JP7072191B2 - Powder / granular material processing equipment and powder / granular material processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a powder or granular material processing apparatus and a powder or granular material processing method. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for performing a treatment for drying powder or granular material as a material supplied to a storage tank.

Conventionally, powders and granules (powder and / or granules; hereinafter simply referred to as “powder and granules”) such as resin pellets are pre-dried before being charged into a subsequent device such as a molding machine. There are known devices that perform processing to keep them in place. This type of device is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

The drying device (powder / granular material processing device) disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a drying hopper (1) for accommodating a material to be dried, and an air source (14) for sending hot air for drying the material into the drying hopper. A humidity sensor (D1, D2, ..., D5) provided at an appropriate position from the air source to the air supply passage (10), the drying hopper, and the exhaust passage (21) is provided. In the drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the first humidity sensor (D1) provided in the air supply path and the second humidity sensor (D2) provided in the vicinity of the material outlet (24) of the drying hopper detect. The difference in absolute humidity is taken, and the water content in the vicinity of the material outlet of the dry hopper is calculated based on this difference value. Further, in the drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1, it is stated that control such as adjusting the filling amount of the material is performed based on the calculation result of the water content in the vicinity of the material outlet of the drying hopper.

Japanese Patent No. 3303895

However, since the material is dried with hot air in the drying hopper of the drying apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the humidity is kept very low in the steady state. If even a small amount of outside air flows into the dry hopper when the material is supplied, the absolute humidity detected by the second humidity sensor (D2) is greatly affected. In other words, since the drying device as described in Patent Document 1 is not a completely sealed system, the detection result of the humidity sensor is affected by the moisture and temperature contained in the outside air flowing from the outside of the drying hopper. May fluctuate significantly. Therefore, it was difficult to know the state of the material accurately, and there was room for improvement.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a potential object thereof is to accurately obtain the humidity in the storage tank, particularly the humidity of the exhaust from the storage tank and / or its change. It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder / granular material processing apparatus and a powder / granular material processing method capable of producing the same.

In order to solve the above problems, the first invention of the present application comprises a storage tank, a material supply mechanism, a hot air supply mechanism, an exhaust humidity detecting means, an outside air humidity detecting means, and a control unit. Provides a processing device. The storage tank internally stores a material that is a powder or granular material as an object to be treated. The material supply mechanism supplies materials to the storage tank. The hot air feeding mechanism supplies hot air into the storage tank. The exhaust humidity detecting means detects the humidity of the gas discharged from the storage tank. The outside air humidity detecting means detects the humidity of the outside air, which is a gas outside the storage tank. The control unit acquires the detection results of the exhaust humidity detecting means and the outside air humidity detecting means. This control unit obtains the exhaust water content, which is the water content in the gas discharged from the storage tank, based on the detection result of the exhaust humidity detecting means and the exhaust air volume. Further, the control unit estimates the outside air-derived water content, which is the water content of the outside air flowing into the storage tank, based on the detection result of the outside air humidity detecting means and the outside air inflow amount into the storage tank. Then, the control unit obtains the exhaust water content corrected for the contribution of the outside air-derived water content as the water content from the storage tank.

In the second invention of the present application, the control unit determines the amount of water removed, which is the amount of water removed from the material due to the treatment performed in the storage tank, based on the obtained amount of water from the storage tank. presume.

In the third invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to the first invention or the second invention, the material supply mechanism includes a supply pipe and a supply valve. The downstream end of the supply pipe is connected to the storage tank. The supply valve is provided in the middle of the supply pipe and can close the inside of the supply pipe.

In the fourth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to the third invention, the supply valve temporarily opens the inside of the supply pipe when the material is supplied to the storage tank through the supply pipe. It is in the state of being.

In the fifth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first invention to the fourth invention, the hot air feeding mechanism heats the gas discharged from the storage tank and stores the gas. It has a gas circulation path that feeds the tank again.

In the sixth invention of the present application, the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth inventions includes a hot air humidity detecting means for detecting the humidity of the hot air supplied to the storage tank.

In the seventh invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first invention to the sixth invention, at least one of an exhaust air volume meter and a hot air volume meter is provided as an air volume acquisition means. The exhaust air flow meter detects the flow rate of the gas discharged from the storage tank. The hot air flow meter detects the flow rate of hot air supplied to the storage tank. Then, the control unit obtains the amount of outside air inflow, which is the amount of inflow of outside air into the storage tank, based on at least one of the detection result of the exhaust air flow meter and the detection result of the hot air air flow meter. Further, the control unit obtains the moisture content derived from the outside air based on the inflow amount of the outside air and the detection result of the outside air humidity detecting means.

In the eighth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first invention to the seventh invention, the exhaust humidity detecting means also serves as the outside air humidity detecting means.

In the ninth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first invention to the eighth invention, the control unit is described according to the result of calculating the water content from the storage tank. At least one of the flow rate of the hot air supplied to the storage tank, the temperature of the hot air supplied to the storage tank, and the residence time of the material in the storage tank is adjusted.

In the tenth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus according to the fifth invention, the hot air feeding mechanism further includes a moisture adsorption unit. This water adsorption unit is provided in the middle of the gas circulation path and adsorbs the moisture of the gas passing through the gas circulation path. Then, the control unit adjusts the efficiency of the water adsorption unit to adsorb water according to the result of calculating the amount of water from the storage tank.

The eleventh invention of the present application provides a powder or granular material treatment method including the following steps a) to g). In a), the material which is a powder or granular material as an object to be treated is stored inside the storage tank. In b), after the a), hot air is supplied into the storage tank. In c), after the b), the humidity of the gas discharged from the storage tank is detected. In d), the exhaust water content, which is the water content in the gas discharged from the storage tank, is estimated based on the detection result of c) and the exhaust air volume. In e), the humidity of the outside air, which is a gas outside the storage tank, is detected. f) Based on the detection result of e) and the amount of outside air flowing into the storage tank, the outside air-derived water content, which is the water content of the outside air flowing into the storage tank, is estimated. In g), the amount obtained by correcting the contribution of the water content derived from the outside air from the exhaust water content is obtained as the water content from the storage tank.

According to the first to eleventh inventions of the present application, a powder / granular material processing apparatus and a powder / granular material treatment capable of accurately acquiring the humidity in the storage tank, particularly the humidity of the exhaust gas from the storage tank and / or its change thereof. The method is provided.

Here, in general, unless the powder / granular material processing device is a completely sealed system, if the humidity of the outside air is ignored, it is necessary to accurately know the humidity in the storage tank, particularly the humidity of the exhaust gas from the storage tank. It is difficult. In this regard, according to the first invention of the present application, since the amount of water contained in the air discharged from the storage tank is calculated in consideration of the humidity of the outside air, the amount of water from the storage tank can be accurately obtained. ..

In particular, according to the second invention of the present application, the dry state of the material can be estimated accurately by taking the humidity of the outside air into consideration.

In particular, according to the third invention of the present application, the material flows into the storage tank by closing the supply valve except when it is necessary to supply the material to the storage tank or when it is necessary to replace the gas in the storage tank. It is possible to reduce the amount of outside air. Therefore, the amount of removed water can be calculated more accurately, and as a result, the dry state of the material can be grasped more accurately.

In particular, according to the fourth invention of the present application, the outside air flowing into the storage tank can be further suppressed by closing the supply valve in the steady state other than when the material is supplied to the storage tank. As a result, the dry state of the material can be known more accurately.

In particular, according to the fifth invention of the present application, it is the water content of the hot air supplied to the storage tank by taking into consideration the operating state of each device (blower, etc.) provided in the middle of the gas circulation path. The water content derived from hot air can be estimated accurately. If the water content derived from the hot air is also taken into consideration, the dry state of the material can be known more accurately.

In particular, according to the sixth invention of the present application, the water content of the hot air supplied to the storage tank can be obtained based on the measured value from the detection result of the hot air humidity detecting means. Therefore, the amount of removed water, which is the amount of water removed from the material due to the treatment performed in the storage tank, can be obtained more realistically. As a result, the dry state of the material can be known more accurately.

In particular, according to the seventh invention of the present application, the amount of inflow of outside air can be calculated by using the detection result of the air flow meter. In addition, it is possible to obtain the water content derived from the outside air in consideration of the calculated outside air inflow amount. As a result, the dry state of the material can be known more realistically.

In particular, according to the eighth invention of the present application, the exhaust humidity detecting means is also used as a detecting means for detecting the humidity of the outside air, for example, by switching the switching valve provided on the upstream side of the exhaust humidity detecting means. It becomes possible. Therefore, the number of humidity detecting means can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the powder or granular material processing apparatus can be suppressed.

In particular, according to the ninth invention of the present application, the progress of the drying treatment performed in the storage tank is promoted or suppressed, or the material is dried according to the calculation result of the water content from the storage tank. The processing time can be extended or shortened. As a result, the material can be satisfactorily dried.

In particular, according to the tenth invention of the present application, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus having a moisture adsorption unit, the dry state of the material is accurately grasped, and the moisture adsorption efficiency in the moisture adsorption unit is determined according to the dry state. Can be increased or decreased. As a result, it becomes easy to dry the material so as to have a desired water content.

According to the eleventh invention of the present application, the amount of water from the storage tank can be calculated in consideration of the humidity of the outside air. As a result, the dry state of the material can be estimated accurately, and the material can be easily dried so as to have a desired water content. In addition, since it is possible to eliminate the risk of excessive processing, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the material due to heat and contribute to energy saving.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the powder or granular material processing apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the electric structure of the powder or granular material processing apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the process for obtaining the removed moisture amount in 1st Embodiment. It is a schematic diagram which shows the schematic structure of the powder or granular material processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the process for obtaining the removed moisture amount in 2nd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<1. First Embodiment>
<1-1. Overall configuration of powder or granular material processing equipment>
The powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for performing a treatment for pre-drying the resin pellets as the powder or granular material (material) before putting them into a subsequent molding machine. FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of the powder or granular material processing device 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a storage tank 10, a material supply mechanism 20, a hot air feeding mechanism 30, and a control unit 90. The subsequent molding machine is, for example, an injection molding machine for molding a resin, but is not limited to this, and may be other processing equipment such as an extrusion molding machine, a blow molding machine, or a compression molding machine. May be good.

The storage tank 10 is a container for internally storing the resin pellets 9 before drying, which are the objects to be treated. The storage tank 10 has a substantially cylindrical side wall portion 11, a funnel-shaped bottom portion 12 that gradually converges downward from the lower end of the side wall portion 11, and a top plate portion 13 that closes the upper end of the side wall portion 11. .. Inside the storage tank 10, a space for storing the resin pellets 9 and heating and drying them is provided. A supply hopper 21, which will be described later, is installed on the top plate portion 13 of the storage tank 10. A mechanism (not shown) for transporting (discharging) the treated powder or granular material to the outside by vigorous transport is connected to the lower end of the bottom 12 of the storage tank 10. The storage tank 10 may be installed on the floor surface of a factory or the like, or may be installed on a material input portion of a molding machine.

The material supply mechanism 20 is a mechanism for supplying the resin pellets 9 before drying to the storage tank 10. The material supply mechanism 20 of the present embodiment includes a supply hopper 21, a tubular supply pipe 22, a supply valve 23, a tank 24, and a transport blower 27.

The supply hopper 21 is a container for temporarily accommodating the resin pellets 9 before supplying the resin pellets 9 to the storage tank 10. The supply hopper 21 is connected to the storage tank 10 via an openable / closable input port 25 provided in the top plate portion 13 of the storage tank 10.

The supply pipe 22 is a continuous pipe connecting the supply hopper 21 and the tank 24 containing the resin pellets 9 before drying. The upstream end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the tank 24. The downstream end of the supply pipe 22 is connected to the side wall of the supply hopper 21.

The supply valve 23 is an electromagnetic valve, and can be switched between a closed state in which the flow path in the supply pipe 22 is blocked and an open state in which the flow path is opened. When the supply valve 23 is opened, the tank 24 and the supply hopper 21 are communicated with each other, and the resin pellets 9 in the tank 24 can be supplied to the supply hopper 21. In this state, by driving the transport blower 27 shown in FIG. 1, the resin pellets 9 in the tank 24 are pneumatically transported to the supply hopper 21 via the supply pipe 22. On the other hand, when the supply valve 23 is closed, the inside of the supply hopper 21 is generally kept in an airtight state. Therefore, while the lower end of the bottom 12 of the storage tank 10 is closed in addition to the supply valve 23, the storage tank 10 is substantially shielded from the outside air.

The supply valve 23 is not limited to the electromagnetic valve, and may be pneumatically driven or may be driven by another drive type. Further, the shape of the valve may be another type such as a ball valve or a gate type.

The hot air feeding mechanism 30 is a mechanism for feeding hot air, which is a heated gas, to the storage tank 10. In particular, the hot air feeding mechanism 30 of the present embodiment heats the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 and sends it back to the storage tank 10. In other words, the hot air feeding mechanism 30 converts the exhaust gas from the storage tank 10 into hot air and circulates it to the storage tank 10 again. The hot air feeding mechanism 30 includes a gas circulation path 31, a filter 32, a cooler 33, a drying blower 34, a moisture adsorption unit 35, and a heater 36.

The gas circulation path 31 is a continuous pipe for returning the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 to the storage tank 10 and circulating the gas. As shown in FIG. 1, the upstream end of the gas circulation path 31 is connected to the upper part of the side wall portion 11 of the storage tank 10. Further, the downstream end of the gas circulation path 31 is open to the inside of the bottom 12 of the storage tank 10. A filter 32, a cooler 33, a drying blower 34, a moisture adsorption unit 35, and a heater 36 are provided in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side in the middle of the gas circulation path 31.

The dry blower 34 has, for example, a known structure having a plurality of blades. The drying blower 34 generates an air flow that sucks the gas of the storage tank 10 from the upstream end of the gas circulation path 31 and flows it to the downstream end by rotating the plurality of blades.

The filter 32 collects fine dust sucked from the storage tank 10 into the gas circulation path 31. This prevents fine dust from being taken into the equipment on the downstream side.

The cooler 33 cools the gas sucked from the storage tank 10 into the gas circulation path 31 by a known method such as heat exchange. When the gas is cooled by the cooler 33, it becomes easy to remove water from the gas.

The water adsorption unit 35 is a device that adsorbs the water contained in the gas after being cooled by the cooler 33. As the water adsorption unit 35, various known methods can be adopted, and for example, a honeycomb-shaped ceramic body may be used. In that case, the ceramic body may contain zeolite or the like having a property of adsorbing water.

The heater 36 heats the gas after the moisture is adsorbed by the moisture adsorption unit 35 and dehumidified by a known method such as an electric heater. The gas that has passed through the path in the gas circulation path 31 and reached the heater 36 is heated by the heater 36 to become hot air. Then, this hot air is blown into the inside of the storage tank 10 from the outlet 46 provided at the downstream end of the gas circulation path 31. The outlet 46 is arranged at a position at a height where the resin pellets 9 deposited in the storage tank 10 are buried in the normal state.

In the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 having the above configuration, the resin pellets 9 stored in the storage tank 10 are dried by sending hot air into the layer on which the resin pellets 9 are deposited. That is, the water contained in the resin pellets 9 is transferred to the dry hot air, and the gas in the storage tank 10 is in a state of containing a relatively large amount of water. This gas containing a large amount of water passes through the gas circulation path 31 from the upstream side to the downstream side on the air flow generated by the drying blower 34, is dehumidified during that time, and becomes hot air again in the storage tank 10. Is sent to. Due to such gas circulation, the drying process of the resin pellets 9 proceeds in the storage tank 10.

When the drying process is completed, or when a material is requested from a subsequent device such as a molding machine, the dried resin pellets 9 are supplied to the subsequent device. Along with this, when the accumulated amount of the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 becomes less than a predetermined level, the above-mentioned supply valve 23 is temporarily opened and the transport blower 27 operates to operate the transport blower 27 from the tank 24. The resin pellets 9 are pneumatically transported to the supply hopper 21. After that, the charging port 25 is opened, and the resin pellet 9 before the next drying is filled in the storage tank 10.

Here, conventionally, the absolute humidity is measured at the upstream side of the storage tank and the inside of the storage tank or the downstream side of the storage tank, and the difference value between them is obtained to determine the water content of the material in the storage tank. A method of estimation was devised. This is based on the idea that the water content of the material released into the gas by heating and drying in the storage tank can be calculated as the above difference value. However, in reality, since the powder or granular material processing device is not a completely sealed system, outside air may flow into the storage tank, for example, when the material is supplied to the storage tank. In particular, when the storage tank is used for internal drying treatment, the humidity inside the storage tank is significantly lower than that of the outside air in the normal state, so if even a small amount of outside air flows in, it will be stored. The water content of the gas in the tank is greatly affected. Therefore, it was difficult to accurately grasp the state of the material without taking into consideration the water content of the outside air.

<1-2. Configuration peculiar to this embodiment>
In this respect, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has various configurations for accurately grasping the dry state of the material. Specifically, the powder or granular material processing device 1 includes the above-mentioned supply valve 23 in the material supply mechanism 20. The supply valve 23 is designed to exhibit particularly high airtightness when it is in a closed state.

Further, the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a humidity sensor 40, an exhaust air volume meter 70, and a hot air volume meter 80. Hereinafter, the configuration of each of these parts will be described.

The humidity sensor 40 shown in FIG. 1 is an embodiment of the “exhaust humidity detecting means”. Further, the humidity sensor 40 according to the present embodiment also serves as an embodiment of the "outside air humidity detecting means". The humidity sensor 40 is provided in the middle of the path of the tubular branch path 41. The upstream end of the branch path 41 is connected to the position P1 on the upstream side of the filter 32 in the middle of the path of the gas circulation path 31. The downstream end of the branch path 41 is connected to the position P2 between the cooler 33 and the drying blower 34 in the middle of the path of the gas circulation path 31. In other words, the branch path 41 branches from the position P1 on the upstream side of the path of the gas circulation path 31, and rejoins the gas circulation path 31 at the position P2 on the downstream side of the branch path 41. The position P1 to which the end of the branch path 41 is connected is not limited to the above-mentioned position, and may be another position as long as a part of the exhaust gas from the storage tank 10 can be taken out.

A three-way switching valve 42 is provided at a position upstream of the humidity sensor 40 in the middle of the branch path 41. The three-way switching valve 42 has a first state in which the flow path upstream of the position P1 of the gas circulation path 31 and the flow path of the humidity sensor 40 communicate with each other, and the external space and the flow path of the humidity sensor 40 communicate with each other. It is possible to switch between two states. The three-way switching valve 42 is electrically switched. The channel area of the branch path 41 is sufficiently smaller than the channel area of the gas circulation path 31. Therefore, there is very little possibility that dust from the storage tank 10 will enter the branch path 41.

The humidity sensor 40 is an instrument having a known configuration capable of detecting how much mass of water (humidity) is contained in the gas passing through the flow path per unit volume. Specifically, the humidity sensor 40 may be a capacitance type humidity sensor, or may be another type of humidity sensor. Further, the humidity sensor 40 may be used as a measuring instrument for measuring a physical property value that can be converted into humidity such as a dew point. When the three-way switching valve 42 is in the first state described above, the humidity sensor 40 detects the humidity of the gas discharged from the storage tank 10. That is, at this time, the humidity sensor 40 functions as an "exhaust humidity detecting means". On the other hand, when the three-way switching valve 42 is in the second state described above, the humidity sensor 40 detects the humidity of the outside air, which is a gas outside the storage tank 10. That is, at this time, the humidity sensor 40 functions as an "outside air humidity detecting means".

The exhaust air volume meter 70 is a meter having a known configuration capable of detecting the flow rate of gas passing through the flow path thereof. The exhaust air volume meter 70 is provided immediately downstream of the storage tank 10 in the gas flow path. As a result, the exhaust air volume meter 70 detects the flow rate of the gas discharged from the storage tank 10. The exhaust air flow meter 70 is supposed to measure the flow rate by obtaining the differential pressure of pipes having different diameters such as a Venturi pipe, but it may be a measuring instrument of another flow rate measuring method. Further, the wind speed of the pipeline may be measured by using an anemometer of a type such as a heat ray type, and the measured wind speed may be converted into a flow rate. The position of the exhaust air volume meter 70 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 1, and may be another position, for example, may be on the upstream side of the position P1.

The hot air volume meter 80 is a meter having a known configuration capable of detecting the flow rate of gas passing through the flow path thereof. The hot air volume meter 80 is provided on the upstream side of the storage tank 10 in the gas distribution path. More specifically, the hot air volume meter 80 is provided between the moisture adsorption unit 35 and the heater 36 in the middle of the gas circulation path 31. As a result, the hot air volume meter 80 detects the flow rate of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10. Similar to the exhaust air volume meter 70, various flow meters such as those using a Venturi pipe can be adopted for the hot air volume meter 80. Moreover, not only a flow meter but also an anemometer may be used. Further, the position of the hot air volume meter 80 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 1 as long as the air volume of the air entering the storage tank 10 can be measured, and may be another position, for example, on the downstream side of the heater 36. You may.

Although not shown, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a regeneration heater and a regeneration blower used to regenerate the moisture adsorption capacity of the moisture adsorption unit 35. This regeneration blower removes the moisture of the moisture adsorption unit 35 by passing the outside air heated by the regeneration heater through the regeneration line independent of the gas circulation path 31.

<1-3. Electrical configuration of powder or granular material processing equipment>
Hereinafter, the configuration of the control system of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the electrical configuration of each part of the powder or granular material processing device 1 is shown in a block diagram.

The control unit 90 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a means for controlling the operation of each unit of the powder or granular material processing device 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 90 includes a supply valve 23, a cooler 33, a drying blower 34, a moisture adsorption unit 35, a heater 36, a humidity sensor (humidity detecting means) 40, an exhaust air volume meter 70, and hot air. It is electrically connected to the air flow meter 80 and the like. The control unit 90 may be configured by an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU or a computer having a memory, or may be configured by an electronic circuit. The control unit 90 controls the operation of each of the above units based on a preset program or an input signal from the outside. That is, each part of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 functions by the cooperation of the above hardware and software. As a result, the processing of the resin pellets 9 in the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 proceeds.

Further, the control unit 90 performs a process for accurately acquiring the humidity of the exhaust gas from the storage tank 10 in order to appropriately process the resin pellet 9, and the resin stored in the storage tank 10. A calculation is performed to estimate the water content of the pellet 9. As a clue for that, the control unit 90 determines the amount of removed water (hereinafter, simply referred to as "removed water"), which is the amount of water removed from the resin pellet 9 due to the drying treatment performed in the storage tank 10. Perform the calculation to find it.

<1-4. Arithmetic processing to determine the amount of removed water>
Hereinafter, the flow of the arithmetic processing performed by the control unit 90 in order to obtain the removed water content W4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the control unit 90 for obtaining the removed water content W4.

First, the control unit 90 opens the supply valve 23 and operates the transport blower 27. As a result, the undried resin pellets 9 in the tank 24 are sent to the supply hopper 21. After that, when the transport blower 27 is stopped, the charging port 25 is opened, and the resin pellets 9 in the supply hopper 21 are collectively supplied to the inside of the storage tank 10 (step S101). Here, the opening and closing of the input port 25 is based on an automatic damper that closes due to a negative pressure during transportation, but a valve of another type may be used. For example, it may be something like a ball valve or a slide gate, or it may be a system that opens and closes electrically or pneumatically in conjunction with the completion of transportation.

Subsequently, the control unit 90 starts driving the drying blower 34, and also starts driving each device such as the heater 36 on the path of the gas circulation path 31. As a result, hot air begins to be supplied to the inside of the storage tank 10 (step S102). As a result, heat drying of the resin pellets 9 is started in the storage tank 10.

The operation of the drying blower 34 may be performed before step S101 by changing the order of the steps. In this case, as a pre-drying operation, excess water remaining in the storage tank 10 is removed before the material is charged, and the storage tank 10 is pre-heated so that the temperature rise during drying can be saved. can.

Subsequently, the control unit 90 acquires the humidity H2 of the outside air by setting the humidity sensor 40 to function as the "outside air humidity detecting means". Further, when the humidity H2 of the outside air has been acquired, the control unit 90 switches the three-way switching valve 42 so that the humidity sensor 40 functions as an "exhaust humidity detecting means", and this time, the gas is discharged from the storage tank 10. The humidity H1 of the exhaust gas, which is the humidity of the gas to be generated, is acquired (step S103). After that, the control unit 90 repeats the acquisition of the humidity H1 of the exhaust gas and the humidity H2 of the outside air periodically or irregularly by appropriately switching the three-way switching valve 42. Specifically, the humidity H2 of the outside air is acquired at a timing of once every 3 hours, and in other periods, it is exhausted at intervals smaller than 3 hours (for example, every 1 to 600 seconds). Humidity H1 is acquired. The time interval for acquiring the humidity H2 of the outside air is not limited to 3 hours, and a shorter interval or a longer interval can be appropriately selected.

Subsequently, the control unit 90 has an exhaust water content (hereinafter, simply "exhaust water content") which is a water content contained in the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 based on the humidity H1 of the exhaust gas acquired most recently. W1 is estimated by calculation (step S104). More specifically, an estimated value of the amount of water contained in the total amount of gas discharged from the storage tank 10 (exhaust air volume) per unit time is obtained by calculation. At this time, the control unit 90 acquires the flow rate of the gas detected by the exhaust air volume meter 70 and performs the above calculation. At this time, the exhaust pressure and temperature are also obtained separately and referred to at the time of calculation. At that time, the pressure and temperature may be actually measured from a sensor or the like, or values obtained from equipment specification values, preliminary test results, etc. may be stored and used.

In parallel with or before and after step S104, the control unit 90 determines the water content of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 based on the current operating status of the hot air feeding mechanism 30 (hereinafter, simply "hot air"). "Derived water content") W3 is estimated by calculation (step S105). Specifically, the control unit 90 acquires the flow rate of the gas detected by the hot air air flow meter 80, and obtains the total amount (volume) of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 per unit time. Further, the control unit 90 comprehensively considers the cooling conditions of the cooler 33, the adsorption efficiency of the moisture adsorption unit 35, the heating conditions of the heater 36, and the like, and the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 per unit time. Obtain an estimated value of the amount of water contained in the total amount by calculation or pre-test. In other words, the humidity or moisture of the hot air supplied as the characteristic value of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 is acquired. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the humidity of the supplied hot air without providing a humidity detecting means.

After step S104 and step S105, the control unit 90 determines the outside air-derived water content (hereinafter, simply "outside air-derived", which is the water content of the outside air flowing into the storage tank 10 based on the humidity H2 of the outside air acquired most recently. "Moisture content") W2 is estimated by calculation (step S106). Specifically, the contribution of the total amount of hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 per unit time determined in step S105 from the total amount of gas discharged from the storage tank 10 per unit time determined in step S104. Is calculated as an estimated value of the total amount (volume) of the outside air flowing into the storage tank 10 per unit time. Based on this and the humidity H2 of the outside air, the control unit 90 obtains the moisture content W2 derived from the outside air. Since a large amount of outside air flows into the storage tank 10 together with the material during transportation for replenishing the material to the storage tank 10, a certain period of time from the end of transportation until the influence of the inflow of outside air due to transportation becomes negligible. May be excluded from the calculation and the moisture content W2 derived from the outside air may be obtained only during the stable period.

Subsequently, in step S107, the control unit 90 obtains the exhaust water content W1 corrected for the contributions of the hot air-derived water content W3 and the outside air-derived water content W2 as the removed water content W4 (for example,). When moisture from the outside air is added to the exhaust, W4 = W1-W2-W3). Thereby, the removed water content W4 can be calculated in consideration of the water content of the outside air.

The removed water content W4 calculated in step S107 is stored in the memory of the control unit 90 or the like (step S108). The information of the removed water content W4 is read out in a timely manner and used for various controls and calculations. This point will be described in detail later.

After step S108, the process returns to step S103, and the calculation of the removed water content W4 is repeated using the measured values of the humiditys H1 and H2 acquired most recently (steps S103 to S107). As a result, the removed water content W4 is updated periodically or irregularly (step S108).

<1-5. Use of the calculation result of the amount of removed water>
In the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, various controls and calculations are performed based on the calculation result of the removed water content W4. In other words, the calculation result of the removed water content W4 is fed back to the control of the subsequent drying process and the like.

Specifically, the control unit 90 determines, for example, the storage tank 10 based on the calculation result of the removed water content W4 and the initial state (water content, initial volume, etc.) of the resin pellet 9 supplied to the storage tank 10. The current dry state of the resin pellet 9 inside is estimated. This estimation result may be fed back to various subsequent controls.

The control unit 90 may change the operating state of the drying blower 34 according to the calculation result of the removed water content W4. Specifically, when it is determined that the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are overdried based on the removed water content W4, the amount (flow rate) of hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 is increased. The driving state of the dry blower 34 can be adjusted so as to reduce the number. On the other hand, when it is determined that the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are not sufficiently dried based on the removed water content W4, the resin pellets 9 are dried so that the amount of hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 is large. The driving state of the blower 34 may be adjusted.

In addition to or instead of changing the operating state of the drying blower 34, the control unit 90 changes the operating state of at least one of the cooler 33 and the heater 36 according to the calculation result of the removed water content W4. It may be a thing. Specifically, when it is determined that the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are overdried based on the removed water content W4, the temperature of the hot air sent to the storage tank 10 becomes low. As described above, the driving state of the heater 36 is changed. On the other hand, when it is determined that the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are not sufficiently dried based on the removed water content W4, the temperature of the hot air sent to the storage tank 10 is increased. The driving state of the heater 36 is changed.

In addition to, or in lieu of, changing the operating state of the drying blower 34 and the operating state of the cooler 33 and the heater 36, the control unit 90 changes the residence time of the resin pellet 9 in the storage tank 10. It may be a thing. Specifically, when the resin pellet 9 in the storage tank 10 tends to be overdried based on the removed water content W4, the residence time of the resin pellet 9 in the storage tank 10 is set to be longer than the present time. Shorten. On the other hand, if there is a tendency that the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 are not sufficiently dried based on the removed water content W4, the residence time of the resin pellets 9 in the storage tank 10 is set to be longer than the present time. Also extend.

Alternatively, the control unit 90 may adjust the efficiency of the water adsorption unit 35 to adsorb water according to the calculation result of the removed water amount W4. Specifically, the regeneration rate of the zeolite contained in the honeycomb-shaped ceramic body may be adjusted. That is, when the resin pellet 9 tends to be overdried, the water adsorption efficiency of the water adsorption unit 35 is reduced, and when the resin pellet 9 tends to be insufficiently dried, the water adsorption is performed. Increases the water adsorption efficiency of the unit 35. Specifically, it can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the regeneration temperature with respect to the moisture adsorption unit 35, the air volume of the regeneration blower, or the rotation speed of the moisture adsorption unit 35.

As a result of estimating the water content, it is not always necessary to make the above-mentioned operation change, and the detection result may be simply recorded. Alternatively, an operation may be performed in which a reference value indicating safe driving is provided in advance and an alarm is issued as indicating some abnormality when the detection result deviates from the reference value by a certain value or more. For example, when it is detected that the humidity is higher than the reference value, it is diagnosed whether the drying blower 34, the moisture adsorption unit 35, or the heater 36 is operating normally, or the setting conditions are different. An error message or alarm may be issued by diagnosing whether or not a type of material has been input by mistake. A series of these reports may be displayed on the operation panel surface, or may be reported to a remote terminal through a communication function.

As shown above, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a storage tank 10, a material supply mechanism 20, a hot air feeding mechanism 30, and "outside air humidity detecting means" as "exhaust humidity detecting means". A humidity sensor 40 that also functions as a "control unit 90" and a control unit 90 are provided. The control unit 90 obtains the exhaust water content W1 and the outside air-derived water content W2 based on the detection result of the humidity sensor 40. Further, the control unit 90 estimates the water content W3 derived from hot air. Then, the control unit 90 obtains, for example, the value of (W1-W2-W3) as the removed water content W4. Thereby, the amount of water removed from the resin pellet 9 can be calculated in consideration of the humidity of the outside air. Therefore, the dry state of the resin pellet 9 can be accurately determined.

Further, the material supply mechanism 20 of the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment has a supply valve 23. When the material is supplied to the storage tank 10 via the supply pipe 22, the supply valve 23 temporarily opens the inside of the supply pipe 22. As a result, the outside air flowing into the storage tank 10 by closing the supply valve 23 except when the resin pellets 9 are supplied to the storage tank 10 or when the gas in the storage tank 10 is desired to be replaced. Can be suppressed to a small extent. Therefore, the removed water content W4 can be calculated more accurately, and as a result, the dry state of the resin pellet 9 can be grasped more accurately.

Further, the hot air feeding mechanism 30 of the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment can obtain information such as temperature, humidity, and air volume from each sensor provided in the gas circulation path 31. As a result, the water content derived from hot air is taken into consideration by taking into consideration the operating conditions of each device (cooler 33, drying blower 34, water adsorption unit 35, and heater 36) provided in the middle of the gas circulation path 31. W3 can be estimated accurately.

Further, the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment includes an exhaust air volume meter 70 and a hot air volume meter 80. The control unit 90 obtains the amount of outside air inflow, which is the amount of outside air flowing into the storage tank 10, based on the detection results of the exhaust air volume meter 70 and the hot air volume meter 80. Further, the control unit 90 obtains the outside air-derived water content W2 based on the outside air inflow amount and the detection result of the humidity sensor 40. This makes it possible to calculate the amount of inflow of outside air by calculation using the detection results of the air volume meters 70 and 80. Further, the water content W2 derived from the outside air can be obtained in consideration of the calculated outside air inflow amount. As a result, the dry state of the resin pellet 9 can be known more realistically. The hot air air volume meter 80 may be omitted, and in this case, the calculation can be performed using the specification value of the dry blower 34 or the air volume obtained in advance through a separate test.

Further, when the amount of hot air and the amount of outside air flowing into the storage tank 10 are known, the exhaust air volume meter 70 may be omitted. In that case, the estimated value of the exhaust air volume can be used in the calculation without actually measuring the exhaust air volume using the data accumulated from the preliminary test of the equipment and the actual operation. For example, since a correlation between the hot air volume and the exhaust air volume can be obtained for a certain material type and filling amount, it is also possible to determine the exhaust air volume under predetermined conditions by using this. That is, the exhaust humidity can be calculated using the hot air and the exhaust air volume in each of the form in which the exhaust air volume meter 70 and the hot air volume meter 80 are used in combination, the form in which only one of them is used, and the form in which neither of them is used. However, when the exhaust air volume meter 70 or the hot air volume meter 80 is used, the air volume based on the actual measurement can be obtained, so it deviates from the specification value due to some reason such as a change in the equipment over time or an error in which the type of powder or granular material is mistaken. It is preferable in that the correct air volume can be obtained even when the air volume is high.

Further, in the powder or granular material processing device 1 of the present embodiment, the humidity sensor 40 also serves as an "exhaust humidity detecting means" and an "outside air humidity detecting means". As a result, by switching the three-way switching valve 42 provided on the upstream side of the humidity sensor 40, the humidity sensor 40 as the "exhaust humidity detecting means" can be occasionally used as the "outside air humidity detecting means". .. Therefore, the number of humidity detecting means can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 can be suppressed.

Further, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the control unit 90 determines the flow rate and temperature of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 and the temperature of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 according to the calculation result of the removed water content W4, and the storage tank 10. At least one of the residence times of the resin pellets 9 is adjusted. As a result, the progress of the drying treatment performed in the storage tank 10 is promoted or suppressed according to the calculation result of the removed water content W4, or the processing time for performing the drying treatment on the resin pellets 9 is extended or shortened. Can be done. As a result, the drying treatment of the resin pellet 9 can be performed satisfactorily.

In addition to or instead of the above control as feedback, the control unit 90 of the present embodiment adjusts the efficiency of the water adsorption unit 35 to adsorb water according to the calculation result of the removed water amount W4. As a result, in the powder or granular material processing device 1 having the water adsorption unit 35, the water adsorption efficiency of the water adsorption unit 35 can be increased or decreased according to the dry state of the material. As a result, it becomes easy to dry the material so as to have a desired water content. Further, by appropriately controlling the amount of heat input during the regeneration of the water adsorption unit 35, an energy saving effect can be expected.

Further, in the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the humidity sensor 40 is installed only on the downstream side of the upstream side and the downstream side of the storage tank 10, and the humidity sensor is omitted on the upstream side. As a result, the number of humidity detecting means, which causes an increase in cost, can be suppressed to a small number, and the manufacturing cost of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 can be suppressed.

<2. 2nd Embodiment>
Hereinafter, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference mainly to FIGS. 4 and 5. The powder or granular material processing apparatus 2 according to the second embodiment is the same as the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment in that it further includes a hot air humidity sensor 85 in addition to the configurations shown in the first embodiment. Is mainly different. In the following, members having the same configuration and function as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the configuration of the powder or granular material processing apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the powder or granular material processing device 2 is provided in the middle of the tubular second branch path 84. The upstream end of the second branch path 84 is connected to the position P3 on the downstream side of the heater 36 in the middle of the path of the gas circulation path 31. The downstream end of the second branch road 84 is connected to the position P4 on the downstream side of the humidity sensor 40 in the middle of the route of the branch road 41. In other words, in the second branch path 84, the gas circulation path 31 branches from the position P3 on the downstream side of the path and joins the branch path 41 at the position P4 in the middle of the path of the branch path 41.

The hot air humidity sensor 85 is an instrument having a known configuration capable of detecting how much water (humidity) is contained in the gas passing through the flow path per unit volume. The hot air humidity sensor 85 is provided immediately upstream of the storage tank 10 in the gas flow path. As a result, the hot air humidity sensor 85 detects the humidity of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the hot air humidity sensor 85 is electrically connected to the control unit 90. The channel area of the second branch path 84 is sufficiently smaller than the channel area of the gas circulation path 31. Therefore, there is very little possibility that dust from the storage tank 10 will enter the second branch path 84. Since the airflow that is branched and flows into the hot air humidity sensor 85 is negligibly small compared to the total amount of air used for drying, it can be treated as if there is no loss of the hot air amount due to the branched airflow.

The control unit 90 in the present embodiment performs a series of processes shown in FIG. 5 in order to obtain the removed water content W4. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process performed by the control unit 90 for obtaining the removed water content W4.

In the present embodiment, the process of step S205 is performed instead of step S105 according to the first embodiment.

In step S205, the control unit 90 calculates and estimates the hot air-derived water content W3', which is the water content of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10, based on the measured value of the hot air humidity sensor 85 (step S205). ). Specifically, the control unit 90 acquires the flow rate of the gas detected by the hot air air flow meter 80, and obtains the total amount (volume) of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 per unit time. The control unit 90 calculates an estimated value of the amount of water contained in the total amount of hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 per unit time based on the total amount of the hot air and the detection result of the hot air humidity sensor 85. demand.

Also in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the exhaust water content W1 corrected for the contributions of the hot air-derived water content W3'and the outside air-derived water content W2 is obtained as the removed water content W4'. (For example, when moisture from the outside air is added to the exhaust, W4'= W1-W2-W3'). Thereby, the removed water content W4'can be calculated in consideration of the water content of the outside air.

As shown above, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 2 of the present embodiment includes a hot air humidity sensor 85. Thereby, from the detection result of the hot air humidity sensor 85, the water content of the hot air supplied to the storage tank 10 can be obtained based on the actually measured value. Therefore, the removed water content W4', which is the water content removed from the material due to the treatment (drying treatment) performed in the storage tank 10, can be obtained more realistically. As a result, the dry state of the material can be known more accurately.

Further, the humidity sensors 40 and 85 provided in the powder or granular material processing devices 1 and 2 of the above-described embodiment are all provided at a location having a flow path area smaller than the flow path area of the gas circulation path 31. Therefore, there is little possibility that dust from the storage tank 10 reaches the humidity sensors 40 and 85 and causes a failure or the like.

<3. Modification example>
Although the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the powder or granular material (material) as the object to be treated is the resin pellet 9, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. That is, the "material" may be a powder or granular material, and may be used as a raw material in various fields such as pharmaceuticals, chemical products, foods, and building materials instead of the resin pellet 9, for example.

In the above embodiment, the humidity sensor 40 also serves as an "exhaust humidity detecting means" and an "outside air humidity detecting means", but the present invention is not limited to this, and the "exhaust humidity detecting means" and the "outside air humidity" are used. A "detecting means" may be provided as an individual humidity sensor. In that case, the moisture sensor for outside air may be provided outside the piping system of the powder or granular material processing device.

The supply valve 23 may be omitted. However, in that case, it is desirable to monitor the outside air inflow amount and the outside air-derived water content W2 at short intervals or at all times by detecting the humidity of the outside air in real time with the humidity sensor 40 (outside air humidity detecting means).

Further, the treatment performed by the powder or granular material processing devices 1 and 2 does not necessarily have to be a continuous type, and for example, a batch type may be used for the drying treatment.

A configuration in which the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 is returned to the storage tank 10 and circulated is not essential. For example, instead of the above, the gas discharged from the storage tank 10 may be discharged to the outside of the powder or granular material processing device 1. Then, the outside air (outside air) of the powder or granular material processing device 1 may be taken into the moisture adsorption unit 35 by a blower, and the dehumidified outside air may be heated by the heater 36 and supplied to the storage tank 10. Further, the water adsorption unit 35 may be omitted. When the outside air is taken in and supplied as dry air, the humidity of the outside air may be referred to.

Instead of the air flow meters 70 and 80, pressure gauges and thermometers may be provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the storage tank 10 in the gas flow path. In that case, the flow rate of the gas passing through the gas circulation path 31 may be estimated by calculation based on the pressure detection result in the gas circulation path 31 and the temperature detection result. In that case, it is assumed that the characteristic value of the dry blower 34 and the pressure loss characteristic value of the piping path are known.

However, it is preferable that an air flow meter is provided on at least one of the upstream side and the downstream side of the storage tank 10 in the gas flow path. When such an air flow meter is provided, the flow rate of gas predicted (estimated) from other parameters in the gas circulation path 31 and the measured value of the air flow meter are compared with each other to cause a failure of the dry blower 34 and a filter. It is possible to detect clogging of 32, damage to the gas circulation path 31, and the like.

Instead of the humidity sensors 40 and 85, a dew point meter for determining the humidity by measuring the dew point temperature may be provided. Further, the humidity sensors 40 and 85 are not necessarily limited to digital measuring instruments, and analog measuring instruments (hygrometers) may be used instead. That is, as the humidity detecting means, various known methods can be adopted.

In the above embodiment, various controls performed by using the removed water amount W4 (W4') obtained by calculation have been exemplified, but the control other than the above is the removed water amount W4 (W4). ´) may be taken into consideration. For example, a plurality of level sensors are provided at intervals in the vertical direction of the storage tank 10, and the amount of resin pellets 9 deposited in the storage tank 10 is increased according to the progress of the drying process in the storage tank 10. (Height) may be increased or decreased.

Alternatively, if it is estimated from the removed water content W4 (W4') obtained by calculation that the drying process is significantly delayed, or if it is estimated that the drying process is in an overdried state, a warning is given to the operator. You may make a report by making a sound or turning on an alarm lamp.

The inside of the storage tank 10, the supply pipe 22, the gas circulation path 31, the branch path 41, and the like may be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas instead of air.

Further, the detailed configuration and layout of each part may be different from those shown in the respective figures of the present application. For example, the order of arrangement of the devices provided in the middle of the gas circulation path 31 may be different from that shown in the figure.

1 Powder / granular material processing equipment 9 Resin pellets (powder / granular material as a material)
10 Storage tank 20 Material supply mechanism 22 Supply pipe 23 Supply valve 30 Hot air supply mechanism 31 Gas circulation path 33 Cooler 34 Dry blower 35 Moisture adsorption unit 36 Heater 40 Humidity sensor (exhaust humidity detection means / outside air humidity detection means)
41 Branch road 42 Three-way switching valve 70 Exhaust air flow meter 80 Hot air air flow meter 84 Second branch road 85 Hot air humidity sensor (hot air humidity detection means)
90 Control unit W1 Exhaust water content W2 Outside air-derived water content W3 Hot air-derived water content W4 Removed water content

Claims (11)

A storage tank that stores the material that is a powder or granular material as an object to be treated inside, and
A material supply mechanism that supplies materials to the storage tank,
A hot air supply mechanism that supplies hot air into the storage tank,
Exhaust humidity detecting means for detecting the humidity of the gas discharged from the storage tank, and
An outside air humidity detecting means for detecting the humidity of the outside air, which is a gas outside the storage tank,
A control unit that acquires the detection results of the exhaust humidity detecting means and the outside air humidity detecting means, and
Equipped with
The control unit
Based on the detection result of the exhaust humidity detecting means and the exhaust air volume, the exhaust moisture content, which is the moisture content of the gas discharged from the storage tank, is obtained, and the exhaust moisture content is obtained.
Based on the detection result of the outside air humidity detecting means and the amount of outside air flowing into the storage tank, the outside air-derived water content, which is the water content of the outside air flowing into the storage tank, is estimated.
A powder or granular material processing apparatus for obtaining a value obtained by correcting the contribution of the water content derived from the outside air from the exhaust water content as the water content from the storage tank. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1.
The control unit estimates the amount of water removed, which is the amount of water removed from the material due to the treatment performed in the storage tank, based on the obtained amount of water from the storage tank. Device. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.
The material supply mechanism is
A supply pipe whose downstream end is connected to the storage tank,
A supply valve provided in the middle of the supply pipe and capable of closing the inside of the supply pipe,
A powder or granular material processing device. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to claim 3.
The supply valve is a powder or granular material processing device that temporarily opens the inside of the supply pipe when the material is supplied to the storage tank via the supply pipe. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
The hot air feeding mechanism is
A powder or granular material processing device having a gas circulation path that heats the gas discharged from the storage tank and sends it back to the storage tank. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
A powder or granular material processing apparatus including a hot air humidity detecting means for detecting the humidity of hot air supplied to the storage tank. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
As a means of obtaining air volume
At least one of an exhaust air flow meter that detects the flow rate of the gas discharged from the storage tank and a hot air air flow meter that detects the flow rate of the hot air supplied to the storage tank.
Equipped with
The control unit
Based on at least one of the detection result of the exhaust air flow meter and the detection result of the hot air air flow meter, the outside air inflow amount, which is the inflow amount of the outside air to the storage tank, is obtained.
A powder or granular material processing apparatus for obtaining the moisture content derived from the outside air based on the inflow amount of the outside air and the detection result of the outside air humidity detecting means. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The exhaust humidity detecting means is a powder or granular material processing device that also serves as the outside air humidity detecting means. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.
The control unit determines the flow rate of the hot air supplied to the storage tank, the temperature of the hot air supplied to the storage tank, and the material in the storage tank according to the result of calculating the amount of water from the storage tank. A powder or granular material processing device that adjusts at least one of the residence times of the above. The powder or granular material processing apparatus according to claim 5.
The hot air feeding mechanism is
Further, it has a moisture adsorption unit provided in the middle of the gas circulation path and adsorbing the moisture of the gas passing through the gas circulation path.
The control unit is a powder or granular material processing device that adjusts the efficiency of the water adsorption unit to adsorb water according to the result of calculating the amount of water from the storage tank. a) The material, which is a powder or granular material as an object to be treated, is stored inside the storage tank, and the material is stored.
b) After the a), hot air is supplied into the storage tank to supply hot air.
c) After the b), the humidity of the gas discharged from the storage tank is detected.
d) Based on the detection result of c) and the exhaust air volume, the exhaust moisture content, which is the moisture content of the gas discharged from the storage tank, is estimated.
e) Detect the humidity of the outside air, which is a gas outside the storage tank,
f) Based on the detection result of e) and the amount of outside air flowing into the storage tank, the outside air-derived water content, which is the water content of the outside air flowing into the storage tank, is estimated.
g) The amount obtained by correcting the contribution of the water content derived from the outside air from the exhaust water content is obtained as the water content from the storage tank.
Granule treatment method.

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