A system and method for hole identification and hole cleaning of a foamed ceramic green body

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of foam ceramic body hole blocking identification and hole cleaning system and method, it is related to foam ceramic preparation field, and the cooperation of detection unit, hole cleaning unit and control unit can identify the hole blocking position of foam ceramic body, and trigger hole cleaning processing, significantly improve the efficiency and consistency of hole blocking processing;The intensity and action of hole cleaning are regulated by control unit, avoid the skeleton damage problem of body caused by improper force, angle in manual operation, effectively reduce product rejection rate, provide technical support for high-quality stable production of foam ceramic;Through the process of data acquisition, identification, strategy generation and hole cleaning execution, the whole process automation of foam ceramic body hole blocking processing is realized, not only significantly shorten the processing cycle of single body, but also eliminate the subjective difference of manual operation through standardized process control, can improve the consistency and good product rate between product batches.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of foam ceramics preparation, and in particular to a system and method for identifying and cleaning pores in foam ceramic preforms. Background Technology

[0002] Foam ceramics are porous ceramic materials with a three-dimensional interconnected network structure, widely used in molten metal filtration, high-temperature flue gas purification, and chemical catalyst carriers. The organic foam impregnation method has become the mainstream technology for preparing open-cell foam ceramics in industry due to its simplicity, low cost, and ability to replicate the three-dimensional interconnected structure of organic foam. The process typically includes: impregnating polyurethane foam into a ceramic slurry, uniformly coating the foam skeleton surface with the slurry through extrusion, extruding excess slurry by rolling or centrifugation, followed by drying and sintering to finally obtain the foam ceramic product.

[0003] In actual production, a long-standing problem with the mechanical foam impregnation method is pore blockage. This problem mainly occurs during the impregnation and slurry application stages. Due to poor rheological properties of the slurry or uneven pore structure of the foam, some three-dimensional interconnected channels become blocked by the accumulation of ceramic slurry. These blockages are masked by the surface slurry during the green body stage, making them difficult to detect, and are generally only fully exposed after sintering. Moreover, blockage also leads to a reduction in effective filtration channels, decreased permeability and filtration efficiency, and in severe cases, even mass production failure.

[0004] To alleviate the problem of pore blockage, existing technologies mainly focus on improving the rheological properties of the slurry and adjusting the impregnation process parameters. While these methods can reduce the probability of pore blockage to some extent, they cannot eliminate existing blockages. For existing blockages, manual inspection and cleaning after sintering are the only options, which is not only inefficient and inconsistent but also prone to damaging the network structure of the green body. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the problems existing in the above or prior art, the present invention is proposed.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a system for identifying and clearing blocked holes in foam ceramic blanks, including a detection unit for collecting detection data of foam ceramic blanks; The hole cleaning unit is used to perform hole cleaning processing on identified blocked holes; The control unit is used to identify the location of the blockage based on the detection data provided by the detection unit, generate control commands and send them to the hole cleaning unit, and control the hole cleaning unit to perform hole cleaning processing.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system of the present invention, the detection unit includes an internal structure scanning module and / or a surface state acquisition module. The internal structure scanning module is used to acquire three-dimensional structural data of the interior of the blank; The surface state acquisition module is used to acquire surface state data of the billet.

[0008] The internal structure scanning module can penetrate the surface slurry to obtain internal blockage information of three-dimensional interconnected channels. The surface state acquisition module can capture surface features such as slurry uniformity and abnormal morphology. By fusing internal and external data, the blockage situation of the billet can be fully restored, reducing blind spots and misjudgments, and improving the accuracy and coverage of blockage identification.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic blank pore blockage identification and pore cleaning system of the present invention, the internal structure scanning module includes a scanning device and / or a pore detection device; The surface state acquisition module includes a visual imaging device and / or a three-dimensional topography measurement device.

[0010] The scanning device can acquire the three-dimensional pore structure inside the billet, the pore detection device can detect film-like blockages in deep pores, the visual imaging device can capture the surface slurry, and the three-dimensional morphology measurement device can quantify surface morphology deviations. The combination of these components can provide suitable detection methods for pore blockage defects of different scales and depths, not only balancing detection accuracy and efficiency, but also providing data support for subsequent pore cleaning strategies.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic green body pore blockage identification and pore cleaning system of the present invention, the surface state acquisition module further includes an infrared thermal imaging detector for acquiring temperature distribution images of the surface of the foam ceramic green body to assist in identifying abnormal areas of slurry accumulation.

[0012] Since areas with higher slurry accumulation typically have higher moisture content, they exhibit different thermal radiation characteristics compared to surrounding areas during drying or curing. Therefore, infrared thermal imaging detectors can capture images of the surface temperature distribution of the blank. By utilizing the difference in thermal conduction between areas with slurry accumulation and normal areas, areas with abnormal slurry thickness can be identified. Infrared thermal imaging detectors, by acquiring temperature distribution images, can also help identify potential pore-clogging areas that are not visually obvious but exhibit abnormal slurry accumulation, further improving the accuracy of identification.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system of the present invention, the pore cleaning unit includes, A hole-cleaning execution module for cleaning blocked holes; A moving module used to move the hole clearing execution module to the target hole blocking position; The status feedback module is used to collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning, and then feed them back to the control unit.

[0014] The cleaning process is carried out through a hole-cleaning execution module; the hole-cleaning execution module is then moved to the blocked area by a moving module; the status feedback module collects data such as acoustic emission signals and visual images and feeds them back to the control unit, allowing the control unit to understand the cleaning progress and make adjustments according to the actual situation, ensuring the thoroughness and controllability of the cleaning and avoiding damage to the foam skeleton caused by excessive cleaning.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic blank pore blockage identification and pore cleaning system of the present invention, the pore cleaning execution module includes at least one of the following: emitting pulsed airflow, mechanical brush, jet cleaning fluid, and vacuum suction nozzle.

[0016] By utilizing the combined effects of pulsed airflow, mechanical brushes, cleaning fluids, and vacuum suction nozzles, multiple cleaning methods are provided for foam ceramic blanks. These methods can be combined as needed. During operation, the pulsed airflow rapidly removes loose pores from the foam ceramic blank; the mechanical brush removes slurry adhering to the surface; the cleaning fluid flushes and unclogs deep pores within the blank; and the vacuum suction nozzle recovers debris and residual slurry to prevent secondary clogging. These cleaning methods can be flexibly selected or executed in sequence based on the type and degree of pore blockage and the material of the blank. This combination enhances the adaptability and targeted nature of the cleaning operation, ensuring effective cleaning while reducing the risk of damage to the foam mesh structure.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the foam ceramic blank pore blockage identification and pore cleaning system of the present invention, it further includes an energy supply unit for providing a power source for the pore cleaning unit.

[0018] The power supply unit provides a stable and controllable power source for the hole cleaning unit, ensuring the regulation and continuous supply of energy required during the hole cleaning operation. The beneficial effects of this solution are as follows: Compared with the existing technology of manual inspection and cleaning after sintering, the present invention significantly improves the efficiency and consistency of hole blockage treatment by coordinating the detection unit, hole cleaning unit and control unit to identify the hole blockage location of the foam ceramic blank and perform hole cleaning treatment. Moreover, by controlling the hole cleaning intensity and action through the control platform, it can effectively avoid problems such as damage to the blank skeleton caused by manual operation, thereby effectively improving the product yield and ensuring stable and high quality.

[0019] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for identifying and clearing pore blockages in foamed ceramic preforms, comprising the following steps: Collect internal structural data and / or surface condition data of the foamed ceramic preform; Process the internal structure data and / or surface condition data to identify the location, type, and degree of blockage of the hole, and generate a hole-clearing strategy; According to the hole cleaning strategy, the hole cleaning unit is controlled to move to the target position, and the cleaning medium / energy is provided by the power supply unit to perform hole cleaning operation on the blocked area. As a preferred embodiment of the method for identifying and cleaning blocked pores in the foamed ceramic preform, the pore cleaning operation includes at least one of the following: The plugging material is impacted by a pulsed airflow. Residual pore-clogging material is removed by mechanical brushing; The pores are flushed by spraying a cleaning fluid; Debris and slurry are removed by vacuum suction nozzle.

[0020] Different hole cleaning operations can be used to address various types of blockages. For loose blockages, pulsed airflow can be used for rapid removal. For adherent slurry, a combination of mechanical brushing and fluid flushing can achieve deep cleaning. In conditions prone to debris generation, a vacuum suction nozzle can be activated simultaneously to prevent secondary contamination. The flexible use of multiple methods ensures both the efficiency of hole cleaning and caters to the cleaning needs under different working conditions.

[0021] As a preferred method for identifying and clearing pore blockages in foamed ceramic preforms, the method further includes the following steps: Collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning to verify the hole cleaning effect; If the verification fails, repeat the above steps until the verification passes.

[0022] By adding a hole-cleaning effectiveness verification step, a process of identification, cleaning, verification, and reprocessing is formed. The system does not assume that hole cleaning will be successful on the first attempt, but rather objectively verifies the result by collecting post-cleaning status data. For incompletely cleaned, clogged holes will undergo secondary processing until they meet the acceptable standards. This fundamentally eliminates the risk of incompletely cleaned holes flowing into the next process, thereby improving the yield of the final product.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this plan are: This invention automates the entire process of cleaning blocked pores in foam ceramic blanks by integrating data acquisition, pore blockage identification, strategy generation, and pore cleaning execution. Compared to traditional manual cleaning based on experience, this method is more scientific and standardized. Furthermore, by fusing and analyzing the collected data, this method can generate differentiated pore cleaning strategies. By utilizing the pore cleaning unit for on-demand operation, it can significantly shorten the processing cycle of a single blank and eliminate subjective differences in manual operation through standardized process control, thereby improving batch consistency and yield. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of a foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and pore cleaning system; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the detection unit structure of a foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and pore clearing system; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cleaning unit structure of a system for identifying and cleaning blocked pores in foamed ceramic preforms; Figure 4 This is an overall flowchart of a method for identifying and cleaning pores in foam ceramic preforms.

[0026] The components include: 1. Detection unit; 11. Rotary stage; 12. Scanning device; 13. Viewing window; 14. Visual imaging device; 15. Infrared thermal imager; 16. Three-dimensional morphology measurement device; 17. Hole detection device; 2. Hole cleaning unit; 21. High-pressure gas pulse spray gun; 22. High-speed solenoid valve nozzle; 23. Electric rotating brush; 24. High-pressure micro-fine water jet nozzle; 25. Miniature vacuum suction nozzle; 26. High-definition visual probe; 27. Auxiliary light source; 28. Acoustic emission sensor; 29. ​​Clamping component; 3. Power supply unit; 31. Air compressor; 32. Air storage tank; 33. Oil-water separator; 34. Gas filter; 35. Pressure regulator; 36. Mass flow controller; 4. Control unit; 5. Foamed ceramic blank; 6. Slurry collection tray. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar extensions without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0029] Secondly, the term "an embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single embodiment or an embodiment selectively excluded from other embodiments.

[0030] In this embodiment, the organic foam carrier used in the impregnated foam ceramic blank is polyurethane sponge or cellulose sponge with a pore density range of 10-60 PPI; the selected ceramic material is one or more combinations of alumina, silicon carbide, and zirconium oxide, and the slurry solid content ranges from 40-60 wt%.

[0031] Reference Figures 1-3 This is one embodiment of the present invention, which provides a system for identifying and cleaning blocked pores in foamed ceramic preforms, comprising: The detection unit is used to collect detection data of the foamed ceramic blank; The hole cleaning unit is used to perform hole cleaning processing on identified blocked holes; The control unit is used to identify the location of the blockage based on the detection data provided by the detection unit, generate control commands and send them to the hole cleaning unit, and control the hole cleaning unit to perform hole cleaning.

[0032] It should be noted that the control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit and the hole clearing unit. In this embodiment, the control unit uses a terminal control platform, but in other embodiments, it can also use an embedded controller, PLC, industrial computer, etc.

[0033] Reference Figures 1-3 This is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the aforementioned embodiments in that... The detection unit includes an internal structure scanning module and / or a surface condition acquisition module. The internal structure scanning module is used to acquire three-dimensional structural data of the interior of the billet; The surface condition acquisition module is used to acquire surface condition data of the billet.

[0034] Furthermore, the internal structure scanning module includes a scanning device and / or a pore detection device; The surface condition acquisition module includes a visual imaging device and / or a three-dimensional topography measurement device.

[0035] Furthermore, the surface condition acquisition module also includes an infrared thermal imaging detector, which is used to acquire temperature distribution images of the surface of the foam ceramic blank to help identify abnormal areas of slurry accumulation.

[0036] In this embodiment, the foam ceramic blank is placed on a rotating platform. An industrial CT scanner is used to identify internal pore features. The industrial CT scanner has a viewing window. The industrial CT scanner is located on one side of the rotating platform, and a visual imaging device is located on the other side. The visual imaging device uses a high-resolution industrial camera to acquire high-definition images of the blank's surface while it is rotating, thus identifying the uniformity of the slurry coating. An infrared thermal imaging detector is located on the top of the rotating platform. A three-dimensional morphology measurement device is located at the bottom of the rotating platform. The three-dimensional morphology measurement device uses a laser three-dimensional contour scanner to acquire three-dimensional morphology data of the blank's surface. A pore detection device is also located on one side of the rotating platform. The specific location of the pore detection device is determined by the linear length of the pore detection device. The figure is only for illustration. It is necessary to ensure that the probe of the pore detection device can actively bend and sequentially extend into the interior of each pore of the blank to detect deep pores, the slurry coating status of the pore walls, and film blockages. In this embodiment, the pore detection device uses an ultra-fine diameter endoscope.

[0037] In the above embodiments, the industrial CT is used to perform an all-round scan of the foam ceramic blank to obtain an image of its internal three-dimensional structure, which can accurately identify deep blockages covered by surface slurry; the viewing window allows operators to observe the internal detection status of the CT in real time. The internal structure scanning module is not limited to the aforementioned industrial CT or endoscope. Those skilled in the art will understand that any non-destructive testing device capable of acquiring information on the internal pore structure or the location of blocked pores of a blank falls within the scope of this protection, such as terahertz imagers, ultrasonic detectors, or differential pressure detection devices based on the principle of air permeability.

[0038] The surface condition acquisition module is not limited to the industrial camera or laser 3D contour scanner mentioned above. Those skilled in the art can choose a line scan camera, area scan camera, CCD camera, CMOS camera or multispectral camera, etc., according to actual detection needs, as long as it can realize the function of acquiring two-dimensional image information of the billet surface; the 3D morphology measurement device can also adopt a structured light 3D scanner or white light interferometer, as long as it can realize the function of acquiring 3D morphology and depth data of the billet surface.

[0039] The foam ceramic blank rotates under the drive of the rotary table. A high-resolution industrial camera continuously acquires high-definition images of its outer surface during the rotation of the foam ceramic blank. The distribution of surface blockages can be identified through image analysis. An infrared thermal imager can detect the temperature distribution on the surface of the foam ceramic blank and identify areas with abnormal local accumulation thickness. Laser 3D contour scanners can acquire high-precision 3D topographic data of the surface and end faces of foam ceramic blanks, providing geometric feature basis for hole blockage identification; the probe outer diameter of the ultra-fine diameter pore detection device is less than 1mm, and it can actively bend and extend into the pores of each layer of foam ceramic blank in sequence.

[0040] The aforementioned industrial CT can employ a high-precision microfocus X-ray 3D scanning system, such as the Icostron YXLONFF35; a high-resolution industrial camera, such as the Cognex IS7402; an infrared thermal imager, such as the FLIR A315; a laser 3D contour scanner, such as the Huahan Weiye S162060; and an endoscope, such as the ITC microFlex microfiber endoscope. Specific operation can be achieved through buttons or knobs on the terminal control platform, or it can be automatically executed by the terminal control platform using preset paths and parameters.

[0041] By integrating CT scanning and image recognition technology, the system can automatically acquire and compare image features of normal pores and blocked areas. By analyzing the two-dimensional and three-dimensional conditions, it can determine the specific location, size, and degree of blockage of the blocked area, thus enabling the identification and localization of blockage defects in the billet.

[0042] Reference Figures 1-3 This is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the aforementioned embodiments in that... The hole cleaning unit includes, A moving module used to move the hole clearing execution module to the target hole plugging position; A hole-cleaning execution module for cleaning blocked holes; The status feedback module is used to collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning, and then feed them back to the control unit.

[0043] Furthermore, the orifice cleaning execution module includes at least one of the following: emitting pulsed airflow, mechanical brush, jet cleaning fluid, and vacuum suction nozzle.

[0044] In this embodiment, the moving module employs a multi-axis motion module, specifically including an X-axis crossbeam, a Y-axis slide moving on the X-axis crossbeam, and a Z-axis lifting column moving on the Y-axis slide. It is driven by a servo drive assembly, which includes servo motors, ball screws, and linear guides respectively mounted on the X, Y, and Z axes. The hole-cleaning execution module is mounted on the end of the Z-axis lifting column via a flange. Control can still utilize a terminal control platform, requiring the addition of a program for coordinate system calibration. The terminal control platform calculates the motion commands for each axis based on the hole-blocking coordinates sent by the detection unit, driving the motors to complete the positioning. This is a relatively mature existing technology; those skilled in the art can adjust it according to actual conditions. Alternatively, a multi-axis robotic arm or similar device capable of driving the hole-cleaning module in multi-dimensional motion can be used.

[0045] The pulsed airflow is emitted using a high-pressure gas pulse spray gun, with a high-speed solenoid valve nozzle on one side. The high-pressure gas pulse spray gun receives high-pressure clean gas from the mass flow controller and generates a high-frequency pulsed airflow under the control of the terminal control platform. The high-speed solenoid valve nozzle effectively breaks up the slurry blocking the hole. The mechanical brush uses a miniature electric rotating brush with an adjustable brush head diameter of 1-5mm. It is used to mechanically remove adhesive clogging materials that remain after being impacted by pulsed airflow. The jet cleaning fluid uses a high-pressure micro-fine water jet nozzle to spray a high-pressure micro-fine ceramic slurry stream to finely rinse the residual slurry; The vacuum suction nozzle uses a miniature vacuum suction nozzle to remove debris and slurry generated during hole cleaning.

[0046] The status feedback module includes a high-definition vision probe, an auxiliary light source, and an acoustic emission sensor attached to the outer wall of the high-speed solenoid valve nozzle. The high-definition vision probe acquires images from various angles in real time during the hole-cleaning process and transmits the images to the terminal control platform for hole-cleaning effect evaluation. The auxiliary light source uses an LED light source to provide uniform shadowless illumination, ensuring that the high-definition vision probe can still acquire clear images in low-light environments. The acoustic emission sensor is attached to the outer wall of the high-speed solenoid valve nozzle to acquire acoustic emission signals generated when the plugging material breaks during the hole-cleaning process in real time. By analyzing the signal characteristics, it can be determined whether the plugging has been completely removed, avoiding excessive hole cleaning that could damage the foam ceramic blank.

[0047] To facilitate cleaning, a clamping device, such as a jig or a robotic arm, can be installed in the cleaning unit to fix the foam ceramic blank and allow it to be flipped. A slurry collection tray is also installed below the foam ceramic blank to collect excess slurry dripping during the cleaning process. The collected slurry can be reused after viscosity adjustment and filtration, saving material costs. To ensure that the liquid is collected as cleanly as possible, a drain outlet can be installed at the lowest point of the slurry collection tray.

[0048] In the above embodiments, a high-pressure gas pulse spray gun impacts the plugging material with pulsed airflow; a micro-electric rotating brush mechanically removes residual plugging material; a high-pressure micro-water jet nozzle flushes the pores with high-pressure micro-water flow; a micro-vacuum suction nozzle removes debris and slurry generated during cleaning; an array of high-definition vision probes identifies the location of plugging material and the cleaning effect in real time; and an auxiliary light source provides illumination for the vision probes. An acoustic emission sensor is attached to the outer wall of the high-speed solenoid valve nozzle to collect acoustic emission signals generated when the plugging material breaks during the cleaning process. Signal characteristic analysis determines whether the plugging has been completely removed, preventing over-cleaning that could damage the foam ceramic preform.

[0049] The control unit moves the hole cleaning module to the target position according to the severity of the identified blockage, and selects the appropriate hole cleaning module to perform hole cleaning according to the type of blockage. If the cleaning can be completed using one method, there is no need to use other methods. If the cleaning cannot be completed using one method, other methods need to be used to clean until the hole is clean.

[0050] Reference Figures 1-3 This is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the aforementioned embodiments in that... It also includes a power supply unit to provide a power source for the hole cleaning unit.

[0051] In this embodiment, the orifice cleaning unit is connected to the power supply unit. The power supply unit includes an air supply unit, a liquid supply unit, and a vacuum generating unit. The air supply unit includes an air compressor, an air storage tank on one side of the air compressor, a cyclone oil-water separator on one side of the air storage tank, and a precision gas filter on one side of the cyclone oil-water separator; a pressure regulator and a mass flow controller on one side of the precision gas filter; the air supply unit is connected to a high-pressure gas pulse spray gun, providing the high-pressure gas pulse spray gun with a clean pulse airflow of adjustable pressure and flow rate. In this embodiment, the air compressor is used to generate high-pressure compressed air as the power source for orifice cleaning; the air storage tank is used to store compressed air and stabilize the system air pressure; the cyclone oil-water separator is used to remove liquid moisture and oil mist from the compressed air to prevent oil and water contamination of the foam ceramic matrix; the precision gas filter is used to further filter out small particulate impurities in the compressed air; the pressure regulator is used to precisely adjust the pressure value of the output gas according to the orifice cleaning process requirements; and the mass flow controller is used to precisely control the gas flow rate.

[0052] The liquid supply unit includes a storage tank, a high-pressure delivery pump on one side of the storage tank, a precision liquid filter on the other side of the high-pressure delivery pump, a pressure regulating valve and a liquid flow controller on the other side of the precision liquid filter. The liquid supply unit is connected to a high-pressure micro-water jet nozzle to supply diluted ceramic slurry with a solid content lower than that of the impregnation slurry to the high-pressure micro-water jet nozzle. To prevent the ceramic slurry from settling, the storage tank can be connected to a clean water source and a diluted ceramic slurry source through pipelines, and a medium switching valve can be installed on the pipelines. A stirrer can also be installed inside the storage tank. To prevent nozzle clogging, the filtration accuracy of the precision liquid filter is smaller than the orifice diameter of the high-pressure micro-water jet nozzle. To eliminate fluid pulsation generated by the high-pressure pump, ensure jet stability, and prevent pressure fluctuations from damaging the green body, a pulse damper can be added as needed.

[0053] The vacuum generating unit includes a vacuum pump, a vacuum storage tank on one side of the vacuum pump, and a solenoid valve on the other side of the vacuum storage tank. The vacuum sound-generating unit connects to the vacuum suction nozzle, providing a negative pressure source to the nozzle. A vacuum filter can be installed to prevent debris and liquid from entering the vacuum pump and causing damage. A vacuum pressure regulating valve can also be installed to adjust the negative pressure at the suction nozzle to adapt to different working conditions. Since the adsorbed slurry contains a certain amount of moisture, a gas-liquid separator can be added as needed to separate the liquid before filtration.

[0054] Since the above-mentioned content pertains to mature existing technologies, only the gas supply unit is shown in the figure. Those skilled in the art can implement the liquid supply unit and vacuum generation unit themselves based on existing technologies. The above content only provides one implementation method and can be adjusted according to actual circumstances.

[0055] In all the above embodiments, the control unit is communicatively connected to the detection unit, the power supply unit, and the hole cleaning unit. It receives detection data collected by each unit and sends control commands to each unit. The power supply unit adjusts the cleaning intensity according to the control unit's commands, avoiding unevenness in the billet due to excessive force or ineffective cleaning due to insufficient force. This ensures efficient removal of blockages while maximizing the protection of the billet's structural integrity.

[0056] Reference Figure 2 This is one embodiment of the present invention, which provides a method for identifying and clearing pore blockages in a foamed ceramic preform, comprising the following steps: Collect internal structure data and / or surface condition data of foam ceramic preforms as data for pore blockage detection; Process internal structural data and / or surface condition data, identify the location, type and degree of blockage, and generate a hole clearing strategy. The hole clearing strategy includes hole clearing method instructions, hole clearing sequence instructions and hole clearing intensity instructions for execution. According to the hole cleaning strategy, the hole cleaning unit is controlled to move to the target position, and the cleaning medium / energy is provided by the power supply unit to perform hole cleaning operation on the blocked area. The hole cleaning operation is performed by selecting the corresponding hole cleaning method according to the hole blockage type and hole cleaning sequence instruction.

[0057] The specific implementation method is as follows: S100: The impregnated foam ceramic matrix is ​​mounted on a rotating table. The industrial CT, high-resolution industrial camera, infrared thermal imager, laser 3D contour scanner and ultra-fine diameter pore detection device are activated to collect the internal pore structure characteristics, surface slurry uniformity, temperature distribution characteristics, surface 3D morphology data and slurry state inside the deep pores of the blank, and transmit them to the control unit. It should be noted that in practical applications, there are blockages that can be identified using only internal structural data or surface condition data. This is just an example and not all devices need to be activated.

[0058] S200: Fix the foamed ceramic preform within the working area of ​​the hole cleaning unit; start the power supply unit and the hole cleaning unit; S300: The control unit processes the information collected in step S1, identifies the location, type and degree of blockage, generates a hole clearing strategy, and sends the blockage coordinates and hole clearing strategy instructions to the power supply unit and the hole clearing unit. S310: The hole cleaning unit moves to the target hole blockage position according to the instruction in step S300 and performs hole cleaning operations in sequence; the power supply unit adjusts the cleaning intensity according to the instruction in step S300. Furthermore, it also includes the following steps: Hole cleaning operations include at least one of the following: The plugging material is impacted by a pulsed airflow. Residual pore-clogging material is removed by mechanical brushing; The pores are flushed by spraying a cleaning fluid; Debris and slurry are removed by vacuum suction nozzle.

[0059] The specific implementation method is as follows: S311: Start the high-pressure gas pulse spray gun, and launch a pulse airflow through the high-speed solenoid valve nozzle to impact the plugging material; S312: For residual plugging material that the pulsed airflow could not completely remove, start the micro electric rotary brush to mechanically brush away the adhesive slurry remaining on the hole wall; S313: Activate the high-pressure micro-fine water jet nozzle to spray a high-pressure micro-fine ceramic slurry stream to finely rinse the residual slurry; S314: Activate the micro vacuum suction nozzle to remove debris and slurry generated during the hole cleaning process; In this step, not every hole cleaning operation needs to be performed. The control unit will select one or more appropriate methods to perform the operation based on the type of blockage in the hole. For example, if the high-pressure gas pulse spray gun can completely clean the loose blockage, there is no need to use other methods. If it is not cleaned properly, other methods, such as mechanical brushing, need to be performed. For adhesive slurry, mechanical brushing can be selected directly first.

[0060] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps: Collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning to verify the hole cleaning effect; If the verification fails, repeat the above steps until the verification passes.

[0061] The specific implementation method is as follows: S400: During the hole cleaning process, the acoustic emission signal released by the rupture of the plugging material is collected in real time by the acoustic emission sensor and fed back to the control unit. Then, after the hole is cleaned, the high-definition vision probe collects the image of the hole cleaning area under the illumination of the auxiliary light source and feeds it back to the control unit. Finally, it is identified whether the hole has been cleared after cleaning. If there is still blockage, the process returns to step S300 to continue cleaning until it is qualified.

[0062] Specifically, the pore contour in the image of the pore clearing area can be compared with the pre-stored qualified pore contour template, and the signal amplitude of the acoustic emission signal can be verified with the amplitude reference range corresponding to the complete rupture of the plugging material. If the pore contour matches the qualified pore contour template and the signal amplitude falls within the amplitude reference range, it is determined that the pore is completely cleared and the verification result is output.

[0063] The slurry dripping during the hole cleaning process is collected by the slurry collection tray. After being processed, the collected slurry is returned to the impregnation process for recycling.

[0064] This invention constructs a closed-loop control system through the coordinated operation of a detection unit, a hole-cleaning unit, and a control unit. Compared with the existing technology of manual visual inspection and manual cleaning after sintering, this solution can identify the location of the blocked holes in the foam ceramic blank and trigger the hole-cleaning process, significantly improving the efficiency and consistency of the hole-cleaning process. At the same time, by controlling the intensity and action of the hole-cleaning through the control platform, the problem of damage to the blank skeleton caused by improper force and angle during manual operation is avoided, effectively reducing the product scrap rate and providing technical support for the high-quality and stable production of foam ceramics. The basic functions involved in the above embodiments, such as coordinate calibration, motion control command generation, and communication protocols, can be implemented using conventional industrial control methods in this field, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0065] For processing internal structural data and / or surface condition data, the system identifies the location, type, and degree of blockage, and generates a hole-cleaning strategy. This strategy includes hole-cleaning method instructions, hole-cleaning sequence instructions, and hole-cleaning intensity instructions for execution. The control unit can then execute the following steps: The detection data is compared with the pre-stored normal pore feature data to extract the blockage features. Specifically, the three-dimensional grayscale data acquired by industrial CT is filtered and denoised, and an adaptive threshold segmentation algorithm is used to extract the binarized images of the pore area and the slurry filling area. The connectivity, pore size distribution and blockage depth of each channel are calculated to generate the internal blockage feature vector V_in = {connectivity, average pore size, blockage depth, blockage volume percentage}. Edge detection and morphological analysis are performed on the two-dimensional images acquired by the visual imaging device to identify the contour and area of ​​the surface slurry accumulation area; surface fitting is performed on the data acquired by the laser three-dimensional contour scanner to calculate the deviation value of its surface morphology; temperature gradient analysis is performed on the infrared thermal image to identify areas with abnormal heat conduction; the above features are used to generate a surface pore blockage feature vector V_surf = {accumulation area, morphological deviation, temperature gradient anomaly value}.

[0066] The location, type, and degree of blockage are determined based on the characteristics of the blockage. Specifically, based on the encoder coordinates of the rotary table and the calibration parameters of the detection device, the internal feature vector V_in and the surface feature vector V_surf are spatially registered to form a comprehensive feature vector of the blockage V_total = {position coordinates, internal blockage parameters, and surface anomaly parameters}. The blockage determination can be set as follows: if the connectivity at a certain location is lower than a first threshold and the blockage depth exceeds a second threshold, or the surface accumulation area exceeds a third threshold and the internal connectivity at the corresponding location is abnormal, then that location is determined to be a blockage. In this embodiment, the first threshold is 60%, the second threshold is 0.5 mm, and the third threshold is 40%. The blockage type is then classified according to the blockage depth and surface characteristics as follows: Shallow loose type: clogging depth < 2mm or surface morphology deviation less than 30%, suitable for pulse airflow cleaning; Deep adhesion type: for blockage depth ≥2mm or surface morphology deviation greater than 30%, suitable for cleaning with a combination of mechanical brush and fluid flushing; Membrane-covered type: The interior is interconnected but the surface is covered with a slurry film, suitable for combined cleaning of low-pressure fluid flushing and vacuum adsorption; Then, the degree of blockage is classified according to the proportion of blockage volume: less than 30% is mild, greater than 30% but less than 70% is moderate, and greater than 70% is severe. The classification of the degree of blockage is mainly used to adjust the hole cleaning intensity parameter.

[0067] It should be noted that the thresholds and classification ranges mentioned above are related to process parameters such as the PPI of the foam matrix, the diameter of the connecting rod, and the solid content of the slurry. For example, the smaller the foam pore size, the larger the pores and the less likely it is to clog. If the solid content is very small, clogging will not occur. Therefore, the thresholds involved in clogging determination, the specific values ​​and percentages involved in clogging types, and the setting of clogging degree can all be adjusted according to the actual situation. This is just an example.

[0068] The instructions for clearing the hole are determined based on the type of blockage, the instructions for clearing the hole intensity are determined based on the degree of blockage, and the instructions for clearing the hole sequence are determined based on the spatial distribution of the blockage locations. The instructions for hole plugging location, hole cleaning method, hole cleaning sequence, and hole cleaning intensity are sent to the hole cleaning unit and the power supply unit.

[0069] For example, if the plugging type is loose, the pulse spray gun is controlled to output pulse airflow to the plugging location through the spray gun nozzle with the airflow pressure corresponding to the hole clearing intensity command, so as to impact and break the plugging material; If residual slurry remains on the borehole wall after the pulsed airflow, the micro rotating brush is controlled to mechanically remove the residual slurry at the rotation speed corresponding to the borehole cleaning intensity command. Then, control the fine-diameter slurry nozzle to spray cleaning fluid into the pores at the jet pressure corresponding to the pore cleaning intensity command, and rinse the inner wall of the pores. Finally, control the negative pressure nozzle to remove debris and slurry generated during the cleaning operation by applying the negative pressure value corresponding to the cleaning intensity command.

[0070] If there are many blocked holes, the hole cleaning operation needs to be performed sequentially according to the spatial distribution order of the hole cleaning sequence instructions. The specific hole cleaning operation depends on the specific situation.

[0071] This invention automates the entire process of cleaning blocked pores in foam ceramic blanks by integrating data acquisition, pore blockage identification, strategy generation, and pore cleaning execution. Compared to traditional manual cleaning based on experience, this method is more scientific and standardized. Furthermore, by fusing and analyzing the collected data, this method can generate differentiated pore cleaning strategies. By utilizing the pore cleaning unit for on-demand operation, it can significantly shorten the processing cycle of a single blank and eliminate subjective differences in manual operation through standardized process control, thereby improving batch consistency and yield.

[0072] Importantly, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for identifying and clearing blocked pores in foamed ceramic blanks, characterized in that: include, The detection unit is used to collect detection data of the foamed ceramic blank; The hole cleaning unit is used to perform hole cleaning processing on identified blocked holes; The control unit is used to identify the location of the blockage based on the detection data provided by the detection unit, generate control commands and send them to the hole cleaning unit, and control the hole cleaning unit to perform hole cleaning processing.

2. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The detection unit includes an internal structure scanning module and / or a surface state acquisition module. The internal structure scanning module is used to acquire three-dimensional structural data of the interior of the blank; The surface state acquisition module is used to acquire surface state data of the billet.

3. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The internal structure scanning module includes a scanning device and / or a channel detection device; The surface state acquisition module includes a visual imaging device and / or a three-dimensional topography measurement device.

4. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The surface condition acquisition module also includes an infrared thermal imaging detector, which is used to acquire temperature distribution images of the surface of the foam ceramic blank to help identify abnormal areas of slurry accumulation.

5. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The hole cleaning unit includes, A hole-cleaning execution module for cleaning blocked holes; A moving module used to move the hole clearing execution module to the target hole blocking position; The status feedback module is used to collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning, and then feed them back to the control unit.

6. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The hole cleaning execution module includes at least one of the following: pulsed airflow, mechanical brush, jet cleaning fluid, and vacuum suction nozzle.

7. The foam ceramic preform pore blockage identification and cleaning system as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a power supply unit for providing a power source for the hole cleaning unit.

8. A method for identifying and clearing blocked holes in foamed ceramic blanks, applied to the foamed ceramic blank blocking hole identification and clearing system as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Collect internal structural data and / or surface condition data of the foamed ceramic preform; Process the internal structure data and / or surface condition data to identify the location, type, and degree of blockage of the hole, and generate a hole-clearing strategy; According to the hole cleaning strategy, the hole cleaning unit is controlled to move to the target position to perform hole cleaning operation on the blocked area.

9. The method for identifying and cleaning blocked holes in foamed ceramic preforms as described in claim 8, characterized in that: The hole cleaning operation includes at least one of the following: The plugging material is impacted by a pulsed airflow. Residual pore-clogging material is removed by mechanical brushing; The pores are flushed by spraying a cleaning fluid; Debris and slurry are removed by vacuum suction nozzle.

10. The method for identifying and clearing blocked holes in foamed ceramic preforms as described in claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes the following steps: Collect status signals during the hole cleaning process and status data after hole cleaning to verify the hole cleaning effect; If the verification fails, repeat the above steps until the verification passes.

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