Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B30—PRESSES
  • B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
  • B30B11/00—Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses, tabletting presses
  • B30B11/005—Control arrangements
  • B30B11/006—Control arrangements for roller presses
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B30—PRESSES
  • B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
  • B30B11/00—Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses, tabletting presses
  • B30B11/16—Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses, tabletting presses using pocketed rollers, e.g. two co-operating pocketed rollers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B30—PRESSES
  • B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
  • B30B15/00—Details of, or accessories for, presses; Auxiliary measures in connection with pressing
  • B30B15/30—Feeding material to presses
  • B30B15/302—Feeding material in particulate or plastic state to moulding presses
  • B30B15/308—Feeding material in particulate or plastic state to moulding presses in a continuous manner, e.g. for roller presses, screw extrusion presses

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a granulation system, and more particularly to a granulation system for compacting a raw material to form a briquette.
• a granulating apparatus which comprises a screw feeder, a level meter installed in a raw material inlet port of the screw feeder, and a pair of briquette rolls which are provided in connected relation with an outlet port of the screw feeder and each of which has a rotating surface formed with different ones of a plurality of pairs of mutually opposable pockets, as described, for example, in the following Patent Document 1.
• This granulating apparatus is configured such that, when a level of a raw material supplied into the screw feeder becomes lower that a height level (sensing height level) of the level meter, a new raw material is supplied from a raw material supply apparatus to the screw feeder to thereby allow a given pressing force to act on a raw material inside the screw feeder.
• Patent Document 1 JP 08-192296A
• the above conventional granulating apparatus is provided with the level meter installed in the raw material inlet port of the screw feeder, and configured to supply a new raw material only when the level of the supplied raw material becomes lower than the level of the level meter.
• a temporal condition for stopping the raw material supply apparatus is set to a time when a given time period has elapsed after the remaining level became lower than the height level of the level meter, instead of a time when reaching the height level of the level meter, the same problem occurs.
• the present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional technique, and an object thereof is to provide a granulation system capable of ensuring briquette quality.
• the present invention provides a granulation system for compacting a raw material to form a briquette.
• the granulation system comprises: a raw material supply apparatus configured to have a normal supply mode for supplying a kneaded raw material in a predetermined normal amount per unit time, and a large-amount supply mode for supplying the kneaded raw material in an amount greater than the normal amount per unit time, and supply the raw material in either one of the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode; a granulating apparatus equipped with a raw material receiving unit for receiving therein the raw material supplied from the raw material supply apparatus, and configured to compact the received raw material to form a briquette; a first level sensor installed in the raw material receiving unit of the granulating apparatus at a first position of an upper portion of the raw material receiving unit, and adapted to detect whether or not the raw material supplied into the raw material receiving unit reaches the first position; a second level sensor installed in the raw material receiving unit of the granulating apparatus
• the operation controller is configured, when the first level sensor detects that the raw material does not reach the first position, and the second level sensor detects that the raw material reaches the second position, to perform a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in the normal supply mode and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to operate, and, when the second level sensor detects that the raw material does not reach the second position, to perform at least one of a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in the large-amount supply mode and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to stop operating.
• the granulation when a remaining level of the raw material falls within a given height position range, the granulation is performed in a normal operation mode, and, when the remaining level of the raw material is lower than a given height position, a control operation is performed to allow a supply amount of the raw material to become greater than an amount of consumption of the raw material. This makes it possible to suppress deterioration in briquette quality due to insufficient supply of the raw material.
• the granulating apparatus is configured to have a normal formation mode for forming briquettes at a predetermined normal speed, and a high-speed formation mode for forming briquettes at a speed greater than the normal speed, and form briquettes in either one of the normal formation mode and the high-speed formation mode
• the operation controller is configured, when the first level sensor detects that the raw material does not reach the first position, and the second level sensor detects that the raw material reaches the second position, to perform a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in the normal supply mode and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to operate in the normal formation mode, and, when the first level sensor detects that the raw material reaches the first position, to perform at least one of a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to stop operating and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the operation controller is configured, when the first level sensor detects that the raw material does not reach the first position, and the second level sensor detects that the raw material reaches the second position, to perform a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in the normal supply mode and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to operate in the normal formation mode, and, when the first level sensor detects that the raw material reaches the first position, to perform at least one of a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus to stop operating and a control operation of causing the granulating apparatus to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the granulation when the remaining level of the raw material falls within a given height position range, the granulation is performed in a normal operation mode, and, when the remaining level of the raw material is higher than the given height position, a control operation is performed to allow the supply amount of the raw material to become less than the amount of consumption of the raw material. This makes it possible to prevent overflow of the raw material from the raw material receiving unit.
• the granulation system of the present invention further comprises a batch kneader configured to knead a predetermined amount of base powder together with water and a binder
• the raw material supply apparatus includes: a first feeder provided below the batch kneader and adapted to supply a kneaded raw material discharged from the batch kneader, into the raw material receiving unit of the granulating apparatus; and a first variable speed motor adapted to be controlled in terms of a motor speed in revolutions per unit time by the operation controller, so as to allow a supply amount by the first feeder to be controlled to provide each of the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode
• the first variable speed motor controls the supply amount of the raw material by the first feeder for supplying the raw material discharged from the batch kneader, into the raw material receiving unit of the granulating apparatus, thereby allowing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in each of the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode.
• the granulation system of the present invention further comprises: a first scale unit adapted to measure a supply amount of the base powder to be supplied to the batch kneader; a first water supply apparatus connected to the batch kneader and configured to supply water to the batch kneader, the first water supply apparatus including a first flow meter and a first openable and closable valve each provided in a water supply flow passage thereof; and a first opening-closing controller configured to control opening and closing of the first openable and closable valve based on a measurement value from the first flow meter so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the first water supply apparatus to the batch kneader according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the first scale unit.
• a first scale unit adapted to measure a supply amount of the base powder to be supplied to the batch kneader
• a first water supply apparatus connected to the batch kneader and configured to supply water to the batch kneader,
• the first opening-closing controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the first openable and closable valve based on a measurement value from the first flow meter so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the first water supply apparatus to the batch kneader according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the first scale unit.
• the batch kneader performs a kneading operation under a condition that water is supplied in an amount according to the amount of the base powder, so that it becomes possible to produce a raw material suitable for granulation.
• the raw material supply apparatus includes: a second feeder adapted to continuously supply a base powder; a continuous kneader adapted to knead, together with water and a binder, a base powder continuously supplied thereto from the second feeder, and disposed to allow a discharge port thereof to be located just above the raw material receiving unit of the granulating apparatus; and a second variable speed motor adapted to be controlled in terms of a motor speed in revolutions per unit time by the operation controller, so as to allow a supply amount by the second feeder to be controlled to provide each of the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode
• the second variable speed motor controls the supply amount of the raw material to be supplied to the continuous kneader by the first feeder, thereby allowing the raw material supply apparatus to operate in each of the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode.
• the granulation system of the present invention further comprises: a second scale unit adapted to measure a supply amount of the base powder to be supplied to the continuous kneader; a second water supply apparatus connected to the continuous kneader and adapted to supply water to the continuous kneader, the second water supply apparatus including a second flow meter and a second openable and closable valve each provided in a water supply flow passage thereof; and a second opening-closing controller configured to control opening and closing of the second openable and closable valve based on a measurement value from the second flow meter so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the second water supply apparatus to the continuous kneader according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the second scale unit.
• a second scale unit adapted to measure a supply amount of the base powder to be supplied to the continuous kneader
• a second water supply apparatus connected to the continuous kneader and adapted to supply water to the continuous knea
• the second opening-closing controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the second openable and closable valve based on a measurement value from the second flow meter so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the second water supply apparatus to the continuous kneader according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the second scale unit.
• the continuous kneader performs a kneading operation under a condition that water is supplied in an amount according to the amount of the base powder, so that it becomes possible to produce a granulatable raw material suitable for granulation.
• the granulation system of the present invention further comprises: a screening apparatus disposed in a discharge passage extending from the granulating apparatus and formed with a plurality of holes each having a diameter less than a predetermined normal briquette size; and a returning mechanism configured to return powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus, toward an upstream side of the granulating apparatus.
• a mixture of briquettes and powdery/granular pieces discharged from the granulating apparatus is screened into a group of normal-sized briquettes which cannot pass through the holes of the screening apparatus and a group of powdery/granular pieces having a size less than the normal size and passable through the holes of the screening apparatus.
• the powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus are returned to an upstream side of the granulating apparatus by the returning mechanism. This makes it possible to recycle the powdery/granular pieces to enhance yield of the raw material.
• the returning mechanism is configured to return powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus, to the batch kneader.
• powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus are returned to the batch kneader.
• the powdery/granular pieces are recycled and then re-kneaded by the batch kneader, so that it becomes possible to supply a granulatable raw material more suitable for granulation, to the granulating apparatus.
• the returning mechanism is configured to return powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus, to the continuous kneader.
• powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening apparatus are returned to the continuous kneader.
• the powdery/granular pieces are recycled and then re-kneaded by the batch kneader, so that it becomes possible to supply a granulatable raw material more suitable for granulation, to the granulating apparatus.
• the granulation system of the present invention can ensure briquette quality.
• FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating a granulation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating a granulation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating the granulation system according to the first embodiment.
• the granulation system 10 is designed to compress and mold a powder into a granulated product.
• the granulation of a powder by the granulation system 10 prevents scattering of the powder to facilitate handling, such as conveyance, and allows the powder to be reduced in volume, which is also advantageous in terms of storage.
• the granulation of a powder provides another advantageous effect of making it possible to, when a granulated powder is formed as a liquid-reactive material and put into a liquid, control a reaction speed, and facilitate sinking into the liquid to enhance reactivity.
• the granulation system 10 comprises a batch kneader 20.
• the batch kneader 20 is configured to knead a powder, water and a binder together to allow the powder to be set to a state suitable for granulation.
• the term "batch kneader 20" means an apparatus for kneading a target material in a state in which a supply of the target material is stopped after a given amount of the target material is supplied thereto.
• a powder supply apparatus 22 is connected to an upper portion of the batch kneader 20.
• the powder supply apparatus 22 comprises a scale hopper 22A which is a supply hopper for supplying, to the batch kneader 20 therethrough, a base powder to be granulated. Although illustration is omitted, the powder supply apparatus 22 further comprises a feeder which is provided on an upper side of the scale hopper 22A and adapted to supply the base powder to the batch kneader 20 through the scale hopper 22A.
• the scale hopper 22A is supported by a fixed portion of the system via a load cell 22B.
• the load cell 22B is adapted to measure a supply amount (supply weight) of the base powder.
• the load cell 22B is connected to an opening-closing controller 26 and adapted to output a result of the measurement to the opening-closing controller 26.
• a water injection apparatus 24 is also connected to the batch kneader 20.
• the water injection apparatus 24 is configured to inject water into the batch kneader 20, and equipped with a flow meter 24A and an openable and closable valve 24B in a water supply flow passage communicated with a water source in a tank 25.
• the flow meter 24A is adapted to measure a water injection amount (Umin) from the water injection apparatus 24 into the batch kneader 20.
• Umin water injection amount
• the flow meter 24A and the openable and closable valve 24B are connected to the opening-closing controller 26. Further, the flow meter 24A is adapted to output a result of the measurement to the opening-closing controller 26. Then, the opening-closing controller 26 is operable to control opening and closing of the openable and closable valve 24B based on a measurement value from the flow meter 24A so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the water injection apparatus 24 to the batch kneader 20 according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the load cell 22B. That is, in the first embodiment, the water injection amount to the batch kneader 20 is set according to the supply amount of the base powder to the batch kneader 20.
• the water injection amount is set to a value (kg) calculated as a given percentage of the supply weight (kg) of the base powder.
• a desired ratio of the water injection amount to the weight of the base powder varies depending on a type of base powder, i.e., is not a constant value.
• a raw material supply apparatus 14 is provided on a lower side of the batch kneader 20.
• the raw material supply apparatus 14 comprises a feeder
• the feeder 28 comprises a cushion hopper 29 and a belt conveyor 30.
• the cushion hopper 29 is provided on a lower side of an outlet port of the batch kneader 20, and configured to be capable of accumulate a given amount of a raw material
• the belt conveyor 30 is provided on a lower side of an outlet port of the cushion hopper 29. That is, a raw material discharged from the batch kneader 20 is supplied onto the belt conveyor 30 via the cushion hopper 29.
• the belt conveyor 30 comprises a pair of pulleys 30A, and a belt 30B as an endless-shaped circulating body wound around between the pair of pulleys 30A.
• the first variable speed motor 30C is connected to a rotary shaft of a selected one of the pulleys 30A via a non-illustrated driving force transmitting mechanism to serve as a motor for rotationally driving the selected pulley 30A.
• the first variable speed motor 30C is adapted to rotate the selected pulley (drive pulley) 30A, thereby circulatingly moving the belt 30B.
• the first variable speed motor 30C is connected to an operation controller 18, and adapted to be controlled in terms of a motor speed in revolutions per unit time by the operation controller 18, as described in detail later.
• the feeder 28 is adapted to convey the raw material discharged in a kneaded state from the batch kneader 20 in a given conveyance direction (in FIG. 1 , a right direction) along with the circulating movement of the belt 30B so as to supply the raw material into a chute 34 as a raw material receiving unit, in a manner capable of being temporarily stopped. Further, the feeder 28 is capable of changing a supply amount per unit time of the raw material to the chute 34 by a circulation conveyance speed of the belt 30B.
• the raw material supply apparatus 14 is configured, based on control of the motor speed of the first variable speed motor 30C in revolutions per unit time, to be switchable between a normal supply mode for driving the belt 30B at a predetermined normal conveyance speed to supply the raw material in a predetermined normal amount per unit time, and a large-amount supply mode for driving the belt 30B at a conveyance speed greater than the normal conveyance speed to supply the raw material in an amount greater than the normal amount per unit time.
• the chute 34 is disposed below the belt conveyer 30 at a downstream end of the belt conveyer 30 in the conveyance direction, whereas an emergency discharge box 31 is disposed below the belt conveyer 30 at an upstream end of the belt conveyer 30 in the conveyance direction.
• the chute 34 is a part of a briquetting machine (granulating apparatus) 32, and internally has a given volume.
• the briquetting machine 32 comprises the chute 34 and a granulating section 12 as a granulating apparatus.
• the chute 34 is adapted to receive therein the raw material and discharge the received raw material to a hopper 36 of the granulating section 12 through an outlet port at a lower end thereof. That is, the chute 34 is provided on an upper side of the hopper 36 of the granulating section 12.
• the chute 34 is provided with an upper level sensor 50 as a first level sensor, and a lower level sensor 52 as a second level sensor.
• the briquetting machine 32 is equipped with the chute 34.
• the chute 34 is not indispensable, but may be omitted.
• the raw material is supplied from the belt conveyor 30 directly to the hopper 36 of the granulating section 12. Then, the hopper 36 is used to serve as the raw material receiving unit, and provided with the first level sensor and the second level sensor.
• the upper level sensor 50 is installed in the chute 34 at a first position A of an upper portion of the chute 34, and adapted to detect whether or not the raw material supplied into the chute 34 reaches the first position A.
• the lower level sensor 52 is installed in the chute 34 at a second position B below the first position A, and adapted to detect whether or not the raw material supplied into the chute 34 reaches the second position B.
• Each of the upper level sensor 50 and the lower level sensor 52 is connected to the operation controller 18 and adapted to output a result of the detection to the operation controller 18.
• the granulating section 12 provided on a lower side of the chute 34 comprises the hopper 36, a screw feeder 38 provided inside the hopper 36, and a granulator 40 (referred to also as “compression molding machine") provided on a lower side of the hopper 36.
• the granulator 40 comprises a pair of rolls 40A.
• Each of the pair of rolls 40A is formed in a ring shape, and they are arranged side-by-side in a horizontal direction and in close contact relation while allowing their rotation axes to extend in parallel.
• Each of the pair of rolls 40A has an outer peripheral surface formed with a plurality of concave-shaped pockets (not illustrated).
• the pockets of the pair of rolls 40A are formed in the respective outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of rolls 40A at mutually circumferential matching positions.
• a second variable speed motor 38A is connected to a rotary shaft of the screw feeder 38 provided inside the hopper 36 via a non-illustrated driving force transmitting mechanism to serve as a motor for rotationally driving the screw feeder 38.
• the second variable speed motor 38A is connected to the operation controller 18, and adapted to be controlled in terms of driving by the operation controller 18, as described in detail later.
• the screw feeder 38 is adapted to be rotated by a rotational driving force of the second variable speed motor 38A, thereby pushing the raw material in the hopper 36 between the pair of rolls 40A.
• the third variable speed motor 40B is connected to respective rotary shafts of the pair of rolls 40A via a non-illustrated driving force transmitting mechanism to serve as a motor for rotationally driving the rolls 40A. Specifically, a driving force of the third variable speed motor 40B is converted into two directionally-opposite output forces through the driving force transmitting mechanism.
• the third variable speed motor 40B is connected to the operation controller 18, and adapted to be controlled in terms of driving by the operation controller 18, as described in detail later.
• the pair of rolls 40A are adapted to be rotated in opposite directions by the rotational driving forces of the third variable speed motor 40B, thereby compacting the raw material supplied therebetween to compressively form briquettes. That is, the pair of rolls 40A are operable to compressively mold a raw material to form granulated products.
• the granulating section 12 is configured, based on control of respective motor speeds of the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolutions per unit time, to be switchable between a normal formation mode for forming briquettes at a predetermined normal speed, and a high-speed formation mode for forming briquettes at a speed greater than the normal speed.
• a granulated product conveyer 42 is provided on a lower side of the granulator 40.
• the granulated product conveyer 42 is adapted to convey briquettes and others discharged from the granulator 40, in a predetermined direction (in FIG. 1 , the right direction).
• An inclined vibrating screen (sieve) 44 is provided below the granulated product conveyer 42 at a downstream end of the granulated product conveyer 42 in the conveyance direction. That is, the inclined vibrating screen 44 is disposed in a discharge passage provided on an outlet side of the granulating section 12 to allow a mixture of normal-sized briquettes and powdery/granular pieces falling from the granulated product conveyer 42 to flow therein.
• a screening member 44A of the inclined vibrating screen 44 is formed with a plurality of holes each having a diameter less than a predetermined normal briquette size.
• the inclined vibrating screen 44 can sort normal-sized briquettes from scrap pieces having a size less than a given size.
• the scrap pieces include powder particles discharged without being molded, and granulated products having a size less than a given size.
• the inclined vibrating screen 44 has a discharge portion 44B provided on the side of a lateral end of the screening member 44A and communicated with a space above the screening member 44A.
• the discharge portion 44B has a lower end opening serving as an outlet for discharging normal-sized briquettes therethrough.
• a take-out conveyer 46 is provided on a lower side of the discharge portion 44B. The take-out conveyer 46 is configured to take out the normal-sized briquettes falling from the discharge portion 44B of the inclined vibrating screen 44, in a direction toward a given take-out position.
• a return conveyer 48 as a returning mechanism is provided on a lower side of the screening member 44A.
• the return conveyer 48 is configured to convey and return the scrap pieces (powdery/granular pieces) passing through the holes of the screening member 44A, to the batch kneader 20 located upstream of a supply side of the granulating section 12.
• the powder supply apparatus 22 and the water injection apparatus 24 are connected to the batch kneader 20.
• the powder supply apparatus 22 is configured to supply a base powder to the batch kneader 20, while measuring a supply amount of the base powder by the load cell 22B.
• the water injection apparatus 24 is configured to supply water to the batch kneader 20, and equipped with the flow meter 24A and the openable and closable valve 24B each provided in the water supply flow passage. The opening and closing of the openable and closable valve 24B is controlled by the opening-closing controller 26.
• the opening-closing controller 26 is operable to control the opening and closing of the openable and closable valve 24B based on a measurement value from the flow meter 24A so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the water injection apparatus 24 to the batch kneader 20 according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the load cell 22B.
• the batch kneader 20 performs a kneading operation under a condition that water is supplied in an amount according to the amount of the base powder, so that it becomes possible to produce a granulatable raw material suitable for granulation.
• the raw material supply apparatus 14 provided on the lower side of the batch kneader 20 is configured to supply the kneaded raw material into the chute 34, wherein it is switchable between the normal supply mode for supplying the raw material in a predetermined normal amount per unit time, and the large-amount supply mode for supplying the raw material in an amount greater than the normal amount per unit time.
• the feeder 28 of the raw material supply apparatus 14 is operable to feed the raw material discharged from the batch kneader 20 to the chute 34, along with the circulating movement of the belt 30B, wherein a supply amount of the raw material to the chute 34 per unit time is changeable by the circulation conveyance speed of the belt 30B.
• the first variable speed motor 30C for circulatingly moving the belt 30B is controlled in a motor speed in revolutions per unit time by the operation controller 18. That is, the raw material supply apparatus 14 comprising the feeder 28 and the first variable speed motor 30C is configured, based on control of the first variable speed motor 30C by the operation controller, to be switched between the normal supply mode and the large-amount supply mode.
• the chute 34 receives the raw material supplied from the raw material supply apparatus 14 and discharges the received raw material to the granulating section 12.
• the upper level sensor 50 is installed in the chute 34 at the first position A of the upper portion of the chute 34.
• the upper level sensor 50 is operable to detect whether or not the raw material supplied into the chute 34 reaches the first position A.
• the lower level sensor 52 is installed in the chute 34 at the second position B below the first position A.
• the lower level sensor 52 is operable to detect whether or not the raw material supplied into the chute 34 reaches the second position B.
• the granulating section 12 provided on the lower side of the chute 34 is configured to be switchable between the normal formation mode for forming briquettes at a predetermined normal speed, and the high-speed formation mode for forming briquettes at a speed greater than the normal speed.
• the operation controller 18 is operable, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material does not reach the first position A, and the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material reaches the second position B, to control respective drivings of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to operate in the normal supply mode and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the normal formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 is operable to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to operate in the normal supply mode and cause the granulating section 12 to stop operating.
• the granulation is performed in a normal operation mode, and, when the remaining level of the raw material is lower than a given height position, a control operation is performed to allow the supply amount of the raw material to become greater than an amount of consumption of the raw material. This makes it possible to suppress deterioration in briquette quality due to insufficient supply of the raw material.
• both of the raw material supply apparatus 14 and the granulating section 12 are driven at normal operation speeds so as to fundamentally avoid a situation where the level of the supplied raw material becomes lower than the sensing height level (second position B) of the lower level sensor 52, so that it becomes possible to suppress fluctuation in the level of the supplied raw material.
• the operation controller 18 is operable to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to stop operating and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the normal formation mode.
• the control operations are performed to allow the supply amount of the raw material to become less than the amount of consumption of the raw material, thereby preventing overflow of the raw material from the chute 34.
• the screening member 44A is disposed in the discharge passage provided on the outlet side of the granulating section 12, and formed with a plurality of holes each having a diameter less than a predetermined normal briquette size.
• a mixture of briquettes and powdery/granular pieces discharged from the granulating section 12 is screened into a group of normal-sized briquettes which cannot pass through the holes of the screening member 44A and a group of powdery/granular pieces having a size less than the normal size and passable through the holes of the screening member 44A.
• the powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening member 44A are returned to the batch kneader 20 located upstream of a supply side of the granulating section 12, by the return conveyer 48.
• the granulation system 10 can ensure briquette quality.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, i.e., when an insufficient amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to operate in the large amount supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the normal formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, i.e., when an insufficient amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to operate in the large amount supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to stop operating.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, i.e., when an excessive amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to operate in the normal supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, i.e., when an excessive amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 30C, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 14 to stop operating, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the control of the operation controller 18 may be implemented by appropriately combining two or more of the controls in the first embodiment and the above modifications. That is, three types of controls to be performed when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, and three types of controls to be performed when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, may be combined to implement nine (3 3) types of controls in the operation controller 18.
• FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating the granulation system according to the second embodiment.
• the granulation system 60 according to the second embodiment is different from the granulation system 10 according to the first embodiment in that the granulation system according to the second embodiment comprises a raw material supply apparatus 16 illustrated in FIG. 2, in place of the powder supply apparatus 22, the batch kneader 20 and the raw material supply apparatus 14 in the first embodiment.
• the remaining configuration is approximately the same as that in the first embodiment.
• the same element or component as that in the first embodiment is assigned with the same reference numeral or code, and its description will be omitted.
• the raw material supply apparatus 16 comprises a continuous feeder
• a water injection apparatus 24 is connected to the continuous kneader 62, in the same manner as that in the batch kneader 20 in the first embodiment.
• the continuous feeder 64 is provided above the continuous kneader 62, in such a manner that a base powder is continuously supplied from the continuous feeder 64 to the continuous kneader 62.
• the continuous feeder 64 comprises a hopper 64B and a belt conveyer 64A.
• the hopper 64B is configured to be capable of accumulate a given amount of a raw material
• the belt conveyor 64A is provided on a lower side of an outlet port of the hopper 64B.
• the belt conveyor 64A comprises a pair of pulleys 64Y, and a belt 64X as an endless-shaped circulating body wound around between the pair of pulleys 64Y.
• the first variable speed motor 70 is connected to a rotary shaft of a selected one of the pulleys 64Y via a non-illustrated driving force transmitting mechanism to serve as a motor for rotationally driving the selected pulley 64Y.
• the first variable speed motor 70 is adapted to rotate the selected pulley (drive pulley) 64Y, thereby circulatingly moving the belt 64X.
• the first variable speed motor 70 is connected to an operation controller 18, and adapted to be controlled in terms of a motor speed in revolutions per unit time by the operation controller 18.
• the belt conveyer 64A is adapted to convey the base powder discharged from the hopper 64B in a given conveyance direction (in FIG. 2, a right direction) along with the circulating movement of the belt 64X so as to supply the base powder into the continuous kneader 62, in a manner capable of being temporarily stopped. Further, the belt conveyer 64A is capable of changing a supply amount per unit time of the base powder to the continuous kneader 62 by a circulation conveyance speed of the belt 64X.
• the belt conveyer 64A is supported by a fixed portion of the system via a load cell 66.
• the load cell 66 is adapted to be capable of measuring a supply weight of the base powder.
• the load cell 66 is connected to an opening-closing controller 26 and adapted to output a result of the measurement to the opening-closing controller 26.
• the opening-closing controller 26 is operable to control opening and closing of an openable and closable valve 24B based on a measurement value from a flow meter 24A so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the water injection apparatus 24 to the continuous kneader 62 according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the load cell 66.
• the continuous kneader 62 comprises a receiving section 62A disposed below the continuous feeder 64, and a kneader section 62C provided on a lower side of the receiving section 62A.
• the receiving section 62A is formed as a hopper and adapted to accumulate a given amount of a raw material.
• the kneader section 62C comprises a kneading chamber 62R, a pair of rotary shafts 62X provided inside the kneading chamber 62R and arranged such that axes thereof extend in parallel relation to each other in a given direction (in FIG.
• a motor 68 is connected to each of the rotary shafts 62X via a non-illustrated driving force transmitting mechanism to rotationally drive each of the rotary shafts 62X.
• the motor 68 is connected to the operation controller 18, and adapted, during operation, to be rotated at a constant speed, i.e., in a constant motor speed in revolutions per unit time.
• the continuous kneader 62 is adapted to convey the base powder continuously supplied into the kneading chamber 62R, in a given conveyance direction (in FIG. 2, the right direction), while kneading the base powder together with water and a binder, through the kneader section 62C.
• the continuous kneader 62 has an outlet port 62D provided at a downstream end thereof in the conveyance direction and on an upper side of a chute 34, and adapted to supply the raw material into the chute 34.
• the raw material supply apparatus 16 is configured, based on control of the motor speed of the first variable speed motor 70 in revolutions per unit time, to be switchable between a normal supply mode for supplying the raw material in a predetermined normal amount per unit time, and a large-amount supply mode for supplying the raw material in an amount greater than the normal amount per unit time.
• the binder is added through a different route (not illustrated), in an amount according to the motor speed of the first variable speed motor 70 in revolution per unit time.
• the operation controller 18 is configured, when an upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material does not reach a first position A, and a lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material reaches a second position B, to control respective motor speed of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, a second variable speed motor 38A and a third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to operate in the normal supply mode and cause a granulating section 12 to operate in a normal formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 is also configured, when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, i.e., when an insufficient amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, a second variable speed motor 38A and a third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to operate in the normal supply mode, and cause a granulating section 12 to stop operating.
• the operation controller 18 is configured, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, i.e., when an excessive amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to stop operating, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in a normal formation mode.
• a return conveyer 48 is configured to convey and return scrap pieces (powdery/granular pieces) passing through holes of a screening member 44A, to the continuous kneader 62 located upstream of a supply side of the granulating section 12.
• the above granulation system 60 according to the second embodiment can obtain the same advantageous effects as those in the first embodiment.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, i.e., when an insufficient amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, the second variable speed motor 38Aand the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to operate in the large amount supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the normal formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, i.e., when an insufficient amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 69, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to operate in the large amount supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to stop operating.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, i.e., when an excessive amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to operate in the normal supply mode, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in a high-speed formation mode.
• the operation controller 18 may be configured, when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, i.e., when an excessive amount of the powder raw material remains in the chute 34, to control respective motor speeds of the first variable speed motor 70, the motor 68, the second variable speed motor 38A and the third variable speed motor 40B in revolution per unit time so as to cause the raw material supply apparatus 16 to stop operating, and cause the granulating section 12 to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the control of the operation controller 18 may be implemented by appropriately combining two or more of the controls in the second embodiment and the above modifications of the second embodiment. That is, three types of controls to be performed when the lower level sensor 52 detects that the raw material does not reach the second position B, and three types of controls to be performed when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, may be combined to implement nine (3 ⁇ 3) types of controls in the operation controller 18.
• the operation controller 18 when the upper level sensor 50 detects that the raw material reaches the first position A, the operation controller 18 is configured to perform at least one of a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus 14 (16) to stop operating and a control operation of causing the granulating section 12 to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• a control operation of causing the raw material supply apparatus 14 (16) to stop operating
• a control operation of causing the granulating section 12 to operate in the high-speed formation mode.
• the opening-closing controller 26 is configured to control the opening and closing of the openable and closable valve 24B based on a measurement value from the flow meter 24A so as to adjust an amount of water to be supplied from the water supply apparatus 24 to the batch kneader 20 or the continuous kneader 62 according to the supply amount of the base powder measured by the load cell 22B, 66 as first and second scale units.
• a configuration may be employed in which the powder supply apparatus is controlled to supply a constant amount of base powder to the kneader, and the water injection apparatus is controlled to supply a constant amount of water to the kneader.
• the return conveyer 48 as a returning mechanism is configured to return powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening member 44A, to the batch kneader 20 or the continuous kneader 62.
• the return conveyer 48 may be configured to return powdery/granular pieces passing through the holes of the screening member 44A, to the belt conveyer 30 via the cushion hopper 29.
• This modification is preferably used when a powder having poor compactability or granulatability is use as a base powder. The modification is advantageous in terms of productivity.
• a configuration devoid of the return conveyer 48 may also be employed.
• the pockets are formed in the outer peripheral surface of each of the pair of rolls 40A of the granulator 40.
• a thin groove-shaped concave portion may be formed.
• the granulator may comprise a cylindrical roll formed with a through-hole.
• the feeder 28 comprises the belt conveyor 30.
• the feeder may be another type of feeder, such as a screw feeder comprising a screw having a rotary screw shaft extending in a horizontal direction.
• another type of feeder such as a screw feeder comprising a screw having a rotary screw shaft extending in a horizontal direction, may be employed.
• the load cell 66 is provided to measure the supply weight of the base powder.
• a rotary valve may be provided on the outlet side of the continuous feeder 64 to measure the supply weight of the base powder based on the number of rotations of the rotary valve.
• the first level sensor provided at the first position may be provided in a plural number.
• the operation controller may be configured, when at least one of the first level sensors detects that the raw material reaches the first position, to perform control on an assumption that all of the first level sensors detect that the raw material reaches the first position.
• the second level sensor provided at the second position may be provided in a plural number. In this case, the operation controller may be configured, when at least one of the second level sensors detects that the raw material reaches the second position, to perform control on an assumption that all of the second level sensors detect that the raw material reaches the second position.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Glanulating (AREA)
• Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
• Accessories For Mixers (AREA)
• Feedback Control In General (AREA)
• Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-08-21 JP JP2012182409A patent/JP6051677B2/ja active Active
• 2013
  • 2013-08-20 AU AU2013306730A patent/AU2013306730B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2013-08-20 GB GB1422423.2A patent/GB2519682B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2013-08-20 WO PCT/JP2013/072637 patent/WO2014030759A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2013-08-20 CN CN201380002776.0A patent/CN103747948B/zh active Active
  • 2013-08-20 BR BR112014031780A patent/BR112014031780A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-08-20 KR KR1020147035247A patent/KR102069037B1/ko active IP Right Grant

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