MXPA00002300A - Dust collection system - Google Patents

Abstract

A dust collection system includes a frame defining an opening through which a particulate material is inserted;a plurality of hollow supports (12) extending across the opening;at least one plate extending along a length of each of the plurality of hollow supports, each of said plates extending from its respective one of the plurality of hollow supports in a downward direction;a plurality of openings (22) extending along a lower side of each of the plurality of hollow supports;and a device for drawing dust in through the plurality of openings.

Description

POWDER COLLECTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention; The present invention relates to a dust collection system and, in particular, to an arrangement on top of a hopper to prevent an excessive amount of dust escaping into the atmosphere during loading of the hopper. 2. Description of Related Art: Although the present invention is primarily intended to decrease the amount of dust during the loading of mobile spring hoppers with clinker using ship cranes, the application can be widely used. For example, the present invention could be used in grain tanks and in any other application where the particulate matter generates unacceptable levels of dust during loading thereof. Many states have environmental regulations to control and limit the generation of dust. Refer, for example, to Chapter 403 of Title 62 of the Florida Statutes and to the regulations promulgated thereunder in the Florida Administrative Code. Refer in particular to Section 62-204, F.A.C.

Prior to the present invention, various efforts had been made to control the powder. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,324,524 discloses a dust retention device for coating dust arising from the handling of particulate material. The '524 patent discloses a plurality of shutters 6, 7, 8 which are suspended from the rods 9. However, the shutters 6, 7, 8 are not overlapping and there is an opening between the shutters, through which they can get away the dust. In addition, the shutters can pivot or rotate around the rods 9, thus allowing the openings to be quite significant. As a result, large amounts of dust can be emitted through these openings. U.S. Patent No. 4,699,187 discloses another dust control system. The system disclosed in the '187 patent uses large shielding plates 24, 24' to trap dust below them. The system disclosed in the '187 patent does not use a plurality of openings extending along the area below the plates 24, 24'. On the contrary, the exposed system uses collectors 20, 20 'at each end of the system. In addition, system '187 includes a cloth filter 22 over the intake areas, which would mimic the system's ability to collect and remove dust. U.S. Patent No. 3,885,606 discloses an apparatus for loading fine granules and loose powdered solids. Apparently exposed apparatus is directed more especially to the rupture of the material and to the removal of air from it than to the containment of dust. Consequently, prior to this invention, there was already a need to have an economic and effective system to reduce the amount of dust generated when a loose material, for example cement clinker, is loaded into a hopper.

OBJECTIVES AND SUMMARY An objective of the present invention is to provide a dust collection system that effectively collects dust as a particulate matter is loaded into the hoppers. Another object of the present invention is to provide a dust collection system that includes a plurality of small ports evenly distributed through the opening of the hopper, so that the powder can be collected in small and uniform amounts. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dust collection system that includes a plurality of inverted V-shaped plates, which are arranged in an overlapping shape to promote efficiency in dust collection. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a dust collection system, wherein the ports for collecting the dust are provided at the apex of the inverted V-shaped plates., so that the dust, which naturally rises upwards, is collected through the ports. According to the present invention, the dust collection system includes a frame defining an opening through which a particulate material is inserted, and a plurality of hollow supports extending through the opening. The system further includes at least one plate extending along a length of each support of the plurality of hollow supports, wherein each of the plates extends from its respective hollow support of the plurality of supports, in a downward direction. A plurality of openings extend along a lower side of each of the holders of the plurality of hollow supports, and a device for extracting dust through the plurality of openings is also provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a cement hopper embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a detailed view of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view of the underside of one of the tubes of Figure 3, illustrating the openings therein; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, except that it illustrates the underside of a central portion of the device; and Figure 7 is a detailed view of a cutting plate used in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention relates to a dust collection system for collecting dust from the clinker material, as the clinker material is loaded into the hoppers using a crane bucket. However, the present invention has broad applicability and can also be used in other environments, for example in grain deposits and in other hoppers containing loose particulate material. According to a preferred embodiment, a mobile hopper 10 is located at the edge of a spring to receive clinker material from a ship. At the top of the hopper is a frame including a plurality of hollow support tubes 12, which extend in parallel through the opening of the frame. The hollow support tubes 12 are supported at each end by distribution tubes 14, 16. Enlarged gasket sections 32 form the transition between the hollow support tubes 12 and the distributor tubes 14, 16. The hollow support tubes 12 are separated from each other by approximately two feet, with respect to their centers. The hollow support tubes 12 are preferably eight inches in diameter and total 80 tubes in total. However, other alternatives can be used for the hollow support tubes. A plurality of metal bracket bars 18 are secured by welding or some other suitable means between the hollow support tubes 12 to provide additional structural integrity to the system. The bracket bars 18 preferably have a cross section of one inch by two inches and are approximately 15 inches long. In addition, a grid of metal bars 20 extends through the upper part of the hollow support tubes 12. The bars 20 are intended to provide protection for the hollow tubes 12. For example, when the bucket of the crane is lowered to the hopper 10, the bucket will contact the bars 20 and rest on them, without damaging the hollow tubes 12. The support bars 20 preferably have a cross section of one inch by three inches. At the bottom of each of the hollow support tubes 12 there are a plurality of openings 22. The openings are preferably oval and preferably evenly spaced along the support tubes, so that the entire opening of the frame it is uniformly populated with openings 22. Refer, for example, to Figure 6. The oval openings 22 are preferably about six inches along the major axis and about three inches along the minor axis. See Figure 5. The hollow support tubes 12 include, alternately (i.e., one yes and one no) a pair of long fins 24, 26 that extend downward. The fins 24, 26 extend substantially along the entire length of each of the respective tubes 12. The fins 24, 26 are preferably about a quarter of an inch thick, which is sufficient to prevent them from bending or damage by the clinker material falling through the frame. The long fins 24, 26, in a preferred embodiment, they have a width of two feet. See Figure 4. In each of the hollow support tubes 12 between the previously described tubes 12 having the long fins 24, 26, a pair of short fins 28, 30 are disposed. Each of the short fins 28, 30 also They are about a quarter of an inch thick and have a width of approximately seven and a half inches. See Figure 4. The distributor tubes 14, 16 are separated into two sections by removable separator plates 36, 38. See Figure 7. When the separator plates 36, 38 are in place within their respective distributor tubes 14, 16 the system It is essentially divided into two sections. In other words, all the dust collected by the hollow support tubes 12 in the upper half of Figure 2, is directed towards a dust collector, while all the dust collected by the support tubes 12, in the lower half of Figure 2 is directed towards a different dust collector. At each end of the distributor tubes 14, 16 a conventional suction apparatus is placed to create a low pressure through the distributor tubes 14, 16 and the plurality of hollow support tubes 12 connected. The suction apparatus collectively extracts about 15,000 cubic feet per minute. The air velocity through the distributors is about 5,000 feet per minute in a preferred embodiment.

Device Operation; As a load of clinker material is dropped into the hopper 10, some of the material lands on top of the long fins 24, 26 and cascades down the full width of the long fins 24, 26 toward the hopper . The remaining portion of the clinker material lands on the short fins, 28, 30, from which it falls in cascade on the long fins 24, 26 and joins with the remaining material as it cascades towards the hopper. As the material falls into the hopper, dust 40 is generated within the hopper 10 and waves upward. However, the upwardly moving dust 40 is trapped by the overlapping array of long and short fins 24, 26, 28, 30. Furthermore, in view of the fact that the plurality of openings 22 are located at the apex of the appendage. the short and long fins 24, 26, 28, 30, the powder 40 which has been raised up in the hopper 10 is sucked into the plurality of hollow support tubes 12, through the openings 22 and is carried through the distributing pipes 14, 16, towards the suitable dust containment devices. At the bottom of the hopper, the clinker material meets a vibrating feeder that loads a conveyor system, which lifts the clinker material to a material storage building. Because the plurality of openings 22 are located uniformly through the opening of the hopper frame 10 the powder 40 is collected in small portions that reduce the likelihood of stagnation. In addition, due to the large number of openings 22, very little amount of dust escapes up through the plates. Most dust is contained within the system. The cleaning ports 42 are provided in each of the distributor tubes 14, 16, preferably in alignment with the hollow tubes 12. In this way, the plates in the cleaning ports 42 can be removed providing easy access to clean the hollow tubes 12. In addition, they clean distributors 14, 16 that are in any other location and that may require periodic cleaning. Although only one preferred embodiment has been specifically illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations may be made to the present invention, in light of the foregoing teachings and within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. invention.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A dust collection system comprising: a frame defining an opening through which a particulate material is inserted; a plurality of hollow supports extending through the opening; at least one plate extending along a length of each support of the plurality of hollow supports, each of the plates extends from its respective hollow support taken from the plurality of hollow supports, in a downward direction; a plurality of openings extending along a lower side of each support of the plurality of hollow supports; and means for extracting dust through the plurality of openings. The dust collection system according to claim 1, wherein each hollow support of the plurality of hollow supports includes two plates extending downwardly from the support, so as to form an inverted V. The dust collection system according to claim 1, wherein the plates of the hollow supports, in alternating form, are wider in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the hollow supports, than the plate of the remaining hollow supports . The dust collection system according to claim 3, wherein the longer plates of the alternating hollow supports extend below the plates of the remaining hollow supports. The dust collection system according to claim 1, further comprising a collection tube that extends along one end of the plurality of hollow supports, and the hollow supports are connected to the collection tube so that the Dust extracted from the hollow supports can pass through the collection tube to a dust collector. 6. A dust collection system comprising: a frame defining an opening through which a particulate material is inserted; a plurality of hollow supports extending through the opening, each of the hollow supports includes a plurality of openings extending along a lower side thereof; a plurality of transfer plates that extend in a downward direction from the plurality of hollow supports and are arranged so that dust traveling directly in a vertical direction, from below the frame, will come into contact with at least one of the plates of the plurality of overlapping plates; and means for extracting dust through the plurality of openings. The dust collection system according to claim 6, wherein each of the supports of the plurality of hollow supports includes two of the overlapping plates extending downwardly therefrom so as to form an inverted V. The dust collection system according to claim 7, wherein the plates of the hollow supports, in alternating form, are wider in the transverse direction towards the longitudinal direction of the hollow supports, than the plate of the remaining hollow supports . The dust collection system according to claim 8, wherein the longer plates of the hollow supports, in alternate form, extend below the plates of the remaining hollow supports. The dust collection system according to claim 6, further comprising a collection tube extending along one end of the plurality of hollow supports and the hollow supports are connected to the collection tube so that the powder extracted to the hollow supports can pass through the collection tube, to a dust collector.