A ram splitter

Abstract

This invention discloses a taphole clay distributor, belonging to the field of metallurgical equipment technology. The equipment includes a feeding device, a separating device, a conveying device, and a control device arranged sequentially. The control device is connected to each actuator via signals. The feeding device consists of a support frame, a hopper, and a cylinder. A contact roller is added to the frame below the hopper to prevent hard contact and wear on components. The separating device drives multiple sets of separating rollers with angle steel to rotate via a reducer and sprocket, achieving the dispersion and mixing of the taphole clay. The conveying device consists of transverse, longitudinal, and feeding conveying rollers. The rollers, in conjunction with angle iron, stably feed the material, and a sealed feeding cylinder is installed between adjacent conveying structures. This equipment can complete the entire process of automatic taphole clay feeding, homogenization, conveying, and blast furnace charging, effectively improving the furnace-front working environment, reducing safety risks, exhibiting excellent anti-clogging performance, low operating noise, durable structure, high degree of automation, and enabling continuous production. It is suitable for taphole clay conveying operations in metallurgical blast furnaces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of blast furnace taphole clay conveying equipment, specifically a taphole clay distributor. Background Technology

[0002] In the blast furnace ironmaking process, after the tapping operation is completed, it is necessary to promptly fill the hydraulic mud gun with gunpowder to seal the taphole and ensure the continuous and stable operation of the blast furnace. Therefore, gunpowder supply is an indispensable key process in the blast furnace production process. At present, most metallurgical enterprises in China still generally adopt the traditional operation mode of manual transfer and manual feeding for blast furnace gunpowder filling. Over the long term, this has revealed many drawbacks and can no longer meet the high-yield, continuous, safe, and standardized production requirements of modern blast furnaces.

[0003] First, the working environment is harsh, and the safety risks to personnel are prominent. The area in front of the blast furnace is under high temperature all year round, accompanied by a large amount of dust and flue gas. When workers operate at close range, they not only have to endure the baking of high temperature and dust for a long time, but also face the safety hazards of hot iron splashing and equipment scraping at any time. The operation is extremely dangerous, and occupational health and personal safety cannot be effectively guaranteed.

[0004] Secondly, manual labor is arduous and cannot achieve continuous production. Due to the limitations of human physiology, manual mud addition can only be carried out in shifts, which is difficult to meet the needs of blast furnace 24-hour uninterrupted production. At the same time, the mud is dense and each piece is heavy. The labor intensity of repeated handling and feeding is extremely high, which can easily cause fatigue of operators and further increase the probability of operational errors and safety accidents.

[0005] Furthermore, manual feeding results in poor uniformity, which can easily lead to equipment failure. The manual material handling process makes it difficult to ensure that the amount and form of the mud conveyed remain consistent. Lumpy or clumpy mud is directly fed into the conveying channel or inside the mud cannon, which can easily cause pipeline blockage and equipment jamming. This not only requires frequent shutdowns to clean up the faults and reduces overall production efficiency, but also aggravates the wear and tear on the hydraulic mud cannon and conveying components, increasing equipment operation and maintenance costs.

[0006] Finally, the low level of standardization in operations leads to unstable product quality. Differences in operating habits and effort among different operators make it difficult to standardize the placement and amount of taphole clay, resulting in inconsistent taphole sealing effects, affecting the stability of the blast furnace and hindering standardized control of the production process.

[0007] Currently, the limited number of simple blast furnace mud conveying devices on the market are mostly purely mechanical structures or basic relay-type electrical control equipment. They can only achieve simple material transfer functions and lack capabilities such as material dispersion and uniformity, adaptive adjustment of working conditions, monitoring of operating status, and automatic fault handling. They still require on-site personnel intervention, and their level of intelligence and automation is low, failing to fundamentally solve the various pain points of traditional operation modes. To address the shortcomings of the existing technologies, this invention proposes a blast furnace mud distributor. By optimizing the mechanical structure and combining it with a graded control scheme, it can achieve automatic feeding, uniform separation, stable conveying, and precise dispensing of blast furnace mud. It adapts to manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic intelligent operation modes according to different usage scenarios, improving working conditions, reducing safety risks, and increasing production efficiency and operation quality while meeting the diversified needs of blast furnaces of different sizes. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the problems of manual operation in blast furnace taphole clay loading, which suffers from harsh working conditions, high safety risks, high labor intensity, and inability to maintain continuous production, as well as uneven material separation, clogging, and low automation of traditional conveying equipment, this invention provides a taphole clay distributor. This equipment enables automated taphole clay feeding, uniform separation, stable conveying, and feeding. Simultaneously, it features optimized structural protection design and multiple control modes, comprehensively improving operational safety, continuity, and stability, adapting to the production needs of blast furnaces under various operating conditions.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A gun barrel clay separator includes a feeding device, a separating device, a conveying device, and a control device arranged in sequence. The control device is signal-connected to the feeding device, the separating device, and the conveying device. The feeding device is used to convey gun barrel clay raw materials to the separating device; the separating device is used to disperse the gun barrel clay raw materials evenly; and the conveying device is used to deliver the evenly dispersed gun barrel clay to a designated blast furnace.

[0010] Furthermore, the feeding device includes a support frame, an open hopper, and a drive device for rotating the hopper on the support frame; one end of the hopper is hinged to the support frame, the other end of the hopper is open, and the hinged end of the hopper is connected to the drive device. A contact roller is provided on the support frame below the hopper of the feeding device to prevent hard contact between the hopper and the support frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the driving device includes a cylinder whose cylinder body is hinged to a support, and the other end of the cylinder is hinged to the hopper.

[0012] Furthermore, the separation device includes a frame, several sets of separation rollers rotatably connected to the frame, and a reducer driven by the separation rollers; one end of each separation roller is provided with a sprocket, and the sprocket and the reducer are driven by a chain; two sprockets on adjacent separation rollers are driven by a chain.

[0013] Furthermore, the two ends of the separating roller are cylindrical, and both ends of the separating roller are rotatably connected to the frame through bearings; the middle section of the separating roller is a regular hexagon; four right angles are welded on the middle section of the separating roller, and angle steel is welded along the length of the separating roller, with the four angle steels evenly distributed around the circumference of the separating roller.

[0014] Furthermore, the separation device also includes a box mounted on the frame, with one end of the box close to the feeding device and the other end of the box equipped with a funnel, which is used to drop the mud mixed by the separation rollers onto the conveying device.

[0015] Furthermore, the conveying device includes a transverse conveying roller, a longitudinal conveying roller, and a feeding conveying roller; the transverse conveying roller is used to receive the gunning clay from the hopper and convey it to the longitudinal conveying roller, and the feeding conveying roller is used to feed the gunning clay into the blast furnace; the longitudinal conveying roller is located below the transverse conveying roller, and the feeding conveying roller is located diagonally above the longitudinal conveying roller; the feeding conveying roller and the longitudinal conveying roller are connected by a sealed feeding cylinder.

[0016] Furthermore, the transverse conveying roller, the longitudinal conveying roller, and the feeding conveying roller have the same structure; the feeding conveying roller includes a roller body and four angle irons arranged along the length of the roller body; the cross-section of the roller body is a regular hexagon, and the four angle irons are evenly distributed along the circumference of the roller body.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this application are: This equipment, through the coordinated operation of feeding, separating, and conveying devices, along with a control system, achieves fully automated transfer and feeding of taphole clay throughout the entire process, completely replacing traditional manual close-range operations. It removes workers from the harsh and dangerous environment of high temperatures, high dust levels, and molten iron splashes in the blast furnace, significantly reducing personal safety risks. Simultaneously, it overcomes the limitations of human physiology, enabling long-term, uninterrupted continuous operation and effectively improving production continuity.

[0018] The separation unit employs a multi-set separation roller structure with angle steel, which can thoroughly break up and mix agglomerated and irregularly shaped clay, ensuring uniform and stable output. This prevents pipe and equipment blockages caused by material agglomeration from the source, reduces downtime for cleaning, and improves overall production efficiency. The conveying unit is equipped with a sealed feeding cylinder to prevent clay leakage and adhesion to the walls, further ensuring smooth material transport. As the core of the system, the separation unit, through its specially designed internal structure, can physically separate clay materials of various shapes transported from the hopper. Its core value lies in achieving "uniform" and "continuous" material output, not only solving the problem of uneven material distribution in traditional methods but also preventing the risk of pipe blockage from the source, providing a solid foundation for the efficient and stable operation of the entire production process. The multiple sets of separating rollers with angle steel prevent blockages during conveying, ensuring smooth subsequent processes and a stable, uninterrupted output of mud from the silo. A contact roller is added to the frame below the hopper. When the hopper flips and falls back, it makes flexible contact with the contact roller, changing the sliding contact to rolling contact. This effectively avoids direct hard collision between the hopper and the support, greatly reducing impact noise, structural wear and the probability of loose parts during operation, reducing equipment failures, extending the service life of the whole machine and its supporting parts, and reducing later maintenance costs.

[0019] Each conveying roller and separating roller adopts a hexagonal main body with a structure design of evenly distributed angle iron / angle steel, which can maintain the integrity of the blast furnace clay shape during conveying and dispersing, and avoid material compression and deformation. The whole set of equipment operates in a unified manner, with stable feeding volume, and the feeding accuracy and consistency are far superior to manual operation, ensuring the sealing effect of the blast furnace taphole and stabilizing the blast furnace production conditions.

[0020] The entire machine adopts a modular structure design, with clear assembly of each component, making installation, inspection, and daily maintenance simple. It can also be equipped with different types of control devices, flexibly adapting to various operating modes such as manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic, meeting the needs of large, medium, and small-scale metallurgical blast furnaces, and has a wide range of applications. As the starting point of the system, the separation device, through its specially designed internal structure, can physically separate mud materials of various shapes in the storage bins. Its core value lies in achieving "uniform" and "continuous" material supply output, which not only solves the problem of uneven material feeding in traditional methods, but also avoids the risk of pipeline blockage from the source, forming a solid foundation for the efficient and stable operation of the entire production process.

[0021] To avoid blockages during the conveying process and ensure smooth operation of subsequent processes; to ensure a stable and uninterrupted output of mud from the silo. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present application; Figure 2This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present application with the outer casing of the separation device removed; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present application with the outer casing of the separation device removed from another angle. Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged view of point C; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the separation device; Figure 6 for Figure 5 Enlarged view of point D; Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the conveying device; Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of point E.

[0023] In the attached diagram, 1-Feeding device, 11-Support, 12-Hopper, 14-Cylinder, 15-Contact roller; 2-Separation device, 21-Reducer, 22-Frame, 23-Sprocket, 24-Separation roller, 25-Angle steel; 3-Conveying device, 31-Transverse conveying roller, 32-Longitudinal conveying roller, 33-Feeding conveying roller, 331-Angle iron, 332-Roller body. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To further illustrate the technical means and effects of the present invention in achieving its intended purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structures, features, and effects of the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, is provided below.

[0025] This invention discloses a taphole clay distributor, applied to the taphole clay transfer and addition process in front of metallurgical blast furnaces. It optimizes traditional manual taphole clay addition operations by addressing their drawbacks of high labor intensity, high safety risks, and inability to operate continuously. The machine mainly consists of a feeding device, a separating device, a conveying device, and a control device. Below, in conjunction with the claims, drawings, and application scenarios, three embodiments with different structures and control forms are provided: Embodiment 1 is a basic mechanical structure type; Embodiment 2 is a simple semi-automatic control type; and Embodiment 3 is a full-dimensional intelligent PLC control type (the mainstream application solution). All three embodiments follow a unified component designation rule; identical structural parts will not be repeated. The focus is on differentiating the design, transmission form, control logic, and applicable scenarios.

[0026] Example 1: A mechanical mud separator, The embodiment is a purely mechanical transmission structure, without an electrical intelligent control system. It relies on manual start-up and shutdown and on-site manual operation. It is suitable for small blast furnaces, low-frequency operations, and working conditions with limited on-site space and no complex electrical control requirements. It is assembled entirely based on the basic structure of this invention.

[0027] The entire machine is arranged sequentially along the material flow direction, including the feeding device 1, the separation device 2, and the conveying device 3. A basic start / stop switch serves as a simple control device. All transmission mechanisms operate via mechanical linkage. The assembly relationships of the components are as follows: like Figure 4 As shown, the feeding device 1 consists of a support 11, an open hopper 12, a cylinder 14, and a contact roller 15. One end of the hopper 12 is hinged to the top of the support 11, and the outlet of the hopper 12 faces the inlet of the rear separation device 2. The cylinder body of the cylinder 14 is hinged to the side wall of the support 11, and the end of the piston rod of the cylinder 14 is hinged to the bottom of the hopper 12.

[0028] like Figure 5 As shown, the support 11 is equipped with a self-rotating contact roller 15. The surface of the contact roller 15 is entirely coated with a rubber layer. When the hopper 12 falls to receive material, it abuts against the contact roller 15. The rubber layer provides flexible cushioning, completely avoiding hard contact between the hopper and the frame, effectively preventing the hopper surface from bumping, deforming, and being damaged, while also reducing operating impact noise. The cylinder 14 is connected to a field manual air valve. The manual operation of the air valve enables the cylinder to extend and retract, driving the hopper 12 to rotate around the hinge point, completing the pouring and feeding of the blasting mud raw material.

[0029] Separation device 2: Composed of frame 22, sprocket 23, separation rollers 24, angle steel 25, housing, three sets of separation rollers, and three reducers 21. In this embodiment, the separation rollers are divided into three independent groups, each group of separation rollers is matched with a reducer for individual drive, effectively avoiding problems such as loss of rotation, unstable transmission, and power attenuation that occur when a single long chain is used for long-distance transmission. Each set of separation rollers 24 is mounted parallel to the frame 22, and both ends of the separation rollers 24 are rotatably connected to the frame 22 through bearings; the shaft end of each separation roller 24 is fixed with a sprocket 23, and the output end of the corresponding reducer 21 is connected to the sprocket 23 of the first separation roller in the group through a chain. The sprockets 23 of adjacent separation rollers in the same group are linked by a chain to achieve synchronous and unidirectional rotation of the separation rollers in the group.

[0030] See the overall structure of the separation device. Figure 2 , Figure 3 For detailed structural information on the separating roller, angle steel, and sprocket, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 4 , Figure 6The separating roller 24 has cylindrical ends and a regular hexagonal cross-section in the middle. Four angle steels 25 are evenly welded along the circumference of the separating roller 24. During rotation, the angle steels 25 are used to break up and evenly distribute the lumps and clumps of clay. The distance between adjacent separating rollers 24 is 5-8mm. If the distance is too large, the clay will be uneven; if the distance is too small, the efficiency will be affected.

[0031] The frame 22 is fitted with an enclosed box, the top of which connects to the discharge end of the hopper 12, and the bottom of which is equipped with a funnel. The broken-up mud falls into the conveying device 3 below by its own weight. All three reducers 21 are equipped with independent manual start and stop switches, which are manually turned on and off on-site.

[0032] Conveying device 3 includes a transverse conveying roller 31, a longitudinal conveying roller 32, and a feeding conveying roller 33. The longitudinal conveying roller 32 is positioned directly below the transverse conveying roller 31, and the feeding conveying roller 33 is arranged obliquely above the longitudinal conveying roller 32. A sealed feeding cylinder connects the longitudinal conveying roller 32 and the feeding conveying roller 33. This sealed feeding cylinder is a conventional existing technology in the metallurgical and powder conveying fields. It adopts an integral seamless metal cylinder structure. Both ends of the cylinder are sealed to the frame of the longitudinal conveying roller and the feeding conveying roller respectively through flange structures. The inside of the cylinder is a straight-through material channel, and the inner wall of the cylinder is sprayed with an anti-stick coating. Sealing gaskets are installed at the joints of the cylinder, forming a fully enclosed conveying cavity. This effectively prevents dust overflow, prevents slag adhesion to the cylinder wall and material leakage, and does not interfere with the normal operation of the conveying rollers. The structure is mature and highly versatile. See the overall structure of the conveying device for details. Figure 7 For details on the structure of the conveyor rollers and angle iron, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 8 ; The three sets of conveying rollers have identical structures. Taking the feeding conveying roller 33 as an example, it consists of a roller body 332 and four angle irons 331. The roller body 332 has a regular hexagonal cross-section, and the four angle irons 331 are evenly distributed along the circumference, which can ensure the integrity of the shape during the conveying of the clay and avoid crushing and damage. Each of the three sets of conveying rollers is driven by a motor, which is driven by a chain. The motor is equipped with a manual start / stop switch.

[0033] Control device: Only equipped with independent air switch and start / stop button, without logic control or sensor detection function. The start / stop and action switching of all mechanisms rely on manual operation by on-site personnel.

[0034] Work process Before operation, the raw material of the blasting mud is manually loaded into the hopper 12; the start buttons of the three reducers and the conveyor roller motor are pressed in sequence, and the separation rollers 24 and the conveyor rollers start to run continuously.

[0035] The operator manually operates the air valve, driving the cylinder 14 to extend, causing the hopper 12 to tilt and unload, allowing the clay to enter the separator 2. The rotating separator roller 24, in conjunction with the angle steel 25, breaks up the clumps of clay evenly. As the hopper completes unloading and falls back, it makes flexible contact with the rubber-coated contact roller 15 on the upper surface of the frame, preventing damage to the hopper from hard impacts.

[0036] After being mixed, the taphole clay falls through the funnel at the bottom of the box to the transverse conveyor roller 31, and then passes sequentially through the longitudinal conveyor roller 32, the existing sealed feeding cylinder, and the feeding conveyor roller 33, finally being transported to the designated feeding position in the blast furnace. The sealed feeding cylinder provides closed-loop conveying of materials throughout the entire process, preventing dust diffusion and taphole clay leakage.

[0037] After each operation, manually reset hopper 12. When the equipment is stopped, simply close each motor and air valve in sequence. If material jamming or blockage occurs, manual cleaning is required after stopping the machine.

[0038] This embodiment adds a rubber coating to the surface of the contact rollers to further enhance the buffering and protective effect, effectively preventing scratches and damage to the hopper from hard contact. Simultaneously, the separating rollers are divided into three groups and driven independently by three reducers, solving the problems of easy slippage and transmission failure in long-distance chain drives, significantly improving transmission stability. The conveying process uses a commonly used, existing technology in the industry—a sealed feeding cylinder—ensuring reliable sealing against leakage and sticking, requiring no additional research and development modifications. The overall equipment has a simple structure, low cost, and low failure rate, requiring no professional electrical control and maintenance personnel, making maintenance convenient; however, it relies entirely on manual on-site operation, making remote control and continuous unmanned operation impossible, and its safety protection capabilities are weak. It is suitable for small and medium-sized blast furnaces, short daily operating hours, limited budgets, and situations where dedicated on-site personnel are available.

[0039] Example 2: Semi-automatic mud separator This embodiment upgrades the electrical control system based on the basic mechanical structure of Embodiment 1, retains all mechanical parts and assembly relationships, eliminates the pure manual operation mode, and adopts a semi-automatic control system composed of relays and simple sensors to realize the sequential linkage of the feeding, separation and conveying mechanisms. It does not require continuous single-person supervision and is an intermediate solution for the transition from traditional mechanical structures to fully intelligent equipment. It is suitable for medium-sized blast furnaces and conventional continuous operation scenarios.

[0040] Mechanical structure The component models, assembly methods, and transmission structures of the feeding device 1, separating device 2, and conveying device 3 are completely identical to those in Example 1. Only the power control method is modified; the mechanical parts remain unchanged. The overall appearance of the equipment is as described above. Figure 1 The structure of the feeding device and contact roller is as follows: Figure 5 The main body and details of the separation device are referenced. Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 6 For details on the conveyor and rollers, please refer to [reference]. Figure 7 , Figure 8 .

[0041] New designs for electronic control and auxiliary components: (1) Control device: The relay control circuit is used as the core control unit, and is equipped with a field operation panel, intermediate relays and AC contactors to realize the timing start and stop linkage of the mechanism; local / field dual operation buttons are set to support local operation.

[0042] (2) Simple sensing components: A set of material photoelectric sensors are installed at the discharge port of the separation device box and the feed end of the transverse conveyor roller. The sensor signals are connected to the relay circuit to realize the basic linkage of "standby when there is no material and start when there is material".

[0043] (3) Overload protection components: A thermal overload relay is installed in the reducer 21 and the conveyor roller drive motor circuit. When the equipment jams or the load is too large, the motor power supply is automatically cut off and the local indicator light alarm is triggered.

[0044] Control logic and workflow: After the equipment is powered on, the electrical control circuit completes its self-test, the "standby indicator light" on the control panel illuminates, and the equipment enters standby mode. The operator presses the "semi-automatic start" button on the panel, and the entire machine enters the linkage operation mode.

[0045] Manually fill the hopper 12 with gunning mud. The operator presses the feeding button, and the relay circuit controls the cylinder 14 to operate, causing the hopper 12 to tilt and unload the material. After the gunning mud enters the separation device box, the photoelectric sensor inside the box detects the material and automatically triggers the reducer 21 to run, and the separation roller 24 begins to break it up.

[0046] When the blast furnace slag falls from the hopper of the separation device to the horizontal conveyor roller 31, the corresponding photoelectric sensor triggers the signal, the conveyor roller drive motor starts automatically, and the three sets of conveyor rollers operate synchronously. The blast furnace slag is then conveyed to the blast furnace feeding position through the multi-stage conveyor rollers and the sealed feeding cylinder.

[0047] Once all materials have been conveyed and neither of the two photoelectric sensors detects any material, the relay circuit automatically shuts down the reducer and conveyor motor after a 5-second delay, and the equipment returns to standby mode.

[0048] If material jamming or motor overload occurs during operation, the thermal overload relay will trip, immediately cutting off the power to the corresponding motor. The "fault indicator light" on the panel will light up, reminding the operator to stop the machine and troubleshoot the problem. After troubleshooting, press the reset button to restart.

[0049] After the operation is completed, press the "Stop" button, and all actuators will stop operating in sequence, and the system will return to standby mode.

[0050] This embodiment achieves sequential linkage of mechanisms, reducing repetitive manual operations and improving operational efficiency compared to purely mechanical equipment; it also features basic overload protection, reducing the risk of motor burnout. However, the control system lacks data monitoring, parameter adjustment, and remote control functions, cannot adapt to different specifications of taphole clay, and relies solely on indicator lights for fault detection, resulting in generally low troubleshooting efficiency. It is suitable for medium-sized conventional blast furnaces, operating continuously for 8-16 hours per day, with low requirements for intelligent systems, and in plants with basic electrical maintenance capabilities.

[0051] Example 3: A fully intelligent PLC-controlled mud distributor I. Overall Structure and System Composition This embodiment is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Based on the mechanical structures of Embodiments 1 and 2, it integrates a PLC intelligent control system, a global sensor network, a six-axis robotic arm deployment unit, a human-machine interface (HMI), and a remote monitoring module to construct a fully closed-loop intelligent system encompassing "perception-computation-execution-feedback-optimization." This is also the standard configuration of the intelligent automatic mud feeder that the customer highlighted in their presentation. The main mechanical components, assembly relationships, and transmission structure follow the scheme defined in the claims. The core innovations are full-process PLC intelligent control, multi-mode switching, adaptive adjustment, fault self-diagnosis, and remote operation and maintenance. It is suitable for large steel enterprise blast furnaces, 24-hour continuous operation, and high-risk furnace-front operation scenarios.

[0052] The machine is divided into five main modules: feeding device 1, separating device 2, conveying device 3, six-axis robotic arm unit, and PLC intelligent control system. All actuators and sensors are interconnected with the PLC.

[0053] The technical solution includes a feeding device 1 (support 11, hopper 12, cylinder 14), a separation device 2 (reducer 21, frame 22, sprocket 23, separation roller 24, angle steel 25), and a conveying device 3 (transverse conveying roller 31, longitudinal conveying roller 32, feeding conveying roller 33, angle iron 331, roller body 332, and sealed feeding cylinder). The structure, assembly, and transmission method remain unchanged to ensure the basic stability of the separation and conveying of the clay.

[0054] New core components added: (1) Six-axis robotic arm unit: A high-precision industrial six-axis robotic arm is arranged at the discharge end of the feeding conveyor roller 33 as an automated feeding execution mechanism. It is used to grab the blast furnace mud and accurately put it into the hydraulic mud cylinder of the blast furnace. The motion trajectory and grabbing force are uniformly programmed and controlled by PLC.

[0055] (2) Global sensor network: integrates material level sensor, position sensor, speed sensor, temperature sensor, vibration sensor, material arrival sensor, and pressure sensor, fully covering equipment silos, transmission mechanisms, working environment, and conveying stations.

[0056] (3) PLC control system: the core of the whole machine control (the "brain" of the equipment), equipped with an industrial programmable logic controller, integrating analog signal acquisition, digital signal input and output, and Ethernet communication module; and equipped with touch HMI human-machine interface, sound and light alarm, and remote communication terminal.

[0057] The PLC connects to the cylinder solenoid valve, reducer frequency converter driver, conveyor roller frequency converter motor, six-axis robotic arm servo driver, all sensors, HMI, audible and visual alarm module, and remote terminal signal, and can collect real-time operating data and issue precise control commands.

[0058] This device supports one-click switching between fully automatic, semi-automatic, and manual operating modes; it features adaptive parameter adjustment, real-time status monitoring, fault self-diagnosis, audible and visual alarms, historical data storage, remote viewing, emergency shutdown, and process closed-loop optimization. It can store multiple sets of working condition formulas to adapt to different hardness and specifications of taphole clay and different blast furnace working conditions.

[0059] Intelligent Workflow by Mode After the equipment is powered on, the PLC automatically starts the whole machine self-test program, which sequentially checks the communication status of all sensors, the origin position of the actuator, the circuit voltage, the motor status, and the coordinates of the robotic arm.

[0060] Self-test normal: All mechanisms automatically reset to the standby origin, the HMI interface displays equipment parameters (temperature, pressure, material level, etc.), the green running light stays on, indicating "system ready"; Self-test anomaly: The PLC locks the start-up permission, the HMI pop-up window displays the fault code, fault location, and fault cause, and simultaneously triggers an audible and visual alarm, allowing maintenance personnel to quickly locate the problem.

[0061] Fully automated mode (main production mode, 24-hour unattended operation): In this mode, the PLC autonomously controls the entire process without manual intervention, realizing a closed-loop operation of feeding → separation → conveying → robotic arm grasping → precise placement → data feedback. The material level sensor inside the hopper 12 monitors the amount of slag in real time. When the raw material is sufficient, the PLC sends a command to the solenoid valve of the cylinder 14 according to the preset timing to control the cylinder to extend and retract, and drive the hopper 12 to rotate and unload at a uniform speed. The position sensor provides real-time feedback on the rotation angle of the hopper. After unloading is completed, the PLC controls the hopper to automatically reset.

[0062] If the level sensor detects that the hopper is low on material, the PLC triggers a low level warning, the HMI pops up a message to replenish the material, and at the same time controls the back-end mechanism to standby at low speed. Once the material is replenished, it will automatically resume normal operation.

[0063] After the clay enters the separation device, the material sensor sends a feed signal to the PLC. The PLC starts the reducer 21 and adaptively adjusts the variable frequency speed according to the size and hardness of the clay clumps: large, hard clay clumps automatically increase the speed to enhance the dispersing effect of the angle steel 25 and the separation roller 24; loose clay clumps decrease the speed to avoid excessive material crushing.

[0064] The speed sensor transmits the separation roller speed in real time. If material jamming causes a sudden drop in speed, the PLC automatically controls the reducer to alternate between forward and reverse rotation for a short period to clear the blockage. If three consecutive attempts to clear the blockage fail, it is considered a serious fault, and the equipment stops and an alarm is triggered. This eliminates the problems of uneven material feeding and pipe blockage at the source.

[0065] The PLC synchronously controls the variable frequency speeds of the transverse conveying roller 31, the longitudinal conveying roller 32, and the feeding conveying roller 33 according to the principle of "matching the timing of the front and rear workstations". The operating speeds of the three sets of conveying rollers are linked and matched to ensure uniform and continuous conveying of the blasting mud.

[0066] During the conveying process, vibration sensors and material sensors monitor the equipment vibration and material flow status throughout the process. When material deviation or abnormal equipment vibration occurs, the PLC automatically adjusts the speed and issues an early warning. The sealed feeding cylinder, combined with the anti-sticking structure, completely solves the problems of sticking to the wall and leakage.

[0067] Once the blast furnace clay reaches the robotic arm's gripping station, the material arrival sensor sends a signal, and the PLC calls a preset action program to control the six-axis robotic arm to precisely grip the clay along the planned trajectory. Utilizing a six-axis high-degree-of-freedom structure, it is adaptable to the complex working conditions of a blast furnace. Simultaneously, the PLC can automatically correct the robotic arm's coordinates based on minor deviations in the on-site conditions, ensuring delivery accuracy.

[0068] After a single delivery is completed, the robotic arm automatically resets to the gripping position, waiting for the next batch of materials, and the cycle continues.

[0069] After each round of operation is completed, the PLC automatically collects data such as running time, speed, temperature, and delivery accuracy, compares them with standard process parameters, dynamically fine-tunes the operating parameters of each mechanism, and continuously optimizes the operation process; the system can run 24 / 7 without interruption.

[0070] Semi-automatic mode: The PLC retains safety monitoring, fault alarm, and parameter protection functions. The start / stop of the mechanism and the switching of actions are manually triggered by the operator through the HMI panel. The operator can start any unit of feeding, separating, conveying, or robotic arm independently for equipment debugging and single-station testing. During operation, the PLC monitors parameters such as load, temperature, and speed in real time. In case of overload, over-temperature, or material jamming, it will immediately force a shutdown and sound an alarm, balancing debugging flexibility with equipment safety.

[0071] In this mode, the PLC exits the automatic linkage logic, retaining only the safety circuit and signal acquisition functions. Operators can perform on-site jog control of each mechanism to complete tasks such as component maintenance, chain tensioning, material removal, and sensor calibration. The PLC records all maintenance data and automatically stores it in a log for easy subsequent fault tracing and analysis.

[0072] The PLC collects real-time current and load data of each motor. If the load exceeds the limit, it immediately cuts off the power and stops the machine to protect mechanical and electrical components. Temperature sensors monitor the high-temperature environment in front of the furnace. When the temperature exceeds the limit, the equipment will run at a reduced speed, and if the temperature continues to rise, it will automatically shut down. When the emergency stop button is triggered, the PLC cuts off the power to all actuators in milliseconds, and the whole machine stops in an emergency, avoiding safety accidents such as molten iron splashing and mechanical injury. The PLC automatically stores more than 7 days of operation logs, fault records, and parameter modification records, and supports local export from the HMI and viewing on remote terminals; the remote terminal can realize remote parameter viewing and fault warning without on-site supervision.

[0073] This embodiment can realize unmanned close-range operation throughout the entire process, removing workers from the high-risk environment of high temperature, dust and molten iron splashing in the blast furnace, and achieving zero safety accidents. It supports 24-hour continuous operation, improves work efficiency by more than 35%, reduces labor costs by 20%, and significantly optimizes equipment resource utilization. PLC-based precise control eliminates human error, resulting in high accuracy in taphole mud addition and a blast furnace plugging product qualification rate of over 98%. Convenient and efficient operation and maintenance: self-diagnosis of faults + code prompts, emergency response time is less than 10 minutes, and the difficulty of fault diagnosis and equipment maintenance is greatly reduced; Multiple process formulas can be switched with one click, which can be adapted to different types of taphole clay and different blast furnace conditions. The modular structure also facilitates installation, disassembly and maintenance.

[0074] This embodiment represents the optimal intelligent solution, applicable to mainstream blast furnaces in large steel enterprises, 24-hour continuous production furnace front operations, high-risk and harsh working conditions, and modern metallurgical plants that pursue automated, intelligent, and unmanned production. It is also the main solution promoted for the implementation of this invention and its supporting intelligent automatic mud feeding machine products.

[0075] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A clay separator, characterized in that, It includes a feeding device (1), a separating device (2), a conveying device (3) and a control device arranged in sequence. The control device is connected to the feeding device (1), the separating device (2) and the conveying device (3) respectively. The feeding device (1) is used to convey the gun clay raw material to the separating device (2); the separating device (2) is used to disperse the gun clay raw material evenly; the conveying device (3) is used to send the evenly dispersed gun clay into the set blast furnace.

2. The slurry distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding device (1) includes a support (11), an open hopper (12), and a driving device for driving the hopper (12) to rotate on the support (11); one end of the hopper (12) is hinged to the support (11), the other end of the hopper (12) is open, and the end of the hopper (12) that is hinged to the support (11) is connected to the driving device.

3. A slurry distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The drive device includes a cylinder (14) with the cylinder body hinged to the bracket (11), and the other end of the cylinder (14) is hinged to the hopper (12).

4. A slurry distributor according to claim 3, characterized in that, The separation device includes a frame (22), several sets of separation rollers (24) rotatably connected to the frame (22), and a reducer (21) driven by the separation rollers (24); one end of the separation roller (24) is provided with a sprocket (23), and the sprocket (23) and the reducer (21) are driven by a chain; the two sprockets (23) on adjacent separation rollers (24) are driven by a chain.

5. A slurry distributor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The two ends of the separating roller (24) are cylindrical, and both ends of the separating roller (24) are rotatably connected to the frame (22) through bearings; the middle section of the separating roller (24) is a regular hexagon; four angle steels are welded on the middle section of the separating roller (24); angle steels (25) are welded along the length of the separating roller (24), and the four angle steels (25) are evenly distributed around the circumference of the separating roller (24).

6. A slurry distributor according to claim 5, characterized in that, The separation device (2) also includes a box set on the frame (22), one end of the box is close to the feeding device (1), and the other end of the box is provided with a funnel, which is used to drop the mud mixed by the separation roller (24) onto the conveying device (3).

7. A slurry distributor according to claim 6, characterized in that, The conveying device (3) includes a transverse conveying roller (31), a longitudinal conveying roller (32), and a feeding conveying roller (33); the transverse conveying roller (31) is used to receive the blast furnace mud from the hopper and convey the mud to the longitudinal conveying roller (32), and the feeding conveying roller (33) is used to feed the mud into the blast furnace; the longitudinal conveying roller (32) is located below the transverse conveying roller (31); the feeding conveying roller (33) is located diagonally above the longitudinal conveying roller (32); the feeding conveying roller (33) and the longitudinal conveying roller (32) are connected by a sealed feeding cylinder.

8. A slurry distributor according to claim 7, characterized in that, The transverse conveying roller (31), the longitudinal conveying roller (32), and the feeding conveying roller (33) have the same structure; the feeding conveying roller (33) includes a roller body (332) and four angle irons (331) arranged along the length direction of the roller body (332); the cross-section of the roller body (332) is a regular hexagon, and the four angle irons (331) are evenly distributed along the circumference of the roller body (332).

9. A slurry distributor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bracket (11) is provided with a self-rotating contact roller (15). When the hopper (12) falls to receive the material, the hopper (12) abuts against the contact roller (15).

Images