Vertically stirred mill and system thereof, as well as wear segment replacement kit and wear protection element kit

Abstract

A system (1000) for a vertical mill is provided. The system comprises a longitudinally extending shaft (100) supporting helical screw flighting (101) and at least one adapter plate (200) configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100). Each adapter plate (200) comprises at least one first locking member (204). The system further comprises at least one wear segment (300) configured to be supported by the at least one first locking member (204). Furthermore, a replacement kit (2000), a wear protection element kit (3000), and a vertical mill are provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a system for a vertical mill, a wear section replacement kit for a longitudinal extension shaft supporting helical screw flight, a wear protection element kit for a longitudinal extension shaft supporting helical screw flight, and a vertical mill. Background Technology

[0002] Vertical mills, for example, from US 4,660,776 and the manual "VERTIMILL" TM -Fine and ultra-fine wet milling (VERTIMILL) TM The term "fine and ultrafine wet grinding" is known. A vertical mill has a chamber in which an agitator is arranged. Grinding media, which can be made of steel or ceramic and can have different shapes (such as balls or natural pebbles), can be supplied to the chamber. Water, the material to be ground, and optional additives are supplied to the chamber. The charge is agitated by rotating the agitator, causing the grinding media to grind the material through abrasion and attrition. The two references above disclose vertically arranged stirred mills. However, the same general principles also apply to stirred mills having, for example, an inclined arrangement.

[0003] The chamber stores the grinding media, and in the case of a vertically arranged mill, the chamber also supports drive components including a stirrer.

[0004] In Vertimill TM In this design, the agitator that rotates and moves the grinding media consists of an inner welded screw flight system that supports multiple external wear liners bolted to the welded screw flight system. According to the prior art, the welded screw flight system consists of a shaft and multiple screw blades welded to the shaft to form longitudinally continuous screw blades. The welded screw flight system can be protected from wear by means of external wear liners, which can be replaced as spare parts, while the shaft is typically protected by a protective coating. However, this coating requires extensive and meticulous surface treatment, resulting in costly downtime, making maintenance and replacement cumbersome when necessary. Therefore, an alternative solution that facilitates the maintenance of the agitator is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a system for vertical mills that can be applied to new agitators or as a retrofit of existing agitators on site.

[0006] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a system that requires low downtime.

[0007] Another object of this disclosure is to provide a kit of components that can be provided not only as a spare part for the system disclosed herein, but also for the refurbishment of an existing mixer.

[0008] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, these and other objectives are achieved, in whole or in part, by a system for a vertical mill, said system comprising:

[0009] The longitudinally extending shaft supports the helical screw flight.

[0010] At least one adapter plate is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft, each adapter plate including at least one first locking member, and

[0011] At least one wear segment is configured to be supported by the at least one first locking member.

[0012] Therefore, a system is provided comprising at least one adapter plate configured to be securely mounted to the shaft and thus forming part of a permanent assembly, wherein the at least one wear segment is configured to be supported by the at least one adapter plate via at least one locking member. Thus, the at least one wear segment can be considered a consumable part, which can be removed and replaced with a new part when worn. Providing a removable wear segment can significantly reduce downtime for maintenance. This, in turn, allows for a comprehensive improvement in production economics. This system can be provided both for new screws in new agitator units and for refurbishment of existing agitator units.

[0013] The at least one adapter plate can be configured to be securely mounted to the shaft in the gap between the two longitudinally aligned portions of the screw blade.

[0014] Therefore, the adapter plate will act as a protective cover, closely abutting the outer surface of the shaft (i.e., the surface to be protected by the system). The longitudinal extension of the adapter plate (i.e., its height when mounted on a vertical screw) preferably corresponds to the pitch of the screw blades. The adapter plate can be fixed to the shaft, for example, by welding. By using welding, there will be no protruding parts that suffer wear and require maintenance or replacement during long-term operation.

[0015] The at least one wear segment may include a second locking member having a geometry complementary to the at least one first locking member, and wherein the at least one first locking member and the at least one second locking member may be configured to engage with each other in a locking manner by sliding movement.

[0016] By sliding, gravity can not only facilitate the installation process by providing automatic alignment between the wear section and the adapter plate, but also maintain a locking engagement between the wear section and the adapter plate during agitator operation.

[0017] The at least one wear section can be configured to be fastened to the at least one adapter plate. Fastening can be achieved by bolting the at least one wear section to the at least one adapter plate. To accommodate and protect the bolt head from wear, the at least one wear section may have a partially recessed bolt hole. Additionally, or alternatively, the outer envelope surface of the wear section configured to face away from the adapter plate may have a protective wall portion. Therefore, this protective wall portion must not have a circumferential extension, but as seen during agitator rotation, such a protective wall portion may have an extension facing the leading edge of the helical screw blades. During use, when the agitator rotates, the material to be ground and the abrasive media within the chamber will first impact the protective wall before reaching the bolt head.

[0018] The at least two wear segments can be configured to be arranged one after another in an adjacent and / or partially overlapping relationship, as seen along the longitudinal extension of the axis. Therefore, the at least two wear segments can form a longitudinally extending sealing wear surface along the axis.

[0019] The plurality of wear segments can be configured to extend substantially along the entire longitudinal direction of the helical screw blades. Therefore, the plurality of wear segments will form a helical extension pattern, arranged one after another along a portion of the shaft that comes into contact with the grinding media and the material to be ground during agitator operation.

[0020] The at least one adapter plate can be configured to be securely mounted to the shaft by welding. Welding can be performed along the perimeter of the adapter plate. For further strength enhancement, welding can be performed along the perimeter of one or more optional through-holes in the envelope surface of the adapter plate.

[0021] The at least one wear segment may include undulations on its outer envelope surface, which is configured to face away from the shaft. The undulations may have an extension substantially aligned with the main direction of movement of the material to be ground within the chamber of the vertical mill. As seen when the at least one wear segment is mounted on the shaft, the undulations may have an extension aligned with the longitudinal extension of the shaft. The undulations serve as the abrasive material, i.e., the material worn down during operation, thereby increasing the service life of the wear segment. By providing the abrasive material in the form of undulations with locally increased material thickness, the total weight of a single wear segment can be reduced compared to providing a single wear segment with a uniformly increased material thickness.

[0022] The at least one wear segment may include at least one lifting lug on its outer envelope surface configured to face away from the shaft. The at least one lifting lug can be used to assist in handling the wear segment during installation onto the adapter plate. The at least one lifting lug may be integral with the at least one wear segment. Alternatively, the at least one lifting lug may be provided as a separate lifting lug removably attached to the wear segment.

[0023] The at least one wear segment may include at least one eyelet configured to receive a lifting belt. The at least one eyelet may be implemented as a through-channel that allows insertion of the belt to assist in the removal of the at least one wear segment during maintenance or replacement. The eyelet preferably has a longitudinal extension between its two openings (one forming an inlet and the other forming an outlet) that is different from the thickness direction of the wear segment. For example, one of the two openings may be arranged on the outer envelope surface of the wear segment facing away from the axis, while the other opening may be arranged on an edge portion of the wear segment. The eyelet may be arranged within a portion of the wear segment that has a locally increased material thickness. Therefore, the eyelet will remain unaffected when the wear segment has worn to the point where it can be removed using a belt extending through the eyelet.

[0024] The at least one first locking member may be a wedge, and the at least one second locking member may be a recess, whereby the first locking member and the second locking member are configured to interlock by sliding movement.

[0025] The wedge serves a dual purpose: to provide guidance during the installation of the wear section onto the adapter plate, and to provide a frictional self-locking effect between the wear section and the adapter plate.

[0026] The first locking member and the second locking member may have a longitudinal extension configured to coincide with the longitudinal extension of the shaft, i.e., a vertical extension as seen in vertical mills. The first locking member may have a gradually increasing thickness when viewed from the insertion end to the opposing stop end. Furthermore, the width of the insertion end may be smaller than the width of the opposing stop end.

[0027] It should be understood that the same principle applies to the case where the at least one first locking member is a recess and the at least one second locking member is a wedge.

[0028] The system may also include an end cap configured to be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft.

[0029] The end cap is configured to provide wear protection for the free end of the shaft. The end cap may be formed as an integral body having a bottom wall and at least one wall portion, the bottom wall having an extension transverse to the longitudinal extension of the shaft, and the at least one wall portion being configured to longitudinally abut the lowermost longitudinally extending sidewall portion of the shaft.

[0030] In an alternative embodiment, the end cap is divided into at least two parts, which are connected to each other, for example, by bolting. One of the at least two parts may be a bottom wall having an extension transverse to the longitudinal extension of the shaft, and the other of the at least two parts may be a wall portion configured to longitudinally abut the lowermost longitudinally extending sidewall portion of the shaft.

[0031] Regardless of the design, the end caps should be made of a wear-resistant material. This material can be the same type used for the wear section.

[0032] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, these and other objectives are also achieved, in whole or in part, by a wear section replacement kit for a longitudinally extending shaft that supports a helical screw blade, the replacement kit comprising at least two wear sections configured to be directly or indirectly supported by the shaft, wherein the at least two wear sections are arranged one after another in an adjoining and / or partially overlapping relationship as seen along the longitudinal extension of the shaft.

[0033] Therefore, the replacement kit includes spare parts used during maintenance of the system used in the vertical mill, which has been discussed above. The advantages and design of at least two wear sections and the system itself have been discussed above; to avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion. It should be understood that, depending on the shaft design, the at least two wear sections can be arranged directly or indirectly to the shaft. In the case of indirect arrangement, the at least two wear sections can be configured to be mounted to an adapter plate supported by the shaft. In the case of direct arrangement, the at least two wear sections can be configured to be mounted directly to the shaft, i.e., omitting any adapter plate. This mounting can be achieved by bolting or by complementary locking members located on the shaft and the wear section respectively.

[0034] Each of the at least two worn segments in the replacement kit may include at least one of the following:

[0035] The locking member has a geometry complementary to that of a locking member arranged directly or indirectly on the shaft;

[0036] The undulating portion is arranged on an outer envelope surface configured to face away from the axis;

[0037] At least one lifting lug; and

[0038] At least one eyelet is configured to receive a lifting belt; and wherein the replacement kit may further include:

[0039] An end cap or its liner is configured to be mounted on the lowermost free end of the shaft.

[0040] The advantages and design of the at least two wear sections and the end cap have been discussed above. To avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion.

[0041] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, these and other objectives are achieved, in whole or in part, by a wear protection element kit for a longitudinally extending shaft that supports helical screw blades, the kit comprising:

[0042] At least two adapter plates are configured to be securely mounted to the shaft; and

[0043] At least two wear segments are configured to be mounted one after another to the adapter plate in an adjacent or partially overlapping relationship, as seen along the longitudinal extension of the axis; and

[0044] The at least two wear sections and the at least two adapter plates include complementary locking members.

[0045] Therefore, the kit includes wear protection elements, which allows the shaft of the vertical mill agitator to be equipped with a wear system, whether installing a brand new shaft or refurbishing an existing one. The advantages and designs of at least two wear sections and at least two adapter plates have been discussed above; to avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion.

[0046] The kit may also include an end cap configured to be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft. The advantages and design of the end cap have been discussed above; to avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion.

[0047] According to another aspect, a vertical mill is provided. The vertical mill includes: a longitudinally extending shaft supporting helical screw blades; at least one adapter plate configured to be securely mounted to the shaft, each adapter plate including at least one first locking member; and at least one wear section configured to be supported by the at least one first locking member.

[0048] The advantages and design of the shaft, which supports a screw with helical screw blades, have been described in detail above and are provided with at least one adapter plate having at least one locking member and at least one wear section supported therefrom. To avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion.

[0049] Other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed disclosure, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings. Note that this disclosure relates to all possible combinations of features.

[0050] Generally, unless otherwise expressly defined herein, all terms used in the claims should be interpreted according to their general meaning in the technical field. Unless otherwise expressly stated, all references to "a / the [element, device, component, means, step, etc.]" should be openly interpreted as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the steps of any method disclosed herein need not be performed in the exact order disclosed.

[0051] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integrals, or steps. Attached Figure Description

[0052] The present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the illustrative accompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of currently preferred embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 1a This is a schematic perspective view of a vertical stirred mill based on existing technology.

[0054] Figure 1bThis is a schematic cross-sectional view of the chamber of a vertical stirred mill based on existing technology.

[0055] Figure 2 This is an overview diagram of the inventive system mounted on the shaft of the agitator.

[0056] Figure 3a and Figure 3b These are two 3D images of the adapter board.

[0057] Figure 4 This is a view of the axes that support multiple adapter boards.

[0058] Figure 5a and Figure 5b These are two 3D views of the worn section.

[0059] Figure 6 This is the first embodiment of the end cap.

[0060] Figure 7 This is a second embodiment of the end cap.

[0061] Figure 8 Overview diagrams of the inventive system, in its partially and fully assembled states, with the shaft and its helical screw blades omitted, are disclosed.

[0062] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the inventive system, which is in a partially assembled state and has a shaft and its helical screw blades, is disclosed.

[0063] Figure 10 An embodiment of the replacement kit is disclosed.

[0064] Figure 11 An embodiment of a wear protection element kit is disclosed.

[0065] Figure 12 An example of a vertical mill equipped with this inventive system is disclosed in a highly illustrative manner. Detailed Implementation

[0066] The present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting itself to the embodiments described herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness and to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. The same reference numerals throughout indicate the same elements.

[0067] In the following description, the term "longitudinal" will be used. In the context of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, it will refer to the longitudinal extension of the agitator shaft.

[0068] Figure 1a A vertical mill 1' according to the prior art is shown. The vertical mill 1' includes an agitator 2' arranged in a grinding chamber 3'. Figure 1b As shown, chamber 3' is filled with abrasive media 4', which can be, for example, steel or ceramics, and can have different shapes, such as balls or natural pebbles. A slurry of water, the material to be ground, and optional additives is supplied to an opening 8' located at the top of chamber 3', causing agitator 2' to rotate, thereby agitating and moving the abrasive media 4', which grinds the material to be ground within chamber 3'.

[0069] The agitator 2' includes a central shaft 11' with helical screw blades 12', on which wear lining elements 13' are arranged. During agitation, the helical screw blades 12' with wear lining elements 13' provide an upward flow along the wear lining elements 13' and the shaft 11'. Particle sorting is provided in the upper part of the chamber 3', where sufficiently small particles rise towards the upper part of the chamber 3' and are removed via the overflow channel 10', while larger, heavier particles are drawn into the medium by gravity in the form of a downward flow between the outer periphery of the wear lining elements 13' of the agitator 2' and the inner wall of the chamber 3', and are then recirculated back into the upward flow along the wear lining elements 13' and the shaft 11' for further grinding.

[0070] like Figure 1a and Figure 1b As shown, chamber 3' holds the grinding media and also supports drive components 5', such as drive shaft 5a', thrust bearing 5b', gear reducer 5c' and motor 5d'.

[0071] Turn now Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the inventive system 1000 is disclosed. System 1000 includes the following components: a longitudinally extending shaft 100 supporting a helical screw blade 101 with a liner element 102; at least one adapter plate 200 configured to be securely mounted to the shaft 100; and at least one wear section 300. The system may also include an end cap 400 mounted on the lowermost free end of the shaft 100. The shaft 100 forms the above-described reference. Figure 1a and Figure 1b Part of the type of mixer described above.

[0072] The at least one adapter plate 200 is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft 100 and thereby form part of a permanent device, while the at least one wear section 300 is configured to be removably supported by the at least one adapter plate 200 via at least one locking member 204 supported by the adapter plate 200.

[0073] Multiple wear sections 300 are configured to extend along the entire longitudinal direction of the helical screw blade 101. For ease of understanding, Figure 2 The uppermost adapter plate 200 is shown without any wear segments. Due to the helical screw blades 101, the plurality of wear segments 300 will form a helical extension pattern of wear segments 300 arranged one after another. Preferably, the wear segments 300 are arranged at least along the entire longitudinal direction of the helical screw blades 101, because during operation the wear segments will come into contact with the grinding media and the material to be ground and thus undergo wear.

[0074] The end cap 400, which is installed at the lowermost free end of the shaft 100, is configured to provide wear protection for the free end of the shaft 100.

[0075] Turn now Figure 3a and Figure 3b An embodiment of the adapter board 200 is disclosed. Figure 3a The outer envelope surface 201 of the adapter plate 200 is disclosed, that is, the surface configured to face away from the axis 100 during use. Accordingly, Figure 3b The inner envelope surface 202 of the adapter plate 200 is disclosed, that is, the surface that is configured to be adjacent to the shaft 100 during use.

[0076] The adapter plate 200 is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft 100 in the gap between the two longitudinally aligned portions of the helical screw blade 101, such as... Figure 4 The best visibility is achieved by placing the adapter plate 200 between two vertically aligned portions of the helical screw blade 101. This adapter plate acts as a protective cover that closely abuts the outer surface of the shaft 100 and protects the outer surface from wear.

[0077] The adapter plate 200 includes a single-curved body 203 having a longitudinal extension, i.e., a height H1 corresponding to the pitch of the helical screw blade 101. Furthermore, the adapter plate has a width W1, which is adjusted such that, when multiple adapter plates 200 are arranged one after another in an adjacent relationship along the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100, substantially the entire circumference of the shaft 100 can be covered by the adapter plates 200 and the helical screw blade 101. Figure 4As shown in the diagram. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the number of adapter plates 200 in system 1000 depends on the length of the shaft 100 to be covered and the height H1 and width W1 of each adapter plate 200. The single-bend body 203 may have a uniform thickness T1.

[0078] The adapter plate 200 can be made of, for example, A36 steel (i.e., ordinary structural steel).

[0079] The adapter plate 200 includes two locking members on its outer envelope surface 201, hereinafter referred to as first locking members 204. Therefore, the disclosed adapter plate 200 is configured to support two wear segments 300. It should be understood that, within the scope of this disclosure, each adapter plate 200 can be configured to support only one wear segment 300. In this embodiment not shown, the height of the adapter plate may be half the height H1 of the disclosed adapter plate 200.

[0080] In the disclosed embodiment of the adapter plate 200, the body 203 includes a plurality of through holes 205. The holes 205 reduce the overall weight of the adapter plate 200. As will be explained below, the holes 205 can also be used during the securing of the adapter plate 200 to the shaft 100. It will be understood that the style of the holes 205 can be varied and may even be omitted.

[0081] The adapter plate 200 can be configured to be securely mounted to the shaft 100 by welding. Welding can be performed along the perimeter 206 of the adapter plate 200. Welding can be performed in the form of continuous or discontinuous weld beads. For further strength, welding can be performed along the perimeter 207 of one or more through holes 205. By using welding, there are no protruding parts that may be subject to wear and require maintenance or replacement during long-term operation. However, it should be understood that other fixing methods for the adapter plate 200 are also applicable, such as brazing and bolting.

[0082] Each first locking member 204 is disclosed as a wedge 208 having a truncated triangular shape. As seen in the case where the adapter plate 200 is mounted to the shaft 100, the wedge 208 is disclosed as having a longitudinal extension consistent with the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100. As will be discussed below, each first locking member 204 is configured to lockably engage with a corresponding recess in the wear section 300 to be supported, whereby the recess constitutes a second locking member 314. The truncated end of the first locking member 204 serves as an insertion end 209, while the opposite lower end serves as a stop end 210.

[0083] like Figure 3bAs best shown, the first locking member 204 has a gradually increasing thickness T2 when viewed along the direction from the insertion end 209 to the opposite stop end 210. As will be described below, the first locking member 204 in the form of a wedge 208 serves a dual purpose: to provide guidance during the installation of the wear section 300 onto the adapter plate 200, and to provide a frictional self-locking effect between the first locking member 204 and the second locking member 314, and thus between the wear section 300 and the adapter plate 200.

[0084] The first locking member 204 may include an optional hole 211. The hole 211 is configured to receive a bolt (not shown) extending through the first locking member 204 and the second locking member 314 when the wear section 300 is mounted to the adapter plate 200.

[0085] Turn now Figure 5a and Figure 5b It discloses two perspective views of one embodiment of the wear section 300. Figure 5a An outer envelope surface 301 is disclosed, which is configured to face away from the axis 100 during use. Figure 5b An inner envelope surface 302 is disclosed, which is configured to face the axis 100 and engage with the adapter plate 200 in a locking manner during use.

[0086] Wear section 300 can be made, for example, of a steel with high wear resistance, such as high-chromium white iron. Rubber or PU (polyurethane) can be used as a substitute for steel. Wear section 300 can be formed by casting.

[0087] The wear segment 300 is formed as a single-bend extension 303, which has a single-bend extension complementary to the single-bend extension of the adapter plate 200. The wear segment 300 has a longitudinal extension, i.e., a height H2, which corresponds to approximately half the pitch of the helical screw blade 101 and / or half the height H1 of the adapter plate 200. Furthermore, the wear segment 300 has a width W2, which is adjusted such that, in the case where multiple wear segments 300 are arranged one after another along the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100 in an adjacent or partially overlapping relationship, the entire circumference of the free surface of the shaft 100 can be covered by the wear segment 300. Providing an adjacent or partially overlapping relationship allows for the formation of a longitudinally extending sealing wear surface along the shaft 100, such as… Figure 2As shown. To allow this stacking, the upper edge portion 304 of the wear segment 300 is provided with a profile configured to mate with the profile of the lower edge portion 305 of the wear segment 300. Therefore, when one wear segment 300 is stacked on top of another wear segment 300 along the longitudinal extension L of the axis 100, the upper edge portion 304 of the first wear segment 300 will mate with the lower edge portion 305 of the subsequent wear segment 300. This can be an adjacency relationship or an overlap relationship.

[0088] The sidewall 306, which connects the upper edge portion 304 and the lower edge portion 305, is arranged at an angle α, which corresponds to the pitch of the screw blade 101.

[0089] like Figure 5b As best seen, the lower edge portion 305 includes a longitudinally extending flange 307 having an inner enclosing surface 308. The inner enclosing surface 308 is provided with a shoulder 309. The shoulder 309 is provided with an inclined longitudinally extending guide surface 310. Figure 5a As best seen, the upper edge portion 304 includes a longitudinally extending recess 311. The recess 311 includes an inclined, longitudinally extending guide surface 312, which complements the guide surface 310 of the lower edge portion 305. In a configuration where the two wear segments 300 are positioned one on top of the other, the guide surface 312 of the upper wear segment will abut against the guide surface 310 of the lower wear segment. During the mounting of the wear segment 300 to the shaft, the inclination facilitates guidance as the upper wear segment descends onto the lower wear segment. Furthermore, the inner envelope surface 308 of the flange 307 will abut against the outer envelope portion 313 of the upper edge portion 304 of this upper wear segment in a longitudinally overlapping relationship, thereby providing a sealed interface between the two wear segments positioned one on the other along the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100.

[0090] like Figure 5b As best seen, the inner envelope surface 302 of the wear segment 300 includes a locking member, hereinafter referred to as the second locking member 314. The second locking member 314 is formed as a wedge-shaped recess with a downward opening 315. The second locking member 314 has a geometry complementary to at least one first locking member 204, which is part of the adapter plate 200. The at least one first and second locking members 204, 314 are configured to engage with each other by sliding movement, wherein the truncated end of the first locking member 204 forming the insertion end 209 is longitudinally inserted into the opening 315 of the second locking member.

[0091] To allow the wear segment 300 to be secured to the adapter plate 200 in its mounting position, the body 303 of the wear segment 300 is provided with a through hole 316 configured to receive a bolt (not shown). The bolt is configured to engage, for example, with a mating hole 211 in the first locking member 204 of the adapter plate 200 via threading. To allow for dimensional tolerances related to the relative displacement between the wear segment 300 and the adapter plate 200, the through hole 316 is preferably arranged as an elongated hole. To accommodate and protect the bolt head from wear, the through hole 316 may be partially recessed in the outer envelope surface 301 of the wear segment 300. Furthermore, the outer envelope surface 301 of the wear segment 300 is preferably provided in a region with locally increased material thickness surrounding the through hole 316. To further protect the bolt and its bolt head, a protective wall portion 317 may be provided in the region of the outer envelope surface 301 adjacent to the through hole 316. The protective wall portion 317 itself must not have a circumferential extension, but as can be seen during the rotation of the agitator, such a protective wall portion 317 may have an extension facing the leading edge of the lining element 102 of the screw blade 101.

[0092] like Figure 5a As best seen, the outer envelope surface 301 includes a plurality of undulations 318. The undulations 318 have an extension substantially aligned with the main direction of movement of the material to be ground within the chamber of the vertical mill. As seen in the case where at least one wear section 300 is mounted on the shaft 100, the undulations 318 may have an extension aligned with the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100. The undulations 318 serve as the abrasive material, i.e., the material worn during operation, thereby increasing the service life of the wear section 300. By providing the abrasive material in the form of undulations 318 with locally increased material thickness, the total weight of a single wear section 300 can be reduced. Therefore, it should be understood that within the scope of this disclosure, the number, position, and geometry of the undulations 318 can be varied while maintaining functionality.

[0093] The outer envelope surface of the wear section 300 also includes two lifting lugs 319. It should be understood that one lifting lug is sufficient. The lifting lug 319 can be used to assist in handling the wear section 300 during the mounting of the wear section 300 to the adapter plate 200. The lifting lug 319 can be integrally formed with the wear section 300. Alternatively, the lifting lug 319 can be provided as a separate component, which will be attached to the wear section 300. The lifting lug 319 is designed as a protruding ear that will wear off or break off during operation.

[0094] The wear segment 300 includes an optional eyelet 320. The eyelet 320 is configured to receive a lifting band (not shown) for removing the worn wear segment 300 during maintenance or replacement. The eyelet 320 can be implemented as a through channel 321 extending between an inlet 322 disposed in the outer envelope surface and an outlet 323 disposed in the upper edge portion 304. In the disclosed embodiment, the outlet 323 is disposed in the upper edge portion 304, where it is substantially protected from wear by means of the lower edge portion 305 of an adjacent or partially overlapping subsequent wear segment 300.

[0095] Preferably, the eyelet 320 is positioned such that the wear segment 300 can be lifted parallel to the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100 and thus parallel to the longitudinal extensions of the first and second locking members 204, 314, respectively. Preferably, at least one of the inlet 322 and the outlet 323 is arranged in a surface having an extension different from the thickness direction T3 of the wear segment 300. Furthermore, preferably, the eyelet 320 is arranged in a portion of the outer envelope surface 301 having a locally increased material thickness. Thus, when the wear segment 300 has been worn to the point where it can be removed, the channel 321 forming the eyelet 320 will also remain unaffected.

[0096] Turn now Figure 6 An embodiment of an end cap 400 is disclosed. The end cap 400 includes a circular steel plate 401 having a substantially flat upper surface 403 and a lower surface 402. The upper surface 403 is provided with two opposing radially extending recesses 404. Furthermore, the circular steel plate 401 includes a through-center hole 405 configured to receive a bolt 406 for fastening the end cap 400 to the lowermost free end of the shaft 100.

[0097] The end cap 400 also includes two single-bend liners 407 having a curvature corresponding to the curvature of the free end of the shaft 100. Each liner 407 includes a radially extending flange 408 on its inner envelope surface. The two liners 407 are configured to be securely mounted to a circular steel plate 401, with the flange 408 received in a radially extending recess 404 of the circular steel plate 401. The resulting end cap 400 is configured to be bolted to the free end of the shaft 100 by bolts 406. Each liner 407 includes a respective lifting lug 409 configured to assist in handling during installation or replacement. The liners 407 constitute the primary wear components and, in this embodiment, can be easily replaced upon wear.

[0098] It should be understood that the end cap 400 can be formed in a variety of ways. Figure 7An alternative embodiment of the end cap 400' is disclosed. The end cap 400' is formed as an integral body 410' having a bottom wall 401' and two opposing side wall portions 411'. The bottom wall has a longitudinal extension L extending transversely to the shaft 100. The two side wall portions form a liner 407', which is configured to longitudinally abut the lowermost longitudinally extending side wall portion of the shaft 100. The side wall portions 411' include lifting lugs 409' configured to assist in handling during installation or replacement. In this embodiment, the entire end cap 400' is replaced upon wear.

[0099] Regardless of the design, the end caps 400 and 400' should be made of a wear-resistant material. This material can be the same type used for the wear section, i.e., a steel with high wear resistance, such as high-chromium white cast iron.

[0100] Regardless of the design of the end caps 400, 400', the uppermost free edge portions 412, 412' of their longitudinally extending liners 407, 407' are designed to form an adjacent surface for the lowermost wear segment 300 of a plurality of wear segments arranged one after another, thereby forming a longitudinally extending sealing wear surface along the shaft 100.

[0101] Turn now Figure 8 and Figure 9 An embodiment of an installed system 1000 is disclosed. For ease of understanding, Figure 8 The shaft 100, its helical screw blades 101, and lining element 102 are omitted. Figure 8 The left side shows system 1000 before the wear section is installed, and the right side shows system after the wear section 300 is installed.

[0102] Starting from the bottom, system 1000 includes an end cap 400. Four adapter plates 200 are arranged longitudinally above the end cap 400 and surround the shaft 100 in a helical pattern. This helical pattern thus defines a helical clearance configured to accommodate the helical screw blade 101, see below. Figure 9 .

[0103] Each adapter plate 200 includes two locking members 204 and is thus configured to support two wear segments 300A, 300B; 300C, 300D, respectively. The two locking members 204 of each adapter plate 200 are displaced relative to each other in the circumferential direction such that the two wear segments 300A, 300B; 300C, 300D can engage with each other in an abutment and / or partially overlapping relationship to conform to a helical pattern, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8Arrow A in the diagram. Furthermore, the two subsequent adapter plates 200 are longitudinally displaced relative to each other along the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100, such that the four wear segments 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D, along the longitudinal extension L of the shaft 100 and along the pitch of the helical screw blade 101, together form a continuous sealing wear surface. The resulting effect is that the entire free surface of the shaft 100 (see...) Figure 9 It will be protected from wear by the end cap 400 and multiple wear sections 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D. Note that, for ease of understanding, Figure 9 The uppermost wear section 300D is omitted.

[0104] Turn now Figure 10 An embodiment of a replacement kit 2000 for wear sections 300 is disclosed. The replacement kit includes at least two wear sections 300 of the type described above, and the replacement kit can be provided as a spare for use during maintenance of the system used in the vertical mill discussed above. The design of at least two wear sections 300 has been discussed above; please refer to the preceding discussion to avoid excessive repetition. It should be understood that, depending on the shaft design, the at least two wear sections can be arranged directly or indirectly on the shaft. In the case of indirect arrangement, the at least two wear sections can be configured to be mounted to an adapter plate, which is mounted to the shaft. Each of the at least two wear sections 300 in the replacement kit 2000 may include at least one of the following: a second locking member 314 (not shown) having a geometry complementary to a first locking member 204 arranged directly or indirectly on the shaft; an undulation 318 arranged on an outer envelope surface 301 configured to face away from the shaft 100; at least one lifting lug 319; and at least one eyelet 320 configured to receive a lifting belt. The replacement kit 2000 may also include optional end caps 400 or liners 407, which are configured to be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft 100.

[0105] Turn now Figure 11An embodiment of a wear protection element kit 3000 is disclosed. The wear protection element kit 3000 includes at least two adapter plates 200 configured to be securely mounted to a shaft, and at least two wear segments 300 configured to be mounted on the adapter plates 200. The at least two wear segments 300 and the at least two adapter plates 200 include complementary first and second locking members of the type described above. Only the first type of locking member 204 is shown. The kit 3000 may also include an end cap 400 configured to be mounted on the lowermost free end of the shaft. Therefore, the kit 3000 includes wear protection elements such that the shaft of the grinder can be equipped with a wear system, whether installing a brand new agitator on the shaft or refurbishing an existing shaft. The advantages and designs of these components have been discussed above; to avoid excessive repetition, please refer to the preceding discussion.

[0106] To gain a comprehensive understanding of the dimensions of the wear protection element system kit 3000, the following non-constraintive example provides a single embodiment for a medium-sized agitator. In this specific embodiment, the weight of a single end cap liner 407 is approximately 90 kg, the weight of a single wear section 300 is approximately 70 kg, and the weight of a single adapter plate 200 is approximately 22 kg. Therefore, the wear protection element system kit 3000, having four adapter plates 200, eight wear sections 300, and two liners 407, weighs at least 828 kg, excluding the base plate of the end cap 400.

[0107] Turn now Figure 12 An example of a vertical mill 1 using the present inventive system is disclosed. The vertical mill 1 includes a longitudinally extending shaft 100 that supports a helical screw blade 101. The shaft 100 is provided with wear protection in the form of a plurality of wear segments 300, which are arranged one after another along the longitudinal extension of the shaft 100. Each wear segment 300 is supported by an adapter plate by means of a locking element. The adapter plate and the locking element are arranged in the interface between the wear segment 300 and the shaft 100 and are therefore not shown externally. The types of wear segments 300, adapter plates, and locking elements are exactly the same as those disclosed above and will not be discussed further.

[0108] Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0109] For example, the first and second locking members 204, 314 may have geometries other than wedge shapes.

[0110] The first locking member 204 can be formed as a recess, while the second locking member 314 can be formed as a complementary wedge.

[0111] The undulating portion 318 with wear section 300 can be provided in a variety of ways. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that other arrangements can be used while maintaining the same effect, i.e., with the aim of providing sufficient volume of wear-resistant material while reducing weight.

[0112] An adapter plate 200 configured to support two wear segments 300 has been disclosed. It should be understood that, within the scope of this disclosure, each adapter plate 200 may be configured to support only one wear segment 300. In this embodiment, not shown, the height of the adapter plate may be half the height H1 of the disclosed adapter plate 200.

[0113] The following are the details disclosed in this application:

[0114] Project 1. A system (1000) for a vertical mill, the system comprising: a longitudinally extending shaft (100) supporting helical screw blades (101); at least one adapter plate (200) capable of being securely mounted to the shaft (100), each adapter plate (200) including at least one first locking member (204); and at least one wear section (300) capable of being supported by the at least one first locking member (204).

[0115] Project 2. The system according to Project 1, wherein the at least one adapter plate (200) can be securely mounted to the shaft (100) in the gap between two longitudinally aligned portions of the helical screw blade (101).

[0116] Item 3. The system according to Item 1 or Item 2, wherein the at least one wear segment (300) includes a second locking member (314) having a geometry complementary to the at least one first locking member (204), and wherein the at least one first and second locking members (204; 314) are capable of lockingly engaging each other by sliding movement.

[0117] Item 4. The system according to Item 3, wherein the at least one wear segment (300) can be fastened to the at least one adapter plate (200).

[0118] Item 5. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein, when viewed along the longitudinal extension of the axis (100), the at least two wear segments (300) are arranged one after another in an adjacency and / or partial overlap relationship.

[0119] Item 6. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein a plurality of wear sections (300) are capable of being installed along substantially the entire longitudinal direction of the helical screw blade (101).

[0120] Item 7. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the at least one adapter plate (200) can be securely mounted to the shaft (100) by welding.

[0121] Item 8. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the at least one wear segment (300) includes undulations (318) on its outer envelope surface (301) that is capable of facing away from the shaft (100).

[0122] Item 9. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the at least one wear segment (300) includes at least one lifting lug (319) on its outer envelope surface (301) that is oriented away from the shaft (100).

[0123] Item 10. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the at least one wear section (300) includes at least one eyelet (320) capable of receiving a lifting belt.

[0124] Item 11. The system according to any one of the preceding items, wherein the at least one first locking member (204) is a wedge (208) and wherein the at least one second locking member (314) is a recess, such that the first and second locking members (204; 314) can interlock by sliding movement.

[0125] Item 12. The system according to any one of the preceding items further includes an end cap (400; 400') that can be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft (100).

[0126] Item 13. A wear section replacement kit (2000) for a longitudinally extending shaft (100) supporting a helical screw blade (101), the replacement kit (2000) comprising at least two wear sections (300) that can be directly or indirectly supported by the shaft (100), wherein, viewed along the longitudinal extension of the shaft (100), the at least two wear sections (300) can be arranged one after another in an adjacency and / or partial overlap relationship.

[0127] Item 14. The replacement kit according to Item 13, wherein each of the at least two wear segments (300) comprises at least one of the following:

[0128] The locking member (314) has a geometry complementary to that of the locking member (204) arranged directly or indirectly on the shaft (100);

[0129] The undulating portion (318) is arranged on the outer envelope surface (301) that is able to face away from the shaft (100);

[0130] At least one lifting lug (319);

[0131] At least one eyelet (320) is provided for receiving a lifting belt; and the replacement kit (2000) further includes

[0132] An end cap (400; 400') or its liner (407) can be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft (100).

[0133] Item 15. A wear protection element kit (3000) for a longitudinally extending shaft (100) supporting a helical screw blade (101), the wear protection element kit (3000) comprising:

[0134] At least two adapter plates (200) can be securely mounted to the shaft (100); and

[0135] At least two wear segments (300), viewed along the longitudinal extension of the axis (100), can be installed one after another onto the adapter plate (200) in an adjacent and / or partially overlapping relationship; and

[0136] The at least two wear sections (300) and the at least two adapter plates (200) include complementary locking members (204; 314).

[0137] Item 16. A vertical mill (1), said vertical mill (1) comprising:

[0138] A longitudinally extending shaft (100) supports the helical screw blades (101);

[0139] At least one adapter plate (200) is capable of being securely mounted to the shaft (100), each adapter plate (200) including at least one first locking member (204); and

[0140] At least one wear segment (300) can be supported by the at least one first locking member (204).

Claims

1. A system (1000) for a vertical mill, the system comprising: Longitudinal extension shaft (100) supports the helical screw blades (101). At least one adapter plate (200) is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100), wherein the at least one adapter plate includes at least two first locking members (204). as well as At least two wear segments (300) are configured to be supported by the two first locking members (204). The at least two wear segments (300) are configured to extend longitudinally along the axis (100) and be arranged adjacent to each other in an adjoining and / or partially overlapping relationship. Each of the at least two wear segments includes at least one second locking member having a geometry complementary to each of the at least two first locking members, and wherein the first locking members and the second locking members are configured to engage with each other in a locking manner by sliding movement.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one adapter plate (200) is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100) in the gap between two longitudinally aligned portions of the helical screw blade (101).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least two wear segments (300) are configured to be fastened to the at least one adapter plate (200).

4. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of wear segments (300) are configured to be mounted on the longitudinal extension shaft along the entire longitudinal extension of the helical screw blade (101).

5. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one adapter plate (200) is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100) by welding.

6. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the at least two wear segments (300) includes an outer envelope surface (301) configured to face away from the shaft (100) and includes undulations (318).

7. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the at least two wear segments (300) includes its outer envelope surface (301) configured to face away from the shaft (100) and includes at least one lifting lug (319).

8. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the at least two wear sections (300) includes at least one eyelet (320) configured to receive a lifting belt.

9. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the at least two first locking members (204) is a wedge (208), and each of the at least two wear segments includes at least one second locking member (314), the at least one second locking member being a recess, such that each of the at least two first locking members (204) and the at least one second locking member (314) are configured to interlock by sliding movement.

10. The system according to claim 1 or 2 further includes an end cap (400; 400') configured to be mounted to the lowermost free end of the shaft (100).

11. A wear section replacement kit (2000) for a longitudinally extending shaft (100), the longitudinally extending shaft supporting a helical screw blade (101) and at least two adapter plates (200), each of the at least two adapter plates including at least two first locking members, the replacement kit (2000) comprising: At least two wear segments (300) are configured to be supported on the shaft (100) by the at least two adapter plates (200), wherein extending longitudinally along the shaft (100), the at least two wear segments (300) are arranged adjacent to each other in an adjacency and / or partial overlap relationship, and wherein each of the at least two wear segments includes at least one second locking member having a geometry complementary to each of the at least two first locking members, and wherein the first locking members and the second locking members are configured to engage each other in a locking manner by sliding movement.

12. A wear protection element kit (3000) for a longitudinally extending shaft (100) supporting a helical screw blade (101), the wear protection element kit (3000) comprising: At least two adapter plates (200) are configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100). as well as At least two wear segments (300), which extend longitudinally along the axis (100), are configured to be mounted adjacent to each other in an adjacency and / or partial overlap relationship to the at least two adapter plates (200). Each of the at least two adapter plates includes at least two first locking members, and each of the at least two wear segments includes at least one second locking member, the at least one second locking member having a geometry complementary to each of the at least two first locking members, and wherein the first locking members and the second locking members are configured to engage with each other in a locking manner by sliding movement.

13. A vertical mill (1), said vertical mill (1) comprising: Longitudinal extension shaft (100) supports the helical screw blades (101). At least one adapter plate (200) is configured to be securely mounted to the shaft (100), wherein the at least one adapter plate includes at least two first locking members (204). as well as At least two wear segments (300), each of the at least two wear segments being configured to be supported by one of the at least two first locking members (204), The at least two wear segments (300) are configured to be arranged adjacent to each other in an adjoining and / or partially overlapping relationship when viewed along the longitudinal extension axis (100), and Each of the at least two wear segments includes at least one second locking member having a geometry complementary to each of the at least two first locking members, and wherein the first locking members and the second locking members are configured to engage with each other in a locking manner by sliding movement.

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