Automatic control method and system for pneumatic ash conveying of dust remover

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic control method and system for pneumatic ash conveying of a dust remover, and the method comprises the steps: collecting a first type of electric signals representing the material level state of an ash hopper, and the first type of electric signals at least comprise a high material level signal, a middle material level signal and a low material level signal; collecting a second type of electric signals representing the operation state of the associated equipment, wherein the second type of electric signals at least comprise a fan low rotating speed signal and a non-smelting working condition signal; a corresponding valve control instruction is generated according to the logic combination relation among the high material level signal, the middle material level signal, the low material level signal, the fan low rotating speed signal and the non-smelting working condition signal; and based on the valve control instruction, opening and closing actions of a pneumatic control valve in an ash conveying pipeline are controlled so as to execute or stop ash conveying operation. The problems that in the prior art, labor is relied on, air waste is serious, and adaptability is poor are solved, intelligent, energy-saving and full-automatic operation of the ash conveying process is achieved, the operation cost is effectively reduced, and the system stability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automatic control technology for dust collectors, and in particular to an automatic control method and system for pneumatic ash conveying in dust collectors. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, pneumatic ash conveying systems for dust collectors generally adopt a fixed-cycle operation or a control mode that relies entirely on manual start-stop by operators. This traditional method has the following drawbacks:

[0003] The system relies heavily on manual monitoring and operation, resulting in low automation and inefficiency, making it prone to human error. Secondly, if the system doesn't stop promptly after the ash hopper is emptied, continuous and ineffective compressed air discharge leads to energy waste. Furthermore, the fixed-cycle control mode lacks flexibility, failing to dynamically adjust based on the actual ash accumulation in the hopper and upstream process conditions (such as smelting status and fan load), easily leading to insufficient or excessive ash conveying, impacting the overall system efficiency and economy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic control method and system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is: an automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, comprising:

[0006] The first type of electrical signal, which characterizes the material level in the ash hopper, is collected. The first type of electrical signal includes at least a high material level signal, a medium material level signal, and a low material level signal.

[0007] Collect a second type of electrical signal that characterizes the operating status of the associated equipment. The second type of electrical signal includes at least a low speed signal of the fan and a non-smelting condition signal.

[0008] Based on the logical combination relationship between the high material level signal, medium material level signal, low material level signal, low fan speed signal and non-smelting condition signal, corresponding valve control commands are generated.

[0009] Based on the valve control command, the opening and closing actions of the pneumatic regulating valve in the ash conveying pipeline are controlled to execute or stop the ash conveying operation.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention: generating corresponding valve control commands based on logical combination relationships specifically includes:

[0011] When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is acquired, if the high-level signal is also valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a first preset opening degree for a first preset duration and then close.

[0012] When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is not collected but a valid non-smelting condition signal is collected, if the high-level signal is valid or the medium-level signal is valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a second preset opening degree for a second preset duration and then close.

[0013] The second preset opening is greater than the first preset opening, and the second preset duration is greater than or equal to the first preset duration.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention: after controlling the pneumatic regulating valve to open to perform the ash conveying operation, the method further includes:

[0015] Continuously monitor the low material level signal;

[0016] When the low material level signal is detected to change from an invalid state to an effective state, a valve closing command is generated;

[0017] Based on the valve closing command, the pneumatic regulating valve is controlled to close to stop the current ash conveying operation.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention: before generating valve control commands based on logical combination relationships, a delayed triggering step is also included:

[0019] When the high material level signal becomes valid for the first time, the first timer is started;

[0020] When the medium material level signal becomes valid for the first time and the non-smelting condition signal becomes valid, the second timer is started;

[0021] The trigger time for generating the valve control command is the time after the first timer or the second timer reaches its respective preset delay.

[0022] If the corresponding trigger signal becomes invalid before the first or second timer reaches the preset delay, then the corresponding timer is reset and the trigger is canceled.

[0023] As a further improvement of the present invention, a safety interruption step is also included in the ash conveying operation:

[0024] Continuously monitor the low-speed signal of the fan and the non-smelting condition signal;

[0025] If the low-speed signal of the fan changes from invalid to valid, or the non-smelting condition signal changes from valid to invalid, an emergency shutdown command is immediately generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to close.

[0026] As a further improvement to the present invention, it also includes:

[0027] Collect real-time pressure simulation signals from the ash conveying pipeline;

[0028] The real-time pressure simulation signal is compared with a preset pressure threshold.

[0029] When the real-time pressure simulation signal exceeds the preset pressure threshold and continues for a third preset duration, it is determined that the pipeline is blocked, and an alarm signal and valve closing command are generated.

[0030] As a further improvement of the present invention: the step of controlling the opening and closing action of the pneumatic regulating valve is executed by a PLC controller; the first type of electrical signal and the second type of electrical signal are connected to the digital input module of the PLC controller, and the valve control command is output by the digital output module of the PLC controller to the actuation coil of the pneumatic regulating valve.

[0031] The present invention also provides an automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, for implementing the above-mentioned method, comprising:

[0032] The automatic control module is used to receive signals and generate valve control commands based on control logic;

[0033] The pneumatic valve, including an air inlet valve and a discharge valve, is controlled by the valve control commands output by the automatic control module;

[0034] The human-computer interaction interface is used to set the first preset opening degree, the second preset opening degree, the first preset duration, the second preset duration, and the preset delay parameters.

[0035] As a further improvement of the present invention: the input terminals of the automatic control module are connected to a level gauge for collecting the high level signal, the medium level signal and the low level signal, a fan status sensor for collecting the low speed signal of the fan, and a production system interface for collecting the non-smelting condition signal.

[0036] As a further improvement of the present invention, it also includes a pressure sensor connected to the automatic control module for acquiring the real-time pressure simulation signal of the ash conveying pipeline.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0038] This invention collects high, medium, and low material level signals from the ash hopper, as well as signals from related equipment such as low fan speed and non-smelting conditions. Based on the logical combination relationship between these signals, it automatically generates valve control commands, thereby controlling the opening and closing of pneumatic regulating valves to execute or stop ash conveying operations. This replaces the traditional frequent manual intervention, realizes unmanned operation of the ash conveying process, improves operational reliability and efficiency, and avoids the consumption of compressed air during ineffective periods. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1This is a flowchart illustrating the method of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0042] In order to solve the technical problems in the prior art, the present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0043] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this invention discloses an automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, comprising the following steps:

[0044] S1: Acquire the first type of electrical signal that characterizes the level status of the ash hopper;

[0045] The first type of electrical signal includes at least high level signal, medium level signal and low level signal.

[0046] S2: Acquires the second type of electrical signal that characterizes the operating status of associated equipment;

[0047] The second type of electrical signal includes at least low-speed fan signals and signals for non-smelting operating conditions.

[0048] In some implementations, the step of controlling the opening and closing of the pneumatic regulating valve is executed by a PLC controller; the first type of electrical signal and the second type of electrical signal are connected to the digital input module of the PLC controller, and the valve control command is output by the digital output module of the PLC controller to the actuation coil of the pneumatic regulating valve.

[0049] In some implementations, a safety interruption step is also included during the ash conveying operation:

[0050] Continuously monitor the low-speed signal of the fan and the non-smelting condition signal;

[0051] If the low-speed signal of the fan changes from invalid to valid, or the non-smelting condition signal changes from valid to invalid, an emergency shutdown command is immediately generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to close.

[0052] When the status of the associated critical process equipment changes abnormally (such as a sudden decrease in fan speed or the start of smelting), the ash conveying operation can be interrupted immediately to ensure the stable operation of the main process and the safety of the ash conveying system itself, reflecting collaborative safety.

[0053] S3: Generate corresponding valve control commands based on the logical combination relationship between high material level signal, medium material level signal, low material level signal, low fan speed signal and non-smelting condition signal;

[0054] In some implementations, a delayed triggering step is included before generating valve control commands based on logical combination relationships:

[0055] When the high material level signal becomes valid for the first time, the first timer is started;

[0056] When the medium material level signal becomes valid for the first time and the non-smelting condition signal becomes valid, the second timer is started;

[0057] The trigger time for generating the valve control command is the time after the first timer or the second timer reaches its respective preset delay.

[0058] If the corresponding trigger signal becomes invalid before the first or second timer reaches the preset delay, then the corresponding timer is reset and the trigger is canceled.

[0059] Material level signals may experience brief fluctuations due to dust accumulation, material disturbance, etc. Delayed triggering is an effective "anti-jitter" filtering method. By setting different trigger delays for high and medium material level signals, false triggers caused by instantaneous material surges or signal jitter can be effectively filtered out, ensuring that ash conveying will only be initiated when the material level is consistently stable, thus reducing equipment malfunctions.

[0060] Specifically, high material levels require a short delay (first timer) due to their urgency; medium material levels can be set with a longer delay (second timer), triggering operation only when the material level is consistently reached, improving system stability and reducing malfunctions. Furthermore, if the condition disappears during the delay period, the trigger is canceled, avoiding unnecessary operations caused by brief signal fluctuations, further enhancing control accuracy and the effective utilization of system resources.

[0061] In some implementations, corresponding valve control commands are generated based on logical combination relationships, specifically including:

[0062] When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is acquired, if the high-level signal is also valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a first preset opening degree for a first preset duration and then close.

[0063] When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is not collected but a valid non-smelting condition signal is collected, if the high-level signal is valid or the medium-level signal is valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a second preset opening degree for a second preset duration and then close.

[0064] The second preset opening is greater than the first preset opening, and the second preset duration is greater than or equal to the first preset duration.

[0065] The system automatically distinguishes between "energy-saving standby" and "normal operation" modes based on the fan load status.

[0066] The first group is triggered only by "low fan speed + high material level" and is defined as the safety and energy-saving mode. The second group is triggered by "normal fan speed + non-smelting conditions + medium / high material level" and is defined as the regular operation mode. In the regular operation mode, a larger opening or longer operation time is allowed to cope with potentially larger ash volumes or ensure thorough ash removal; while in the safety and energy-saving mode, more conservative parameters are used to prioritize safety and energy saving.

[0067] S4: Based on valve control commands, control the opening and closing of pneumatic regulating valves in the ash conveying pipeline to execute or stop ash conveying operations.

[0068] This invention simultaneously monitors both a "first type of electrical signal" (material level) reflecting the material's state and a "second type of electrical signal" (equipment condition) reflecting the system's operating environment. It then comprehensively analyzes these two types of signals according to preset logic rules to make decisions and output control commands. By linking the ash hopper state (material level) with the system conditions (fan, smelting), ash conveying decisions are no longer isolated but integrated into the entire production process. This replaces traditional frequent manual intervention, achieving unmanned operation of the ash conveying process and improving operational reliability and efficiency.

[0069] By using early stop triggered by low material level signals, condition-based mode operation (such as conservative mode when the fan is at low speed), and automatic shutdown when pipe blockage occurs, the ineffective consumption of compressed air is minimized, thereby reducing the system's operating energy consumption.

[0070] In some embodiments, after controlling the pneumatic regulating valve to open to perform the ash conveying operation, the following steps are also included:

[0071] Continuously monitor the low material level signal;

[0072] When the low material level signal is detected to change from an invalid state to an effective state, a valve closing command is generated;

[0073] Based on the valve closing command, the pneumatic regulating valve is controlled to close to stop the current ash conveying operation.

[0074] By using the low material level signal as a direct feedback that the ash hopper is empty, ash conveying can be stopped in time, effectively preventing the waste of compressed air, pipe wear, and potential secondary dust problems caused by "excessive ash conveying".

[0075] In some implementations, it also includes:

[0076] Collect real-time pressure simulation signals from the ash conveying pipeline;

[0077] The real-time pressure simulation signal is compared with a preset pressure threshold.

[0078] When the real-time pressure simulation signal exceeds the preset pressure threshold and continues for a third preset duration, it is determined that the pipeline is blocked, and an alarm signal and valve closing command are generated.

[0079] When the ash conveying pipeline is blocked, the pipeline pressure will rise abnormally. By monitoring the pressure of the ash conveying pipeline and identifying the continuous high pressure state, the blockage fault can be diagnosed in a timely and automatic manner, triggering alarms and shutdowns to prevent the accident from escalating, protect equipment safety, and improve the reliability and maintainability of the system.

[0080] like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention also provides an automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, used to implement the above-mentioned method, comprising:

[0081] The automatic control module is used to receive signals and generate valve control commands based on control logic;

[0082] The pneumatic valve, including an air inlet valve and a discharge valve, is controlled by the valve control commands output by the automatic control module;

[0083] The human-computer interaction interface is used to set the first preset opening degree, the second preset opening degree, the first preset duration, the second preset duration, and the preset delay parameters.

[0084] In some embodiments, the input terminals of the automatic control module are connected to a level gauge for acquiring the high level signal, the medium level signal, and the low level signal, a fan status sensor for acquiring the low speed signal of the fan, and a production system interface for acquiring the non-smelting condition signal.

[0085] In some implementations, a pressure sensor connected to the automatic control module is also included for acquiring the real-time pressure simulation signal of the ash conveying pipeline.

[0086] Implementation Case 1:

[0087] like Figure 2As shown, this embodiment discloses an automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector. Based on a traditional ash conveying system, an automatic control module with a programmable logic controller (PLC) at its core is added to receive multiple field signals and execute intelligent control logic. These signals include level status signals from high, medium, and low level gauges installed on the ash hopper, low-speed status signals from the fan system, and operating condition signals indicating whether the smelting production line is in operation. The output of the automatic control module is connected to and controls key pneumatic valves in the ash conveying pipeline, mainly including an inlet valve and a discharge valve. In addition, the system also includes a pressure sensor for monitoring the real-time pressure of the ash conveying pipeline, and a human-machine interface for parameter setting and status monitoring.

[0088] The core control logic of the system is as follows: The automatic control module continuously collects and analyzes the aforementioned multiple input signals. When the system detects that the fan is at a low speed, if it simultaneously detects that the ash hopper has reached a high level, it determines that it is entering an energy-saving standby mode. In this mode, the system will control the air inlet valve to open at a lower preset opening degree and automatically close it after running for a short preset duration. When the fan is at normal operating speed and the production line is in a non-smelting condition, the system enters a regular operation mode. In this mode, if the ash hopper reaches a high or medium level, the system will control the air inlet valve to open at a higher preset opening degree and run for a longer preset duration. To improve anti-interference capability, the system sets a shorter trigger delay for the high level signal and a longer trigger delay for the medium level signal. The ash conveying program is only started after the signal has been continuously valid for the corresponding delay. If the signal disappears during the delay period, the start-up is canceled.

[0089] During ash conveying operations, the system continuously monitors low-level signals. Once the ash hopper is emptied to the low level, ash conveying immediately stops to avoid excessive consumption of compressed air. Simultaneously, the system monitors pipeline pressure in real time. If the pressure consistently exceeds the safety threshold, it determines that a blockage may have occurred, immediately stops operation, and issues an alarm. As a crucial safety interlock, if the blower suddenly switches to low speed or starts operating under smelting conditions during ash conveying, the system will also immediately interrupt the current ash conveying operation.

[0090] In practical applications, operators can set relevant parameters through the human-machine interface, such as valve opening degree, running time, and trigger delay for different modes. After the system is started, the control process is fully automatic. For example, in normal operation mode, after the material level signal remains valid for a set delay, the PLC will open the valves sequentially and run them at a set higher opening degree for a set longer time. If the pressure is abnormal during this period, an alarm will sound and the machine will stop; if the material level is reached too early, the machine will stop prematurely. The entire process requires no manual intervention.

[0091] This embodiment achieves intelligent decision-making and adaptive control by integrating multi-source signals, which has the following advantages:

[0092] First, by differentiating between energy-saving and conventional modes and precisely linking with material level signals, the system minimizes compressed air consumption under ineffective or inefficient operating conditions, significantly reducing energy costs. Second, the entire ash conveying process—including startup, operation, shutdown, and fault handling—is automated, greatly reducing reliance on operators and improving operational efficiency and reliability. Finally, the system features anti-interference delayed triggering, multi-condition safety interlocks, and fault self-diagnosis functions, enabling it to flexibly adapt to complex changes in on-site conditions and ensure stable, safe, and efficient ash conveying operations.

[0093] In summary, after reading this invention document, those skilled in the art can make various other corresponding modifications to the technical solutions and concepts based on this invention without creative mental effort, and all of these modifications fall within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, characterized in that, include: The first type of electrical signal, which characterizes the material level in the ash hopper, is collected. The first type of electrical signal includes at least a high material level signal, a medium material level signal, and a low material level signal. Collect a second type of electrical signal that characterizes the operating status of the associated equipment. The second type of electrical signal includes at least a low speed signal of the fan and a non-smelting condition signal. Based on the logical combination relationship between the high material level signal, medium material level signal, low material level signal, low fan speed signal and non-smelting condition signal, corresponding valve control commands are generated. Based on the valve control command, the opening and closing actions of the pneumatic regulating valve in the ash conveying pipeline are controlled to execute or stop the ash conveying operation.

2. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on logical combination relationships, corresponding valve control commands are generated, specifically including: When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is acquired, if the high-level signal is also valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a first preset opening degree for a first preset duration and then close. When a valid low-speed signal of the blower is not collected but a valid non-smelting condition signal is collected, if the high-level signal is valid or the medium-level signal is valid, a valve control command is generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to open at a second preset opening degree for a second preset duration and then close. The second preset opening is greater than the first preset opening, and the second preset duration is greater than or equal to the first preset duration.

3. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, After controlling the pneumatic regulating valve to open to perform the ash conveying operation, the method further includes: Continuously monitor the low material level signal; When the low material level signal is detected to change from an invalid state to an effective state, a valve closing command is generated; Based on the valve closing command, the pneumatic regulating valve is controlled to close to stop the current ash conveying operation.

4. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before generating valve control commands based on logical combinations, a delayed triggering step is also included: When the high material level signal becomes valid for the first time, the first timer is started; When the medium material level signal becomes valid for the first time and the non-smelting condition signal becomes valid, the second timer is started; The trigger time for generating the valve control command is the time after the first timer or the second timer reaches its respective preset delay. If the corresponding trigger signal becomes invalid before the first or second timer reaches the preset delay, then the corresponding timer is reset and the trigger is canceled.

5. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ash conveying operation also includes a safety interruption procedure: Continuously monitor the low-speed signal of the fan and the non-smelting condition signal; If the low-speed signal of the fan changes from invalid to valid, or the non-smelting condition signal changes from valid to invalid, an emergency shutdown command is immediately generated to control the pneumatic regulating valve to close.

6. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Collect real-time pressure simulation signals from the ash conveying pipeline; The real-time pressure simulation signal is compared with a preset pressure threshold. When the real-time pressure simulation signal exceeds the preset pressure threshold and continues for a third preset duration, it is determined that the pipeline is blocked, and an alarm signal and valve closing command are generated.

7. The automatic control method for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps of controlling the opening and closing of the pneumatic regulating valve are executed by a PLC controller; the first type of electrical signal and the second type of electrical signal are connected to the digital input module of the PLC controller, and the valve control command is output by the digital output module of the PLC controller to the actuation coil of the pneumatic regulating valve.

8. An automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector, characterized in that, The method for implementing any one of claims 1-7 includes: The automatic control module is used to receive signals and generate valve control commands based on control logic; The pneumatic valve, including an air inlet valve and a discharge valve, is controlled by the valve control commands output by the automatic control module; The human-computer interaction interface is used to set the first preset opening degree, the second preset opening degree, the first preset duration, the second preset duration, and the preset delay parameters.

9. The automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 8, characterized in that, The input terminals of the automatic control module are connected to level gauges for collecting high, medium, and low material level signals, a fan status sensor for collecting low fan speed signals, and a production system interface for collecting non-smelting condition signals.

10. The automatic control system for pneumatic ash conveying in a dust collector according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes a pressure sensor connected to the automatic control module for acquiring the real-time pressure simulation signal of the ash conveying pipeline.

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