Bottom discharging system of EPS pre-foaming machine

Abstract

The invention discloses a bottom discharging system of an EPS pre-foaming machine, and belongs to the technical field of pre-foaming machines. The device mainly comprises a mounting frame, the mounting frame is provided with a foaming barrel, a top cover is mounted on the mounting frame, a driving motor is mounted on the top cover, a stirring shaft is mounted at the output end of the driving motor, a spiral conveying blade is mounted on the stirring shaft, and a spiral stirring cutter is mounted on the stirring shaft; the heating and discharging assembly is provided with a plurality of groups of spray heads for spraying steam to the EPS, a second annular pipeline for supplying the steam to the spray heads, a plurality of groups of exhaust pipes for blowing the fed EPS, and a first annular pipeline for supplying air to the exhaust pipes, and two groups of fans are mounted on the first annular pipeline in a communicating manner. According to the bottom discharging system of the EPS pre-foaming machine, raw materials are guided to be dispersed during feeding through the exhaust pipe, materials and steam are assisted to be mixed and heated during operation, the materials are pushed to be discharged during discharging, and the foaming and discharging effects are cooperatively improved through the second annular pipeline.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of EPS pre-expanders, and specifically to a bottom discharge system of an EPS pre-expander. Background Art

[0002] A pre-expander is a key piece of equipment used to pre-foam materials. It is widely used across multiple industries. For example, a common expandable polystyrene (EPS) pre-expander works by heating polystyrene particles with steam or another heating medium. When the polystyrene particles reach a certain temperature, the foaming agent within them begins to vaporize, generating pressure that causes the particles to expand and form foam with a defined pore structure. During this process, the pre-expander precisely controls parameters such as heating temperature, time, and steam pressure to ensure uniform and stable foaming of the polystyrene particles, achieving the desired pre-expanding effect.

[0003] In existing pre-expander technology, steam mostly enters the pre-expander barrel from the side. This design has certain drawbacks: on the one hand, after the raw materials enter the pre-expander barrel, they combine with the steam at a slow rate. The sideways inflow of steam makes it difficult to quickly and fully wrap the raw materials, resulting in the raw materials not being heated and foamed in time, greatly reducing the molding efficiency; on the other hand, after the raw materials are foamed by steam, their volume expands rapidly and falls quickly to the bottom of the barrel under the action of gravity. The stirring cutter is generally installed in a relatively fixed position, and raw materials that fall too quickly will not have time to be caught and cut by the stirring cutter. Over time, a large number of large, uncut raw material particles will accumulate at the bottom of the barrel, affecting the foaming quality and working continuity of the pre-expander. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a bottom discharge system for the EPS pre-expander to solve the above problems.

[0004] It should be noted that the above information disclosed in this Background section is only for understanding the background technology of the present application concept, and therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Based on the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the problem to be solved by this application is: to provide a bottom discharge system for an EPS pre-expander, which solves the problem that steam from the existing pre-expander mostly enters the pre-expander barrel through the side, resulting in slow combination of raw materials and steam, difficulty in cutting, and affecting the foaming quality and efficiency.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present application to solve its technical problems is: a bottom discharging system of an EPS pre-expander, comprising a mounting frame, the mounting frame having a foaming cylinder, a top cover mounted on the mounting frame, a drive motor mounted on the top cover, a stirring shaft mounted on the output end of the drive motor, a spiral conveying blade mounted on the stirring shaft, and a spiral stirring cutter mounted on the stirring shaft; a heating and discharging assembly, the heating and discharging assembly being mounted on the mounting frame, the heating and discharging assembly having a plurality of groups of nozzles for spraying steam on the EPS, and a second annular pipe for supplying steam to the nozzles, the plurality of groups of nozzles forming a first annular structure, and a plurality of groups of exhaust pipes for blowing the fed EPS, and a first annular pipe for supplying air to the exhaust pipe, two groups of fans being connected and mounted on the first annular pipe.

[0007] Furthermore, a perspective window is connected and installed on the foam cylinder.

[0008] Furthermore, two sets of feed hoppers are connected and installed on both sides of the foaming cylinder, and the feed hoppers are arranged through the top cover.

[0009] Furthermore, there is a certain distance between the spiral stirring cutter and the spiral conveying blade.

[0010] Furthermore, a discharging assembly is installed on the mounting frame, and the discharging assembly includes a support plate installed on the mounting frame, four groups of cylinders are installed on the support plate, guide columns are installed on the telescopic ends of the cylinders, mounting plates are installed on the four groups of guide columns, the mounting plate has four groups of movable sleeves, and a steam box is installed on the mounting plate.

[0011] Furthermore, the steam box has a conical structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the exhaust pipes are arranged at an angle, and multiple groups of the exhaust pipes are arranged along the circumference of the first annular pipe to form a first annular structure. The exhaust pipes are located at the upper end of the connection point between the feed hopper and the foaming cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, the nozzle is arranged at an angle, and a connecting pipe is installed on the second annular pipe. One end of the connecting pipe passes through the foaming cylinder and is connected to the steam box. Multiple groups of nozzles are arranged along the circumference of the second annular pipe to form a second annular structure. The diameter of the second annular structure is larger than the diameter of the first annular structure.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: the present application provides a bottom discharge system for an EPS pre-expander, which realizes that the exhaust duct forms an airflow field near the feed port, disturbs and guides the raw materials to diffuse into the barrel, avoids accumulation at the feed port, and lays the foundation for uniform mixing. During operation, the fan drives the airflow through the first annular duct and the exhaust duct, forming a spiral circulating airflow in the barrel, driving the material to tumble, so that it is in full contact with the steam, ensuring uniform heat transfer, and improving the foaming quality. At the same time, the second annular duct and its nozzle spray steam evenly to achieve comprehensive and uniform heating of the material, and synergize with the airflow to enhance the foaming effect. During discharge, the airflow blown out of the exhaust duct is consistent with the discharge direction, quickly pushing the particles out, and the annular distribution ensures that the material at each position can be blown out, reducing residue and blockage.

[0015] In addition to the above-described purposes, features and advantages, the present application also has other purposes, features and advantages. The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The drawings in the specification, which constitute a part of this application, are used to provide further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute improper limitations on this application.

[0017] In the attached figure:

[0018] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the bottom discharge system of an EPS pre-expander in this application;

[0019] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the explosion structure;

[0020] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A top view of

[0021] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A magnified view of point A;

[0022] Among them, the reference numerals in the figures are:

[0023] 1. Mounting assembly; 11. Mounting frame; 12. First placement platform; 13. Foaming cylinder; 14. Perspective window; 15. Top cover; 16. Drive motor; 17. Stirring shaft; 18. Spiral conveying blade; 19. Spiral stirring cutter; 110. Feed hopper; 2. Discharge assembly; 21. Guide column; 22. Movable sleeve; 23. Mounting plate; 24. Support plate; 25. Cylinder; 26. Steam box; 3. Heating and discharging assembly; 31. Fan; 32. First annular pipe; 33. Exhaust pipe; 34. Fixed ring; 35. Connecting rod; 36. Second annular pipe; 37. Nozzle; 38. Connecting pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features of the embodiments in this application can be combined with each other. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0025] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] like Figure 1-Figure 4 As shown, the present application provides an EPS pre-expander bottom discharge system, comprising an installation assembly 1, the installation assembly 1 comprising a mounting frame 11, and a first placement platform 12 on the mounting frame 11, and a foaming cylinder 13 fixedly mounted on the first placement platform 12, the foaming cylinder 13 being used to store and serve as a platform for mixing EPS materials, and a perspective window 14 being connected and mounted on the foaming cylinder 13, the perspective window 14 facilitating a worker to view the mixing status of the EPS materials inside the foaming cylinder 13;

[0027] A top cover 15 is fixedly mounted on the top of the mounting frame 11. The top of the foaming cylinder 13 is fitted to the bottom surface of the top cover 15. A drive motor 16 is fixedly mounted on the top cover 15. The output end of the drive motor 16 passes through the top cover 15 and the top of the foaming cylinder 13 in sequence and extends into the foaming cylinder 13. A stirring shaft 17 is fixedly mounted on the output end of the drive motor 16. A spiral conveying blade 18 is fixedly mounted on the stirring shaft 17. A spiral stirring cutter 19 is also fixedly mounted on the stirring shaft 17. There is a certain distance between the spiral stirring cutter 19 and the spiral conveying blade 18.

[0028] In this EPS pre-expander, the driving motor 16 drives the stirring shaft 17 to rotate, and the spiral stirring cutter 19 and the spiral conveying blade 18 operate synchronously. With the characteristics of the spiral propulsion, the falling speed of the material is effectively slowed down and the movement trajectory of the material is changed. This allows the spiral stirring cutter 19 to have sufficient time to cut the material, preventing large raw material particles from accumulating at the bottom of the barrel, ensuring the stability of the foaming quality and the continuity of the pre-expander operation.

[0029] Two sets of feed hoppers 110 are connected and installed on both sides of the foaming cylinder 13. The feed hoppers 110 are suitable for feeding EPS materials into the foaming cylinder 13, and the feed hoppers 110 are set through the top cover 15.

[0030] In order to facilitate the discharge of the EPS material after stirring, a discharging assembly 2 is installed on the mounting frame 11. The discharging assembly 2 includes a support plate 24 fixedly mounted on the mounting frame 11, and four groups of cylinders 25 are fixedly mounted on the side of the support plate 24 away from the foaming cylinder 13. At the same time, guide columns 21 are fixedly mounted on the telescopic ends of the cylinders 25, and a mounting plate 23 is fixedly mounted on the four groups of guide columns 21. The mounting plate 23 has four groups of movable sleeves 22, and the mounting plate 23 is fixedly sleeved on the guide columns 21 through the movable sleeves 22. A steam box 26 is fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 23. The steam box 26 has a conical structure and is connected to an external steam supply device to store high-temperature steam. The steam box 26 is suitable for moving closer to or away from the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 as the telescopic end of the cylinder 25 approaches or moves away from the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13, so that the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 is in an open or closed state.

[0031] The pre-expander discharge assembly 2, with the help of the expansion and contraction of the cylinder 25, flexibly controls the opening and closing of the steam box 26 and the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 to achieve efficient discharge. The specific working principle is as follows:

[0032] Before the foaming operation, the cylinder 25 extends, pushing the steam box 26 to fit tightly against the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13. At this time, the bottom of the foaming cylinder is sealed by the steam box 26, providing the necessary heat for the stirring and foaming of the EPS material. Throughout the foaming process, the steam box 26 always maintains a sealed connection with the bottom of the cylinder, ensuring a stable steam supply and a stable foaming environment.

[0033] When the EPS material is stirred and foamed and needs to be discharged, the cylinder 25 contracts, driving the steam box 26 to gradually move away from the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 along the guide column 21. As the steam box 26 is withdrawn, the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 opens, and under the action of gravity, the stirred EPS material is discharged from the opening at the bottom of the cylinder. The guide column 21 and the movable sleeve 22 cooperate with each other to ensure the stability of the steam box 26 during movement, prevent the steam box 26 from shaking, and ensure that the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 opens and closes smoothly. In addition, in some designs, when the steam box 26 is withdrawn, the internal steam pressure can also assist in the discharge of materials, further improving the discharge efficiency;

[0034] In order to mix the EPS material entering the foaming cylinder 13 evenly, Figure 3-Figure 4As shown, a heating and discharging assembly 3 is installed at the top of the inner wall of the foaming cylinder 13, and the heating and discharging assembly 3 includes two sets of fans 31 installed through the top of the foaming cylinder 13, and the fans 31 are simultaneously movable and penetrate the top cover 15, and the air outlet ends of the two sets of fans 31 are connected to a first annular duct 32, and a plurality of exhaust pipes 33 are connected and installed on the first annular duct 32, the exhaust pipes 33 are arranged obliquely, and the plurality of exhaust pipes 33 are arranged along the circumference of the first annular duct 32 to form a first annular structure, and the exhaust pipes 33 are used to blow out the foaming particles in the discharging cylinder 13 when discharging, and the exhaust pipes 33 are located at the upper end of the connection between the feed hopper 110 and the foaming cylinder 13;

[0035] When the EPS raw material enters the foaming cylinder 13 from the feed hopper 110, the airflow from the exhaust pipe 33 creates a specific airflow field near the feed inlet. Because the exhaust pipe 33 is located above the connection between the feed hopper 110 and the foaming cylinder 13, the airflow initially disturbs the incoming raw material. The inclined, annular arrangement of the exhaust pipe 33 guides the raw material toward the interior of the foaming cylinder 13, preventing accumulation near the feed inlet and creating optimal conditions for subsequent uniform mixing.

[0036] After fan 31 is activated, the drawn air is accelerated and evenly distributed to the exhaust pipes 33 through the first annular duct 32. The inclined, circumferential arrangement of the exhaust pipes 33 causes the airflow to spiral downward into the foaming cylinder 13, forming a three-dimensional circulating airflow within the cylinder. This circulating airflow continuously tumbles the material, allowing it to fully contact the steam and ensure uniform heat transfer, resulting in uniform foaming of the EPS raw material and improved foaming quality.

[0037] After the foaming is completed, the fan 31 continues to operate, and the airflow blown out of the exhaust pipe 33 generates direct thrust on the foamed particles. Because the exhaust pipe 33 is arranged at an angle, the direction of the airflow matches the direction of the discharge, pushing the foamed particles to move quickly toward the discharge port, achieving efficient discharge. At the same time, the annular exhaust pipe 33 covers the foaming cylinder 13 in all directions, ensuring that the foamed particles at all positions can be blown out, reducing material residue and improving production efficiency. In addition, this structure reduces the problem of discharge blockage caused by material accumulation, ensuring the continuity of the production process.

[0038] A second annular duct 36 is fixedly mounted at the bottom of the first annular duct 32. A plurality of nozzles 37 are connected and mounted on the second annular duct 36. The nozzles 37 are arranged at an angle. A connecting pipe 38 is connected and mounted on the second annular duct 36. One end of the connecting pipe 38 passes through the foaming cylinder 13 and is connected to the steam tank 26. Steam is supplied into the second annular duct 36 and ejected through the nozzles 37 to heat the EPS material. A connecting rod 35 is fixedly mounted on the second annular duct 36. The connecting rod 35 has a fixing ring 34. The connecting rod 35 is movably connected to the stirring shaft 17 via the fixing ring 34.

[0039] It should be noted that the multiple groups of nozzles 37 are arranged along the circumference of the second annular pipe 36 to form a second annular structure, and the diameter of the second annular structure is larger than the diameter of the first annular structure;

[0040] The steam box 26 is a storage source of high-temperature steam. When the EPS material in the foaming cylinder 13 needs to be heated, the steam is transported to the second annular pipe 36 through the connecting pipe 38. The second annular pipe 36 acts as a steam distributor, evenly distributing the steam to multiple groups of nozzles 37 arranged along its circumference.

[0041] Nozzles 37 are arranged in a second annular configuration, spraying steam at specific angles and directions. The high-temperature steam directly impacts the EPS material, providing heat for vaporizing the foaming agent and promoting foaming. Because the nozzles 37 are distributed along the circumference, they cover a wide area, ensuring comprehensive heating of the EPS material within the cylinder and improving heating uniformity.

[0042] When fan 31 is activated, it draws in and accelerates air, distributing it through first annular duct 32 to exhaust duct 33. Exhaust duct 33 is tilted and forms a first annular structure, allowing airflow to enter foaming cylinder 13 in a spiral shape, causing the EPS material to tumble and mix. This not only promotes full contact between steam and material, but also ensures uniform heating of the material during the dynamic process, further enhancing the foaming effect.

[0043] The diameter of the second annular structure is larger than that of the first, preventing spatial interference between the nozzle 37 and the exhaust pipe 33. This design allows the exhaust pipe 33 to deliver air normally and the nozzle 37 to spray steam smoothly, allowing the two to function independently and ensure efficient operation of the entire heating and mixing process.

[0044] In summary:

[0045] EPS material is fed into the foaming cylinder 13 through the feed hoppers 110 on both sides. Exhaust pipes 33 are located above the connection between the feed hoppers 110 and the foaming cylinder 13. The airflow from these hoppers 33 disturbs the incoming material, guiding it to diffuse into the cylinder and prevent accumulation at the feed inlet. This solves the problem of uneven distribution of material due to improper feeding methods in traditional pre-expanders, which affects the efficiency of steam integration.

[0046] The cylinder 25 is extended, and the conical steam box 26 is tightly fitted to the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13, forming a sealed space. The steam box 26 is connected to an external steam device to store high-temperature steam, providing a stable heat source for subsequent foaming, avoiding the unstable steam supply problem caused by the traditional side steam inlet method.

[0047] Drive motor 16 rotates agitator shaft 17, while spiral agitator blade 19 and conveyor blade 18 operate synchronously. The spiral propulsion slows the material's descent, altering its trajectory and allowing spiral agitator blade 19 to fully cut the material. This solves the problem in conventional pre-expanders where the agitator blades cannot effectively cut large particles due to excessively rapid material descent, ensuring stable foaming quality and maintaining continuous pre-expander operation.

[0048] Air is distributed through the first annular duct 32 to the inclined, circumferentially arranged exhaust duct 33, forming a spiral, downward, three-dimensional circulating airflow that drives the material to tumble. Simultaneously, steam within the steam box 26 enters the second annular duct 36 through a connecting pipe 38 and is ejected by a nozzle 37. The second annular structure has a larger diameter than the first, preventing interference between the nozzle 37 and the exhaust duct 33. During the tumbling process, the material is fully exposed to the steam, rapidly and evenly heating it. This solves the problem of traditional side-injected steam that prevents the material from being fully encapsulated, resulting in low molding efficiency.

[0049] After foaming is complete, the cylinder 25 retracts, and the steam box 26 moves away from the bottom of the foaming cylinder 13 along the guide post 21, opening the bottom of the cylinder. The material is discharged under the action of gravity, and the steam pressure within the steam box 26 assists in discharging, improving discharge efficiency. The guide post 21 cooperates with the movable sleeve 22 to ensure smooth movement of the steam box 26 and prevent shaking. This design solves the problem of material accumulation at the bottom of the barrel due to poor discharge in traditional pre-expanders, ensuring the continuity of the production process.

[0050] The fan 31 continuously operates, and the airflow from the exhaust pipe 33 generates thrust on the foaming particles. Its tilted arrangement aligns the airflow direction with the discharge direction, propelling the particles rapidly toward the discharge port. The annular exhaust pipe 33 fully covers the cylinder, reducing material residue and preventing discharge blockage, further improving discharge efficiency.

[0051] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Various modifications and variations are possible for those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A bottom discharge system for an EPS pre-expander, characterized by: include: A mounting frame (11) having a foaming cylinder (13), a top cover (15) mounted on the mounting frame (11), a driving motor (16) mounted on the top cover (15), a stirring shaft (17) mounted on the output end of the driving motor (16), a spiral conveying blade (18) mounted on the stirring shaft (17), and a spiral stirring cutter (19) mounted on the stirring shaft (17); A heating and discharging assembly (3) is mounted on the mounting frame (11), the heating and discharging assembly (3) having a plurality of nozzles (37) for spraying steam on the EPS, and a second annular pipe (36) for supplying steam to the nozzles (37), the plurality of nozzles (37) forming a first annular structure, a plurality of exhaust pipes (33) for blowing the fed EPS, and a first annular pipe (32) for supplying air to the exhaust pipe (33), wherein two sets of fans (31) are connected and mounted on the first annular pipe (32).

2. The bottom discharge system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 1, characterized in that: A perspective window (14) is connected and installed on the foaming cylinder (13).

3. The bottom discharge system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 2, characterized in that: Two groups of feed hoppers (110) are connected and installed on both sides of the foaming cylinder (13), and the feed hoppers (110) are arranged through the top cover (15).

4. The bottom discharge system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 2, characterized in that: There is a certain distance between the spiral stirring cutter (19) and the spiral conveying blade (18).

5. The bottom discharging system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 4, characterized in that: A discharging assembly (2) is mounted on the mounting frame (11), and the discharging assembly (2) includes a support plate (24) mounted on the mounting frame (11), four groups of cylinders (25) are mounted on the support plate (24), guide columns (21) are mounted on the telescopic ends of the cylinders (25), a mounting plate (23) is mounted on the four groups of guide columns (21), the mounting plate (23) has four groups of movable sleeves (22), and a steam box (26) is mounted on the mounting plate (23).

6. The bottom discharge system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 5, characterized in that: The steam box (26) is a conical structure.

7. The bottom discharging system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 3, characterized in that: The exhaust pipe (33) is arranged at an angle, and multiple groups of the exhaust pipe (33) are arranged along the circumference of the first annular pipe (32) to form a first annular structure. The exhaust pipe (33) is located at the upper end of the connection between the feed hopper (110) and the foaming cylinder (13).

8. The bottom discharge system of the EPS pre-expander according to claim 5, characterized in that: The nozzle (37) is arranged at an angle, and a connecting pipe (38) is connected and installed on the second annular pipe (36). One end of the connecting pipe (38) passes through the foaming cylinder (13) and is connected to the steam box (26). Multiple groups of the nozzles (37) are arranged along the circumference of the second annular pipe (36) to form a second annular structure. The diameter of the second annular structure is greater than the diameter of the first annular structure.

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