Stock bin crust removing device

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of stock bin cleaning, and particularly relates to a stock bin crust removing device which comprises a rotary lifting mechanism, a rotary driving assembly used for driving an air cannon to rotate by 360 degrees along the horizontal axis and a lifting driving assembly used for driving the air cannon to do reciprocating lifting motion in the vertical direction. The air cannon is mounted on the rotary lifting mechanism and is used for impacting and removing crust on the inner wall of the stock bin under the driving of the rotary lifting mechanism; the visual monitoring assembly comprises a camera and is used for shooting crust images of the inner wall of the stock bin in real time; compared with the mode that a plurality of air cannons are installed on the outer wall of the stock bin in the prior art, the cost is saved, the crust removing dead angle caused by the mode that the air cannons are fixedly installed can be avoided, and the crust cleaning efficiency is improved.

Description

A device for removing crusts from a silo Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of silo cleaning technology, specifically relating to a silo skin removal device. Background Technology

[0002] In the operation of silos in industries such as mining, cement, and chemicals, materials (such as cement clinker, pulverized coal, and mineral powder) are prone to forming a crust on the inner wall of the silo under high temperature, high humidity, or highly adhesive conditions. This crusting not only reduces the effective volume of the silo and obstructs material flow, but in severe cases can even cause silo blockage, affecting production continuity. Therefore, crust removal is a crucial step in ensuring the efficient operation of silos.

[0003] Current methods for cleaning scale involve installing multiple air cannons fixed to the outer wall of the silo, which are then triggered periodically or manually to spray high-pressure airflow to impact the scale. Problems with existing technology include:

[0004] Limitations of fixed air cannons: However, due to the fixed position of the air cannon, its spray range is limited and it is difficult to cover all areas of the inner wall of the silo (such as deep cavities, irregular structures or corners), resulting in dead corners in the cleaning of crusts and low cleaning efficiency (usually requiring secondary manual cleaning). If multiple air cannons are installed on the outer wall of the silo, it not only increases the cost, but the fixed installation method also requires opening holes in the outer wall of the silo, which also has a certain impact on the structural strength of the silo. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the above problems, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a device for removing crusts from silos, thereby solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] This utility model provides a silo scale removal device, including a rotary lifting mechanism installed on the top of the silo, comprising a rotary drive assembly for driving an air cannon to rotate 360° along a horizontal axis and a lifting drive assembly for driving the air cannon to reciprocate vertically; an air cannon, installed on the rotary lifting mechanism, for impacting and removing scale from the inner wall of the silo under the drive of the rotary lifting mechanism; and a visual monitoring component, including a camera installed at the nozzle tip of the air cannon, for capturing images of the scale on the inner wall of the silo in real time.

[0007] Preferably, the rotary drive assembly includes a rotary motor fixed to the top of the hopper via a bracket; a slewing bearing connected to the output shaft of the rotary motor for supporting the air cannon and achieving horizontal rotation; the lifting drive assembly includes a mounting cover fixed to the slewing bearing, with an opening at its bottom communicating with the hopper; a lifting motor fixed inside the mounting cover; and a screw-nut mechanism connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor for driving the air cannon to move up and down along a vertical guide rail; the control unit controls the rotary motor and the lifting motor to work together according to the crusting position identified by the image processing module, so that the nozzle is aligned with the crusting area.

[0008] Preferably, the air cannon includes an air tank for storing compressed gas; a nozzle connected to the air tank for spraying high-pressure airflow onto the inner wall of the hopper; and a control valve located between the air tank and the nozzle for controlling the release of the high-pressure airflow.

[0009] Preferably, the air cannon's air tank is connected to an external air source via a high-pressure hose.

[0010] Preferably, the camera is an explosion-proof and high-temperature resistant industrial camera.

[0011] Optionally, an image processing module, electrically connected to the camera, is used to analyze the distribution, thickness, and location information of the crust. A control unit, electrically connected to the rotation drive assembly, the lifting drive assembly, the air cannon, and the image processing module, is used to dynamically adjust the rotation angle, lifting position, and airflow parameters of the air cannon based on feedback information from the image processing module. In another embodiment, the drive assembly is manually controlled based on the camera image; the manual control drive assembly is a conventional technology, and its implementation will not be described in detail.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: it enables the air cannon to impact the crust on the inner wall of the silo. Compared with the existing technology of installing multiple air cannons on the outer wall of the silo, it not only saves costs, but also avoids the dead corners in crust removal caused by the fixed installation of air cannons, thus improving the efficiency of crust cleaning.

[0013] Adjust the rotation angle and lifting position of the air cannon to ensure that the scale removal rate is ≥95% and reduce energy waste caused by ineffective spraying. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 is a first cross-sectional view of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 3 is a second cross-sectional view of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 is an enlarged structural schematic diagram of point A in this utility model;

[0018] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model without the rotary drive component;

[0019] Figure 6 is an enlarged structural diagram of section B in this utility model.

[0020] In the diagram: 1. Rotary drive assembly; 2. Lifting drive assembly; 3. Air cannon; 4. Camera; 5. Control unit; 6. Rotary motor; 7. Hopper; 8. Support; 9. Slewing bearing; 10. Mounting cover; 11. Lifting motor; 12. Air tank; 13. Nozzle; 14. Drive screw; 15. Slider; 16. Limiting rod; 17. High-pressure hose. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of this utility model, the present utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The description in this part is only exemplary and explanatory, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this utility model in any way.

[0022] This utility model relates to an existing silo scale removal device, which mainly involves installing multiple air cannons 3 on the outer wall of the silo 7. These air cannons 3 are evenly and equidistantly distributed and installed in suitable locations on the silo 7 where they are prone to blockage, such as the junction of the vertical silo wall and the conical hopper, or above the discharge port. For circular silos 7, a "layered" installation principle can be adopted, with the air cannons 3 evenly distributed across layers, with a horizontal height difference within 0.9-2.5 meters. For square silos 7, the air cannons 3 should be installed in a "staggered" manner according to the dynamic phase effect. The air cannons 3 can be fixed to the silo 7 using flange connections or welding. During use, compressed air is injected into the air storage tank 12 by an air compressor. After reaching the set pressure, inflation stops. Controlled by a solenoid valve or manual valve, the high-pressure air in the air storage tank 12 is released instantaneously, forming a supersonic airflow that impacts the scale. The impact frequency is adjusted according to the scale thickness (e.g., once every 10-30 minutes) until the scale is completely removed. This is an introduction to the existing silo scale removal device.

[0023] As can be seen from the above, the existing silo scale removal device has the following defects when in use: because the air cannon 3 is fixed in position, its spray range is limited and it is difficult to cover the entire area of ​​the inner wall of the silo 7 (such as deep cavities, irregular structures or corners), resulting in dead corners in scale removal and low cleaning efficiency (usually requiring secondary manual cleaning). If multiple air cannons 3 are installed on the outer wall of the silo 7, it not only increases the cost, but the fixed installation method also requires opening holes in the outer wall of the silo 7, which also has a certain impact on the structural strength of the silo 7. At the same time, the existing air cannon 3 system usually uses timed or fixed parameter spraying, which cannot dynamically adjust the spraying strategy according to the actual distribution and thickness of the scale, resulting in frequent ineffective spraying and energy waste of more than 30%, and may damage the inside of the silo 7 due to excessive impact. Based on the above problems, this utility model adopts the following improvement method to solve them.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1-6, a silo scale removal device differs from existing technologies in that it installs an air cannon 3 on the top of the silo 7. The air cannon 3 mainly includes a gas storage tank 12 for storing compressed gas, a nozzle 13 connected to the gas storage tank 12 for spraying high-pressure airflow onto the inner wall of the silo 7, and a control valve located between the gas storage tank 12 and the nozzle 13 for controlling the release of the high-pressure airflow. Driven by a rotary lifting mechanism, the air cannon 3 can rotate 360° along the horizontal axis and reciprocate vertically, achieving comprehensive removal of scale from the inner wall of the silo 7. Specifically, the rotary lifting mechanism includes a rotary drive assembly 1 for driving the air cannon 3 to rotate 360° along the horizontal axis. The lifting drive assembly 2 is used to drive the air cannon 3 to reciprocate vertically. The rotary drive assembly 1 includes a motor fixed to the top of the hopper 7 via a bracket 8 and a slewing bearing 9 connected to the output shaft of the rotary motor 6 and used to support the air cannon 3 and achieve horizontal rotation. The lifting drive assembly 2 includes a mounting cover 10 fixed to the slewing bearing 9 and having an opening at its bottom that communicates with the hopper 7 (the mounting cover 10 is attached to the top wall of the hopper 7 and rotates along the top surface of the hopper 7), a lifting motor 11 fixed inside the mounting cover 10, and a screw and nut mechanism connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor 11 and used to drive the air cannon 3 to move up and down along the vertical guide rail (as shown in Figure 3, the screw and nut mechanism includes a transmission screw that is rotatably connected to the bottom wall of the hopper 7 at its bottom). The system includes a lever 14, a slider 15 connected to the transmission screw 14 for connecting the air cannon 3 to the transmission screw 14, and a limiting rod 16 fixedly connected to a horizontal plate inside the mounting cover 10 for limiting the slider 15 (the limiting rod 16 is vertically suspended inside the hopper 7, with its bottom not fixed to the hopper 7). Initially, the air cannon 3 moves upward with the slider 15 into the mounting cover 10, located at the top of the hopper 7. In use, when the lifting motor 11 drives the transmission screw 14 to rotate, it drives the slider 15 and the air cannon 3 to move up and down along the transmission screw 14, thus adjusting the height of the air cannon 3. When the rotary motor 6 operates, it drives the mounting cover 10 to rotate along the top wall of the hopper 7, simultaneously driving the entire lifting drive assembly 2 and the air cannon 3 to rotate together, thus adjusting the height of the air cannon 3. To improve the efficiency of crust removal, an angle adjustment system is also provided. This system mainly includes a camera 4 (an explosion-proof, high-temperature resistant industrial camera 4 with the following characteristics: protection level: IP68, suitable for dusty environments inside the silo 7; operating temperature range: -20℃ to +120℃, suitable for high-temperature material conditions) installed at the front end of the nozzle 13 of the air cannon 3, and an image processing module electrically connected to the camera 4 for analyzing crust distribution, thickness, and location information. This image processing module includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring the original images captured by the camera 4, and a crust recognition unit that identifies crust areas, thickness, and crack features based on deep learning algorithms or edge detection technology.A coordinate mapping unit converts the crust position information into control parameters for the rotation drive assembly 1 and the lifting drive assembly 2. Furthermore, this technical solution also includes a control unit 5, which is electrically connected to the rotation drive assembly 1, the lifting drive assembly 2, the air cannon 3 (control valve), and the image processing module. This control unit dynamically adjusts the rotation angle, lifting position, and airflow injection parameters of the air cannon 3 based on feedback information from the image processing module. Specifically, the control unit 5 includes a PLC controller for storing and executing preset rotation, lifting, and injection programs; a position sensor for real-time monitoring of the rotation angle and lifting height of the air cannon 3; a pressure sensor for monitoring the gas pressure inside the air tank 12; and a display device for inputting control parameters and displaying the operating status (e.g., the image captured by the camera 4). The human-machine interface (HMI) displays the screen, crust analysis results, and equipment operating parameters. This HMI supports manual operation and allows adjustment of equipment operating parameters based on actual conditions. To further improve the safety of the airflow injection from the air cannon 3, the nozzle 13 can be designed with an adjustable angle (not shown in detail in the figure). This adjustable angle design mainly includes a universal joint connecting the nozzle 13 to the air tank 12; and an angle adjustment mechanism electrically connected to the control unit 5, used to adjust the injection direction of the nozzle 13 based on the crust tilt angle fed back by the image processing module, making its angle with the inner wall of the hopper 7 adjustable within the range of 15°-90°, as shown in Figure 5. The nozzle 13 passes through the slider 15 and is located between the transmission screw 14 and the limit rod 16, which improves the stability of the nozzle 13.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1-2, in order to accommodate the rotation and lifting movement of the air cannon 3, the air tank 12 of the air cannon 3 is connected to an external air source through a high-pressure hose 17. The high-pressure hose 17 is made of metal braided reinforced rubber tubing, and its length can accommodate the rotation and lifting movement path of the air cannon 3. A channel for the high-pressure hose 17 to move is opened on the hopper 7. The diameter of this channel is larger than the diameter of the high-pressure hose 17, and the inner wall of the channel is smooth to reduce the friction between the high-pressure hose 17 and the channel, facilitating the movement of the high-pressure hose 17 within the channel. Specifically, when the air cannon 3 moves downward or rotates, the high-pressure hose 17 is pulled into the hopper 7. When the air cannon 3 resets, the high-pressure hose 17 resets to the outside of the hopper 7. To prevent the high-pressure hose 17 from getting tangled on the transmission screw 14, the control unit 5 controls the rotary motor 6 to rotate 180 degrees in the forward direction, then resets, and then rotates 180 degrees in the reverse direction to achieve a 360-degree rotation of the air cannon 3.

[0026] In another embodiment, by observing the image from the camera, a person manually drives the air cannon to rotate 360° along the horizontal axis using a rotary drive assembly and a lifting drive assembly to drive the air cannon to reciprocate vertically, thereby adjusting the rotation angle and lifting position of the air cannon.

[0027] It should be noted that, in this document, 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. Specific examples have been used in this document to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this utility model. The above examples are merely to aid in understanding the method and core ideas of this utility model. The above descriptions are only preferred embodiments of this utility model. It should be pointed out that, due to the limitations of written expression, there are objectively infinite specific structures. For those skilled in the art, several improvements, modifications, or variations can be made without departing from the principles of this utility model, and the above technical features can be combined in an appropriate manner. These improvements, modifications, variations, or combinations, or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, should all be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A device for removing crust from a silo, characterized in that, include: A rotary lifting mechanism, installed on top of the silo (7), includes a rotary drive assembly (1) for driving the air cannon (3) to rotate 360° along the horizontal axis and a lifting drive assembly (2) for driving the air cannon (3) to reciprocate vertically; the air cannon (3), installed on the rotary lifting mechanism, is used to impact and remove the crust on the inner wall of the silo (7) under the drive of the rotary lifting mechanism; a visual monitoring assembly includes a camera (4), installed at the front end of the nozzle (13) of the air cannon (3), for capturing images of the crust on the inner wall of the silo (7) in real time; the rotary... The rotary drive assembly (1) includes: a rotary motor (6), which is fixed to the top of the hopper (7) via a bracket (8); a slewing bearing (9), which is connected to the output shaft of the rotary motor (6) and is used to carry the air cannon (3) and achieve horizontal rotation; the lifting drive assembly (2) includes: a mounting cover (10), which is fixed to the slewing bearing (9) and has an opening at its bottom that communicates with the hopper (7); a lifting motor (11), which is fixed inside the mounting cover (10); and a screw and nut mechanism, which is connected to the output shaft of the lifting motor (11) and is used to drive the air cannon (3) to move up and down along the vertical guide rail.

2. The silo crust removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air cannon (3) includes: an air tank (12) for storing compressed gas; a nozzle (13) connected to the air tank (12) for spraying high-pressure airflow onto the inner wall of the silo (7); and a control valve located between the air tank (12) and the nozzle (13) for controlling the release of high-pressure airflow.

3. The silo crust removal device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The air tank (12) of the air cannon (3) is connected to an external air source via a high-pressure hose (17).

4. The silo crust removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The camera (4) is an explosion-proof and high-temperature resistant industrial camera (4).

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