A device and method for blocking airflow

Abstract

This invention discloses a flow-blocking and air-locking device and method. The device includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, etc. The inlet pipe and outlet pipe are symmetrically arranged on both sides of a housing, which surrounds a turntable. The housing and the turntable are fitted with a clearance, and the turntable can rotate within the housing. The method includes: material enters the first hole of the turntable through the inlet pipe, while the other two holes are sealed within the housing. The material then falls into the second and third holes. As the turntable rotates counterclockwise, the first hole is sealed by the housing, and the material in the third hole also falls into the second hole. As the turntable rotates further, the second hole connects with the outlet pipe, and the material is discharged from the second hole into the outlet pipe. At this time, the first and third holes are sealed by the housing. As the turntable rotates further, the third hole enters the position of the first hole, the first hole enters the position of the second hole, and the second hole enters the position of the third hole. During the material falling process, larger material impacts dust-like materials, which has a self-cleaning effect and prevents the holes of the turntable from becoming clogged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of energy and chemical technology, and specifically relates to a flow-blocking and gas-locking device and method. Background Technology

[0002] The main function of the fuel loading and unloading system of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor is to load fuel balls and graphite balls from the atmospheric environment and unload spent fuel balls and graphite balls from the high-temperature and high-pressure helium environment of the reactor. While loading and unloading the balls, it is also necessary to isolate the two environments (different medium gases, different pressures, and different temperatures). The flow restrictor is a device that enables material transfer without connecting the two environments.

[0003] The current flow damper used in the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor demonstration power plant uses a bottom-sealed spherical cup to receive graphite balls and rotates them for transport. This method has the following problems:

[0004] (1) The ball cup of the flow restrictor cannot effectively discharge graphite dust and broken balls;

[0005] (2) The graphite dust and broken graphite balls remaining in the ball cup of the flow restrictor raise the graphite balls entering the ball cup, making it easy to cut and crush the complete graphite balls during the rotation of the flow restrictor;

[0006] (3) When the graphite ball of the flow choke is damaged, the damage will continue to worsen, requiring a shutdown for maintenance, which will affect the safety of the unit operation and increase the risk of personnel being exposed to radiation. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a flow-blocking and air-locking device and method.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:

[0009] An air-locking device includes an inlet pipe, a housing, a turntable, and an outlet pipe;

[0010] The feed pipe and discharge pipe are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the outer shell. The outer shell surrounds the turntable, and the outer shell and the turntable are fitted with a clearance, allowing the turntable to rotate inside the outer shell.

[0011] A further improvement of the present invention is that the turntable has three through holes with an included angle of 120°.

[0012] A further improvement of the present invention is that the inner diameter of the through hole is the same as that of the feed pipe and the discharge pipe, both being A, and the outer diameter D of the turntable is greater than 4A.

[0013] A further improvement of the present invention is that when one through hole of the turntable is directly opposite the feed pipe, the shortest distance from the edge of the other two holes to the inlet of the discharge pipe is C, where C is greater than A.

[0014] A further improvement of the present invention is that, of the three holes on the turntable, the hole directly opposite the feed pipe is called the first hole, the hole to the left of the discharge pipe is called the second hole, and the other hole is called the third hole.

[0015] A further improvement of the present invention is that the maximum external dimension of the material entering the feed pipe is B, where B is smaller than A.

[0016] A further improvement of the present invention is that it also includes a flange cover and a drive shaft;

[0017] The drive shaft drives the turntable to rotate. The flange cover is the cover of the outer shell and is connected to the outer shell through the flange. There is a hole in the center of the flange cover. The drive shaft passes through the outer shell through the hole and connects to the power unit. The drive shaft and the center hole of the flange cover are equipped with bearing devices.

[0018] A method for flow-blocking airlocking, based on the aforementioned flow-blocking airlocking device, includes the following steps:

[0019] Measure the maximum external dimension B of the material entering the feed pipe. B determines the dimension of A, and in turn, the dimension of D.

[0020] Select a cylinder with an outer diameter of D, and drill three holes with an inner diameter of A at a 120° angle from the middle of its height toward the center. The three holes are connected. The height E of the cylinder depends on the strength of the material used.

[0021] The drive shaft is connected at the center of the end face of the disk;

[0022] Fabricate the outer shell, inlet pipe, outlet pipe, and flange with an inner diameter greater than D, and assemble the various components;

[0023] The power unit drives the transmission shaft to rotate. Since A is less than C, the disc and the outer shell are fitted with a gap to keep the feed pipe and the discharge pipe isolated, which plays the role of blocking flow and locking air.

[0024] The material enters the first hole of the disc through the feed pipe. The other two holes are sealed inside the outer shell. The material then falls into the second and third holes. As the disc rotates counterclockwise, the first hole is sealed by the outer shell, and the material in the third hole also falls into the second hole.

[0025] As the disc rotates further, the second hole connects with the discharge pipe, and the material is discharged from the second hole into the discharge pipe. At this time, the first and third holes are sealed by the outer shell.

[0026] As the disc rotates further, the third hole enters the position of the first hole, the first hole enters the position of the second hole, and the second hole enters the position of the third hole, thus beginning the next round of material feeding;

[0027] During the material falling process, larger materials have greater falling momentum, impacting dusty materials and having a self-cleaning effect, preventing the disc holes from becoming clogged.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial technical effects:

[0029] The present invention provides a flow-blocking and air-locking device and method, which has the following significant advantages compared with currently used devices:

[0030] 1) The equipment provided by this method can achieve isolation between two environments while conveying materials, thereby improving the efficiency of material conveying;

[0031] 2) Larger material flows have an impact and cleaning effect on dust, and the material flow is smooth and not easily blocked;

[0032] 3) This flow-blocking airlock will not cause the material to be cut or crushed due to its own reasons;

[0033] 4) The flow-blocking airlock is not prone to clogging;

[0034] 5) Improved the reliability and stability of equipment operation;

[0035] 6) Reduced downtime risks and maintenance-related risks. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is an axial sectional view of a flow-blocking and air-locking device according to the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 for Figure 1 HH sectional view.

[0038] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0039] 1. Feed pipe, 2. Outer shell, 3. Turntable, 4. Flange cover, 5. Drive shaft, 6. Discharge pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the present disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0041] like Figure 1As shown, the present invention provides a flow-blocking and air-locking device, including a feed pipe 1, a housing 2, a turntable 3, a flange cover 4, a drive shaft 5, and a discharge pipe 6; the feed pipe 1 and the discharge pipe 6 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing 2, the housing 2 surrounds the turntable 3, and the housing 2 and the turntable 3 are fitted with a clearance, and the turntable 3 can rotate inside the housing 2; the drive shaft 5 drives the turntable 3 to rotate, the flange cover 4 is the cover of the housing 2, and is connected to the housing 2 through a flange, the flange cover 4 has a hole in the center, through which the drive shaft 5 passes out of the housing 2 and is connected to the power device, and bearing devices are provided in the center holes of the drive shaft 5 and the flange cover 4.

[0042] The turntable 3 has three through holes with an included angle of 120°. The inner diameter of each hole is the same as that of the feed pipe 1 and the discharge pipe 6, both being A. The outer diameter D of the turntable 3 is greater than 4A. When one hole of the turntable 3 is directly opposite the feed pipe 1, the shortest distance from the edge of the other two holes to the inlet of the discharge pipe 6 is C, where C is greater than A. Of the three holes of the turntable 3, the one directly opposite the feed pipe 1 is called the first hole, the one on the left side of the discharge pipe 6 is called the second hole, and the other hole is called the third hole. The maximum external dimension of the material entering the feed pipe 1 is B, where B is less than A.

[0043] The present invention provides a method for flow restriction and airlock, comprising the following steps:

[0044] Measure the maximum external dimension B of the material entering the feed pipe 1. B determines the dimension of A, and thus the dimension of D.

[0045] Select a cylinder with an outer diameter of D, and drill three holes with an inner diameter of A at a 120° angle from the middle of its height toward the center. The three holes are connected. The height E of the cylinder depends on the strength of the material used.

[0046] The drive shaft 5 is connected at the center of the end face of the disk 3;

[0047] Fabricate the outer shell 2 (with an inner diameter greater than D), the feed pipe 1, the discharge pipe 6, and the flange 4, and assemble the various components;

[0048] The power unit drives the transmission shaft 5 to rotate. Since A is less than C, the disc 3 and the outer shell 2 are fitted with a gap to keep the feed pipe 1 and the discharge pipe 6 isolated, which plays the role of blocking flow and locking air.

[0049] The material enters the first hole of the disc 3 through the feed pipe 1. The other two holes are sealed inside the outer shell 2. The material then falls into the second and third holes. As the disc 3 rotates counterclockwise, the first hole is sealed by the outer shell 2, and the material in the third hole also falls into the second hole.

[0050] As the disc 3 rotates further, the second hole connects with the discharge pipe 6, and the material is discharged from the second hole into the discharge pipe 6. At this time, the first hole and the third hole are sealed by the outer shell 2.

[0051] As the disc 3 rotates further, the third hole enters the position of the first hole, the first hole enters the position of the second hole, and the second hole enters the position of the third hole, thus starting the next round of material feeding;

[0052] During the material falling process, larger materials have greater falling momentum, which can impact dusty materials and has a self-cleaning effect, preventing the disc holes from becoming clogged.

[0053] Example

[0054] The fuel spheres and graphite spheres in the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor demonstration project have an outer diameter of 60 mm. A feed pipe with an inner diameter of 62 mm is selected. A stainless steel cylinder with an outer diameter of 260 mm is used to machine the disk, with a cylinder thickness of 90 mm. Three circular holes with an inner diameter of 62 mm are evenly machined at a distance of 45 mm from the cylinder, with an included angle of 120° between the centers of the three holes, and the three holes are connected at their center. A drive shaft with an outer diameter of 50 mm is welded to the center of the side of the disk.

[0055] The outer shell of the flow-blocking airlock is made of stainless steel tubing with an inner diameter of 261mm, a wall thickness of 20mm, and a length of 90mm. Two sides of the stainless steel tubing are sealed with 20mm thick stainless steel plates. Sealing gaskets are added to the sealing plates and the tubing, and the connection is made with bolts. A hole is drilled in the center of one of the sealing plates to allow the drive shaft to pass through. The drive shaft and the hole are sealed with packing material.

[0056] Two symmetrical holes with an inner diameter of 62mm are drilled on the side of the stainless steel pipe. Two short stainless steel pipes with an inner diameter of 62mm are welded into the holes as the feed pipe and the discharge pipe.

[0057] The disc is installed into the outer casing, and the gap is minimized through polishing to ensure it does not jam. After the equipment is assembled, the feed pipe and discharge pipe are connected to the system, and the drive shaft is driven by a motor. The speed of the drive shaft is adjusted according to the system requirements.

[0058] When the first hole of the turntable aligns with the feed pipe, the graphite ball enters the first hole. At this point, the minimum distance between the edges of the second and third holes and the edge of the discharge pipe is 68mm. All holes are sealed by the outer shell.

[0059] As the disc rotates, the angle between the center line of the second hole and the center line of the discharge pipe becomes smaller than the angle between the center line of the third hole and the center line of the discharge hole. At this time, the graphite ball enters the second hole from the first hole.

[0060] When the outer edge of the disc rotates 62mm, the first hole is sealed, and the edge of the second hole is still 6mm away from the discharge port. At this time, all three holes are sealed by the disc.

[0061] After the second hole is connected to the discharge pipe, the material is discharged. At this time, the minimum distance between the edge of the first and third holes and the edge of the feed pipe is 68mm.

[0062] During the rotation of the disc, two holes are always sealed by the outer shell, which ensures the isolation of the feed pipe and the discharge pipe environment.

[0063] Even if broken balls fall in during the ball transfer process, they will not cause blockage of the flow-blocking airlock. Dust that enters the flow-blocking airlock will not accumulate and cause blockage due to the movement of the graphite balls.

[0064] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with general descriptions and specific embodiments, modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow-blocking and air-locking device, characterized in that, It includes a feed pipe (1), a housing (2), a turntable (3), a flange cover (4), a drive shaft (5), and a discharge pipe (6); The feed pipe (1) and the discharge pipe (6) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the outer shell (2). The outer shell (2) surrounds the turntable (3), and the outer shell (2) and the turntable (3) are fitted with a clearance. The turntable (3) can rotate inside the outer shell (2). The turntable (3) has three through holes with an included angle of 120°; The inner diameter of the through hole is the same as that of the feed pipe (1) and the discharge pipe (6), both being A. The outer diameter D of the turntable (3) is greater than 4A. When one of the through holes of the turntable (3) is directly opposite the feed pipe (1), the shortest distance from the edge of the other two holes to the inlet of the discharge pipe (6) is C, and C is greater than A; Of the three holes on the turntable (3), the hole directly opposite the feed pipe (1) is called the first hole, the one on the left side of the discharge pipe (6) is called the second hole, and the other hole is called the third hole. The maximum external dimension of the material entering the feed pipe (1) is B, where B is less than A; The drive shaft (5) drives the turntable (3) to rotate. The flange cover (4) is the cover of the outer shell (2) and is connected to the outer shell (2) through the flange. The flange cover (4) has a hole in the center. The drive shaft (5) passes through the hole to exit the outer shell (2) and connect to the power unit. The drive shaft (5) and the center hole of the flange cover (4) are equipped with bearing devices.

2. A method for flow restriction and airlocking, characterized in that, This method, based on the flow-blocking and air-locking device of claim 1, includes the following steps: Measure the maximum external dimension B of the material entering the feed pipe (1), and determine the dimension of A by B, and then determine the dimension of D; Select a cylinder with an outer diameter of D, and drill three holes with an inner diameter of A at a 120° angle from the middle of its height toward the center. The three holes are connected. The height E of the cylinder depends on the strength of the material used. A drive shaft (5) is connected at the center of the end face of the disk (3). Make an outer shell (2) with an inner diameter greater than D, a feed pipe (1), a discharge pipe (6), and a flange (4), and assemble the components; The power unit drives the transmission shaft (5) to rotate. Since A is less than C, the gap between the disc (3) and the outer shell (2) is matched to keep the feed pipe (1) and the discharge pipe (6) isolated, which plays the role of blocking flow and locking air. The material enters the first hole of the disc (3) from the feed pipe (1), and the other two holes are sealed inside the outer shell (2). The material then falls into the second and third holes. As the disc (3) rotates counterclockwise, the first hole is sealed by the outer shell (2), and the material in the third hole also falls into the second hole. As the disc (3) rotates further, the second hole connects with the discharge pipe (6), and the material is discharged from the second hole into the discharge pipe (6). At this time, the first hole and the third hole are sealed by the outer shell (2). As the disc (3) rotates further, the third hole enters the position of the first hole, the first hole enters the position of the second hole, and the second hole enters the position of the third hole, thus starting the next round of material feeding; During the material falling process, larger materials have greater falling momentum, impacting dusty materials and having a self-cleaning effect, preventing the disc holes from becoming clogged.

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