A ball separator device applied to a grinding mill

Abstract

The application provides a ball separating device applied to a grinding device, which comprises a box body, a discharge pipe communicated with a discharge port of a grinding machine is arranged on the box body, a concentration flow meter is installed in the discharge pipe, a recovery and separation mechanism for moving and discharging materials is installed in the box body, a slurry discharge pipe is installed at the bottom of the box body, and a control system is further included, which receives a stirring mechanism rotating speed signal in the grinding machine and a pulp concentration and flow signal monitored by the concentration flow meter, and outputs a signal to control the recovery and separation mechanism to move, and a recovery groove for receiving grinding medium is arranged below the recovery and separation mechanism in the box body. The application effectively separates the mixture of the pulp and the grinding medium, facilitates the recovery of the grinding medium, reduces the labor cost, moves to the edge of the box body when the ball does not run or separation is not needed, prevents the recovery and separation mechanism from being stacked, avoids affecting the next process, realizes full-automatic intelligent control, improves the work efficiency, and solves the problem that the grinding medium is not easy to recover due to the untimely manual operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mineral processing equipment technology, and in particular to a ball separator device used in grinding equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Grinding is the process of further refining the particle size of minerals. Specifically, the mechanism involves the crushed mineral particles entering the grinding equipment and interacting mechanically with the agitator and grinding media, achieving secondary crushing. Since most grinding equipment is wet grinding, the ground minerals are discharged as a slurry from the discharge device to the next stage. However, experiments have shown that due to the complexity of the grinding process, when the agitator speed is too low, the slurry flow rate is too high, or the slurry concentration is too high, a phenomenon occurs where grinding media are discharged from the discharge device (commonly known as the "ball-running phenomenon"). In this case, the discharge device discharges a mixture of slurry and grinding media.

[0003] Currently, both domestically and internationally, adding a classifying device—a ball-separating device used in grinding equipment—to the discharge port utilizes particle size differences to separate materials, allowing the slurry to be effectively discharged from the discharge port while preventing grinding media or impurities from exiting, thus achieving a separation effect. However, experiments have shown that during grinding, minerals and grinding media move towards the discharge port together. As the grinding media is continuously ground finer, grinding media or mineral impurities can clog the classifying device, preventing the slurry from being discharged and causing certain economic losses.

[0004] For example, the mill classification device disclosed in patent CN212975357U includes a centrifugal disc and a classification rotor sequentially mounted on the drive shaft along the material travel direction, with a cylindrical screen and other structures embedded within the classification rotor; the internal self-classification device of the vertical spiral stirred mill disclosed in patent CN107127045B includes a cylinder, with an intermediate partition plate inside the cylinder, and a discharge device and guide plate above the intermediate partition plate. Although both of these devices can achieve separation to a certain extent, they both suffer from the problem of easy clogging. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a ball separator device for use in grinding equipment to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] This invention provides a ball-separating device for grinding equipment, comprising a housing, a discharge pipe connected to the discharge port of the mill, a concentration flow meter installed inside the discharge pipe, a recovery and separation mechanism installed inside the housing that moves to the discharge pipe to receive material and to discharge material away from the discharge pipe, a slurry discharge pipe connected to a downstream mineral processing device installed at the bottom of the housing, and a control system. The control system receives the rotation speed signal of the stirring mechanism inside the mill and the slurry concentration and flow rate signals monitored by the concentration flow meter, and outputs a signal to control the movement of the recovery and separation mechanism.

[0007] Furthermore, the recycling and separation mechanism is located below the discharge pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, the recycling and separation mechanism includes a frame, on which steel gratings are respectively installed on the front and rear sides, end faces and bottom surface of the frame.

[0009] Furthermore, the end face of the frame with the steel grating is a filter end, and the end face of the frame opposite to the filter end is a recycling end. The filter end and the recycling end are respectively connected to a height adjustment mechanism.

[0010] Furthermore, a recycling trough located below the recycling end is installed on the side wall of the box, and one end of the recycling trough is connected to a guide pipe extending to the outside of the box.

[0011] Furthermore, a horizontal drive mechanism for driving the recycling and separation mechanism to move is installed on the top of the box, and the height adjustment mechanism is installed on the horizontal drive mechanism. The horizontal drive mechanism and the height adjustment mechanism are electrically connected to the control system.

[0012] Furthermore, the horizontal drive mechanism is mounted on a mounting base on the top of the housing.

[0013] Furthermore, the horizontal drive mechanism is a ball screw, and a slider is sleeved on the outside of the nut of the ball screw, and the height adjustment mechanism is mounted on the slider.

[0014] Furthermore, the slider is connected to a base plate located below the mounting base via a connecting rod, and the height adjustment mechanism is disposed on the base plate.

[0015] Furthermore, the mounting base is provided with a guide rail, on which an electric hoist is mounted. The horizontal drive mechanism is the traveling mechanism of the electric hoist, and the traveling mechanism of the electric hoist is slidably connected to the guide rail. The height adjustment mechanism is the drum mechanism of the electric hoist.

[0016] This invention effectively separates the mixture of slurry and grinding media caused by excessively low stirring speed, excessively high discharge slurry flow rate, and excessively high slurry concentration through a recycling and separation mechanism. This facilitates the recovery of grinding media and reduces labor costs. The movable recycling and separation mechanism can be moved to the edge of the tank when there is no ball run or separation is not required, preventing slurry or impurities from accumulating on the mechanism and affecting subsequent processes, thus avoiding economic losses. It achieves fully automatic intelligent control, improving work efficiency, saving labor costs, and solving the problem of grinding media running into the lower tank and being difficult to recover due to untimely manual operation. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front view structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side view of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of Embodiment 2 of the present invention;

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0023] In the diagram: 1-box body, 2-discharge pipe, 3-recycling and separation mechanism, 4-slurry discharge pipe, 5-frame, 6-steel grating, 7-recycling tank, 8-guide pipe, 9-mounting seat, 10-ball screw, 11-slider, 12-base plate, 13-winner, 14-guide rail, 15-electric hoist, 16-lifting ring, 17-wire rope; Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they may refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] like Figures 1-3 As shown:

[0029] A ball-separating device for grinding equipment includes a housing 1 and a control system. The housing 1 is provided with a discharge pipe 2 that is connected to the discharge port of the mill. A concentration flow meter is installed in the discharge pipe 2. The concentration flow meter adopts a differential pressure type or electromagnetic sensor to monitor the concentration and flow rate of the slurry in the discharge pipe 2 in real time and transmits it to the control system through a 4-20mA current signal.

[0030] The housing 1 is equipped with a recycling and separation mechanism 3 that moves to the discharge pipe 2 to receive materials and discharges materials away from the discharge pipe 2. The recycling and separation mechanism 3 is located below the discharge pipe 2.

[0031] The rotational speed of the stirring mechanism inside the mill is acquired by an incremental encoder. The encoder is installed at the end of the stirring shaft and outputs a fixed number of pulses per revolution. The control system calculates the rotational speed based on the pulse frequency.

[0032] The control system uses a PLC controller, integrating analog input modules and digital output modules. The control system receives the speed signal of the stirring mechanism inside the mill and the slurry concentration and flow rate signals monitored by the concentration and flow meter. After processing by the PID algorithm, the control system outputs a signal to control the movement of the recovery and separation mechanism 3.

[0033] The recycling and separation mechanism 3 includes a frame 5, on which steel grating 6 is installed on the front and rear sides, end faces and bottom face of the frame 5. The mesh size of the steel grating 6 is smaller than that of the grinding media, and can be adjusted according to the particle size of the grinding media to ensure that the strength is sufficient to bear the weight of the grinding media.

[0034] The end face of the frame 5 with the steel grating 6 is the filter end, and the end face of the frame 5 opposite to the filter end is the recycling end. The filter end and the recycling end are respectively connected to a height adjustment mechanism.

[0035] A recovery trough 7 is installed on the side wall of the box 1 below the recovery end. One end of the recovery trough 7 is connected to a guide pipe 8 extending to the outside of the box 1. The recovery trough 7 adopts a U-shaped trough structure, and the bottom of the trough can be inclined in the direction of the guide pipe 8 to ensure that the grinding media can automatically roll into the guide pipe 8. The outlet end of the guide pipe 8 is connected to the grinding media recovery box, and a screening device is installed inside the box to further separate the slurry and steel balls.

[0036] The bottom of the box 1 is equipped with a slurry discharge pipe 4 that connects to the downstream mineral processing equipment. The slurry discharge pipe 4 can be tilted at 15°. The inner wall of the pipe is lined with a polyurethane wear-resistant layer. A pneumatic vibrator is installed at the bottom, which automatically starts when the slurry discharge flow is small to prevent slurry sedimentation.

[0037] A horizontal drive mechanism is installed on the top of the housing 1 to drive the recovery and separation mechanism 3 to move. A height adjustment mechanism is installed on the horizontal drive mechanism. The horizontal drive mechanism and the height adjustment mechanism are electrically connected to the control system.

[0038] The horizontal drive mechanism is mounted on the mounting base 9 at the top of the housing 1. The horizontal drive mechanism is a ball screw 10. A slider 11 is sleeved on the outside of the nut of the ball screw 10. The height adjustment mechanism is mounted on the slider 11.

[0039] In this embodiment, to ensure the stability of the horizontal drive mechanism and meet the load requirements, two nuts are provided on the ball screw 10. In this embodiment, the ball screw 10 is a double-nut synchronous preloaded ball screw pair.

[0040] The slider 11 is connected to the base plate 12 located below the mounting base 9 via a connecting rod. The height adjustment mechanism is set on the base plate 12. In this embodiment, the height adjustment mechanism is a winch 13. The number of winches 13 can be adjusted according to the actual load requirements. The speed of the winch 13 is adjusted by the PID control system.

[0041] When there are four winches 13, the drum of each winch 13 is connected by wire rope 17 to the lifting rings 16 located at the four corners of the top surface of the frame 5 of the recycling and separation mechanism 3; when there are two winches 13, the drum of each winch 13 is connected by wire rope 17 to the lifting rings 16 located at the filter end and the recycling end of the recycling and separation mechanism 3.

[0042] When any of the following conditions are detected, the control system triggers the recycling and separation mechanism to move below the discharge pipe:

[0043] The stirring mechanism's rotational speed is less than the set threshold.

[0044] The slurry concentration is greater than the set threshold (60%) and the flow rate is greater than the set threshold (50 m3 / h).

[0045] Upon triggering, the horizontal drive mechanism drives the recycling and separation mechanism to move. Once in position, a limit switch sends a feedback signal, and the control system immediately stops the movement and locks the position.

[0046] When the slurry concentration is ≤30% and the flow rate is ≤20m3 / h, the control system determines that there is no risk of ball running away and controls the recovery and separation mechanism to move to the edge of the tank.

[0047] Torque sensors are installed on the drive devices of both the horizontal drive mechanism and the height adjustment mechanism. When the load exceeds 120% of the rated value, the control system automatically stops the machine and issues an audible and visual alarm.

[0048] A pressure sensor is installed at the lifting ring connection of the recycling and separation mechanism. When the accumulated weight of the grinding media is greater than 300 kg, an audible and visual alarm is triggered, and the operator can manually control the reset of the recycling and separation mechanism; when it is greater than 500 kg, the reset process is forcibly started.

[0049] Working principle:

[0050] 1. Handling ball-running conditions: When the mill stirring speed decreases and the concentration and flow meter detects that the slurry concentration and flow rate are too high:

[0051] The control system sends a command to the horizontal drive mechanism, and the ball screw drives the recovery and separation mechanism to move at a speed of 0.3 m / s to directly below the discharge pipe; at the same time, the winch starts, lowers the filter end and raises the recovery end to form an inclined filter surface with an inclination angle of 10°; the slurry is filtered through the steel grid, the grinding media is retained in the recovery and separation mechanism, and the slurry flows into the next stage equipment through the slurry discharge pipe.

[0052] When the pressure sensor of the recycling and separation mechanism detects a weight of 300 kg, the horizontal drive mechanism moves the recycling and separation mechanism above the recycling tank, the winch flips the frame, and the grinding media falls into the recycling tank and is recovered through the guide pipe.

[0053] 2. Normal operating conditions

[0054] When the slurry concentration and flow rate are low, the control system moves the recovery and separation mechanism to the left edge of the tank, away from the discharge pipe, to avoid slurry accumulation.

[0055] In addition to the above options, an intelligent electromagnetic flowmeter and a sodium 22 concentration meter can be installed in the discharge pipe 2, and a tachometer for measuring the speed of the stirring motor can be installed inside the mill. The flowmeter, concentration meter, and tachometer are electrically connected to the control system. By programming, the return values ​​of the flowmeter, tachometer, and concentration meter are read simultaneously. When the stirring mechanism speed is less than the set threshold, the slurry concentration is greater than the set threshold (60%), and the flow rate is greater than the set threshold (50 m3 / h), the recovery and separation mechanism is triggered to move to the bottom of the discharge pipe. When the slurry concentration is less than or equal to 30% and the flow rate is less than or equal to 20 m3 / h, the control system determines that there is no risk of ball leakage and controls the recovery and separation mechanism to move to the edge of the tank.

[0056] Example 2

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, the mounting base 9 is provided with a guide rail 14, which is an I-shaped steel rail, and an electric hoist 15 is installed on the guide rail 14.

[0058] In this embodiment, the horizontal drive mechanism is the walking mechanism of the electric hoist 15. The speed of the walking mechanism is controlled by frequency conversion. The walking mechanism is equipped with an electromagnetic brake. The walking mechanism of the electric hoist 15 is slidably connected to the guide rail 14.

[0059] A position sensor is installed on the traveling mechanism of the electric hoist 15 to detect the horizontal position of the recycling and separation mechanism in real time. The position sensor uses an absolute encoder with a positioning accuracy of ±1mm, ensuring that the recycling and separation mechanism 3 can accurately move to the designated position below the discharge pipe 2 or at the edge of the box 1.

[0060] The height adjustment mechanism is the drum mechanism of the electric hoist 15. In this embodiment, the electric hoist 15 is a double-hook electric hoist. The double-hook electric hoist is a conventional device, and its specific mechanism will not be described in detail. The double-hook electric hoist is equipped with an overload protection device.

[0061] Operating procedures:

[0062] Initially, the recycling and separation mechanism is located in the standby position at the edge of the container, and the control system calibrates the zero point through the position sensor;

[0063] After receiving the start signal, the electric hoist traveling mechanism drives the recycling and separation mechanism to move below the discharge pipe, and the drum mechanism adjusts the frame height;

[0064] After separation, the drum mechanism first raises the recovery end by 100mm (forming a 5° inclination angle), then the traveling mechanism drives it to the top of the recovery tank, and finally the drum mechanism slowly lowers it so that the recovery end is close to the recovery tank, completing the unloading of the grinding media.

[0065] Example 3

[0066] The difference between this embodiment and embodiment 1 is that a fluid dynamic image particle sensor is installed at the discharge port of the mill in this embodiment to capture the grinding media flowing out of the discharge port. This embodiment uses a visual image recognition method to determine whether there is ball running. The lens of the fluid dynamic image particle sensor is coated with an anti-fog coating.

[0067] The control system in this embodiment includes an image acquisition module, a preprocessing module, a data processing module, a control module, and a power supply module.

[0068] The image acquisition module is electrically connected to the fluid dynamic image particle sensor, receives the raw image signal from the sensor, and converts the analog / digital image signal into a digital signal that the system can recognize through an AD conversion chip.

[0069] The preprocessing module receives digital signals from the image acquisition module and uses algorithms to eliminate image noise caused by slurry splashes, dust obstruction, and light fluctuations, highlighting particle outlines. It can be integrated into the software of an industrial control computer (IPC) or accelerated by a dedicated image preprocessing chip, making it suitable for high frame rate scenarios.

[0070] The data processing module is an industrial control computer (IPC) that identifies and distinguishes between mineral particles and grinding media based on pre-processed images. The IPC is equipped with particle recognition algorithm software that uses machine learning or traditional algorithms (such as shape recognition and grayscale thresholding) to identify particles in the image.

[0071] Distinguishing features: Steel balls are usually perfectly round, highly reflective (high grayscale value), and relatively large in size;

[0072] Judgment logic: Set the threshold for "ball running" as "the number of steel balls in a single frame is ≥1" or "the number of occurrences within 1 minute is ≥3" (which can be adjusted according to the mill model).

[0073] The control module is electrically connected to the recycling and separation mechanism. If the data processing module determines that the ball is running, the control module controls the recycling and separation mechanism to move below the discharge pipe. If the data processing module determines that there is no risk of the ball running, it controls the recycling and separation mechanism to move to the edge of the box.

[0074] The power module supplies power to all components, ensuring stable system operation.

[0075] In addition to the components mentioned above, an alarm and display module can be added to the control system for status alerts at the field and in the central control room, ensuring timely response from staff. The alarm and display module connects an audible and visual alarm to a local display terminal. The audible and visual alarm is installed near the mill or at the operating station; when "ball running" is detected, it alerts personnel at the field with a high-decibel sound (≥85dB) and flashing lights (red). The local display terminal is installed in the field control cabinet, displaying in real time "Current ball running status," "Cumulative ball running count," and "Sensor status," and allows manual adjustment of the recognition threshold.

[0076] This invention effectively separates the mixture of slurry and grinding media caused by excessively low stirring speed, excessively high discharge slurry flow rate, and excessively high slurry concentration through a recycling and separation mechanism. This facilitates the recovery of grinding media and reduces labor costs. The movable recycling and separation mechanism can be moved to the edge of the tank when separation is not required or when there is no ball run, preventing slurry or impurities from accumulating on the mechanism and affecting subsequent processes, thus avoiding economic losses. It achieves fully automatic intelligent control, improving work efficiency, saving labor costs, and solving the problem of grinding media running into the lower tank and being difficult to recover due to untimely manual operation. Torque sensors are installed on the drive equipment of the horizontal drive mechanism and the height adjustment mechanism. When the load exceeds a threshold, the control system automatically stops and alarms. A pressure sensor is installed at the lifting ring connection of the recycling and separation mechanism. When the accumulated weight of the grinding media exceeds a certain value, an audible and visual alarm is triggered or a forced reset process is initiated, ensuring the safe operation of the equipment.

[0077] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ball separator device for use in grinding equipment, characterized in that: The system includes a housing with a discharge pipe connected to the mill discharge port. A concentration flow meter is installed inside the discharge pipe. A recovery and separation mechanism that moves to the discharge pipe to receive material and discharges material away from the discharge pipe is installed inside the housing. A slurry discharge pipe connected to the next-stage mineral processing equipment is installed at the bottom of the housing. The system also includes a control system that receives the rotation speed signal of the stirring mechanism inside the mill and the slurry concentration and flow rate signals monitored by the concentration flow meter. The control system outputs signals to control the movement of the recovery and separation mechanism.

2. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The recycling and separation mechanism is located below the discharge pipe.

3. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The recycling and separation mechanism includes a frame, on which steel gratings are installed on the front and rear sides, end faces and bottom face of the frame.

4. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The frame has a steel grating end as a filter end and an end face on the frame opposite to the filter end as a recycling end. The filter end and the recycling end are respectively connected to a height adjustment mechanism.

5. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The side wall of the box is equipped with a recycling trough located below the recycling end, and one end of the recycling trough is connected to a guide pipe extending to the outside of the box.

6. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The top of the housing is equipped with a horizontal drive mechanism that drives the recycling and separation mechanism to move. The horizontal drive mechanism is equipped with the height adjustment mechanism. The horizontal drive mechanism and the height adjustment mechanism are electrically connected to the control system.

7. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The horizontal drive mechanism is mounted on the mounting base on the top of the housing.

8. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The horizontal drive mechanism is a ball screw, and a slider is sleeved on the outside of the nut of the ball screw. The height adjustment mechanism is mounted on the slider.

9. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The slider is connected to a base plate located below the mounting base via a connecting rod, and the height adjustment mechanism is disposed on the base plate.

10. The ball separator device for use in grinding equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The mounting base is provided with a guide rail, on which an electric hoist is mounted. The horizontal drive mechanism is the traveling mechanism of the electric hoist, and the traveling mechanism of the electric hoist is slidably connected to the guide rail. The height adjustment mechanism is the drum mechanism of the electric hoist.

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