing dust, a micro mist separator (oil mist filter) for capturing mist-like oil, and the like. It is good also as a thing provided.
The dryer 41b is for appropriately drying the compressor air, and may be a simple dryer such as a hollow fiber membrane dryer. You may make it the dew point of the compressor air which passed this dryer 41b become a comparatively low dew point of about -10 degreeC--40 degreeC, for example.

The control panel 8 includes clocking means such as a clock timer and an arithmetic processing unit, and controls the above-described devices and units of the drying apparatus 1 according to a predetermined program, and the CPU 80 via signal lines and the like. A connected operation panel and a storage unit are provided. The CPU 80 is connected to the above-described devices and various sensors via signal lines and the like.
The operation panel constitutes a display operation unit for setting and inputting various setting operations and pre-set input items to be described later, and displaying various setting conditions and various operation modes.
The storage unit is composed of various memories, etc., for executing various operations such as setting conditions and input values set and input by operating the operation panel, basic operations described later, and the above-described input operation and discharge operation. Various programs such as control programs, various preset operating conditions, various data tables, and the like are stored.

Next, an example of a basic operation executed in the drying apparatus 1 according to this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described.
<Initial material input process>
When the drying apparatus 1 is started up or the like, if the powder material is not stored in the hopper body 20 (empty state), the material initial charging step is executed.
That is, as described above, until the material request signal from the hopper material sensor 24 disappears, the particulate material from the material storage tank 11 is collected in the collector 5 as the material input unit, and is stored in the hopper body 20. throw into.
In addition, when the granular material is stored in the hopper main body 20, execution of the said material initial charging process is unnecessary.

<Initial operation process>
As described above, after a predetermined amount of the granular material is stored in the hopper body 20, the initial operation step is executed. In this initial operation step, the temperature of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20 is raised to a predetermined level, and at least the heat drying treatment of the granular material according to the discharge amount located in the lower layer portion is sufficient. This is a process that is executed until it is made (until it reaches a predetermined temperature and moisture content (moisture content)), and the above-described operation of feeding the powder material into the hopper body 20 and the above-mentioned discharge operation from the hopper body 20 are not performed. .
In this initial operation step, gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 40 toward the spiral gas heating unit 30, the linear heater 32 is activated, and the heated gas is introduced into the hopper body 20.

  At this time, since the helical gas heating unit 30 of the heating gas supply unit 3 is provided along the outer periphery of the hopper body 20, the hopper body 20, that is, the casing is mounted while preventing heat dissipation of the hopper body 20. Heat. Further, the heated gas heated to a predetermined temperature as described above is distributed and supplied into the hopper body 20 through the inner peripheral wall opening 21 and the porous plate 22. That is, the granular material material stored in the hopper body 20 is heat-dried by the heat conduction from the inner peripheral wall of the hopper body 20 heated from the outer periphery and the heated gas supplied from the lower end.

By introducing the heating gas, the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer, that is, the detection temperature of the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 gradually increases from a low temperature of about room temperature (outside temperature). When the temperature of the material layer passing gas exceeds a predetermined threshold value set in advance, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve is changed and controlled so that the flow rate of the gas supplied to the spiral gas heating unit 30 is decreased. It may be. That is, the flow rate of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20 may be reduced.
As described above, in this embodiment, the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer is set as a predetermined control factor indicating the heat drying treatment state of the granular material in the hopper body 20, and the granular material is determined by this temperature. The heat drying treatment state is estimated, and the flow rate of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20 is increased or decreased.
The predetermined threshold is an experiment according to the target heating temperature set by the type of granular material, the initial moisture content, etc., the capacity of the hopper body 20, the discharge amount discharged at a time for the next processing step, etc. It is sufficient to set the target or empirically, and for example, it may be about 40 ° C. to 120 ° C.

The opening control of the flow rate adjustment valve is performed so that the flow rate of the gas fed through the gas supply pipe 41 is gradually decreased until the material layer passage temperature exceeds the threshold value and then falls below the threshold value. It is good also as an aspect which carries out decrease control gradually. Further, a lower limit flow rate of the gas fed through the gas supply pipe 41 may be set.
As described above, if the flow rate of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20 decreases, the thermal energy is applied to the granular material in the hopper body 20 (particularly, the upper layer granular material) that is in the middle of temperature increase. The temperature of the gas that has been taken away and passed through the material layer gradually decreases. If the temperature of the gas falls below the threshold value, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve may be changed and controlled, and the flow rate of the gas supplied toward the spiral gas heating unit 30 may be increased. That is, the flow rate of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20 is increased. At this time, as in the case of decreasing, the opening degree control for gradually increasing the flow rate, that is, the mode of gradually increasing the opening degree of the flow rate adjustment valve may be used. It is good also as an aspect which carries out change control.

In this initial operation step, the flow rate is not changed until the threshold value is exceeded, and the heated gas having the maximum air volume at the time of initial setting is introduced into the hopper body 20, and the granular material stored in the hopper body 20. The temperature of the material can be raised rapidly.
Moreover, if it exceeds the said threshold value, it will judge that it heated up to the predetermined | prescribed state, and is made to reduce the flow volume of the gas introduced. Thereby, energy saving can be achieved.

It should be noted that the time for performing the initial operation process is set experimentally or empirically according to the capacity and discharge amount of the hopper body 20, the type and condition of the granular material (initial moisture content, etc.), etc. do it. Alternatively, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the lowermost layer portion of the material layer stored in the hopper body 20 is provided, and the material of the lowermost layer portion in the hopper body 20 is based on a measured temperature signal (detected temperature) of the temperature sensor. However, it is good also as a mode which discriminate | determines whether the heat drying process is made to the predetermined state, and alert | reports completion | finish of an initial stage operation process.
Further, when the threshold value is exceeded, counting by a time measuring means such as a timer of the CPU 80 may be started, and the initial operation process may be executed until a predetermined time elapses.

  Further, the temperature increase of the granular material performed in this initial operation step does not require the total amount of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20 to be increased to a uniform temperature. What is necessary is just to make it heat up so that the temperature of about 40 to 70% of the granular material material stored in may become predetermined temperature. In other words, the heating gas introduced from the lower portion of the hopper body 20 causes each layer to rise in the hopper body 20 so as to form a temperature gradient in which the temperature gradually increases from the upper layer portion toward the lower layer portion. The initial operation until a predetermined amount of the granular material discharged from the lowermost layer is sufficiently heated and dried at any time during the continuous operation process before the continuous operation process described later is started. What is necessary is just to make it perform a process.

<Continuous operation process>
As described above, when the initial operation process is executed and the operation preparation is completed, the process proceeds to the continuous operation process.
In this continuous operation process, the discharge operation is performed by receiving a material request signal (OFF signal) from the molding machine side material sensor 16b of the temporary storage hopper 16a installed at the upper part of the resin molding machine 16. By receiving a material request signal (OFF signal) from the hopper material sensor 24, the above-described feeding operation is performed.
By this charging operation, for example, a new granular material having a temperature of about room temperature is charged into the hopper body 20, and the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer is drastically decreased and falls below the threshold value. Thus, when the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer falls below the threshold value, as described above, the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve is changed and controlled, and the flow rate of the gas introduced into the hopper body 20 is increased. .
Hereinafter, similarly, if the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer exceeds the above-mentioned threshold value, together with the discharging operation of the granular material from the hopper body 20 and the charging operation of the granular material to the hopper body 20 The flow rate of the gas to be introduced may be decreased, and if the temperature of the gas that has passed through the material layer falls below the threshold value, the flow rate of the introduced gas may be increased.

As described above, according to the drying device 1 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to save energy while increasing the heating and drying efficiency of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20.
Further, in the present embodiment, the heater for heating the gas supplied into the hopper body 20 is constituted by the spiral gas pipe 31 into which the linear heater 32 is inserted, and therefore passes through the spiral gas pipe 31. The gas to be heated can be efficiently heated by the linear heater 32. That is, the gas passing through the spiral gas conduit 31 and the linear heating element of the linear heater 32 are in efficient contact, and the heat exchange between them, for example, a sheathed heater, a plate heater, a heater with a radiating fin, etc. This is more efficient than a heater such as a heater box having a built-in heating element, and the gas can be efficiently heated. As described above, since the gas heating efficiency can be improved, for example, the electric capacity can be made relatively small compared to a heater such as a conventional heater box, and power saving can be achieved.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the terminal of the spiral gas pipeline 31 of the spiral gas heating part 30 provided along the outer peripheral side surface of the hopper body 20 is connected to the inner peripheral wall opening 21 via the connection part. , Heat loss can be effectively reduced.

  Furthermore, since the gas passing through the spiral gas pipe 31 is heated by the linear heater 32 as described above, the response can be relatively improved. That is, since the heating element for heating the gas to be heated that passes through the spiral gas pipe 31 is a linear heating element, the heat capacity of the heating element itself becomes relatively small, and the heating element itself rises. The temperature or the temperature is lowered relatively quickly. As a result, as the flow rate of the gas passing through the spiral gas conduit 31 increases, the temperature of the outlet side (hopper side) changes due to fluctuations in the outside air temperature, and other disturbances, the temperature to the linear heater 32 increases. The gas temperature at the outlet (inner peripheral wall opening 21 opened in the hopper body 20) of the spiral gas pipe line 31 by the energization control can be made to follow the predetermined temperature relatively quickly. That is, overshoot and undershoot are less likely to occur, and the temperature of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20 can be controlled to a relatively stable temperature. Therefore, it is difficult for the granular material in the hopper main body 20 to be overheated or insufficient heating of the granular material, and an efficient heat drying process can be performed.

In other words, when a conventional heater box type heater is employed and control is performed to increase or decrease the flow rate of the heating gas supplied into the hopper body, particularly when heating a relatively small flow rate gas. The gas introduced into the box does not uniformly contact the entire heating element such as a sheathed heater arranged in the box, that is, heat exchange with the entire heating element is not performed and a part of the heating element is contacted. It may be derived by following the short-circuit path. As a result, local overheating may occur in the heating element, and the heating element may be damaged. In addition, if the flow rate is increased in such a state where local overheating has occurred, the temperature on the outlet side may rise more rapidly than the predetermined temperature (overshoot), and stable temperature control is difficult. (The reverse phenomenon is also likely to occur.) Further, in such a heater box type heater, it is conceivable that the pressure loss increases when being led out from the inside of the box to the conduit on the outlet side.
On the other hand, according to the spiral gas heating unit 30 provided in the drying device 1 according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the above-described thing can be prevented.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the gas ventilation path of the heating gas supply unit 3 is the spiral gas pipe 31 formed in a spiral shape, the gas supplied into the hopper body 20 can be heated more efficiently. In addition, the size can be reduced. That is, for example, the contact efficiency between the gas and the linear heater 32 can be improved by the turbulent flow action by the spiral gas pipe 31 and the like, as compared with the gas ventilation path formed in a straight tube shape. Miniaturization can be achieved. In addition, for example, an embodiment in which the gas ventilation passages are formed in a zigzag shape is conceivable. However, the pressure loss can be reduced by using the spiral gas pipeline 31 as compared with such a configuration.

Further, in the present embodiment, a spiral gas heating unit 30 serving as a heating means for the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit is provided on the outer periphery of the hopper body 20, and the base end of the spiral gas heating unit 30 is the upper part of the hopper body 20. While being arranged on the outer periphery, the end is arranged on the lower end of the outer periphery of the hopper body 20. Accordingly, the gas fed through the spiral gas pipe 31 is gradually heated to a predetermined temperature by the linear heater 32 provided in the pipe from the upper side toward the lower side of the outer periphery of the hopper body 20. The As a result, for example, compared with the case where the proximal end and the distal end of the spiral gas heating unit are arranged upside down, the powder material in the lower layer side in the hopper body 20, that is, it is necessary to sufficiently heat-treat. A certain granular material can be efficiently heated by heat conduction from the inner peripheral wall.
Further, by providing a hopper outer periphery heat retaining section that retains or heats the outer periphery of the hopper main body 20, it is possible to prevent heat dissipation from the hopper main body 20, so that the heat of the heating gas supplied into the hopper main body 20 can be prevented. Energy can be efficiently applied to the heat treatment of the granular material, and a quick and efficient heat drying treatment can be performed.

  Furthermore, as in the above basic operation example, the material layer passing temperature detection sensor 25 is provided as a detection means for detecting a predetermined control factor indicating the heat drying treatment state of the granular material in the hopper body 20, Based on the detected value of the temperature sensor 25, the CPU 80 controls the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve so as to increase or decrease the flow rate of the heated gas introduced into the hopper body 20, thereby further saving power. Can do. In addition, by increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas introduced in this way, it is possible to prevent deterioration (oxidation, burn, decomposition, discoloration, etc.) of the particulate material due to overheating.

In addition, increase / decrease in the flow volume of the heating gas introduce | transduced in the hopper main body 20 is not restricted to an aspect like this basic operation example, A various aspect is employable.
For example, instead of an aspect of increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the gas to be supplied by increasing or decreasing the opening degree of the flow rate adjusting valve as described above, the gas supply pipe 41 is provided in a plurality on the upstream side of the spiral gas heating unit 30. A mode in which an on-off valve that can be controlled by the CPU 80 is provided in at least one of the branch pipes and the flow rate of the gas passing through the plurality of branch pipes is increased or decreased by controlling the on-off valves. It is good. In this case, the flow rate of the gas to be supplied can be increased or decreased finely by setting the number of these branch pipes, the diameter of each pipe, the valve diameter of the on-off valve, etc. according to the desired increase / decrease width or increase / decrease stage. It is also possible to make it. Further, in this case, in order to prevent the temperature sensor 33 for detecting and controlling the temperature of the outlet side of the spiral gas heating unit 30 and the linear heater 32 and the like, the apparatus is always activated during startup. The branch pipe may be configured so that a gas having a predetermined flow rate (for example, a relatively small flow rate) can pass therethrough.
Alternatively, in addition to the aspect in which the plurality of branch pipes are provided, at least one of the pipes may be provided with a flow rate adjusting valve similar to the above.

  In the present embodiment, the gas source of the gas supply unit 40 is a compressed air source. However, the gas supply pipe 41 may be a gas source provided with a blower for introducing outside air through a filter or the like. In this case, instead of the mode of introducing outside air, the dehumidified low dew point dry gas may be supplied toward the spiral gas heating unit 30. For example, the upstream side (suction side) of a blower serving as a gas supply air source and the gas discharge pipe connected to the gas discharge port 23 are connected via a dehumidifying unit having an adsorbent or the like that adsorbs moisture. In this dehumidifying unit, the gas discharged from the hopper body 20 may be dehumidified, heated in the heated gas supply unit 3, and circulated and supplied into the hopper body 20.

  Further, when the gas source is a blower as described above, an inverter for changing the output frequency to the blower is provided, and the inverter is controlled by the CPU 80 provided in the control panel 8 according to a predetermined program as described above. And it is good also as an aspect which increases / decreases the flow volume of the gas introduce | transduced into the hopper main body 20 by changing the rotation speed of the blower as a gas supply air source. That is, the inverter may constitute a rotation speed changing means of the blower drive motor, and the inverter and the CPU 80 may constitute a flow rate adjusting unit. As such an inverter, for example, VVVF (variable voltage / variable) in which alternating current input from a commercial drive power source is converted into direct current by a converter circuit and converted into alternating current of a predetermined output frequency and a predetermined output voltage by an inverter circuit. Frequency) type.

As an aspect of the rotational speed change control of the drive motor of the blower by such inverter control, for example, every time a predetermined time elapses until the material layer passing temperature exceeds the threshold value and falls below the threshold value, a predetermined value is obtained. It is good also as an aspect which decreases the output frequency of an inverter one by one. The predetermined value is not limited to a constant value, and may be, for example, an aspect in which the initial reduction amount is increased and the reduction amount is gradually reduced, or vice versa. Further, a lower limit frequency may be set. On the other hand, as long as it falls below the threshold value, the output frequency of the inverter may be increased by a predetermined value. The predetermined value at the time of increasing may be the same mode as that at the time of decreasing, but instead of the mode of increasing the predetermined value, the initial output frequency is used, and when the value falls below the threshold value, the maximum air volume is heated at the initial setting. It is good also as an aspect which introduces gas.
Furthermore, the aspect of increasing or decreasing the rotational speed of the blower is not limited to the above aspect. For example, by changing and controlling the current supplied to the DC motor, the number of rotations of the blower is increased or decreased, or the number of rotations of the servo motor provided with the rotation angle detection means is increased or decreased in a predetermined manner instead of the above frequency. It is good also as an aspect which increases / decreases the rotation speed of a blower by doing. In addition, various rotation speed changing means capable of changing and controlling the rotation speed of the blower may be employed to increase or decrease the flow rate of the supplied gas.

Furthermore, the gas to be heated and introduced into the hopper body 20 is not limited to the outside air (atmosphere), and may be a gas such as nitrogen or argon, or other inert gas.
Further, as in this basic operation example, instead of a mode in which the flow rate of the heating gas is controlled to increase or decrease based on the temperature of the material layer passing gas as the control factor, a predetermined amount of heating gas is always supplied. It is good also as an aspect.
Further, the discharge operation of the material discharge unit 6 is constantly monitored by the CPU 80, and when the time during which no discharge is performed exceeds a predetermined time set in advance, the supply of the heating gas is stopped, and then the discharge is performed. When the operation is performed, a control for restarting the supply of the heating gas may be executed. According to this, energy saving can be achieved.

Furthermore, a connecting portion having a gas introducing port is provided in the material discharge pipe without providing a porous plate covering the gas introducing port (inner peripheral wall opening), and the end of the spiral gas pipe line 31 is connected to this connecting portion. You may do it.
In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral wall of the hopper body 20 is made to be a substantially smooth surface in order to improve the cleanability inside the hopper body 20 and the reservable capacity. In order to assist the heat treatment or to reinforce the hopper body 20, partition walls, ribs, heat conduction fins, and the like may be provided inside the hopper body 20.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, although the example which provided the heat insulating material 26 was shown so that the outer periphery of the spiral gas heating part 30 may be covered, you may make it not provide this heat insulating material 26. FIG.

Next, other embodiment of the drying apparatus of the granular material which concerns on this invention is described, referring drawings.
Drawing 3 is an explanatory view for explaining the drying device of the granular material concerning a 2nd embodiment.
Note that differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted or simplified.

The drying apparatus 1A for the granular material according to the present embodiment is mainly different from the first embodiment in the configuration of the hopper outer periphery heat retaining section of the hopper section 2A and the heated gas supply section 3A.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), an outer periphery heater 27 is provided on the outer periphery of the hopper body 20A, and a similar heat insulating material 26 is provided so as to cover the outer periphery heater 27, thereby keeping the hopper outer periphery warm. The example which comprised the part is shown. In the present embodiment, a hopper outer periphery temperature detection sensor 28 for detecting the temperature of the outer periphery of the hopper body 20A is provided.
In other words, in the first embodiment, the example in which the spiral gas heating unit of the heating gas supply unit functions as the heating means of the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit is shown. However, in this embodiment, the outer periphery dedicated to the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit is shown. A heater is provided.

The outer peripheral heater 27 is provided so as to cover the upper outer periphery of the cylindrical hopper main body 20A, and is provided so as to cover the lower outer periphery of the inverted conical shape. It consists of one band heater and the lower part is composed of two band heaters. The outer periphery heater 27 may be any other heater such as another planar heater as long as it is provided so as to cover the outer periphery of the hopper body 20A.
The outer peripheral heater 27 has a predetermined temperature at which the outer periphery of the hopper main body 20A (the outer peripheral wall of the hopper main body 20A) is set in advance based on the measured temperature signal (detected temperature) of the hopper outer peripheral temperature detection sensor 28. Thus, the CPU 80 controls energization such as ON / OFF control or PID control. The said predetermined temperature can be set according to the target heating temperature etc. of the granular material which is heat-processed and heated to predetermined temperature, for example, is good also as about 40 to 160 degreeC.

  As described above, in this embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the heating means of the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit is dedicated, but based on the detected temperature of the hopper outer periphery temperature detection sensor 28, the outer periphery heater 27 It is possible to save energy by executing energization control on the. That is, immediately after the start-up of the apparatus, the temperature of the casing itself of the hopper body 20A and the granular material stored therein is about room temperature. The rate is relatively high. On the other hand, the temperature of the powder material layer in the hopper body 20A gradually rises due to the supply of the heating gas by the heating gas supply section 3A described later, and the outer peripheral temperature of the hopper body 20A also gradually rises. The energization rate of can be reduced and energy can be saved.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, it replaces with the internal peripheral wall opening and perforated plate which were demonstrated in the said 1st Embodiment, and as shown in FIG.3 (b), the connection part of a heating gas supply part is provided in the lower part of the material discharge pipe 20a. The gas inlet 21A that opens into the hopper body 20A (material discharge pipe 20a) is provided at this connection portion. The connection portion is provided with a temperature detection sensor 29 for the lowermost layer of the material layer. This material layer lowermost layer temperature detection sensor 29 is provided to detect the temperature of the lowermost layer part of the granular material to be heat-dried in the hopper body 20A. Based on the measured temperature signal (detected temperature) of the sensor 29 for the sensor, it may be possible to determine whether or not the material of the lowermost layer in the hopper body 20A has been heat-dried to a predetermined state. . In this case, for example, if the temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the discharge or transition to the next processing step is delayed, and the flow rate of the heated gas introduced from the heated gas supply unit 3A described later is increased so as to reach the predetermined temperature. Such control may be executed. Alternatively, instead of the material layer passage temperature detection sensor 25 described above, the material layer lowest layer temperature detection sensor 29 detects a temperature as a predetermined control factor indicating the heat drying treatment state of the granular material. You may make it grasp | ascertain as a detection means for this.

In this embodiment, the heating gas supply unit 3A includes a spiral gas heating unit 30A and a gas supply unit 40 similar to the above, as shown in FIG.
The spiral gas heating section 30A is disposed along the spiral gas pipe 31A, the end of which is connected to the connection section of the material discharge pipe 20a via a three-way joint or the like, and the spiral gas pipe 31A. And a linear heater 32A having a linear heating element. As shown in FIG. 3C, the configuration of the spiral gas pipe 31A and the linear heater 32A is similar to that of the first embodiment, and the linear heater 32A has a linear shape in the spiral gas pipe 31A. The heating element is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the spiral gas pipeline 31A. In this embodiment, these are arranged not in the outer periphery of the hopper body but in the vicinity of the gas inlet 21A of the hopper body 20A. That is, in the present embodiment, the gas ventilation path is a spiral pipeline unit 31A in which a tubular member is bent in a spiral shape, and this spiral pipeline unit 31A is installed in the vicinity of the hopper body 20A.

As shown in FIG. 3B, a gas supply pipe 41 of the gas supply unit 40 is connected to the proximal end of the spiral conduit unit 31A through a three-way joint or the like.
The three-way joint to which the end of the helical conduit unit 31A is connected detects the temperature of the gas on the outlet side of the helical gas heating unit 30A, that is, the temperature of the gas introduced into the hopper body 20A. A similar gas temperature sensor 33 is provided, and the CPU 80 controls the energization of the linear heater 32A based on the temperature detected by the gas temperature sensor 33 as described above.
Such a spiral gas heating unit 30A can improve the heating efficiency of the gas supplied to the hopper main body 20A, as in the first embodiment, and can save power, and the temperature of the gas can be set relatively. It is possible to quickly follow a predetermined temperature.
In addition, since the gas ventilation path is the spiral pipeline unit 31A in which the tubular member is bent in a spiral shape, the gas ventilation path can be efficiently made compact, and the spiral pipeline unit 31A can be connected to the hopper body 20A. It can be installed so as to be attached at a very close position. Therefore, heat loss can be reduced and maintainability can be improved.

Also in the drying apparatus 1A according to the present embodiment configured as described above, various operations similar to those performed in the drying apparatus 1 described in the first embodiment are performed, and similar effects are obtained.
In the present embodiment, an example in which the hopper outer periphery temperature detection sensor 28 is provided on the upper outer periphery of the hopper body 20A is exemplified. Alternatively, a temperature sensor may be provided, and each outer heater may be controlled (multi-point control) based on the detected temperature of each temperature sensor.
Alternatively, the outer peripheral heater 27 may be divided along the vertical direction of the hopper body 20A and installed at a plurality of locations, and temperature sensors may be provided at the corresponding locations to perform multipoint control as described above.

Further, when the material layer passing temperature exceeds the threshold value, the energization (power feeding) to the outer periphery heater 27 is stopped, and when the material layer passing temperature is lower than the threshold value, the energization to the outer periphery heater 27 is resumed. You may make it perform.
Furthermore, as described in the first embodiment, the discharge operation of the material discharge unit 6 is constantly monitored by the CPU 80, and in the aspect in which the heating gas supply control is executed based on this discharge operation, the discharge is not performed. When the non-executed time exceeds a preset predetermined time, the supply of the heated gas is stopped, and after this stop, if the discharge is not performed even after the preset predetermined time has passed, The energization of the heater 27 may be stopped. According to this, energy saving can be achieved. Then, when the discharge operation is performed next time, the control for restarting the supply of the heating gas and the energization to the outer peripheral heater 27 may be executed.

Further, in this embodiment, an example in which the outer peripheral heater 27 and the heat insulating material 26 are provided over the entire upper and lower sides of the outer peripheral side surface of the hopper main body 20A is shown. You may make it provide, or you may make it comprise a hopper outer periphery heat retention part only with the heat insulating material 26, without providing the outer periphery heater 27. FIG. Furthermore, you may make it not provide these hopper outer periphery heat insulation parts.
Furthermore, a heat insulating material may be provided so as to cover the outer shell of the spiral pipe unit 31A of the spiral gas heating unit 30A to prevent heat dissipation.
Furthermore, instead of a mode in which the end of the helical conduit unit 31A is connected to a connection portion provided in the material discharge pipe 20a, an inner peripheral wall opening and a porous plate similar to those in the first embodiment are provided, It is good also as an aspect which connects the terminal end of 31 A of helical conduit units to a surrounding wall opening.

Next, a modified example of the heated gas supply unit applied to the powder material drying apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
In addition, about the structure similar to said each embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified.
Further, the heating gas supply unit 3B according to this modification (first modification) is replaced with the heating gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3) is connected to a gas inlet 21 (21A) provided in the apparatus.

The gas heating unit 30B of the heating gas supply unit 3B according to this modification has an elongated and straight tubular gas ventilation path, unlike the gas heating path 30B described in the above embodiments. It is configured.
In the illustrated example, the gas heating unit 30B is a double tubular heating unit 30B having a double tube structure, and the double tubular heating unit 30B is supplied with gas from the gas supply unit 40 similar to the above. An outer pipe 35 and an inner straight pipe 31B as a gas ventilation path provided with a linear heater 32B similar to the above are provided.

  The outer tube 35 is elongated and formed in an elongated shape, and has a connection port 36 to which a gas supply tube 41 of the gas supply unit 40 is connected at the outer peripheral portion of one end portion in the longitudinal direction, and both end portions in the longitudinal direction are open. It has been configured. The opening at one end in the longitudinal direction of the outer tube 35 is sealed by a flange 34 provided around the outer periphery of one end in the longitudinal direction of the inner straight tube 31B. The opening at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the outer tube 35 is sealed with a sealing lid 37 provided with a terminal portion of the linear heater 32B.

The inner straight pipe 31B is elongated and long like the outer pipe 35, and a gas temperature sensor 33 similar to the above is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction (the end on the side where the flange 34 is formed). Based on the temperature detected by the gas temperature sensor 33, the energization control to the linear heater 32B is performed by the CPU 80 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) as described above. Further, one end of the inner straight pipe 31B is connected to the gas inlet 21 (21A) as described above and communicated with the hopper body 20 (20A).
The inner straight pipe 31B is disposed in the outer pipe 35 along the longitudinal direction of the outer pipe 35, and a gas inlet is provided between the other end of the inner straight pipe 31B and the sealing lid 37. Gaps are provided to form. In addition, you may make it provide the support part which maintains uniformly between the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube | pipe 35 in the outer peripheral surface of this other end part or a suitable place of a longitudinal direction.
The linear heater 32B is inserted from the gas receiving port at the other end of the inner straight pipe 31B, and the linear heater 32B extends along the longitudinal direction until reaching the vicinity of one end in the longitudinal direction of the inner straight pipe 31B. Arranged.

In the heating gas supply unit 3B including the double tubular heating unit 30B having the above-described configuration, the gas supplied into the outer tube 35 from the connection port 36 provided at one end of the double tubular heating unit 30B is supplied. The space between the inner peripheral surface of the outer pipe 35 and the outer peripheral surface of the inner straight pipe 31B (inner pipe outer peripheral space) is sent toward the other end. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the inner straight pipe 31B is heated by a linear heater 32B disposed in the inner straight pipe 31B, and the temperature of the gas sent through the inner pipe outer peripheral space is raised by heat transfer. Can do.
In addition, the gas that has been supplied to the outer peripheral space of the inner pipe and reaches the other end is introduced into the inner straight pipe 31B from a gas inlet provided at the other end of the inner straight pipe 31B. Heated by the linear heater 32B in 31B, reaches the gas inlet 21 (21A) connected to one end of the double tubular heating unit 30B, and is introduced into the hopper body 20 (20A).

Thus, according to the heating gas supply part 3B which concerns on this modification, since the gas ventilation path is formed in the straight tube shape, it is bulky compared with each heating gas supply part demonstrated in said each embodiment. Since the double tubular heating unit 30B is elongated and has a straight tubular shape, one end thereof is installed near the gas inlet 21 (21A) of the hopper body 20 (20A), or the one end thereof is connected to the gas inlet 21 ( 21A) can be directly connected, for example, only via a connecting portion, and as in each of the above examples, heat loss can be reduced and power saving can be achieved. That is, since the double tubular heating unit 30B has an elongated shape, the degree of freedom in installation can be increased, and its end (one end) is installed near the gas inlet 21 (21A) of the hopper body 20 (20A). Alternatively, the end can be connected to the gas inlet 21 (21A). Therefore, heat loss can be reduced.
Further, since the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 40 can be heated in the inner pipe outer peripheral space of the double tubular heating unit 30B and the space in the inner straight pipe 31B, the hopper body 20 (20A) The introduced gas can be efficiently heated.

In addition, as a gas heating part of such a heating gas supply part, it is not restricted to a double tubular heating unit as shown in the figure, but it is elongated by a single long and thin straight pipe (for example, only an inner straight pipe in the figure). The gas ventilation path may be configured.
Or it is good also considering the gas ventilation path with which each heating gas supply part demonstrated in each said embodiment as a thing of a double pipe structure like this modification. In this case, the double tube may be formed in a spiral shape.
Moreover, in this modification, although the thing which made the outer tube | pipe and the inner tube | pipe which comprise a double-pipe structure substantially the same length is illustrated, it is not restricted to such an aspect. For example, the outer tube may be provided from the midway in the longitudinal direction of the inner tube (for example, a portion about 2/3 to 1/3 of the length of the inner tube) to the other end side. According to this, it is hard to receive the influence by the gas before temperature rising, such as the external air introduce | transduced from the connection port of an outer pipe, in the downstream (outlet side) of an inner pipe, and heating efficiency is not inhibited.

Next, another modified example of the heating gas supply unit applied to the powder material drying apparatus according to the present invention and a modified example of the gas inlet will be described with reference to FIG.
In addition, about the structure similar to said each embodiment and a 1st modification, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted or simplified.

FIG. 5A shows a heated gas supply unit 3C according to a second modification, and this heated gas supply unit 3C is replaced with the heated gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments, and the hopper body 20 (20A). It is connected to a gas inlet 21 (21A) provided in (see FIGS. 1 and 3).
The heated gas supply unit 3C is connected to a gas supply unit 40A having a gas source side supply pipe 41A through which gas from the compressed air source 4 as a gas source passes, and to the end of the gas source side supply pipe 41A. 30 C of gas heating parts and the downstream side (gas inlet 21 (21A) side) of this gas heating part 30C are made to introduce heating gas into the hopper main body 20 (20A) instantaneously, and the hopper main body 20 ( 20A) is provided with a bridging prevention means for rapidly boosting the inside of the hopper main body 20 (20A) and applying impact to the powder material layer in the hopper body 20 (20A) to prevent bridging.
In the figure, reference numeral 43 denotes a pressure regulating valve disposed at an appropriate position of the gas source side supply pipe 41A. When the regulator that also serves as the pressure regulating valve is provided in the refining unit 41a as described above, This may not be provided.

The gas heating unit 30C connected to the end of the gas source side supply pipe 41A is a spiral gas heating unit 30C similar to the spiral gas heating unit described in the first embodiment. Although not shown, a linear heating element similar to the above is disposed in the spiral gas pipe 31C of the spiral gas heating unit 30C. The temperature of the gas heated through the spiral gas heating unit 30C is detected by the gas temperature sensor 33 similar to the above, and the power supply control to the linear heater is controlled by the CPU 80 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Made by.
In addition, the arrangement | positioning location of the temperature sensor 33 is not restricted to the aspect provided in the terminal of the helical gas heating part 30C like an example of a figure, You may make it provide in the downstream pipe line of the gas tank 45 mentioned later.

The bridge prevention means provided on the downstream side of the spiral gas heating unit 30C includes a gas tank 45 as a gas storage unit that stores high-pressure gas from the compressed air source 4 heated through the spiral gas heating unit 30C, And an introduction side supply pipe 42 provided on the downstream side of the gas tank 45.
The gas tank 45 is a pressure-resistant and heat-resistant tank capable of storing heated high-pressure gas, and the gas tank 45 is connected to the end of the spiral gas pipe 31C to introduce gas. An outlet and an outlet port connected to the inlet side supply pipe 42 on the downstream side of the gas tank 45 are provided. A helical gas pipe 31C of the helical gas heating unit 30C is disposed in the same manner as described above along the outer periphery of the gas tank 45, and a heat insulating material 44 similar to the above is provided so as to cover the outer periphery thereof. ing. In this way, by providing a tank outer periphery heat retaining section that keeps or heats the outer periphery of the gas tank 45 along the outer periphery of the gas tank 45, it is possible to effectively dissipate heat of the high-pressure heated gas stored in the gas tank 45 as described later. Can be prevented.

The introduction side supply pipe 42 connected to the outlet of the gas tank 45 is branched so as to form a bypass path, and is joined before the introduction of the hopper body 20 (20A), and the end thereof is the gas introduction port 21 (21A). It is communicated to.
One of the branch pipes of the introduction side supply pipe 42 (open / close introduction pipe line) 42a is provided with an open / close valve 46 composed of an electromagnetic valve or the like for opening / closing the open / close introduction pipe line 42a. A needle valve (throttle valve) 47 as a flow rate control valve for adjusting the flow rate is disposed in the pipe line (throttle introduction pipeline) 42b. The opening / closing valve 46 is controlled to be opened and closed by the CPU 80 in accordance with a predetermined program as will be described later.

As described in the above embodiments, a predetermined amount of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20 (20A) is discharged in response to a request from the resin molding machine 16 as a supply destination. When the operation is not performed, movement does not occur in the granular material stored in the hopper body 20 (20A). In particular, when the flow rate of the heating gas is increased or decreased as in the above basic operation example, power saving can be achieved, but a large air volume gas like a conventional ventilation type drying apparatus is always supplied. Compared to the one, the supply amount of heated gas is reduced. As a result, when the discharging operation is not performed for a relatively long time, as the heat drying process proceeds, depending on the type of the granular material, the granular material adheres and solidifies like a lump ( Bridge).
Therefore, in this modified example, the high pressure gas is periodically introduced into the hopper body 20 (20A) periodically as described below to prevent the bridge phenomenon.

  When the high-pressure gas is introduced instantaneously, first, the on-off valve 46 provided in the on-off introduction pipe line 42a is closed and adjusted to a preset pressure by the pressure adjustment valve 43 (or the refining unit 41a). The generated high-pressure heated gas is stored in the gas tank 45. At this time, the needle valve 47 may be adjusted in advance so that a heating gas having a predetermined flow rate (relatively small flow rate) passes through the throttle introduction pipe line 42b. As a result, even when the high-pressure gas is stored in the gas tank 45, the gas is sent through the spiral gas pipe 31C, and the temperature for detecting and controlling the temperature on the outlet side of the spiral gas heating unit 30C. Damage to the temperature sensor 33 and the linear heater disposed in the spiral gas pipe 31C can be prevented. That is, when the needle valve 47 is closed, the high-pressure gas having a predetermined amount and a predetermined pressure can be stored in the gas tank 45 and the gas having a predetermined flow rate can be passed through the needle valve 47. You may make it adjust beforehand to a grade.

Next, when the opening / closing valve 46 provided in the opening / closing introduction conduit 42a is opened, the high-pressure gas stored in the gas tank 45 is instantaneously introduced into the hopper body 20 (20A), and the hopper body 20 (20A). ) Suddenly boosts. As a result, an impact is applied to the granular material layer stored in the hopper body 20 (20A), and the granular material layer can be changed. Therefore, adhesion of the granular material to the inner wall of the hopper and solidification (bridge) of the granular material can be prevented. That is, when the discharge operation is not performed for a relatively long time, the powder material in the hopper body 20 (20A) is introduced by instantaneously introducing gas to rapidly increase the pressure in the hopper body 20 (20A). The solidification state of can be broken or solidification can be prevented in advance.
In this way, the behavior of the particulate material layer by the gas introduced instantaneously is such that the particulate state is collapsed because the particulate material is densely stored in the laminated state in the hopper body 20 (20A). Behavior, i.e. it does not behave like stirring, it floats slightly so that the entire layer is lifted by the introduction of an instantaneous gas, whereby the individual powder material moves and fluctuates slightly, The solidified state can be destroyed, or solidification can be prevented in advance.

The timing for instantaneously introducing the high-pressure gas as described above is, for example, the predetermined time when the discharge operation of the material discharging unit 6 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) is not performed for a predetermined time. It may be introduced every time.
In the discharging operation, for example, the CPU 80 may monitor the opening / closing operation of the material discharging damper 6 as the material discharging unit. When the discharge operation is performed, the time counting means of the CPU 80 is operated and counted, and if the predetermined time elapses until the next discharge operation is performed, the heated high-pressure gas is supplied to the hopper body 20. (20A) may be instantaneously introduced, and thereafter, until the discharge operation is performed, the operation of storing the high-pressure gas and introducing it instantaneously every time the predetermined time elapses may be repeatedly executed. .

In addition, for example, until the transition to the continuous operation step, the on-off valve 46 provided in the open / close introduction pipe line 42a is opened, and a relatively large flow of heated gas passing through the open / close introduction pipe line 42a is supplied. It is good also as an aspect made to introduce in the hopper main body 20 (20A).
Further, in the continuous operation step, the large amount of heated gas is introduced until the temperature passing through the material layer exceeds the threshold value. When the temperature exceeds the threshold value, the time measuring means of the CPU 80 is operated. If the predetermined time elapses without counting below the threshold value, the on-off valve 46 is closed, a predetermined amount of high-pressure gas is stored in the gas tank 45, and then the on-off valve 46 is opened to be heated. Gas may be introduced instantaneously into the hopper body 20 (20A). That is, instead of or in addition to the aspect of monitoring the discharge operation and executing the high pressure gas introduction control as described above, the high pressure gas introduction control may be executed based on the material layer passage temperature. Good.

Note that the timing control for instantaneously introducing the high-pressure gas into the hopper body 20 (20A) periodically as described above is not limited to the above-described example, and fluctuations in the granular material in the hopper body, particularly discharge. Detecting means capable of directly or indirectly detecting a decrease in the storage level accompanying the detection, and after the detection signal of the detection means is output until the next output of the detection signal In other words, the high pressure gas may be instantaneously introduced by the control of the CPU 80 periodically at intervals of the predetermined time.
Examples of the detection means include the material discharge damper 6 as the material discharge unit, the temperature sensor for detecting the material layer passing temperature, the material sensor 16b provided on the resin molding machine 16 side, and the hopper body. Examples include a material sensor that can detect a decrease in the storage level of the granular material, and various other detection means may be employed.
Alternatively, instead of such a mode in which the detection means monitors the fluctuation of the granular material in the hopper body, an interval at which the high-pressure gas is instantaneously introduced into the hopper body 20 (20A) is preset as a predetermined time. You may make it leave. In other words, the high-pressure gas may be introduced periodically at predetermined time intervals regardless of whether or not the powder material in the hopper body varies. According to this, the bridge phenomenon can be prevented by simple control.

Further, the predetermined time may be set in advance experimentally or empirically as long as the bridging phenomenon can be prevented according to the type of the granular material. Preferably, the time may be such that the high-pressure gas is introduced before the solidified state, that is, before the bridge is generated.
Furthermore, the capacity of the gas tank 45, that is, the introduction amount of the gas introduced instantaneously, the inner diameter of the introduction side supply pipe 42 for communicating the gas tank 45 and the hopper body 20 (20A), the pressure of the gas introduced instantaneously. The degree of pressure increase in the hopper due to the introduction of gas depends on the storage amount and type of the granular material stored in the hopper body 20 (20A), the capacity of the hopper body 20 (20A), and the like. It is sufficient to set the granular material layer in the above to such an extent that it can be varied as described above. In addition, the introduction of the high-pressure gas may be performed instantaneously, for example, within one second or about several seconds.

Furthermore, the bridging prevention means may function as the above-described flow rate adjusting unit. In this case, the on-off valve 46 is opened until the temperature passing through the material layer exceeds the threshold value, and the large amount of heated gas is introduced. On the other hand, if the temperature exceeds the threshold value, the on-off valve 46 is closed. Thus, the heating gas having a small flow rate may be introduced. At this time, the discharge operation may be monitored as described above, and high-pressure gas introduction control may be executed. Alternatively, when the temperature that has passed through the material layer exceeds the threshold value, the flow rate is decreased and the timer starts counting, and if the predetermined time has passed without falling below the threshold value, high-pressure gas is introduced. On the other hand, when the temperature passing through the material layer falls below the threshold before the predetermined time elapses, control may be performed to increase the flow rate and reset the timer.
Moreover, in this modification, although the aspect branched to form the bypass path in the introduction side supply pipe 42 is illustrated, the open / close introduction pipe line 42a and the throttle introduction pipe line 42b are individually provided in the hopper body 20. It may be connected to the gas inlet 21 (21A) of (20A), and further, only the open / close introduction pipeline 42a may be provided without providing the throttle introduction pipeline 42b.

FIG. 5B shows a heating gas supply unit 3D according to the third modification, and this heating gas supply unit 3D also includes bridge prevention means similar to that of the second modification. In addition, about the structure and operation | movement similar to the said 2nd modification, the description is abbreviate | omitted or demonstrated easily.
Moreover, this heating gas supply part 3D is connected to the gas inlet 21 (21A) provided in the hopper main body 20 (20A) instead of the heating gas supply part demonstrated in said each embodiment.

The heated gas supply unit 3D is different from the second modified example in the configuration of the gas heating unit.
In the present modification, the spiral gas heating unit 30A described in the second embodiment or the double tubular heating described in the first modification is provided between the gas source side supply pipe 41A and the introduction-side supply pipe 42A. A unit 30B is provided.
In addition, a three-way switching valve 46A is disposed in the open / close introduction pipe line 42a of the introduction side supply pipe 42A connected to the downstream side of the gas heating unit 30A (30B) instead of the open / close valve. A gas tank 45A having a heat insulating material 44 similar to the above is connected to one connection port of the three-way switching valve 46A. That is, in this modification, the gas tank 45A has a configuration in which only the heat insulating material 44 as a tank outer periphery heat retaining portion is provided on the outer periphery of the gas tank 45A without providing a spiral gas pipe. In addition, it is good also as an aspect which provides the outer periphery heater as demonstrated in the said 2nd Embodiment in the outer periphery of gas tank 45A, and provides a heat insulating material in the outer periphery, and comprises a tank outer periphery heat retention part.

The remaining two connection ports of the three-way switching valve 46A are respectively connected to the upstream side and the downstream side of the open / close introduction pipe line 42a.
As described above, the three-way switching valve 46A is controlled by the CPU 80 in accordance with a predetermined program, and communicates the gas storage state in which the compressed air source 4 and the gas tank 45A are communicated, and the gas tank 45A and the gas inlet 21 (21A). Switching to the gas introduction state to be performed is performed. By this switching control, the high-pressure gas can be stored in the gas tank 45A, and the stored high-pressure gas can be instantaneously introduced into the hopper body 20 (20A) as described above.
The heating gas supply unit 3D configured as described above can also perform the same operation as that of the second modified example, and can prevent the bridge phenomenon as described above.

  In this modification, a three-way switching valve 46A is provided in the open / close introduction pipe line 42a and a gas tank 45A is connected to one connection port thereof. However, the gas tank 45A is not provided with the three-way switching valve 46A. It is also possible to provide a gas introduction port and a discharge port connected to the open / close introduction conduit 42a, and to provide an open / close valve similar to that of the second modified example on the downstream side of the discharge port. According to this, by controlling the opening / closing of the on-off valve, it is possible to switch between the storage of the high-pressure gas in the gas tank 45A and the instantaneous introduction of the high-pressure gas into the hopper body 20 (20A).

FIG. 5C shows a heating gas supply unit 3E according to a fourth modification, and this heating gas supply unit 3E is also provided with a bridging prevention means as in the second and third modifications. In addition, about the structure and operation | movement similar to the said 2nd modification, the description is abbreviate | omitted or demonstrated easily.
In addition to the heating gas supply unit described in the above embodiments, the heating gas supply unit 3E is further connected to a gas inlet 21 (21A) provided in the hopper body 20 (20A). That is, the heating gas supply unit 3E according to this modification is provided exclusively for the bridge prevention means in addition to the heating gas supply unit described in the above embodiments.

The heated gas supply unit 3E according to this modification is different from the second modification in the configuration of the gas heating unit.
That is, in this modification, the gas heating unit 30D of the heating gas supply unit 3E is configured such that a heating element such as a sheathed heater or a plate heater is disposed in the gas tank 45B.
The heating gas supply unit 3E configured as described above can perform the same operation as that of the second modified example, and can prevent the bridge phenomenon as described above.

In the second modification and the third modification, instead of the heating gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments, each heating gas supply unit including a bridge prevention unit is provided. As in the fourth modification example, in addition to the heating gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments, the heating gas supply unit described in the second and third modification examples is used as a heating gas supply unit dedicated to the bridge prevention means. Further, it may be provided.
In such a case, the heating gas supply unit described in the second to fourth modifications is provided upstream of the gas inlet described in each of the above embodiments, and the heating gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments. May be connected in parallel with each other, or a gas inlet dedicated to the heating gas supply unit described in the second to fourth modifications may be provided separately. Further, in this case, the heated gas supply unit described in the second to fourth modified examples instantaneously introduces only the heated high pressure gas in a predetermined manner as described above as a bridge preventing means. Also good.

  Further, from the viewpoint of the stability of the temperature of the heated gas supplied to the hopper body 20 (20A), it is desirable to provide a gas heating unit upstream of the gas tank as in the second to fourth modifications. However, for example, instead of the gas supply unit 40 of the heating gas supply unit described in each embodiment, including the first modification, compressed air is supplied to the upstream side of these gas heating units 30 (30A, 30B). It is good also as an aspect which provides the gas tank as a gas storage part to store, the compressed air source which supplies compressed gas to this gas tank, the above-mentioned on-off valve provided in the downstream of this gas tank, etc. In this case, when the gas heating section is provided with a spiral gas ventilation path as described above, the temperature of the heated gas on the outlet side of the spiral gas pipe line is set to a stable predetermined temperature. In addition, the length of the spiral gas pipeline may be made sufficiently long, and the diameter of the pipeline and the curvature of the pipeline may be set in order to reduce the pressure loss of the high pressure gas. Good.

FIG. 5D shows a modification of the gas inlet to which the end of the heated gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments or modifications is connected, and in particular, the second to fourth modifications. The example of the gas inlet suitably employ | adopted for the drying apparatus provided with the heated gas supply part 3C, 3D, 3E demonstrated in the example is shown.
In this modification, a gas introduction connection portion 48 to which the introduction side supply pipes 42 and 42A (or the gas supply pipe 41) are connected is provided at the lower end portion of the hopper body 20B, and the gas introduction connection portion 48 is provided with a gas introduction port. 21B is provided.
This gas introduction connection part 48 has a space for receiving the material discharge pipe 20d provided at the lower end part of the hopper body 20B inward, and the circulation of the heating gas between the outer periphery and the lower end periphery of the material discharge pipe 20d. Are formed so as to surround the material discharge pipe 20d, and these gaps function as the gas inlet 21B. In other words, the material discharge pipe 20d having a short tubular shape is received, and the material discharge pipe 20d and the gas introduction connection part 48 form a gas introduction part configured as a double pipe structure.

In the gas introduction section configured as described above, the heated gas (high-pressure gas) supplied via the introduction-side supply pipes 42 and 42A (or the gas supply pipe 41) passes through the periphery of the material discharge pipe 20d and passes through the material discharge pipe 20d. Is introduced into the hopper main body 20B from the lower end thereof. That is, the heated gas can be introduced from the entire periphery of the lower edge of the material discharge pipe 20d toward the inside of the material discharge pipe 20d.
Thereby, compared with each gas inlet 21 and 21A demonstrated in each said embodiment, while being able to reduce the pressure loss of the heating gas introduced into a hopper main body from a heating gas supply part, the powder in a hopper main body The local introduction to the granular material layer can be prevented, and the occurrence of such gas blow-out can be prevented.

In addition, although the gas introduction part provided with this gas introduction port 21B is suitably employ | adopted as the drying apparatus provided with the heating gas supply part 3C, 3D, 3E demonstrated in the said 2nd modification thru | or the 4th modification, It may replace with each gas inlet 21 and 21A demonstrated in each said embodiment, and you may make it provide. When applied instead of the gas inlet 21 described in the first embodiment, the end of the spiral gas pipe is connected to the gas inlet 21B without providing a porous plate or the like. Good.
Alternatively, as described above, when the heating gas supply unit according to the second or fourth modification is provided in addition to the heating gas supply unit described in each of the above embodiments, the description will be given in each of the above embodiments. In addition to the gas inlets described above, a gas inlet portion provided with the gas inlet 21B may be provided.

Next, still another embodiment of the powder material drying apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
Note that differences from the above embodiments will be mainly described, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted or simplified.

FIG. 6A shows a drying apparatus 1B according to the third embodiment. This drying apparatus 1B is mainly different from the above-described embodiments in the configuration of the hopper outer periphery heat retaining section of the hopper section 2B and the heated gas supply section 3F. Different.
The heated gas supply unit 3F includes a spiral gas heating unit 30E similar to the above provided on the outer periphery of the lower portion of the hopper body 20 that has an inverted conical shape, and a gas supply unit 40 similar to the above. ing. Unlike the first embodiment, the spiral gas heating unit 30E is provided so as to wind the spiral gas pipe 31D with the vicinity of the upper end of the lower outer periphery as a base end, and the base end is similar to the above. A gas supply pipe 41 of the gas supply unit 40 is connected.
Further, an outer peripheral heater 27 similar to the above is provided on the outer periphery of the upper portion of the hopper body 20 which is formed in a cylindrical shape.
That is, in the present embodiment, the spiral gas heating unit 30E functions as a heating means for the hopper outer periphery heat retaining portion at the lower outer periphery of the hopper body 20, and the outer heater 27 is the hopper outer periphery heat retaining portion at the upper outer periphery of the hopper body 20. Functions as a heating means.

Also in the drying apparatus 1 </ b> B according to the present embodiment configured as described above, various operations similar to those in the above-described embodiments are performed, and similar effects are obtained.
In addition, it is good also as an aspect which does not provide the outer periphery heater 27 in the upper outer periphery of the hopper main body 20, but provides only the heat insulating material 26 in an upper outer periphery. Also by this, the lower outer periphery of the hopper main body 20, that is, the outer periphery on the side close to the material discharging unit, can be kept warm and heated by the spiral gas heating unit 30E.
In addition, the upper part of the hopper body 20 having a cylindrical shape and the lower part having an inverted conical shape are separated from each other, and the upper part and the lower part are connected by a hinge or the like, and tightened so as to be freely opened and closed by a fastener or the like. It is good also as a structure. In this case, when the upper side is opened, the spiral gas heating unit 30E provided in the lower part may be removed from the hopper body 20 together with the lower inner peripheral wall. According to this, the maintainability of the spiral gas heating unit 30E can be improved.
Further, in the illustrated example, the spiral gas heating unit 30E is arranged so as to be along the outer periphery of the lower part of the hopper body 20 over almost the entire outer periphery of the lower part of the hopper body 20, but a part of the outer periphery of the lower part is shown. For example, it may be provided only in the lower part.

Further, as shown by a two-dot chain line, heating gas supply units 3C, 3D, and 3E according to the second to fourth modifications may be separately provided (also in the following fourth embodiment). The same). In this case, you may make it provide the gas introduction part provided with the above-mentioned gas introduction port 21B in the lower end part of a hopper main body.
Alternatively, as described above, the heating gas supply units 3C, 3D, and 3E may be provided in parallel or in combination with the heating gas supply unit 3F (the same applies to the following fourth embodiment).

FIG. 6B shows a drying device 1C according to the fourth embodiment, and this drying device 1C is mainly different from the above embodiments in the configuration of the heated gas supply unit 3G of the hopper unit 2C.
The heated gas supply unit 3G includes a spiral gas heating unit 30F provided substantially along the entire top and bottom of the outer periphery of the hopper body 20C, and a gas vent pipe 38 provided along the top and bottom in the hopper body 20C. ing.
Unlike the first embodiment, the spiral gas pipe 31E of the spiral gas heating unit 30F has a base end near the lower end of the hopper body 20C, and the gas supply of the gas supply unit 40 similar to the above is provided at the base end. A tube 41 is connected. Further, it is spirally wound around the outer periphery of the hopper main body 20C from the base end to the upper side, and the end thereof is connected to a connection portion with the gas vent pipe 38 provided on the upper outer periphery of the hopper main body 20C. And communicated with the gas vent pipe 38.

The gas vent pipe 38 is disposed substantially at the center in a plan view of the hopper body 20C, and is provided vertically in the inner space of the hopper body 20C.
At the lower end of the gas vent pipe 38 (the end of the gas vent path through which the gas from the spiral gas pipe 31E is fed), a plurality of gas discharges that discharge the heated gas in the hopper body 20C are discharged. An outlet 39 is provided. In addition, the lower end portion has a Jinkasa shape or a conical shape, and this lower end portion also functions as a first-in first-out umbrella as a rectifying unit similar to the above.
Further, a gas temperature sensor 33 similar to the above is provided at the lower end portion to detect the temperature of the heated gas discharged into the hopper body 20C. In addition, you may make it provide the gas temperature sensor 33 in the connection part of the terminal of the spiral gas pipeline 31E.
Alternatively, in place of the aspect in which the spiral gas heating unit is provided on the outer periphery of the hopper body 20C as shown in the figure, the spiral gas heating unit 30A described in the second embodiment is provided, and the end of the spiral gas heating unit 30A is provided at the end. You may make it connect to.

Also in the drying apparatus 1 </ b> C according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, various operations similar to those in the above-described embodiments are performed, and similar effects are obtained.
Further, according to the present embodiment, the powder material stored in the hopper body 20C is directly heated by the heating gas discharged from the lower end portion of the gas vent pipe 38, the outer periphery of the gas vent pipe 38, and By indirect heating by heat transfer from the outer periphery (inner peripheral wall) of the hopper body 20C, the heat drying process can be performed more efficiently.
In addition, it is set as the structure which provided the helical gas heating part 30F only in the whole or part of the upper outer peripheral side of the hopper main body 20C, and the outer periphery heater similar to the above is provided in the whole or part of the outer periphery of the site | part in which this is not provided. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which only the heat insulating material is provided in a portion where the spiral gas heating unit 30F is not provided.

  In addition, instead of a mode in which the gas ventilation pipe as described in this embodiment is provided vertically in the inner space of the hopper body, the inner space of the hopper body described in the first to third embodiments described above, For example, a block body made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum with good heat dissipation and having a long hollow cylindrical shape may be disposed vertically. In this case, the block body is suspended in the hopper body by a plurality of hanger arms extending in the direction of the center from the inner peripheral wall of the hopper body, and between the outer peripheral side surface and the inner peripheral surface of the hopper body. You may make it arrange | position so that a substantially uniform clearance gap may be provided over the perimeter. According to this, the storable capacity of the hopper main body is reduced by the block body as compared with the above embodiments, but the heating and drying efficiency can be improved. That is, the block body functions as a spacer member, and the granular material stored in an equal space between the outer periphery of the block body and the inner peripheral wall of the hopper body is directly applied by the heated gas supplied from the lower end. Heating can be rapidly performed by heating and heat transfer from the outer periphery (inner peripheral wall) by the heating means of the hopper outer periphery heat retaining unit.

In the first embodiment, the third embodiment, and the fourth embodiment, the spiral gas heating unit provided on the outer periphery of the hopper body is configured by a pipe-like spiral gas pipe having a circular cross section. Although an example is shown, it is not restricted to such a structure. For example, the outer periphery of the hopper main body may have a double wall structure, and a partition wall that divides the space of the double wall may be provided in a spiral shape to form a spiral gas ventilation path.
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments or modifications, the gas ventilation path is exemplified as a gas passage formed in a spiral shape or a straight tube shape. However, the gas passage is formed in an elongated shape, and a linear heater is provided along the longitudinal direction thereof. Any arrangement may be used. For example, it may be formed in a zigzag shape.

Furthermore, in each said embodiment, as a detection means for detecting the predetermined | prescribed control factor which shows the heat drying process state of the granular material in a hopper main body, material layer passage temperature or the lowest layer part of granular material A temperature sensor that detects the temperature is exemplified, and a mode in which the increase / decrease in the flow rate of the heating gas supplied into the hopper body or the introduction mode of the heating gas is controlled based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is illustrated. It is not restricted to a certain aspect.
For example, a material layer upper layer temperature detection sensor for detecting the temperature in the upper layer part of the granular material stored in the hopper body may be provided as the detection means, or stored in the hopper body. A material layer middle layer temperature detecting sensor for detecting the temperature in the middle layer of the powdered granular material may be provided as the detection means.
Furthermore, as described above, instead of the mode in which the predetermined control factor indicating the heat drying treatment state of the granular material material in the hopper body is set as the temperature, and the temperature sensor for detecting the temperature is provided, the control factor is changed. As the humidity (dew point), a humidity (dew point) sensor for detecting the humidity (dew point) may be provided as the detection means. In this way, when the control factor is humidity (dew point), the detected value increases when the humidity (dew point) shifts from the higher side to the lower side, and the humidity (dew point) increases from the lower side to the higher side. What is necessary is just to grasp | ascertain that the case where it transfers to to the fall of a detected value.

Furthermore, although each said embodiment has illustrated the aspect which pneumatically conveys the granular material material by which the heat drying process discharged | emitted from the hopper main body was made toward a supply destination through a material conveyance pipe | tube, It is not restricted to such an aspect. For example, you may make it install the hopper part of the drying apparatus which concerns on each said embodiment directly or via a temporary storage hopper etc. in the inlet of processing machines, such as a resin molding machine.
Moreover, in each said embodiment, although the granular material material stored by the hopper main body has shown the aspect by which predetermined amount is discharged | emitted according to the request | requirement of supply destinations, such as a resin molding machine, the whole amount is once The drying apparatus according to the present invention can also be applied to those that are configured to be discharged.
Furthermore, the respective configurations and operation examples described in the above embodiments and modifications may be appropriately modified and combined as long as these functions are not hindered.

1,1A, 1B, 1C Drying equipment for granular material 20, 20A, 20B, 20C Hopper body (hopper)
21 Opening of inner peripheral wall 22 Perforated plate 3, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3F, 3G Heated gas supply part 31, 31C, 31D, 31E Spiral gas pipe (gas vent)
31A Spiral pipeline unit (gas vent)
31B Straight pipe (gas vent)
32, 32A, 32B Linear heater 33 Gas temperature sensor 38 Gas vent pipe 39 Gas outlet 80 CPU (control unit)

Claims (7)

A powder material drying apparatus comprising: a hopper in which powder material is stored; and a heated gas supply unit that supplies heated gas into the hopper,
The heated gas supply unit has a gas inlet through which gas is supplied at one end, and an elongated gas vent path whose other end communicates with the hopper, and the gas vent path in the gas vent path. A drying apparatus for a granular material, comprising: a linear heater arranged along the line. In claim 1,
A temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the gas supplied into the hopper, and based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the temperature of the gas supplied into the hopper is set to a predetermined temperature set in advance. A drying apparatus for a granular material, further comprising a control unit for controlling the linear heater. In claim 1 or 2,
The apparatus for drying granular material, wherein the gas ventilation path is formed in a spiral shape. In claim 3,
The said gas ventilation path is provided in the outer periphery of the said hopper helically along the circumferential direction, The drying apparatus of the granular material material characterized by the above-mentioned. In claim 3,
The said gas ventilation path is made into the helical channel unit which bent the tubular member helically, The drying apparatus of the granular material characterized by the above-mentioned. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The other end of the gas vent path is open to a mortar-shaped inner peripheral wall at the lower end of the hopper. A drying apparatus for a granular material, which is provided along the inner peripheral wall. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The heated gas supply unit is provided at the upper and lower sides of the hopper at a substantially center, a gas vent pipe connected to the other end of the gas vent path, and a gas discharge port provided at the lower end of the gas vent pipe. An apparatus for drying a granular material, further comprising:

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