Powder pipeline electrostatic eliminator and method based on dual-mode monitoring

Abstract

The invention discloses a powder pipeline electrostatic eliminator and method based on dual-mode monitoring, and belongs to the technical field of industrial explosion prevention and electrostatic elimination. The eliminator comprises a modularized positive-pressure sealed cabin, a high-pressure control unit, a high-pressure discharge unit, a pressure and flow monitoring unit and an ion injection unit. The system is characterized in that a flow detection device is additionally arranged on an air outlet pipeline of a positive-pressure sealed cabin and cooperates with a pressure sensor in a cavity to form a dual-mode safety monitoring system; the control system not only can effectively cut off a power supply, but also can realize early warning and type diagnosis of faults according to the logic relationship between the pressure and the flow. Meanwhile, the system integrates charge feedback and dynamically and independently adjusts positive and negative ion output. The problem that safety, maintainability and intelligent degree of existing equipment cannot be considered at the same time is solved, and a static elimination solution which is intrinsically safe, intelligent, efficient and extremely easy to maintain is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of industrial explosion-proof and static electricity elimination technology, and in particular to a static electricity eliminator and method for powder pipelines based on dual-mode monitoring. Background Technology

[0002] During the pneumatic conveying of powdered materials such as polyolefins, friction between the material and the pipeline generates a large amount of static electricity, which can easily lead to catastrophic accidents such as dust explosions after accumulation. Static eliminators are key equipment for eliminating such risks.

[0003] In existing technologies, electrostatic eliminators for powder pipelines mostly employ the ion wind principle. This involves generating ions through corona discharge from a high-voltage discharge needle, and then using airflow to blow these ions into the pipeline to neutralize the material's charge. To ensure safety in flammable and explosive environments, positive pressure explosion-proof technology is commonly used. This involves setting up a sealed cavity outside the discharge needle and filling it with clean protective gas to maintain an internal pressure higher than the external pressure, preventing flammable gases from entering the pipeline.

[0004] However, existing technologies have significant shortcomings: Limited safety monitoring (lack of early warning capabilities): Positive pressure protection relies solely on pressure sensors. A pressure drop indicates a leak has occurred, and monitoring is delayed. It cannot provide early warnings of potential risks such as gas path blockages.

[0005] Low level of intelligence: Although the concept of independent adjustment of bipolar ions has been proposed, it relies heavily on manual preset and lacks the ability to provide closed-loop feedback and intelligent prediction adjustment based on real-time changes in the charge of materials.

[0006] Insufficient self-cleaning ability: Dust easily adheres and accumulates, affecting power dissipation efficiency. Although some devices have a blowing function, they lack intelligent control, resulting in high energy consumption and poor efficiency.

[0007] Insufficient safety: Most devices adopt an "integrated" design, placing the high-voltage discharge needle directly near the pipeline and relying solely on the "positive pressure protection" principle. This method is a form of "dynamic isolation," meaning that if the gas source pressure fluctuates or the seal fails, the high-energy discharge needle can easily be exposed to an explosive environment, posing a significant safety hazard.

[0008] Poor reliability and short lifespan: The tip of the discharge needle is easily contaminated by dust, scale, or electrochemical corrosion, which leads to a rapid decline in ionization efficiency, unstable power elimination effect, and frequent replacement and maintenance of the equipment.

[0009] High maintenance costs: The highly integrated design makes maintenance extremely inconvenient. Replacing core components often requires a complete shutdown and disassembly, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and seriously affects production continuity.

[0010] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive solution that integrates greater security, intelligent early warning, efficient power consumption, and ease of maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0011] This invention provides a dual-mode monitoring-based electrostatic eliminator and method for powder pipelines. It is a highly intelligent, modular, and extremely safe electrostatic eliminator for powder material conveying pipelines in industries such as petrochemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. Its core objectives include: achieving early warning and accurate diagnosis of safety conditions; improving the adaptive and intelligent level of electrostatic elimination efficiency; and greatly simplifying maintenance procedures and reducing lifecycle costs.

[0012] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a powder pipeline electrostatic eliminator based on dual-mode monitoring is provided, including a main frame connected to the pipeline, comprising: a first positive pressure sealed chamber (positive pressure cavity 1) and a second positive pressure sealed chamber (positive pressure cavity 2). The first positive pressure sealed chamber is equipped with at least one high-pressure control unit 6, at least one high-pressure discharge unit 7, at least one pressure and flow acquisition unit 12, and at least one ion jetting unit 11. The high-pressure control unit 6 is equipped with a separate second positive pressure sealed chamber, which is placed inside the aforementioned first positive pressure sealed chamber. The high-pressure control unit 6 contains a high-pressure generating module and a control circuit board. The first positive pressure sealed chamber and the second positive pressure sealed chamber are electrically and pneumatically connected through a quick interface; The first positive pressure sealed chamber is equipped with an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe that are connected to the air source; The pressure and flow acquisition unit 12 includes: a pressure sensor and a flow detection device 9; A pressure sensor is installed inside the first positive pressure sealed chamber to monitor the pressure value inside the chamber; A flow detection device is installed on the outlet pipe to monitor the exhaust flow rate used to maintain positive pressure; the outlet pipe is installed in the ion jet unit (e.g., Figure 8 As shown, there are multiple first-row injection units and multiple second-row injection units between the high-voltage discharge unit; The high-voltage discharge unit 7 is connected to the flow detection device 9 through the first gas path 8, and the flow detection device 9 is connected to the ion jetting unit 11 through the second gas path 10. The high-pressure control unit is configured to receive signals from the pressure sensor and the flow detection device, and at least determine whether the positive pressure protection state has failed based on whether the exhaust flow value is lower than a first preset flow threshold, and cut off the power supply to the high-pressure control unit when it fails.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the high-voltage control unit is further configured to: When the exhaust flow rate is detected to be lower than the first flow threshold but the pressure is normal, an early warning signal is generated to indicate that the gas path is not clear. When the pressure value is detected to be lower than the first pressure threshold, an alarm signal is generated and the high-voltage power supply is cut off.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the high-pressure control unit is further configured to determine the system fault type based on the trend relationship between the pressure value and the exhaust flow rate value.

[0015] In one possible implementation, a charge monitoring sensor is also included to monitor the polarity and charge of the material inside the pipeline in real time. The high-voltage control unit includes an independently adjustable positive high-voltage unit and a negative high-voltage unit; The high-voltage control unit dynamically adjusts the output of the positive high-voltage unit and the high-voltage unit based on the feedback signal from the charge monitoring sensor.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the high-voltage control unit has a built-in algorithm module that can predict charge change trends based on historical data sequences from the charge monitoring sensor and adjust the output of the positive and negative high-voltage units in advance.

[0017] In one possible implementation, a self-cleaning module, namely an ion jetting unit, is also included, which includes one or more nozzles connected to an air source via an air pipe, the nozzles pointing towards the inner wall of the material pipe within the first positive pressure sealed chamber; the high-pressure control unit controls the self-cleaning module to switch its operating mode between a low-air-consumption continuous micro-wind mode and a highly efficient cleaning intermittent pulse mode.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the high-voltage control unit integrates LED status indicators.

[0019] A method for eliminating static electricity using a static eliminator, the method being applied to the static eliminator, the method comprising the following steps: The detection signal is obtained by monitoring the safety status of the first positive pressure sealed chamber in a dual-mode manner using a pressure sensor and a flow detection device. Based on the monitoring signals, implement safety control strategies, including early warning, alarm, and power cut-off; Charge information is obtained by monitoring the charge of materials inside the pipeline; Based on charge information, the output of positive and negative ions is dynamically and independently adjusted; The self-cleaning program is initiated based on preset conditions or sensor signals, including pressure signals or flow signals.

[0020] The main signals are pressure and flow. For example, a sudden increase in pressure indicates outlet blockage, or a sudden decrease in flow also indicates outlet blockage.

[0021] In one possible implementation, a self-cleaning program is initiated based on preset conditions, including: the high-pressure control unit initiates a powerful pulse purging process for a preset duration at preset time intervals.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: Revolutionary improvement in safety: By monitoring both pressure and flow, the system transforms passive response into proactive early warning, and can identify different types of faults such as leaks or blockages, greatly improving the safety level of the equipment.

[0023] Optimized maintenance efficiency: The modular design allows for quick and individual replacement of the most vulnerable discharge module and the core high-voltage control module, significantly reducing downtime losses.

[0024] Precise and intelligent static elimination effect: Based on real-time charge feedback and intelligent prediction closed-loop control, the static elimination process dynamically adapts to changes in materials, resulting in a more precise and stable neutralization effect.

[0025] Economical and efficient operation: The intelligent self-cleaning system significantly reduces instrument air consumption while ensuring effectiveness, thus saving energy and reducing consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the pipe and the eliminator of the present invention is provided.

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention is shown.

[0028] Figure 3 This invention is shown from Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the eliminator from the perspective C (flowmeter perspective direction).

[0029] Figure 4 This invention is shown from Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the eliminator from the perspective D (the perspective direction of the pressure and flow acquisition module).

[0030] Figure 5 This invention is shown from Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the eliminator from the perspective E (the viewing direction of the high-voltage control unit).

[0031] Figure 6 This invention is shown from Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the eliminator at the perspective F (the viewing direction of the high-pressure ion jet module).

[0032] Figure 7 The flowchart of the positive pressure monitoring and safety control logic of the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the ion jetting unit structure of the present invention is shown.

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the high-pressure control module of the present invention being assembled separately in the second positive pressure cavity.

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the eliminator comprising multiple flow meters according to the present invention.

[0036] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the eliminator of the present invention, which includes a single flow meter.

[0037] Reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1: Air inlet; 2: Air source pipe; 3: Power inlet; 4: Pipe sealing clamp; 5: Eliminator pipe; 6: High-pressure control unit; 7: High-pressure discharge element; 8: First air path; 9: Flow meter; 10: Second air path; 11: Ion jet unit; 12: Pressure and flow acquisition unit; 13: Signal line. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0039] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0040] Furthermore, to better illustrate this disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure can be practiced without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this disclosure.

[0041] An intelligent modular powder pipeline electrostatic eliminator based on dual-mode monitoring mainly includes: Modular cabin structure: at least one high-pressure control unit, at least one high-pressure discharge unit, at least one pressure and flow monitoring unit, and at least one ion jetting unit. Dual-mode safety monitoring system: A pressure sensor is installed inside the positive pressure sealed chamber 1 (first positive pressure sealed chamber or positive pressure cavity 1), and a flow detection device (such as a flow meter or wind speed sensor) is installed in its air outlet pipeline. By fusing and analyzing the pressure and flow signals, the high-pressure control unit can not only provide leak alarms, but also achieve early warning of gas path blockage and fault type diagnosis.

[0042] Intelligent charge elimination system: The charge monitoring sensors upstream or downstream of the pipeline are used to detect the polarity and charge quantity of the material in real time, and the feedback is sent to the high-voltage control unit. The high-voltage control unit dynamically and independently adjusts the outputs of the internal positive and negative high-voltage units to achieve precise neutralization. Further, intelligent algorithms can be introduced for trend prediction and forward-looking adjustment.

[0043] Multi-mode self-cleaning system: The high-voltage control unit intelligently controls the working mode of the cleaning nozzle, which can automatically switch between the energy-saving continuous gentle breeze mode and the powerful pulse purging mode to effectively prevent dust accumulation.

[0044] Example 1: Refer to Figure 1 (At the power inlet in the figure for connecting the power supply and signal line), the eliminator is installed on the pipeline (eliminator pipeline 5) through a flange. The high-voltage control unit ⑥ and the required second positive pressure seal chamber are located inside the eliminator, with a built-in high-voltage generation module and a control circuit board. The first positive pressure seal chamber is located outside the pipeline, and one or more high-voltage discharge units ⑦ and ion injection units 11 are installed inside it through a quick-release structure. The clean instrument air enters the first positive pressure seal chamber through the air inlet pipeline and is finally discharged through the air outlet pipeline. A flow detection device (a vortex flowmeter) is installed on the air outlet pipeline, and a pressure sensor is installed inside the body of the first seal chamber.

[0045] When the system is working, the high-voltage control unit continuously reads the pressure value P and the flow value Q.

[0046] Refer to Figure 7 , if P > P_min and Q > Q_min, the system is normal.

[0047] If P > P_min but Q < Q_min, the high-voltage control unit determines that the vent hole or pipeline is blocked and issues a warning signal (such as the yellow indicator light flashing) to prompt planned maintenance, but does not stop the machine.

[0048] If P < P_min, regardless of the Q value, the high-voltage control unit determines that there is a serious leak, immediately cuts off the high-voltage power supply and issues a sharp alarm (the red indicator light is always on).

[0049] Example 2: Based on Example 1, a charge monitoring sensor is installed at the front or rear end of the pipeline. When the sensor detects that the material is mainly negatively charged (such as -2 μC / kg), the high-voltage control unit increases the output of the positive high-voltage unit (to +7 kV) and at the same time decreases the output of the negative high-voltage unit (to -4 kV) to achieve directional neutralization. After running for a period of time, the intelligent algorithm (this application does not explain the intelligent algorithms of the prior art) learns the charge law of the material during this period and adjusts the output 50 milliseconds in advance to keep the charge stable around -0.2 μC / kg.

[0050] Meanwhile, the high-pressure control unit initiates a powerful pulse purging process every 4 hours, lasting 30 seconds, to prevent dust from accumulating at the air vents of the ion jet unit. Normally, it maintains a low-flow, continuous, gentle breeze.

[0051] Figure 4 The two signal lines 13 are connected to the high-voltage control unit and the flow meter, respectively. Figure 5 Signal line 13 is connected to the pressure and flow acquisition module.

[0052] The core innovation of this application lies in the adoption of a modular architecture of "physical separation" and an intelligent diagnostic system of "dual-modal monitoring".

[0053] Modular physical separation design: Ionization Module: This module encapsulates the core risk source—the high-voltage discharge needle of the high-voltage discharge unit—within a separate, IP66-rated sealed cavity. It can be installed in safe areas, creating a clean and stable optimal ionization environment, fundamentally eliminating the risk of ignition by electrical sparks and significantly extending the lifespan of the discharge needle.

[0054] Ion jetting module: Installed on the process pipeline, it is a purely mechanical structure with no internal electrical components; its sole function is to efficiently eject the incoming ion stream. This achieves inherent safety for the execution unit.

[0055] Central control module: integrates high-voltage power supply and intelligent controller, installed independently, facilitating maintenance and upgrades.

[0056] It supports "one-to-many" deployment, which greatly improves the system's flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

[0057] Dual-modal safety monitoring and intelligent diagnosis: A pressure sensor is integrated inside the ionization chamber, and a flow detection device is integrated into the ion delivery pipeline.

[0058] The system controller achieves early warning and accurate diagnosis of faults by integrating and analyzing the logical relationship between pressure and flow signals. Normal pressure + decreased flow rate -> Gas path blockage warning (reminding of planned maintenance) Pressure drop -> Seal leak alarm (immediate shutdown) This feature transforms passive response into proactive early warning, representing a technological breakthrough in the industry.

[0059] The static eliminator disclosed herein achieves the following performance and technical specifications: 1. Static dissipation performance: After static dissipation, the mass-to-charge ratio of the material is ≤ |±0.2| μC / kg.

[0060] 2. Monitoring accuracy: Pressure monitoring range 0-0.6MPa, accuracy ±0.5%; Flow monitoring range 0-100L / min, accuracy ±2%.

[0061] 3. Early warning capability: When traffic drops abnormally, the system can issue an early warning signal ≥30 minutes in advance.

[0062] 4. Response time: The response time from pressure loss to disconnection of high voltage power supply is <1s.

[0063] 5. Protection rating: The ionization module and control compartment have an IP66 protection rating.

[0064] 7. Operating power supply: DC 24V ±10%.

[0065] The various embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, and are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or technical improvements to the embodiments in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A powder pipeline electrostatic eliminator based on dual-mode monitoring, comprising a main frame connected to the pipeline, characterized in that, include: First positive pressure sealed chamber, second positive pressure sealed chamber; The first positive pressure sealed chamber is equipped with at least one high pressure control unit (6), at least one high pressure discharge unit (7), at least one pressure flow acquisition unit (12), and at least one ion jetting unit (11). The high-pressure control unit (6) is equipped with a second positive pressure sealed chamber, which is placed inside the first positive pressure sealed chamber. The high-pressure control unit (6) is equipped with a high-pressure generating module and a control circuit board. The first positive pressure sealed chamber and the second positive pressure sealed chamber are electrically and pneumatically connected through a quick interface; The first positive pressure sealed chamber is equipped with an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe that are connected to the air source; The pressure and flow acquisition unit (12) includes: a pressure sensor and a flow detection device (9); A pressure sensor is installed inside the first positive pressure sealed chamber to monitor the pressure value inside the chamber; A flow detection device is installed on the air outlet pipe to monitor the exhaust flow rate value to maintain positive pressure; the air outlet pipe is located between the ion jet unit and the high-voltage discharge unit. The high-voltage discharge unit (7) is connected to the flow detection device (9) through the first gas path (8), and the flow detection device (9) is connected to the ion jet unit (11) through the second gas path (10). The high-pressure control unit is configured to receive signals from the pressure sensor and the flow detection device, and at least determine whether the positive pressure protection state has failed based on whether the exhaust flow value is lower than a first preset flow threshold, and cut off the power supply to the high-pressure control unit when it fails.

2. The static eliminator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-voltage control unit is also configured to: When the exhaust flow rate is detected to be lower than the first flow threshold but the pressure is normal, an early warning signal is generated to indicate that the gas path is not clear. When the pressure value is detected to be lower than the first pressure threshold, an alarm signal is generated and the high-voltage power supply is cut off.

3. The static eliminator according to claim 2, characterized in that, The high-pressure control unit is also configured to determine the system fault type based on the changing trend relationship between the pressure value and the exhaust flow rate value.

4. The static eliminator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a charge monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of the polarity and charge of the material in the pipeline; The high-voltage control unit includes an independently adjustable positive high-voltage unit and a negative high-voltage unit; The high-voltage control unit dynamically adjusts the output of the positive high-voltage unit and the high-voltage unit based on the feedback signal from the charge monitoring sensor.

5. The static eliminator according to claim 4, characterized in that, The high-voltage control unit has a built-in algorithm module that can predict charge change trends based on the historical data sequence of the charge monitoring sensor and adjust the output of the positive and negative high-voltage units in advance.

6. The static eliminator according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a self-cleaning module, namely an ion jet unit, which includes one or more nozzles connected to an air source via an air pipe, the nozzles pointing towards the inner wall of the material pipe in the first positive pressure sealed chamber; the high-pressure control unit controls the self-cleaning module to switch between a low-air-consumption continuous micro-wind mode and a high-efficiency cleaning intermittent pulse mode.

7. The static eliminator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-voltage control unit is equipped with LED status indicator lights.

8. A method for eliminating static electricity using a static eliminator, characterized in that, The method is applied to the static eliminator according to any one of claims 1-7, and the method includes the following steps: The detection signal is obtained by monitoring the safety status of the first positive pressure sealed chamber in a dual-mode manner using a pressure sensor and a flow detection device. Based on the monitoring signals, implement safety control strategies, including early warning, alarm, and power cut-off; Charge information is obtained by monitoring the charge of materials inside the pipeline; Based on charge information, the output of positive and negative ions is dynamically and independently adjusted; The self-cleaning program is initiated based on preset conditions or sensor signals, including pressure signals or flow signals.

9. The static elimination method of the static eliminator according to claim 8, characterized in that, According to preset conditions, the self-cleaning program is activated, including: the high-pressure control unit starts a powerful pulse purging for a preset duration at preset intervals.

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