Structure and method for controlling the temperature profile of a transfer device

Abstract

The arrangement (100) includes a transfer device (101) for receiving material (102) from a material output (104) to an input area (103) of the transfer device and for transferring the material in a first direction (107) in a plurality of lines (105A, 105B, 105C) from the input area (103) to an output area (106) of the transfer device. The material is heated (108) to dry the material during transfer. The configuration includes a coolant supply device (109) for providing coolant (119) to at least one first portion (110) of at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device, wherein the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) is free of material or has less material than at least one second portion (111) of the at least one first line (105A) or at least one second line (105B) in order to control the temperature profile of the transfer device (110) in a predetermined manner.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an arrangement and method for controlling the temperature profile of a transport device, such as a belt conveyor, for transporting material between an input and an output, and in particular to controlling the temperature profile of such a transport device used for both transporting and heating, and preferably also drying, the material being transported. [Background technology]

[0002] In the present invention, different types of transfer devices are used to transfer material between two ends, such as an input area and an output area. Some examples of transfer devices include belts, belt conveyors, or rotating cylinders. In some applications, the transfer device is also used to heat and / or dry the transferred material, such that the transfer device receives wet material in the input area, which is then dried during transport before reaching the output area of ​​the transfer device. The material may be wet filaments received from multiple outputs, such as multiple nozzles or nozzle clusters. Furthermore, in some applications, the material may be unevenly received across the surface of the transfer device. For example, some of the nozzles, nozzle clusters, or other output devices may be disabled, clogged, or poorly functioning, resulting in no or only a small amount of material being received from the nozzles, nozzle clusters, or other output devices, which may have an undesirable effect on the transfer device.

[0003] Several drawbacks are associated with known transfer devices, particularly those used to heat and / or dry the material being transferred. Specifically, if some of the outputs, such as a nozzle or nozzle group, are disabled, blocked, or insufficiently operational, the transfer device will receive no or only a small amount of material from the output, nozzle, or nozzle group, resulting in, for example, an increase in temperature in the portion of the transfer device where no or only a small amount of material is present. The increased temperature can have numerous undesirable effects on the transfer device and its structure, including thermal expansion of the transfer device structure, specifically longitudinal thermal expansion of a belt conveyor. For example, if the temperature of a belt increases, the belt will increase in length at points or regions where no or only a small amount of material is present. This can cause the moving belt to slip around support rollers or drift away from its centerline or longitudinal axis due to forces generated by thermal expansion. Typically, the forces generated are asymmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis of the belt, which can result in drift in a transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt conveyor. This phenomenon occurs especially when the area with no or only a small amount of material is not exactly located on the longitudinal axis of the belt. Furthermore, it should be noted that drift typically occurs towards the hotter part or side of the belt.

[0004] Furthermore, undesired changes in the temperature profile of the transport device can cause structural loads on the transport device and its supporting structure (e.g., rollers that support and drive a belt conveyor, etc.) Typically, as the temperature profile of the transport device changes, some of the supporting rollers no longer support the transport device, while other rollers must carry additional load.

[0005] It should also be noted that in some applications, the transfer device must be initialized and activated before receiving the material. For example, the transfer device must be preheated to a predetermined temperature in order to receive the wet material and accurately heat and dry it within a predetermined time or travel distance. Heating and drying wet materials during transfer is a difficult challenge. Specifically, as the wet material begins to be received on the surface of the transfer device, it absorbs thermal energy from the transfer device, thereby causing the surface to cool. The cooling typically represents a thermal shock to the structure of the transfer device, causing rapid thermal expansion (or contraction) and thereby stressing the structure. Returning the temperature to the desired temperature again presents a difficult challenge, requiring at least a rapid response time. This is because the mass of the material and the transfer device cause delays, again resulting in wasted energy and material before the desired level is achieved. Furthermore, the humidity of the environment surrounding the transfer device also changes as the temperature of the transfer device changes. This is because the drying effect of the transfer device changes, and therefore the amount of moisture evaporating from the material into the environment varies as a function of the temperature of the transfer device. Furthermore, during the period of reheating the transfer device to the desired temperature, the drying effect of the transfer device and the amount of moisture evaporating from the material to the environment will vary. Optimally, both temperature and humidity should be essentially constant and should remain constant. Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to reduce or eliminate problems associated with the prior art. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement and method for controlling the temperature profile of a transfer device, such as a belt conveyor, that transfers material between an input and an output. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a solution that allows the temperature profile of the transfer device to be maintained at a desired state even when changes in the quantity or quality of material occur during a process on the transfer device. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a solution that allows for smooth initialization and start-up of the transfer device, and in which the receipt of material to be transferred and heated and / or dried by the transfer device does not result in a substantial change in the temperature of the transfer device and its ability to heat and / or dry material.

[0007] The object of the invention can be achieved by the features set forth in the independent claims.

[0008] The present invention relates to an arrangement for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device as claimed in claim 1. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device as claimed in claim 16.

[0009] The present invention relates to a configuration for controlling the temperature profile of a transfer device. The transfer device is configured to receive material from multiple material outputs at an input region on the surface of the transfer device and to transfer the material in a first direction from the input region to an output region of the transfer device. The transfer device may be, for example, but not limited to, a belt conveyor or a rotating cylinder. In a typical application, the material is a wet material that must be heated and / or dried during transport by the transfer device. The material may be, for example, a wet filament supplied from a wet suspension. The material output may be, for example, realized by a nozzle configured to supply the wet filament to a first region of the transfer device. The filament is typically arranged in multiple lines due to multiple nozzles or multiple nozzle bundles. According to one example, a configuration may include, for example, five nozzle bundles, and one nozzle bundle may include approximately 700 nozzles. However, this is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to these numbers. The number of nozzles and the number of nozzle bundles may naturally vary depending on the system requirements and other parameters and configurations.

[0010] According to one example, the material is configured to be heated and dried during transport. Heating may be achieved, for example, by directly heating the material with a heating device located above the transport device. According to another example, the transport device may be heated by a heating device, whereby the transport device transfers heat to the material during transport. In this example, the outer surface of the transport device is heated to a higher temperature than the received material to achieve a drying effect on the material by the surface of the transport device. The outer surface is the surface facing the received material. It should be noted that a configuration may include both heating configurations, and thus may include a transport device that heats the material directly from above, as well as a transport device that further heats the surface of the transport device that receives and transports the material. It should also be noted that in both cases, areas of the transport device that are less or no material than other areas will be hotter than other areas that are full of material, which will result in the disadvantages discussed elsewhere herein.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, to solve the aforementioned problems, an arrangement is advantageously provided with at least one coolant supply device for controlling the temperature profile of the transfer device in a predetermined manner. The arrangement may be configured to maintain the temperature profile at a desired substantially constant level, or alternatively, to provide a specific temperature gradient locally in a first direction and / or a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. For example, it may be desirable to have a local temperature transition to cause a sudden environmental change to the material on the transfer device, such as quickly cooling the material at a specific point, such as just before the output region, to facilitate detachment of the material from the surface of the transfer device.

[0012] The coolant supply device is advantageously configured to supply coolant onto a surface of the transfer device, which may be an inner surface and / or an outer surface, and may for example be a spray device for spraying coolant, although of course other suitable types of coolant supply devices may also be used.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a coolant is supplied to at least one first section of at least one first line of the transfer device, the one first section of the one first line having no material or having less material compared to the at least one first line or the at least one second section of the at least one second line. Alternatively or additionally, the temperature of the one first section of the one first line may be higher or expected to be higher than the temperature of the at least one first line or the at least one second section of the at least one second line, thereby allowing the supply of coolant to the at least one first section of the at least one first line of the transfer device in order to control the temperature profile of the transfer device in a predetermined manner.

[0014] For example, if some nozzles are blocked and no or less material is supplied onto the transfer device by those nozzles, coolant is supplied to those areas of the transfer device to achieve heat transfer from the transfer device to the supplied coolant. The amount of heat transfer [J] should be substantially equivalent to the amount of heat transfer when the transfer device is fully loaded with material, and therefore should be equivalent to the heat transfer from the transfer device to the full load of material on the transfer device. This has obvious advantages, namely, it is possible to maintain the temperature of the transfer device at a substantially constant or desired level, without any detrimental effects. When the blockage is released, the supply of coolant can be reduced and stopped, most advantageously at the same pace and simultaneously.

[0015] According to one example, the configuration is initialized in a start-up process by increasing the temperature of the transfer device to a desired level and adjusting other parameters, such as the speed of the transfer device, such as a belt conveyor or rotating cylinder. During the start-up and initialization process, no material is yet present on the transfer device. As one of the next steps, a nozzle or other output device begins to dispense material onto the surface of the transfer device. As the material, typically a wet filament, is dispensed onto the surface of the transfer device, it absorbs thermal energy from the transfer device, thereby causing the temperature of the transfer device to decrease. At the same time, the supply of coolant is reduced or stopped, thereby maintaining a substantially constant total heat transfer rate from the transfer device, first to the coolant and then to the transferred and dried material.

[0016] In order to avoid temperature changes due to the material to be received, a coolant is supplied onto the surface of the transfer device in accordance with the present invention instead of the material. The coolant is supplied onto the transfer device before or during initialization, or at least before the material is supplied. By supplying the coolant instead of the material, the temperature can be raised to a desired level and the system can be maintained in a stable state.

[0017] Here, as material begins to be delivered onto the surface of the transfer device, the amount of coolant delivered is reduced and eventually stopped when full delivery of material is achieved. When no material is present during initialization, the amount and temperature of the coolant delivered should be set to absorb substantially the same amount of heat energy from the transfer device as would be absorbed by the full load of material delivered onto the surface. Thus, heat transfer from the transfer device is the same and constant when no material is present (in which case coolant is delivered) and when a full load of material is present (in which case no coolant is delivered). Furthermore, when material begins to be delivered onto the surface of the transfer device, the amount of coolant delivered should be set so that the combined or total heat absorption effect of both the reduced amount of coolant and the material delivered onto the surface of the transfer device is substantially the same as in the case of the coolant delivered (and no material) during the initialization process, or as in the case of the full load of material (and no coolant). The heat transfer from the transport device must be substantially constant, so that for example in an initialization process, when only coolant is present (no material), the heat transfer is, say, 100 units, when full of material (no coolant) it is again the same 100 units, and in an intermediate state the sum of the heat transfer due to partial load of material and partial load of coolant should again be the same 100 units.

[0018] Thus, heat transfer from the transfer device remains substantially constant regardless of whether material is present on the surface of the transfer device, or whether coolant is supplied instead of material, or whether an intermediate state in which coolant and material are partially present during start-up occurs.

[0019] The present invention allows the amount of material dispensed onto the surface of the transfer device to be started, stopped or changed without having to adjust the temperature of the component or wait for thermal stabilization.

[0020] The coolant supply device may be, for example, a spray device for spraying water. Many types of coolants can be used, including, for example, water or water-based substances, pressurized air, liquid nitrogen, chemically active ingredients, or other coolants or fluids with suitable cooling effects. Furthermore, coolants advantageously evaporate easily and are non-contaminating, making their effects easily controllable, such as when the cooling effect needs to be terminated. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the coolant may optionally contain additives, such as substances that alter the friction between structural components of the transfer device, specifically between the belt conveyor and the support rollers or drums that support the belt conveyor, or between the surface of the transfer device and the received material, such as a friction-altering release agent, thereby allowing the material to more easily detach from the surface.

[0021] According to one embodiment, cooling occurs by evaporation of a coolant on the surface of the transfer device. Control of the temperature profile of the transfer device is advantageously performed by evaporating the coolant in a predetermined manner to achieve a desired temperature of the transfer device.

[0022] Furthermore, the coolant supply device can be located at different locations and can supply coolant to different locations of the transfer device, such as at least one first portion of at least one first line of the transfer device at the input region, between the input region and the output region, before the input region, and / or after the output region in the first direction.

[0023] The present invention offers advantages over known prior art, such as providing a solution for maintaining the temperature profile of a transfer device at a desired state even when changes occur in the quantity or quality of material received on the transfer device during the process. In particular, the present invention also provides a solution for initializing a transfer device so that the receipt of material to be transferred and heated and / or dried by the transfer device does not cause a substantial temperature change or temperature shock to the transfer device, nor does it cause a substantial change in the humidity of the surrounding environment of the arrangement. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the transfer device is maintained at a desired temperature from the start of the heating and / or drying process of the material to be received and transferred, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming and difficult adjustments to the transfer device at the start of material reception or start-up when material begins to be received. Therefore, energy, time, and materials are also saved, since the transfer device can be operated in an optimal manner from the start of the process.

[0024] The exemplary embodiments presented herein should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the appended claims. Also, the verb "comprise" as used herein is used as a disclosure limitation that does not exclude the presence of unrecited features. Features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0025] The features of novelty characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. However, the invention itself, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages attendant thereto, will best be understood from the following description of specific illustrative embodiments read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

[0026] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments according to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1]1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a side view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a top view of an exemplary configuration for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] 1 is an illustration of an exemplary transport device initialization and start-up process, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] 1 is an illustration of an exemplary transport device initialization and start-up process, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 9] 1 is an illustration of an exemplary transport device initialization and start-up process, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 10] 1 is an illustration of an exemplary transport device initialization and start-up process, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 10 illustrates the principles of another exemplary arrangement for controlling the temperature profile of a transfer device, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] 1-2 show side views, and FIGS. 3-6 show plan views, of an exemplary configuration 100 for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device 101, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. The transfer device 101 is configured, among other things, to receive a wet filament 102 (as a material) from a plurality of nozzles 104 at an input region 103 on a surface of the transfer device. Furthermore, the transfer device 101 transports the filament from the input region 103 to an output region 106 of the transfer device in a first direction 107. The transfer device 101 in these examples is a belt conveyor 101, supported by support rollers 118 and end rollers, or a drive drum 121 and a tension drum 122. The drive drum 121 is used to drive the belt conveyor 101, and the tension drum 122 can be used to adjust the tension of the belt conveyor 101.

[0029] The configuration 100 further includes a heating device 108 for heating and drying the filament during transport. The heating device 108 can be positioned above the belt conveyor 101 (as shown in FIG. 1 ) to directly heat the filament on the transport device, and / or the heating device 108 can be positioned to first heat the transport device 101 (as shown in FIG. 2 ), which then transfers heat to the filament. It should be noted that even when a heating device 108 positioned above the belt conveyor 101 is used, the temperature of the belt conveyor surface and structure will increase if there is no filament or the amount of filament is less than desired or less than in other areas of the belt conveyor.

[0030] The arrangement further comprises at least one coolant supply device 109 for supplying coolant 119 onto the surface of the belt conveyor 101, thereby controlling the temperature profile of the belt conveyor 101 in a predetermined manner. The coolant supply device 109 can be arranged to supply coolant to the outer surface of the belt conveyor 101 and / or to the inner surface of the belt conveyor 101, as shown for example in Figures 1, 2 and 7.

[0031] Further, as shown in Figures 3-6, for example, the filament is received from multiple nozzles 104, causing the filament to form multiple lines 105A, 105B, and 105C on the surface of the belt conveyor 101. Figure 4 illustrates an example where nozzle (or nozzle bundle) 104B does not supply filament, thereby activating coolant supply device 104B to supply coolant 119. Coolant 119 is advantageously supplied to areas of the belt conveyor 101 that receive and transport the filament supplied by nozzle (or nozzle bundle) 104B. Furthermore, because other nozzles (or nozzle bundles) are known to be functioning normally, there is no need to supply coolant to these areas.

[0032] Also, as shown in exemplary FIG. 5 , the plurality of nozzles 104B are not supplying filament, resulting in the coolant 119 being supplied only to the corresponding region or line. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the supply to the filament line 105A is stopped, resulting in no filament being present in the first portion 110 of the first line 105A of the belt conveyor 101. It can be seen that the remainder of the filament line 105A is being transported in the first direction 107 in the second portion 111 of the first line 105A on the belt conveyor 101. Thus, according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the coolant 119 is supplied to at least one first portion 110 of at least one first line 105A of the belt conveyor 101, where the first portion 110 of the one first line 105A is free of material or contains less material than the at least one second portion 111 of the at least one first line 105A or the at least one second line 105B.

[0033] 6, the supply of filament to the third line 105C is initiated, and the first portion 110 of the third line 105C on the belt conveyor 101 already contains the filament. Thus, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the supply of coolant 119 is stopped, so that no coolant 119 is present in the first portion 110 of the third line 105C on the belt conveyor 101, and only the filament 105C is present. However, because the coolant is being supplied, the second portion 111 of the third line 105C on the belt conveyor 101 still contains coolant, but no filament yet.

[0034] The second or third line 105C may be adjacent to the first line 105A, or the second line 105B may be configured on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline 113, for example, symmetrically opposite the longitudinal centerline 113. According to one example, the second line 105B can be used as a reference line to determine the heat transfer or supply to the material corresponding to full receipt of the material amount, and this calculation can be used to determine the amount and temperature of the coolant to supply to the first line. This will essentially result in the cooling effect of the supplied coolant corresponding to the cooling effect at 100% material supply on the reference line, and the configuration will therefore be balanced with respect to the longitudinal centerline 113.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the configuration may include multiple coolant supply devices 109. The coolant supply devices 109 may be arranged in parallel, for example, as shown in Figure 5, or may be arranged sequentially along the first direction 107, for example, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 6. Thus, by appropriately controlling the parallel and / or sequentially arranged coolant supply devices 109, the temperature profile of the transfer device 101 may be controlled in the first direction 107 and / or in a second direction 112 perpendicular to the first direction 107.

[0036] According to one example, the configuration 100 advantageously includes a control unit 114 for advantageously controlling the devices of the configuration based on read parameters and / or predetermined, input, or set parameters. The control unit 114 is configured, for example, to control the operation of the coolant supply device 109, and in particular to determine and control the mass flow rate and / or temperature of the coolant 119 supplied by the coolant supply device 109. Furthermore, the control unit 114 can also determine the amount of mass flow rate and / or temperature of the coolant 119 required to compensate for a lack of heat transfer due to a lack of filament in a particular region or length of a particular line of the belt conveyor 101. The control unit can, for example, determine the amount of thermal energy [J] that would be transferred from a particular portion of the belt conveyor 101 if that portion were receiving a filament, and based on this (the amount of thermal energy [J]), can determine the amount and / or temperature of the coolant to be supplied to that region. Further, based on this, the operation of the coolant supply devices 109 can be correspondingly controlled, for example, by adjusting the temperature and / or mass flow rate of the coolant. Furthermore, the control unit can also determine the portions of the belt conveyor 101 where coolant is needed, and can control the appropriate coolant supply devices 109 accordingly. Furthermore, the control unit 114 can be configured with a desired temperature profile for the belt conveyor 101, and based on this, the control unit 114 can determine the supply amount and / or temperature for one or more coolant supply devices 109 (coolant 119). The coolant 119 supplied thereby will then cause heat transfer from the belt conveyor 101 such that the desired temperature profile is achieved. It should be noted that the temperature profile can be controlled in both the first direction 107 and the second direction 112, particularly when the configuration is capable of supplying coolant in both the first direction 107 and the second direction 112. It should also be noted that the coolant can reduce the temperature of the belt conveyor 101 from its initial temperature.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the configuration can include a first detection device 115 for detecting the presence or amount of filaments in the multiple lines 105A, 105B, 105C on the belt conveyor 101, based on which the control unit 114 can determine the amount and / or temperature of the coolant and control the operation of the coolant supply device 109 accordingly. It should be noted that the amount can be varied, for example, from 0 to 100%, which can accommodate situations where only a portion of the filaments on the belt conveyor 101 is missing. Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the coolant supply device 109 has multiple inputs, thereby allowing it to receive multiple coolants, based on which the control unit can control the inputs to allow the coolant supply device 109 or separate coolant supply devices 109 to receive and supply different coolants or mixtures of different coolants to achieve more diverse cooling effects. For example, it is possible to supply pure water to one portion and a more evaporative coolant to another portion, or to supply two different coolants with different heat capacities to different portions to achieve different cooling effects. The first detection device 115 may be, for example, a camera, a capacitive sensor, or the like suitable for detecting the presence or amount of material, such as a filament, on the belt conveyor 101 .

[0038] The configuration may further include a second detection device 116 for detecting the presence of a nozzle bundle when the nozzles are arranged in a bundle. Thus, the second detection device can simply determine whether the nozzle bundle is in place and output data regarding the presence of the nozzle bundle to the control unit 114. Based on the data, the control unit 114 can control the coolant supply device 109 to supply coolant to the portion of the belt conveyor 101 corresponding to the nozzle bundle. When the nozzle bundle is placed in place, the second detection device detects this and outputs a signal to the control unit. Based on this, the control unit can control the coolant supply device 109 to stop supplying coolant to the portion of the belt conveyor 101 corresponding to the nozzle bundle. Thus, even when the nozzle bundle is not present and no filament is being fed onto the belt conveyor, an appropriate amount of coolant is supplied to the portion corresponding to the nozzle bundle. This maintains heat transfer from the belt conveyor 101 to the coolant at a level substantially equivalent to that when the nozzle bundle is being fed with a full load of filament. Again, when the nozzle bundle is installed and the coolant supply is stopped, the filaments from the bundle set absorb as much heat from the belt conveyor 101 as the coolant, thereby maintaining the system in equilibrium and substantially no change in the temperature of the belt conveyor 101. The second detection device 116 can include, for example, an inductive sensor, limit switch, etc. that detects the presence of the nozzle bundle.

[0039] Furthermore, the configuration may also include a temperature measuring device 117 for measuring the temperature of different parts of the belt conveyor and inputting the measurement data into the control unit. The control unit may then control the coolant supply device 109 to supply coolant 119 to parts where the temperature is rising, is expected to rise, or is already above a predetermined value. For example, in Figure 6, the temperature measuring device 117 may measure the temperatures of lines 105A, 105B, 105C in different parts 110, 111 of the belt conveyor 101. If the temperature measuring device 117 determines that the temperature of one first portion 110 of one first line 105A rises above a predetermined limit, or is higher than the temperature of at least one second portion 111 of one first line 105A, or is higher than the temperature of a second line 105B in the first portion 110 (e.g., a reference line, or a line adjacent to the first line, or a line located symmetrically with respect to the vertical axis 113), or that the temperature of at least one first portion 110 of one first line 105A deviates (by becoming higher) from a predetermined value, the control unit 114 is configured to control at least one of the coolant supply devices 109B based on the temperature data to supply and / or adjust the coolant 119 to at least the one first portion 110 of the at least one first line 105A of the belt conveyor 101, thereby controlling the temperature profile of the belt conveyor 101 in a predetermined manner. It should be noted that when the nozzle (or nozzle bundle) 104A is operating normally and supplying 100% load of filament onto the belt conveyor 101, it is not necessary to activate the coolant supply device 109A to supply coolant 119 to the portion of the belt conveyor 101 corresponding to the supply of the nozzle (or nozzle bundle) 104A.

[0040] The configuration may also include additional processing devices 120, such as a winding device 120 for winding the dried filament.

[0041] 7-10 illustrate an example of an initialization and start-up process for a representative transport device 101 according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention. The transport device is a belt conveyor 101, and nozzles for dispensing material, such as filament, are arranged in nozzle bundles 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D. In FIG. 7, the configuration is initialized; for example, the temperature of the belt conveyor has already been set to a desired level. This level will also be used in the filament transport and heating and / or drying process. In FIG. 7, the nozzle bundles 104A, 104B, 104C, and 104D have not yet been installed, and no material or filament is present on the belt conveyor 101. Additionally, all coolant supply devices 109A, 109B, 109C, and 109D are supplying coolant 119 to all lines 105A, 105B, 105C, and 105D.

[0042] 8, one of the nozzle bundles 104C is installed and is supplying filament onto line 105C of the belt conveyor 101. As soon as the filament begins to be received from the nozzle bundle 104C onto the surface of the belt conveyor 101, the coolant supply device 109C is deactivated, in other words, the supply of coolant 119 to the line 105C that is receiving the filament from the nozzle bundle 104C is stopped.

[0043] 9, the next nozzle bundle 104B is installed, thereby beginning to supply filament onto line 105B of belt conveyor 101. At the same time that the filament begins to be received from nozzle bundle 104B onto the surface of belt conveyor 101, coolant supply device 109B is deactivated, in other words, the supply of coolant 119 to line 105B that is receiving the filament from nozzle bundle 104B is stopped.

[0044] This continues until all nozzle bundles 104A, 104B, 104C, 104D are installed, at which point all coolant supply devices 109A, 109B, 109C, 109D are deactivated, as in the case shown in FIG.

[0045] 11 illustrates the principle of another exemplary configuration 100 for controlling the temperature profile of a transfer device according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, wherein the transfer device is a rotating cylinder 101 that receives material 102 on its outer surface and, by means of a rotational movement, transports the material from an input area 103 to an output area 106 and possibly again for further processing, such as sending dried filaments to a winding device 120. It should be noted that the rotating cylinder 101 is an example of a transfer device, and all other embodiments and devices shown and described in relation to the belt conveyor 101 (e.g., control unit 114, coolant supply device 109, temperature measuring device 117 for measuring the temperature of the transfer device or the received / transported material, and devices 115, 116 for determining the amount or presence of material or nozzles or nozzle bundles) can also be used with the rotating cylinder.

[0046] It should be noted that while a conveyor belt and a rotating cylinder are currently illustrated as examples of transfer devices, the present invention can be implemented with other types of transfer devices, such as devices having a moving or rotating surface configured to receive, transfer, heat, and / or dry material (e.g., a filament).

[0047] The present invention has been described above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, and several advantages of the present invention have been demonstrated. Clearly, the structures, devices, components, and configurations described above are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. For example, even though filaments, nozzles, and belt conveyors are illustrated in connection with the drawings, they are merely examples of materials, output devices, and transport devices.

[0048] While it is typically envisioned that the temperature profile will be maintained constant or unchanged, the invention is not so limited and other temperature profiles can be achieved and maintained. For example, the temperature profile can be controlled so that certain portions of the belt conveyor, such as the edges, are cooler than other portions of the belt conveyor. This allows the edges of the belt conveyor to shrink due to thermal contraction and the belt conveyor to drift in a controlled manner toward the hotter side of the belt conveyor.

[0049] The features recited in the dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless expressly stated otherwise.

Claims

1. An arrangement (100) for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device (101), comprising: the transfer device (101) is configured to receive material (102) from a material output (104) to an input area (103) of the transfer device and to transfer the material from the input area (103) to an output area (106) of the transfer device in a first direction (107) in a plurality of lines (105A, 105B, 105C); - the material is adapted to be heated (108) to dry the material during transport; - said arrangement comprises at least one coolant supply device (109) for providing a coolant (119) on the surface of said transfer device (101); and - the arrangement (100) is configured to provide the coolant to at least one first portion (110) of at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device, in such a way that the temperature profile of the transfer device is controlled in a predetermined manner such that the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) is free of material or has less material than at least one second portion (111) of the at least one first line (105A) or at least one second line (105B), or the temperature of the one first portion is higher or is expected to be higher than the temperature of the at least one first line or at least one second portion of the at least one second line.

2. 2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coolant supply devices (109) is configured to provide the coolant to at least one first portion (110) of at least one first line (105A) of the transport device in the input area (103), between the input area (103) and the output area (103, 106), upstream of the input area (103) and / or downstream of the output area (106) in the first direction (107).

3. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the arrangement is configured to control the temperature profile of the transfer device in the first direction (107) of the transfer device and / or in a second direction (112) of the transfer device, the second direction (112) being perpendicular to the first direction (107) of the transfer device.

4. 4. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second line (105C) is a line (105B) adjacent to the one first line (105A) or in an opposite position relative to the longitudinal centerline (113) between the input area and the output area (103, 106) of the transport device, or is a reference line from which the heat supply to the material corresponding to the total receipt of the material amount is determined.

5. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transfer device (101) comprises a belt conveyor, such as a metal-coated belt conveyor or a rotating cylinder, and has an outer surface configured to face the material (102) received at the input area (103) of the transfer device, whereby the one first portion (110) of the one first line or the one second line (105A, 105B) of the transfer device is a specific length of an endless loop of the transfer device or an entire loop of the transfer device.

6. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the material is configured to be heated by a heating device (108) from above the transport device (101) or via the outer surface of the transport device, the outer surface being configured to be heated to a temperature higher than the temperature of the material received in order to achieve a drying effect on the material by the surface of the transport device.

7. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the arrangement is configured to control the mass flow rate and / or temperature of the coolant (119) provided by the coolant supply device (109) to the surface of the transfer device (101) to cause a desired heat transfer from the transfer device (101) to the coolant (119), thereby controlling the temperature profile of the transfer device in a predetermined manner.

8. 8. The arrangement of claim 7, wherein the arrangement is configured to control the amount and / or temperature of the coolant (119) provided by the coolant supply device (109) to the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) of the transfer device (101) when the material is not fully loaded or is loaded with less than the full amount, so that a total heat transfer rate from the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) is substantially equal to a heat transfer rate when the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) of the transfer device (101) is fully loaded with material.

9. 9. The arrangement according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the arrangement is configured to control the amount and / or temperature of the coolant (119) provided by the coolant supply device (109) to the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) of the transfer device (101) when the material is not fully loaded or is loaded in an amount less than fully loaded, so that a total heat transfer rate from the one first portion (110) of the one first line (105A) is substantially equal to a heat transfer rate from the at least one second portion (111) of the one first line (105A) or the one second line (105B).

10. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one of the coolant supply devices (109) is configured to provide the coolant (119) to an outer surface of the transfer device (101) and / or an inner surface of the transfer device (101), the inner surface being located opposite the outer surface of the transfer device.

11. 11. The arrangement of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the material output (104) comprises a nozzle configured to output the material (102) onto the transfer device, the nozzle being arranged in a plurality of nozzle bundles, one of the nozzle bundles comprising a plurality of nozzles and configured to provide material to the input area of ​​the transfer device.

12. 12. The arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit (114); and a detection device (115) for detecting a presence or amount of the material in the plurality of lines (105a, 105b, 105c) on the transfer device and, based on the detection, outputting data related to the detected presence or amount of the material in the plurality of lines to the control unit (114), whereby the control unit (114) is configured, based on the data, to control at least one of the coolant supply devices (109) to provide and / or adjust the coolant to the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device when a shortage of the material is detected in the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device.

13. The arrangement comprises a control unit (114) and a second detection device (116) for detecting the presence of a nozzle bundle according to claim 11 and outputting data relating to the presence of the nozzle bundle to the control unit (114), whereby the control unit (114) is configured, based on the data, to control at least one of the coolant supply devices (109) to provide and / or regulate the coolant to the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device if the nozzle bundle is not detected, the at least one first line (105A) corresponding to a line provided by the nozzle bundle. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The arrangement comprises a control unit (114) and a temperature measuring device (117) for measuring the temperature of the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device (101), wherein the temperature measuring device detects whether the temperature of the at least one first portion of the at least one first line rises above a predetermined limit value or is higher than the temperature of the at least one second portion (111) of the at least one first line (105A) or the at least one second line (105B), or 14. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein if the control unit (114) determines that the temperature of the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) deviates from a predetermined value, the control unit (114) is configured to control, based on the temperature data, at least one of the coolant supply devices (109) to provide and / or regulate the coolant to the at least one first portion (110) of the at least one first line (105A) of the transfer device and to control the temperature profile of the transfer device in a predetermined manner.

15. The arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the coolant supply device (109) is a spray device for spraying water, aqueous substances, chemically active components, air, liquid nitrogen or other coolants or fluids having a cooling effect and / or releasing chemicals having a friction-changing effect on structural parts of the transfer device or between the transfer device and the material being transferred.

16. A method for controlling a temperature profile of a transfer device (101), comprising: The method - receiving material (102) from a material output (104) at an input area (103) of a transfer device (101) and transferring said material in a first direction (107) in a plurality of lines (105A, 105B, 105C) from said input area to an output area (106) of said transfer device; - heating and drying said material during said transport; - providing a coolant (119) to the surface of said transfer device (101) by means of at least one coolant supply device (109); providing said coolant (119) to at least one first portion (110) of at least one first line (105A) of said transfer device (101), in order to control the temperature profile of said transfer device in a predetermined manner, said one first portion (110) of said one first line (105A) having no material or having less material than at least one second portion (111) of said at least one first line (105A) or said at least one second line (105B), or the temperature of said at least one first line (105A) of said at least one first portion (110) is or is expected to be higher than the temperature of said at least one first line (105A) or said at least one second line (105B) of said at least one second portion (111); A method comprising:

17. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature profile is controlled in the first direction (107) of the transfer device (101) and / or in a second direction (112) of the transfer device (101), the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction and along the surface of the transfer device.

18. 18. The method of claim 16 or 17, wherein the temperature profile is controlled to be substantially constant, so that the gradient of the temperature profile is substantially zero, or to vary in the first direction and / or the second direction (107, 112) according to the predetermined method.

19. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the gradient of the temperature profile is controlled to deviate from zero in the second direction (112) to guide a belt-like transfer device to a hot side of the belt, or the gradient of the temperature profile is controlled to deviate from zero locally in the first direction to locally contract the belt of the belt-like transfer device and more easily release the material from the surface of the belt of the belt-like transfer device.

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