Ultrafine powder multidirectional release device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an ultrafine powder multidirectional release device and method, and belongs to the technical field of industrial device feeding. The device comprises a material storage tank, a double-rotating-wheel feeding device, a vibration device, a microcontroller, a gate device and a material feeding device, a discharging port in the bottom of the material storage tank is connected with the material feeding device through the gate device, the double-rotating-wheel feeding device is installed above the material feeding device, the microcontroller is connected with the double-rotating-wheel feeding device and the vibration device, and the vibration device is connected with the microcontroller. And a vibration device is mounted in the storage tank. The invention aims to solve the problems of blockage, bridging and non-uniform release caused by particle surface acting force in the prior art, can effectively destroy Van der Waals force, electrostatic force and other surface acting forces among ultrafine powder particles, and avoids the problems of blockage and bridging caused by agglomeration of materials in a discharge port or a runner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a multi-directional ultrafine powder releasing device and method, belonging to the technical field of industrial device feeding. Background Art

[0002] Ultrafine powders generally refer to granular materials with a particle size of less than 100 microns. Micro- and nano-scale powders, in particular, are increasingly widely used in the fields of chemical industry, medicine, energy, and new materials. For example, in processes such as lithium battery materials, nano-coatings, drug carriers, and 3D printing, precise and stable feeding control is a key link in determining product quality and production efficiency. However, as the particle size decreases, its specific surface area increases significantly, and the surface forces such as van der Waals forces, electrostatic forces, and liquid bridge forces between particles are significantly enhanced, resulting in ultrafine powders being prone to agglomeration, bridging, and wall adhesion during storage, transportation, and feeding. In particular, in traditional feeding devices, material flow is limited to a single action mode dominated by gravity. Problems such as discharge port blockage and internal flow channel stagnation occur frequently, seriously restricting the continuity of production and the uniformity of material release.

[0003] At present, the feeding devices commonly used in the industry, such as screw feeders, rotary valves, and vibrating feeders, are mainly designed for millimeter-level or coarse powders, and their mechanical structures have poor adaptability to micro-nano-level particles. For example, the blade gaps of the screw feeder are easily filled with ultrafine powders, resulting in increased torque or even jamming; although the vibrating feeder can improve fluidity through excitation force, it is easy to cause local resonance for ultrafine powders with strong viscosity, which in turn aggravates particle agglomeration. In addition, existing devices mostly rely on mechanical force drive in a single direction, lack coordinated control of the multi-dimensional dispersion of materials, and are difficult to effectively destroy the stable agglomeration structure formed by the interaction force between particles. Although some technologies have attempted to introduce airflow assistance or ultrasonic vibration to improve fluidity, there are problems such as high energy consumption, complex structure, and difficulty in integration with precision feeding systems, especially in closed continuous production processes. Its application is limited.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new device that can adapt to the characteristics of ultrafine powders and has both efficient dispersion and precise quantitative feeding functions. For example, mobile devices represented by aircraft such as missiles have changeable postures during mobile cruising, requiring the powder release posture to follow the movement. Therefore, it is necessary to consider multi-directional release and overcome the influence of single gravity to solve the core problems of blockage, bridging and uneven release caused by the surface force of particles in existing technologies, and meet the high value-added industries' demand for refined powder processing technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention was developed to address the problems of clogging, bridging, and uneven release caused by particle surface forces in the prior art. A brief overview of the present invention is provided below to provide a basic understanding of certain aspects of the present invention. It should be understood that this overview is not an exhaustive overview of the present invention. It is not intended to identify key or important aspects of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0007] Solution 1: A multi-directional ultrafine powder release device, comprising a storage tank, a dual-rotor feeding device, a vibrating device, a microcontroller, a gate device, and a material dispensing device. The discharge port at the bottom of the storage tank is connected to the material dispensing device via the gate device. A dual-rotor feeding device is installed above the material dispensing device. The microcontroller is connected to the dual-rotor feeding device and the vibrating device, respectively. The vibrating device is installed in the storage tank.

[0008] The dual-rotor feeding device includes a driving motor, a transmission device, a first rotating wheel, a second rotating wheel and a paddle. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are both rotatably installed in the material feeding device. The first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are both provided with paddles, and the paddles on the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel are arranged crosswise. The driving motor is fixedly installed on the material feeding device, and the output end of the driving motor is connected to the first rotating wheel and the second rotating wheel through the transmission device.

[0009] Preferably, the first rotating wheel is provided with multiple rows of paddles, and the angle between two adjacent rows of paddles on the first rotating wheel is α; the second rotating wheel is provided with multiple rows of paddles, and the staggered angle between each row of paddles on the second rotating wheel and the adjacent row of paddles on the first rotating wheel is .

[0010] Preferably, the storage tank is a tank structure with a contracted bottom and a sealing cover on the top.

[0011] Preferably: the transmission device includes a driving gear and a driven gear, the first runner and the second runner are both rotatably installed in the material feeding device through a rotating shaft, a driving gear is provided on the rotating shaft on which the first runner is installed, and a driven gear is provided on the rotating shaft on which the second runner is installed, the driving gear and the driven gear are meshed, and the drive motor is connected to the rotating shaft on which the first runner is installed.

[0012] Preferably, the vibration device is a flexible piezoelectric ceramic piece.

[0013] Preferably, the material discharging device is an outlet structure with a bottom contraction.

[0014] Solution 2: A multi-directional ultrafine powder release method is implemented based on the ultrafine powder multi-directional release device described in Solution 1, comprising:

[0015] Step 1: Initialize the microcontroller and install and adjust the relative position of the dual-wheel feeding device;

[0016] Step 2: Close the gate device, add the material into the storage tank from the top, and seal the cover;

[0017] Step 3: According to the characteristics of the material and the feeding requirements, the microcontroller is used to set the number of revolutions of the driving motor, the vibration amplitude and frequency of the vibration device;

[0018] Step 4: Start the vibration device and open the gate device. The material is transported to the double-wheel feeding device through the gate device and quantitative feeding is completed in the double-wheel feeding device.

[0019] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. The present invention utilizes the synergistic effect of the cross-arranged paddles and the vibrating device in the dual-rotor feeding device to effectively disrupt surface forces such as van der Waals and electrostatic forces between ultrafine powder particles, thus preventing blockage and bridging caused by material agglomeration at the discharge port or within the flow channel. The staggered rotation of the dual-rotor paddles creates multi-directional shear forces, which, combined with the high-frequency, micro-amplitude vibrations of the vibrating device, significantly improves powder flowability and ensures continuous and stable material release.

[0021] 2. The microcontroller in this invention integrates control over the drive motor speed, vibration amplitude, and frequency. This parameter can be flexibly adjusted based on the viscosity, particle size, and other characteristics of different materials, enabling high-precision quantitative output of ultrafine powders. The dual-rotor structure achieves synchronous counter-rotation through gear transmission, further optimizing feeding uniformity and controllability. This makes it particularly suitable for processes requiring stringent metering accuracy, such as micro-nanomaterial addition and drug formulation.

[0022] 3. The multiple rows of paddles on the first and second rotors of the present invention are arranged at a staggered angle α, creating dynamic layered disturbance and preventing unidirectional accumulation of materials. The flexible piezoelectric ceramic sheet, acting as a vibration device, generates high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations, effectively reducing adhesion of powder to the inner wall of the storage tank. Combined with the constricted bottom storage tank and the material dispensing device structure, this further guides the natural flow of materials and reduces residual volume.

[0023] 4. This invention adopts a modular design. The retractable outlet structure of the storage tank and material dispensing device is suitable for various industrial scenarios. The sealing design prevents environmental moisture or impurities from contaminating the powder. Its closed operation mode is suitable for inert gas protection or explosion-proof process requirements, while also taking into account the advantages of easy cleaning and low maintenance costs.

[0024] 5. Compared with traditional airflow-assisted or ultrasonic dispersion technologies, the present invention achieves ultrafine powder dispersion and feeding through purely mechanical synergy, does not require additional energy-consuming equipment, has a simple structure and high reliability, is particularly suitable for long-term continuous production needs, and significantly reduces overall operating costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of a multi-directional release device for ultrafine powder;

[0026] Figure 2 This is the installation diagram of the dual-wheel feeding device and the material discharging device;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a diagram of the coordinated installation of the first and second rotors;

[0028] Figure 4 This is the installation diagram of the transmission device and the drive motor;

[0029] Figure 5 It is a structural diagram of the first rotor.

[0030] In the figure: 1-storage tank, 2-double-rotor feeding device, 3-vibrating device, 4-gate device, 5-material discharging device, 21-driving motor, 22-transmission device, 23-first rotor, 24-second rotor, 25-paddle, 221-driving gear, 222-driven gear, 223-rotating shaft. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clearly apparent, the present invention is described below using specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, in the following description, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessary confusion of the concepts of the present invention.

[0032] The connections mentioned in the present invention are divided into fixed connections and detachable connections. The fixed connection refers to a non-detachable connection, including but not limited to conventional fixed connection methods such as hem connection, rivet connection, adhesive connection, and welding connection. The detachable connection refers to but not limited to conventional detachable connection methods such as threaded connection, snap connection, pin connection, and hinge connection. When the specific connection method is not clearly specified, it is assumed that at least one connection method can always be found among the existing connection methods to achieve the function. Those skilled in the art can choose according to their needs. For example, a welded connection is selected for a fixed connection, and a hinge connection is selected for a detachable connection.

[0033] Specific implementation method 1: Combination Figure 1-Figure 5This embodiment describes a multi-directional ultrafine powder release device, which includes a storage tank 1, a dual-wheel feeding device 2, a vibrating device 3, a microcontroller, a gate device 4, and a material dispensing device 5. The bottom discharge port of the storage tank 1 is connected to the material dispensing device 5 through the gate device 4. The dual-wheel feeding device 2 is installed above the material dispensing device 5. The microcontroller is connected to the dual-wheel feeding device 2 and the vibrating device 3 respectively. The vibrating device 3 is installed in the storage tank 1.

[0034] The dual-wheel feeding device 2 includes a driving motor 21, a transmission device 22, a first rotating wheel 23, a second rotating wheel 24 and a paddle 25. The first rotating wheel 23 and the second rotating wheel 24 are both rotatably installed in the material giving device 5. The first rotating wheel 23 and the second rotating wheel 24 are both provided with a paddle 25, and the paddles 25 on the first rotating wheel 23 and the second rotating wheel 24 are arranged crosswise. The driving motor 21 is fixedly installed on the material giving device 5. The output end of the driving motor 21 is connected to the first rotating wheel 23 and the second rotating wheel 24 through the transmission device 22 to provide a power source for the rotation of the rotating wheels. During the start of work, the number of revolutions of the driving motor 21 is set to control the feed amount of the material. The microcontroller sets the voltage value to drive the vibration device 3 to generate vibration. By changing the magnitude of the voltage value, the vibration amplitude of the vibration device 3 can be changed so that the device can operate stably.

[0035] The first rotating wheel 23 is provided with multiple rows of paddles 25, and the angle between two adjacent rows of paddles 25 on the first rotating wheel 23 is α. The second rotating wheel 24 is provided with multiple rows of paddles 25, and the staggered angle between each row of paddles 25 on the second rotating wheel 24 and the adjacent row of paddles 25 on the first rotating wheel 23 is .

[0036] The storage tank 1 has a constricted bottom structure and a top cover, which can further expand the storage capacity of the storage tank 1. At the same time, the constricted bottom design can reduce the space for quantitative material delivery and increase the stability of material delivery. The gate device 4 is placed at the bottom of the storage tank 1 to further seal the material. The device can ensure the sealing of the material in the event of changes in external conditions such as vibration.

[0037] The transmission device 22 includes a driving gear 221 and a driven gear 222. The first runner 23 and the second runner 24 are both rotatably mounted in the material dispensing device 5 via a rotating shaft 223. The driving gear 221 is provided on the rotating shaft 223 on which the first runner 23 is mounted, and the driven gear 222 is provided on the rotating shaft 223 on which the second runner 24 is mounted. The driving gear 221 and the driven gear 222 are engaged. The driving motor 21 is connected to the rotating shaft 223 on which the first runner 23 is mounted. During the operation of the first runner 23 and the second runner 24 driven by the driving motor 21, the first runner 23 and the second runner 24 are kept rotating in opposite directions at the same number of revolutions.

[0038] Furthermore, the front and rear paddles on the first rotor 23 and the second rotor 24 are cross-mounted. During operation, the paddles on the first rotor 23 and the paddles on the second rotor 24 rotate inward, effectively preventing the viscosity generated by the reduction of the material particle size from increasing and clogging the material outlet. The paddles 25 on the first rotor 23 and the second rotor 24 are overlapped and installed. During operation, they serve as cleaning tools for each other's rotating brushes, which can realize self-cleaning of the feeding device and further prevent clogging of ultrafine powder. The first rotor 23 and the second rotor 24 are staggered and installed. While sealing, they can also be quantified according to the number of rotations of the rotor and the length of the paddles during operation.

[0039] The vibration device 3 is a flexible piezoelectric ceramic sheet placed on the inner wall of the storage tank 1. The strong interaction between ultrafine powder particles can be effectively disrupted by the vibration of the flexible piezoelectric ceramic sheet, maintaining a stable feed of material and preventing material accumulation. The flexible piezoelectric ceramic sheet is placed directly inside the storage tank 1, in direct contact with the material, ensuring a vibrating effect. Compared to mechanical vibration from a transmission, the piezoelectric ceramic vibration amplitude of the flexible piezoelectric ceramic sheet is easily adjustable, allowing different vibration amplitude values to be set according to the working conditions.

[0040] The material discharging device 5 is a bottom-contracted outlet structure, which can further shape the material passing through the double-wheel feeding device 2 to ensure the uniformity of the material outlet.

[0041] Specific implementation method 2: Combination Figure 1-Figure 5 This embodiment describes a multi-directional ultrafine powder release method of this embodiment, which is implemented based on the ultrafine powder multi-directional release device described in the first embodiment, and includes:

[0042] Step 1: Initialize the microcontroller and install and adjust the relative position of the dual-wheel feeding device 2;

[0043] Step 2: Close the gate device 4, add the material into the storage tank 1 from the top, and seal the cover;

[0044] Step 3: According to the characteristics of the material and the feeding requirements, the microcontroller is used to set the number of revolutions of the driving motor 21 and the vibration amplitude and frequency of the vibration device 3 respectively.

[0045] Step 4, start the vibration device 3, open the gate device 4, and the material is transported to the double-wheel feeding device 2 through the gate device 4, and the quantitative feeding is completed in the double-wheel feeding device 2.

[0046] Specific implementation method three: Combination Figure 1-Figure 5 This embodiment describes a multi-directional ultrafine powder release method of this embodiment, which is implemented based on the ultrafine powder multi-directional release device described in the first embodiment, and includes:

[0047] S1, microcontroller initialization and dual-wheel device calibration

[0048] S1.1, System self-check and initialization

[0049] The microcontroller is started to execute a hardware self-test program to detect the communication status and power supply stability of the driving motor 21 , the vibration device 3 , and the gate device 4 .

[0050] Reset microcontroller parameters: reset the drive motor speed, vibration frequency / amplitude, gate opening and other parameters to zero to ensure the safety of the initial state.

[0051] Configure a human-computer interaction interface, such as a touch screen or host computer software, and preset control modes for different material types, such as "high viscosity mode" and "nanopowder mode".

[0052] S1.2, Installation and calibration of the dual-wheel feeder 2

[0053] Mechanical positioning: Adjust the installation distance between the first rotating wheel 23 and the second rotating wheel 24 through positioning pins or scale marks to ensure that the staggered angle α of the two rotating wheel paddles 25 meets the design requirements, such as α=30°~60°.

[0054] Dynamic test: Manually rotate the wheel to verify that the paddles' cross motions are free of interference. Use a laser displacement sensor to detect the gap between the end of the paddle and the inner wall of the material dispensing device 5. A recommended gap is 0.5-1mm to avoid friction loss.

[0055] Transmission synchronization check: Start the drive motor 21 in the no-load state, observe the meshing state of the driving gear 221 and the driven gear 222, and ensure that the two wheels rotate synchronously in opposite directions with a speed error of ≤±2%.

[0056] S2, material loading and sealing control

[0057] S2.1, gate device 4 closed and sealed

[0058] The microcontroller sends instructions to drive the pneumatic / electric actuator of the gate device 4 to completely close its sealing baffle, and confirms through the pressure sensor that the closing pressure reaches the set threshold, such as 0.2 MPa, to prevent powder leakage.

[0059] A silicone sealing ring is installed at the top cover of the storage tank 1 and is locked with a quick-release clamp to ensure the airtightness of the cover, which is suitable for moisture-proof or inert gas protection scenarios.

[0060] S2.2, Material filling and anti-agglomeration pretreatment

[0061] Ultrafine powder is injected into the storage tank 1 through a vacuum feeder or a gravity feed port, and the feeding rate is controlled to be 5-10 kg / min to avoid impact accumulation.

[0062] If the material is prone to moisture absorption or agglomeration, dry nitrogen with a dew point of ≤-40°C can be filled into the storage tank 1 before adding the material, and the vibration device 3 can be started to pre-vibrate in low-frequency mode for 10 seconds to initially loosen the powder.

[0063] S3, intelligent parameter setting and adaptive adjustment

[0064] S3.1, Material property matching and parameter input

[0065] Material properties, including particle size distribution, angle of repose, moisture content, etc., are input through the microcontroller interface. The system automatically calls the pre-stored parameter model and recommends the initial speed, vibration frequency, and vibration amplitude.

[0066] Supports manual fine-tuning: Based on historical data or experimental feedback, the speed difference between the two rotors can be independently corrected, such as the first rotor being 5% faster than the second rotor to enhance the shearing effect on sticky materials.

[0067] S3.2, Dynamic Parameter Coupling Optimization

[0068] Establish a vibration-rotor linkage logic: the high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration of the vibration device 3 is coordinated with the medium-speed rotation of the dual rotors, such as 120 rpm, to avoid secondary agglomeration of powders caused by resonance.

[0069] Feedback control is introduced: a high-precision weighing sensor with an accuracy of ±0.1g or a photoelectric flow meter is installed at the outlet of the material feeding device 5 to monitor the feeding rate in real time. The microcontroller dynamically adjusts the motor speed and vibration parameters through the PID algorithm to ensure output stability and a fluctuation rate of ≤±1%.

[0070] S4, collaborative feeding and process monitoring

[0071] S4.1, vibration-gate-wheel coordinated start

[0072] Execution sequence control:

[0073] a. Start the vibration device 3 first and run it at the set frequency for 3 to 5 seconds to eliminate the powder bridging at the bottom of the storage tank 1;

[0074] b. The microcontroller controls the gate device opening in stages, such as 0→30%→100%, to prevent the powder from suddenly collapsing and impacting the runner;

[0075] c. After the gate is fully opened, the drive motor 21 is accelerated to the target speed according to the ramp, such as 0→120rpm, which takes 2 seconds to ensure that the wheel can smoothly receive the material.

[0076] S4.2, dual-wheel quantitative feeding and anti-blocking mechanism

[0077] Multi-stage shear dispersion: The paddles 25 of the first rotor 23 rotate in a "push-type" manner to transport the powder forward, while the paddles of the second rotor 24 rotate in the opposite direction to form a staggered shear force, breaking down powder agglomerates into single particle flows.

[0078] Abnormal handling: If the current sensor detects that the torque of the drive motor 21 exceeds the limit, the microcontroller immediately triggers the shutdown protection and links the vibration device 3 to switch to the high-frequency strong vibration mode to quickly clear the blockage.

[0079] S4.3, Ending Phase and Cleaning and Maintenance

[0080] After the feeding is completed, the closing order is: gate device 4 → drive motor 21 → vibration device 3 to prevent residual powder from being retained.

[0081] The pulse airflow cleaning module on the inner wall of the storage tank 1 is activated to spray 0.5 MPa compressed air pulses in conjunction with the vibration device to remove adhered powder.

[0082] It should be noted that in the above embodiments, as long as the technical solutions are not contradictory, they can be permuted and combined. Those skilled in the art can exhaust all possibilities based on the mathematical knowledge of permutations and combinations. Therefore, the present invention will no longer describe the technical solutions after permutations and combinations one by one, but it should be understood that the technical solutions after permutations and combinations have been disclosed by the present invention.

[0083] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-directional ultrafine powder release device, characterized by: The invention comprises a storage tank (1), a double-rotor feeding device (2), a vibrating device (3), a microcontroller, a gate device (4) and a material discharging device (5); a discharge port at the bottom of the storage tank (1) is connected to the material discharging device (5) via the gate device (4); a double-rotor feeding device (2) is installed above the material discharging device (5); the microcontroller is connected to the double-rotor feeding device (2) and the vibrating device (3) respectively; and a vibrating device (3) is installed in the storage tank (1); The dual-rotor feeding device (2) comprises a driving motor (21), a transmission device (22), a first rotating wheel (23), a second rotating wheel (24) and a paddle (25). The first rotating wheel (23) and the second rotating wheel (24) are both rotatably mounted in the material dispensing device (5). The first rotating wheel (23) and the second rotating wheel (24) are both provided with paddles (25), and the paddles (25) on the first rotating wheel (23) and the second rotating wheel (24) are arranged crosswise. The driving motor (21) is fixedly mounted on the material dispensing device (5), and the output end of the driving motor (21) is connected to the first rotating wheel (23) and the second rotating wheel (24) through the transmission device (22).

2. The multi-directional ultrafine powder release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first rotating wheel (23) is provided with multiple rows of paddles (25), and the angle between two rows of paddles (25) on adjacent first rotating wheels (23) is α; the second rotating wheel (24) is provided with multiple rows of paddles (25), and the staggered angle between each row of paddles (25) on the second rotating wheel (24) and the paddles (25) on the adjacent row of first rotating wheels (23) is .

3. The multi-directional ultrafine powder release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage tank (1) is a tank structure with a contracted bottom and a sealing cover on the top.

4. The multi-directional ultrafine powder release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission device (22) includes a driving gear (221) and a driven gear (222). The first rotating wheel (23) and the second rotating wheel (24) are both rotatably mounted in the material dispensing device (5) via a rotating shaft (223). The driving gear (221) is provided on the rotating shaft (223) mounted on the first rotating wheel (23), and the driven gear (222) is provided on the rotating shaft (223) mounted on the second rotating wheel (24). The driving gear (221) and the driven gear (222) are meshed, and the driving motor (21) is connected to the rotating shaft (223) mounted on the first rotating wheel (23).

5. The ultrafine powder multi-directional release device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vibration device (3) is a flexible piezoelectric ceramic piece.

6. The multi-directional ultrafine powder releasing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material discharging device (5) is an outlet structure with a bottom contraction.

7. A method for multi-directional release of ultrafine powder, which is realized by relying on the ultra-fine powder multi-directional release device of claim 1, characterized in that: include: Step 1, initialize the microcontroller and install and adjust the relative position of the dual-wheel feeding device (2); Step 2: close the gate device (4), add the material into the storage tank (1) from the top, and seal the cover; Step 3, according to the characteristics of the material and the feeding requirements, use the microcontroller to set the number of revolutions of the driving motor (21), the vibration amplitude and frequency of the vibration device (3); Step 4, start the vibration device (3), open the gate device (4), and the material is transported to the double-wheel feeding device (2) through the gate device (4), and the material is quantitatively fed in the double-wheel feeding device (2).

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