Apparatus and method for improving gel spinning quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers

Abstract

The application discloses a device and method for improving the forming quality of gel fibers of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and prepares a fiber containing barrel; a movable gasket is embedded in the fiber containing barrel; the fiber containing barrel with the gasket reciprocates at a certain speed within a fixed distance below the gel fibers; the gel fibers fall into the fiber containing barrel while swinging back and forth perpendicularly to the moving direction of the fiber containing barrel, so that the gel fibers are overlapped and evenly laid in the fiber containing barrel; when the gel fibers in the barrel are accumulated to a certain height, the gasket moves upward, and the movement is repeated until the gel fibers are fully filled. The application also provides a gasket for ensuring the uniform shrinkage of the gel fibers and a fiber containing barrel with a special treatment on the inner side of the barrel. According to the above method, the gel fibers can be evenly laid in the fiber containing barrel by being overlapped with each other, the probability of the gel fibers sticking to the barrel is reduced, meanwhile, the gaps formed due to the shrinkage of the gel fibers can be well filled by the gasket, so that the collapsed fibers are avoided, and the uniformity of the gel fibers after shrinkage is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber processing technology, specifically to equipment and methods for improving the quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filament forming. Background Technology

[0002] Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber is the third generation of high-performance fibers after aramid and carbon fiber. It possesses unparalleled mechanical properties, with the highest specific strength and specific modulus among all chemical fibers. Furthermore, it exhibits excellent chemical resistance, weather resistance, low-temperature resistance, UV resistance, and electrical insulation. Its strong impact resistance and ability to maintain good mechanical properties even at low temperatures have led to its widespread application in military protection, ocean navigation, aerospace, and marine aquaculture.

[0003] In the production of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber using wet spinning, gel filaments need to be collected in a filament collection bin after being produced in the pre-spinning process. However, the 90% oil content (solvent oil) results in extremely high shrinkage rates for the gel filaments immediately after production, shrinking by 25-30% within 30 minutes. This makes the stacking process of the gel filaments during collection crucial. Poor stacking directly affects the shaping of the gel filaments during the balancing process, thus impacting their use in subsequent spinning, increasing the rate of stiff and fuzzy fibers in the later spinning stages, reducing operational performance, increasing labor intensity for employees, and raising production costs.

[0004] Current traditional collection methods and devices only collect gel filaments through reciprocating filament placement. For example, Chinese invention CN202022373438.8 describes a filament placement device for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. The filament placement device includes a frame and a transverse filament placement mechanism and a longitudinal filament placement mechanism mounted on it. The longitudinal filament placement mechanism includes guide rails, a sliding bracket, and a longitudinal cylinder. The two guide rails are fixed on both sides of the frame, and the sliding bracket is slidably connected between the two guide rails. One side of the sliding bracket is connected to the longitudinal cylinder, and the other side of the sliding bracket is tumbledly connected to the transverse filament placement mechanism for positioning the fiber bundle. A filament holding bucket is provided below the transverse filament placement mechanism. The advantages of this invention are that the filament placement device has a simple overall structure, is easy to maintain, and simultaneously has the functions of longitudinal filament placement and transverse filament placement, making the filament placement operation convenient and more uniform.

[0005] This device is a fiber-laying device that simultaneously has longitudinal fiber-laying and transverse fiber-laying capabilities. However, this device can only ensure the flatness and uniformity of the gel fiber stacking plane. It does not effectively solve the problems that affect the formation of gel fibers, such as the collapse of gel fibers due to shrinkage during the collection process and the adhesion of single fibers to the barrel wall. Therefore, this invention provides equipment and methods to improve the forming quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel fibers. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing equipment and methods for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an apparatus and method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments, comprising a filament holding tank and a support frame, wherein a second rope winding device is installed on one side of the top of the support frame, the second rope winding device being connected to a washer via a second connecting rope, and a first rope winding device is installed on the other side of the top of the support frame, the first rope winding device being connected to the washer via a first connecting rope, the washer being disposed inside the filament holding tank, a partition being installed inside the filament holding tank, the partition having several leakage holes, a liquid storage tank being provided at the bottom of the partition, and foot brake rollers being installed at the four corners of the bottom of the filament holding tank.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the washer has a structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the cross-section is a right trapezoid with the angle of the right trapezoidal slope controlled between 60-90°. The inner corners of the upper and lower parts of the washer are rounded.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are two first connecting ropes and two second connecting ropes, and the four corners of the top of the washer are connected to the connector by threads. The first connecting rope and the second connecting rope are fixedly connected to the connector.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support frame has a groove on the inner side of its top, a fixed pulley is installed in the groove, one side of the washer is connected to the second rope winding device through the fixed pulley via a second connecting rope, and the other side of the washer is connected to the first rope winding device through the fixed pulley via a first connecting rope.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, both the first rope winding device and the first rope winding device are composed of a mounting frame, a bearing, a winding rod and a drive motor. The winding rod is mounted on the mounting frame via a bearing, and the drive motor is mounted on the mounting frame via bolts. One end of the winding rod is connected to the shaft of the drive motor via a coupling.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drive motor is connected to a timer and a controller.

[0013] A method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments includes the following specific steps:

[0014] S1: Treat the inside of the wire container and the surface of the gasket;

[0015] S2: Move the filament container onto the filament laying machine using the foot brake rollers, then connect it to the connector on the washer using the first and second connecting ropes, and place the washer inside the filament container to align the center of the filament container with the center of the gel filament.

[0016] S3: The gel filaments fall from top to bottom into the filament container, while swinging back and forth perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filament container. Adjacent gel filaments overlap and are evenly spread on the partition inside the filament container.

[0017] S4: When the gel fibers in the holding tank accumulate to a certain height, due to the contraction of the gel fibers, the liquid flows into the storage tank through the leakage hole on the partition. A gap is formed between the gel fiber pile and the holding tank. The drive motor drives the winding rod to rotate around the bearing, thereby pulling the first connecting rope and the second connecting rope. The first connecting rope and the second connecting rope move upward, thereby moving the washer upward. This process is repeated until the holding tank is full of gel fibers.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in step S1, the inner side of the wire container and the surface of the partition are treated. The specific treatment method is as follows: a protective material is applied to the inner side of the wire container and the surface of the partition, and the roughness is controlled at 50-500μm. The protective material is a PVC coating and a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: During gel filament collection, the device oscillates back and forth perpendicular to the direction of movement of the collection tank, causing the gel filaments to overlap and spread evenly within the tank. The specially treated inner wall of the collection tank significantly reduces the likelihood of individual gel filaments adhering to the tank wall. Simultaneously, a specific gasket effectively supports newly collected gel filaments during collection, preventing them from slipping into gaps created by the shrinkage of previously collected filaments. This method effectively solves the problems of collapsed edges, bent filaments, and individual filaments adhering to the wall during gel filament collection, significantly improving the quality of gel filament formation. Furthermore, the method is simple and has low operating costs. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rope winding device of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a top view of the washer of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1. Wire container; 2. Partition; 3. Foot brake roller; 4. Drain hole; 5. Washer; 6. Liquid storage tank; 7. First connecting rope; 8. Second rope winding device; 9. Fixed pulley; 10. Second connecting rope; 11. First rope winding device; 12. Groove; 13. Connector; 14. Support frame; 801. Mounting frame; 802. Bearing; 803. Winding rod; 804. Drive motor. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Example: Please refer to Figure 1-3 This invention provides a technical solution: an apparatus for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments, comprising a filament holding tank 1 and a support frame 14. A second rope winding device 8 is installed on one side of the top of the support frame 14. The second rope winding device 8 is connected to a washer 5 via a second connecting rope 10. A first rope winding device 11 is installed on the other side of the top of the support frame 14. The first rope winding device 11 is connected to the washer 5 via a first connecting rope 7. The washer 5 is located inside the filament holding tank 1. A partition 2 is installed inside the filament holding tank 1. The partition 2 has several leakage holes 4. A liquid storage tank 6 is located at the bottom of the partition 2. Foot brake rollers 3 are installed at the four corners of the bottom of the filament holding tank 1.

[0026] Washer 5 has a structure that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, with a cross-section of a right trapezoid. The angle of the inclined plane of the right trapezoid is controlled between 60-90°, and the inner corners of the upper and lower parts of washer 5 are rounded.

[0027] There are two first connecting ropes 7 and two second connecting ropes 10. The four corners of the top of the washer 5 are connected to the connector 13 by threads. The first connecting rope 7 and the second connecting rope 10 are fixedly connected to the connector 13.

[0028] The support frame 14 has a groove 12 on the top inner side, and a fixed pulley 9 is installed in the groove 12. One side of the washer 5 is connected to the second rope winding device 8 through the fixed pulley 9 via the second connecting rope 10, and the other side of the washer 5 is connected to the first rope winding device 11 through the fixed pulley 9 via the first connecting rope 7.

[0029] Both the first rope winding device 11 and the first rope winding device 11 are composed of a mounting frame 801, a bearing 802, a winding rod 803 and a drive motor 804. The winding rod 803 is mounted on the mounting frame 801 through the bearing 802, and the drive motor 804 is mounted on the mounting frame 801 through bolts. One end of the winding rod 803 is connected to the rotating shaft of the drive motor 804 through a coupling.

[0030] The drive motor 804 is connected to the controller via a timer.

[0031] A method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments includes the following specific steps:

[0032] S1: Treat the inside of the wire container 1 and treat the surface of the gasket 5;

[0033] The specific treatment method is as follows: Apply protective material to the inner side of the wire container 1 and the surface of the partition 2, with the roughness controlled at 50-500μm. The protective material is PVC coating and polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

[0034] S2: Move the filament container 1 to the filament laying machine by using the foot brake roller 3, then connect it to the connector 13 on the washer 5 by the first connecting rope 7 and the second connecting rope 10, and put the washer 5 into the filament container 1 so that the center of the filament container 1 is aligned with the center of the gel filament.

[0035] S3: The gel filaments fall from top to bottom into the filament container 1, while swinging back and forth perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filament container 1. The adjacent gel filaments overlap and are evenly spread on the partition 2 inside the filament container 1.

[0036] S4: When the gel fibers in the holding tank 1 accumulate to a certain height, due to the contraction of the gel fibers, the liquid flows into the storage tank 6 through the leakage hole 4 on the partition 2. A gap is formed between the gel fiber pile and the holding tank 1. The drive motor 804 drives the winding rod 803 to rotate around the bearing 802, thereby pulling the first connecting rope 7 and the second connecting rope 10. The first connecting rope 7 and the second connecting rope 10 move upward, thereby moving the washer 5 upward. This movement is repeated until the gel fibers are full.

[0037] This invention involves oscillating the gel filaments back and forth perpendicular to the direction of movement of the collection tank during collection. This causes the gel filaments to overlap and spread evenly within the tank. The specially treated inner wall of the collection tank significantly reduces the likelihood of individual gel filaments adhering to the tank wall. Simultaneously, specific gaskets effectively support newly collected gel filaments during collection, preventing them from slipping into gaps created by the shrinkage of previously collected filaments. This method effectively solves the problems of collapsed filaments, bent filaments, and individual filaments sticking to the wall during collection, significantly improving the quality of gel filament formation. Furthermore, the method is simple and has low operating costs.

[0038] The above embodiments merely illustrate implementation methods of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments, characterized in that: The device includes a wire container (1) and a support frame (14). A second rope winding device (8) is installed on one side of the top of the support frame (14). The second rope winding device (8) is connected to a washer (5) through a second connecting rope (10). A first rope winding device (11) is installed on the other side of the top of the support frame (14). The first rope winding device (11) is connected to the washer (5) through a first connecting rope (7). The washer (5) is located inside the wire container (1). A partition (2) is installed inside the wire container (1). The partition (2) has several leakage holes (4). A liquid storage tank (6) is located at the bottom of the partition (2). Foot brake rollers (3) are installed at the four corners of the bottom of the wire container (1). The washer (5) has a structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and the cross-section is a right trapezoid. The angle of the right trapezoid is controlled between 60-90°. The inner corners of the upper and lower parts of the washer (5) are rounded. The first connecting rope (7) and the second connecting rope (10) are both two. The top four corners of the washer (5) are connected to the connector (13) by threads. The first connecting rope (7) and the second connecting rope (10) are both fixedly connected to the connector (13). The support frame (14) has a groove (12) on the inner side of the top. A fixed pulley (9) is installed in the groove (12). One side of the washer (5) is connected to the second rope winding device (8) through the fixed pulley (9) via the second connecting rope (10). The other side of the washer (5) is connected to the first rope winding device (11) through the fixed pulley (9) via the first connecting rope (7). Both the first rope winding device (11) and the first rope winding device (11) are composed of a mounting frame (801), a bearing (802), a winding rod (803) and a drive motor (804). The winding rod (803) is mounted on the mounting frame (801) through the bearing (802), and the drive motor (804) is mounted on the mounting frame (801) through bolts. One end of the winding rod (803) is connected to the shaft of the drive motor (804) through a coupling. The specific steps are as follows: S1: Treat the inside of the wire container (1) and treat the surface of the gasket (5); S2: Move the filament container (1) onto the filament laying machine using the foot brake roller (3), then connect it to the connector (13) on the washer (5) via the first connecting rope (7) and the second connecting rope (10), and place the washer (5) inside the filament container (1) so that the center of the filament container (1) is aligned with the center of the gel filament. S3: The gel filaments fall from top to bottom into the filament container (1) and swing back and forth perpendicular to the direction of movement of the filament container (1). The adjacent gel filaments overlap and are evenly spread on the partition (2) inside the filament container (1). S4: When the gel fibers in the holding tank (1) accumulate to a certain height, due to the shrinkage of the gel fibers, the liquid flows into the storage tank (6) through the leakage hole (4) on the partition (2). A gap is formed between the gel fiber pile and the holding tank (1). The drive motor (804) drives the winding rod (803) to rotate around the bearing (802), thereby pulling the first connecting rope (7) and the second connecting rope (10). The first connecting rope (7) and the second connecting rope (10) move upward, thereby moving the washer (5) upward. This process is repeated until the gel fibers are full.

2. The method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive motor (804) is connected to a timer and a controller.

3. The method for improving the molding quality of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber gel filaments according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the inner side of the wire container (1) and the surface of the partition (2) are treated. The specific treatment method is as follows: a protective material is applied to the inner side of the wire container (1) and the surface of the partition (2), and the roughness is controlled at 50-500μm. The protective material is a PVC coating and a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

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