Discharging device and method for solid particles in gas cylinder

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of gas packaging containers, in particular to a discharging device and method for solid particles in a gas cylinder. The bottleneck of the gas cylinder is inversely arranged on the shell of the discharging device, conveying gas is introduced into the gas inlet pipe, and the conveying gas spirally enters the gas cylinder after sequentially passing through the cavity and the spiral flow guide groove, so that solid particles in the gas cylinder are disturbed, and the solid particles are prevented from bridging in the discharging pipe together with the inclined surface inlet of the inclined discharging pipe; therefore, solid particles in the gas cylinder can be conveyed into a collecting container through the discharging pipe more smoothly. Therefore, according to the technical scheme, the solid particles in the gas bottle can be rapidly discharged, the solid particle bridging phenomenon in the discharging process is prevented, and the working efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of gas packaging container technology, and in particular to a device and method for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder. Background Technology

[0002] Many gases (such as nitrogen oxides, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, volatile organic compounds, etc.) can be adsorbed by adsorbent solid particles (such as TiFe alloys, molecular sieves, etc.). In engineering, these adsorption-functional solid particles are often filled into pressure vessels with a wide belly and narrow mouth, similar to gas cylinders, to facilitate the adsorption or desorption of gases in a fixed space under a certain pressure. These adsorption-functional solid particles contain various metals, which may include heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, and nickel; precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium; and rare earth metals such as scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and promethium. Similar solid particles containing these elements have recycling value after being filled into gas cylinders.

[0003] In addition to recovering solid particles with recycling value, gas cylinders that frequently undergo adsorption and re-desorption are subject to fatigue loads and require periodic inspection. In the absence of gas cylinder inspection technology with accompanying materials, it is also necessary to unload the solid particles from the gas cylinders to complete the periodic inspection of the gas cylinders.

[0004] Besides its thin outer shell and large interior, the gas cylinder also features a narrow opening. This design, when filled with solid particles, can cause bridging if poured directly out, hindering further flow and reducing efficiency. Even if a vent tube is inserted into the cylinder opening to carry and expel the solid particles with gas, the bridging problem persists. Furthermore, the diameter of the vent tube effectively reduces the passageway for solid particles at the cylinder opening, potentially making bridging even more likely.

[0005] Therefore, there is a need to provide a device and method for unloading solid particles from gas cylinders to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a device and method for unloading solid particles from gas cylinders, which can quickly unload solid particles from gas cylinders, prevent solid particle bridging during the unloading process, and improve work efficiency.

[0007] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a device for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, comprising a shell disposed on the neck of a gas cylinder containing solid particles, a discharge pipe inserted into the shell and the gas cylinder opening, and a collection container connected to the discharge pipe. The side wall of the shell is provided with an air inlet pipe, and a cavity is provided inside the shell. The outer wall of the discharge pipe is provided with a spiral guide band, and a spiral guide groove is formed between the spiral guide band and the inner wall of the neck. The plane enclosed by the top end of the discharge pipe is an inclined plane. The gas cylinder is placed upside down on the shell, and externally supplied gas spirally enters the gas cylinder after passing sequentially through the air inlet pipe, the cavity, and the spiral guide groove, thereby conveying the solid particles inside the gas cylinder to the collection container through the discharge pipe.

[0008] Preferably, a first seal is provided between the outer shell and the bottleneck, and a second seal is provided between the outer shell and the discharge pipe.

[0009] Preferably, the outer casing is fixed to the outside of the neck of the gas cylinder by fasteners.

[0010] Preferably, the cavity is provided with a spacer for defining the bottom end of the bottleneck and the inner bottom wall of the outer shell, and the spacer is provided with a plurality of through holes, through which the air intake pipe is connected to the spiral guide groove.

[0011] Preferably, the ventilation area of ​​the air inlet pipe is smaller than the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove, and the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove is smaller than the sum of the ventilation areas of the plurality of through holes.

[0012] Preferably, the spiral guide belt is inclined, and the included angle between the axis of the spiral guide belt and the axis of the discharge pipe is 20°~60°.

[0013] Preferably, the angle between the inclined plane and the axis of the discharge pipe is 20° to 70°.

[0014] Preferably, the distance from the bottom of the bottleneck to the bottom of the slope is not less than the length of the internal thread in the bottleneck.

[0015] Preferably, the collection container is provided with an air outlet, so that after the solid particles and conveying gas flowing out of the discharge pipe enter the collection container, the conveying gas can be discharged to the outside through the air outlet.

[0016] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, based on the gas cylinder described in any of the above embodiments, the method comprising: Step S1: Invert the neck of the gas cylinder containing solid particles onto the outer shell; Step S2: Introduce delivery gas into the inlet pipe, so that the delivery gas spirals into the gas cylinder after passing through the inlet pipe, the cavity and the spiral guide groove in sequence, so as to transport the solid particles in the gas cylinder to the collection container through the outlet pipe. Beneficial effects

[0017] The present invention provides a device and method for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder. By inverting the neck of the gas cylinder onto the outer shell of the unloading device, gas is introduced into the inlet pipe. The gas flows through a cavity and a spiral guide groove before spiraling into the gas cylinder, disturbing the solid particles inside. This, along with the inclined inlet of the outlet pipe, prevents solid particles from bridging within the outlet pipe, thus facilitating smoother transport of the solid particles from the gas cylinder to the collection container. Therefore, the above technical solution can quickly unload solid particles from the gas cylinder, prevent bridging during the unloading process, and improve work efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the 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 based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a device for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder according to one embodiment is shown.

[0020] Figure label: 10 - Gas cylinder; 101 - Bottleneck; 102 - Internal thread; 1-Outer shell; 11-Inlet pipe; 12-Cavity; 13-First seal; 14-Second seal; 15-Fastener; 16-Spacer; 17-Through hole; 2-Outlet pipe; 21-Spiral guide belt; 3-Collection container; 31-Outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0022] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0023] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0024] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," or "middle" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of this invention is usually placed, they are 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the present invention provides a device for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, comprising an outer shell 1 disposed on the neck 101 of a gas cylinder 10 containing solid particles, a discharge pipe 2 inserted into the outer shell 1 and the mouth of the gas cylinder 10, and a collection container 3 connected to the discharge pipe 2. An air inlet pipe 11 is provided on the side wall of the outer shell 1, and a cavity 12 is provided inside the outer shell 1. A spiral guide band 21 is provided on the outer wall of the discharge pipe 2, and a spiral guide groove is formed between the spiral guide band 21 and the inner wall of the neck 101. The plane enclosed by the top end of the discharge pipe 2 is an inclined plane. The gas cylinder 10 is placed upside down on the outer shell 1. Externally supplied gas enters the gas cylinder 10 spirally after passing through the air inlet pipe 11, the cavity 12 and the spiral guide groove in sequence, so as to transport the solid particles in the gas cylinder 10 to the collection container 3 through the discharge pipe 2.

[0026] In the above solution, by inverting the neck 101 of the gas cylinder 10 onto the outer shell 1 of the unloading device, transport gas is introduced into the inlet pipe 11. The transport gas spirals into the gas cylinder 10 after passing through the cavity 12 and the spiral guide groove, disturbing the solid particles inside the gas cylinder 10. This, along with the inclined inlet of the outlet pipe 2, prevents solid particles from bridging within the outlet pipe 2, thus allowing for smoother transport of the solid particles from the gas cylinder 10 to the collection container 3. Therefore, the above technical solution can quickly unload solid particles from the gas cylinder, prevent bridging during unloading, and improve work efficiency.

[0027] It should be noted that by inverting the gas cylinder 10 and inserting a discharge pipe 2 with its head inclined to the axis of the gas cylinder 10 into the gas cylinder 10 containing solid particles, the contact area and equivalent diameter between the discharge pipe 2 and the solid particles can be increased, thereby helping to prevent solid particles from bridging inside the discharge pipe 2. At the same time, the spiral guide band 21 on the outer wall of the discharge pipe 2 can make the gas distribution in the spiral guide groove uneven, thus playing an uneven interference role in the bridging of solid particles. Therefore, with a relatively large orifice (i.e., the inclined inlet of the discharge pipe 2), supplemented by uneven pneumatics and air pressure, the solid particles in the large-diameter gas cylinder 10 can flow out from the relatively large pipe diameter to the collection container 3 for collection, thereby solving the problem of unloading solid particles stored in gas cylinders with small openings and large interiors.

[0028] In some implementations, the transport gas may be compressed air, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0029] In some implementations, the number of spiral guide strips 21 may be one or two, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0030] In one embodiment, a first seal 13 is provided between the outer shell 1 and the bottleneck 101, and a second seal 14 is provided between the outer shell 1 and the discharge pipe 2 to ensure gas tightness during the unloading process.

[0031] In one embodiment, the housing 1 is secured to the outside of the neck 101 of the gas cylinder 10 by fasteners 15 to ensure a reliable connection between the unloading device and the gas cylinder 10.

[0032] In some embodiments, fastener 15 may be a threaded part or other types of fasteners, without specific limitations.

[0033] In one embodiment, a spacer 16 is provided in the cavity 12 to define the bottom end of the bottleneck 101 and the inner bottom wall of the outer shell 1. The spacer 16 is provided with a plurality of through holes 17, and the air intake pipe 11 is connected to the spiral guide groove through the through holes 17.

[0034] In one embodiment, the ventilation area of ​​the air inlet pipe 11 is smaller than the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove, and the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove is smaller than the sum of the ventilation areas of multiple through holes. This allows for better input of the transported gas into the gas cylinder 10 and better smooth discharge of the gas in the gas cylinder 10.

[0035] In one embodiment, the spiral guide belt 21 is inclined, and the included angle between the axis of the spiral guide belt 21 and the discharge pipe 2 is 20°~60°. This ensures that the externally conveyed gas can better agitate the solid particles upward to make spiral motion, so as to prevent bridging.

[0036] In some embodiments, the included angle between the axes of the spiral guide belt 21 and the discharge pipe 2 is 45°.

[0037] In one embodiment, the included angle between the inclined plane and the axis of the discharge pipe 2 is 20°~70°.

[0038] In some embodiments, the angle between the inclined plane and the axis of the discharge pipe 2 is 45°.

[0039] In one embodiment, the distance from the bottom of the bottleneck 101 to the bottom of the slope is not less than the length of the internal thread 102 in the bottleneck 101. This can prevent the solid particles in spiral motion from directly colliding and wearing with the internal thread 102, thereby ensuring that the solid particles are relatively intact and discharged.

[0040] In one embodiment, the collection container 3 is provided with an air outlet 31. After the solid particles and conveying gas flowing out of the discharge pipe 2 enter the collection container 3, the conveying gas can be discharged to the outside through the air outlet 31 to achieve the separation of the conveying gas and solid particles.

[0041] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, based on the apparatus mentioned in any of the above embodiments, the method comprising: Step S1: Invert the neck 101 of the gas cylinder 10 containing solid particles onto the outer shell 1. Step S2: Introduce conveying gas into the inlet pipe 11, so that the conveying gas passes through the inlet pipe 11, the cavity 12 and the spiral guide groove in sequence and spirals into the gas cylinder 10, so as to convey the solid particles in the gas cylinder 10 to the collection container 3 through the discharge pipe 2.

[0042] For example, to empty the TiFe alloy particles from a 50-liter internally filled TiFe alloy particle gas cylinder containing adsorbed hydrogen, a discharge pipe 2 is already installed on one end of the collection container 3 before the solid particles are poured out. The cylinder has an outer diameter of 232mm and a height of 1500mm, and is threaded with a PZ27.8 thread. The maximum drilling diameter for the thread is 25mm, and the distance from the drilled hole at the cylinder end to the cylinder cavity is 55mm. The smallest cylindrical TiFe alloy particle is 2mm. The outer diameter of the discharge pipe 2 is 23mm, and the normal of the end face of the discharge pipe 2 inserted into the cylinder is at a 45° angle to the cylinder axis. Two integrally formed spirals are provided on the outer wall of the cylindrical discharge pipe 2. The guide belt 21 has a horizontal inclination angle of 45° and a radial height of 1mm. The discharge pipe 2 is a plastic pipe with an inner diameter of 23mm. The first seal 13 and the second seal 14 are both O-rings. The nominal size of the air inlet pipe 11 is 12x2. The cylindrical spacer 16 has an outer diameter of 32mm and a height of 20mm. It has 12 holes with a diameter of 8mm around its perimeter, with an opening rate of 48%. The length of the discharge pipe 2 from the inner wall of the outer shell 1 to the lowest point inserted into the gas cylinder is 80mm. The fastener 15 consists of 4 M5 screws. The collection container 3 has a volume of 1 cubic meter and has an air outlet 31 with a diameter of 80mm. After installing the above components, when unloading solid particles, the pressurized conveying gas is connected to the inlet pipe 11. The conveying gas flows sequentially through the inlet pipe 11, the cavity 12, and the spiral guide groove before spiraling into the gas cylinder 10. This conveys the solid particles in the gas cylinder 10 to the collection container 3 through the discharge pipe 2. Gas-solid separation is achieved in the collection container 3, and the solid particles are retained in the collection container 3. The conveying gas is discharged from the outlet 31. The entire process continues until all the solid particles in the gas cylinder are discharged. After discharge, the gas cylinder and the unloading device are disassembled, and the gas cylinder is straightened.

[0043] It is understood that the method provided in this embodiment and the apparatus provided in the above embodiments are based on the same inventive concept, and therefore have the same beneficial effects, which will not be elaborated here.

[0044] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0045] 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 of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, characterized in that, The device includes an outer shell mounted on the neck of a gas cylinder containing solid particles, a discharge pipe inserted into the outer shell and the cylinder opening, and a collection container connected to the discharge pipe. The outer shell has an inlet pipe on its side wall and a cavity inside. The outer wall of the discharge pipe has a spiral guide band, forming a spiral guide groove between the spiral guide band and the inner wall of the cylinder neck. The plane enclosed by the top end of the discharge pipe is inclined. The gas cylinder is placed upside down on the outer shell. Externally supplied gas flows sequentially through the inlet pipe, the cavity, and the spiral guide groove before spiraling into the gas cylinder, thereby conveying the solid particles inside the gas cylinder to the collection container via the discharge pipe.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first seal is provided between the outer shell and the bottleneck, and a second seal is provided between the outer shell and the discharge pipe.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer casing is secured to the outside of the neck of the gas cylinder by fasteners.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity is provided with a spacer for defining the bottom end of the bottleneck and the inner bottom wall of the outer shell. The spacer is provided with multiple through holes, and the air intake pipe is connected to the spiral guide groove through the through holes.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ventilation area of ​​the air intake pipe is smaller than the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove, and the ventilation area of ​​the spiral guide groove is smaller than the sum of the ventilation areas of the plurality of through holes.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral guide belt is inclined, and the included angle between the axis of the spiral guide belt and the axis of the discharge pipe is 20°~60°.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the inclined plane and the axis of the discharge pipe is 20°~70°.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The distance from the bottom of the bottleneck to the bottom of the slope is not less than the length of the internal thread in the bottleneck.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The collection container is provided with an air outlet. After the solid particles and conveying gas flowing out through the discharge pipe enter the collection container, the conveying gas can be discharged to the outside through the air outlet.

10. A method for unloading solid particles from a gas cylinder, characterized in that, Based on the apparatus of any one of claims 1-9, the method comprises: Step S1: Invert the neck of the gas cylinder containing solid particles onto the outer shell; Step S2: Introduce delivery gas into the inlet pipe, so that the delivery gas spirals into the gas cylinder after passing through the inlet pipe, the cavity and the spiral guide groove in sequence, so as to transport the solid particles in the gas cylinder to the collection container through the outlet pipe.

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