An integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system and method with spiral conveyor

Abstract

The present invention discloses an integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system and method with a spiral conveyor. The system includes an ice tank connected to an ice-making device via a circulating ice water inlet and outlet, thereby circulating ice water and storing ice slurry during the ice slurry production process; a stirring device including a stirring motor and a stirring assembly driven by the stirring motor; the stirring assembly is disposed within the ice tank and includes radial stirring rods connected to a central axis and spiral stirring blades at the ends, the stirring rods being connected to the stirring blades; a spiral conveyor connected to the ice tank, through which ice slurry reaches the spiral conveyor; a motor is connected to one end of the spiral conveyor to drive the spiral conveyor; the other end of the spiral conveyor is connected to the inlet of an ice slurry delivery pump, the outlet of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to a circulation pipe, and the circulation pipe is connected to the ice tank. The present invention can solve the problems of uneven ice slurry storage and the problem of unsmooth delivery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of ice slurry pipeline cleaning, and in particular to an ice slurry storage and delivery integrated system and method with spiral conveying. Background Art

[0002] Urban water supply pipelines are designed to have a long service life and generally last for a long time. However, due to pipeline construction and maintenance, corrosion and scaling can occur. Scale, sediment, microorganisms, biofilms, and other debris can cling to the inner walls of the pipes, affecting the quality of tap water. Cleaning the water supply network is an effective way to ensure the safety of tap water. Currently, common methods for cleaning water supply pipelines include chemical cleaning, high-pressure water jet flushing, and mechanical pigging. Chemical pipe cleaning uses chemicals to clean pipes. While this technology has no requirements for pipe shape, it also has drawbacks such as chemical corrosion, residual chemical cleaning agents, and damage to pipes and water pollution. High-pressure water cleaning can remove dirt from the inner surface of pipes using high-pressure water jets, but it also suffers from incomplete cleaning.

[0003] Ice slurry pipe cleaning technology is an advanced pipe cleaning technique. A document (patent application number: 201810531621.0) provides a detailed description of the method for using ice slurry to clean water pipes. However, the document briefly describes the four steps involved: preparing the ice slurry, transporting it, pumping it in, and cleaning the pipes. The specific techniques for each step are not fully described. A document (patent application number: 201820686158.2) provides a portable ice slurry storage device that includes an agitator and a flow guide.

[0004] Ice slurry is used for pipeline cleaning. The key technologies of the design include ice slurry preparation, ice slurry storage, and ice slurry transportation. The integration of ice slurry storage and transportation is conducive to improving the flexibility and integration of the system and facilitating mobile operations. During the ice-making process, due to the difference in density between ice and water, ice slurry easily accumulates in the upper layer of the ice storage tank, affecting the flow of cooling water, causing large water flow resistance, and increasing system energy consumption; during the ice slurry storage process, due to the difference in density between ice and water, ice slurry is easily stratified, affecting the flow and transportation of ice slurry. During the ice slurry transportation process, the delivery pump has different delivery capacities for ice and water, which easily leads to an unsmooth delivery process, making it easy to deliver water but difficult to deliver ice. The core technology of integrated ice slurry storage and transportation is to solve the problem of uneven ice slurry storage and unsmooth delivery. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the above-mentioned prior art and provide an integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system and method with spiral conveying to solve the problems of large water flow resistance in the ice slurry preparation process, uneven ice slurry in the storage and delivery process, and unsmooth delivery process.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is:

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides an integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor, comprising:

[0008] The ice storage tank is connected to the ice making device through the circulating ice water inlet and outlet to circulate ice water and store ice slurry during the ice slurry production process;

[0009] A stirring device, comprising a stirring motor and a stirring assembly driven to rotate by the stirring motor; the stirring assembly is disposed in the ice storage tank and comprises a radial stirring rod connected to a central axis and a spiral stirring blade at the end, the stirring rod being connected to the stirring blade;

[0010] A screw conveyor is connected to the ice storage tank, and the ice slurry reaches the screw conveyor through the connecting port; one end of the screw conveyor is connected to a motor for driving the screw conveyor to rotate; the other end of the screw conveyor is connected to the inlet of the ice slurry conveying pump, and the outlet of the ice slurry conveying pump is connected to the circulation pipe, and the circulation pipe is connected to the ice storage tank.

[0011] Furthermore, the integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor further includes a vibrator, which is installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank.

[0012] Furthermore, the outlet of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to a tee, one of the outlets is a delivery port to the outside, and the other outlet is connected to a circulation pipe.

[0013] Furthermore, the circulation pipe is provided with a sight glass.

[0014] Furthermore, the ice storage tank is a double-layer tank, and the space between the inner and outer tanks is filled with insulation material.

[0015] Furthermore, the stirring motor is a variable frequency speed-adjustable motor with adjustable rotation direction to adjust the speed and forward and reverse directions of the stirring component.

[0016] Furthermore, the stirring rods are evenly arranged on the central axis in a spiral manner, with two adjacent stirring rods at a 90-degree angle, and four stirring rods are connected to a circle of stirring plates.

[0017] Furthermore, the vibrator is installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank and on the side of the communication port between the ice storage tank and the screw conveyor.

[0018] Furthermore, the screw conveyor includes a screw conveyor housing, a screw conveyor rod, a screw conveyor sheet, a connecting piece, a sealing ring groove, a flange and a conveying rod support; the screw conveyor rod is installed in the screw conveyor housing, the screw conveyor sheet is installed on the screw conveyor rod, one end of the screw conveyor rod is driven to rotate by the motor, and the other end is supported by the conveying rod support, the motor is installed at one end of the screw conveyor housing through the flange, and a sealing ring groove is provided in the end of the screw conveyor housing where the motor is installed to install an O-ring; a slot is provided on the screw conveyor housing for installing the connecting piece to connect to the bottom outlet of the ice storage tank through the connecting piece.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for storing and transporting ice slurry, based on the above-mentioned system, the method comprising:

[0020] Ice-making stage: The ice storage tank is connected to the ice-making device through the circulating ice water inlet and outlet, forming a circulation loop. When the ice-rich layer in the upper part of the ice storage tank causes the bottom water pumping resistance to be greater than the target set value, the stirring device is activated, and the radial stirring rods are used to stir the ice-rich layer to create a water seepage channel. When the ice slurry concentration in the ice storage tank exceeds the target set value, ice making stops.

[0021] After ice making is completed, the connection between the ice storage tank and the ice making device is released, and the transport vehicle transports the ice storage tank to the designated work location; ice slurry pipe cleaning stage: the ice slurry is transported from the ice storage tank to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, the stirring device is started, and the gap between the end stirring piece and the inner surface of the ice storage bucket is used to realize the collection and pushing function of the ice slurry; during the ice slurry transportation process, the screw conveyor and the ice slurry delivery pump are started, the screw conveyor takes the ice slurry out of the ice storage tank and pushes it directly to the inlet of the ice slurry delivery pump, the outlet pipe of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, and the ice slurry is transported to the pipeline to be cleaned

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] (1) The stirring device plays different roles in different system working states:

[0024] ① Ice slurry production stage: Initially, the tank is filled with water or primarily composed of water. As the ice-making process progresses, ice and water separate, and ice crystals accumulate in the upper portion of the tank, forming an ice-rich layer. This ice-rich layer filters the water, increasing resistance to water extraction from the bottom, especially for fluid brine slurries. During this stage, the stirring device is activated, primarily utilizing radial stirring rods to "stir" water through the ice-rich layer. Fluctuations in seepage resistance can be determined by the circulating water pump flow rate, determining whether to activate the stirring device and adjusting the stirring speed and direction using variable frequency drive. Since the top portion is mostly unfilled with ice slurry, the stirring blades at the end are largely ineffective, leaving the stirring rods primarily responsible.

[0025] ② Ice slurry delivery phase: As the ice slurry is pumped from the bottom, its fluidity deteriorates as the liquid level drops and its concentration changes. During this phase, the stirring device activates, primarily utilizing the clearance between the stirring blades at the end and the inner surface of the ice storage bucket (3-5cm spacing) to collect and push the ice slurry. As the ice slurry in the ice storage tank decreases, the stirring rod becomes largely ineffective, leaving the stirring blades to function.

[0026] (2) Screw conveyor realizes continuous conveying

[0027] During ice slurry delivery, the delivery pump's ability to deliver ice and water is different, meaning it's better at delivering water than ice. This can lead to clogged delivery and ice accumulation at the ice storage tank outlet. Using a screw conveyor to push the ice slurry directly to the delivery pump inlet prevents ice-water separation and enables continuous delivery. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the integrated ice slurry storage and transportation system

[0029] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the stirring device (plan view)

[0030] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the stirring device (rotating view)

[0031] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the screw conveyor (plan view)

[0032] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the screw conveyor (rotating view)

[0033] In the figure: 1. Ice storage tank; 2. Stirring device; 3. Screw conveyor; 4. Ice slurry delivery pump; 5. Circulation pipe; 6. Sight glass; 7. Ladder; 11. Circulating ice water inlet; 12. Circulating ice water outlet; 13. Personnel entrance; 14. Ice crystal filter; 21. Stirring motor; 22. Center shaft; 23. Stirring rod; 24. Stirring blade; 31. Screw conveyor housing; 32. Screw conveyor rod; 33. Screw conveyor blade; 34. Connector; 35. Sealing ring groove; 36. Flange; 37. Conveyor rod support. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Example:

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0036] See Figure 1-5 As shown, the integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor provided in this embodiment mainly includes an ice storage tank 1, a stirring device 2 and a spiral conveyor 3.

[0037] The circulating ice water inlet 11 and outlet 12 of the ice storage tank 1 are connected to the inlet and outlet of the ice-making device (not shown). The circulating ice water inlet 11 of the ice storage tank is connected to the outlet pipe of the ice-making device's heat exchanger, and the circulating ice water outlet 12 is connected to the inlet pipe of the ice-making device's heat exchanger, forming a circulation loop. During the ice-making process, the ice storage tank circulates ice water and temporarily stores ice slurry. Preferably, an ice crystal filter is also provided in the circulating ice water outlet 12 to filter ice crystals. The ice slurry storage tank is a mobile device fixed to a transport vehicle. After ice slurry preparation is completed, the ice storage tank 1 and the ice-making device are separated and transported directly to the work site via the transport vehicle.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the stirring device 2 includes a stirring motor 21 and a stirring component driven to rotate by the stirring motor 21; the stirring component is arranged in the ice storage tank 1, including a stirring rod 23 connected to the central axis 22 and a spiral stirring blade 24, and the stirring rod 23 is connected to the stirring blade 24.

[0039] The screw conveyor 3 is connected to the ice storage tank 1, and the ice slurry reaches the screw conveyor 3 through the connecting port; one end of the screw conveyor 3 is connected to a motor, which drives the screw conveyor 3 to rotate; the other end of the screw conveyor 3 is connected to the inlet of the ice slurry conveying pump 4, and the outlet of the ice slurry conveying pump 4 is connected to the circulation pipe 5, which is connected to the ice storage tank 1.

[0040] As a preferred embodiment of an integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with a spiral conveyor, a vibrator is also included, which is installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank. During the delivery and pigging phase, the spiral conveyor and ice slurry delivery pump are activated, and the spiral conveyor pushes the ice slurry to the inlet of the ice slurry delivery pump 4. If the ice slurry becomes stuck at the ice storage tank outlet and cannot smoothly enter the spiral conveyor 3 from the outlet of the ice slurry storage tank 1, the vibrator is activated to alleviate the stuck situation through vibration. In one specific embodiment, the vibrator is installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank 1, on the side of the connection between the ice storage tank 1 and the spiral conveyor 3, to further ensure the vibration effect.

[0041] In a specific embodiment, if Figure 3As shown, the above-mentioned screw conveyor 3 includes a screw conveyor housing 31, a screw conveying rod 32, a screw conveying sheet 33, a connecting piece 34, a sealing ring groove 35, a flange 36 and a conveying rod support 37; the screw conveying rod 32 is installed in the screw conveyor housing 31, and the screw conveying sheet 33 is installed on the screw conveying rod 32. One end of the screw conveying rod 32 is driven to rotate by the motor, and the other end is supported by the conveying rod support 37. The motor is installed at one end of the screw conveyor housing 31 through the flange 36, and a sealing ring groove 35 is provided in this end of the screw conveyor housing 31 to install an O-ring to ensure sealing; a slot is provided on the screw conveyor housing 31 for installing the connecting piece 34, so as to be connected to the bottom of the ice storage tank 1 through the connecting piece 34; the end of the screw conveyor housing 31 where the motor is not installed is also connected to the inlet of the ice slurry conveying pump 4 through the flange 36.

[0042] The outlet of the ice slurry delivery pump 4 is connected to a three-way connection, wherein one outlet is connected to the external delivery port, and the other outlet is connected to the circulation pipe 5. A sight glass 6 is provided on the circulation pipe 5 to observe whether the circulation pipe 5 is blocked.

[0043] In one embodiment, the ice storage tank 1 is a double-layer tank filled with insulation material to maintain the temperature inside the ice storage tank 1. A manhole 13 is provided at the top of the ice storage tank 1 to facilitate access for maintenance. A ladder 7 is also installed in the ice storage tank 1 to facilitate access by maintenance personnel to the top of the ice storage tank 1.

[0044] In a specific embodiment, the stirring motor 21 is a variable frequency, adjustable speed, and adjustable rotation direction motor to adjust the stirring assembly speed and forward and reverse directions to meet different needs. In addition, in order to improve the force in the longitudinal direction and achieve a greater stirring effect, the stirring rods 23 are evenly arranged along the length of the central axis 22. Therefore, overall, the stirring rods 23 are evenly arranged on the central axis 22 in a spiral manner, with adjacent radial stirring rods 23 at a 90-degree angle, and a spiral stirring blade 24 is connected to four radial stirring rods 23 to ensure the stirring effect.

[0045] Accordingly, this embodiment further provides an ice slurry storage and transportation method. Based on the above system, the method includes:

[0046] During the ice-making phase, the integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system described above is connected to the ice-making device, which uses supercooled water to make ice. Initially, the ice storage tank is filled with water, or primarily composed of water. As the ice-making process progresses, the ice and water separate, and ice crystals accumulate in the upper portion of the tank, forming an ice-rich layer. This ice-rich layer filters the water, increasing resistance to water extraction from the bottom, especially for highly fluid brine slurry. When the ice-rich layer in the upper portion of the ice storage tank creates excessive resistance to water extraction from the bottom, the stirring device is activated, using radial stirring rods to "stir" water through the ice-rich layer, creating seepage channels. Ice-making ceases when the ice slurry concentration in the ice storage tank exceeds 65%. During this phase, since the top of the ice storage tank is mostly still below the ice slurry, the stirring blades at the end are largely inactive, leaving the stirring rods primarily responsible. During this phase, the seepage resistance can be determined based on the circulating water pump flow rate. This can be used to determine whether to activate the stirring device and to adjust the stirring speed and direction using a variable frequency drive.

[0047] The connection between the ice slurry storage and transportation integrated system and the ice making device is released, and the transport vehicle transports the ice slurry to the designated work location. During the ice slurry transportation process, the stirring device operates at a low speed or does not operate.

[0048] Ice slurry pipe cleaning stage: transport the ice slurry from the ice storage tank to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, start the stirring device, and use the gap between the end stirring blade and the inner surface of the ice storage bucket (spacing 3-5cm) to realize the collection and pushing function of the ice slurry. Since the ice slurry in the ice storage tank is getting less and less, the stirring rod basically does not play a role, and it is mainly the stirring blade that plays a role. During the ice slurry transportation process, since the delivery pump has different delivery capacities for ice and water, that is, it is easy to transport water but difficult to transport ice, it is easy to cause the transportation process to be not smooth, and ice gathers and blocks at the outlet of the ice storage tank. Start the screw conveyor and the ice slurry delivery pump, the screw conveyor takes the ice slurry out of the ice storage tank and pushes it directly to the inlet of the ice slurry delivery pump, the outlet pipe of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, and the ice slurry is transported to the pipeline to be cleaned.

[0049] The above embodiments are intended only to illustrate the technical concepts and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the contents of the present invention and implement them accordingly. They are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made based on the essence of the present invention are intended to be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor, characterized in that: include: The ice storage tank is connected to the ice making device through the circulating ice water inlet and outlet to circulate ice water and store ice slurry during the ice slurry production process; The stirring device includes a stirring motor and a stirring assembly driven by the stirring motor; the stirring assembly is disposed in the ice storage tank and includes radial stirring rods connected to the central axis and spiral stirring blades at the ends, the stirring rods and the stirring blades being connected; the stirring rods are evenly arranged in a spiral manner on the central axis, with adjacent stirring rods at a 90-degree angle, and four stirring rods are connected to a stirring blade around the circle; A screw conveyor is connected to the ice storage tank, and the ice slurry reaches the screw conveyor through the communication port; one end of the screw conveyor is connected to a motor for driving the screw conveyor to rotate; the other end of the screw conveyor is connected to the inlet of the ice slurry delivery pump, and the outlet of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to a circulation pipe, and the circulation pipe is connected to the ice storage tank; Also included is a vibrator installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank; The outlet of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to a tee, one of the outlets is a delivery port to the outside, and the other outlet is connected to a circulation pipe.

2. The integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circulation pipe is provided with a sight glass.

3. The integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ice storage tank is a double-layer tank, and the space between the inner and outer tanks is filled with insulation material.

4. The integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The stirring motor is a variable frequency speed-adjustable motor with adjustable rotation direction to adjust the stirring component speed and forward and reverse directions.

5. The integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vibrator is installed at the bottom of the ice storage tank and at the side of the communication port between the ice storage tank and the screw conveyor.

6. The integrated ice slurry storage and delivery system with spiral conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screw conveyor includes a screw conveyor housing, a screw conveyor rod, a screw conveyor sheet, a connecting piece, a sealing ring groove, a flange and a conveying rod support; the screw conveyor rod is installed in the screw conveyor housing, the screw conveyor sheet is installed on the screw conveyor rod, one end of the screw conveyor rod is driven to rotate by a motor, and the other end is supported by the conveying rod support; the motor is installed at one end of the screw conveyor housing through the flange, and a sealing ring groove is provided in the end of the screw conveyor housing where the motor is installed to install an O-ring; a slot is provided on the screw conveyor housing for installing the connecting piece, so as to communicate with the bottom outlet of the ice storage tank through the connecting piece.

7. A method for storing and transporting ice slurry, based on the system of claim 1, characterized in that: The method comprises: Ice-making stage: The ice storage tank is connected to the ice-making device through the circulating ice water inlet and outlet, forming a circulation loop. When the ice-rich layer in the upper part of the ice storage tank causes the bottom water pumping resistance to be greater than the target set value, the stirring device is activated, and the radial stirring rods are used to stir the ice-rich layer to create a water seepage channel. When the ice slurry concentration in the ice storage tank exceeds the target set value, ice making stops. After ice making is completed, the connection between the ice storage tank and the ice making device is released, and the transport vehicle transports the ice storage tank to the designated work location; Ice slurry cleaning stage: transport the ice slurry from the ice storage tank to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, start the stirring device, and use the gap between the end stirring piece and the inner surface of the ice storage bucket to realize the collection and pushing function of the ice slurry; during the ice slurry transportation process, start the screw conveyor and the ice slurry delivery pump, the screw conveyor takes the ice slurry from the ice storage tank and pushes it directly to the inlet of the ice slurry delivery pump, the outlet pipe of the ice slurry delivery pump is connected to the inlet of the pipeline to be cleaned, and the ice slurry is transported to the pipeline to be cleaned.

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