JPH0760098A - Constant diameter granulation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a constant diameter granulation apparatus capable of continuously obtaining particles narrower in particle size distribution in large quantities. CONSTITUTION:A fixed cylinder 20 having grooves vertically formed to the inner surface thereof is connected to the lower part of a hopper 10 storing a raw material to be granulated and a rotor 30 having spiral grooves formed to the outer surface 31 and having a rotary shaft 32 attached to the central part thereof is fitted to the inner surface of the cylinder 20 so that the outer surface 31 of the rotor and the inner surface of the cylinder can mutually be rotated and slid. The upper parts of the grooves of the cylinder and/or the rotor are opened to the interior of the hopper 10 at the bottom part thereof as the taking-in ports of the raw material to be granulated and the lower ends thereof are opened as granule discharge ports and a rotary drive device 50 is connected to the rotary shaft 32 of the rotor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a constant-size granulating apparatus capable of continuously obtaining a large amount of particles having a narrower particle size distribution.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In many fields handling powders and granules, for example, in the fields of fertilizers, building materials, foods, pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, etc., a granulation process has been an indispensable operation since ancient times.
For example, it is used in the fertilizer field for manufacturing artificial soil, in the building materials field for manufacturing artificial aggregates, and in the pharmaceutical field for manufacturing tablets. In these fields, rolling type granulators such as bread type and drum type have been developed for a long time and are still used today. In addition, at present, various granulating devices such as compression, stirring, extrusion, and fluid type are being developed.

[0003]

As described above, there are many devices for continuously granulating a large amount, but the granules obtained by them have a wide particle size distribution, and a product of the required size can be obtained. In order to obtain it, a particle size adjusting step such as sieving was necessary, and the product yield was poor. Since the added value can be increased by keeping the particle size distribution of the product narrow, a granulating apparatus capable of granulating a large amount with a narrow particle size distribution is now desired.
For that purpose, the granulated product may be molded into a fixed mold. For example, extrusion molding may be performed by extruding from a fixed die, but in this case, the power is large and the conditions of powder particles that can be used are also limited.

The present invention has been made in view of the drawbacks of the conventional granulating apparatus as described above, and obtains a constant diameter granulating apparatus capable of continuously obtaining a large amount of particles having a narrower particle size distribution. Is intended.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the constant-size granulating apparatus of the present invention comprises a hopper for storing a granulated raw material such as a granular material or a kneaded material of a granular material, Connect a cylinder with a groove in the vertical direction of the inner surface, and to the cylinder,
A rotor having a spiral groove on the outer surface and a rotary shaft attached to the center is fitted so that the rotor outer surface and the inner surface of the cylinder are rotatable and slidable, and the upper part of the groove of the cylinder and / or the rotor is The bottom of the hopper is opened into the hopper as an inlet for the raw material to be granulated, and the lower ends of the grooves of the cylinder and the rotor are opened as an outlet for the granulated material, and the rotary shaft of the rotor is driven to rotate. It is configured by connecting.

[0006]

When the rotary drive device is driven, the rotor is rotated in the cylinder via the rotary shaft. The powder or granular material as a raw material to be granulated in the hopper is introduced into the groove from the upper part of the groove of the cylinder and / or the rotor opened in the hopper. The powder and granules taken into the groove are mixed while the crossing point of the groove moves downward by the rotation of the rotor having the spiral groove on the outer surface in the cylinder having the vertical groove on the inner surface. The particles are rounded to a certain particle diameter within a point, discharged from the opening at the lower end of the groove, and taken out. Therefore, a large amount of granulated products having a narrow particle size distribution are continuously molded.

[0007]

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a constant-diameter granulating apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a II portion of FIG. 1, and FIG.
Is a perspective view showing a single cylinder, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a single rotor. As shown in FIG. 1, the constant-size granulator 1 has a rotor 30 at the lower end of an inverted conical hopper 10 located at the top.
A fixed cylinder 20 in which is rotatably inserted is connected and integrally attached, and a discharge chute 40 is attached below the fixed cylinder 20.

The details of the granulating apparatus 1 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 3, the fixed cylinder 20 comprises a plurality of fixed cylinders (at equal intervals in this embodiment) circumferentially on the inner surface 21 at appropriate intervals. In this embodiment, nine vertical grooves 22 are formed by opening the end portions on both end surfaces of the fixed cylinder 20 in the vertical direction. The cross-sectional shape of the vertical groove 22 is semicircular. On the other hand, as shown in detail in FIG. 4, the rotor 30 has a rotating shaft 32 integrally attached to the central portion thereof, and a spiral groove 33 is formed on the outer surface 31 so that the end portions are opened at both ends of the rotor 30. A plurality of lines (8 lines in this embodiment) are provided in parallel at appropriate intervals (at equal intervals in this embodiment). Spiral groove 3
The cross-sectional shape of 3 is semicircular.

In the fixed cylinder 20 and the rotor 30 formed in this way, the rotor 30 is slidable on the inner surface 21 of the fixed cylinder 20 and the outer surface 31 of the rotor and the inner surface 21 of the fixed cylinder 20. In this state, they are rotatably fitted around the rotary shaft 32 and are integrally assembled. The rotor 30 is pivotally attached to the upper bearing fixed to the stay 11 provided by bridging the upper end of the rotating shaft 32 inside the upper end of the hopper 10, and the lower end of the rotating shaft 32 is chute 40. Bearing 52 fixedly attached to the bottom surface of the
It is attached by being pivotally attached to. Although not shown, the hopper 10 or the fixed cylinder 20 and the discharge chute 40 are integrally connected by a connecting member.

Further, as shown in detail in FIG.
The upper portion of 0 is projected from the upper end of the fixed cylinder 20 by a predetermined length so that the outer surface 31 and the spiral groove 33 are
It is exposed inside, and the upper part of the spiral groove 33 is provided at the bottom of the hopper 10 so as to be opened in the hopper 10, so that the rotation of the rotor 30 allows powder particles to be easily taken into the spiral groove 33. Has been done. In addition, the fixed cylinder 2
The vertical groove 22 of 0 also has an upper end opened at the bottom of the hopper 10 into the hopper 10 so that powder particles can be taken into the groove 22.

The lower ends of the fixed cylinder 20 and the rotor 30 are flush with each other, and the lower ends of the vertical groove 22 and the spiral groove 33 are also located at the lower ends of the fixed cylinder 20 and the rotor 30 and open downward there. , The vertical groove 22 and the spiral groove 3
It is discharged from the lower end opening of No. 3 and falls on the discharge chute 40 to be taken out. The spiral blade 12 is attached to the rotary shaft 32 in the hopper 10 so as to extend between the upper bearing 51 and the upper end of the rotor 30. Upper bearing 51
On the upper side, an electric motor 50 as a rotation driving device is mounted on a mounting base 53 fixed to the stay 11, and the rotating shaft 3
The shaft end of 1 and the output shaft of the electric motor 50 are connected.

Next, the operation of the constant diameter granulating apparatus 1 thus constructed will be described. In the hopper 10, several kinds of powder and granules as a raw material to be granulated are stored at an appropriate ratio, and an electric motor 50 as a rotary drive device is driven to drive the spiral blade 1.
When 2 and the rotor 30 are rotated, the powder particles are mixed by the spiral blade 12. Then, the mixed powder and granules are spiral grooves 33 of the rotor 30 and the vertical grooves 2 of the fixed cylinder 20 in the portion exposed to the hopper 10 below the hopper 10.
Incorporated in 2. At this time, since the spiral groove 33 is exposed in the hopper 10 and is rotating, the granular material is reliably and easily fed into the spiral groove 33 and the vertical groove 2
The upper opening of 2 is easily supplied. Further, the rotation of the spiral blade 12 induces an action of sending the powder particles downward, and the upper opening portion of the spiral groove 33 and the vertical groove 2 of the powder particles are induced.
Promote the inflow of 2 into the upper opening.

The powder particles introduced into both the grooves 22 and 33 rotate within the intersecting point while the intersecting point of the spiral groove 33 with the vertical groove 22 moves downward by the rotation of the rotor 30 ( While rolling, it is rolled into a certain particle size,
Grooves 22, 3 reaching the bottom of the cylinder 20 and rotor 30
It is discharged from the lower end opening of 3 as a granulated product. The discharged granules are received by the discharge chute 40 located below and are stored in a predetermined place. Due to such a combined action of the spiral groove 33 and the vertical groove 22, it is possible to form a granulated product having a narrow particle size distribution. Further, the powder particles in the hopper 10 can be continuously granulated in a large amount by being continuously fed into the groove. As described above, the granulation method of the present invention can also be referred to as a rotational movement granulation method within a groove intersection.

Next, an example of a granulation test conducted by using the apparatus of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. This test example shows an example in which the sludge was granulated when the sludge was made into a fired aggregate. The sludge was a mixture of water purification plant sludge, magnesium oxide powder, waste silica sand, and fly ash, and the water content was 40 wt%. Each of them is put into the hopper 10 at an appropriate ratio, and sent to the lower part of the hopper 10 while being mixed by the kneading blades 12 attached to the rotary shaft 32, and the rotor 3
It was taken into the spiral groove 33 of 0 and the vertical groove 22 of the fixed cylinder 20, and was discharged as a granulated product from the opening at the bottom and taken out from the discharge chute 40. Rotor 30 at this time
The width (diameter) of the spiral groove 33 is 12 mm, and the fixed cylinder 20
The vertical groove 22 had a width (diameter) of 12 mm, the rotor 30 had a diameter of 150 mm, and the rotation speed was 10 rpm. The obtained granulated product was continuously obtained with a substantially uniform outer diameter of 8 mmφ to 10 mmφ.

FIG. 5 shows the fixed cylinder 20 shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a case where a plurality of granulator units each composed of a rotor 30, a rotary shaft 32 and a kneading blade 12 are juxtaposed and configured as a multiple constant diameter granulator. Note that FIG.
In FIG. 1, the same or corresponding parts as in FIG.

In this embodiment, five sets of granulator units are installed, a hopper is attached as a common hopper 10A on the upper part, and a chute is attached as a common discharge chute 40A on the lower part. In addition, a sprocket wheel 54 is attached to the upper end of the rotary shaft 32 of each granulator unit, and each sprocket wheel 54 is attached to the common hopper 10A via a support base 53A at the output shaft end of the electric motor 50. A roller chain 55 is commonly wound around the sprocket wheel 50a. Although not shown, the common hopper 10A or the fixed cylinder 20 and the common discharge chute 40A are integrally connected by a connecting member.

When the multiple constant-diameter granulator is constructed in this way, when the electric motor 50 is driven, the rotor 30 and the kneading blades 12 are simultaneously rotated, and the granules in the common hopper 10A are granulated by the respective granulators. It is fed into the vertical groove 22 of the fixed cylinder 20 of the unit and the spiral groove 33 of the rotor 30, and both grooves 22, 3
With the action of 3, granulation with a constant diameter is performed. Therefore, the granulating ability can be remarkably increased in such a multiple continuous diameter granulator.

FIG. 6 shows a different embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the constant-diameter granulator shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, a scraping blade 34 is attached along the edge of the spiral groove 33 of the rotor 30 protruding from the upper end of the fixed cylinder 20 into the hopper 10 on the downstream side with respect to the rotation direction. With this configuration,
The powder particles can be more reliably and easily taken into the spiral groove 33 from the inside of the hopper 10.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which brushes 23 are attached to both sides of the edge of the vertical groove 22 on the inner surface 21 of the fixed cylinder 20. With this configuration, the brush 23 brushes the inside of the spiral groove 33 before and after the intersection of the vertical groove 22 and the spiral groove 33, so that the powder particles are always present only in the intersection. Therefore, the brush 23 can remove the deposits on the inner surface of the spiral groove 33 to keep the particle size of the granulated product more constant. The brush 23 may be attached to only one side of the edge of the vertical groove 22.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a different embodiment of the present invention, showing a case where a jacket is provided on the fixed cylinder part. As shown in the figure, an annular jacket 24 extending in the height direction of the fixed cylinder 20A is provided on the outer side of the inner surface 21 of the fixed cylinder 20A, and a rotary shaft 32 is provided.
A medium supply port 25 and a medium discharge port 26 are attached at symmetrical positions with respect to the axis. According to this structure, a heating medium such as steam is supplied from the medium supply port 25, passes through the jacket 24, and the medium discharge port 26.
By discharging the granules, the granulated product can be dried at the same time during granulation. Further, by supplying a cooling medium such as cooling water from the medium supply port 25 and passing it through the jacket 24 and discharging it from the medium discharge port 26, it is possible to simultaneously cool and solidify the granulated product during granulation.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a different embodiment of the present invention, showing a case where a lubricant or binder supply part is provided in the vertical groove of the fixed cylinder. As shown in the figure, an annular hole 27 is provided inside the fixed cylinder 20B, and a lubricant or binder supply port 28 is provided in the annular hole 27. A passage 27a is provided between the annular hole 27 and each vertical groove 22. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the powder particles from adhering to the inside of the vertical groove 22 by supplying the lubricant from the supply port 28. Further, by supplying the binder from the supply port 28, the strength of the granulated material inside the vertical groove 22 can be increased. Further, it is possible to modify the surface of the granulated product or perform multi-layer coating.

In the above embodiment, the fixed cylinder 2
The vertical groove 22 provided in 0 and the spiral groove 33 provided in the rotor 30 have a uniform cross-sectional size from the upper side to the lower side, but the size of the cross section of the groove provided on the fixed cylinder and / or the rotor is large. The groove may become smaller as it goes downward. By doing so, the molding pressure on the granulated product increases toward the lower part, and a strong granulated product can be produced. Further, the cross-sectional shapes of the vertical groove 22 and the spiral groove 33 are not limited to the semicircle, but may be U-shaped or V-shaped. The number of the vertical grooves 22 and the spiral grooves 33 to be installed is determined according to the required amount of the granulated product, and is not limited to the number of the present embodiment, but the larger the number of grooves, the larger the amount of the granules. Needless to say, it is possible to granulate, that is, the granulating ability can be increased.

Further, in the above embodiment, the upper portion of the rotor 30 is projected from the upper ends of the fixed cylinders 20, 20A, 20B by a predetermined amount, but the invention is not limited to this, and the spiral groove 33 of the rotor is not limited thereto. And fixed cylinders 20, 2
The upper end of the rotor 30 and the fixed cylinders 20, 20A, 2A, 2A with the ends of the vertical grooves 22 of 0A and 20B opened at the bottom of the hopper 10 into the hopper 10 as a powder intake.
It is also possible to provide the upper end of 0B so as to be flush. Further, both the spiral groove 33 of the rotor 30 and the vertical groove 21 of the fixed cylinder 20 are opened in the hopper 10 to serve as the intake port for the granular material, but only one of the grooves is provided for the granular material intake port. Alternatively, the hopper 10 may be opened and provided.

[0024]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the material to be granulated such as the granular material stored in the hopper is fed into the vertical groove on the inner surface of the cylinder and the spiral groove on the outer surface of the rotor. The particles can be rounded to a constant particle size by the interaction of the above and discharged and taken out from the opening at the lower end of the groove. Therefore, a large amount of granulated products having a narrower particle size distribution can be continuously molded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a constant diameter granulation device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a II part in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a single cylinder.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a single rotor.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing a multiple constant diameter granulator of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of essential parts showing an embodiment corresponding to FIG. 2 in the case where a scraping blade is provided in the spiral groove portion on the upper portion of the rotor of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an embodiment in which a brush is provided in the groove portion of the fixed cylinder of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment in which a jacket is provided on the fixed cylinder of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of essential parts showing an embodiment in which a lubricant or binder supply portion is provided in the vertical groove of the fixed cylinder of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Constant Diameter Granulator 10, 10A Hopper 12 Spiral Blade 20, 20A, 20B Fixed Cylinder 21 Inner Surface (Fixed Cylinder) 22 Vertical Groove (Fixed Cylinder) 23 Brush 24 Jacket 27 Annular Hole for Lubricant or Binder 30 Rotor 31 Outside Surface (rotor) 32 Rotating shaft 33 Spiral groove (rotor) 34 Scrape blade

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cylinder having a groove on its inner surface in the vertical direction is connected to the lower part of a hopper that stores a raw material to be granulated such as a powdery material or a kneaded material of a powdery material, and a spiral shape is formed on the outer surface of the cylinder. A rotor having a rotating shaft attached to the center thereof is fitted to the outer surface of the rotor and the inner surface of the cylinder so as to be rotatable and slidable, and the upper portion of the groove of the cylinder and / or the rotor is made of a material to be granulated. The bottom of the hopper is opened as an inlet into the hopper, and the lower ends of the cylinder and the groove of the rotor are opened as an outlet for the granulated material, and the rotary drive unit is connected to the rotary shaft of the rotor. A characteristic constant-diameter granulator.