Intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys. The centralized control operation display platform implements centralized and coordinated control of all equipment, and performs real-time data communication with other equipment. The powdered rare earth oxide raw material is continuously and controllably fed at a controllable rate through a metering feeder. The feeding process is more uniform than manual timed intermittent feeding, and the temperature variation range in the molten pool of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell is reduced. The efficiency of the electrochemical reaction in the molten pool can be effectively improved, and the time required for the reaction can be shortened. At the same time, the actual loss of the electrolytic cell, anode and cathode is monitored during the production process. The cathode drive component accurately controls the three-dimensional micro-movement of the cathode rod, improves the uniformity of the circumferential radial distribution of the cylindrical electric field, is conducive to improving the stability of product quality and saving energy, and solves the technical problem of relying on manual experience in operating procedures in the prior art.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of rare earth metal and alloy production, and in particular to an intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metal and alloy. Background Art

[0002] The pyrometallurgical process for rare earth processing is one of the most popular production processes in the current industry, among which the electrolytic reduction process is the main way to produce medium and heavy rare earth metals and alloys. For a long time, due to the influence of the extensive production model, the existing electrolytic reduction related equipment has been difficult to adapt to the current market demand for product quantity and quality. The key process is heavily dependent on manual experience, which seriously restricts the sustainable development of the rare earth processing industry. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys, aiming to solve the technical problems of the prior art in which the operating procedures rely on manual experience.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention adopts an intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys, comprising a steel main frame, a micron-level powder remote conveyor, a metering feeder, an electrolytic cell assembly, and a cathode drive assembly, wherein the steel main frame is fixedly mounted on the ground, and the micron-level powder remote conveyor, the metering feeder, the electrolytic cell assembly, and the cathode drive assembly are sequentially arranged on the steel main frame;

[0005] The electrolytic cell assembly includes a molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, four groups of anode plates, an electrolytic cell shell, a circulating water cooling pipeline and a recovery crucible. The interior of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell is an uncovered cavity structure. The anode plates are detachably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The four groups of anode plates are evenly arranged on the inner side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The recovery crucible is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell and is arranged at the bottom of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell shell is partially buried under the ground line. The circulating water cooling pipeline is arranged between the electrolytic cell shell and the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

[0006] Among them, the micron-level powder remote conveyor includes a storage bin, a vacuum generating device, a weighing scale, a pneumatic valve, a raw material cart and a conveying pipe. The storage bin is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, the vacuum generating device is fixedly connected to the storage bin and is located above the storage bin, the weighing scale is movably connected to the storage bin and is located below the storage bin, a pneumatic valve is provided at the bottom of the storage bin, and both ends of the conveying pipe are respectively fixedly connected to the vacuum generating device and the raw material cart.

[0007] Among them, the metering feeder includes a storage bin, a vibrating feeder, a control gate and a feeding channel. The storage bin is movably connected to the micron-level powder remote conveyor. The storage bin, the vibrating feeder, the control gate and the feeding channel are arranged in sequence.

[0008] Among them, the cathode drive assembly includes a control mechanism, a cantilever and a molybdenum alloy cathode rod, the control mechanism is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, one end of the cantilever is fixedly connected to the control mechanism, and the other end of the cantilever is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy cathode rod, and the molybdenum alloy cathode rod is located above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

[0009] Among them, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten pool temperature measuring device, which is composed of an infrared temperature measuring assembly and a universal adjustment frame. The universal adjustment frame is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, and the universal adjustment frame is located on the upper side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The infrared temperature measuring assembly is arranged on the universal adjustment frame.

[0010] Among them, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a robot discharging component, which is composed of a driving mechanism, a pressure detection device and a mechanical claw. The driving mechanism is movably connected to the steel main frame, and the mechanical claw is arranged at the end of the driving mechanism.

[0011] Among them, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten finished product casting mold taking machine, which is arranged on the side of the robot discharge component, and the molten finished product casting mold taking machine includes several groups of casting molds, conveying channels, mold taking machine bases and flipping mechanisms. Each group of casting molds is arranged in the conveying channel, the mold taking machine base is arranged on the side of the conveying channel, and the flipping mechanism is movably connected to the mold taking machine base and is located above the mold taking machine base.

[0012] Among them, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys is provided with a waste gas treatment and collection component, which is composed of a top negative pressure recovery device, a side negative pressure recovery device and a harmful substance treatment mechanism. The top negative pressure recovery device, the side negative pressure recovery device and the harmful substance treatment mechanism are connected by pipelines. The top negative pressure recovery device is arranged above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, and the side negative pressure recovery device is arranged on the side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

[0013] Among them, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a centralized control operation display platform, which is electrically connected to the electrical components on the micron-level powder remote conveyor, the metering feeder, the electrolytic cell assembly, the cathode drive assembly, the molten pool temperature measuring device, the robot discharge assembly and the molten product casting and mold taking machine.

[0014] The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys of the present invention has the centralized control operation display platform for centralized and coordinated control of all equipment, and performs real-time data communication with other equipment. The powdered rare earth oxide raw materials are continuously and controllably fed at a controllable rate by a metering feeder. The feeding process is more uniform than the manual timed intermittent feeding, which reduces the temperature variation in the molten pool of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, can effectively improve the efficiency of the electrochemical reaction in the molten pool, shorten the time required for the reaction, and monitor the actual loss of the electrolytic cell, anode, and cathode during the production process. The cathode drive assembly accurately controls the three-dimensional micro-movement of the cathode rod, improves the uniformity of the circumferential radial distribution of the cylindrical electric field, is beneficial to improving the stability of product quality and saving energy, and solves the technical problem of relying on manual experience in operating procedures in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the elevation distribution of the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 It is a planar distribution diagram of the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the micron-level powder remote conveyor of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the electrolytic cell assembly of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the metering feeder of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the cathode drive assembly of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7It is a structural schematic diagram of the molten pool temperature measuring device of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the robot discharging component of the present invention.

[0024] Fig. 9 It is a structural schematic diagram of a molten finished product casting and mold taking machine of the present invention.

[0025] Fig.10 It is a schematic structural diagram of the waste gas treatment and collection assembly of the present invention.

[0026] Fig.11 It is a logic control block diagram of the intelligent production line of rare earth metal and alloy electrolytic reduction of the present invention. 1-steel main frame, 2-micron-level powder remote conveyor, 21-storage bin, 22-vacuum generator, 23-weighing scale, 24-pneumatic valve, 25-raw material car, 26-conveying pipe, 3-weighing feeder, 31-storage bin, 32-vibration feeder, 33-control gate, 34-feeding channel, 35-high temperature oxidation resistant feeding nozzle, 4-electrolytic cell assembly, 41-molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, 42-anode plate, 43-electrolytic cell shell, 44-circulating water cooling pipeline, 45-recovery crucible, 46-insulation layer, 47-12kA low voltage constant voltage power supply, 5-cathode drive assembly, 51-control mechanism, 52-suspension arm, 53-molybdenum alloy cathode rod, 6-molten pool temperature measuring device, 61-infrared temperature measuring assembly, 62-universal adjustment frame, 7-robot discharge assembly, 71-driving mechanism, 72-pressure detection device, 73-mechanical claw, 8-molten finished product casting and mold taking machine, 81-casting mold, 82-conveying channel, 83-mold taking machine base, 84-turning mechanism, 85-crucible clamping and positioning device, 9-waste gas treatment and collection assembly, 91-top negative pressure recovery device, 92-side negative pressure recovery device, 93-hazardous substance treatment mechanism, 100-centralized control operation and display platform, 101-large touch screen, 102-auxiliary operation area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, in the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0029] See also Figures 1 to 10 The present invention provides an intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys, comprising a steel main frame 1, a micron-level powder remote conveyor 2, a metering feeder 3, an electrolytic cell assembly 4 and a cathode drive assembly 5, wherein the steel main frame 1 is fixedly mounted on the ground, and the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2, the metering feeder 3, the electrolytic cell assembly 4 and the cathode drive assembly 5 are sequentially arranged on the steel main frame 1;

[0030] The electrolytic cell assembly 4 includes a molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41, four groups of anode plates 42, an electrolytic cell shell 43, a circulating water cooling pipeline 44 and a recovery crucible 45. The interior of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 is an uncovered cavity structure. The anode plates 42 are detachably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. The four groups of anode plates 42 are evenly arranged on the inner side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. The recovery crucible 45 is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 and is arranged at the bottom of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. The electrolytic cell shell 43 is partially buried under the ground line. The circulating water cooling pipeline 44 is arranged between the electrolytic cell shell 43 and the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41.

[0031] In this embodiment, the main steel frame 1 is welded with 16# channel steel, responsible for positioning and supporting the remaining equipment, and is the installation foundation of the production line. The micron-level powder remote conveyor 2 is responsible for the input of rare earth raw materials, the metering feeder 3 is responsible for the timing and quantitative feeding of production raw materials into the reaction equipment, the electrolytic cell assembly 4 and the cathode drive are the main reaction equipment of the production line, and the above equipment is arranged in sequence and fixed by the main steel frame 1 to complete the main work flow;

[0032] The molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 is a container for rare earth metal production reaction. The interior of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 is a cylindrical cavity structure. The four groups of anode plates 42 are evenly arranged inside the cylindrical cavity. The recovery crucible 45 is placed at the bottom of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. During the production process, the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 is filled with electrolyte liquid. Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a 12kA low-voltage constant-voltage power supply 47. The 12kA low-voltage constant-voltage power supply 47 is connected to the anode plate 42 to provide a 9-12v constant-voltage power supply with an output voltage fluctuation accuracy of ±0.5%; the maximum stable output current is 12kA with a fluctuation accuracy of ±1.0%; and it also has automatic power on and off control function and each sub-current control function of parallel anodes. The molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 forms a molten pool, and the input rare earth raw materials fall into the recovery crucible 45 for collection after ionization. The temperature of the molten pool is as high as 1100°C. The electrolytic cell shell 43 is a square structure, and part of it is buried below the ground line to enhance the placement stability of the electrolytic cell assembly 4. An insulation layer 46 is arranged between the electrolytic cell shell 43 and the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. The insulation layer 46 provides heat insulation protection to ensure that the molten pool temperature does not leak out, thereby avoiding accidents where people accidentally touch the electrolytic cell shell 43 and get scalded. The circulating water cooling pipeline 44 is also arranged between the electrolytic cell shell 43 and the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 to play a cooling role.

[0033] Furthermore, the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2 includes a storage bin 21, a vacuum generating device 22, a weighing scale 23, a pneumatic valve 24, a raw material cart 25 and a conveying pipe 26. The storage bin 21 is fixedly connected to the steel main frame 1, the vacuum generating device 22 is fixedly connected to the storage bin 21 and is located above the storage bin 21, the weighing scale 23 is movably connected to the storage bin 21 and is located below the storage bin 21, a pneumatic valve 24 is provided at the bottom of the storage bin 21, and both ends of the conveying pipe 26 are fixedly connected to the vacuum generating device 22 and the raw material cart 25, respectively.

[0034] In this embodiment, the rare earth raw material is in powder form and is transported to the bottom of the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2 by the raw material vehicle 25, the vacuum generator 22 is turned on, and the rare earth raw material enters the storage bin 21 through the conveying pipe 26, and the weighing scale 23 is responsible for weighing the weight of the rare earth raw material entering the storage bin 21. After reaching the rated value, the vacuum sending device is closed and the feeding is stopped. During the production process, the pneumatic valve 24 is opened, and the rare earth raw material enters the metering feeder 3.

[0035] Furthermore, the metering feeder 3 includes a storage bin 31, a vibrating feeder 32, a control gate 33 and a feeding channel 34. The storage bin 31 is movably connected to the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2. The storage bin 31, the vibrating feeder 32, the control gate 33 and the feeding channel 34 are arranged in sequence.

[0036] In this embodiment, the metering feeder 3 is responsible for feeding the rare earth raw materials into the electrolytic cell assembly 4. First, the storage bin 31 receives the rare earth raw materials sent from the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2, plays a secondary storage role, and provides a basis for accurate batch feeding. Under the action of the vibrating feeder 32, the control gate 33 is opened, and the rare earth raw materials enter the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 through the feeding channel 34. The feeding channel 34 is made of stainless steel, and a high-temperature oxidation-resistant feeding nozzle 35 is also provided near the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41.

[0037] Furthermore, the cathode drive assembly 5 includes a control mechanism 51, a cantilever 52 and a molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53, the control mechanism 51 is fixedly connected to the steel main frame 1, one end of the cantilever 52 is fixedly connected to the control mechanism 51, and the other end of the cantilever 52 is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53, and the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is located above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41.

[0038] In this embodiment, the effective length of the cantilever 52 is 1.5 meters, so that the control mechanism 51 is away from the 1100°C heat source to ensure the stability of the long-term continuous operation of the equipment. The molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is inserted into the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 during the production process, forms a loop with the anode plate 42 through the electrolyte, and produces through ionization reaction. The cathode drive component 5 accurately and slightly adjusts the control mechanism 51 according to the internal burning condition of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 to obtain a reasonable depth for the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 to be inserted into the molten pool; according to the loss of the four groups of anode plates 42 evenly distributed on the inner wall of the cylindrical molten pool, the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is driven to translate, and the center line of the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is guaranteed to coincide with the geometric center line formed by the four groups of anode plates 42 that are continuously lost in a circumferential distribution in real time, so as to achieve the best production efficiency.

[0039] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten pool temperature measuring device 6, which is composed of an infrared temperature measuring assembly 61 and a universal adjustment frame 62. The universal adjustment frame 62 is fixedly connected to the steel main frame 1, and the universal adjustment frame 62 is located on the upper side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. The infrared temperature measuring assembly 61 is arranged on the universal adjustment frame 62.

[0040] In this embodiment, the infrared temperature measurement assembly 61 continuously collects the surface temperature of the molten pool, converts it into the center temperature of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 after data processing, outputs its temperature change rate with a period of 30 seconds, and simultaneously slightly adjusts the output current of the 12kA low-voltage constant-voltage power supply 47 to ensure that the center temperature of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 is equal to or close to the ideal electrochemical reaction temperature.

[0041] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a robot discharging assembly 7, which is composed of a driving mechanism 71, a pressure detection device 72 and a mechanical claw 73. The driving mechanism 71 is movably connected to the steel main frame 1, and the mechanical claw 73 is arranged at the end of the driving mechanism 71.

[0042] In this embodiment, the maximum extraction load of the robot discharging assembly 7 is 40kg, and the driving mechanism 71 automatically avoids environmental obstacles during movement, controls the mechanical claw 73 to take out the recovery crucible 45 from the 800mm deep molten pool within a specified time, and quickly delivers it to the molten finished product casting and mold taking machine 8. The manipulator has sufficient rigidity and strength to ensure that no molten product is scattered in the recovery crucible 45 during rapid movement; the manipulator entering the tank can withstand 1200℃ high temperature and oxidation; through the pressure detection device 72, the degree of grasping the crucible can be indirectly judged to improve the success rate of extraction; the mechanical claw 73 can detect the bottom position of the tank while extracting the recovery crucible 45, and feedback the data to judge the bottom loss of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic tank 41.

[0043] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten finished product casting mold taking machine 8, which is arranged on the side of the robot discharge component 7. The molten finished product casting mold taking machine 8 includes several groups of casting molds 81, a conveying channel 82, a mold taking machine base 83 and a flipping mechanism 84. Each group of the casting molds 81 is arranged in the conveying channel 82, the mold taking machine base 83 is arranged on the side of the conveying channel 82, and the flipping mechanism 84 is movably connected to the mold taking machine base 83 and is located above the mold taking machine base 83.

[0044] In this embodiment, after the recovery crucible 45 extracts the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41, it will be placed on the mold taking machine base 83. The mold taking machine base 83 is provided with a crucible clamping and positioning device 85. The crucible clamping and positioning device 85 is responsible for ensuring the stable placement of the recovery crucible 45. After the casting mold 81 is in place, the flipping mechanism 84 flips the recovery crucible 45 and pours the product in the recovery crucible 45 into the casting mold 81. The casting mold 81 is transported out through the conveying channel 82.

[0045] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys is provided with a waste gas treatment and collection component 9, which is composed of a top negative pressure recovery device 91, a side negative pressure recovery device 92 and a harmful substance treatment mechanism 93. The top negative pressure recovery device 91, the side negative pressure recovery device 92 and the harmful substance treatment mechanism 93 are connected by pipelines. The top negative pressure recovery device 91 is arranged above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41, and the side negative pressure recovery device 92 is arranged on the side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41.

[0046] In this embodiment, the waste gas treatment and collection assembly 9 is arranged above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41. When waste gas and dust are generated in the molten pool during the production process, the top negative pressure recovery device 91 and the side negative pressure recovery device 92 are responsible for absorbing them and transporting them to the harmful substance treatment mechanism 93 through pipelines. They can only be safely discharged after being treated by the harmful substance treatment mechanism 93.

[0047] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a centralized control operation display platform 100, which is electrically connected to the electrical components on the micron-level powder remote conveyor 2, the metering feeder 3, the electrolytic cell assembly 4, the cathode drive assembly 5, the molten pool temperature measuring device 6, the robot discharge assembly 7 and the molten finished product casting mold taking machine 8, respectively.

[0048] In this embodiment, the centralized control operation display platform 100 uses a medium-sized industrial programmable controller as a processor to implement centralized and coordinated control of all equipment; the centralized control operation display platform 100 is electrically connected to the remaining facilities in the production line, and has functions such as data storage, management, output, and remote communication, and the database also has a self-learning function; the centralized control operation display platform 100 is configured with a large touch screen 101 to realize process parameter input and real-time adjustment, and intuitively display the operating status of each device; the centralized control operation display platform 100 is also configured with an auxiliary operation area 102 for emergency operation, power supply display, key process failure enhanced prompts and other functional operations, and is equipped with automatic and manual operation modes, which can perform temporary non-routine operation processing without stopping the machine in real time.

[0049] Furthermore, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a 3kw three-phase AC backup power supply, which can maintain short-term normal operation of the production line in the event of an unexpected power outage, and promptly drive all equipment to reset to ensure the safety of equipment and personnel.

[0050] For details, please refer to Fig.11The present invention proposes an embodiment in combination with the production process of the rare earth metal and alloy electrolytic reduction intelligent production line, the steps are as follows:

[0051] S1: Activate the reset button on the large touch screen 101 of the centralized control operation display platform 100, and all moving parts of the equipment in the production line return to the original position ready for start-up; then activate the automatic mode button, and all supporting equipment in the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys of the present invention automatically coordinates and operates continuously and cyclically in strict accordance with the process regulations to realize automated production;

[0052] S2: The micron-level powder remote conveyor 2 starts, and the rare earth oxide powder in the raw material car 25 enters the storage bin 21 through the conveying pipe 26, and automatically stops when the rated weight limit is reached; when the production process material is delivered to the metering feeder 3, and the storage volume in the storage bin 21 reaches the lower limit, the vacuum generating device 22 automatically restarts, replenishes the powder storage volume to reach the upper limit, and then stops. This cycle is repeated in sequence to ensure long-term continuous operation of electrolytic production;

[0053] S3: The storage bin 31 in the metering feeder 3 obtains a rated amount of powder and waits for a feeding instruction; when feeding begins, the feeding vibrator is started, and the material is fed into the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 through the feeding channel 34; the amount of material fed is monitored in real time, and the opening of the control gate 33 is fed back to ensure that the material is fed at the specified time point; then the rated material is obtained again according to the procedure, and the next production cycle is waited for;

[0054] S4: The robot discharging component 7 is started, and the mechanical claw 73 is quickly preheated to about 700°C, while performing obstacle-avoiding three-dimensional movement, penetrating into the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41, and clamping the recovery crucible 45; the obstacle-avoiding three-dimensional movement is continued to take out the crucible and transport it to the mold machine base 83 of the molten product casting mold machine 8; after the operation of the molten product casting mold machine 8 is completed, the empty crucible is clamped and steadily placed in the center of the bottom of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41, and then the robot discharging component 7 moves to restore the initial position and wait for the next operation;

[0055] S5: The control mechanism 51 of the cathode drive assembly 5 is started, and the cantilever 52 located at the initial position above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 swings to control the axis of the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 to be aligned with the axis of the cell body of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41; the control mechanism 51 drives the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 to descend, and according to the bottoming depth signal detected by the mechanical claw 73, the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is descended to a predetermined depth in the electrolyte liquid surface; during the full electrolysis cycle, the axis position of the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is moved in real time in three dimensions according to the anode and cathode loss signals collected by the system to maintain a high-efficiency electrolysis reaction;

[0056] S6: After the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is lowered into place, the 12kA low-voltage constant-voltage power supply 47 is automatically powered on, and the initial output voltage and current meet the requirements of the process regulations; after a delay, the infrared temperature measurement assembly 61 of the molten pool temperature measurement system begins to collect the effective temperature signal of the molten pool surface through the temperature detection ray at a fixed point, and converts it into the center temperature of the molten pool; based on this, the center temperature change is judged, and the total current output by the power supply is increased or decreased in real time until the ideal electrolysis temperature is met and a stable total current is maintained;

[0057] S7: During the full electrolysis cycle, the current values ​​of the four groups of anode plates 42 in parallel and evenly distributed on the circumference of the inner wall of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell 41 are continuously collected, and the different losses of the anode plates 42 of each group are determined through data processing; the micro-movement signal of the molybdenum alloy cathode rod 53 is quantitatively provided by using the principle of equal spacing between the positive and negative electrodes; the anode plate 42 with the largest loss is determined, and the replacement time and ranking order are prompted according to the process requirements;

[0058] S8: When the 12kA low-voltage constant-voltage power supply 47 is automatically powered on, the metering feeder 3 is horizontally shifted, and the high-temperature oxidation-resistant feeding nozzle 35 reaches the predetermined feeding position; the control gate 33 and the feeding vibrator are started; the material feeding begins, and according to the above step S3, the rated total amount of material is fed at the specified time node, and an accurate time signal of the completion of feeding is issued;

[0059] S9: After the centralized control operation display platform 100 obtains the rare earth raw material feeding completion signal, it searches the database and calculates and prompts the extraction time of the molten rare earth finished product according to the product type, the total amount of feeding this time, the on-site temperature and other information; at the ideal time of extraction, the cathode drive component 5 and the robot discharging component are notified to start running. It will also form a self-learning system based on the corresponding finished product discharge quantity, finished product quality inspection results and other data statistically collected later, and continuously supplement, correct and improve the current database;

[0060] S10: The cathode drive assembly 5 is started; first, the control mechanism 51 rises, swings, and runs back to the initial position; the robot discharging assembly is started, see the above step S4;

[0061] S11: The molten finished product casting and mold taking machine 8 is started, the crucible clamping and positioning device 85 is clamped to fix the recovery crucible 45, the casting mold 81 moves to the position through the conveying channel 82, and the turning mechanism 84 pours all the molten rare earth products in the recovery crucible 45 into the casting mold 81; then it rotates back to the horizontal level, and the crucible clamping and positioning device 85 releases the recovery crucible 45;

[0062] S12: After the rare earth metal in the casting mold 81 is naturally cooled and solidified, it is output along the conveying channel 82 and enters the cleaning and inspection area;

[0063] S13: The waste gas collection and treatment component operates around the clock during the continuous production process. The side negative pressure recovery device 92 collects most of the waste gas and dust, and enters the harmful substance treatment mechanism 93 through pipelines to achieve harmless discharge; the top negative pressure recovery device 91 further recovers residual waste gas and light dust, and the treatment method is the same as that of the side negative pressure recovery device 92;

[0064] S14: As in the above steps S1-S13, the intelligent production continues in a cycle.

[0065] In summary, the intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys described in the present invention has the following advantages: (1) By realizing real-time judgment of the molten pool temperature, total electrolytic current, each anode current, cathode and cathode loss conditions, electrolytic cell bottom loss conditions, etc. under constant voltage conditions, corresponding control measures can be taken in time to effectively improve the finished product output rate and reduce energy consumption; (2) The intelligent rare earth oxide delivery system provides a more stable constant temperature and constant current density molten pool environment for the electrochemical reaction, further improving the efficiency of the electrolytic reduction reaction and the quality of the finished product; (3) The intelligent self-learning processing system can correctly grasp the best material collection time to ensure that the crucible placed under the cathode has no excess when collecting the reduced rare earth metals that sink due to high density; (4) Production personnel are away from high-risk environments, and the recovery and treatment of waste gas and dust bring extremely high social benefits; (5) After the equipment operates normally, the finished product output rate is expected to increase by 12%; the total energy consumption is reduced by about 20%.

[0066] What is disclosed above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it certainly cannot be used to limit the scope of rights of the present invention. Ordinary technicians in this field can understand that all or part of the processes of the above embodiment and equivalent changes made according to the claims of the present invention still fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys, characterized in that: It comprises a main steel frame, a micron-level powder remote conveyor, a metering feeder, an electrolytic cell assembly, and a cathode drive assembly, wherein the main steel frame is fixedly erected on the ground, and the micron-level powder remote conveyor, the metering feeder, the electrolytic cell assembly, and the cathode drive assembly are sequentially arranged on the main steel frame; The electrolytic cell assembly includes a molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, four groups of anode plates, an electrolytic cell shell, a circulating water cooling pipeline and a recovery crucible. The interior of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell is an uncovered cavity structure. The anode plates are detachably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The four groups of anode plates are evenly arranged on the inner side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The recovery crucible is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell and is arranged at the bottom of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell shell is partially buried under the ground line. The circulating water cooling pipeline is arranged between the electrolytic cell shell and the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

2. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 1, characterized in that: The micron-level powder remote conveyor includes a storage bin, a vacuum generating device, a weighing scale, a pneumatic valve, a raw material cart and a conveying pipe. The storage bin is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, the vacuum generating device is fixedly connected to the storage bin and is located above the storage bin, the weighing scale is movably connected to the storage bin and is located below the storage bin, a pneumatic valve is provided at the bottom of the storage bin, and both ends of the conveying pipe are fixedly connected to the vacuum generating device and the raw material cart respectively.

3. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 2, characterized in that: The metering feeder includes a storage bin, a vibrating feeder, a control gate and a feeding channel. The storage bin is movably connected to the micron-level powder remote conveyor. The storage bin, the vibrating feeder, the control gate and the feeding channel are arranged in sequence.

4. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cathode drive assembly includes a control mechanism, a cantilever and a molybdenum alloy cathode rod. The control mechanism is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, one end of the cantilever is fixedly connected to the control mechanism, and the other end of the cantilever is movably connected to the molybdenum alloy cathode rod. The molybdenum alloy cathode rod is located above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

5. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 4, characterized in that: The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten pool temperature measuring device, which consists of an infrared temperature measuring assembly and a universal adjustment frame. The universal adjustment frame is fixedly connected to the steel main frame, the universal adjustment frame is located on the upper side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, and the infrared temperature measuring assembly is arranged on the universal adjustment frame.

6. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 5, characterized in that: The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a robot discharging assembly, which is composed of a driving mechanism, a pressure detection device and a mechanical claw. The driving mechanism is movably connected to the steel main frame, and the mechanical claw is arranged at the end of the driving mechanism.

7. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 6, characterized in that: The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a molten finished product casting mold taking machine, which is arranged on the side of the robot discharge component. The molten finished product casting mold taking machine includes several groups of casting molds, conveying channels, mold taking machine bases and flipping mechanisms. Each group of casting molds is arranged in the conveying channel, the mold taking machine base is arranged on the side of the conveying channel, and the flipping mechanism is movably connected to the mold taking machine base and is located above the mold taking machine base.

8. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 7, characterized in that: The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys is provided with a waste gas treatment and collection component, which consists of a top negative pressure recovery device, a side negative pressure recovery device and a harmful substance treatment mechanism. The top negative pressure recovery device, the side negative pressure recovery device and the harmful substance treatment mechanism are connected by pipelines. The top negative pressure recovery device is arranged above the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell, and the side negative pressure recovery device is arranged on the side of the molybdenum alloy electrolytic cell.

9. The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys according to claim 8, characterized in that: The intelligent production line for electrolytic reduction of rare earth metals and alloys also includes a centralized control operation display platform, which is electrically connected to the electrical components on the micron-level powder remote conveyor, the metering feeder, the electrolytic cell assembly, the cathode drive assembly, the molten pool temperature measuring device, the robot discharge assembly and the molten product casting and mold taking machine.

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