A forming and cooling device and method based on hollow glass microspheres production

Abstract

This invention discloses a forming and cooling device and method for hollow glass microsphere production, relating to the field of hollow glass microsphere production technology. It includes a combustion pipe air control device, which internally houses a nozzle control mechanism for controlling microsphere forming, and an air passage control mechanism is located at its upper end. In this invention, glass powder is carried by a carrier gas into a spray pipe and ejected through a nozzle. The spray pipe is located between two flame tubes, arranged in a ring-shaped, staggered pattern. This layout is not only compact but also promotes uniform and symmetrical thermal and flow fields. The fuel gas in the flame tube is discharged through the nozzle and ignited to form a high-temperature flame. The negative pressure effect generated during flame combustion actively induces external combustion-supporting gas to be drawn into the flame zone through the nozzle, achieving self-injection oxygen supply, significantly enhancing flame intensity and combustion stability, and improving thermal efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hollow glass microsphere production technology, and in particular to a forming and cooling device and method based on hollow glass microsphere production. Background Technology

[0002] For example, patent CN204400807U, entitled "A High-Strength, Low-Density Closed-Cell Hollow Glass Microsphere Gas-Fired Bead Forming Furnace," describes a device with a bead-forming burner at the lower end of the furnace body and a bead-forming output pipeline at the upper end. The burner, from the inside out, includes a powder conveying pipe, a gas conveying pipe, and an oxygen-enriched mixed gas conveying pipe. The furnace body contains a multi-layered flow-guiding and swirling device, consisting of a ring-shaped, evenly distributed air-guiding pipe, a guide pipe, a swirling air-guiding pipe, and swirling blades. A cooling water inlet is located at the lower part of the furnace body, and a hot water outlet is located at the upper part. This invention produces hollow glass microspheres with uniform wall thickness, improving sphericity and bead formation rates, reducing furnace agglomeration and adhesion, and offering simple and convenient control, facilitating automated programmable control, and suitable for the production of hollow glass microspheres of various particle sizes.

[0003] The aforementioned hollow glass microsphere preparation process suffers from problems such as low sphericity, poor sphericity, numerous unmelted particles, concentrated cooling thermal stress leading to cracking and deformation, particle adhesion and blockage, and uneven cooling. Furthermore, the nozzles of the aforementioned inventions are difficult to achieve efficient delivery and full melting of glass powder, the flame is unstable, and the powder is prone to deviating from the high-temperature zone, resulting in incomplete sphere formation. The cooling system lacks gradient design and is prone to cracking due to sudden changes in thermal stress, affecting product strength and consistency. Therefore, this application provides a forming and cooling device and method based on hollow glass microsphere production to meet the requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a forming and cooling device and method based on the production of hollow glass microspheres, which can effectively solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution: a forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres, including a combustion pipe air control device, wherein the combustion pipe air control device is provided with a nozzle control mechanism for controlling the forming of microspheres, and an air passage control mechanism is provided at the upper end of the combustion pipe air control device for regulating the flight direction of the microspheres and guiding their trajectory. The upper end of the air passage control mechanism is provided with a cooling mechanism, which is used to initially cool the microspheres in the molten state, regulate their surface temperature field, and balance the surface tension of the microspheres to maintain spherical stability. A slow cooling mechanism is provided above the cooling mechanism to perform gradient slow cooling on the microspheres and control their rising speed. The slow cooling mechanism includes an air guiding component and a slow air component. The slow air component adjusts the airflow speed and distribution to make the microspheres rise slowly in the air guiding component to prolong the cooling time. An air supply shell is provided between the cooling mechanism and the spiral cooling mechanism, and the air supply shell is sleeved on the outside of the air guiding component to form an annular air supply channel to uniformly transport cold air, promote the rapid hardening of the microsphere surface and release internal stress. The upper end of the slow cooling mechanism is provided with a spiral cooling mechanism to guide the microspheres to rise along the spiral path with the airflow, thereby extending the flight path and cooling time of the microspheres. The upper end of the spiral cooling mechanism is provided with an extraction tube.

[0006] The nozzle control mechanism includes a flame tube and a fuel tube. Several flame tubes are arranged in a circular array. Several nozzle holes are opened on the outer surface of the flame tube. A flame nozzle is provided at one end of the flame tube. One end of the flame tube is connected to the fuel tube inside the fuel pipe air control device. The spray tubes are arranged in a circular array, and one end of each spray tube is equipped with a spray nozzle. One end of each spray tube is connected to the material tube inside the fuel pipe air control device, and the spray nozzle is located between every two flame nozzles.

[0007] The air passage control mechanism includes an air guide ring and an outer air shell. The air guide ring is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the fuel pipe air control device and is connected to the combustion-supporting pipe inside the fuel pipe air control device. The upper end of the air guide ring is provided with several jet nozzles arranged in a ring array, and each jet nozzle is provided with an arc pipe inside. The upper end of the air guide ring is provided with a conical shell, which is funnel-shaped, and the inner wall of the conical shell is provided with a number of rotating blades arranged in a ring array to guide the airflow. The outer surface of the air guide ring is provided with an outer wind shell.

[0008] The cooling mechanism includes an outer tube and an inner tube. The inner tube is fixedly installed at the upper end of the conical shell, and the outer tube is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer fan shell. The outer surface of the inner tube is provided with a plurality of second jet holes arranged in a ring array, and the inner wall of the second jet holes is provided with a plurality of oblique blades arranged in a ring array.

[0009] The air guiding assembly includes an air guiding inner cylinder. The bottom of the outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder has several air vents arranged in a ring array. The outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder has several air guiding holes arranged in a spiral pattern. The inner wall of the air guiding inner cylinder is provided with several spiral oblique blades arranged in a ring array. The air guiding inner cylinder is fixedly installed at the upper end of the inner tube.

[0010] The air-relieving component includes an air vent and several annular guide vanes. The air vent passes through the several annular guide vanes, and one end of the air vent passes through the inner air duct and connects to the external cold air vent. The upper end of the annular guide vanes is provided with several baffles arranged in a ring array. The inner wall and outer surface of the annular guide vanes are provided with first air jet holes, and the outer surface and inner wall of the annular guide vanes are provided with ring plates.

[0011] The cross-section of the ring guide is shaped like the letter "V", and the cross-section of the ring plate is arc-shaped.

[0012] The spiral cooling mechanism includes a housing, the outer surface of which is provided with a plurality of inclined air pipes arranged in a ring array, the outer surfaces of the plurality of inclined air pipes are provided with a cooling ring pipe, a supply housing is provided between the housing and the outer pipes, and the extraction pipe is fixedly installed at the upper end of the housing.

[0013] The spiral cooling mechanism further includes a vibrating cone shell, the outer surface of which is provided with a support basket, and the vibrating cone shell is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the outer shell through the support basket. The inner wall of the outer shell is provided with a guide ring that cooperates with the vibrating cone shell to guide the airflow. The inner wall of the vibrating cone shell is provided with a spiral blade, and the upper end of the spiral blade is fixed inside the outer shell through a bracket.

[0014] This invention also provides a method for cooling during the production of hollow glass microspheres, the specific cooling method being as follows: Step 1: The glass powder is carried by the carrier gas and ejected through the nozzle control mechanism, which is a multi-channel composite nozzle. The coaxial jet of fuel gas and combustion gas forms a high-temperature flame and induces a entrapment effect, allowing the glass powder to enter the core area of ​​the flame. Under the action of high temperature, the glass powder softens rapidly and melts completely. Surface tension dominates its morphological evolution, forming spherical droplets. At the same time, the gas channel control mechanism set around the nozzle introduces the combustion gas flow, forming a rotating flame structure, which prolongs the residence time of the molten microspheres in the high-temperature zone and ensures full melting and spheroidization. Step 2: The molten hollow glass microspheres first enter the cooling mechanism, and the cooling airflow in the cooling mechanism is guided by the air passage control mechanism. On the one hand, it is used to remove the heat on the surface of the air passage control mechanism to prevent heat accumulation. On the other hand, it provides a uniform and controllable initial cooling environment for the microspheres, so that they can maintain their spherical shape under the action of surface tension and achieve slow solidification. As the microspheres continue to rise, they first enter the slow-air component in the slow-cooling mechanism. The slow-air component reduces the rising speed of the microspheres and optimizes their trajectory by adjusting the airflow distribution, thus achieving a slow rise. Subsequently, the microspheres enter the air-guiding component area, where the air-guiding component sprays out low-temperature cooling gas to form a local air cushion effect, which causes the microspheres to be suspended briefly, further extending the surface cooling time and achieving rapid surface hardening and internal structural stability. Step 3: The microspheres with the preliminary surface curing enter the spiral cooling mechanism. The spiral cooling mechanism has a spiral guide channel inside, which guides the microspheres to rise along the spiral path with the airflow, extending the cooling stroke and heat exchange time, and achieving deep and uniform cooling. In addition, the spiral cooling mechanism can be periodically shaken to prevent the microspheres from accumulating or sticking on the inner wall of the channel. Finally, the fully cured hollow glass microspheres are transported to the top extraction tube.

[0015] In summary, the technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows: 1. In this invention, glass powder is carried into the spray tube by a carrier gas and ejected through the spray nozzle. The spray tube is located between two flame tubes, which are arranged in a ring-shaped staggered pattern. This layout is not only compact but also conducive to the uniformity and symmetry of the thermal and flow fields. The fuel gas in the flame tube is discharged through the flame nozzle and ignited to form a high-temperature flame. The negative pressure effect generated during flame combustion can actively induce external combustion-supporting gases to be drawn into the flame zone through the nozzle, achieving self-injection oxygen supply, significantly enhancing flame intensity and combustion stability, and improving thermal efficiency. At the same time, the ring-shaped staggered arrangement of the spray nozzle and the flame nozzle further induces a strong jet entrainment effect, efficiently and centrally guiding the glass powder into the highest temperature core area of ​​the flame. This ensures that the powder is heated evenly, softens rapidly, and melts completely. Under the combined action of high temperature and surface tension, the molten droplets spontaneously spheroidize, resulting in a high sphericity and good sphericity, effectively reducing the generation of irregular particles and unmelted powder. The overall nozzle structure realizes the multi-functional integration of powder delivery, flame strengthening, airflow entrainment, and spheroidization control, improving the quality of microsphere products.

[0016] 2. The present invention discharges through a second jet hole distributed circumferentially. An inclined plate set near the second jet hole guides the airflow to form a spiral jet, which acts uniformly on the surface of the microsphere particles discharged from the inside of the conical shell. It is worth noting that the cooling airflow has pre-absorbed part of the heat of the conical shell and has a high initial temperature. Therefore, the high-temperature microspheres are cooled gradually rather than suddenly, which effectively avoids surface cracking or structural defects of the microspheres caused by sudden thermal stress, and ensures their spherical integrity and structural stability.

[0017] 3. In this invention, the hollow glass microspheres in the molten state begin to cool and tend to solidify and soften under the action of the preheated airflow ejected through the second jet hole. As the microspheres continue to rise, they enter the air guide component of the slow cooling mechanism. The air supply shell delivers a temperature-controlled airflow with a lower temperature than the upstream to the downstream area of ​​the cooling mechanism. This airflow is ejected through the slow air hole to further decelerate and gradient cool the microspheres, control their cooling rate, and effectively avoid surface cracking or structural defects of the microspheres caused by sudden changes in thermal stress.

[0018] 4. In this invention, the microspheres undergo a gradient temperature control path throughout the cooling process. In the pre-cooling mechanism, they are slowly pre-cooled to balance the surface tension. In the slow cooling mechanism, they undergo medium-speed cooling and initial shaping. Finally, in the spiral cooling mechanism, they achieve uniform and sufficient rapid cooling through a long path and strong convection. The entire cooling process is free of drastic temperature jumps, achieving a continuous and gradual temperature transition from the molten state to complete solidification. This significantly reduces the risk of thermal stress concentration, effectively avoids defects such as cracking and deformation of the microspheres, and ensures their spherical integrity, wall thickness uniformity, and structural stability. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application 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 only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 A first-view three-dimensional structural diagram of a forming and cooling device for the production of hollow glass microspheres; Figure 2 First-view perspective three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the forming and cooling device for the production of hollow glass microspheres; Figure 3 A second-view perspective three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the forming and cooling device for the production of hollow glass microspheres; Figure 4 A partial three-dimensional connection structure diagram of the forming and cooling device for producing hollow glass microspheres; Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the connection structure of the airway control mechanism; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the airway control mechanism; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the nozzle control mechanism; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the flame tube; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the spray nozzle; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the air guide ring; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a partial three-dimensional connection structure of the airway control mechanism; Figure 12 A third-view sectional view of the connection structure of the forming and cooling device for the production of hollow glass microspheres; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the cooling mechanism; Figure 14 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the connection structure of the cooling mechanism; Figure 15 A fourth-angle stereoscopic cross-sectional view of the forming and cooling device for the production of hollow glass microspheres; Figure 16 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the slow cooling mechanism; Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the connection structure of the slow-cooling mechanism; Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the air venting component; Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the annular guide and the annular plate; Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the ring guide component; Figure 21 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure between the spiral cooling mechanism and the slow cooling mechanism; Figure 22 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure between the outer shell and the inner air guide cylinder; Figure 23 This is a three-dimensional sectional view of the connection structure of the spiral cooling mechanism; Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional connection structure of the spiral blade and the guide ring.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Extraction pipe; 2. Spiral cooling mechanism; 21. Cooling ring pipe; 22. Outer shell; 23. Inclined air pipe; 24. Spiral blade; 25. Vibrating cone shell; 26. Support basket; 27. Guide ring; 3. Slow cooling mechanism; 31. Air guiding assembly; 311. Air guiding inner cylinder; 312. Air guiding hole; 313. Slow air hole; 314. Spiral inclined blade; 32. Slow air assembly; 321. Vent pipe; 322. Ring guide; 323. Flanged leaf; 324. 1. Jet nozzle; 325. Ring plate; 4. Cooling mechanism; 41. Outer tube; 42. Inner tube; 43. Second jet nozzle; 44. Inclined plate; 5. Air passage control mechanism; 51. Outer air casing; 52. Conical shell; 53. Rotary blade; 54. Air guide ring; 55. Jet nozzle; 56. Arc tube; 6. Fuel pipe air control device; 7. Nozzle control mechanism; 71. Flame tube; 72. Material tube; 73. Nozzle; 74. Flame nozzle; 75. Material nozzle; 8. Air supply casing. Detailed Implementation

[0022] 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. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] Example 1, Reference Figures 1 to 24 The forming and cooling device shown includes a combustion pipe air control device 6. The combustion pipe air control device 6 is provided with a nozzle control mechanism 7 for controlling the forming of microspheres, and the upper end of the combustion pipe air control device 6 is provided with an air passage control mechanism 5 for adjusting the flight direction of the microspheres and guiding their movement trajectory. The upper end of the air passage control mechanism 5 is provided with a cooling mechanism 4, which is used to initially cool the microspheres in the molten state, regulate their surface temperature field, balance the surface tension of the microspheres, and maintain spherical stability. A slow cooling mechanism 3 is provided above the cooling mechanism 4 to perform gradient slow cooling on the microspheres and control their rising speed. The slow cooling mechanism 3 includes an air guiding component 31 and an air easing component 32. The air easing component 32 adjusts the airflow speed and distribution to make the microspheres rise slowly in the air guiding component 31 to prolong the cooling time. An air supply shell 8 is provided between the cooling mechanism 4 and the spiral cooling mechanism 2, and the air supply shell 8 is fitted outside the air guiding component 31 to form an annular air supply channel to uniformly transport cold air, promote the rapid hardening of the microsphere surface and release internal stress. The upper end of the slow cooling mechanism 3 is provided with a spiral cooling mechanism 2, which is used to guide the microspheres to rise along the spiral path with the airflow, thereby extending the flight path and cooling time of the microspheres. The upper end of the spiral cooling mechanism 2 is provided with an extraction tube 1.

[0024] It is worth noting that the glass powder is carried by the carrier gas and ejected through the nozzle control mechanism 7. The nozzle control mechanism 7 is a multi-channel composite nozzle. By inducing the formation of a jet entrainment effect, the glass powder is sent into the core area of ​​the flame. Under the action of high temperature, the glass powder softens and melts rapidly. Surface tension dominates its spherical process, forming spherical droplets. At the same time, the gas channel control mechanism 5 set around the nozzle control mechanism 7 introduces combustion-supporting gas, induces the formation of a rotating flame, controls the flame shape and temperature distribution, and prolongs the residence time of hollow glass microspheres in the high-temperature zone to ensure full melting and sphericalization. The molten hollow glass microspheres first enter the cooling mechanism 4. The cooling airflow in the cooling mechanism 4 is guided into it by the air passage control mechanism 5. On the one hand, it can remove the heat from the surface of the air passage control mechanism 5 and achieve the cooling of the equipment itself. On the other hand, the cooling mechanism 4 provides a stable and uniform airflow environment, so that the glass microspheres can achieve initial slow solidification during the rising process.

[0025] As the microspheres continue to rise, they first pass through the air-relieving component 32, which reduces the rising speed of the microspheres and adjusts their trajectory by adjusting the airflow speed and distribution. Then, the air-guiding component 31 sprays out cooling airflow, causing the microspheres to be suspended briefly in a local area, further extending the cooling time and achieving initial surface hardening and initial release of internal stress. The hollow glass microspheres, cooled and solidified by the air guiding component 31, are transported by airflow to the spiral cooling mechanism 2. The spiral cooling mechanism 2 is equipped with a spiral cooling channel, which can significantly extend the flight path of the microspheres and the overall cooling time, achieve gradient slow cooling, and prevent cracking or deformation caused by excessive cooling. In addition, the spiral cooling mechanism 2 has a certain vibration or shaking function, which helps to prevent the microspheres from accumulating or sticking on the inner wall of the spiral channel, ensuring that they are continuously and stably transported upward to complete the final cooling and shaping.

[0026] Among them, the nozzle control mechanism 7 with multi-channel composite nozzle structure and jet entrainment effect efficiently introduces glass powder into the core area of ​​the flame, achieving rapid softening and complete melting at high temperature, and spheroidization is completed by surface tension, with high spheroidization rate and good sphericity; at the same time, the peripheral gas channel control mechanism 5 introduces combustion-supporting gas to form a rotating flame, effectively controlling the flame shape and temperature field distribution, extending the residence time of microbeads in the high-temperature zone, ensuring full melting and avoiding the generation of unmelted particles.

[0027] Secondly, after the molten microspheres enter the cooling mechanism 4, the cooling airflow guided by the air passage control mechanism 5 is used to improve the thermal stability of the equipment by dissipating heat on the one hand, and to provide a uniform and controllable initial cooling environment for the microspheres on the other hand, so as to complete the initial surface curing without causing thermal stress cracking.

[0028] Subsequently, the microspheres are decelerated and their trajectory optimized by the air-relieving component 32. Then, the cooling airflow ejected by the air-guiding component 31 forms a local air cushion effect, which temporarily suspends the microspheres, further prolonging the cooling time, promoting surface hardening and internal stress release, and improving structural uniformity.

[0029] Finally, the microspheres enter the spiral cooling mechanism 2 and slowly rise along the extended path in the spiral channel, significantly increasing the heat exchange time and achieving gradient slow cooling, effectively preventing defects such as cracking and deformation caused by sudden cooling.

[0030] Example 2: This example provides a further technical solution for the nozzle control mechanism 7.

[0031] The nozzle control mechanism 7 includes a flame tube 71 and a fuel tube 72. The flame tube 71 is provided in a ring array. The outer surface of the flame tube 71 is provided with a number of nozzle holes 73. One end of the flame tube 71 is provided with a flame nozzle 74. One end of the flame tube 71 is connected to the fuel tube inside the fuel tube control device 6. The spray pipe 72 is provided in a ring array. One end of the spray pipe 72 is provided with a spray nozzle 75. One end of the spray pipe 72 is connected to the material pipe inside the fuel pipe air control device 6. The spray nozzle 75 is located between every two flame nozzles 74.

[0032] It is worth noting that the glass powder is carried by the carrier gas into the nozzle control mechanism 7 through the injection pipe 72 and then ejected through the injection nozzle 75. The injection pipe 72 is located between the two flame tubes 71, and the flame tubes 71 and the injection pipe 72 are arranged in a ring-like staggered pattern, as shown in the overall layout. Figure 7 As shown, the fuel gas in the flame tube 71 is discharged through the flame nozzle 74 and ignited to form a high-temperature flame. The negative pressure effect generated by the flame induces the surrounding combustion-supporting gas to be drawn into the flame zone through the nozzle 73, thereby enhancing the flame intensity and combustion stability. At the same time, the annular staggered arrangement of the nozzle 75 and the flame nozzle 74 further induces a strong jet entrainment effect, which efficiently carries the glass powder into the core area of ​​the flame. Under the action of high temperature, the glass powder softens rapidly, melts completely, and tends to become spherical under the action of surface tension, thus achieving efficient spherical formation.

[0033] The glass powder is carried into the propellant pipe 72 by a carrier gas and ejected through the propellant nozzle 75. The propellant pipe is located between the two flame tubes 71, and the flame tubes and the propellant pipe are arranged in a ring-like staggered pattern. Figure 7 As shown, this layout is not only compact, but also conducive to the uniformity and symmetry of the thermal field and the flow field. The fuel gas in the flame tube 71 is discharged through the flame nozzle 74 and ignited to form a high-temperature flame. The negative pressure effect generated during the flame combustion process can actively induce external combustion-supporting gas to be drawn into the flame zone through the nozzle 73, realizing self-injection oxygen supply, significantly enhancing flame intensity and combustion stability, and improving thermal efficiency.

[0034] Meanwhile, the annular staggered arrangement of the nozzle 75 and the flame nozzle 74 further induces a strong jet entrainment effect, efficiently and centrally guiding the glass powder into the core area of ​​the flame with the highest temperature. This ensures that the powder is heated evenly, softens rapidly, and melts completely. Under the combined action of high temperature and surface tension, the molten droplets spontaneously spheroidize, resulting in a high sphericity and good sphericity. This effectively reduces the generation of irregular particles and unmelted powder. The overall nozzle structure realizes the multi-functional integration of powder delivery, flame enhancement, airflow entrainment, and sphericity control, improving the quality of microsphere products.

[0035] Example 3: This example provides further technical solutions for the airway control mechanism 5 and the cooling mechanism 4.

[0036] The air passage control mechanism 5 includes an air guide ring 54 and an outer air shell 51. The air guide ring 54 is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the fuel pipe air control device 6, and the air guide ring 54 is connected to the combustion-supporting pipe inside the fuel pipe air control device 6. The upper end of the air guide ring 54 is provided with several jet nozzles 55 arranged in a ring array, and each jet nozzle 55 is provided with an arc pipe 56 inside. The upper end of the air guide ring 54 is provided with a conical shell 52, which is funnel-shaped, and the inner wall of the conical shell 52 is provided with a number of rotating blades 53 arranged in a ring array to guide the airflow. The outer surface of the air guide ring 54 is provided with an outer air shell 51.

[0037] It is worth noting that after the combustion-supporting gas enters the gas guide ring 54, it is discharged through the jet nozzle 55. Part of the combustion-supporting gas, guided by the arc tube 56, is directed to the location of the nozzle 75, thereby enhancing the flame intensity in that area. The arc tube 56 is arranged in a ring shape. Figure 10 As shown, the shape of the flame after it is ejected can be changed, so that the flame ejected by the nozzle control mechanism 7 is in a rotating state, which promotes the full mixing of glass powder and flame. In addition, the combustion-supporting gas ejected from the jet nozzle 55 is also guided by the rotary blade 53 and concentrated towards the center of the cone shell 52, which further enhances the uniformity and stability of the flame. Through this design, the jet nozzle 55 and the nozzle control mechanism 7 cooperate with each other to form a multi-ring composite structure of the ejected flame, which improves the overall efficiency of the flame and the melting effect of the glass powder.

[0038] The cooling mechanism 4 includes an outer tube 41 and an inner tube 42. The inner tube 42 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the conical shell 52, and the outer tube 41 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer fan shell 51. The outer surface of the inner tube 42 is provided with a number of second jet holes 43 arranged in a ring array, and the inner wall of the second jet holes 43 is provided with a number of oblique blades 44 arranged in a ring array.

[0039] The airflow enters through the annular gap between the outer shell 51 and the conical shell 52, first carrying away the heat from the inner wall of the conical shell to cool the high-temperature components. Then, the airflow enters the interlayer between the outer tube 41 and the inner tube 42 and exits through the circumferentially distributed second jet holes 43. The inclined plate 44 located near the second jet holes 43 guides the airflow, making it form a spiral jet that acts uniformly on the surface of the microspheres discharged from the inside of the conical shell 52. It is worth noting that the cooling airflow has pre-absorbed some of the heat from the conical shell 52 and has a high initial temperature. Therefore, it achieves gradient cooling rather than sudden cooling of the high-temperature microspheres, effectively avoiding surface cracking or structural defects of the microspheres caused by sudden thermal stress, and ensuring their spherical integrity and structural stability.

[0040] In this process, after the combustion-supporting gas enters the gas guide ring 54, part of the gas discharged through the jet nozzle 55 is guided to the nozzle 75 by the arc tube 56, which enhances the flame intensity in this area. Since the arc tube is distributed in a ring, the ejected flame is in a rotating state, which promotes the full mixing of glass powder and flame. At the same time, the combustion-supporting gas guided by the rotary blade 53 is concentrated and blown to the center of the cone shell 52, which further enhances the uniformity and stability of the flame, forming a multi-ring composite flame structure, improving the overall efficiency of the flame and the melting effect of the glass powder.

[0041] In addition, the cooling airflow enters from the annular gap between the outer shell 51 and the conical shell 52, carrying away the heat of the high-temperature components to achieve cooling. It then enters the interlayer between the outer tube 41 and the inner tube 42 and is discharged through the circumferentially distributed second jet holes 43. Under the action of the inclined plate 44, it forms a spiral jet that acts uniformly on the surface of the microsphere particles discharged from the inside of the conical shell 52. The cooling airflow has absorbed part of the heat of the conical shell in advance and has a high initial temperature. Therefore, it achieves gradient slow cooling of the high-temperature microspheres rather than sudden cooling, effectively avoiding surface cracking or structural defects of the microspheres caused by sudden thermal stress, and ensuring their spherical integrity and structural stability.

[0042] Example 4 provides further technical solutions for the air guiding component 31, the air easing component 32, and the spiral cooling mechanism 2.

[0043] The air guiding assembly 31 includes an air guiding inner cylinder 311. The bottom of the outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder 311 is provided with a number of air vents 313 arranged in a ring array. The outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder 311 is provided with a number of air guiding holes 312 arranged in a spiral. The inner wall of the air guiding inner cylinder 311 is provided with a number of spiral oblique blades 314 arranged in a ring array. The air guiding inner cylinder 311 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the inner tube 42.

[0044] The air venting assembly 32 includes an air vent 321 and several annular guide members 322. The air vent 321 passes through several annular guide members 322, and one end of the air vent 321 passes through the inner air venting cylinder 311 and communicates with the external cold air pipe. Several leaflets 323 arranged in annular array are provided at the upper end of the annular guide members 322. First air jet holes 324 are provided on both the inner wall and the outer surface of the annular guide members 322. Ring plates 325 are provided on both the outer surface and the inner wall of the annular guide members 322.

[0045] The cross-section of the annular guide 322 is in the shape of the letter "V", and the cross-section of the annular piece 325 is arc-shaped.

[0046] It is worth noting that, under the action of the preheated airflow ejected through the second jet hole 43, the surface of the molten hollow glass microspheres begins to cool initially and tends to solidify and soften. As the microspheres continue to rise, they enter the air guide component 31 of the slow cooling mechanism. At this time, the air supply shell 8 delivers a temperature-controlled airflow with a lower temperature than the upstream to the downstream area of ​​the cooling mechanism 4. This airflow is ejected through the slow air hole 313 to further decelerate and gradient cool the microspheres, control their cooling rate, and avoid thermal stress cracking.

[0047] Subsequently, the microspheres enter the inner air-guiding cylinder 311 under the guidance of the annular guide 322. The annular guide 322 is distributed in multiple annular layers. The cooling airflow is introduced into its interior through the vent pipe 321 and is evenly discharged upward under the guidance of the baffle 323. At the same time, the first jet hole 324 sprays airflow laterally, impacting the surface of the microspheres and preventing them from softening due to high temperature and adhering to the surface of the annular guide. The ring plate 325 straightens the airflow sprayed from the first jet hole, causing it to flow along the surface of the baffle, thereby forming a stable protective air film on the outer surface of the annular guide 322. This air film not only plays an anti-adhesion role but also changes the local flow field, guiding the microspheres to rise steadily along the central airflow channel, achieving uniform cooling.

[0048] After entering the air guide inner cylinder 311, the velocity of the microspheres is further reduced under the rectification effect of the annular guide element. At the same time, the airflow is ejected from the circumferentially distributed air guide holes 312 and, guided by the spiral inclined plate 314, forms a spiral rising vortex field on the inner wall of the air guide inner cylinder, which performs circumferential enhanced heat exchange on the microspheres, achieving slow, stable, and low-disturbance deep cooling, ensuring the integrity of its spherical structure and uniform wall thickness.

[0049] In this process, the molten hollow glass microspheres begin to cool and tend to solidify and soften under the action of the preheated airflow ejected through the second jet hole 43. As the microspheres continue to rise, they enter the air guide component 31 of the slow cooling mechanism. The air supply shell 8 delivers a temperature-controlled airflow with a lower temperature than the upstream to the downstream area of ​​the cooling mechanism 4. This airflow is ejected through the slow air hole 313 to further decelerate and gradient cool the microspheres, control their cooling rate, and effectively avoid surface cracking or structural defects of the microspheres caused by sudden changes in thermal stress.

[0050] Subsequently, the microspheres enter the inner air guide cylinder 311 under the guidance of the annular guide 322. The annular guide is distributed in multiple layers. The cooling airflow is introduced into the cylinder through the vent pipe 321 and then enters the cylinder. Under the guidance of the baffle 323, the airflow is evenly discharged upwards. At the same time, the first jet hole 324 ejects airflow laterally, impacting the surface of the microspheres and preventing them from softening due to high temperature and adhering to the surface of the annular guide 322. The annular plate 325 rectifies the airflow ejected from the first jet hole, causing it to flow along the surface of the baffle. This forms a stable protective air film on the outer surface of the annular guide 322, which not only prevents sticking but also changes the local flow field, guiding the microspheres to rise smoothly along the central airflow channel for uniform cooling. After entering the inner air guide cylinder 311, the velocity of the microspheres is further reduced by the rectification effect of the annular guide. At the same time, the airflow is ejected from the circumferentially distributed air guide holes 312 and, guided by the spiral oblique plate 314, forms a spiraling upward vortex field on the inner wall of the inner air guide cylinder. This provides enhanced heat exchange for the microspheres in a surrounding manner, achieving slow, stable, and low-disturbance deep cooling. This ensures the integrity of the spherical structure and the uniformity of the wall thickness, preventing the adhesion and deformation problems that may occur during the cooling process, and improving the yield and batch consistency.

[0051] The spiral cooling mechanism 2 includes a housing 22. The outer surface of the housing 22 is provided with a number of inclined air pipes 23 arranged in a ring array. The outer surfaces of the number of inclined air pipes 23 are provided with a cooling ring pipe 21. An air supply housing 8 is provided between the housing 22 and the outer pipe 41. The extraction pipe 1 is fixedly installed at the upper end of the housing 22.

[0052] The spiral cooling mechanism 2 also includes a vibrating cone shell 25. A support basket 26 is provided on the outer surface of the vibrating cone shell 25, and the vibrating cone shell 25 is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the outer shell 22 through the support basket 26. A guide ring 27 is provided on the inner wall of the outer shell 22 to guide the airflow in cooperation with the vibrating cone shell 25. A spiral blade 24 is provided on the inner wall of the vibrating cone shell 25, and the upper end of the spiral blade 24 is fixed inside the outer shell 22 by a bracket.

[0053] It is worth noting that after cooling by the inner air guide cylinder 311, the surface of the hollow glass microspheres has basically solidified. They then enter the outer shell 22 of the spiral cooling mechanism 2. Guided by the vibrating cone shell 25, the microspheres are evenly distributed and enter the spiral channel between the spiral blades 24. The vibrating cone shell 25 houses a vibration motor. The structure of the guide ring 27 cooperates with the inclined air pipe 23, and they are distributed at a specific tilt angle. Figure 24 As shown, the microbeads are effectively guided to rise smoothly along the spiral channel, avoiding accumulation or blockage, and are finally discharged through the top extraction tube 1.

[0054] Meanwhile, the cooling ring pipe 21 delivers cooling air at a temperature lower than the outlet airflow of the gas supply shell 8 into the inclined air pipe 23, forming a step-by-step cooling environment. The microspheres undergo a gradient temperature control path throughout the cooling process. First, they are slowly pre-cooled in the cooling mechanism 4 to balance the surface tension. Then, they are cooled at a medium speed in the slow cooling mechanism 3 to complete the initial shaping. Finally, they enter the spiral cooling mechanism 2, where they achieve rapid cooling with uniform depth through strong convection in the spiral channel. The entire cooling process is free from drastic temperature changes, avoiding microsphere breakage or deformation due to thermal stress concentration. It achieves a continuous and gradual temperature transition from the molten state to complete solidification, ensuring the spherical integrity and structural stability of the microspheres.

[0055] After initial cooling by the inner air guide cylinder 311, the surface of the hollow glass microspheres has basically solidified and has good structural strength. Then, they enter the outer shell 22 of the spiral cooling mechanism 2. Under the action of the vibrating cone shell 25 driven by the built-in vibration motor, the microspheres are evenly dispersed and smoothly guided into the spiral channel between the spiral blades 24, effectively preventing blockage caused by accumulation or adhesion, and ensuring continuous and stable operation of the system.

[0056] The guide ring 27 and the inclined air tube 23 are arranged at a specific tilt angle, as shown below. Figure 24 As shown, the airflow and particle trajectory are further optimized to guide the microspheres to rise smoothly along the spiral channel. At the same time, the cooling ring pipe 21 delivers cold air with a temperature lower than that of the front cooling zone to the inclined air pipe 23, creating a low-temperature, strong convection environment to achieve deep cooling. The microspheres undergo a "gradient temperature control path" throughout the cooling process: slow pre-cooling is achieved in the cooling mechanism 4 to balance the surface tension; medium-speed cooling and preliminary shaping are completed in the slow cooling mechanism 3; and finally, uniform and sufficient rapid cooling is achieved in the spiral cooling mechanism 2 through a long path and strong convection.

[0057] The entire cooling process is free of drastic temperature jumps, achieving a continuous and gradual temperature transition from the molten state to complete solidification. This significantly reduces the risk of thermal stress concentration, effectively avoids defects such as microsphere cracking and deformation, and ensures the spherical integrity, wall thickness uniformity, and structural stability of the microspheres.

[0058] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A forming and cooling device based on hollow glass microspheres, comprising a combustion pipe air control device (6), characterized in that: The internal part of the combustion pipe air control device (6) is provided with a nozzle control mechanism (7) for controlling the formation of microbeads, and the upper end of the combustion pipe air control device (6) is provided with an air passage control mechanism (5) for adjusting the flight direction of the microbeads and guiding their trajectory. The upper end of the air passage control mechanism (5) is provided with a cooling mechanism (4) for initially cooling the microspheres in the molten state, regulating their surface temperature field, balancing the surface tension of the microspheres, and maintaining spherical stability. A slow cooling mechanism (3) is provided above the cooling mechanism (4) to perform gradient slow cooling on the microspheres and control their rising speed. The slow cooling mechanism (3) includes an air guiding component (31) and a slow air component (32). The slow air component (32) adjusts the airflow speed and distribution to make the microspheres rise slowly in the air guiding component (31) to prolong the cooling time. An air supply shell (8) is provided between the cooling mechanism (4) and the spiral cooling mechanism (2), and the air supply shell (8) is sleeved on the outside of the air guiding component (31) to form an annular air supply channel to uniformly transport cold air, promote the rapid hardening of the surface of the microspheres and release internal stress. The upper end of the slow cooling mechanism (3) is provided with a spiral cooling mechanism (2) to guide the microspheres to rise along the spiral path with the airflow, thereby extending the flight path and cooling time of the microspheres. The upper end of the spiral cooling mechanism (2) is provided with an extraction tube (1).

2. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The nozzle control mechanism (7) includes a flame tube (71) and a fuel tube (72). The flame tube (71) is provided with a number of tubes arranged in a ring array. The outer surface of the flame tube (71) is provided with a number of nozzle holes (73). One end of the flame tube (71) is provided with a flame nozzle (74). One end of the flame tube (71) is connected to the fuel tube inside the fuel tube control device (6). The spray pipe (72) is provided in a plurality of circular arrays. One end of the spray pipe (72) is provided with a spray nozzle (75). One end of the spray pipe (72) is connected to the material pipe inside the fuel pipe air control device (6). The spray nozzle (75) is located between every two flame nozzles (74).

3. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air passage control mechanism (5) includes an air guide ring (54) and an outer air shell (51). The air guide ring (54) is fixedly installed on the outer surface of the fuel pipe air control device (6), and the air guide ring (54) is connected to the internal combustion-supporting pipe of the fuel pipe air control device (6). The upper end of the air guide ring (54) is provided with a number of jet nozzles (55) arranged in a ring array, and each jet nozzle (55) is provided with an arc pipe (56). The upper end of the air guide ring (54) is provided with a conical shell (52), which is funnel-shaped, and the inner wall of the conical shell (52) is provided with a number of rotating blades (53) arranged in a ring array to guide the airflow. The outer surface of the air guide ring (54) is provided with an outer wind shell (51).

4. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cooling mechanism (4) includes an outer tube (41) and an inner tube (42). The inner tube (42) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the conical shell (52), and the outer tube (41) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the outer fan shell (51). The outer surface of the inner tube (42) is provided with a number of second jet holes (43) arranged in a ring array. The inner wall of the second jet holes (43) is provided with a number of oblique blades (44) arranged in a ring array.

5. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 4, characterized in that: The air guiding assembly (31) includes an air guiding inner cylinder (311). The bottom of the outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder (311) is provided with a number of air vents (313) arranged in a ring array. The outer surface of the air guiding inner cylinder (311) is provided with a number of air guiding holes (312) arranged in a spiral. The inner wall of the air guiding inner cylinder (311) is provided with a number of spiral oblique blades (314) arranged in a ring array. The air guiding inner cylinder (311) is fixedly installed at the upper end of the inner tube (42).

6. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air venting assembly (32) includes an air vent (321) and several annular guide elements (322). The air vent (321) passes through several annular guide elements (322), and one end of the air vent (321) passes through the air venting inner cylinder (311) and is connected to the external cold air vent. Several leaflets (323) arranged in annular array are provided at the upper end of the annular guide elements (322). The inner wall and outer surface of the annular guide elements (322) are provided with first jet holes (324). The outer surface and inner wall of the annular guide elements (322) are provided with annular plates (325).

7. A forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 6, characterized in that: The cross-section of the ring guide (322) is in the shape of the letter "V", and the cross-section of the ring piece (325) is arc-shaped.

8. The forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 4, characterized in that: The spiral cooling mechanism (2) includes a shell (22), and a number of inclined air pipes (23) arranged in a ring array are provided on the outer surface of the shell (22). A cooling ring pipe (21) is provided on the outer surface of the number of inclined air pipes (23). An air supply shell (8) is provided between the shell (22) and the outer pipe (41). The extraction pipe (1) is fixedly installed on the upper end of the shell (22).

9. A forming and cooling device based on the production of hollow glass microspheres according to claim 8, characterized in that: The spiral cooling mechanism (2) further includes a vibrating cone shell (25). A support basket (26) is provided on the outer surface of the vibrating cone shell (25), and the vibrating cone shell (25) is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the outer shell (22) through the support basket (26). A guide ring (27) is provided on the inner wall of the outer shell (22) to guide the airflow in conjunction with the vibrating cone shell (25). A spiral blade (24) is provided on the inner wall of the vibrating cone shell (25), and the upper end of the spiral blade (24) is fixed inside the outer shell (22) by a bracket.

10. A method for cooling and shaping hollow glass microspheres, comprising the cooling and shaping apparatus for hollow glass microspheres as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The specific cooling method is as follows: Step 1: The glass powder is carried by the carrier gas and sprayed out through the nozzle control mechanism (7). The nozzle control mechanism (7) is a multi-channel composite nozzle. The coaxial jet of fuel gas and combustion gas forms a high-temperature flame and induces the entrainment effect, so that the glass powder enters the core area of ​​the flame. Under the action of high temperature, the glass powder softens rapidly and melts completely. The surface tension dominates its morphological evolution and forms spherical droplets. At the same time, the gas channel control mechanism (5) set around the nozzle introduces the combustion gas flow to form a rotating flame structure, prolonging the residence time of the molten microspheres in the high-temperature zone and ensuring full melting and spheroidization. Step 2: The molten hollow glass microspheres first enter the cooling mechanism (4), and the cooling airflow in the cooling mechanism is guided by the air passage control mechanism (5). On the one hand, it is used to remove the heat on the surface of the air passage control mechanism (5) to prevent heat accumulation. On the other hand, it provides a uniform and controllable initial cooling environment for the microspheres, so that they can maintain their spherical shape under the action of surface tension while achieving slow solidification. As the microspheres continue to rise, they first enter the slow-air component (32) in the slow-cooling mechanism. The slow-air component (32) adjusts the airflow field distribution, reduces the rising speed of the microspheres and optimizes their trajectory, thus achieving a slow rise. Subsequently, the microspheres enter the area of ​​the air guide component (31). The air guide component (31) sprays out low-temperature cooling gas, forming a local air cushion effect, which causes the microspheres to be suspended briefly, further extending the surface cooling time and achieving rapid surface hardening and internal structural stability. Step 3: The microbeads with the surface already partially solidified enter the spiral cooling mechanism (2). The spiral cooling mechanism (2) has a spiral guide channel inside, which guides the microbeads to rise along the spiral path with the airflow, extending the cooling stroke and heat exchange time, and achieving deep and uniform cooling. In addition, the spiral cooling mechanism (2) can be periodically shaken to prevent the microbeads from accumulating or sticking on the inner wall of the channel. Finally, the fully solidified hollow glass microbeads are transported to the top extraction tube (1).

Images