Method and device for continuous vertical lifting of bulk material

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of method and device for realizing continuous vertical lifting of bulk material, belong to bulk material conveying technical field.The device includes high-speed rotating system, material conveying system, power transmission system and intelligent control system.Spiral blade is driven by motor to rotate at high speed in conveying straight cylinder, strong centrifugal force is generated, so that material is tightly attached to cylinder wall to form stable material layer, and continuous, efficient vertical lifting is realized.The present application uses double-motor cooperative driving and intelligent control strategy, can automatically adjust speed according to material characteristics, solves the problems of low efficiency, easy to block and pulse type unstable conveying existing in traditional elevator.Especially suitable for large-flow vertical continuous conveying of bulk materials such as coal, ore, grain, chemical raw materials, etc., with the advantages of high conveying efficiency, low energy consumption, easy to enlarge and strong adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bulk material conveying technology, specifically a method and apparatus for vertically lifting bulk materials using centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation. Background Technology

[0002] Vertical lifting technology for bulk materials has wide applications in industrial production, such as mining, grain processing, and chemical production. Commonly used equipment includes bucket elevators, pneumatic conveying systems, and screw conveyors.

[0003] Bucket elevators use buckets as the load-bearing components, and the buckets are driven by chains or belts for vertical conveying. This type of equipment has the following problems: First, the conveying process is pulsed rather than continuous, resulting in limited conveying efficiency; second, material is easily left in the buckets during the return trip, causing material loss and equipment contamination; and third, the equipment structure is complex, leading to high maintenance costs.

[0004] Pneumatic conveying systems transport materials using airflow, enabling continuous conveying. However, they suffer from high energy consumption and severe pipeline wear, and are particularly ineffective for conveying high-concentration materials. Furthermore, pneumatic conveying systems are highly sensitive to material properties, limiting their adaptability.

[0005] Traditional screw conveyors use rotating screw blades to propel materials upwards. However, their working principle relies primarily on the balance between the material's gravity and the blade thrust, resulting in low conveying efficiency and a tendency to clog. Especially in vertical lifting applications, traditional screw conveyors struggle to effectively convey highly fluid bulk materials, and their lifting height is limited.

[0006] In recent years, some new types of lifting equipment have emerged, such as vibratory elevators and pneumatic hoists. Vibratory elevators use vibration to raise materials within a pipe, enabling continuous conveying, but their conveying capacity is relatively small and they are quite sensitive to material characteristics. Pneumatic hoists use airbags and belts to compress materials for vertical conveying. Although they can achieve continuous, high-volume transport, their structure is complex and their cost is high.

[0007] Based on the above analysis, existing technologies have not yet resolved the contradiction between efficiency, energy consumption, and adaptability in the vertical continuous lifting of bulk materials. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of vertical lifting method and device that can achieve high efficiency, continuous operation, low energy consumption, and strong adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for vertically lifting bulk materials using high-speed rotation. This method can achieve efficient, continuous, and stable vertical lifting of bulk materials, while having the advantages of low energy consumption, low wear, and strong adaptability.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: a device for vertically lifting bulk materials using high-speed rotation, comprising a conveying cylinder, a high-speed rotation system, a feeding system, a discharging system, and an intelligent control system. The high-speed rotation system includes a main shaft and helical blades mounted on the main shaft. The helical blades rotate at high speed inside the conveying cylinder, generating a strong centrifugal force. The feeding system is located at the lower part of the conveying cylinder and is used to uniformly feed materials into the conveying cylinder; the discharging system is located at the upper side of the conveying cylinder and is used to discharge the lifted materials; the intelligent control system is used to automatically adjust the equipment operating parameters according to the material characteristics.

[0010] The core innovation of this invention lies in utilizing the centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation as the primary lifting force, rather than the thrust relied upon by traditional screw conveyors. When the screw blades rotate at a high speed of 500-3000 rpm, the material is thrown against the inner wall of the conveying cylinder under the action of centrifugal force, forming a stable material ring tightly adhering to the cylinder wall. With the rotation of the screw blades, the material is continuously conveyed upward along the cylinder wall, achieving vertical lifting.

[0011] The main components of the device of the present invention include:

[0012] 1. Conveying cylinder: Made of high-strength material, with wear-resistant lining on the inner wall. The surface of the wear-resistant lining has a corrugated structure to increase the friction between the material and the cylinder wall. The cylinder can be designed as a segmented structure for easy transportation and installation.

[0013] 2. High-speed rotation system: This includes the main shaft and helical blades. The main shaft is made of high-strength alloy steel and undergoes precision dynamic balancing to ensure smooth high-speed operation. The helical blades feature a variable pitch design, with a larger pitch in the lower feed zone for easier material entry and a smaller pitch in the upper discharge zone to increase lifting efficiency. The blade surface can be coated with wear-resistant material to extend its service life.

[0014] 3. Drive System: A dual-motor drive system is adopted. The main motor drives the high-speed spiral blades, and the auxiliary motor drives the screw conveyor of the feeding system. The two motors work together through an intelligent control system, automatically adjusting the power output according to load changes.

[0015] 4. Vibration mechanism: including eccentric shaft and vibrating motor, which can apply high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration to the conveying cylinder to prevent material adhesion and blockage, and at the same time help improve conveying efficiency.

[0016] 5. Intelligent Control System: This system includes material characteristic sensors, a speed controller, and a fault diagnosis module. The material characteristic sensors can detect parameters such as material density, particle size, and moisture content in real time; the speed controller automatically adjusts the speed based on the material characteristics; and the fault diagnosis module can predict and diagnose equipment faults, improving equipment reliability.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following innovations and beneficial effects:

[0018] 1. Innovative Lifting Mechanism: Utilizing centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation as the primary lifting force, rather than the thrust of traditional screw conveyors, this mechanism ensures that the material adheres tightly to the cylinder wall, forming a stable material layer and achieving truly continuous vertical lifting. This mechanism effectively overcomes the problems of slippage and low efficiency in traditional screw conveyors during vertical lifting.

[0019] 2. Innovative Structural Design: Utilizing a variable pitch helical blade design, the larger pitch at the bottom facilitates material entry, while the smaller pitch at the top improves lifting efficiency. Combined with corrugated liners on the cylinder wall, this effectively increases friction and enhances lifting capacity. Furthermore, the modular design makes equipment installation and maintenance more convenient.

[0020] 3. Intelligent Control System: Through material characteristic sensing and adaptive adjustment, it achieves optimal operating parameter matching under different material conditions, greatly improving equipment adaptability and energy efficiency. The intelligent fault diagnosis function can provide early warnings of potential problems, reducing downtime.

[0021] 4. Excellent overall performance:

[0022] (1) High lifting efficiency: The conveying capacity can be 2-3 times that of traditional screw conveyors, and the maximum lifting height exceeds 50 meters;

[0023] (2) Low energy consumption: more than 30% more energy-efficient than pneumatic conveying systems;

[0024] (3) Low wear: The friction between the material and the equipment is mainly rolling friction, which significantly reduces the wear compared to traditional lifting equipment;

[0025] (4) Wide adaptability: It can adapt to materials with different characteristics by adjusting the rotation speed, and can effectively transport materials from powder to granules. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of the high-speed spiral blades and the conveyor cylinder.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a variable pitch helical blade structure.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wear-resistant lining plate structure on the inner wall of the conveyor cylinder.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the working process of the device of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention are described in detail below with reference to specific examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0032] This invention relates to a device for vertically and continuously lifting bulk materials, comprising a conveying cylinder 1, a high-speed spiral blade 2 disposed inside the conveying cylinder, a drive system 3, a feeding system 4, and a discharging system 5. The drive system 3 is disposed at the upper part of the conveying cylinder and drives the high-speed spiral blade 2 to rotate at a speed of 500-3000 rpm inside the conveying cylinder 1, generating centrifugal force sufficient to overcome the gravity of the material, causing the material to adhere tightly to the inner wall of the conveying cylinder 1 to form a stable material layer and achieve continuous vertical conveying. The feeding system 4 is disposed at the lower end of the conveying cylinder for material input, and the discharging system 5 is disposed at the upper side of the conveying cylinder.

[0033] The high-speed spiral blade 2 adopts a variable pitch design, with the pitch in the lower feeding area being greater than that in the upper discharging area. The pitch variation range along the entire length of the high-speed spiral blade is 1-10 times the pitch of the initial top area. For example, the pitch of the upper half of the high-speed spiral blade 2 is 100-200mm, and the pitch of the lower half of the high-speed spiral blade 2 is 150-300mm.

[0034] The drive system 3 includes a main motor 31 and an auxiliary motor 32. The main motor 31 is connected to and drives the high-speed spiral blade 2 to rotate, and the auxiliary motor 32 drives the feeding system 4 to operate. The two motors are coordinated and controlled by the intelligent control system 6.

[0035] Wear-resistant liner 11 is provided on the inner wall of the conveying cylinder 1. The surface of the liner has a corrugated structure, which can effectively increase the friction between the material and the cylinder wall to improve the conveying efficiency.

[0036] The device also includes a vibration mechanism 7, which includes an eccentric shaft 71 and a vibration motor 72. The vibration motor 72 can apply high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration to the conveying cylinder 1 to prevent material adhesion.

[0037] The feeding system 4 includes, from top to bottom, a quantitative feeder 41, a material pretreatment device 42, and a horizontally arranged screw conveyor 43. The material pretreatment device 42 is equipped with a dryer and a screen to dry and screen the material to ensure uniform feeding. The lower port of the material pretreatment device 42 is connected to the inlet of the screw conveyor 43, and the outlet of the screw conveyor 43 is connected to the lower inlet of the conveying cylinder 1. The screw conveyor 43 is driven to rotate by the output of the auxiliary motor 32.

[0038] The intelligent control system 6 includes a material characteristic sensor 61 (which may be a commercially available density and humidity sensor, laser particle size sensor, etc.), a speed controller 62, and a fault diagnosis module 63. The intelligent control system 6 can control the drive system 3 and the feeding system 4 to adjust the speed and conveying parameters according to the material characteristics.

[0039] This invention provides a method for vertically lifting bulk materials using high-speed rotation, employing the aforementioned apparatus, and includes the following steps:

[0040] The auxiliary motor drives the feeding system 4 to evenly feed the bulk material into the lower part of the conveying cylinder 1;

[0041] The drive system 3 drives the high-speed spiral blades 2 to rotate at a speed of 500-3000 rpm, generating a strong centrifugal force;

[0042] Under the action of centrifugal force, the material adheres tightly to the inner wall of the conveying cylinder 1 to form a stable material layer;

[0043] The material is continuously conveyed upward along the cylinder wall by the rotation of the spiral blades.

[0044] After the material reaches the top of the conveyor cylinder, it is discharged through the discharge system 5.

[0045] Adjust the rotation speed according to the material characteristics. For materials with high density and low friction coefficient, use a higher rotation speed of 1500-2000 rpm, and for materials with low density and high friction coefficient, use a lower rotation speed of 1200-1500 rpm.

[0046] High-frequency micro-vibration is applied during the conveying process, with a vibration frequency of 20-500Hz and an amplitude of 0.1-0.5mm, to prevent material adhesion and blockage.

[0048] Example 1: Vertical Coal Lifting Device

[0049] Device configuration:

[0050] 1. Conveying cylinder: 800mm in diameter, 30m in height, with corrugated wear-resistant lining on the inner wall;

[0051] 2. High-speed spiral blades: outer diameter 790mm, with variable pitch design, lower pitch 180mm, upper pitch 120mm;

[0052] 3. Drive system: Main motor power 90kW, speed adjustable from 0-3000rpm; auxiliary motor power 15kW;

[0053] 4. Vibration mechanism: vibration frequency 50Hz, amplitude 0.5mm;

[0054] 5. Control system: Equipped with material property sensors and an adaptive control system.

[0055] Work process:

[0056] 1. Raw coal is evenly fed into the lower part of the conveyor cylinder through the feeding system;

[0057] 2. The intelligent control system automatically sets the main motor speed to 1800 rpm based on the coal characteristics (density 1.3 g / cm³, particle size 0-50 mm);

[0058] 3. The high-speed rotating helical blades generate a strong centrifugal force, causing the coal to adhere tightly to the cylinder wall and form a stable material layer;

[0059] 4. The material is continuously conveyed upwards along the cylinder wall, and a vibration mechanism prevents coal from adhering during the conveying process;

[0060] 5. The coal lifted to the top is discharged through the discharge system, with a conveying capacity of up to 200t / h.

[0061] Effect verification:

[0062] The device in this embodiment operated continuously for 1000 hours with stable performance and an average energy consumption of 0.45 kWh / t, which is about 35% lower than that of traditional bucket elevators. The equipment experienced minimal wear and tear, and the maintenance cycle was extended to more than 3 months.

[0063] Example 2: Grain Vertical Lifting Device

[0064] Device configuration

[0065] 1. Conveying cylinder: 800mm in diameter, 30m in height, with food-grade wear-resistant lining on the inner wall;

[0066] 2. High-speed spiral blades: outer diameter 790mm, variable pitch design, lower pitch 180mm, upper pitch 120mm;

[0067] 3. Drive system: Main motor power 90kW, speed adjustable from 0-3000rpm;

[0068] 4. Control system: Equipped with a high-precision material sensor, it can detect changes in the moisture content of grains.

[0069] Work process:

[0070] 1. Grain (wheat) is fed into the lower part of the conveyor cylinder through a feeding system, which is equipped with a cleanup device;

[0071] 2. Material sensors monitor the grain moisture content (14%-16%) in real time, and the intelligent control system automatically adjusts the spindle speed to 1800 rpm;

[0072] 3. Under the action of centrifugal force, the grain forms a stable material layer and rises steadily along the cylinder wall;

[0073] 4. During the lifting process, the equipment operates at a noise level below 75dB, which is far lower than that of traditional pneumatic conveying systems;

[0074] 5. After the grain is lifted to the top, it is discharged through the discharge system, with a conveying capacity of 190t / h.

[0075] Effect verification:

[0076] The device described in this embodiment is used for vertical lifting in grain processing plants. Compared with traditional pneumatic conveying systems, it reduces energy consumption by more than 40% and grain breakage rate to below 0.5%, thus maintaining grain quality. The equipment operates stably and has low maintenance costs.

[0077] Example 3: Vertical Lifting Device for Chemical Raw Materials

[0078] Special design:

[0079] Considering the characteristics of chemical raw materials (such as plastic granules), the device in this embodiment adopts an anti-static design. The spiral blades and the inner lining of the conveyor cylinder are made of anti-static materials to prevent static electricity accumulation from causing accidents. At the same time, the equipment is fully sealed to prevent material leakage and environmental pollution.

[0080] Work process:

[0081] 1. Plastic granules are fed into the conveyor cylinder through a closed feeding system;

[0082] 2. The intelligent control system automatically sets the rotation speed to 1500 rpm based on the characteristics of the plastic granules (density 0.9-1.1 g / cm³);

[0083] 3. During the lifting process, the equipment is filled with inert gas to prevent static electricity and oxidation;

[0084] 4. The plastic granules are smoothly lifted to the top and enter the next process through the discharge system;

[0085] 5. No dust leakage occurs during the entire conveying process, meeting the environmental protection requirements for chemical production.

[0086] Effect verification:

[0087] The device in this embodiment operated continuously in a chemical plant for 6 months, conveying over 5,000 tons of plastic granules. The equipment operated stably without any safety incidents. Compared to traditional lifting equipment, material loss was reduced to below 0.1%, significantly improving production efficiency.

[0088] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for vertically and continuously lifting bulk materials, characterized in that: The system includes a conveying cylinder (1), a high-speed spiral blade (2) installed inside the conveying cylinder, a drive system (3), a feeding system (4), and a discharging system (5). The drive system (3) is located at the top of the conveying cylinder and drives the high-speed spiral blade (2) to rotate at a speed of 500-3000 rpm inside the conveying cylinder (1), generating centrifugal force sufficient to overcome the gravity of the material, so that the material adheres tightly to the inner wall of the conveying cylinder (1) to form a stable material layer and achieve continuous vertical conveying. The feeding system (4) is located at the bottom of the conveying cylinder for material input, and the discharging system (5) is located on the upper side of the conveying cylinder.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-speed spiral blade (2) adopts a variable pitch design, with the pitch in the lower feeding area being greater than that in the upper discharging area. The pitch variation range along the entire length of the high-speed spiral blade is 1-10 times the pitch of the initial area at the top.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive system (3) includes a main motor (31) and an auxiliary motor (32). The main motor (31) is connected to and drives the high-speed spiral blade (2) to rotate, and the auxiliary motor (32) drives the feeding system (4) to operate. The two motors are coordinated and controlled by the intelligent control system (6).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inner wall of the conveying cylinder (1) is provided with a wear-resistant liner (11), and the surface of the liner has a corrugated structure. This corrugated structure can effectively increase the friction between the material and the cylinder wall, so as to improve the conveying efficiency.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a vibration mechanism (7), which includes an eccentric shaft (71) and a vibration motor (72). The vibration motor (72) can apply high-frequency micro-amplitude vibration to the conveying cylinder (1) to prevent material adhesion.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding system (4) includes, from top to bottom, a quantitative feeder (41), a material pretreatment device (42), and a horizontally arranged screw conveyor (43). The material pretreatment device (42) is equipped with a dryer and a screen to dry and screen the material to ensure uniform feeding. The lower port of the material pretreatment device (42) is connected to the inlet of the screw conveyor (43), and the outlet of the screw conveyor (43) is connected to the lower inlet of the conveying cylinder (1). The screw conveyor (43) is driven to rotate by the output end of the auxiliary motor (32).

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intelligent control system (6) includes a material characteristic sensor (61), a speed controller (62), and a fault diagnosis module (63). The intelligent control system (6) can control the drive system (3) and the feeding system (4) to adjust the speed and conveying parameters according to the material characteristics.

8. A method for vertically lifting bulk materials using high-speed rotation, employing the apparatus described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: S1. The bulk material is evenly fed into the lower part of the conveying cylinder (1) by the auxiliary motor driving the feeding system (4); S2, the drive system (3) drives the high-speed spiral blades (2) to rotate at a speed of 500-3000 rpm, generating a strong centrifugal force; S3. Under the action of centrifugal force, the material adheres tightly to the inner wall of the conveying cylinder (1) to form a stable material layer; S4. Through the rotation of the spiral blades, the material is continuously conveyed upward along the cylinder wall; S5. After the material reaches the top of the conveying cylinder, it is discharged through the discharge system (5).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that: Adjust the rotation speed according to the material characteristics. Use a higher rotation speed for materials with high density and low friction coefficient, and a lower rotation speed for materials with low density and high friction coefficient.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that: High-frequency micro-vibration is applied during the conveying process, with a vibration frequency of 20-500Hz and an amplitude of 0.1-0.5mm, to prevent material adhesion and blockage.

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