Automatic control method and system for drying furnace

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic control method and system for a drying furnace, and the method comprises the steps: collecting a rubber image through an industrial camera, carrying out the preprocessing and feature extraction, and judging the drying degree through a CNN model. Meanwhile, the thermocouple monitors the temperature of the upper surface and the lower surface and calculates the temperature difference delta T, the system is divided into 9 control states from S1 to S9 according to the image drying degree and the temperature difference, and each state corresponds to different control strategies. The system executes judgment and instruction issuing once every 10 seconds to realize dynamic control, has emergency high-temperature parking measure and data recording and tracing functions, can collect and store data in real time and generate reports, and is convenient for quality traceability and process optimization. According to the system, accurate control can be achieved, the drying uniformity and energy efficiency are improved, and the product quality and the production stability are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to automatic control of a drying furnace in a rubber production process, and in particular to an automatic control method and system for a drying furnace. Background Art

[0002] In rubber production, the drying quality of the kiln directly impacts product performance and yield. Existing drying control technologies primarily rely on manual experience or single temperature feedback, resulting in simple control strategies. This approach has significant limitations: First, manual experience is difficult to precisely quantify, resulting in insufficient control accuracy; second, single temperature feedback cannot fully reflect the actual drying state of the rubber, easily leading to uneven drying and compromising product quality. Furthermore, this simple control strategy can waste energy and increase production costs.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues in the existing technology, the present invention proposes an innovative drying furnace automation control method and system. This solution utilizes a camera to monitor rubber images in real time, incorporating temperature information from the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber outlet. This enables intelligent, closed-loop automatic control of the drying furnace's propeller, dehumidifying fan, burner, and cooling fan. This innovation not only significantly improves rubber drying uniformity but also effectively increases energy efficiency, reduces production costs, and reduces reliance on manual experience, thereby enhancing production stability and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a drying furnace automation control method and system, so as to at least partially solve the above problems.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution of the present invention is: to monitor the surface status of the rubber material in real time through a camera, to collect the upper and lower surface temperatures in real time through a thermocouple, and to dynamically judge the image classification, temperature range and temperature difference, and to output adaptive control instructions for the propeller, dehumidifying fan, burner and cooling fan in real time, to realize closed-loop intelligent adjustment, improve drying uniformity, reduce energy consumption and reduce manual intervention.

[0006] The drying furnace automation control system specifically includes:

[0007] Image acquisition module: A high-resolution industrial camera is set up obliquely above the colloid in the drying furnace. It receives system instructions to collect rubber images every 10 seconds to fully capture the surface characteristics of the rubber.

[0008] Temperature monitoring module: A high-precision thermocouple sensor array is arranged near the upper edge and bottom of the rubber strip to monitor the upper surface temperature (T_top) and the lower surface temperature (T_bottom), respectively. The sampling frequency is once every 10 seconds, which is synchronized with image acquisition.

[0009] Data processing module: uses high-performance processors and advanced image processing algorithms to perform real-time analysis and processing of collected images and temperature data, integrating multi-source information to achieve precise control decisions.

[0010] Control execution module: According to the instructions of the data processing module, the propeller running speed is controlled by a high-precision servo motor, the set temperature of the burner is controlled, the opening and closing and air volume of the dehumidifying fan and the cooling fan are adjusted, and the target temperature of the burner is accurately controlled.

[0011] Monitoring and operation terminal: equipped with a large LCD screen and human-computer interaction interface, used to display the equipment operating status, temperature distribution, image drying degree information in real time, and receive instructions from operators.

[0012] The specific processing steps include:

[0013] Image acquisition and preprocessing: An industrial camera regularly captures images of the rubber's top surface, preferably with a 10-second acquisition cycle. Preprocessing operations such as grayscale conversion, denoising, and brightness balancing are performed to highlight the rubber's features and remove background interference.

[0014] Image Analysis and Dryness Determination: The system assesses the dryness of rubber by extracting features such as color and texture from rubber images. Based on these image characteristics, the dryness level is classified into three levels: moist, intermediate, and dry. Before the system is operational, a large number of rubber images of varying dryness levels are collected to construct a training dataset. These images are annotated to identify their corresponding dryness levels. Deep learning algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), are then trained to generate an image dryness classification model. In actual operation, the collected images are fed into this model to quickly and accurately determine the dryness level of the rubber.

[0015] Temperature acquisition and calculation: The thermocouple array collects temperature data from the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber in real time, calculates the current upper surface temperature (T_top) and lower surface temperature (T_bottom), and obtains the temperature difference ΔT between the two.

[0016] Temperature difference calculation and classification: The system collects temperature data, synchronizes it with image information, calculates the current top surface temperature (T_top) and bottom surface temperature (T_bottom), and calculates the difference between the two, ΔT = |T_top - T_bottom|. ΔT is divided into three levels:

[0017] ΔT<5℃: The temperature difference is small, and the upper and lower surfaces are relatively dry.

[0018] 5≤ΔT<10℃: The temperature difference is large, and the drying of the upper and lower surfaces may be uneven.

[0019] 10≤ΔT: The temperature difference is too large, indicating that there is a high probability of uneven transition between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0020] Qualified range: When the upper surface temperature is 30≤T_top≤55℃ and the lower surface temperature is 30≤T_bottom≤55℃, the temperature is in the qualified range.

[0021] High temperature warning: When the upper surface temperature T_top>55℃ or the lower surface temperature T_bottom>55℃, the high temperature warning is triggered. At this time, emergency measures should be taken, and this measure has the highest priority.

[0022] Temperature Difference Calculation: Continuously calculates the upper and lower surface temperature difference ΔT = |T_top - T_bottom|. When 5 ≤ ΔT < 10°C, the heat distribution is determined to be uneven and classified as uneven drying. When ΔT < 5°C, it is classified as balanced drying. When 10 ≤ ΔT, it is classified as severely uneven drying. State Joint Mapping: The image dryness level, the upper surface temperature range (T_top), and the temperature difference (ΔT) are jointly mapped to nine control states S1-S9, each corresponding to a specific drying scenario and control requirements.

[0023] State S1: When the image is moist and the surface temperature is acceptable, but the temperature difference is 5 ≤ ​​ΔT < 10°C, indicating uneven heat distribution, it is in control state S1. At this time, it is necessary to optimize the hot air distribution and improve drying uniformity while ensuring the drying progress.

[0024] State S2: When the image is moist, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5°C, indicating balanced heat distribution, it is in control state S2. At this time, parameters should be appropriately adjusted to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the current drying efficiency.

[0025] State S3: When the image is wet, the surface temperature is acceptable, and a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe thermal imbalance, the control state S3 is reached. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the temperature distribution and improve drying uniformity while maintaining the drying progress. At the same time, the temperature should be lowered to ensure that the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber do not experience severe drying unevenness.

[0026] State S4: When the image is in an intermediate dry state, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference of 5 ≤ ΔT < 10°C indicates uneven heat distribution, the image is in control state S4. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the hot air distribution to improve drying uniformity, and the propeller speed should be appropriately increased to prevent overdrying.

[0027] State S5: When the image is in an intermediate state of dryness, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5°C, indicating balanced heat distribution, it is in control state S5. At this time, a stable drying process should be maintained and the operating parameters of each device should be reasonably balanced.

[0028] State S6: When the image is in an intermediate dry state, the surface temperature is acceptable, and a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe heat distribution imbalance, the control state S6 is reached. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the temperature distribution while ensuring the drying progress. This lowering of the temperature slows the drying process of the rubber to prevent uneven drying of the upper and lower surfaces. The degree of temperature reduction should be greater than that observed in the wet state.

[0029] State S7: When the image shows dryness, the upper surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5, indicating balanced heat distribution, the rubber is in control state S7. At this point, the rubber is close to the ideal dry state and can maintain a stable temperature while increasing the propeller speed to avoid overdrying.

[0030] State S8: When the image dryness is dry, the upper surface temperature triggers a high temperature warning, or a temperature difference of 5 ≤ ΔT < 10°C indicates uneven heat distribution, the rubber enters control state S8. At this point, the rubber may be at risk of overdrying or severely uneven heat distribution. Immediate measures must be taken to reduce the temperature and optimize hot air distribution to prevent damage to the rubber.

[0031] State S9: When the image dryness is dry, the upper surface temperature triggers a high temperature warning, or a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe thermal maldistribution, the rubber enters control state S9. At this point, the rubber may be at risk of overdrying or experiencing severe thermal maldistribution. Immediate measures must be taken to significantly reduce the temperature and optimize the temperature distribution to prevent damage to the rubber.

[0032] Adaptive control strategy: According to different control states Si, the equipment action is accurately set to achieve intelligent regulation of the drying process:

[0033] Propeller speed: Adjusted as a percentage of maximum speed, this speed controls the residence time of the rubber in the drying oven, thereby affecting the degree of drying. Lower speeds increase the residence time and improve the degree of drying; higher speeds decrease the residence time and reduce the degree of drying.

[0034] Dehumidification fan air volume: Adjust the dehumidification fan air volume as a percentage of the maximum speed, controlling it based on drying requirements. Higher air volume increases dehumidification capacity, helping to reduce humidity within the drying oven and promote moisture evaporation from the rubber surface. Lower air volume decreases dehumidification capacity, making it suitable for low humidity environments or to avoid over-dehumidification in the later stages of drying.

[0035] Burner set temperature: 30°C to 60°C. All subsequent temperature adjustments will fall within this range. If the adjusted temperature falls below the minimum setting, the minimum setting of 30°C will be used as the set temperature. Adjusting the burner temperature directly changes the heat intensity within the drying oven, thereby affecting the rate and degree of rubber drying. Increasing the temperature accelerates water evaporation, but care should be taken to avoid adverse effects of excessively high temperatures on rubber properties. Lowering the temperature slows the drying process and prevents over-drying.

[0036] Cooling fan status: On or off, and the cooling fan gear can be set. When the rubber temperature is too high or needs to be quickly lowered, turning on the cooling fan can quickly remove the heat and prevent the rubber from being damaged by high temperature. When the temperature is acceptable or energy consumption needs to be reduced, turning off the cooling fan to maintain heat balance.

[0037] Specifically, the control logic is as follows:

[0038] State S1: When in state S1, the propeller speed is set to 30%, extending the rubber residence time to increase the drying opportunity; the dehumidification fan air volume is fully opened to 100%, enhancing the dehumidification capacity, promoting water evaporation, and at the same time assisting in adjusting the temperature distribution of the upper and lower surfaces to be more uniform; the burner set temperature is increased by 5°C based on the current set temperature, enhancing the heat source supply, accelerating the drying process, and coordinating with the fan to accelerate the air flow during the heating process to adjust the temperature to achieve a balanced effect; at the same time, the cooling fan is turned on to assist in optimizing the hot air distribution, prevent local overheating, and cooperate with the dehumidification fan to adjust the upper and lower surface temperatures.

[0039] State S2: In the S2 state, the upper and lower surface temperatures are balanced, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, and the rubber residence time is appropriately extended; the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 80%, while ensuring the dehumidification effect while avoiding over-dehumidification; the burner set temperature remains unchanged to maintain a stable heat source supply; the cooling fan is turned off to reduce the interference of cold air on the drying process and improve energy utilization efficiency.

[0040] State S3: When in state S3, the propeller speed is reduced to 20% to increase the residence time of the rubber in the drying furnace, so that the rubber can be more fully heated and dried, while reducing local uneven drying caused by excessive temperature differences. The dehumidification fan is fully opened to 100% air volume to extract moisture at the maximum air volume, and cooperates with the cooling fan to achieve temperature balance. The burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature to reduce heat input, avoid aggravating the temperature difference problem due to local excessive temperature, and prevent the rubber surface from hardening or cracking due to excessive temperature. The cooling fan is turned on and set to high-speed mode to provide strong cooling airflow to quickly cool down the local overheated areas in the drying furnace and balance the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0041] State S4: When the system is in the S4 state, the propeller speed is set to 50% to speed up the delivery speed of the colloid and balance the drying progress and temperature control; the dehumidification fan air volume is opened to 60%. At this time, the colloid is close to dry, and excessive dehumidification is avoided. However, the air volume should not be too small, which is not conducive to the temperature balance of the upper and lower surfaces; the burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature, and the heat source output is reduced in time to curb the temperature rise trend. During the cooling process, the fan is used to accelerate the air flow to adjust the temperature to achieve a balanced effect, while reducing the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid; the cooling fan is turned on to assist in optimizing the hot air distribution, prevent high temperature from damaging the rubber performance, and improve the uneven heat distribution.

[0042] State S5: In state S5, the propeller speed is adjusted to 60% to match the requirements of the intermediate drying level; the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 40% to adapt to the current humidity conditions, rationally utilize energy and avoid excessive dehumidification; the burner set temperature remains stable to ensure a continuous and stable heat source supply; the cooling fan is turned off to maintain the heat environment in the drying furnace and ensure the drying effect.

[0043] State S6: When the system is in the S6 state, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, appropriately extending the residence time of the rubber in the drying furnace so that the rubber can receive heat more evenly in the current intermediate state, avoiding inconsistent drying due to excessive temperature differences. The dehumidification fan air volume is set to 80%. On the basis of ensuring effective dehumidification, it avoids excessive dehumidification causing excessive drying. At the same time, it helps to improve the humidity distribution in the drying furnace and alleviate the problem of excessive temperature differences. The burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, reducing the heat source intensity, slowing down the drying rate, preventing local overheating of the rubber, and helping to narrow the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces, making drying more uniform. The cooling fan state is turned on and set to high-speed mode to provide cooling airflow in the drying furnace, cooperating with the dehumidification fan and burner cooling to balance the temperature distribution and alleviate the situation of excessive temperature differences.

[0044] State S7: In the S7 state, the propeller speed is increased to 100% to speed up the rubber transportation, reduce unnecessary drying time and avoid over-drying; the dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to prevent excessive dehumidification from causing excessive drying of the rubber; the burner set temperature remains unchanged to maintain a low-temperature heat source and assist in stabilizing the drying environment; the cooling fan is turned off to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the temperature balance in the drying furnace.

[0045] State S8: In the S8 state, the propeller speed is set to 80%, and the propeller speed is at high speed to prevent high temperature or uneven heat distribution from further affecting the rubber; the dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to avoid excessive dehumidification and aggravating the degree of rubber drying; the burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, significantly reducing the heat source output and quickly reducing the drying intensity; the cooling fan is turned on to lower the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid, while improving the uneven heat distribution and protecting the quality of the rubber.

[0046] State S9: In state S9, the propeller speed is reduced to 60%. Although the rubber is already dry, it is very likely to be dried unevenly. The residence time of the rubber in the drying oven is appropriately extended to ensure uniform drying of the upper and lower surfaces. At the same time, the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 20%, reducing the dehumidification intensity and preventing excessive dehumidification from causing localized over-drying of the rubber. The burner set temperature is reduced by 15°C from the current set temperature. If the 15°C reduction is lower than the minimum burner temperature, the burner will operate at the minimum temperature. The heat source output is significantly reduced, quickly reducing the drying intensity. The cooling fan state is turned on and set to high speed mode to provide cooling airflow, assisting in regulating the temperature in the drying oven, preventing localized overheating, and reducing the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0047] In addition, when any surface temperature (T_top or T_bottom) exceeds 55°C, if the rubber is in a wet state or an intermediate state, the following emergency operation will be immediately executed, and this operation has the highest priority and is not affected by temperature differences. The specific operations are as follows:

[0048] Immediately stop the propeller to stop the rubber from moving forward and prevent it from continuing to heat in the high-temperature area, thereby preventing damage to the rubber's performance due to excessive temperatures. Turn off the dehumidifying fan to prevent accelerated water loss in the rubber and prevent defects such as cracks on the rubber surface due to rapid drying. Immediately shut down the burner to cut off the high-temperature heat source and prevent further temperature increases. Turn on the cooling fan and set it to high-speed mode, using maximum air volume to cool the drying oven and protect the rubber. Simultaneously, trigger the high-temperature alarm to alert the operator that the drying oven is currently in a high-temperature emergency state and requires timely action. The alarm information will be displayed on the monitoring and operation terminal, including detailed information such as the alarm time and alarm type (high-temperature emergency stop).

[0049] The system will continuously monitor temperature changes. If the temperature drops to 55°C or below, it will readjust to the corresponding normal control strategy based on the actual drying state of the rubber and restart the burner at 45°C. If the temperature still does not drop, the system will continue to execute the above emergency high-temperature shutdown measures until the temperature returns to normal.

[0050] When any surface temperature (T_top or T_bottom) exceeds 55°C and the rubber is in a dry state, the system will execute the following control logic: the propeller speed is increased to 100%, and the rubber is quickly moved out of the drying oven to reduce the impact of high temperature on the rubber and prevent over-drying or performance degradation. The dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to avoid excessive dehumidification that aggravates the degree of rubber drying; the burner is turned off, the heat source output is turned off, and the drying intensity is quickly reduced; the cooling fan is turned on to reduce the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid, while improving the uneven heat distribution and protecting the quality of the rubber.

[0051] Control cycle: The system follows a control cycle of executing a complete judgment and issuing instructions every 10 seconds, ensuring that the actions of each device are accurately matched to the current rubber drying status, realizing dynamic and real-time automated control.

[0052] The system provides data logging and traceability, collecting all status data, image analysis results, temperature data, and equipment operating status in real time to ensure information integrity and accuracy. Collected data includes, but is not limited to, rubber dryness, top and bottom surface temperatures (T_top, T_bottom), temperature difference (ΔT), propeller speed, dehumidification fan air volume, burner set temperature, and cooling fan status.

[0053] All collected data is stored in the system's database, organized and managed in a structured manner for easy query and analysis. Data storage formats include tables (such as Excel and CSV) and databases (such as SQL and NoSQL), ensuring long-term data preservation and fast retrieval.

[0054] Users can query historical data through the monitoring and operation terminal. The system provides flexible query functions and supports multi-dimensional query conditions such as time range, equipment status, and drying degree. Users can view drying process data within a specific time period and analyze the uniformity of rubber drying, equipment operation stability, and energy consumption.

[0055] The system automatically generates reports covering key production data and drying furnace operating parameters. Reports are formatted in Excel or CSV format, facilitating further data processing and analysis. Reports include statistical information and equipment operating status records, providing a basis for production management decisions.

[0056] When product quality issues arise, users can use recorded data for quality traceability. By reviewing historical data, they can quickly locate the time period when the problem occurred and the corresponding drying oven operating status, and analyze factors that may have affected product quality, such as temperature fluctuations and insufficient or excessive drying time. This helps to implement targeted improvement measures to improve product quality.

[0057] Accumulated data provides a rich resource for process optimization. By analyzing large amounts of historical data, potential problems and areas for improvement in the drying process can be identified, such as improper equipment parameter settings and drying curve optimization. Users can adjust drying process parameters based on data analysis results, continuously optimizing the production process and improving production efficiency and product quality.

[0058] Beneficial effects

[0059] Improving Drying Uniformity: By integrating image recognition and temperature information, the system accurately determines the degree of rubber drying and intelligently adjusts the operating parameters of equipment such as propellers, fans, and burners based on the different conditions. This effectively avoids uneven drying and improves rubber product quality. The automated control system monitors and adjusts the operating status of the drying oven in real time, reducing manual intervention and improving the stability and reliability of the production process.

[0060] Reduce defective product rate: By precisely controlling the drying process, the defective products caused by excessive temperature or uneven drying can be reduced, and the qualified rate of products can be improved.

[0061] Data recording and tracing: Real-time recording of various data during the drying process and generation of exportable reports facilitates quality traceability and process optimization, providing data support for continuous improvement of the production process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] Figure 1 This is a specific control logic diagram of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 2 It is a control state map;

[0064] Figure 3 It is a specific operation mapping diagram under different control states. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] The following is a further description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the description of these embodiments is intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not constitute a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0066] It should be noted that, in the description of the present invention, the terms "up", "down", "left", "right", "front", "back", etc. indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the description of the structure of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0067] The "first" and "second" in this technical solution are only used to distinguish the same or similar structures, or corresponding structures with similar functions, and are not an arrangement of the importance of these structures, nor do they have any ranking, size comparison, or other meanings.

[0068] In addition, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed" and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, a connection can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be internal communication between two structures. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the overall principles of the present invention and the specific context of this solution.

[0069] Example

[0070] The drying furnace automation control system specifically includes:

[0071] Image acquisition module: A high-resolution industrial camera is set diagonally above the colloid in the drying furnace to fully capture the surface features of the rubber.

[0072] Temperature monitoring module: A high-precision thermocouple sensor array is arranged near the upper edge and bottom of the rubber strip to monitor the upper surface temperature (T_top) and the lower surface temperature (T_bottom), respectively.

[0073] Data processing module: uses high-performance processors and advanced image processing algorithms to perform real-time analysis and processing of collected images and temperature data, integrating multi-source information to achieve precise control decisions.

[0074] Control execution module: According to the instructions of the data processing module, the propeller running speed is controlled by a high-precision servo motor, the set temperature of the burner is controlled, the opening and closing and air volume of the dehumidifying fan and the cooling fan are adjusted, and the target temperature of the burner is accurately controlled.

[0075] Monitoring and operation terminal: equipped with a large LCD screen and human-computer interaction interface, used to display the equipment operating status, temperature distribution, image drying degree information in real time, and receive instructions from operators.

[0076] The specific processing logic of the present invention is as follows Figure 1 As shown, the specific processing steps include:

[0077] Image acquisition and preprocessing: An industrial camera regularly captures images of the rubber surface, preferably with a 10-second acquisition cycle. Preprocessing operations such as grayscale conversion, denoising, and brightness balancing are performed to highlight the rubber's features and remove background interference.

[0078] Image Analysis and Dryness Determination: The system assesses the dryness of rubber by extracting features such as color and texture from rubber images. Based on these image characteristics, the dryness level is classified into three levels: moist, intermediate, and dry. Before the system is operational, a large number of rubber images of varying dryness levels are collected to construct a training dataset. These images are annotated to identify their corresponding dryness levels. Deep learning algorithms, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), are then trained to generate an image dryness classification model. In actual operation, the collected images are fed into this model to quickly and accurately determine the dryness level of the rubber.

[0079] Temperature acquisition and calculation: The system collects temperature data, synchronizes it with the image information, calculates the current upper surface temperature (T_top) and lower surface temperature (T_bottom), and obtains the temperature difference ΔT between the two.

[0080] Temperature difference calculation and classification: The system collects temperature data once per second, calculates the current upper surface temperature (T_top) and lower surface temperature (T_bottom) using the average method, and calculates the difference between the two, ΔT = |T_top - T_bottom|. ΔT is divided into three levels:

[0081] ΔT<5℃: The temperature difference is small, and the upper and lower surfaces are relatively dry.

[0082] 5≤ΔT<10℃: The temperature difference is large, and the drying of the upper and lower surfaces may be uneven.

[0083] 10≤ΔT: The temperature difference is too large, indicating that there is a high probability of uneven transition between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0084] Qualified range: When the upper surface temperature is 30≤T_top≤55℃ and the lower surface temperature is 30≤T_bottom≤55℃, the temperature is in the qualified range.

[0085] High temperature warning: When the upper surface temperature T_top>55℃ or the lower surface temperature T_bottom>55℃, the high temperature warning is triggered. At this time, emergency measures should be taken, and this measure has the highest priority.

[0086] Temperature difference calculation: Continuously calculate the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces ΔT = |T_top-T_bottom|. When 5≤ΔT<10℃, the heat distribution is determined to be uneven and classified as uneven drying. When ΔT<5℃, it is classified as balanced drying. When 10≤ΔT, it is classified as severely uneven drying. State joint mapping: The image dryness, upper surface temperature range (T_top) and temperature difference (ΔT) are jointly mapped to 9 control states S1-S9. Each state corresponds to a specific drying scenario and control requirements. For specific correspondence, please refer to the attached Figure 2 :

[0087] State S1: When the image is moist and the surface temperature is acceptable, but the temperature difference is 5 ≤ ​​ΔT < 10°C, indicating uneven heat distribution, it is in control state S1. At this time, it is necessary to optimize the hot air distribution and improve drying uniformity while ensuring the drying progress.

[0088] State S2: When the image is moist, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5°C, indicating balanced heat distribution, it is in control state S2. At this time, parameters should be appropriately adjusted to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the current drying efficiency.

[0089] State S3: When the image is wet, the surface temperature is acceptable, and a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe thermal imbalance, the control state S3 is reached. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the temperature distribution and improve drying uniformity while maintaining the drying progress. At the same time, the temperature should be lowered to ensure that the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber do not experience severe drying unevenness.

[0090] State S4: When the image is in an intermediate dry state, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference of 5 ≤ ΔT < 10°C indicates uneven heat distribution, the image is in control state S4. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the hot air distribution to improve drying uniformity, and the propeller speed should be appropriately increased to prevent overdrying.

[0091] State S5: When the image is in an intermediate state of dryness, the surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5°C, indicating balanced heat distribution, it is in control state S5. At this time, a stable drying process should be maintained and the operating parameters of each device should be reasonably balanced.

[0092] State S6: When the image is in an intermediate dry state, the surface temperature is acceptable, and a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe heat distribution imbalance, the control state S6 is reached. At this point, it is necessary to optimize the temperature distribution while ensuring the drying progress. This lowering of the temperature slows the drying process of the rubber to prevent uneven drying of the upper and lower surfaces. The degree of temperature reduction should be greater than that observed in the wet state.

[0093] State S7: When the image shows dryness, the upper surface temperature is acceptable, and the temperature difference ΔT is less than 5, indicating balanced heat distribution, the rubber is in control state S7. At this point, the rubber is close to the ideal dry state and can maintain a stable temperature while increasing the propeller speed to avoid overdrying.

[0094] State S8: When the image dryness is dry, the upper surface temperature triggers a high temperature warning, or a temperature difference of 5 ≤ ΔT < 10°C indicates uneven heat distribution, the rubber enters control state S8. At this point, the rubber may be at risk of overdrying or severely uneven heat distribution. Immediate measures must be taken to reduce the temperature and optimize hot air distribution to prevent damage to the rubber.

[0095] State S9: When the image dryness is dry, the upper surface temperature triggers a high temperature warning, or a temperature difference of 10 ≤ ΔT indicates severe thermal maldistribution, the rubber enters control state S9. At this point, the rubber may be at risk of overdrying or experiencing severe thermal maldistribution. Immediate measures must be taken to significantly reduce the temperature and optimize the temperature distribution to prevent damage to the rubber.

[0096] Adaptive control strategy: According to different control states Si, the equipment action is accurately set to achieve intelligent regulation of the drying process:

[0097] Propeller speed: Adjusted as a percentage of maximum speed, this speed controls the residence time of the rubber in the drying oven, thereby affecting the degree of drying. Lower speeds increase the residence time and improve the degree of drying; higher speeds decrease the residence time and reduce the degree of drying.

[0098] Dehumidification fan air volume: Adjust the dehumidification fan air volume as a percentage of the maximum speed, controlling it based on drying requirements. Higher air volume increases dehumidification capacity, helping to reduce humidity within the drying oven and promote moisture evaporation from the rubber surface. Lower air volume decreases dehumidification capacity, making it suitable for low humidity environments or to avoid over-dehumidification in the later stages of drying.

[0099] Burner set temperature: 30°C to 60°C. All subsequent temperature adjustments will fall within this range. If the adjusted temperature falls below the minimum setting, the minimum setting of 30°C will be used as the set temperature. Adjusting the burner temperature directly changes the heat intensity within the drying oven, thereby affecting the rate and degree of rubber drying. Increasing the temperature accelerates water evaporation, but care should be taken to avoid adverse effects of excessively high temperatures on rubber properties. Lowering the temperature slows the drying process and prevents over-drying.

[0100] Cooling fan status: On or off, and the cooling fan gear can be set. When the rubber temperature is too high or needs to be quickly lowered, turning on the cooling fan can quickly remove the heat and prevent the rubber from being damaged by high temperature. When the temperature is acceptable or energy consumption needs to be reduced, turning off the cooling fan to maintain heat balance.

[0101] As attached Figure 3 The specific control strategies are as follows:

[0102] State S1: When in state S1, the propeller speed is set to 30%, extending the rubber residence time to increase the drying opportunity; the dehumidification fan air volume is fully opened to 100%, enhancing the dehumidification capacity, promoting water evaporation, and at the same time assisting in adjusting the temperature distribution of the upper and lower surfaces to be more uniform; the burner set temperature is increased by 5°C based on the current set temperature, enhancing the heat source supply, accelerating the drying process, and coordinating with the fan to accelerate the air flow during the heating process to adjust the temperature to achieve a balanced effect; at the same time, the cooling fan is turned on to assist in optimizing the hot air distribution, prevent local overheating, and cooperate with the dehumidification fan to adjust the upper and lower surface temperatures.

[0103] State S2: In the S2 state, the upper and lower surface temperatures are balanced, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, and the rubber residence time is appropriately extended; the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 80%, while ensuring the dehumidification effect while avoiding over-dehumidification; the burner set temperature remains unchanged to maintain a stable heat source supply; the cooling fan is turned off to reduce the interference of cold air on the drying process and improve energy utilization efficiency.

[0104] State S3: When in state S3, the propeller speed is reduced to 20% to increase the residence time of the rubber in the drying furnace, so that the rubber can be more fully heated and dried, while reducing local uneven drying caused by excessive temperature differences. The dehumidification fan is fully opened to 100% air volume to extract moisture at the maximum air volume, and cooperates with the cooling fan to achieve temperature balance. The burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature to reduce heat input, avoid aggravating the temperature difference problem due to local excessive temperature, and prevent the rubber surface from hardening or cracking due to excessive temperature. The cooling fan is turned on and set to high-speed mode to provide strong cooling airflow to quickly cool down the local overheated areas in the drying furnace and balance the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0105] State S4: When the system is in the S4 state, the propeller speed is set to 50% to speed up the delivery speed of the colloid and balance the drying progress and temperature control; the dehumidification fan air volume is opened to 60%. At this time, the colloid is close to dry, and excessive dehumidification is avoided. However, the air volume should not be too small, which is not conducive to the temperature balance of the upper and lower surfaces; the burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature, and the heat source output is reduced in time to curb the temperature rise trend. During the cooling process, the fan is used to accelerate the air flow to adjust the temperature to achieve a balanced effect, while reducing the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid; the cooling fan is turned on to assist in optimizing the hot air distribution, prevent high temperature from damaging the rubber performance, and improve the uneven heat distribution.

[0106] State S5: In state S5, the propeller speed is adjusted to 60% to match the requirements of the intermediate drying level; the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 40% to adapt to the current humidity conditions, rationally utilize energy and avoid excessive dehumidification; the burner set temperature remains stable to ensure a continuous and stable heat source supply; the cooling fan is turned off to maintain the heat environment in the drying furnace and ensure the drying effect.

[0107] State S6: When the system is in the S6 state, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, appropriately extending the residence time of the rubber in the drying furnace so that the rubber can receive heat more evenly in the current intermediate state, avoiding inconsistent drying due to excessive temperature differences. The dehumidification fan air volume is set to 80%. On the basis of ensuring effective dehumidification, it avoids excessive dehumidification causing excessive drying. At the same time, it helps to improve the humidity distribution in the drying furnace and alleviate the problem of excessive temperature differences. The burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, reducing the heat source intensity, slowing down the drying rate, preventing local overheating of the rubber, and helping to narrow the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces, making drying more uniform. The cooling fan state is turned on and set to high-speed mode to provide cooling airflow in the drying furnace, cooperating with the dehumidification fan and burner cooling to balance the temperature distribution and alleviate the situation of excessive temperature differences.

[0108] State S7: In the S7 state, the propeller speed is increased to 100% to speed up the rubber transportation, reduce unnecessary drying time and avoid over-drying; the dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to prevent excessive dehumidification from causing excessive drying of the rubber; the burner set temperature remains unchanged to maintain a low-temperature heat source and assist in stabilizing the drying environment; the cooling fan is turned off to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the temperature balance in the drying furnace.

[0109] State S8: In the S8 state, the propeller speed is set to 80%, and the propeller speed is at high speed to prevent high temperature or uneven heat distribution from further affecting the rubber; the dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to avoid excessive dehumidification and aggravating the degree of rubber drying; the burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, significantly reducing the heat source output and quickly reducing the drying intensity; the cooling fan is turned on to lower the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid, while improving the uneven heat distribution and protecting the quality of the rubber.

[0110] State S9: In state S9, the propeller speed is reduced to 60%. Although the rubber is already dry, it is very likely to be dried unevenly. The residence time of the rubber in the drying oven is appropriately extended to ensure uniform drying of the upper and lower surfaces. At the same time, the dehumidification fan air volume is reduced to 20%, reducing the dehumidification intensity and preventing excessive dehumidification from causing localized over-drying of the rubber. The burner set temperature is reduced by 15°C from the current set temperature. If the 15°C reduction is lower than the minimum burner temperature, the burner will operate at the minimum temperature. The heat source output is significantly reduced, quickly reducing the drying intensity. The cooling fan state is turned on and set to high speed mode to provide cooling airflow, assisting in regulating the temperature in the drying oven, preventing localized overheating, and reducing the temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces.

[0111] In addition, when any surface temperature (T_top or T_bottom) exceeds 55°C, if the rubber is in a wet state or an intermediate state, the following emergency operation will be immediately executed, and this operation has the highest priority and is not affected by temperature differences. The specific operations are as follows:

[0112] Immediately stop the propeller to stop the rubber from moving forward and prevent it from continuing to heat in the high-temperature area, thereby preventing damage to the rubber's performance due to excessive temperatures. Turn off the dehumidifying fan to prevent accelerated water loss in the rubber and prevent defects such as cracks on the rubber surface due to rapid drying. Immediately shut down the burner to cut off the high-temperature heat source and prevent further temperature increases. Turn on the cooling fan and set it to high-speed mode, using maximum air volume to cool the drying oven and protect the rubber. Simultaneously, trigger the high-temperature alarm to alert the operator that the drying oven is currently in a high-temperature emergency state and requires timely action. The alarm information will be displayed on the monitoring and operation terminal, including detailed information such as the alarm time and alarm type (high-temperature emergency stop).

[0113] The system will continuously monitor temperature changes. If the temperature drops to 55°C or below, it will readjust to the corresponding normal control strategy based on the actual drying state of the rubber and restart the burner at 45°C. If the temperature still does not drop, the system will continue to execute the above emergency high-temperature shutdown measures until the temperature returns to normal.

[0114] When any surface temperature (T_top or T_bottom) exceeds 55°C, and the rubber is dry, ensuring rubber quality is paramount. Excessively high temperatures can cause the rubber to overdry, affecting quality, and therefore require rapid removal. The system executes the following control logic: The propeller speed is increased to 100%, quickly removing the rubber from the drying oven to minimize the effects of high temperatures and prevent overdrying. The dehumidification fan volume is reduced to 0% to prevent excessive dehumidification from exacerbating the drying process. The burner and heat output are shut down to rapidly reduce drying intensity. The cooling fan is activated to lower the temperature to prevent overdrying and improve uneven heat distribution.

[0115] Control cycle: The system follows a control cycle of executing a complete judgment and issuing instructions every 10 seconds, ensuring that the actions of each device are accurately matched to the current rubber drying status, realizing dynamic and real-time automated control.

[0116] The system provides data logging and traceability, collecting all status data, image analysis results, temperature data, and equipment operating status in real time to ensure information integrity and accuracy. Collected data includes, but is not limited to, rubber dryness, top and bottom surface temperatures (T_top, T_bottom), temperature difference (ΔT), propeller speed, dehumidification fan air volume, burner set temperature, and cooling fan status.

[0117] All collected data is stored in the system's database, organized and managed in a structured manner for easy query and analysis. Data storage formats include tables (such as Excel and CSV) and databases (such as SQL and NoSQL), ensuring long-term data preservation and fast retrieval.

[0118] Users can query historical data through the monitoring and operation terminal. The system provides flexible query functions and supports multi-dimensional query conditions such as time range, equipment status, and drying degree. Users can view drying process data within a specific time period and analyze the uniformity of rubber drying, equipment operation stability, and energy consumption.

[0119] The system automatically generates reports covering key production data and drying furnace operating parameters. Reports are formatted in Excel or CSV format, facilitating further data processing and analysis. Reports include statistical information and equipment operating status records, providing a basis for production management decisions.

[0120] When product quality issues arise, users can leverage recorded data for quality traceability. By reviewing historical data, they can quickly locate the time period when the problem occurred and the corresponding drying oven operating status, analyzing factors that may affect product quality, such as temperature fluctuations and insufficient or excessive drying time. This facilitates targeted improvement measures to enhance product quality. The accumulated data provides a rich resource for process optimization. By analyzing extensive historical data, potential problems and areas for improvement in the drying process can be identified, such as inappropriate equipment parameter settings and drying curve optimization. Based on the data analysis results, users can adjust drying process parameters to continuously optimize the production process, improving production efficiency and product quality.

[0121] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to these embodiments may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and these changes and modifications still fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A drying furnace automation control method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Industrial cameras regularly capture surface images of rubber, extract color and texture features of the rubber images to determine the dryness of the rubber, and then classify the dryness of the images into three levels: wet, intermediate, and dry. The thermocouple array collects temperature data from the upper and lower surfaces of the rubber in real time, collects the current upper and lower surface temperatures, and obtains the temperature difference ΔT between the two. Based on a preset threshold, ΔT is classified as a balanced drying state, an uneven drying state, or a severely uneven drying state. Combined with the image dryness level and temperature difference information, the control status is classified. According to different control states, the propeller speed, dehumidifying fan air volume, burner set temperature and cooling fan on / off are dynamically adjusted to achieve precise control of the drying process. When the temperature of any surface exceeds 55°C, a differentiated emergency control strategy is executed based on the dryness of the current image. This operation has the highest priority and is not affected by temperature difference information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: All control status data, image dryness classification results, temperature data and equipment operating status are recorded in real time, and exportable reports are generated to support quality traceability and process optimization.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: In the temperature collection and calculation steps, when ΔT<5°C, it is classified as a balanced drying state; when 5≤ΔT<10°C, it is classified as an uneven drying state; and when 10≤ΔT, it is classified as a severely uneven drying state.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein: When the image dryness is moist and the upper and lower surface temperatures are ≤55°C, if ΔT is in an uneven drying state, the propeller speed is set to 30% of the maximum speed, the dehumidifying fan air volume is fully opened to 100%, the burner set temperature is increased by 5°C based on the current set temperature to enhance the heat source supply, and the cooling fan is turned on at the same time to assist in optimizing the hot air distribution; if ΔT is in a balanced drying state, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, the dehumidifying fan air volume is reduced to 80%, the burner set temperature remains unchanged, and the cooling fan is turned off; if ΔT is in a severely uneven drying state, the propeller speed is reduced to 20%, the dehumidifying fan air volume is fully opened to 100%, the burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature, and the cooling fan is turned on at the same time.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein: When the image dryness is in the middle state and the upper and lower surface temperatures are ≤55°C, if ΔT is in the uneven drying state, the propeller speed is set to 50%, the dehumidifying fan air volume is turned to 60%, the burner set temperature is reduced by 5°C based on the current set temperature, and the cooling fan is turned on; If ΔT is in a dry and balanced state, the propeller speed is adjusted to 60%, the dehumidifying fan air volume is reduced to 40%, the burner set temperature remains stable, and the cooling fan is turned off; if ΔT is in a severely uneven dry state, the propeller speed is adjusted to 40%, the dehumidifying fan air volume is set to 80%, the burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, and the cooling fan state is turned on.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein: When the image dryness is dry and the upper and lower surface temperatures are ≤55°C, if ΔT is in an uneven drying state, the propeller speed is set to 80%, the dehumidifying fan is turned off, the burner set temperature is reduced by 10°C based on the current set temperature, and the cooling fan is turned on; if ΔT is in a balanced drying state, the propeller speed is increased to 100%, the dehumidifying fan is turned off, the burner set temperature remains unchanged, and the cooling fan is turned off; if ΔT is in a severely uneven drying state, the propeller speed is reduced to 60%, first of all, ensure that the upper and lower surfaces are evenly dried, the dehumidifying fan air volume is set to 20%, the burner set temperature is reduced by 15°C based on the current set temperature, and the cooling fan is turned on.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The differentiated emergency control strategy specifically includes: if the rubber is in a wet state or an intermediate state, immediately stop the propeller operation, turn off the dehumidification fan and burner, turn on the cooling fan high-speed mode, and trigger a high-temperature alarm to alert the operator.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein: The differentiated emergency control strategy specifically includes: if the rubber is in a dry state, the propeller speed is increased to 100%, the rubber is quickly removed from the drying furnace, and the dehumidification fan air volume is closed to 0% to avoid excessive dehumidification and aggravation of the rubber drying degree; the burner is turned off and the cooling fan is turned on at the same time to quickly reduce the temperature to avoid excessive drying of the colloid.

9. A drying furnace automation control system, characterized in that: include: Image acquisition module: used to monitor the surface status of the rubber material in real time; Temperature monitoring module: A high-precision thermocouple sensor array is arranged near the upper edge and bottom of the rubber to monitor the upper and lower surface temperatures in real time; Data processing module: using a high-performance processor and image processing algorithm to perform the control state classification steps described in claims 1-8; Control execution module: according to the instructions of the data processing module, it is used to execute the dynamic adjustment steps according to different control states in claims 1-8, and dynamically adjust the propeller speed, the air volume of the dehumidifying fan, the set temperature of the burner and the on / off state of the cooling fan; Monitoring and operation terminal: equipped with a large LCD screen and human-computer interaction interface, used to display the equipment operating status, temperature distribution, image drying degree information in real time, and receive instructions from operators.

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