WO2022112877A1

WO2022112877A1 - Salt waste shredding plant, axis usable in this plant and disk usable in this axis

Info

Publication number: WO2022112877A1
Application number: PCT/IB2021/059410
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric GHIDINELLI
Original assignee: Zato S.R.L.
Priority date: 2020-11-24
Filing date: 2021-10-13
Publication date: 2022-06-02

Abstract

A disc which can be used in a waste shredding plant which can be coupled with a rotary shaft (101) to rotate therewith. The disc comprises a central portion (110) designed to interact with the shaft (101) to rotate integrally joined therewith around a rotation axis (X) and a plurality of cutting modules (160) coupled to the central portion (110) peripherally thereto. The cutting modules (160) being designed to interact with waste during use. Each of the cutting modules (160) comprises a lower zone (161) which can be coupled with said central portion (110) of the disc (110) and an opposite upper zone (162) which comprises at least one operating appendage (170) so that the latter impacts against the waste to crush it during use.

Description

SALT WASTE SHREDDING PLANT, AXIS USABLE IN THIS PLANT AND DISK USABLE IN THIS AXIS

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention

The present invention generally relates to the field of plant engineering and it particularly relates to a waste shredding plant, in particular salt waste, as well as an axis and a disc which can be used in such plant.

State of the Art

Conventional waste shredding plants generally comprise shredding means such as for example a screening plane having a plurality of counter-rotating axes designed to shred waste.

In particular, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1A which represents the state of the art, each axis A comprises a plurality of discs D equally spaced and staggered with respect to the adjacent axis so that upon rotating the axes, the lateral faces of the discs face each other and they are substantially at contact with each other.

In this manner, the waste passing through the cutting screen can be shredded or cut due to the mutual rotation of the discs, and in particular due to the interaction of the faces of the discs which operate in a "scissor-like" fashion.

In order to promote the loading of the waste so that the waste is guided by the discs through the screening plane, the discs D have external cutting modules M having a substantially wedge-shaped cross-section (FIG. IB) and extending over the entire width of the disc.

Plants with such discs have a reduced waste "loading" and therefore shredding capacity. Actually, there often arises the need to involve an operator who presses the waste against the cutting screen plane.

Furthermore, such plants with the discs thus configured do not allow the "loading" of some types of waste and therefore the shredding thereof. In particular, such plants do not allow the loading of hard and tendentially round-shaped waste such as for example waste comprising salt waste.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to at least partly overcome the drawbacks illustrated above, by providing a waste shredding plant that is highly efficient and cost- effective.

An object of the present invention to provide a waste shredding plant with minimum maintenance costs and times.

An object of the present invention to provide a salt waste shredding plant having a high durability.

These and other objects that will be more apparent hereinafter, are attained as described, illustrated and/or claimed herein.

The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in light of the detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is an axonometric view of a pair of counter-rotating axes A with a plurality of discs D of the state of the art with FIG. IB showing an enlargement of FIG. 1A which schematically shows a disc D with a plurality of cutting modules M;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are a respectively cross-sectional, axonometric and top view of a cutting module 150 of a disc 100;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively cross-sectional, axonometric and top view of a different embodiment of a cutting module 150 of a disc 100;

FIG. 8 is an axonometric view of a pair of counter-rotating axes 10 with a plurality of discs 100;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are a schematic lateral view of a plant 1 comprising a robotic arm 8 in different operating steps;

FIG. 11 is an axonometric view of a plant 1.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

With reference to the aforementioned figures, herein described is a waste shredding plant 1, and, in particular but not exclusively for shredding waste having a substantially curved shape, for example substantially spherical, and particularly hard. An example of such waste is salt waste.

In a per se known manner, the plant 1 may comprise: - an inlet 2 for metal waste S to be shredded;

- an outlet 3 for the shredded metal waste S;

- a working chamber 4 interposed between the inlet 2 and the outlet 3;

- means 5 for shredding metal waste arranged in the working chamber 4; and

- drive means 6, for example a diesel or electric engine, operatively connected to the shredding means 5.

Suitably, the shredding means 5 may comprise at least one axis 10 operatively connected with the drive means 6 so that the latter activate the former. In particular, the shredding means 5 may comprise a plurality of axes 10.

The axes 10 may be configured in a manner such that two adjacent axes 10 are counter-rotating with respect to each other. Each axis 10 may comprise a shaft 101 and a plurality of discs 100 keyed onto the shaft 101.

The discs 100 may therefore be coupled to the shaft 101 so as to rotate with the latter around a rotation axis X. Preferably, the shaft 101 may define such rotation axis X.

Suitably, the shaft 101 may be shaped, while the disc 100 may comprise a central portion 110 with an inner surface 111 counter-shaped so as to mutually constrain the central portion 110 and the shaft 101.

In particular, the discs 100 of an axis 10 may have a distance along the shaft 101 substantially equal to the width of the disc 100. Furthermore, the distance between two adjacent shafts 101 may be substantially smaller than the diameter of the discs 100, while the discs 100 of two adjacent shafts 101 may be mutually staggered so that during use, that is during rotation of the axes 10, the discs 100 have respective lateral faces 120 facing each other or at contact.

In this manner, the counter-rotation of two adjacent shafts 101 may promote the cutting and therefore the shredding of the metal waste.

Suitably, the disc 100 may therefore comprise a plurality of cutting modules 160' coupled with the central portion 110 peripherally thereto. The cutting modules 160' may therefore be designed to interact with the salt waste during use.

More particularly, each cutting module 160' may comprise a lower zone 161 which may be coupled with the outer surface 112 opposite the inner surface 111 of the central portion 110 and an opposite upper zone 162 designed to interact with the salt waste. The modules 160' of each disc 100 may all be identical to each other or they may have different configurations.

Therefore, described hereinafter are different embodiments of a particular cutting module 160 particularly suitable to be used for shredding salt waste.

It is clear that the disc 100 may therefore comprise only cutting modules 160 suitable to shred salt waste or, for example as illustrated in FIG. 8, the cutting modules 160' can be both cutting modules of the known type and the cutting modules 160. Preferably, at least one of the cutting modules 160' of the disc 100 may be a cutting module 160.

Similarly, the axis 10 may comprise discs 100 having different cutting modules 160'. For example, FIG. 8 shows two axes 10 each having a plurality of discs 100 all comprising two cutting modules 160 and three known cutting modules arranged alternately sequentially. However, the discs 100 of the same axis 10 may comprise a different number and configuration of cutting modules 160. Possibly some discs 100 of the same axis 10 may be without the cutting module 160.

The cutting module 160 may have an opposite upper zone 162 which may comprise at least one operating appendage 170 so that the latter impacts against the salt waste to crush it during use.

In particular, the upper zone 162 may therefore comprise a substantially flat area 164, while the operating appendage 170 may extend from the flat area 164. In other words, the operating appendage 170 may have a vacant operating end 171 opposite to the flat area 164 designed to impact against salt waste.

The operating end 171 may therefore have a distance d from the flat area 164 greater than 5cm, preferably of about 7 cm. In this manner, the operating end 171 may impact with the salt waste and it may crush the latter so that they can then be shredded.

It is clear that there may be provided for a plurality of operating appendages 170 with a respective plurality of operating ends 171.

According to a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the operating appendage 170 may have a substantially arch-shaped cross-section so that the operating end 171 faces the flat area 164 and is spaced from the latter.

Upon rotation in the direction r, the salt residue will therefore impact with the base area 164 and with the operating end 171. The operating end 171 may have a substantially linear extension to define a blade. This blade may be shorter than the width of the cutting module 160.

In this manner, even when the discs 100 are mounted on the shaft 101, the operating ends 171 of the individual cutting modules 160 of adjacent discs 100 may remain mutually spaced.

In other words, the shredding action may be mainly or exclusively carried out by impacting the salt waste. Differently in the state of the art, the shredding action is carried out with the "scissor-like" cutting action of the lateral portions of two adjacent discs of two different adjacent axes.

The operating appendage 170 and the flat area 164 may therefore define an interspace 165. Suitably, there may be provided for a blade 166 arranged in the interspace 165 and it is substantially transversal, preferably perpendicular, to the axis X so as to impact the salt waste.

Thanks to this characteristic, the action for crushing the salt waste may be particularly effective.

Possibly, there may be provided for a plurality of operating appendages 170. For example, there may be provided for operating appendages 172 arranged laterally with respect to the operating appendage 170 and on opposite sides with respect to the latter. The operating appendages 172 may comprise an operating end 173 and they may have a shape substantially similar to the operating appendage 170.

Preferably, the operating ends 173 may have a substantially longitudinal extension, that is substantially parallel to the axis X, so as to define a blade. The blades 173 may have a distance d from the base area 164 substantially smaller than the distance d of the blade 171 from the base area 164.

In this manner, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 4, there may be provided for blades 171, 173 extending longitudinally substantially over the entire width of the cutting module 160 and therefore of the disc 100.

This characteristic may allow to ensure that substantially all the salt waste is impacted by the longitudinal blades 171 and 173. And possibly also by the transverse blade

166.

As a matter fact, the blades 172 and 166 will allow to prevent the salt waste from passing through two operating appendages 170 of two adjacent discs 100 without being shredded or large-sized material from passing through the axes 10. In this manner, as a matter fact, the material coming out of the outlet 3 me be finely shredded.

On the other hand, according to a different embodiment, as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, there may be provided for a plurality of substantially circular operating appendages 170. Each operating appendage 170 may have a respective operating end 171 which may be substantially conical-shaped.

Each operating end 171 may therefore have a distance d from the base surface 164 greater than 5 cm, preferably of about 7 cm.

The base surface 164 may be arch-shaped. Preferably, such base surface 164 may be substantially circular so that the operating ends 171 are substantially equally spaced from the axis X.

In particular, each operating appendage may define a respective Y axis which may be substantially transversal with respect to the axis X.

In this manner, upon rotation along the direction r, the operating ends 171 may impact with the salt waste to crush it.

Suitably, the operating appendages 170 may comprise a conical end portion 171 made of hard material. Therefore, the expression hard material is used to indicate a material suitable to scrape such type of waste. Preferably it can have a hardness according to the Mohs scale higher than 8, more preferably of 10. For example, such material may be a diamond material or it may comprise diamond powder. Such materials are commercially known for such types of use.

Possibly, such conical end portions 171 or the entire operating appendage 170 may be of the commercial type and therefore per se known.

Advantageously, with particular reference to FIG. 7, the operating appendages 170 may be substantially misaligned with respect to each other so as to cover the entire length of the cutting module 160 and therefore of the disc 100.

Similarly to what has been described above relating to the other embodiment, this characteristic may allow to prevent part of the salt waste from being impacted by the operating ends 171 and this will allow to prevent part of the waste from coming out of the plant with too large dimensions. Furthermore, the appendages 170 may also be distributed on the length of the cutting module 160. This will allow to prevent part of the material from remaining interposed between the appendages 170 of two consecutive and adjacent modules 160.

It is therefore clear that the axis 10 may comprise the discs 100 having the blade-like operating ends 171 as described in the embodiment of FIG. 2 or the cone-like operating ends 171 as described in the embodiment of FIG. 5. However, such embodiments are not exclusive. As a matter fact, further geometries of the operating appendages 170 and of the operating ends 171 may be provided for.

According to a particular aspect of the invention, the salt waste shredding plant 1 may comprise a robotic arm 8 which can be moved between a position distal to the shredding means 5 (FIG. 9), that is to say, to the screening plane defined by the axes 10 and a position proximal thereto (FIG. 10).

The robotic arm 8 may therefore comprise an operating head 9 designed to interact with the salt waste present in the working chamber 4, that is above the screening plane.

In particular, the passage of the robotic arm 8 from the distal position to the proximal position may force the salt waste against the shredding means 5, that is against the discs 100 of the axes 10.

It is clear that such configuration of the plant 1 may be obtained with any configuration of the discs 100 and not exclusively with the configuration of the discs 100 with the operating appendages 170 as described above.

In other words, there may be provided for a plant 1 having the robotic arm 8 in which the discs 100 are made in any manner, for example like those of the state of the art (FIG. IB).

In light of the above, it is clear that the invention attains the pre-set objectives.

The invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants. All details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials can be different depending on the technical needs, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention defined by the attached claims.

Claims

1. A disc which can be used for a waste shredding plant which can be coupled with a rotary shaft (101) to rotate therewith, the disc comprising:

- a central portion (110) designed to interact with the shaft (101) to rotate integrally joined therewith around a rotation axis (X);

- a plurality of cutting modules (160') coupled with said central portion (110) peripherally thereto, said cutting modules (160') being designed to interact with the waste during use; wherein at least one (160) of said cutting modules (160') comprises a lower zone (161) which can be coupled with said central portion (110) of the disc (100) and an opposite upper zone (162) which comprises at least one operating appendage (170) so that the latter impacts against the waste to crush it during use.

2. Disc according to the preceding claim, wherein said upper zone (162) of said at least one of said cutting modules (160) comprises a substantially flat area (164), said at least one operating appendage (170) extending from said substantially flat area (164) and having an operating end (171) opposite to the latter designed to impact against the waste.

3. Disc according to the preceding claim, wherein said operating end (171) of said at least one operating appendage (170) has a distance (d) from said substantially flat area (164) greater than 5cm, preferably of about 7 cm.

4. Disc according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said upper zone (162) of said at least one of said cutting modules (160) has a plurality of operating appendage (170).

5. Disc according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one operating appendage (170) of said upper zone (162) of said at least one of said cutting modules (160) is arch-shaped, said operating end (171) of said at least one operating appendage (170) having a substantially longitudinal extension to define a blade.

6. Disc according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said operating end (171) of said at least one operating appendage (170) of said upper zone (162) of said at least one of said cutting modules (160) is substantially conical-shaped.

7. Disc according to the preceding claim, wherein said operating end (171) of said at least one operating appendage (170) of said at least one of said cutting modules (160) is made of hard material.

8. An axis which can be used in a waste shredding plant comprising:

- a rotation shaft (101) defining a longitudinal axis (X);

- a plurality of discs (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims coupled with said rotary shaft (101) to rotate therewith.

9. A waste shredding plant, comprising: at least one inlet (2) for the waste to be shredded; at least one outlet (3) for the shredded waste; at least one working chamber (4) interposed between said at least one inlet (2) and said at least one outlet (3); means (5) for shredding the waste arranged in said working chamber (4); drive means (6) operatively connected to said shredding means (5); wherein said shredding means (5) comprise at least one axis (10) according to the preceding claim.

10. A waste shredding plant, comprising: at least one inlet (2) for the waste to be shredded; at least one outlet (3) for the shredded waste; at least one working chamber (4) interposed between said at least one inlet (2) and said at least one outlet (3); means (5) for shredding the waste arranged in said working chamber (4); drive means (6) operatively connected to said shredding means (5); a robotic arm (8) which can be moved between a first position distal from said shredding means (5) and a second position proximal thereto; wherein said robotic arm (8) comprises an operating head (9) designed to interact with the waste, said robotic arm (8) being configured so that upon moving from said first position to said second position, said operating head (9) presses the waste in said working chamber (4) against said shredding means (5).