US20210205768A9 - Continuous Multi-Chamber Process - Google Patents
Continuous Multi-Chamber Process Download PDFInfo
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- US20210205768A9 US20210205768A9 US16/233,226 US201816233226A US2021205768A9 US 20210205768 A9 US20210205768 A9 US 20210205768A9 US 201816233226 A US201816233226 A US 201816233226A US 2021205768 A9 US2021205768 A9 US 2021205768A9
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- connecting channel
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Classifications
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- B01F5/265—
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F26—DRYING
- F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
- F26B25/00—Details of general application not covered by group F26B21/00 or F26B23/00
- F26B25/008—Seals, locks, e.g. gas barriers or air curtains, for drying enclosures
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
- B01F25/80—Falling particle mixers, e.g. with repeated agitation along a vertical axis
- B01F25/90—Falling particle mixers, e.g. with repeated agitation along a vertical axis with moving or vibrating means, e.g. stirrers, for enhancing the mixing
- B01F25/901—Falling particle mixers, e.g. with repeated agitation along a vertical axis with moving or vibrating means, e.g. stirrers, for enhancing the mixing using one central conveyor or several separate conveyors, e.g. belt, screw conveyors or vibrating tables, for discharging flows from receptacles, e.g. in layers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
- B01J19/18—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside
- B01J19/20—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside in the form of helices, e.g. screw reactors
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
- B01J19/18—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside
- B01J19/22—Stationary reactors having moving elements inside in the form of endless belts
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
- B01J19/24—Stationary reactors without moving elements inside
- B01J19/245—Stationary reactors without moving elements inside placed in series
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J3/00—Processes of utilising sub-atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressure to effect chemical or physical change of matter; Apparatus therefor
- B01J3/03—Pressure vessels, or vacuum vessels, having closure members or seals specially adapted therefor
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01J4/00—Feed or outlet devices; Feed or outlet control devices
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F26—DRYING
- F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
- F26B17/00—Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement
- F26B17/02—Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by belts carrying the materials; with movement performed by belts or elements attached to endless belts or chains propelling the materials over stationary surfaces
- F26B17/04—Machines or apparatus for drying materials in loose, plastic, or fluidised form, e.g. granules, staple fibres, with progressive movement with movement performed by belts carrying the materials; with movement performed by belts or elements attached to endless belts or chains propelling the materials over stationary surfaces the belts being all horizontal or slightly inclined
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F26—DRYING
- F26B—DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM
- F26B25/00—Details of general application not covered by group F26B21/00 or F26B23/00
- F26B25/001—Handling, e.g. loading or unloading arrangements
- F26B25/002—Handling, e.g. loading or unloading arrangements for bulk goods
Definitions
- the invention relates to an installation for carrying out a continuous multi-stage industrial process, comprising at least one first space and one second space, such that different process conditions and different pressures in particular prevail in these spaces during the course of the process, wherein these two spaces are connected to one another by a first connecting channel, and wherein a process material passes through the first space, the first connecting channel and the second space, one after the other, in a process sequence.
- the invention also relates to a continuous process that can be carried out on such an installation.
- DE10148721A1 describes a method for producing elastomer blends for production of rubber.
- the materials used to do so are fluid media. They are supplied in batches as needed through various metering scales.
- the object of the present invention is therefore to present an installation such as that described in the introduction, with which a continuous industrial process that can be carried out continuously is possible. Furthermore, a process that can be carried out continuously with such an installation is also to be described. It should also be possible to maintain the different pressures prevailing in the spaces.
- a transported material is provided in the first connecting channel in which or with which the process material can pass through the first connecting channel in a process sequence, wherein the transported material forms together with the process material a free-flowing sealing zone in the connecting channel, which ensures that the different process conditions will be maintained, in particular different pressures in the two spaces.
- process material is introduced into the first space with the first process conditions in the process according to the invention, where it is put through a first process, wherein the process material then passes through the first connecting channel in or together with the transported material and enters the second space under the second process conditions, where it is subjected to a second process, from which it is removed.
- the second process conditions in the second space differ from the first process conditions in the first space at least in the prevailing pressure.
- the transported material together with the process material according to the invention forms a free-flowing sealing zone in the connecting channel, which ensures that the wide variety of process conditions will be maintained, in particular the pressure differences in the two spaces.
- the connecting channel may be a pipe standing upright or obliquely, for example, and having a lower, narrower opening, out of which the mixture can trickle steadily while it is being replenished again repeatedly with the mixture, wherein the filling level of the pipe should preferably be within a predefined range.
- this can be regulated through the filling rate and, on the other hand, with the trickle rate, which can be determined by the cross-sectional area of the lower opening and/or by the geometry of the outlet region, for example.
- the sealing zone in the multi-chamber process is created by a labyrinth seal, because a trickling mixture cannot form an absolutely airtight sealing zone and therefore allows a certain gas exchange between the two ends of the connecting channel.
- the required seal is achieved by an adequate length of the sealing zone accordingly, so that the process conditions in the two spaces adjacent to the connecting channels, in particular the pressure difference, are upheld to the extent required by the processes in these spaces.
- FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an installation according to the invention having two spaces
- FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an installation according to the invention having four spaces
- FIG. 3 a shows a schematic diagram of a connecting channel of an installation according to the invention between two spaces
- FIG. 3 b shows an alternative schematic diagram of a connecting channel of an installation according to the invention between two spaces.
- FIG. 1 shows an installation 1 according to the invention for carrying out a continuous multi-stage industrial process in the simplest form. It comprises a first space 2 a and a second space 2 b, wherein different process conditions, in particular different pressures, prevail in these spaces 2 a, 2 b during the course of the process. For example, one of the spaces may also be open to the surroundings. These two spaces 2 a, 2 b are interconnected by a first connecting channel 3 a. In a process sequence, a process material 4 may pass through the first space 2 a, the first connecting channel 3 a and the second space 2 b, one after the other.
- a transported material 5 a is provided in the first connecting channel 3 a, in which or with which the process material 4 can pass through the first connecting channel 3 a in a process sequence.
- the transported material 5 a together with the process material 4 forms a free-flowing sealing zone 6 in the connecting channel 3 a, which ensures that the different process conditions, in particular the pressure differences in the two spaces 2 a, 2 b, will be maintained.
- this mixture of transported material 5 a and process material 4 trickles steadily through the sealing zone.
- This invention is of course not limited to two spaces 2 a, 2 b with a connecting channel 3 a. Ambient conditions may therefore also prevail in many of the spaces 2 , which may also be open in particular.
- the process conditions in the two spaces 2 a, 2 b may be different from one another, for example, in their temperature, their moisture content, their gas composition and/or their radiation burden, not to mention the pressure differences prevailing there.
- the passage through the installation 1 between the two spaces 2 a, 2 b is free of airlocks, so that a continuous industrial process can be carried out, in which there is no apportioning in the meantime and thus the process need not be interrupted.
- the process material 4 can pass continuously through the installation 1 without having to stop in the meantime. This simplifies the process because discontinuities in a process are often responsible for problems.
- one or more transport means 7 which ensure continuous passage of the process material 4 and also the transported material 5 a, may be provided.
- the process material 4 may be transported with these transport means 7 either alone or combined with the transported material 5 a.
- a worm gear, a conveyor belt, a trickle system and/or a pump in particular may be used as transport means 7 .
- the deciding factor here is that free-flowing material can be transported.
- the process material 4 may be any substance, which should be capable of passing through the processes. Examples of suitable processes including drying, moistening, condensation, distillation, pigmentation, spraying, irradiation, heating, cooling, adsorption, reception and/or mixing or separation, isolation and introduction into the installation 1 or discharge from the installation 1 when different process conditions, in particular different pressures, prevail in the surroundings than in the adjacent spaces 2 . This is not a final list.
- the process material 4 may also be a wet material which is mixed with a dry transported material 5 in a space 2 so that together they become free-flowing
- free-flowing means that the mixture is a gas-permeable bulk material, which is divided into portions when poured. Liquids and pasty materials are not gas-permeable and therefore are not free-flowing in the sense of the invention.
- a process material 4 that was originally pasty or liquid must therefore be combined with a suitable amount of dry transported material 5 in order to become free-flowing.
- a dry process material 4 can be combined with a transported material 5 a, which is itself a free-flowing material, a pasty composition or a liquid.
- the transported material 5 a used in the plant I may be the same as the process material 4 .
- the process material 4 is used only in the connecting channel, which forms the sealing zone.
- the only difference between the process material 4 and the transported material 5 may be the moisture content.
- a wet material may thus be combined with a dry substance, which corresponds to the dried wet material. The wet material therefore becomes drier due to the materials being combined, thereby achieving the desired pourability, which is required for the industrial process.
- sand is a free-flowing material which is gas-permeable: moisture can escape from a small pile of sand until it is completely dry,
- sand or similar granules with a grain size diameter of approximately 0.5-3 mm is a suitable transported material 5 a because it has a sufficient imperviousness in a sealing length of less than one meter for most process conditions, in particular for differences in pressure.
- the installation 1 preferably includes a separation device 8 in the second space 2 b for separating the transported material 5 a from the process material 4 .
- a return device 9 may be arranged therein for recycling the transported material 5 a, which is either brought directly into the first connecting channel 3 a or brought only into the first space 2 a, from which it ultimately goes back into the connecting channel 3 and forms the sealing zone with new process material 4 .
- the installation 1 may also comprise one or more additional spaces 2 c, 2 d with individual process conditions, wherein all the spaces 2 a, 2 b, 2 c , 2 d are interconnected directly or indirectly through a suitable number of additional connecting channels 3 b, 3 c.
- a transported material 5 b, 5 c together with the process material 4 forms a free-flowing sealing zone 6 b, 6 c, which ensures that the different process conditions will be upheld, in particular pressure differences in the spaces 2 b, 2 c, 2 d adjacent to the other connecting channels 3 b, 3 c, in accordance with the first connecting channel 3 a.
- Identical and/or different free-flowing materials 5 a, 5 b, 5 c may be arranged in the connecting channels 3 a, 3 b, 3 c. Accordingly, if all the free-flowing materials 5 a, 5 b , 5 c are identical, they pass together with the process material 4 through all the connecting channels 3 a, 3 b, 3 c with the process material 4 as a trickle flow. To do so, corresponding separation devices may be present to separate the process material 4 from the respective transported material 5 a, 5 b, 5 c in each space 2 b, 2 c , 2 d. Supply devices 10 may also be arranged there, combining the transported material 5 a, 5 b that has been separated with the process material 4 as the next transported material 5 b, 5 c before the next connecting channel 3 b, 3 c.
- additional devices or supply devices 10 may also be provided for introducing additional process goods 4 ′ into one of the spaces 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 2 .
- the various process materials 4 , 4 ′ may each have passed through one or more spaces 2 with corresponding processes before being combined and then running through additional spaces jointly. However, that is not shown here.
- FIG. 3 a shows one possible example of a connecting channel 3 a according to the invention, which connects two spaces 2 a, 2 b.
- the connecting channel 3 comprises a cylinder that is open at both ends and is positioned vertically, terminating on each side in one of the spaces 2 a, 2 b, which do not otherwise have any direct connection to one another.
- the spaces are separated from one another in a pressure-tight manner, wherein the pressure in the spaces ( 2 a, 2 b ) is at least 0.2 bar, at least 0.8 bar or at least 2 bar. Accordingly, the required minimum length of the connecting channel 3 also varies. At least one of the spaces 2 a, 2 b must be separated in a pressure-tight manner from the surroundings, depending on the requirements of the pressure difference.
- both the inlet and the outlet for the process material 4 and for the transported material 5 a must be leakproof during use. Both of these effects can be achieved according to the invention by a connecting channel 3 as a free-flowing sealing zone 6 .
- the supply devices may also be designed to be leakproof during use. If the process material 4 and/or the transported material 5 a itself is/are not free-flowing but instead is/are liquid or pasty, then other known leakproof inlet and/or outlet devices would also be available from the state of the art.
- the mixture with process material 4 and transported material 5 a in the space 2 a is conveyed continuously with transport means 7 , for example, with a conveyor belt or a conveyor worm gear, into the cylindrical connecting channel 3 a .
- the space 2 b contains another transport means 7 , for example, another conveyor belt, close to but at a distance from the pipe opening, onto which process material 4 and transported material 5 a trickle out of the connecting channel 3 a during the process.
- the distance A between the transport means 7 and the lower opening of the connecting channel 3 a is such that the mixture of process material 4 and transported material 5 a comes to a standstill and no longer trickles as soon as the lower transport means 7 has stopped in the space 2 b, as shown in FIG. 3 a .
- the rate of travel of the transport means 7 together with the aforementioned distance A thus determines the flow rate in the installation 1 .
- the resupply into the connecting channel 3 a should thus be regulated so that the filling level therein is always in a predetermined range. This ensures that the imperviousness that is provided between the spaces 2 a and 2 b always meets the desired criteria.
- the trickle principle corresponds here to that of a bird feed dispenser.
- this principle would not function with either a pasty filling or a liquid filling. Therefore, a trickling mixture is required as the filling in the sealing zone 6 in the installation 1 according to the invention.
- the sealing zone must have a sufficient length for the required pressure tightness to be ensured.
- the required length depends on the pressure difference, the average diameter of the granules and the cross-sectional area of the connecting channel 3 .
- connection channel 3 b need not necessarily be set up vertically but may also be arranged at an inclination to the direction of fall.
- cross section of the connection channel 3 a may not be round but instead may have any desired shape, such as rectangular, and the shape also need not be constant.
- a funnel may also be mounted at the lower opening of the connecting channel 3 a , wherein the setting of the funnel opening regulates the amount of flow-through. A minimum size must then be maintained accordingly for the distance from the transport means.
- the advantage of the nearby conveyor belt is that the installation 1 can be stopped and started up again at any time without having to open and close a device.
- a funnel would allow the connecting channel 3 a to empty too slowly in the event of a stoppage of the process if the funnel opening were not closed.
- the connecting channel 3 a may also be filled from the bottom, in particular when it is arranged at an angle to the direction of fall.
- the mixture of process material 4 and transported material 5 a is then preferably conveyed partially upward at least in part with transport means 7 , for example, with a continuous conveyor belt, a conveyor worm gear or a spiral conveyor, where it ultimately trickles out of the connecting channel 3 a.
- transport means 7 for example, with a continuous conveyor belt, a conveyor worm gear or a spiral conveyor, where it ultimately trickles out of the connecting channel 3 a.
- transported material 5 a which contains essentially open gas channels, can provide a sufficient seal and can thus form a sufficient sealing zone 6 , when a corresponding filling height and/or filling length is/are provided.
- the method according to the invention is a continuous multi-stage industrial process, which is carried out on an installation 1 according to the invention.
- a continuous process material 4 is introduced into the first space 2 a with the first process conditions, where it is put through a first process.
- the process material 4 then passes through the first connecting channel 3 a in or together with the transported material 5 a and enters the second space 2 b with the second process conditions and in particular with different pressure conditions than in space 2 a , where it is subjected to a second process. It is ultimately removed from this space by being introduced into another connecting channel 3 b, for example.
- the transported material 5 a together with the process material 4 forms a trickling sealing zone 6 at all times in the connecting channel 3 a, which ensures that the different process conditions will be maintained and in particular ensures different pressures in the two spaces 2 a, 2 b.
- the process material 4 may in particular then pass through one or more additional connecting channels 3 b, 3 c and spaces 2 c, 2 d at separate process conditions in alternation.
- the transported material 5 b, 5 c and the process material 4 together form a trickling zone 6 b, 6 c in each additional connecting channel 3 b, 3 c , thereby ensuring that the different process conditions will be maintained and that the different pressure differences in the spaces 2 b, 2 c, 2 d adjacent to the additional connecting channel 3 b, 3 c will be maintained.
- the process material 4 in the spaces 2 a 2 b, 2 c, 2 d is put through two or more processes.
- a process may be a drying, a moistening, a condensation, a distillation, a pigmentation, a spraying, an irradiation, a gas composition, a chemical reaction, an inertization of substances, a heating, a cooling, an adsorption, a reception and/or a mixture or separation in particular.
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- Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
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Abstract
Description
- This application claims priority to International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2016/065123 filed Jul. 13, 2017. International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2016/065123 is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes by this reference.
- The invention relates to an installation for carrying out a continuous multi-stage industrial process, comprising at least one first space and one second space, such that different process conditions and different pressures in particular prevail in these spaces during the course of the process, wherein these two spaces are connected to one another by a first connecting channel, and wherein a process material passes through the first space, the first connecting channel and the second space, one after the other, in a process sequence. The invention also relates to a continuous process that can be carried out on such an installation.
- Installations for carrying out industrial processes are known, but they usually consist of valves, flaps and/or airlocks, which are responsible for maintaining the various process conditions in the individual process spaces. One disadvantage to this is that such processes usually cannot be carried out continuously but instead must be carried out in so-called batches.
- Industrial processes which are carried out continuously in different process spaces, in which the process material is free-flowing or free-flowing, usually do not allow different process conditions such as differences in pressure or temperature.
- One example is given in (WO2008122137 A1) U.S. Pat. No. 8,434,241, which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference for all purposes, in which a wet pasty material, in particular a sludge, is dried in a drying process, by putting the wet material through a drying operation. This process is carried out in a drying tank, in which optimized pressure and temperature conditions prevail. As soon as the wet material has reached the desired degree of drying, an airlock is opened and the dry material can be removed. Next, additional wet material is introduced into the drying tank by means of a conveyor screw. To improve the process, the wet material may first be mixed with a dry substance and/or preheated. One disadvantage of this method is that the process cannot be carried out as a continuous process or without airlocks.
- U.S. Pat. No. 2,174,006, which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference for all purposes, describes a continuous process for sintering or calcination, wherein the process material passes through various spaces on a conveyor belt, where it is heated, for example, and later cooled. However, the chambers are mostly made up of partitions, which are arranged at a sufficiently great distance from the conveyor belt, so that different pressure conditions cannot be set in the chambers.
- DE10148721A1 describes a method for producing elastomer blends for production of rubber. The materials used to do so are fluid media. They are supplied in batches as needed through various metering scales.
- The object of the present invention is therefore to present an installation such as that described in the introduction, with which a continuous industrial process that can be carried out continuously is possible. Furthermore, a process that can be carried out continuously with such an installation is also to be described. It should also be possible to maintain the different pressures prevailing in the spaces.
- These objects are achieved by the features of the independent patent claims. Preferred embodiments are described in the dependent claims. According to the invention, with such an installation, a transported material is provided in the first connecting channel in which or with which the process material can pass through the first connecting channel in a process sequence, wherein the transported material forms together with the process material a free-flowing sealing zone in the connecting channel, which ensures that the different process conditions will be maintained, in particular different pressures in the two spaces.
- Accordingly, with the method according to the invention, process material is introduced into the first space with the first process conditions in the process according to the invention, where it is put through a first process, wherein the process material then passes through the first connecting channel in or together with the transported material and enters the second space under the second process conditions, where it is subjected to a second process, from which it is removed. The second process conditions in the second space differ from the first process conditions in the first space at least in the prevailing pressure.
- The transported material together with the process material according to the invention forms a free-flowing sealing zone in the connecting channel, which ensures that the wide variety of process conditions will be maintained, in particular the pressure differences in the two spaces.
- It has been found that a free-flowing and trickling mixture of process material and transported material may readily form a sealing zone in the connecting channel if the connecting channel is filled with this mixture over a sufficiently long distance. The connecting channel may be a pipe standing upright or obliquely, for example, and having a lower, narrower opening, out of which the mixture can trickle steadily while it is being replenished again repeatedly with the mixture, wherein the filling level of the pipe should preferably be within a predefined range. On the one hand, this can be regulated through the filling rate and, on the other hand, with the trickle rate, which can be determined by the cross-sectional area of the lower opening and/or by the geometry of the outlet region, for example.
- According to the invention, the sealing zone in the multi-chamber process is created by a labyrinth seal, because a trickling mixture cannot form an absolutely airtight sealing zone and therefore allows a certain gas exchange between the two ends of the connecting channel. The required seal is achieved by an adequate length of the sealing zone accordingly, so that the process conditions in the two spaces adjacent to the connecting channels, in particular the pressure difference, are upheld to the extent required by the processes in these spaces.
- The present invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the figures. The same reference numerals, with or without a letter a, b, c or d, each refer to the facts.
-
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an installation according to the invention having two spaces; -
FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an installation according to the invention having four spaces; -
FIG. 3a shows a schematic diagram of a connecting channel of an installation according to the invention between two spaces; -
FIG. 3b shows an alternative schematic diagram of a connecting channel of an installation according to the invention between two spaces. -
FIG. 1 shows aninstallation 1 according to the invention for carrying out a continuous multi-stage industrial process in the simplest form. It comprises afirst space 2 a and asecond space 2 b, wherein different process conditions, in particular different pressures, prevail in thesespaces spaces channel 3 a. In a process sequence, aprocess material 4 may pass through thefirst space 2 a, the first connectingchannel 3 a and thesecond space 2 b, one after the other. According to the invention, a transportedmaterial 5 a is provided in the first connectingchannel 3 a, in which or with which theprocess material 4 can pass through the first connectingchannel 3 a in a process sequence. The transportedmaterial 5 a together with theprocess material 4 forms a free-flowingsealing zone 6 in the connectingchannel 3 a, which ensures that the different process conditions, in particular the pressure differences in the twospaces material 5 a andprocess material 4 trickles steadily through the sealing zone. - This invention is of course not limited to two
spaces channel 3 a. Ambient conditions may therefore also prevail in many of the spaces 2, which may also be open in particular. - The process conditions in the two
spaces - According to the invention, the passage through the
installation 1 between the twospaces process material 4 can pass continuously through theinstallation 1 without having to stop in the meantime. This simplifies the process because discontinuities in a process are often responsible for problems. - In particular one or more transport means 7, which ensure continuous passage of the
process material 4 and also the transportedmaterial 5 a, may be provided. Theprocess material 4 may be transported with these transport means 7 either alone or combined with the transportedmaterial 5 a. A worm gear, a conveyor belt, a trickle system and/or a pump in particular may be used as transport means 7. The deciding factor here is that free-flowing material can be transported. - The
process material 4 may be any substance, which should be capable of passing through the processes. Examples of suitable processes including drying, moistening, condensation, distillation, pigmentation, spraying, irradiation, heating, cooling, adsorption, reception and/or mixing or separation, isolation and introduction into theinstallation 1 or discharge from theinstallation 1 when different process conditions, in particular different pressures, prevail in the surroundings than in the adjacent spaces 2. This is not a final list. - However, the
process material 4 may also be a wet material which is mixed with a dry transported material 5 in a space 2 so that together they become free-flowing, In the context of the present invention, free-flowing means that the mixture is a gas-permeable bulk material, which is divided into portions when poured. Liquids and pasty materials are not gas-permeable and therefore are not free-flowing in the sense of the invention. Aprocess material 4 that was originally pasty or liquid must therefore be combined with a suitable amount of dry transported material 5 in order to become free-flowing. On the other hand, adry process material 4 can be combined with a transportedmaterial 5 a, which is itself a free-flowing material, a pasty composition or a liquid. It is important for the mixture ofprocess material 4 and transported material 5 in the connectingchannel 3 a to be free-flowing. If the mixture is too wet, it will endanger the transport through the connectingchannel 3 a because the composition will stick to the walls and result in blockages. A liquid mixture ofprocess material 4 and transported material 5 is also not free-flowing and therefore is not taken into account here. - In particular the transported
material 5 a used in the plant I may be the same as theprocess material 4. In this case, theprocess material 4 is used only in the connecting channel, which forms the sealing zone. In addition, the only difference between theprocess material 4 and the transported material 5 may be the moisture content. A wet material may thus be combined with a dry substance, which corresponds to the dried wet material. The wet material therefore becomes drier due to the materials being combined, thereby achieving the desired pourability, which is required for the industrial process. - For example, sand is a free-flowing material which is gas-permeable: moisture can escape from a small pile of sand until it is completely dry, Furthermore, sand or similar granules with a grain size diameter of approximately 0.5-3 mm is a suitable transported
material 5 a because it has a sufficient imperviousness in a sealing length of less than one meter for most process conditions, in particular for differences in pressure. - The
installation 1 preferably includes aseparation device 8 in thesecond space 2 b for separating the transportedmaterial 5 a from theprocess material 4. In addition, areturn device 9 may be arranged therein for recycling the transportedmaterial 5 a, which is either brought directly into the first connectingchannel 3 a or brought only into thefirst space 2 a, from which it ultimately goes back into the connecting channel 3 and forms the sealing zone withnew process material 4. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , theinstallation 1 may also comprise one or moreadditional spaces 2 c, 2 d with individual process conditions, wherein all thespaces channels channel material process material 4 forms a free-flowing sealing zone 6 b, 6 c, which ensures that the different process conditions will be upheld, in particular pressure differences in thespaces channels channel 3 a. Identical and/or different free-flowingmaterials channels materials process material 4 through all the connectingchannels process material 4 as a trickle flow. To do so, corresponding separation devices may be present to separate theprocess material 4 from the respective transportedmaterial space Supply devices 10 may also be arranged there, combining the transportedmaterial process material 4 as the next transportedmaterial channel - In particular, additional devices or
supply devices 10 may also be provided for introducingadditional process goods 4′ into one of the spaces 2, as illustrated inFIG. 2 . Further thevarious process materials -
FIG. 3a shows one possible example of a connectingchannel 3 a according to the invention, which connects twospaces spaces spaces process material 4 and for the transportedmaterial 5 a must be leakproof during use. Both of these effects can be achieved according to the invention by a connecting channel 3 as a free-flowingsealing zone 6. In particular the supply devices may also be designed to be leakproof during use. If theprocess material 4 and/or the transportedmaterial 5 a itself is/are not free-flowing but instead is/are liquid or pasty, then other known leakproof inlet and/or outlet devices would also be available from the state of the art. - In
FIG. 3a , the mixture withprocess material 4 and transportedmaterial 5 a in thespace 2 a is conveyed continuously with transport means 7, for example, with a conveyor belt or a conveyor worm gear, into thecylindrical connecting channel 3 a. Thespace 2 b contains another transport means 7, for example, another conveyor belt, close to but at a distance from the pipe opening, onto whichprocess material 4 and transportedmaterial 5 a trickle out of the connectingchannel 3 a during the process. The distance A between the transport means 7 and the lower opening of the connectingchannel 3 a is such that the mixture ofprocess material 4 and transportedmaterial 5 a comes to a standstill and no longer trickles as soon as the lower transport means 7 has stopped in thespace 2 b, as shown inFIG. 3a . The rate of travel of the transport means 7 together with the aforementioned distance A thus determines the flow rate in theinstallation 1. The resupply into the connectingchannel 3 a should thus be regulated so that the filling level therein is always in a predetermined range. This ensures that the imperviousness that is provided between thespaces - The trickle principle corresponds here to that of a bird feed dispenser. The bird feed backs up in the dish as long as the supply there is filled to a sufficient level. However, as soon as the grains have been picked out, they trickle out again from the bird feed supply, but without overfilling the dish. It can be seen that this principle would not function with either a pasty filling or a liquid filling. Therefore, a trickling mixture is required as the filling in the
sealing zone 6 in theinstallation 1 according to the invention. - In addition, the sealing zone must have a sufficient length for the required pressure tightness to be ensured. The required length depends on the pressure difference, the average diameter of the granules and the cross-sectional area of the connecting channel 3.
- The aforementioned example according to
FIGS. 3a and 3b can of course be generalized without any loss of validity. Thus, the connectingchannel 3 b need not necessarily be set up vertically but may also be arranged at an inclination to the direction of fall. Furthermore, the cross section of theconnection channel 3 a may not be round but instead may have any desired shape, such as rectangular, and the shape also need not be constant. Instead of the nearby transport means 7 preventing the material from trickling freely out of the connectingchannel 3 a, a funnel may also be mounted at the lower opening of the connectingchannel 3 a, wherein the setting of the funnel opening regulates the amount of flow-through. A minimum size must then be maintained accordingly for the distance from the transport means. However, the advantage of the nearby conveyor belt is that theinstallation 1 can be stopped and started up again at any time without having to open and close a device. A funnel would allow the connectingchannel 3 a to empty too slowly in the event of a stoppage of the process if the funnel opening were not closed. - Furthermore, as shown in
FIG. 3b the connectingchannel 3 a may also be filled from the bottom, in particular when it is arranged at an angle to the direction of fall. The mixture ofprocess material 4 and transportedmaterial 5 a is then preferably conveyed partially upward at least in part with transport means 7, for example, with a continuous conveyor belt, a conveyor worm gear or a spiral conveyor, where it ultimately trickles out of the connectingchannel 3 a. This is readily possible in particular when the specific gravity of theprocess material 4 is higher than that of the transportedmaterial 5 a because it is then certain that noprocess material 4 can remain in the upper part of the connectingchannel 3 a. In this case, a large portion of the transportedmaterial 5 a would remain permanently in the connectingchannel 3 a and only a smaller portion of the transportedmaterial 5 a would reach the upper end of the connectingchannel 3 a. Thus, theprocess material 4 flows mostly in the transportedmaterial 5 a but less with it. The pressure tightness in thesealing zone 6 however, is always maintained. - It has been found that even transported
material 5 a, which contains essentially open gas channels, can provide a sufficient seal and can thus form asufficient sealing zone 6, when a corresponding filling height and/or filling length is/are provided. - The method according to the invention is a continuous multi-stage industrial process, which is carried out on an
installation 1 according to the invention. Acontinuous process material 4 is introduced into thefirst space 2 a with the first process conditions, where it is put through a first process. Theprocess material 4 then passes through the first connectingchannel 3 a in or together with the transportedmaterial 5 a and enters thesecond space 2 b with the second process conditions and in particular with different pressure conditions than inspace 2 a, where it is subjected to a second process. It is ultimately removed from this space by being introduced into another connectingchannel 3 b, for example. The transportedmaterial 5 a together with theprocess material 4 forms a tricklingsealing zone 6 at all times in the connectingchannel 3 a, which ensures that the different process conditions will be maintained and in particular ensures different pressures in the twospaces - The
process material 4 may in particular then pass through one or more additional connectingchannels spaces 2 c, 2 d at separate process conditions in alternation. The transportedmaterial process material 4 together form a trickling zone 6 b, 6 c in each additional connectingchannel spaces channel - According to the invention, the
process material 4 in thespaces 2 a 2 b, 2 c, 2 d is put through two or more processes. A process may be a drying, a moistening, a condensation, a distillation, a pigmentation, a spraying, an irradiation, a gas composition, a chemical reaction, an inertization of substances, a heating, a cooling, an adsorption, a reception and/or a mixture or separation in particular. - 1 installation
- 2 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d space
- 3 3 a, 3 b, 3 c connecting channel
- 4 process material
- 5 5 a, 5 b, 5 c transported material
- 6 sealing zone
- 7 transport means
- 8 separation device
- 9 return device
- 10 supply device
- A distance
Claims (15)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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CH00944/15A CH711261A1 (en) | 2015-06-30 | 2015-06-30 | Plant for the implementation of a continuous, multi-stage industrial process. |
PCT/EP2016/065123 WO2017001465A1 (en) | 2015-06-30 | 2016-06-29 | Continuous multi-chamber process |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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PCT/EP2016/065123 Continuation WO2017001465A1 (en) | 2015-06-30 | 2016-06-29 | Continuous multi-chamber process |
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US20200206702A1 US20200206702A1 (en) | 2020-07-02 |
US20210205768A9 true US20210205768A9 (en) | 2021-07-08 |
US11439961B2 US11439961B2 (en) | 2022-09-13 |
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US16/233,226 Active 2037-09-07 US11439961B2 (en) | 2015-06-30 | 2018-12-27 | Continuous multi-chamber process |
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US (1) | US11439961B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3479041B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP6808761B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN109564063B (en) |
AU (1) | AU2016287354B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112018076989B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA3029430C (en) |
CH (1) | CH711261A1 (en) |
CL (1) | CL2018003837A1 (en) |
HU (1) | HUE050942T2 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2019000040A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2017001465A1 (en) |
ZA (1) | ZA201900210B (en) |
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CN114413579B (en) * | 2022-01-10 | 2023-05-12 | 石家庄鑫富达医药包装有限公司 | Vacuum drying method and equipment for producing dry powder inhaler |
CN115143763A (en) * | 2022-05-27 | 2022-10-04 | 天华化工机械及自动化研究设计院有限公司 | Discharge sealing structure and steam rotary dryer |
Family Cites Families (14)
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US2174066A (en) * | 1938-01-05 | 1939-09-26 | Smidth & Co As F L | Process for sintering or calcining raw materials |
US2876489A (en) * | 1956-11-13 | 1959-03-10 | Mcdowell Company Inc | Combination system of mixing materials and deep sinter bed charging |
US3042390A (en) * | 1958-07-11 | 1962-07-03 | Metallgesellschaft Ag | Seals for the gas hoods of sintering machines |
DE3013703A1 (en) * | 1980-04-10 | 1981-10-15 | Lambrecht, Jürgen, Dipl.-Ing., 8026 Irschenhausen | Multistage grain drying chamber - uses passing of extracted hot air to common heat pump for return through individual channels |
JPH0658517A (en) * | 1992-08-07 | 1994-03-01 | Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Ind Co Ltd | Sealing method for fluidized bed dust burning furnace |
GB2290117B (en) * | 1994-06-09 | 1997-12-03 | British American Tobacco Co | Improvements relating to airlocks |
PT1425089E (en) * | 2001-08-11 | 2007-06-05 | Inbicon As | Method for transfer of particulate solid products between zones of different pressure. |
DE10148721A1 (en) * | 2001-10-02 | 2003-04-10 | Buehler Ag | Elastomer compound production for rubber product manufacture involves use of an elastomer in a fluid |
US8434241B2 (en) | 2007-04-04 | 2013-05-07 | Markus Lehmann | Method for drying a wet material |
JP5058200B2 (en) * | 2009-03-30 | 2012-10-24 | 株式会社御池鐵工所 | Drying equipment |
WO2010139331A2 (en) * | 2009-06-03 | 2010-12-09 | Asj Holding Aps | A system and a method for the withdrawal of particulate solid matter from a pressurized container containing a gas, and use thereof |
EP2664681A1 (en) * | 2012-05-16 | 2013-11-20 | Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH | Method and device for inserting particulate material into the fluidised bed of a reduction unit |
JP2014143945A (en) * | 2013-01-29 | 2014-08-14 | Ihi Corp | Biomass treatment device, sugar solution production method and ethanol production method |
JP6058517B2 (en) * | 2013-10-17 | 2017-01-11 | 株式会社 鐘川製作所 | Feed meter |
-
2015
- 2015-06-30 CH CH00944/15A patent/CH711261A1/en unknown
-
2016
- 2016-06-29 WO PCT/EP2016/065123 patent/WO2017001465A1/en unknown
- 2016-06-29 JP JP2018569137A patent/JP6808761B2/en active Active
- 2016-06-29 CA CA3029430A patent/CA3029430C/en active Active
- 2016-06-29 MX MX2019000040A patent/MX2019000040A/en unknown
- 2016-06-29 AU AU2016287354A patent/AU2016287354B2/en active Active
- 2016-06-29 EP EP16734291.4A patent/EP3479041B1/en active Active
- 2016-06-29 CN CN201680087319.XA patent/CN109564063B/en active Active
- 2016-06-29 BR BR112018076989-4A patent/BR112018076989B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2016-06-29 HU HUE16734291A patent/HUE050942T2/en unknown
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2018
- 2018-12-27 US US16/233,226 patent/US11439961B2/en active Active
- 2018-12-27 CL CL2018003837A patent/CL2018003837A1/en unknown
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2019
- 2019-01-11 ZA ZA2019/00210A patent/ZA201900210B/en unknown
Also Published As
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CN109564063A (en) | 2019-04-02 |
CN109564063B (en) | 2021-09-14 |
EP3479041A1 (en) | 2019-05-08 |
BR112018076989B1 (en) | 2022-09-27 |
CL2018003837A1 (en) | 2019-07-26 |
EP3479041B1 (en) | 2020-06-03 |
MX2019000040A (en) | 2019-07-04 |
HUE050942T2 (en) | 2021-01-28 |
CA3029430C (en) | 2023-09-26 |
CA3029430A1 (en) | 2017-01-05 |
JP6808761B2 (en) | 2021-01-06 |
AU2016287354B2 (en) | 2022-10-06 |
US11439961B2 (en) | 2022-09-13 |
US20200206702A1 (en) | 2020-07-02 |
ZA201900210B (en) | 2020-05-27 |
BR112018076989A2 (en) | 2019-04-16 |
JP2019520975A (en) | 2019-07-25 |
CH711261A1 (en) | 2016-12-30 |
WO2017001465A1 (en) | 2017-01-05 |
AU2016287354A1 (en) | 2019-01-31 |
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