A curing device, foam board intelligent forming production line and method
By using ultrasonic vibration waveguide technology, the problems of foam particle breakage and arching caused by mechanical stirring have been solved, enabling high-quality and efficient production of foam boards.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202611239657.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-08-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-11-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2046-08-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing curing equipment, when mixing foam particles, mechanically agitates the particles, causing particle breakage and creating dead zones, which affects the production quality and manufacturing efficiency of foam boards.
An ultrasonic mechanism and waveguide are used to transfer ultrasonic vibration energy to the foam particles, disrupting the static balance between the particles, avoiding mechanical hard contact, achieving uniform vibration, and preventing arching.
It improves the production quality and manufacturing efficiency of foam boards, avoids particle breakage, and has good vibration uniformity, reducing dead zones in the mixing process.
Smart Images

Figure CN122788183B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of foam material processing technology, and in particular to a curing device, a smart foam board molding production line and method. Background Technology
[0002] Refrigerators, as an indispensable home appliance in modern households, are large, heavy, and have a delicate internal structure, making them highly susceptible to damage from collisions and drops during storage, loading and unloading, and long-distance transportation. Currently, refrigerator packaging protection mainly uses corrugated cardboard boxes and expandable polystyrene foam for cushioning protection.
[0003] Expandable polystyrene foam is a lightweight polymer material with polystyrene resin as its matrix and a large number of closed-cell structures. Due to its excellent cushioning, heat insulation, and ease of processing, it is widely used in refrigerator packaging. Expandable polystyrene foam boards mainly involve three core processes: pre-foaming, curing, and molding. Foam particles are pre-foamed and cured before being molded into foam boards.
[0004] In the curing process, to prevent loose foam particles from accumulating and agglomerating or bridging within the curing device, existing curing devices all use mechanical stirring devices to continuously stir the foam particles. However, this method causes the foam particles to come into hard mechanical contact with the mechanical stirring device, which not only leads to damage to the foam particles and affects subsequent molding and manufacturing, but also creates stirring dead zones. That is, foam particles that are far from the mechanical stirring device will still agglomerate due to uneven stirring, which is not conducive to improving production quality and manufacturing efficiency. Summary of the Invention
[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides a curing device, an intelligent foam board molding production line, and a method.
[0006] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a curing apparatus, comprising: A curing tank for containing foam particles, wherein the foam particles accumulate in the curing tank to form a particle pile; An ultrasonic device includes an ultrasonic component and a waveguide, the waveguide being disposed inside the curing tank and inserted into the particle stack, the ultrasonic component being connected to the waveguide to transfer ultrasonic vibration energy to the particle stack.
[0007] Therefore, the curing device transmits ultrasonic vibration energy to the foam particle pile inside the curing device through the ultrasonic components and waveguide of the ultrasonic mechanism. The high-frequency vibration of the waveguide causes the foam particles to vibrate slightly, disrupting the static balance between the foam particles. There is no mechanical hard contact between the waveguide and the foam particles, so the integrity of the foam particles is not damaged. Moreover, the vibration energy can cause the foam particles in all parts of the curing tank to vibrate slightly, without dead corners. This can effectively prevent the bridging of foam particles and improve the production quality and manufacturing efficiency of foam boards.
[0008] Optionally, the waveguide includes a waveguide body and at least one waveguide branch, the waveguide body having a first end connected to the ultrasonic component and a second end extending into the particle stack, and the waveguide branch being disposed on the surface of the waveguide body.
[0009] Therefore, waveguide branches are set on the outer periphery of the waveguide body, which can realize circumferential radiation of vibration and effectively ensure uniform vibration stress.
[0010] Optionally, the radial cross-section of the first end of the waveguide body is smaller than the radial cross-section of the second end of the waveguide body.
[0011] Therefore, by increasing the size of the end section of the waveguide body, the wavefront of the ultrasonic wave will expand outward along the enlarged area, thereby improving the diffusion effect of ultrasonic vibration.
[0012] Optionally, the radial cross-section of the waveguide body gradually increases from the first end to the second end of the waveguide body.
[0013] This improves the diffusion effect of ultrasonic vibrations uniformly.
[0014] Optionally, the waveguide body has at least one amplitude-changing section disposed between the first end and the second end of the ultrasonic component, and the amplitude-changing section is configured to reduce the radial cross-section of the waveguide body.
[0015] This improves the long-distance transmission effect of ultrasonic vibration.
[0016] Optionally, the waveguide branch body includes a first branch body and a second branch body, the first branch body is connected to the waveguide body, and the second branch body is disposed on the surface of the first branch body and extends radially along the first branch body.
[0017] Therefore, the waveguide branch body is made to have a tree-like structure, so as to increase the number of vibration point wave sources and form multi-point dispersed vibration, thereby increasing the vibration anti-arching effect.
[0018] Optionally, along the axial direction of the waveguide body, the spacing between two adjacent first branch bodies is... ;
[0019] Among them, C waveguide Let f be the velocity of sound in the material of the waveguide, f be the operating frequency of the ultrasonic component, and n be a positive integer. The length of the first branch is L1;
[0020] Where, λ b The wavelength of the waveguide branch during lateral bending vibration.
[0021] This allows the first branch to form a stable standing wave, thus improving the arch-breaking effect.
[0022] Optionally, the waveguide branch further includes at least one third branch, which is disposed at the end of the first branch away from the waveguide body and extends along the axial direction of the first branch.
[0023] This is to further improve the ultrasonic vibration effect of the waveguide.
[0024] Optionally, the waveguide branch further includes at least one fourth branch, which is disposed at the second end of the waveguide body and extends along the axial direction of the waveguide body.
[0025] This is to further improve the ultrasonic vibration effect of the waveguide.
[0026] Optionally, the periphery of the curing tank is provided with a steam jacket for steam to pass through.
[0027] Therefore, by indirectly heating the foam particles inside the curing tank through the tank wall, a suitable curing temperature is maintained inside the tank. This indirect heating method avoids localized overheating or overheating caused by direct contact between steam and foam particles.
[0028] Secondly, an intelligent foam board molding production line is provided, including a pre-expansion device, a molding device, and the aforementioned curing device; the pre-expansion device is used to heat the foam particles; the curing device is connected to the pre-expansion device to cure the foam particles; the molding device is connected to the curing device to process the foam particles into foam boards.
[0029] Therefore, the intelligent foam board molding production line includes the aforementioned curing device, which improves both the production quality and manufacturing efficiency of the foam boards produced by the intelligent molding production line.
[0030] Optionally, the pre-launch device includes: A pre-filled tank for containing the foam particles; A stirring assembly is connected to the pre-expansion tank to rotate and stir the foam particles inside the pre-expansion tank; A pre-steam pipeline is used to introduce high-temperature steam into the pre-steam tank; A pre-vacuum line is used to evacuate the pre-vacuum tank; A pre-launching three-way control valve is connected to the pre-launching tank, the pre-launching steam pipeline, and the pre-launching vacuum pipeline to alternately connect the pre-launching tank with the pre-launching steam pipeline and the pre-launching vacuum pipeline at a set frequency.
[0031] Therefore, when it is necessary to heat the foam particles in the preheating tank, the preheating three-way control valve connects the preheating tank to the preheating steam pipeline to introduce high-temperature steam into the preheating tank. The preheating tank achieves intermittent alternating connection with the preheating steam pipeline and the preheating vacuum pipeline through the preheating three-way control valve. When the preheating three-way control valve connects the preheating tank to the preheating vacuum pipeline, excess saturated steam and condensate droplets generated by heat exchange in the preheating tank are forcibly drawn out under the action of vacuum negative pressure, removing the condensate water adhering to the surface of the foam particles, completely solving the problem of condensate water covering the surface of the foam particles, and greatly improving the steam penetration ability and heat transfer efficiency of the next pulse cycle.
[0032] Optionally, the molding apparatus includes: Main body of the fuselage; A molding die is disposed on the main body of the machine body, and the molding die is used to process the foam particles into foam boards; A forming steam pipeline is connected to the forming mold to introduce high-temperature steam into the forming mold; A forming vacuum line is connected to the forming mold to evacuate the forming mold; A condensate drain pipe is connected to the molding mold to drain the condensate inside the molding mold.
[0033] Therefore, the forming steam pipeline and forming vacuum pipeline are connected to the forming mold to introduce high-temperature steam or create a vacuum inside the forming mold. After molding, the forming mold can be evacuated through the forming vacuum pipeline to rapidly vaporize the condensate adhering to the surface of the high-temperature workpiece, carrying away a large amount of latent heat from the workpiece. Furthermore, to ensure the inside of the mold remains dry, a condensate drain pipeline is connected to the forming mold to drain the condensate inside.
[0034] Optionally, it also includes a steam tank and a vacuum tank, wherein the steam tank is connected to the pre-steam pipeline, the curing tank, and the forming steam pipeline, and the vacuum tank is connected to the pre-vacuum pipeline and the forming vacuum pipeline.
[0035] Therefore, the entire production line shares a single steam tank and vacuum tank, which can effectively reduce the repeated purchase of equipment such as steam tanks and vacuum tanks, and help reduce the construction cost of the production line.
[0036] Thirdly, a smart foam board molding method is provided, employing the aforementioned smart foam board molding production line, including: Start the steam tank and vacuum tank; The foam particles are conveyed to the pre-expansion device, and the pre-expansion three-way control valve controls the pre-expansion tank to alternately connect with the pre-expansion steam pipeline and the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline at a set frequency. The pre-expanded foam particles are transported to the curing device, the ultrasonic mechanism is activated, and high-temperature steam is introduced into the steam jacket of the curing tank. The matured foam particles are conveyed to the molding device, the molding device is controlled to close the mold and high-temperature steam is introduced into the molding mold. After the foam particles are formed into foam boards, the molding mold is evacuated through the molding vacuum pipeline to cool and solidify the foam boards.
[0037] Therefore, the above-mentioned intelligent foam board molding method adopts the above-mentioned intelligent foam board molding production line, which has a high degree of intelligence and automation, and can effectively improve the molding quality and molding efficiency of foam boards. Attached Figure Description
[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this disclosure.
[0039] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the curing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the curing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 3 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the curing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the waveguide structure according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the curing device according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 7This is a control hierarchy diagram of the curing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent foam board molding production line according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-firing device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 1 ; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-firing device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 2 ; Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the pre-firing device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the operation process of the pre-launch device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 13 This is a control hierarchy diagram of the pre-launch device according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 1 ; Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 2 ; Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 3 ; Figure 17 for Figure 16 A schematic cross-sectional view along the AA direction; Figure 18 for Figure 16 A cross-sectional view along the BB direction; Figure 19 This is a partial structural diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 1 ; Figure 20 This is a partial structural diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure. Figure 2 ; Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the upper and lower cavities of other structural designs in Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the forming device using a T-shaped slider and a T-shaped groove according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the T-shaped slider and the upper cavity in Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the upper template with a T-shaped groove according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 25 For along Figure 24 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction; Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram of the insertion of the T-shaped slider and the T-shaped groove in Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram of the operation flow of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure; Figure 28 This is a control hierarchy diagram of the molding apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of this disclosure.
[0041] in: 1. Pre-feeding device; 11. Pre-feeding tank; 111. Pre-feeding inlet; 112. Pulse diverter plate; 113. Pre-feeding discharge pipe; 1131. Pre-feeding discharge valve; 114. Pre-feeding pressure relief valve; 115. Pre-feeding temperature sensor; 12. Stirring assembly; 121. Stirring motor; 122. Stirring shaft; 13. Preheated steam pipeline; 131. Pulse steam valve; 14. Pre-vacuum line; 15. Pre-vacuum three-way control valve; 16. Particle size detector; 17. Pre-vacuum controller; 2. Curing device; 21. Curing tank; 211. Transducer mounting plate; 212. Gasket; 22. Ultrasonic assembly; 221. Ultrasonic generator; 222. Ultrasonic transducer; 23. Waveguide; 231. Waveguide body; 2311. Amplifier; 232. Waveguide branch; 2321. First branch; 2322. Second branch; 2323. Third branch; 2324. Fourth branch; 24. Curing feed pipe; 241. Curing feed valve; 25. Curing discharge pipe; 251. Curing discharge valve; 26. Curing steam pipe; 261. Curing steam valve; 27. Curing pressure sensor; 28. Curing temperature sensor; 3. Molding device; 31. Main body of the machine; 311. Main cylinder; 312. Molding feed pipe; 3121. Molding feed valve; 313. Guide column; 314. Side cylinder; 315. Pneumatic ejection mechanism; 32. Molding mold; 321. Upper template; 322. Upper cavity; 3221. T-block; 323. Lower cavity; 324. Lower template; 325. Positioning pin; 326. Molding temperature sensor; 327. Molding pressure sensor; 328. T-slider; 3281. Guide structure; 329. T-groove; 3210. Movable pin; 33. Molding steam piping; 34. Molding vacuum piping; 341. Molding vacuum chamber; 35. Condensate drain pipe; 351. Condensate collection tank; 36. Molding three-way control valve; 37. Molding controller; 4. Steam tank; 5. Vacuum tank. Detailed Implementation
[0042] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the solutions disclosed herein will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.
[0043] Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this disclosure, but this disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some, and not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure.
[0044] Example 1 Refrigerators, as an indispensable home appliance in modern households, are large, heavy, and have a delicate internal structure, making them highly susceptible to damage from collisions and drops during storage, loading and unloading, and long-distance transportation. Currently, refrigerator packaging protection mainly uses corrugated cardboard boxes and expandable polystyrene foam for cushioning protection.
[0045] Expandable polystyrene foam is a lightweight polymer material with polystyrene resin as its matrix and a large number of closed-cell structures. Due to its excellent cushioning, heat insulation, and ease of processing, it is widely used in refrigerator packaging. Expandable polystyrene foam boards mainly involve three core processes: pre-foaming, curing, and molding. Foam particles are pre-foamed and cured before being molded into foam boards.
[0046] In the curing process, to prevent loose foam particles from accumulating and sticking together in the curing device, resulting in arching or bridging, existing curing devices all use mechanical stirring devices to continuously stir the foam particles. However, this method causes the foam particles to come into hard mechanical contact with the mechanical stirring device, which not only leads to damage to the foam particles and affects subsequent molding and manufacturing, but also creates stirring dead zones. That is, foam particles that are far away from the mechanical stirring device may still arch due to uneven stirring, which is not conducive to the production and manufacturing of foam boards.
[0047] Therefore, this embodiment proposes a curing device. The curing device transmits ultrasonic vibration energy to the foam particle pile in the curing device through the ultrasonic component 22 and waveguide 23 of the ultrasonic mechanism. The high-frequency vibration of the waveguide 23 causes the foam particles to generate micro-vibration, which disrupts the static balance between the foam particles. There is no stirring-type mechanical hard contact between the waveguide 23 and the foam particles, so the integrity of the foam particles will not be damaged. Moreover, the vibration energy can cause the foam particles in all parts of the curing tank 21 to generate micro-vibration, without dead corners. It can effectively prevent the arching of foam particles and improve the production quality and manufacturing efficiency of foam boards.
[0048] Specifically, the specific structure of the curing device in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the curing device 2 includes a curing tank 21 and an ultrasonic mechanism. The curing tank 21 is used to contain foam particles, which accumulate in the curing tank 21 to form a particle pile. The ultrasonic mechanism includes an ultrasonic component 22 and a waveguide 23. The waveguide 23 is disposed inside the curing tank 21 and inserted into the particle pile. The ultrasonic component 22 is connected to the waveguide 23 to transfer ultrasonic vibration energy to the particle pile.
[0049] That is, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the curing tank 21 in this embodiment is hollow inside. The curing tank 21 is equipped with a curing feed pipe 24 for the foam particles to enter and a curing discharge pipe 25 for the foam particles to exit. A curing feed valve 241 and a curing discharge valve 251 are correspondingly provided on the curing feed pipe 24 and the curing discharge pipe 25 to control the feeding and discharging of the foam particles. The ultrasonic mechanism includes an ultrasonic component 22 and a waveguide 23, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasonic component 22 includes an ultrasonic generator 221 and an ultrasonic transducer 222. The ultrasonic generator 221 and ultrasonic transducer 222 are existing ultrasonic devices in the field. The ultrasonic generator 221 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 222 via an electrical cable. The output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 is rigidly connected to one end of the waveguide 23. The waveguide 23 extends vertically downwards into the lower section of the particle stack in the curing tank 21.
[0050] During the curing process of foam particles, the ultrasonic generator 221 of the ultrasonic component 22 generates a high-frequency electrical signal and transmits it to the ultrasonic transducer 222. The ultrasonic transducer 222 receives the high-frequency electrical signal from the ultrasonic generator 221 and, utilizing the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric ceramics, converts the high-frequency electrical signal into high-frequency mechanical vibration displacement to form ultrasonic vibration energy. This ultrasonic vibration energy is transmitted to the particle pile in the curing tank 21 through the waveguide 23. The waveguide 23 can evenly radiate the vibration energy into the particle pile, causing the foam particles to generate micro-amplitude high-frequency vibrations. This vibration disrupts the static balance and mechanical meshing between particles, effectively preventing the "arching" phenomenon (i.e., arching or bridging) caused by the accumulation of foam particles in the curing tank 21, ensuring the fluidity of the particles and the smoothness of the discharge during the curing process. Compared with traditional mechanical stirring or vibrating screen methods, ultrasonic anti-arching has no mechanical hard contact, will not cause damage to the foam particles, and has lower energy consumption.
[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, a transducer mounting plate 211 is fixedly welded to the top of the curing tank 21. The ultrasonic transducer 222 is welded to the flange and fixed to the transducer mounting plate 211 by bolts and fasteners. A gasket 212 can be installed at the contact surface. The output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 is connected to the waveguide 23 through another set of flanges. In order to reduce the interface acoustic energy loss, a special acoustic coupling agent can be pre-coated on the gasket 212 and the flange contact surface.
[0052] In some embodiments, to ensure the long-term stable operation of ultrasonic arch breaking, this embodiment follows the principles of acoustic impedance matching and resonant coupling, and the specific quantitative implementation method is as follows: 1) Regarding acoustic impedance matching and energy transfer: It is understandable that the ultrasonic vibration energy generated by the ultrasonic component 22 is further transmitted to the particle pile in the curing tank 21 through the waveguide 23. When the ultrasonic vibration energy is transmitted in the metal medium such as the waveguide 23, it is transmitted in the form of sound waves. The waveguide 23 can be regarded as a conduit for transmitting sound waves. The connection between the waveguide 23 and the ultrasonic transducer 222 affects the waveguide performance of the waveguide 23 (i.e., the smoothness of wave guidance). When the sound wave propagates at the interface between two media with different acoustic impedance characteristics (i.e., when the sound wave propagates from the output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 to the input end of the waveguide 23), if there is an acoustic impedance mismatch, some of the energy of the incident sound wave will not be able to penetrate the interface into the second medium, but will return to the first medium in the form of a reflected wave. This will result in loss or dissipation during the sound wave transmission process. In other words, if there is an acoustic impedance mismatch at the connection between the waveguide 23 and the ultrasonic transducer 222, the sound wave at the output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 will not be completely propagated to the waveguide 23, and some will be dissipated.
[0053] Therefore, to avoid sound wave reflection and dissipation at the propagation interface, the output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 and the input end of the waveguide 23 must meet acoustic impedance matching and reflection coefficient requirements. The calculation formula is:
[0054] in: R is the reflection coefficient, which is dimensionless; Z waveguide and Z transducer The characteristic acoustic impedances of waveguide 23 and ultrasonic transducer 222 are given in kg / (m²). 2 ·s).
[0055] in:
[0056]
[0057] ρ waveguide and ρ transducer The material densities at the output ends of waveguide 23 and ultrasonic transducer 222 are respectively, in kg / m³. 3 ; C waveguide and C transducer The longitudinal wave velocity of the material at the output ends of waveguide 23 and ultrasonic transducer 222 are respectively, in m / s.
[0058] In this embodiment, both the output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 and the waveguide 23 are made of TC4 titanium alloy, so that the reflection coefficient R at the joint surface is theoretically close to 0. This means that vibration energy can be transmitted from the output end of the ultrasonic transducer 222 to the waveguide 23 almost without hindrance.
[0059] 2) Regarding the satisfaction of the half-wavelength resonance condition: In order for waveguide 23 to generate the maximum amplitude output to effectively break the arch, the length L of waveguide 23 must satisfy the half-wavelength resonance condition, that is:
[0060] in: L is the length L of waveguide 23, that is, as Figure 2 The length L shown is in meters. C waveguide The longitudinal wave velocity of the waveguide 23 is expressed in m / s. In this embodiment, the waveguide 23 is made of TC4 titanium alloy, which has a sound velocity of approximately 5100 m / s. f is the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 221 or the ultrasonic transducer 222, in Hz. In this embodiment, the operating frequency f is 20kHz, and the ultrasonic generator 221 and the ultrasonic transducer 222 have the same operating frequency. Substituting into the formula, the length L of the waveguide 23 needs to be at least 0.1275m, or 12.75 cm; or, the length L of the waveguide 23 can be set to an odd multiple of 12.75 cm. This is because, in the theory of ultrasonic standing waves, the end of the waveguide 23 that is rigidly connected to the ultrasonic transducer 222 is a fixed end, and the vibration displacement of this fixed end is close to zero nodes. The end of the waveguide 23 that extends into the particle pile of the curing tank 21 is a free end, and the vibration displacement of this free end should be the largest. Ideally, the position of the free end of the waveguide 23 should fall at an antinode, and the distance from the node to the adjacent antinode should be exactly one-quarter wavelength. Therefore, in order to ensure that the position of the free end falls exactly at an antinode, the length L of the waveguide 23 should be set to at least an odd multiple. For example, in this embodiment, the length L of the waveguide 23 is set to 114.75 cm, which is 9 times 12.75 cm. With this design, the waveguide 23 is positioned at the antinode, enabling it to generate the maximum amplitude of mechanical displacement.
[0061] 3) Critical acceleration condition for particle vibration response: When waveguide 23 vibrates, the maximum vibration acceleration generated at its end is:
[0062] in: a max The maximum vibration acceleration is expressed in m / s². 2 ; f is the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 221 or ultrasonic transducer 222, in Hz. A0 is the end amplitude, in meters (m). It is understandable that A0 is the end amplitude, which can be adjusted by regulating the output power of the ultrasonic generator 221. In order to transform the foam particles from an arched static state to a fluidized state, the a-value of the waveguide 23 is required to be adjusted. max It needs to be greater than the critical detachment acceleration a of the foam particles. crit , where a crit Determined by the gravitational component, frictional force, and adhesive force of the foam particles, its approximate formula is:
[0063] in: a crit This represents the critical detachment acceleration of the foam particles, expressed in m / s². 2 ; g is the acceleration due to gravity, usually taken as 9.8 m / s². 2 ; φ is the friction angle, and its unit is radians (rad) or degrees (°). tan is the coefficient of friction, which is a dimensionless unit; F adhesion is the adhesion force, whose unit is N; is the equivalent mass, whose unit is kg; Accordingly, the output power of the ultrasonic generator 221 can be intelligently adjusted according to the adhesion characteristics of foam particles in different batches, so that the vibration acceleration a output by the waveguide tube 23 max just exceeds the critical detachment acceleration a of the foam particles crit , thereby achieving mild, efficient and non-destructive arch breaking.
[0064] In some embodiments, to further improve the ultrasonic arch prevention effect, the waveguide tube 23 may include a waveguide main body 231 and at least one waveguide branch body 232. The waveguide main body 231 has a first end connected to the ultrasonic assembly 22 and a second end extending into the particle pile, and the waveguide branch body 232 is disposed on the surface of the waveguide main body 231.
[0065] That is, as shown in Figure 4 , in some embodiments, the waveguide tube 23 includes a centrally located waveguide main body 231 and waveguide branch bodies 232 disposed on the outer periphery of the waveguide main body 231, and the waveguide branch bodies 232 are in communication with the waveguide main body 231. Exemplarily, a plurality of waveguide branch bodies 232 are provided, the plurality of waveguide branch bodies 232 are evenly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the waveguide main body 231 and arranged at intervals along the axial direction of the waveguide main body 231. In this embodiment, six waveguide branch bodies 232 are arranged on each layer of the outer periphery of the waveguide main body 231, and the six waveguide branch bodies 232 are approximately distributed in a "meter" shape, so that the overall vibration of the waveguide tube 23 is uniform, realizing 360° circumferential vibration radiation, which can effectively ensure uniform vibration stress and hardly generate torsional stress. In addition, other numbers of waveguide branch bodies 232 may also be disposed on the outer periphery of the waveguide main body 231, which can be designed and selected according to actual situations, including but not limited to the case where six waveguide branch bodies 232 are disposed on each layer of the outer periphery of the waveguide main body 231.
[0066] In some embodiments, the radial cross section of the first end of the waveguide main body 231 is smaller than the radial cross section of the second end of the waveguide main body 231.
[0067] That is, as shown in Figure 4 , the radial cross section of the first end of the waveguide main body 231 is the radial cross section d1 shown in Figure 4 , and the radial cross section of the second end of the waveguide main body 231 is the radial cross section shown in Figure 4As shown in the diagram, the radial cross-section d2 is smaller than the radial cross-section d1. Therefore, the waveguide body 231 has a structure with a small cross-section at one end (closer to the ultrasonic component 22) and a large cross-section at the other end (extending into the particle stack) to enhance the diffusion effect of ultrasonic vibration. It is understandable that when sound waves propagate in a solid medium, the shape of the wavefront is determined by the geometry of the medium, and the wavefront diffuses along the geometry. Therefore, by making the end cross-section of the waveguide body 231 larger, utilizing the physical characteristic that the wavefront naturally widens with the geometry, the ultrasonic wavefront will expand outward along the enlarged area, uniformly diffusing the axially concentrated vibration energy to a larger cross-section, thereby covering more particles and improving the arch-breaking effect. Generally, the ratio of radial cross-section d2 to radial cross-section d1 is suitable between 1.5 and 3. If the area ratio is too small, the amplification factor is insufficient; if the area ratio is too large, the structure is prone to breakage.
[0068] In some embodiments, the radial cross-section of the waveguide body 231 gradually increases from the first end to the second end of the waveguide body 231.
[0069] That is, in some embodiments, the waveguide body 231 can be made into a horn-shaped structure with a gradually increasing cross-section to uniformly improve the diffusion effect of ultrasonic vibration.
[0070] In some embodiments, the waveguide body 231 has at least one amplitude-changing portion 2311 disposed between the first end and the second end of the ultrasonic component 22, and the amplitude-changing portion 2311 is configured to reduce the radial cross-section of the waveguide body 231.
[0071] That is, such as Figure 5As shown, this embodiment provides an amplitude-variable section 2311 on the waveguide body 231 to reduce the radial cross-section of the waveguide body 231, thereby improving the long-distance transmission effect of ultrasonic vibration. It is understandable that, due to the relatively long overall length of the waveguide body 231, the ultrasonic vibration effect at the end of the waveguide body 231 will be slightly weaker than that at the top, as the length of the waveguide body 231 gradually increases. However, the friction of the foam particles is significant. If the ultrasonic vibration effect (i.e., amplitude) at the end of the waveguide body 231 is not large enough, the foam particles will only produce slight vibrations, failing to disrupt the static balance and easily leading to arching. However, if the output power of the ultrasonic component 22 is directly increased, although the ultrasonic vibration effect at the end of the waveguide body 231 will be enhanced, the ultrasonic component 22, operating at high output power for extended periods, may experience severe overheating or even burnout. Therefore, to improve the ultrasonic vibration effect of the waveguide body 231, this embodiment provides an amplitude transformer 2311 on the waveguide body 231 that can rapidly reduce the radial cross-section of the waveguide body 231. Under ideal conditions, without considering energy loss, the energy passing through the amplitude transformer 2311 is conserved. When the ultrasonic wave propagates through the stepped amplitude transformer 2311, due to a "sudden change in cross-section" (the cross-section changes from thick to thin), according to the law of conservation of energy, if the cross-sectional area suddenly decreases by half, in order to maintain a constant total energy, the vibration velocity at that cross-section must double (the vibration displacement and amplitude will also double accordingly). That is, the amplitude amplification factor of the stepped amplitude transformer 2311 is approximately equal to the ratio of the large cross-sectional area to the small cross-sectional area. If the end cross-section of the amplitude transformer 2311 is made to be 1 / 4 of the front cross-section, the end amplitude can be amplified by 4 times. The specific configuration of the amplitude transformer 2311 can be selected according to actual design requirements; in this embodiment, the end cross-section of the amplitude transformer 2311 is made to be 1 / 2 of the front cross-section.
[0072] In some embodiments, the waveguide branch 232 includes a first branch 2321 and a second branch 2322. The first branch 2321 is connected to the waveguide body 231, and the second branch 2322 is disposed on the surface of the first branch 2321 and extends radially along the first branch 2321.
[0073] That is, such as Figure 4 As shown, the waveguide branch 232 in this embodiment includes a first branch 2321 and a second branch 2322. Multiple second branches 2322 are disposed on the first branch 2321 so that the waveguide branch 232 as a whole has a tree-like structure, thereby increasing the vibration point wave source and forming multi-point dispersed vibration to increase the vibration anti-arching effect.
[0074] Optionally, in some embodiments, the distance between two adjacent first branch bodies 2321 along the axial direction of the waveguide body 231 is P (in meters).
[0075] in: P is the distance between two adjacent first branch bodies 2321, that is... Figure 4 The spacing P is shown. C waveguide The longitudinal wave velocity of the waveguide 23 is expressed in m / s. In this embodiment, the waveguide 23 is made of TC4 titanium alloy, which has a sound velocity of approximately 5100 m / s. f is the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 221 or the ultrasonic transducer 222, in Hz. In this embodiment, the operating frequency f is 20 kHz, and the ultrasonic generator 221 and the ultrasonic transducer 222 have the same operating frequency. n is a positive integer, and in this embodiment, n is 1. That is, the distance P between the two first branch bodies 2321 in this embodiment is preferably 0.1275 m, or 12.75 cm, which can form a stable standing wave and make the arch-breaking effect more obvious.
[0076] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the length of the first branch 2321 is L1:
[0077] in: L1 is Figure 4 The length of the first branch 2321 is in meters (m). λ b The wavelength of the waveguide branch 232 during transverse bending vibration is given in meters (m), and it depends on the moment of inertia of its cross section and the elastic modulus of the material.
[0078]
[0079] f is the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 221 or ultrasonic transducer 222, in Hz. V b The phase velocity of the flexural wave is not a fixed value; it is determined by both the material and the geometric cross-section.
[0080]
[0081] in: f is the operating frequency of the ultrasonic generator 221 or the ultrasonic transducer 222. E is the elastic modulus of the material, with units of Pa; ρ is the material density of the first branch 2321, in kg / m³. 3 ; A is the cross-sectional area of the first branch 2321, in m². I is the moment of inertia of the cross section of the first branch body 2321, in meters. 4 ; Therefore, when the waveguide body 231 is excited, the root of the first branch 2321 (that is, the connection between the first branch 2321 and the waveguide body 231) is a node (fixed point), and the end of the first branch 2321 (that is, the free end) is an antinode (maximum amplitude point). Thus, the high-frequency large amplitude displacement of the end of the first branch 2321 can directly break the bridging phenomenon of foam particles, so as to achieve ultrasonic arch breaking.
[0082] Optionally, in some embodiments, the waveguide branch 232 further includes at least one third branch 2323, which is disposed at one end of the first branch 2321 away from the waveguide body 231 and extends along the axial direction of the first branch 2321.
[0083] That is, such as Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of third branches 2323 are provided at one end of the first branch 2321 away from the waveguide body 231. The plurality of third branches 2323 are connected to the end face of the free end of the first branch 2321 and extend along the axial direction of the first branch 2321, thereby facilitating further improvement of the ultrasonic vibration effect of the waveguide 23.
[0084] In some embodiments, the waveguide branch 232 further includes at least one fourth branch 2324, which is disposed at the second end of the waveguide body 231 and extends along the axial direction of the waveguide body 231.
[0085] That is, such as Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of fourth branches 2324 are provided on the end face of the second end of the waveguide body 231. The plurality of fourth branches 2324 extend along the axial direction of the waveguide body 231 to further enhance the ultrasonic vibration effect of the waveguide tube 23.
[0086] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the curing tank 21 has a steam jacket on its peripheral wall for steam to pass through. That is, the curing tank 21 has a steam jacket on its peripheral wall, and the curing device 2 has a curing steam pipe 26 communicating with this jacket. A curing steam valve 261 is installed on the curing steam pipe 26, which is connected to a steam source. During the curing process, high-temperature steam enters the steam jacket through the curing steam pipe 26 and indirectly heats the foam particles inside the curing tank 21 through the tank wall, thus maintaining a suitable curing temperature inside the tank (usually a stable value within the range of 18℃-25℃, which can be set according to the process). This indirect heating method avoids localized overheating or excessive moisture caused by direct contact between steam and foam particles.
[0087] In some embodiments, the curing device 2 further includes a high-level material sensor and a low-level material sensor, which are spaced apart in the curing tank 21 to detect the material height in the tank in real time, so as to realize automatic feeding and discharging start and stop control.
[0088] In some embodiments, the curing device 2 further includes a curing temperature sensor 28, which is disposed on the top of the curing tank 21. It is used to monitor the temperature inside the tank in real time and feed the data back to the control system. The control system adjusts the on / off or flow rate of the jacketed steam accordingly to maintain a constant curing temperature.
[0089] In some embodiments, the curing device 2 further includes a curing pressure sensor 27, which is disposed on the side wall of the curing tank 21 to monitor the pressure inside the tank and prevent excessive pressure caused by blockage or abnormality.
[0090] In some embodiments, the curing device 2 further includes a curing device controller, which is arranged on a bracket on the bottom outer side of the curing tank 21. Its input port is connected to a high-level material sensor, a low-level material sensor, a curing pressure sensor 27, and a curing temperature sensor 28 via an industrial bus, and its output port is connected to an ultrasonic generator 221, a curing feed valve 241, a curing discharge valve 251, and a curing steam valve 261, respectively.
[0091] For example, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 The specific operation flow of the curing device 2 in this embodiment is as follows: 1) Feeding and vibration start-up stage: The curing device controller opens the curing feed valve 241 and closes the curing discharge valve 251. The pre-expanded foam particles enter the curing tank 21 through the curing feed pipe 24. When the material in the tank reaches the installation height of the high-level material sensor, the high-level material sensor instantly transmits a full-material signal to the curing device controller. The curing device controller then closes the curing feed valve 241 and immediately activates the ultrasonic generator 221, causing the waveguide 23 to vibrate at high frequency, initiating dynamic arch breaking of the material in the tank to prevent initial bridging after feeding.
[0092] 2) Heating, ripening, and temperature / pressure monitoring stage: The curing unit controller opens the curing steam valve 261, introducing high-temperature steam into the steam jacket of the tank. During this period, the curing temperature sensor 28 feeds back the tank temperature (target temperature set to 40℃ to 45℃) to the curing unit controller in real time; the curing pressure sensor 27 monitors the steam pressure in the jacket in real time and feeds it back to the curing unit controller; curing time determination (core process): The curing time in this embodiment is not a fixed value. The curing unit controller has a built-in "temperature and pressure bistable determination algorithm".
[0093] During the heating phase: the steam jacket pressure is high (0.1MPa to 0.15MPa), and the temperature inside the tank rises rapidly.
[0094] Later stage of curing: When the temperature inside the tank approaches the target set value, the PID algorithm automatically reduces the opening of the curing steam valve 261. At this time, the steam jacket pressure drops to a lower insulation pressure (0.02MPa to 0.05MPa).
[0095] Duration determination logic: When the value fed back by the ripening temperature sensor 28 maintains a stable deviation (e.g., ±0.5℃) around the target value, and the pressure fed back by the ripening pressure sensor 27 is also stable within the heat preservation pressure range for more than 15 consecutive minutes without significant fluctuations, the ripening device controller determines that the batch of materials has been fully ripened and the heating process ends.
[0096] 3) Discharge and anti-vibration protection stage: When the curing unit controller issues a curing completion command, it opens the curing discharge valve 251, and the cured foam particles are conveyed to the next process through the curing discharge pipe 25. As the material is discharged, the material height decreases. When all the material is discharged and falls below the detection height of the low-level material sensor, the low-level material sensor issues an empty tank alarm signal. Upon receiving the signal, the curing unit controller immediately cuts off the power supply to the ultrasonic generator 221 to prevent the ultrasonic transducer 222 from "empty vibration" without any material load damping, thus greatly avoiding fatigue damage to the waveguide 23 and the ultrasonic transducer 222 caused by high-frequency mechanical vibration.
[0097] 4) Safety redundancy and manual assistance In actual industrial production, if the pressure exceeds the limit due to heat accumulation, the curing device controller will immediately close the curing steam valve 261 and forcibly shut down the ultrasonic generator 221. Some curing tanks 21 are equipped with an openable manual inspection window. In extreme cases, operators can quickly open the manual inspection window located on the top of the curing tank 21 to manually intervene and physically eliminate arching or adhesion inside the tank, ensuring that the entire automated curing equipment operates in a safe and orderly manner.
[0098] Example 2 This embodiment provides an intelligent foam board molding production line, such as Figure 8 As shown, it includes a pre-expansion device 1, a molding device 3, and the aforementioned curing device 2; the pre-expansion device 1 is used to heat the foam particles; the curing device 2 is connected to the pre-expansion device 1 to cure the foam particles; the molding device 3 is connected to the curing device 2 to process the foam particles into foam boards. Thus, intelligent molding and manufacturing of foam boards is realized.
[0099] Specifically, the pre-fermentation device 1 includes a pre-fermentation tank 11, a stirring assembly 12, a pre-fermentation steam pipeline 13, a pre-fermentation vacuum pipeline 14, and a pre-fermentation three-way control valve 15. The pre-fermentation tank 11 is used to contain foam particles. The stirring assembly 12 is connected to the pre-fermentation tank 11 to rotate and stir the foam particles inside the pre-fermentation tank 11. The pre-fermentation steam pipeline 13 is used to introduce high-temperature steam into the pre-fermentation tank 11. The pre-fermentation vacuum pipeline 14 is used to evacuate the pre-fermentation tank 11. The pre-fermentation three-way control valve 15 is connected to the pre-fermentation tank 11, the pre-fermentation steam pipeline 13, and the pre-fermentation vacuum pipeline 14 to alternately connect the pre-fermentation tank 11 with the pre-fermentation steam pipeline 13 and the pre-fermentation vacuum pipeline 14 at a set frequency.
[0100] That is, such as Figures 9 to 11 As shown, the top of the pre-fermentation tank 11 in this embodiment is provided with a pre-fermentation inlet 111, and a flip plate is provided at the pre-fermentation inlet 111 to enable opening or closing.
[0101] Foam particles enter the pre-expansion tank 11 through the pre-expansion inlet 111. The pre-expansion tank 11 is equipped with a stirring assembly 12 to continuously stir the foam particles inside the tank. The pre-expansion tank 11 is connected to an external steam source through a pre-expansion steam pipeline 13 and to an external vacuum source through a pre-expansion vacuum pipeline 14. The pre-expansion tank 11, the pre-expansion steam pipeline 13, and the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline 14 are switched and connected through a pre-expansion three-way control valve 15. The pre-expansion three-way control valve 15 is a three-way valve. When it is necessary to heat the foam particles in the pre-expansion tank 11, the pre-expansion three-way control valve 15 connects the pre-expansion tank 11 to the pre-expansion steam pipeline 13 to introduce high-temperature steam into the pre-expansion tank 11. The pre-launch tank 11 is intermittently connected to the pre-launch steam pipeline 13 and the pre-launch vacuum pipeline 14 through the pre-launch three-way control valve 15. When the pre-launch three-way control valve 15 connects the pre-launch tank 11 to the pre-launch vacuum pipeline 14, the excess saturated steam and condensate droplets generated by heat exchange in the pre-launch tank 11 will be forcibly sucked out under the action of vacuum negative pressure, removing the condensate water attached to the surface of the foam particles, completely solving the problem of the foam particles being covered by condensate water (forming a water film), and greatly improving the steam penetration ability and heat transfer efficiency of the next pulse cycle.
[0102] More specifically, a pulse steam valve 131 is installed on the pre-steam pipeline 13, which is an actuator for pulse control and can generate pulsed steam by high-frequency switching. In this embodiment, the pre-steam tank 11 is cylindrical with a funnel-shaped bottom to accommodate foam particles for expansion reaction. The pre-steam tank 11 is fixedly installed on a cement base in the factory workshop by base mounting bolts to ensure that the equipment remains structurally stable under the vibration environment of stirring and pulsed steam injection.
[0103] The stirring assembly 12 includes a stirring motor 121 and a stirring shaft 122 driven by the stirring motor 121. A motor mounting bracket is installed at the top center of the pre-fermentation tank 11. The stirring motor 121 is bolted to the motor mounting bracket, and its vertically downward-facing output shaft passes through the bottom of the motor mounting bracket and extends into the pre-fermentation tank 11. Inside the pre-fermentation tank 11, the output shaft of the stirring motor 121 is coaxially connected to the stirring shaft 122 via a coupling. This coupling allows for a certain degree of installation error while effectively transmitting torque, ensuring that the stirring shaft 122 performs smooth and efficient tumbling stirring within the tank.
[0104] The structure of the stirring shaft 122 in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the stirring shaft 122 is a double-helix circular stirring shaft, meaning the main body of the stirring shaft 122 has a circular outline, and stirring blades with a double-helix orientation are provided on the shaft. Compared with the traditional single-shaft blade stirring, this structure increases the tumbling area and tumbling frequency of foam particles during the stirring process, so that foam particles in different positions in the pre-fermentation tank 11 can obtain uniform heating opportunities, avoiding particle adhesion or local overheating. That is, the stirring shaft 122 in this embodiment adopts an elliptical cross-section blade design. This design, combined with the double-helix structure, can generate a composite circulation flow of internal and external and axial forces during the stirring process, forming two strong convection currents in the tank. This not only effectively eliminates the "inefficient stirring zone" of traditional mixers, but also uses its "axial driving force" to make the material roll up and down and move axially, greatly improving the homogeneity of the material. At the same time, the elliptical cross-section design can effectively avoid the squeezing and scratching of foam particles by sharp edges, maximizing the protection of the integrity of the foam particles.
[0105] In some embodiments, a pulse diverter plate 112 is also provided inside the preheating tank 11. The pulse diverter plate 112 is specifically horizontally disposed at the bottom of the preheating tank 11. The pulse diverter plate 112 is distributed with a large number of micropores. The pulse diverter plate 112 is used to divide the bundle of steam jets entering the bottom of the preheating tank 11 from the preheating steam pipeline 13 into multiple fine jets, so that the steam enters the foam particle layer inside the preheating tank 11 in a dispersed and uniform manner, and keeps the foam particles in the tank in a suspended state. This greatly increases the contact surface between the particles and the steam, and can effectively avoid local overheating and uneven particle expansion caused by concentrated heating of the bundle of jets.
[0106] In some embodiments, the pre-foaming device 1 further includes a particle size detector 16. The pre-foaming tank 11 has a pre-discharge pipe 113 and a pre-discharge valve 1131. The particle size detector 16 is disposed on the pre-discharge pipe 113 and is used to detect the particle size of the foamed particles in real time during the discharge process, and transmit the particle size data to the pre-foaming controller 17 in real time. The pre-foaming controller 17 automatically adjusts parameters such as the duration of pulse steam, steam pressure, and stirring speed according to the difference between the particle size feedback value and the target value, forming a closed-loop control of the foaming process. The pre-discharge valve 1131 automatically opens or closes after detection or according to the production cycle. The particle size detector 16 is disposed at the front end of the pre-discharge valve 1131, enabling visual or laser diameter measurement of the discharged particles in the first instance without valve throttling. Optionally, in this embodiment, the particle size detector 16 uses a CCD image sensor or laser scattering principle to quantify the particle diameter online.
[0107] In some embodiments, a pre-fermentation temperature sensor 115 and a pre-fermentation pressure relief valve 114 are also provided on the top of the pre-fermentation tank 11. The pre-fermentation temperature sensor 115 monitors the temperature inside the pre-fermentation tank 11 in real time and sends the data to the control system. When the pressure inside the tank exceeds a safety threshold, the pre-fermentation pressure relief valve 114 automatically opens to relieve pressure, ensuring production safety. A terminal or interface of the control system is provided on the side wall of the pre-fermentation tank 11 for centralized control of all actuators and sensors of the pre-fermentation device.
[0108] like Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the specific operation flow of the pre-release device 1 in this embodiment is as follows: 1) Preparation stage: After the pre-firing device 1 is powered on, the pre-firing controller 17 performs I / O port diagnostics. First, it confirms that the pre-firing pressure relief valve 114 is closed, the pre-firing discharge valve 1131 is closed, and the pre-firing three-way control valve 15 is in the neutral cut-off mode. Subsequently, the raw materials are automatically and quantitatively fed into the pre-firing tank 11 through the pre-firing inlet 111 according to the preset capacity for a single batch.
[0109] 2) Pulse heating and suspension stirring stage: After feeding is completed, the pre-steam controller 17 drives the stirring motor 121, which in turn drives the stirring shaft 122 to rotate at a speed of 40 r / min to 60 r / min via a coupling. Due to the special design of the double-helix structure, the foam particles can not only tumble up and down in the tank, but also form a composite convection in the axial direction, so that the material is evenly distributed in all spaces in the tank and dead zones are avoided. At the same time, the pre-steam controller 17 drives the pre-steam three-way control valve 15 to open the pre-steam pipeline 13, and outputs a high-frequency PWM signal to drive the pulse steam valve 131 to intermittently inject steam. High-temperature and high-pressure pulse steam (pressure set to 0.15MPa to 0.25MPa) enters the bottom of the tank in a pulse jet state. After being evenly dispersed by the pulse diverter plate 112, the concentrated beam jet is transformed into multiple fine jets, which blow the foam particles in the tank into a suspended state. The umbrella-shaped stable airflow passes through the suspended bead layer, which greatly increases the heat transfer contact surface between the steam and the beads, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.
[0110] 3) Vacuum pressure differential drainage and water film breaking stage: When the pulse steam valve 131 closes and enters the pulse interval (the interval time is usually 1 to 3 seconds), the pre-launch controller 17 instantly switches the pre-launch three-way control valve 15 to connect the pre-launch vacuum pipeline 14. At this time, the external vacuum pump generates negative pressure (vacuum degree controlled between -0.05 MPa and -0.08 MPa), utilizing the characteristic that the pressure inside the pre-launch tank 11 is much higher than the pressure in the pre-launch vacuum pipeline 14 to create a strong pressure difference, forcibly sucking out excess saturated steam and condensate droplets generated by heat exchange from the tank. The ingenuity of this process lies in the forced discharge of condensate adhering to the surface of the foam particles, completely solving the problem of the foam particle surface being covered by condensate (forming a water film), and greatly improving the steam penetration ability and heat transfer efficiency of the next pulse cycle.
[0111] The basis for determining the pulse parameters of the pulse steam valve 131 of the preheating device 1 is as follows: The duty cycle (i.e., the ratio of single opening time to cycle time) and pulse frequency of the pulse steam valve 131 are calculated in real time by the pre-heating controller 17 based on the temperature signal fed back by the pre-heating temperature sensor 115. The pre-heating controller 17 adopts a PID closed-loop control algorithm: when the pre-heating temperature sensor 115 detects that the current tank temperature is lower than the set basic pre-heating temperature threshold (e.g., 95℃), the proportional term (P) of the PID algorithm will dominate the control, and the system will automatically increase the pulse duty cycle by more than 60% and the pulse frequency by more than 3 times per second for rapid heating; when the pre-heating temperature sensor 115 detects that the internal temperature has approached or reached the set target temperature (e.g., 105 to 110℃), the derivative term (D) of the controller will participate in the adjustment, and the system will smoothly reduce the duty cycle by 20% to 30% and reduce the pulse frequency to avoid overheating.
[0112] Regarding the intelligent closed-loop feedback of particle size: After the base pre-expansion timer (usually set to 120 to 180 seconds, dynamically adjusted according to steam pressure and raw material characteristics) reaches the end point, the pre-expansion controller 17 opens the pre-expansion discharge valve 1131. The expanded foam particles are discharged along the pre-expansion discharge pipe 113 under the assistance of air flow. When the particles pass through the particle size detector 16 installed at the front end (upstream) of the pre-expansion discharge valve 1131, the particle size detector 16 captures or scans the cross-section of the particles at a high speed of millisecond level, and calculates the real-time average particle size D current (unit: mm), and transmits it to the pre-expansion controller 17 in real time through the RS485 communication protocol.
[0113] The pre-expansion controller 17 is built with a strict data comparison and automatic decision-making process: If the data comparison determines that the particle size is qualified (that is, D current falls within the tolerance range of the target particle size D targe ±0.1mm), it is determined that the pre-expansion of this batch is completed, and it is automatically reset to prepare for feeding of the next batch; if the data comparison determines that the particle size is too small (insufficient pre-expansion), the pre-expansion controller 17 will enter the intelligent delayed expansion correction algorithm program. This algorithm automatically calculates the required supplementary expansion time , and the calculation formula is as follows:
[0114] Where: Δt is the supplementary expansion time, unit: s; K is an adaptive correction coefficient, which is globally assigned by the system in combination with the pressure fluctuation coefficient of the steam pipeline of this batch and the inherent characteristics of foam particles (the preferred range of K value is 0.4 to 0.6); T base is the total duration of the base pre-expansion that has been run for the current batch, unit: s; After the calculation result is obtained, the pre-expansion controller 17 will immediately close the pre-expansion discharge valve 1131, restore the system to a sealed state, and control the pre-expansion device 1 to re-execute the pulse heating, suspension dispersion and vacuum drainage cycles of the above steps 2) and 3), for a continuous operation duration .
[0115] Regarding the safeguard mechanism: After the delayed expansion, the pre-expansion controller 17 will re-trigger the particle size detector 16 for a second measurement. If the qualified particle size still cannot be achieved after the delayed expansion, the system will calculate the supplementary expansion time for the second time and perform the supplementary expansion again. When the number of supplementary expansion executions exceeds the preset upper limit (such as 5 times), or the second measurement finds that the particle size has been excessively expanded (D current exceeds D targe(Up to the upper limit), the pre-heating controller 17 will forcibly cut off the heating source and alarm, prompting the operator that there is an abnormality in the batch of raw materials, and manual intervention is required to check the quality of the raw materials or change the mold parameters, thereby achieving efficient and intelligent batch optimization.
[0116] Furthermore, during the operation of the pre-launching unit 1, the pre-launching pressure relief valve 114 remains mechanically on standby. If the pressure fluctuation in the pre-launching steam pipeline 13 causes an abnormal increase in the tank pressure, it will trigger the pre-launching pressure relief valve 114 to operate. The pressure switch at the tail end of the pre-launching pressure relief valve 114 will immediately send a pressure signal to the pre-launching controller 17. Upon receiving the abnormal pressure signal, the pre-launching controller 17 will bypass the normal process cycle and immediately execute the highest priority "pressure safety interruption" command: forcibly close the pulse steam valve 131 and forcibly switch the pre-launching three-way control valve 15 to connect to the pre-launching vacuum pipeline 14. The suction force of the external vacuum pump will be used to perform emergency negative pressure relief on the tank at maximum power, thereby achieving dual safety protection of "mechanical pressure relief + active negative pressure suction", which greatly improves the safety of continuous unmanned production lines in the use of pressure vessels.
[0117] Furthermore, the intelligent foam board molding production line of this embodiment also includes a molding device 3, such as... Figures 14 to 16 As shown, the molding device 3 includes a main body 31, a molding mold 32, a molding steam pipe 33, a molding vacuum pipe 34, and a condensate drain pipe 35. The molding mold 32 is mounted on the main body 31 and is used to process foam particles into foam boards. The molding steam pipe 33 is connected to the molding mold 32 to introduce high-temperature steam into the molding mold 32. The molding vacuum pipe 34 is connected to the molding mold 32 to evacuate the molding mold 32. The condensate drain pipe 35 is connected to the molding mold 32 to drain the condensate from the molding mold 32.
[0118] Specifically, the molding die 32 is used to mold foam particles to thermoplasticize the foam particles into a foam board. The molding die 32 is disposed on the main body 31 of the machine and includes an upper template 321, an upper cavity 322, a lower cavity 323, and a lower template 324. The upper cavity 322 is detachably installed below the upper template 321 by bolts or other fasteners, and the lower cavity 323 is detachably installed above the lower template 324 by bolts or other fasteners. Exemplarily, in this embodiment, the upper template 321 and the upper cavity 322, and the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324 are both connected by 12 sets of bolts. In order to ensure precise positioning after multiple mold closings and cavity replacements, positioning pins 325 are provided between the upper template 321 and the upper cavity 322, and between the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324. This positioning system is extremely rigorous, using a cylindrical positioning pin 325 and a beveled positioning pin 325 arranged diagonally for "one surface, two pins" positioning. The cylindrical locating pin 325 is used to restrict the movement of the cavity on the horizontal plane, and the chamfered locating pin 325 is specifically used to eliminate assembly interference caused by over-positioning, ensuring high-precision absolute positioning between the cavity and the template.
[0119] In this embodiment, the molding steam pipe 33 and the molding vacuum pipe 34 are connected to the molding mold 32 via a molding three-way control valve 36 to introduce high-temperature steam or create a vacuum inside the molding mold 32. Specifically, the upper cavity 322 or the lower cavity 323 is provided with through holes that communicate with the molding steam pipe 33 and the molding vacuum pipe 34. When the upper cavity 322 and the lower cavity 323 are closed, the molding steam pipe 33 and the molding vacuum pipe 34 can introduce high-temperature steam or create a vacuum in the closed molding mold 32. In this embodiment, the molding three-way control valve 36 is controlled by the control system and performs leak-free high-speed switching between heating and cooling stages.
[0120] The forming vacuum line 34 extends outward and connects to the forming vacuum box 341 located on the lower side. The forming vacuum box 341 has a large-volume vacuuming capacity. When flash cooling is activated, the upper cavity 322 and lower cavity 323 after mold closing are connected to the forming vacuum box 341. The internal pressure of the upper cavity 322 and lower cavity 323 after mold closing drops sharply, and the condensate adhering to the surface of the high-temperature workpiece quickly vaporizes, carrying away a large amount of latent heat from the workpiece. In order to ensure that the inside of the mold is dry, a condensate hole is provided at the bottom of the lower cavity 323. After being collected by the condensate discharge line 35, the condensate is drained into the condensate collection box 351 at the bottom, realizing the effective drainage of condensate.
[0121] In this embodiment, the main body 31 has a vertical frame structure, including a main cylinder 311 vertically mounted at the top. This main cylinder 311 provides the core lifting thrust for mold closing and demolding. Below the main cylinder 311, the pneumatic shaft of the main cylinder 311 is driven and connected to the upper template 321. To accurately feedback the physical stroke of the main cylinder 311, limit sensors are installed on the fixed sidewalls around the pneumatic shaft. These limit sensors can identify the downward pressure limit (mold closing position) and upward limit (maximum return stroke position of demolding) of the main cylinder 311 and feed the position electrical signal back to the molding controller 37 in real time. The molding controller 37 is specifically a control cabinet, which includes a PLC logic control module, a human-machine interface, and various electrical drive modules, serving as the "central brain" for the automated operation of the entire equipment.
[0122] The main body 31 also includes a forming feed pipe 312 that vertically penetrates the main cylinder 311. The forming feed pipe 312 passes through the inside of the main cylinder 311 and the upper cavity 322, and is directly connected to the mold cavity. A forming feed valve 3121 is connected in series to the exposed section at the upper end of the forming feed pipe 312 to control the material feeding.
[0123] Around the molding die 32, the main body 31 also includes four guide pillars 313, which provide precise longitudinal guidance for the lifting and lowering movement of the upper mold plate 321, ensuring that no misalignment occurs during mold closing. Furthermore, on the left and right sides between the upper mold plate 321 and the lower mold plate 324, the main body 31 also includes diagonally symmetrically arranged side cylinders 314. The function of these side cylinders 314 is to assist the main cylinder 311, providing higher locking rigidity at the end of mold closing and providing a smooth auxiliary pulling force at the beginning of demolding.
[0124] In some embodiments, such as Figure 19 As shown, a groove for mounting a letter block 3221 can also be provided on the working surface of the upper cavity 322. A threaded hole is provided at the bottom of the groove. The letter block 3221 has a through hole corresponding to the threaded hole, and a bolt is screwed into the threaded hole through the through hole to detachably fix the letter block 3221 to the groove of the upper cavity 322. The engraved end of the letter block 3221 protrudes above the working surface of the upper cavity 322 to form a mark on its surface during foam board molding.
[0125] Optionally, to ensure molding quality, a molding temperature sensor 326 and a molding pressure sensor 327 may also be installed inside the mold cavity. Specifically, such as... Figure 20 As shown, in this embodiment, four oblique holes are symmetrically machined on the back of the lower cavity 323. The molding temperature sensor 326 passes through the back of the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324 and is directly inserted into the oblique holes. The sensing head of the molding temperature sensor 326 is only 0.5mm away from the molding surface formed by the upper cavity 322 and the lower cavity 323, ensuring that it can sensitively, quickly, and accurately sense the real temperature field inside the cavity. Figure 18 As shown, the molding pressure sensor 327 is installed in the material dead zone area that is most difficult to fill in the mold cavity, and is used to monitor the flow pressure of the material during the steam heating stage and whether the cavity is completely filled.
[0126] Furthermore, the fuselage body 31 of this embodiment also includes a pneumatic ejection mechanism 315, such as... Figure 17 As shown, the pneumatic ejection mechanism 315 includes an ejector rod, an ejection cylinder that drives the ejector rod to move up and down, and an ejection limit sensor. In this embodiment, an independent ejection limit sensor is specially configured on the outer fixed side wall of the ejection cylinder or ejector rod. During each demolding, the molding controller 37 controls the ejector rod of the pneumatic ejection mechanism 315 to eject the workpiece upward. When the ejection limit sensor detects that the ejector rod has reached its highest safe stroke point, it immediately sends a signal to the molding controller 37 to stop the ejection action, preventing the ejector rod from overextending and hitting the upper cavity 322, causing equipment damage or workpiece scrap. During the return stroke, the ejection limit sensor is used to locate the lowest origin.
[0127] In some embodiments, the molding apparatus 3 may also be equipped with a pressure box, which can provide a high-pressure clean air source for cleaning nozzles for automated cleaning of the cavity after demolding.
[0128] For example, since the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321 are detachably connected by bolts in this embodiment, and the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324 are also detachably connected by bolts, the upper cavity 322 and the lower cavity 323 can be replaced by unlocking the bolts between the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321, and between the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324. That is, as shown... Figure 21 As shown, the upper cavity 322 and lower cavity 323 can be replaced by disassembling the connection. Figure 21 Other structural designs shown can be modified by replacing the upper cavity 322 and lower cavity 323 with corresponding shapes according to actual production conditions. This embodiment does not impose too many restrictions on the specific shapes of the upper cavity 322 and lower cavity 323.
[0129] In some embodiments, the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321, and the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324, can also be detachably connected in other ways, for example, such as Figures 22 to 26As shown, a T-shaped slider 328 is provided at the top of the upper cavity 322, and a T-shaped groove 329 is provided at the bottom of the upper template 321. The upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321 are connected by sliding insertion of the T-shaped slider 328 and the T-shaped groove 329. Along the insertion direction of the upper cavity 322, the cross-sectional dimensions of the T-shaped slider 328 and the T-shaped groove 329 gradually decrease. In order to prevent slippage between the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321, this embodiment provides a movable pin 3210 that can be pulled up and down at one end of the larger cross-sectional dimension of the T-shaped groove 329 (that is, the insertion end of the T-shaped groove 329). When the upper cavity 322 is assembled into the upper template 321, Align and insert the T-shaped slider 328 at the top of the upper cavity 322 with the T-shaped groove 329 at the bottom of the upper template 321. When the T-shaped slider 328 is about to be inserted into place, the guide structure 3281 on the T-shaped slider 328 pushes the movable pin 3210 upward. After the T-shaped slider 328 is inserted into place, the guide structure 3281 and the movable pin 3210 are released from contact. The movable pin 3210 moves downward under the action of gravity and abuts against the T-shaped slider 328 to prevent the T-shaped slider 328 from sliding out of the T-shaped groove 329, thereby achieving a quick-release connection.
[0130] Alternatively, the aforementioned T-shaped slider 328 and T-shaped groove 329 can be respectively provided in the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324, thereby achieving a boltless quick-release connection between the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321, and between the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324. Furthermore, detachable connections can also be achieved between the upper cavity 322 and the upper template 321, and between the lower cavity 323 and the lower template 324, through other means, including but not limited to the situations shown in this application.
[0131] like Figure 27 and Figure 28 As shown, the specific operation flow of the molding device 3 in this embodiment is as follows: 1) Material feeding and mold closing stage: The molding controller 37 issues a command to open the molding feed valve 3121, and the material is injected into the molding mold 32 through the molding feed pipe 312. After the precisely calculated preset feeding time is reached, the molding feed valve 3121 is automatically closed. Then, the molding controller 37 drives the main cylinder 311 and the side cylinder 314 to advance downwards simultaneously, achieving smooth mold closing under the guidance of the guide column 313. When the limit sensor detects that the pneumatic shaft of the main cylinder 311 has moved to the mold closing position, the advancement is paused and the mold is locked.
[0132] 2) Steam heating filling stage: After locking, the molding controller 37 controls the molding three-way control valve 36 to switch the connection to the molding steam pipeline 33, allowing high-temperature steam to enter the mold cavity. The molding temperature sensor 326 monitors the internal temperature of the mold cavity in real time, and the molding pressure sensor 327 monitors the material filling degree in dead corners. The system automatically controls the heating time through a built-in PID algorithm until the reading of the molding pressure sensor 327 stabilizes within the preset range, determining that the material is completely filled and compacted.
[0133] 3) Vacuum flash cooling stage: Once the filling degree reaches the standard, the molding three-way control valve 36 is immediately activated to quickly switch the connection to the molding vacuum pipeline 34, connecting the internal environment of the mold cavity with the molding vacuum chamber 341. The pressure inside the mold cavity drops sharply to a negative pressure state. The condensate remaining on the surface of the mold cavity and the workpiece undergoes violent vaporization (flash evaporation) instantly, absorbing a large amount of the latent heat of vaporization of the molded workpiece, causing the workpiece to cool down and solidify rapidly in a very short time. The exhaust gas generated after the condensate vaporization is drawn into the molding vacuum chamber 341 under negative pressure.
[0134] 4) Demolding, ejection, and automatic cleaning stage: After flash cooling, the molding controller 37 drives the main cylinder 311 and side cylinder 314 back to their original positions. When the limit sensor detects that the upper mold plate 321 has returned to its highest position (mold opening origin), that is, when the limit sensor of the main cylinder 311 detects that the pneumatic shaft has reached its maximum return position, the system triggers the pneumatic ejection mechanism 315. The pneumatic ejection mechanism 315 starts, pushing the ejection rod upward to push the molded foam board workpiece out of the cavity. At the same time, the ejection limit sensors around the ejection rod monitor the ejection stroke in real time. When the ejection is in place, the ejection stops, and then the cleaning nozzle is opened, and high-pressure gas is supplied by the pressure box to blow and clean the upper and lower cavities, removing any residual debris and water droplets, in preparation for the next cycle. At the same time, the condensate drain pipe 35 discharges the condensate discharged during the cycle into the condensate collection tank 351 to complete water-air separation. If abnormal mold jamming occurs during this process, causing excessive ejection resistance, the molding controller 37 will immediately alarm and stop the machine to prevent damage to mechanical parts.
[0135] Furthermore, the intelligent foam board molding production line of this embodiment also includes a steam tank 4 and a vacuum tank 5. The steam tank 4 is connected to the pre-steam pipeline 13, the curing tank 21, and the molding steam pipeline 33. The vacuum tank 5 is connected to the pre-vacuum pipeline 14 and the molding vacuum pipeline 34.
[0136] That is, in this embodiment, the pre-steam pipeline 13, the curing tank 21 and the forming steam pipeline 33 share the same steam tank 4. The steam tank 4 is used to supply high-temperature steam. The pre-vacuum pipeline 14 and the forming vacuum pipeline 34 share the same vacuum tank 5. The vacuum tank 5 provides a stable negative pressure for the pre-vacuum pipeline 14 and the forming vacuum pipeline 34, which effectively reduces the repeated purchase of equipment such as the steam tank 4 and the vacuum tank 5, and helps to reduce the construction cost of the production line.
[0137] Specifically, in this embodiment, the steam tank 4 serves as the sole heat source hub. Through branches of the main steam pipeline, a portion leads to the pre-expansion device 1 to provide a heat source for pulse expansion, another portion leads to the steam jacket of the curing tank 21, and the remaining portion leads to the forming device 3 for particle welding heating after molding. The vacuum tank 5 serves as the sole negative pressure suction hub and connects two key processes: first, it connects to the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline 14 to remove condensate during pulse intervals; second, it connects to the forming vacuum pipeline 34 to provide negative pressure after forming is complete. Because the pre-expansion and forming processes are staggered in their working sequence, the two work sections alternately use the vacuum tank 5. Therefore, the entire production line only needs to be equipped with one large vacuum tank 5, greatly reducing equipment investment.
[0138] More specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the intelligent foam board molding production line in this embodiment is physically divided into three operating areas: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream operating area (i.e., pre-expansion and dehumidification area): This area includes pre-expansion device 1 and vacuum tank 5. Pre-expansion device 1 performs expansion and foaming of foam particles; vacuum tank 5 serves as a common negative pressure source and is arranged adjacent to pre-expansion device 1 to shorten the length of connecting pipelines and improve the suction response speed.
[0139] The midstream operation area (also known as the maturation buffer storage area) mainly includes maturation unit 2, which is spatially located downstream of pre-fermentation unit 1 and upstream of forming unit 3. Maturation unit 2 is not only a static maturation chamber for materials but also serves as a "dynamic material buffer hub" connecting the upstream and downstream of the entire production line. It utilizes high-level and low-level material sensors within maturation unit 2 to control the conveying rhythm. When the material in maturation unit 2 is emptied (touching the low-level material sensor), pre-fermentation unit 1 opens the pre-discharge valve 1131, and the material automatically enters maturation tank 21 using pressure differential. When the accumulated material touches the high-level material sensor within maturation unit 2, pre-fermentation unit 1 closes the pre-discharge valve 1131, effectively preventing overflow or blockage in maturation tank 21.
[0140] The downstream operation area (i.e. the molding, control and power supply area) mainly includes molding device 3 and steam tank 4. Molding device 3 performs the final molding; steam tank 4, as the heat source hub of the whole line, is arranged side by side with molding device 3 to facilitate centralized gas supply.
[0141] The layout of the steam pipeline network, vacuum pipeline network, and material conveying pipeline in this embodiment is as follows: Steam pipeline physical layout: The high-pressure steam output from steam tank 4 is led to the central node through the main steam pipeline, and then diverted through branch valves. One branch is connected to the preheating device 1 as the power source for pulse steam heating; another branch is directly connected to the molding device 3 as the heat source for material melting and bonding after mold closing; and another branch can be connected to the steam jacket of the curing tank 21. This "one-to-many" steam pipeline physical architecture effectively reduces the repeated purchase of heat source equipment.
[0142] Vacuum Piping Network Physical Layout: Vacuum tank 5 outputs a stable negative pressure, which is then connected upwards through the main vacuum pipeline to form two branches. One branch leads to the pre-evaporation device 1 to remove vaporized condensate during the heating interval; the other branch crosses downstream and connects to the bottom of the mold cavity of the molding device 3 for flash cooling immediately after filling. The two branches are physically locked together by a master control valve to prevent "vacuum grabbing".
[0143] Physical layout of material conveying pipelines: A first pneumatic conveying pipeline is provided between the pre-fermentation unit 1 and the curing unit 2; a second pneumatic conveying pipeline is provided between the curing unit 2 and the forming unit 3. The pipelines are equipped with air vents and material conveying valves, relying on pressure differential to convey materials to the next workstation.
[0144] The intelligent molding method for foam boards in this embodiment is as follows: Start the steam tank 4 and vacuum tank 5. In this step, first turn on the steam tank 4 and vacuum tank 5 and let them operate for a period of time to reach the set temperature, set pressure or negative pressure.
[0145] The foam particles are conveyed to the pre-expansion device 1. The pre-expansion three-way control valve 15 controls the pre-expansion tank 11 to alternately connect with the pre-expansion steam pipeline 13 and the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline 14 at a set frequency. In this step, the foam particles are first conveyed to the pre-expansion device 1. The pre-expansion three-way control valve 15 first controls the pre-expansion tank 11 to connect with the pre-expansion steam pipeline 13. The pulse steam valve 131 of the pre-expansion device 1 is opened to perform pulse heating. During the interval of pulse heating, the pre-expansion three-way control valve 15 controls the pre-expansion tank 11 to connect with the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline 14. The condensate with hydrothermal heat in the pre-expansion device 1 is forcibly drawn into the vacuum tank 5 by the pressure difference to ensure that the surface of the foam particles is not covered by a condensate film. This cycle is repeated until the pre-expansion of the foam particles is completed.
[0146] The pre-expanded foam particles are conveyed to the curing device 2, and the ultrasonic mechanism is activated, introducing high-temperature steam into the steam jacket of the curing tank 21. In this step, the pre-expanded foam particles are further conveyed into the curing device 2, and the ultrasonic component 22 of the ultrasonic mechanism is activated, causing the foam particles in the curing device 2 to vibrate at high frequency through the waveguide 23, overcoming the friction and adhesion between the foam particles and preventing arching. The required curing temperature is provided by the steam tank 4 through the steam jacket.
[0147] The matured foam particles are conveyed to the molding device 3. The molding device 3 is controlled to close the mold and high-temperature steam is introduced into the molding mold 32. After the foam particles are formed into a foam board, the molding mold 32 is evacuated through the molding vacuum pipeline 34 to cool and solidify the foam board. In this step, the matured foam particles are conveyed to the molding device 3. After the mold is closed, high-temperature steam is introduced into the molding mold 32. Once the molding pressure sensor 327 indicates that the internal pressure has been completely filled, the steam is immediately cut off and the connection to the vacuum tank 5 is switched. Because the pressure inside the vacuum tank 5 is extremely low, the high-temperature condensate remaining in the molding mold 32 instantly and violently boils and vaporizes. Relying solely on the latent heat exchange of phase change, the internal heat of the molded workpiece can be carried away in a very short time, achieving rapid cooling and solidification without the need for external cooling water pipes.
[0148] In addition, after the foam particles are formed into foam boards, the molding mold 32 opens, the pneumatic ejection mechanism 315 ejects the formed foam board, the cleaning nozzle blows it clean, and each actuator resets, entering the next cycle.
[0149] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.
[0150] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement it. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. A curing device, characterized in that, include: A curing tank (21) is used to contain foam particles, which accumulate in the curing tank (21) to form a particle pile; The ultrasonic mechanism includes an ultrasonic component (22) and a waveguide (23), wherein the waveguide (23) is disposed in the curing tank (21) and inserted into the particle stack, and the ultrasonic component (22) is connected to the waveguide (23) to transmit ultrasonic vibration energy to the particle stack; The waveguide (23) includes a waveguide body (231) and at least one waveguide branch (232). The waveguide body (231) has a first end connected to the ultrasonic component (22) and a second end extending into the particle stack. The waveguide branch (232) is disposed on the surface of the waveguide body (231). The radial cross section of the first end of the waveguide body (231) is smaller than the radial cross section of the second end of the waveguide body (231); The waveguide body (231) has at least one amplitude-changing part (2311), which is disposed between a first end and a second end of the waveguide body (231), and the amplitude-changing part (2311) is configured to reduce the radial cross section of the waveguide body (231). From the first end of the waveguide body (231) to the second end of the waveguide body (231), the radial cross section of the waveguide body (231) gradually increases; The waveguide branch (232) includes a first branch (2321) and a second branch (2322). The first branch (2321) is connected to the waveguide body (231), and the second branch (2322) is disposed on the surface of the first branch (2321) and extends radially along the first branch (2321). The waveguide branch (232) further includes at least one third branch (2323), which is disposed at the end of the first branch (2321) away from the waveguide body (231) and extends along the axial direction of the first branch (2321). The waveguide branch (232) further includes at least one fourth branch (2324), which is disposed at the second end of the waveguide body (231) and extends along the axial direction of the waveguide body (231).
2. The curing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the axial direction of the waveguide body (231), the distance between two adjacent first branch bodies (2321) is ; Among them, C waveguide The velocity of sound in the material of the waveguide (23) is denoted as f, the operating frequency of the ultrasonic component (22) is denoted as n, and n is a positive integer. The length of the first branch (2321) is L1; Where, λ b The wavelength of the waveguide branch (232) during transverse bending vibration.
3. The curing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that, The curing tank (21) has a steam jacket on its periphery for steam to pass through.
4. A smart foam board molding production line, characterized in that, It includes a pre-expansion device (1), a molding device (3), and a curing device (2) as described in claim 3; the pre-expansion device (1) is used to heat the foam particles; the curing device (2) is connected to the pre-expansion device (1) to cure the foam particles; the molding device (3) is connected to the curing device (2) to process the foam particles into a foam board.
5. The intelligent foam board molding production line according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pre-launch device (1) includes: Pre-expansion tank (11) is used to contain the foam particles; A stirring assembly (12) is connected to the pre-fermentation tank (11) to rotate and stir the foam particles inside the pre-fermentation tank (11); A pre-steam pipeline (13) is used to introduce high-temperature steam into the pre-steam tank (11); A pre-vacuum line (14) is used to evacuate the pre-vacuum tank (11); A pre-launch three-way control valve (15) is connected to the pre-launch tank (11), the pre-launch steam pipeline (13), and the pre-launch vacuum pipeline (14) to alternately connect the pre-launch tank (11) with the pre-launch steam pipeline (13) and the pre-launch vacuum pipeline (14) at a set frequency.
6. The intelligent foam board molding production line according to claim 5, characterized in that, The molding device (3) includes: Main fuselage (31); A molding die (32) is disposed on the main body (31) of the machine body. The molding die (32) is used to process the foam particles into foam boards. A forming steam pipe (33) is connected to the forming mold (32) to introduce high-temperature steam into the forming mold (32); A forming vacuum line (34) is connected to the forming mold (32) to evacuate the forming mold (32); A condensate drain pipe (35) is connected to the molding mold (32) to drain the condensate inside the molding mold (32).
7. The intelligent foam board molding production line according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a steam tank (4) and a vacuum tank (5), wherein the steam tank (4) is connected to the pre-steam pipeline (13), the maturation tank (21) and the forming steam pipeline (33), and the vacuum tank (5) is connected to the pre-vacuum pipeline (14) and the forming vacuum pipeline (34).
8. A method for intelligent molding of foam board, characterized in that, The intelligent foam board molding production line according to claim 7 includes: Start the steam tank (4) and the vacuum tank (5); The foam particles are conveyed to the pre-expansion device (1), and the pre-expansion three-way control valve (15) controls the pre-expansion tank (11) to alternately connect with the pre-expansion steam pipeline (13) and the pre-expansion vacuum pipeline (14) according to the set frequency; The pre-expanded foam particles are transported to the curing device (2), the ultrasonic mechanism is activated, and high-temperature steam is introduced into the steam jacket of the curing tank (21). The matured foam particles are transported to the molding device (3), the molding device (3) is controlled to close the mold and high-temperature steam is introduced into the molding mold (32). After the foam particles are formed into foam boards, the molding mold (32) is evacuated through the molding vacuum pipeline (34) to cool and shape the foam boards.
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