Drying method and ceramic body production method

Abstract

The drying method comprises the following steps: (1) feeding a mold filled with slurry into a drying box for temporary drying to obtain a mold filled with a semi-finished ceramic body; (2) disassembling an upper mold part of the mold filled with the semi-finished ceramic body; (3) the upper mold part and the lower mold part containing the semi-finished ceramic body are fed into the same drying box to be dried for a long time; and (4) the ceramic blank finished product is taken out of the lower mold part, the lower mold part is cleaned, and the upper mold part is installed on the lower mold part to obtain an empty mold. The invention relates to a ceramic body production method, which sequentially comprises the following steps of: a, grouting, namely grouting into an empty mold; b, drying; the method is characterized in that the drying method is adopted in the step b. The machining steps are optimized, the working efficiency is effectively improved, the labor intensity of workers and energy consumption are greatly reduced, the equipment cost, the equipment occupied area, the production cost and the rejection rate are greatly reduced, and energy conservation and environmental protection are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a drying method and a method for producing ceramic blanks. Background Technology

[0002] Slip casting is a commonly used method for forming ceramic blanks. It involves suspending ceramic particles in a liquid and then injecting the slurry into a porous mold. The liquid is then drawn out through the mold's pores, leaving a ceramic blank inside the mold. This method can produce arbitrarily complex shapes and large, thin-walled castings, and is therefore widely used in the manufacture of various ceramic products.

[0003] The process of slip casting typically involves sending a mold filled with slurry, after the slurry has been poured, to a first drying chamber for brief drying. Then, the upper mold is opened, the lower mold is inverted, and the semi-finished ceramic blank (not fully dried) is poured out. Next, the semi-finished ceramic blank is sent to a second drying chamber for final drying. The dried ceramic blank is then sent to other processing equipment, while the empty mold (with the upper and lower mold components assembled) is sent back to the slip casting equipment for another slurry pour. After two or three such cycles, the mold needs to be sent to a dedicated third drying chamber for extended drying (because brief drying is insufficient to completely remove moisture; accumulated moisture can render the mold unusable, requiring prolonged drying to restore its condition). Since the processing times for the items or combinations of items processed in the first, second, and third drying chambers differ significantly, they cannot be combined or substituted for each other, resulting in numerous processing steps and difficulty in improving work efficiency.

[0004] If the applicant filed the earlier application, the publication number is CN221872491U, and the name is "Ceramic Slurry Casting Production Line." This ceramic slurry casting production line includes a frame, a mold conveying mechanism, a slurry casting and forming mechanism, a mold drying mechanism, a mold opening mechanism, a mold bottom wiping mechanism, and two mold transfer mechanisms. Multiple workstations are sequentially arranged on the frame according to the processing order, and all workstations form a closed loop. The mold conveying mechanism is installed on the frame and passes through the aforementioned workstations sequentially. This technology involves removing the ceramic blank semi-finished product and using different drying mechanisms to separately dry the ceramic blank semi-finished product (not mentioned in the literature) and the mold (drying for a long time).

[0005] In the slip casting process, the drying method involves drying the mold containing the slurry, the semi-finished ceramic blank, and the disassembled mold separately in different drying ovens (because their working times differ and they cannot share a single drying oven). This results in an excessive number of drying ovens, low heat energy utilization, low equipment utilization, large equipment footprint, numerous processing steps, low work efficiency, and high production costs that are difficult to reduce. Furthermore, because the semi-finished ceramic blank is prone to deformation during unloading, removal, and placement, it easily becomes defective and cannot be reused, further increasing costs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The first objective of this invention is to provide a drying method that optimizes processing steps, reduces the number of drying chambers, and improves heat energy utilization, thereby effectively increasing work efficiency. The technical solution adopted is as follows: A drying method, characterized by comprising the following steps: (1) The mold containing the slurry is sent into the drying box for short-term drying to obtain a mold containing a ceramic blank semi-finished product; (2) Remove the upper mold component of the mold containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product; (3) The above-mentioned upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are sent into the same drying oven for long-term drying. (4) Remove the finished ceramic blank from the lower mold component, clean the lower mold component, and install the upper mold component onto the lower mold component to obtain an empty mold; The mold containing the slurry is fed into the bottom of the drying chamber and conveyed along the first conveyor route for brief drying. The upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are simultaneously fed into the drying chamber and conveyed above the slurry mold conveyor route along the second conveyor route. The second conveyor route and the first conveyor route are vertically stacked, with the length of the second conveyor route being 2-5 times the length of the first conveyor route. The duration of long-term drying depends on the length of the second conveyor route, while the duration of short-term drying depends on the length of the first conveyor route.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the mold containing the slurry transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it to complete the short-term drying process; the upper mold component transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process; and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process.

[0008] The aforementioned drying method uses a single drying chamber to perform a short-term drying of the mold containing the slurry, and a longer-term drying of both the ceramic blank semi-finished product and the mold in a disassembled state (the disassembled upper and lower mold components). This replaces the existing technology, which requires three drying chambers to dry three different combinations of items, with a single drying chamber to dry two different combinations of items. This reduces the number of combinations of items that need to be dried and automatically meets their different drying time requirements by utilizing the different lengths of the conveyor routes, greatly saving the number of drying chambers and effectively improving the efficiency of heat energy utilization. Since the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not removed from the lower mold component during drying and is dried together with the mold, this change (the ceramic blank semi-finished product does not need to be removed for separate drying) reduces steps such as mold handling, thus optimizing the processing steps and effectively improving work efficiency. Because the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not touched by people or equipment before drying, it will not be deformed or damaged by external forces (because its stability is poor at this time, and it is easy to deform or be damaged once subjected to force). Because the second conveying route and the first conveying route are stacked vertically, and the length of the second conveying route is much greater than that of the first conveying route, it is possible to use the same drying box to complete the short-term drying of molds containing slurry, as well as the long-term drying of combinations of items such as ceramic blank semi-finished products and molds in a disassembled state (disassembled upper mold parts and lower mold parts).

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the first conveying route is a horizontally extending first straight segment or multiple horizontally extending first straight segments, which are sequentially connected by at least one first curved segment to form a reciprocating conveying route; the second conveying route includes multiple horizontally extending second straight segments, which are sequentially connected by at least one second curved segment to form a reciprocating conveying route.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the mold containing the slurry mold and the upper mold component, and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product, are conveyed by the same mold conveying mechanism, and the first conveying route and the second conveying route are connected at their ends to form the mold conveying mechanism.

[0011] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for producing ceramic blanks that optimizes processing steps, reduces the number of drying ovens, and improves heat energy utilization, thereby effectively increasing work efficiency. The technical solution adopted is as follows: A method for producing ceramic blanks, comprising the following steps in sequence: a. Grouting: Injecting grout into the empty mold; b. Drying; Its characteristic is that step b employs the drying method described above.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, step a involves sending the empty mold into the grouting molding device to complete the grouting process.

[0013] By using the same drying oven to complete the short-term drying of the slurry-filled mold and the long-term drying of the ceramic blank semi-finished product and the mold in a disassembled state (disassembled upper mold component and lower mold component), the structure of the production equipment is optimized, the number of drying ovens is reduced, the equipment floor space is greatly reduced, the utilization rate of thermal energy is significantly improved, and the production cost is effectively reduced. Moreover, the traditional method of producing ceramic blanks requires drying three items that need to be dried, each with different drying times and different drying ovens. This is optimized into a combination of two items: the slurry-filled mold and the upper mold component that is simultaneously conveyed and dried, and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product. Furthermore, the traditional mold drying method (which is divided into short-time drying and long-time drying) is improved, so that the mold no longer needs to be sent to a special drying oven for long-term drying every three to five uses before it can be reused. This makes the production method simpler and more efficient.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention compared to the prior art are as follows: Due to the improvement of the processing method, the short-term drying of the mold containing the slurry and the long-term drying of the ceramic blank semi-finished product and the mold in a disassembled state (disassembled upper mold component and lower mold component) are completed simultaneously in the same drying oven. During the drying process, the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not removed from the lower mold component, which not only saves the drying oven but also improves the utilization efficiency of heat energy. Since the steps such as mold handling are reduced, the processing steps are optimized, effectively improving work efficiency. Because the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not touched by people or equipment before drying, it will not be deformed or damaged due to external forces (because its stability is poor at this time, and it is easy to deform or be damaged once subjected to force). This greatly reduces the labor intensity of workers and energy consumption, and significantly reduces equipment costs, equipment floor space, production costs, and scrap rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the drying box and mold conveying mechanism used in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment shows a schematic diagram of the first and second conveying routes of the mold conveying mechanism after the drying oven body has been removed. Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment shows a schematic diagram of a ceramic blank production line used in the ceramic blank production method. Detailed Implementation

[0016] like Figure 1 ,2 As shown, a drying method in one embodiment of this application includes the following steps: (1) The mold containing the slurry is sent into the drying box 1 for short-term drying to obtain a mold containing a ceramic blank semi-finished product; (2) Remove the upper mold component of the mold containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product; (3) The above-mentioned upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are sent into the same drying oven 1 for long-term drying; (4) Remove the finished ceramic blank from the lower mold component, clean the lower mold component, and install the upper mold component onto the lower mold component to obtain an empty mold; The mold containing the slurry is fed into the bottom of the drying chamber 1 and conveyed along the first conveying route for brief drying; the upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are fed into the drying chamber 1 and conveyed above the conveying route of the mold containing the slurry along the second conveying route; the length of the second conveying route is 2-5 times the length of the first conveying route.

[0017] The above-described drying method uses the same drying chamber 1 to perform short-term drying of the mold containing the slurry, and long-term drying of the upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product (the upper mold component and the lower mold component are disassembled). (Experiments have shown that if the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not removed from the lower mold component and both are dried simultaneously, it will not significantly affect the drying effect.) Since the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not removed from the lower mold component during drying, not only is the drying chamber 1 saved, but the efficiency of heat energy utilization is also improved. By reducing steps such as mold handling, the processing steps are optimized, and work efficiency is effectively improved. Since the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not touched by people or equipment before drying, it will not be deformed or damaged due to external forces (because its stability is poor at this time, and it is easy to deform or be damaged once subjected to force).

[0018] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, in one optional embodiment of this application, the slurry-filled mold is a mold in which slurry injection is completed in a slurry molding device. The mold is filled with slurry, and the drying box 1 dries it from the outside of the slurry-filled mold. The ceramic blank semi-finished product is a ceramic blank formed by the slurry in the mold after the slurry-filled mold has been briefly dried. The drying box 1 dries it from the outside of the ceramic blank semi-finished product, while the drying box dries the inside and outside of the mold in the disassembled state simultaneously.

[0019] like Figure 1 , 2As shown, in one alternative embodiment of this application, the mold containing the slurry transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it to complete the short-term drying process; the upper mold component transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process; and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process.

[0020] The first conveying route is a horizontally extending first straight segment 2 or multiple horizontally extending first straight segments 2, which are connected in sequence by at least one first curved segment to form a conveying route that moves back and forth; the second conveying route includes multiple horizontally extending second straight segments 3, which are connected in sequence by at least one second curved segment 4 to form a conveying route that moves back and forth.

[0021] like Figure 2 As shown, in one alternative embodiment of this application, the first conveying route is a horizontally extending first straight segment 2; the second conveying route includes multiple horizontally extending second straight segments 3, and these second straight segments are sequentially connected by multiple curved segments 4 to form a conveying route that moves back and forth.

[0022] like Figure 2 As shown, in an optional embodiment of this application, the mold containing the slurry mold, the upper mold component, and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are conveyed by the same mold conveying mechanism 5, and the first conveying route and the second conveying route are connected at their ends to form the mold conveying mechanism 5.

[0023] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, in one optional embodiment of this application, the drying oven employs a circulating drying pipeline system to accelerate the circulation of hot air, allowing the hot air to continuously circulate up and down. Good hot air flow is essential to ensure effective drying.

[0024] In one optional embodiment of this application, the circulating drying pipeline system of the drying oven is further equipped with a dehumidification device to dehumidify the hot air. This ensures that the humidity of the hot air does not affect the drying effect.

[0025] A method for producing ceramic blanks, comprising the following steps in sequence: a. Grouting: Injecting grout into the empty mold; b. Drying; Step b uses the drying method described above.

[0026] like Figure 3 As shown, in one alternative embodiment of this application, step a involves sending the empty mold into the grouting molding device 6 to complete the grouting process.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, in one optional embodiment of this application, the ceramic blank production line used in the ceramic blank production method includes a slip casting device 6, a mold conveying mechanism 5, a drying box 1, and several auxiliary equipment 7 (such as: a robot, equipment for short-distance mold conveying, etc.).

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, in an optional embodiment of this application, the mold conveying mechanism 5 includes a chain conveying unit and multiple suspended mold support frames. The chain conveying unit is composed of a servo motor, two conveying chains, and multiple sprocket drive units, while the two ends of the suspended mold support frames are respectively hinged to two conveying chains and suspended between the two conveying chains.

[0029] The advantages of the drying method in this application are: 1. The existing technology, which requires three drying boxes to dry three different combinations of items, is changed to using only one drying box to dry two different combinations of items. This reduces the number of combinations of items to be dried (from three to two), and changes the way they transfer heat with the hot air inside drying box 1, improving drying efficiency. Furthermore, it automatically meets the different drying time requirements by utilizing the different lengths of the conveyor routes. Therefore, the number and composition of the combinations of items to be dried are changed, the processing steps are rationally optimized, the number of drying boxes is greatly reduced, and the utilization efficiency of thermal energy is effectively improved. 2. During drying, the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not removed from the lower mold component and is dried together with it. This change (the ceramic blank semi-finished product does not need to be removed for separate drying) not only reduces the steps of mold handling and other steps, effectively improving work efficiency, but also effectively avoids deformation and damage to the ceramic blank semi-finished product due to external forces because the ceramic blank semi-finished product is not touched by people or equipment before drying (because its stability is poor at this time, and it is easy to deform and be damaged once subjected to force). 3. Since the second conveying route and the first conveying route are stacked vertically, and the length of the second conveying route is much longer than that of the first conveying route, the same drying box can be used to complete the short-term drying of molds containing slurry and the long-term drying of combinations of items such as ceramic blank semi-finished products and molds in a disassembled state (disassembled upper mold parts and lower mold parts). This greatly reduces the floor space of the drying box, greatly improves the thermal energy utilization rate, and significantly reduces the production cost.

[0030] This application improves work efficiency by changing the items to be dried and their combination, thereby altering the heat transfer method between the items and the hot air. Furthermore, stacking the second and first conveyor routes vertically effectively enhances thermal energy utilization efficiency and significantly reduces the floor space required, thus greatly lowering equipment and production costs. Although the technical methods employed are simple, their combination achieves excellent cost reduction and efficiency improvement, effectively meeting national requirements for energy conservation and environmental protection.

[0031] Furthermore, it should be noted that the names of the various parts of the specific embodiments described in this specification may differ. All equivalent or simple variations made to the structure, features, and principles described in this invention are included within the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, as long as they do not deviate from the structure of this invention or exceed the scope defined in these claims, all of which should fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A drying method, characterized by: Includes the following steps: (1) The mold containing the slurry is sent into the drying box for short-term drying to obtain a mold containing a ceramic blank semi-finished product; (2) Remove the upper mold component of the mold containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product; (3) The above-mentioned upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are sent into the same drying oven for long-term drying; (4) Remove the finished ceramic blank from the lower mold component, clean the lower mold component, and install the upper mold component onto the lower mold component to obtain an empty mold; The mold containing the slurry is fed into the bottom of the drying chamber and conveyed along the first conveying route for brief drying; the upper mold component and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are simultaneously fed into the drying chamber and conveyed along the second conveying route above the conveying route of the mold containing the slurry; the second conveying route and the first conveying route are stacked vertically, and the length of the second conveying route is 2-5 times the length of the first conveying route.

2. The drying method according to claim 1, wherein: The slurry-filled mold is a mold in which slurry injection is completed in the slurry molding device. The mold is filled with slurry, and the drying box dries it from the outside of the slurry-filled mold. The ceramic blank semi-finished product is a ceramic blank formed by the slurry in the mold after the slurry-filled mold has been dried briefly. The drying box dries it from the outside of the ceramic blank semi-finished product, while the drying box dries the inside and outside of the mold in the disassembled state simultaneously.

3. The drying method according to claim 2, wherein: The mold containing the slurry transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it to complete the short-term drying process; the upper mold component transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process; the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product transfers heat to the hot air surrounding it and the hot air entering and exiting the upper mold component to complete the long-term drying process.

4. The drying method according to claim 1, wherein: The first conveying route is a horizontally extending first straight segment or multiple horizontally extending first straight segments, which are sequentially connected by at least one first curved segment to form a conveying route that moves back and forth; the second conveying route includes multiple horizontally extending second straight segments, which are sequentially connected by at least one second curved segment to form a conveying route that moves back and forth.

5. The drying method according to claim 4, wherein: The mold containing the slurry and the upper mold component, and the lower mold component containing the ceramic blank semi-finished product are transported by the same mold conveying mechanism. The first conveying route and the second conveying route are connected at their ends to form the mold conveying mechanism.

6. The drying method according to claim 5, wherein: The drying chamber uses a circulating drying pipeline system to accelerate the circulation of hot air, so that the hot air continuously circulates up and down.

7. The drying method as described in claim 6, characterized in that: The circulating drying pipeline system of the drying oven is also equipped with a dehumidification device to dehumidify the hot air.

8. A method for producing ceramic blanks, comprising the following steps in sequence: a. Grouting: Injecting grout into the empty mold; b. Drying; Its features are: Step b employs the drying method described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. The method for producing ceramic blanks as described in claim 8, characterized in that: Step a involves sending the empty mold into the slurry injection molding device to complete the slurry injection process; the ceramic blank production line used in the ceramic blank production method includes a slurry injection molding device, a mold conveying mechanism, a drying oven, and several auxiliary equipment.

10. The method for producing ceramic blanks as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The mold conveying mechanism includes a chain conveying unit and multiple suspended mold support frames. The chain conveying unit consists of a servo motor, two conveying chains, and multiple sprocket drive units, while the suspended mold support frames are hinged to two conveying chains at both ends and suspended between the two conveying chains.

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