Solid particle flow control device and heater

Abstract

The utility model discloses a solid particle flow control device and a heater. The flow control device (100) comprises: a valve body (10) having a feed channel (12) and a discharge channel (13), where the feed channel (12) is a downward channel for causing solid particles to flow downward into the valve body (10) under the action of gravity; the discharging channel (13) is located on the lower portion of the valve body (10) and used for guiding solid particles entering the valve body (10) through the feeding channel (12) to flow out of the valve body (10) downwards under the action of gravity. And the valve core (20) is fixed on the valve body (10) through a valve seat (30), is in transmission connection with a driving mechanism, and comprises an end part (21) of which the cross sectional area is gradually changed, and when the valve core (20) is driven, the end part (21) does linear motion in and out of the discharging channel (13) so as to change the depth of entering the discharging channel (13), and meanwhile, the end part (21) rotates automatically so as to stir the solid particles, so that the flow of the solid particles flowing out of the valve body (10) is changed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to valve technology, and in particular to a flow control device and heater for solid particles. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, some technologies use solid particles as working fluids or raw materials, thus requiring devices to control the flow rate of these particles into the processing equipment. However, most valves on the market are designed for gases or liquids and cannot be used for flow control of solid particles. Utility Model Content

[0003] Various embodiments of this application provide a flow control device for solid particles, including:

[0004] The valve body has a feed channel and a discharge channel. The feed channel is a downward channel for allowing solid particles to flow downward into the valve body under the action of gravity. The discharge channel is a downward channel located at the bottom of the valve body for guiding solid particles that enter the valve body through the feed channel to flow downward out of the valve body under the action of gravity.

[0005] The valve core is fixed to the valve body via the valve seat and has a transmission connection with the drive mechanism. It includes an end with a gradually changing cross-sectional area. When driven, the end makes a linear motion in and out of the discharge channel, changing the depth of entry into the discharge channel to change the flow rate of solid particles out of the valve body, while rotating to agitate the solid particles.

[0006] Each embodiment also provides a heater, including a heating device for heating solid particles; and a flow control device for controlling the flow rate of solid particles into the heating device.

[0007] In the solid particle flow control devices of various embodiments, when the valve core is driven, its end moves linearly in and out of the discharge channel, thereby regulating the flow rate of solid particles, i.e., adjusting the valve opening. Simultaneously, the end also rotates to agitate the solid particles. This agitation prevents solid particles from accumulating or getting stuck between the valve core and the discharge channel, ensuring smooth flow; furthermore, it alters the distribution of solid particles, making them more uniform in the discharge channel. Therefore, this flow control device is suitable for use in heaters that use solid particles as a heat storage medium to control the flow rate of solid particles into the heating device. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application.

[0009] Figure 2This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application.

[0010] Figures 3A-3B This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application.

[0011] Figures 4A-4B This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a flow control device (100) according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0014] For the sake of brevity and intuitiveness, the present invention will be described below through several representative embodiments. Numerous details in the embodiments are only for the purpose of aiding understanding the present invention; the implementation of the present invention may not be limited to these details. To avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention, some embodiments are not described in detail, but only a framework is given. In the following text, "comprising" means "including but not limited to," and "according to..." means "at least according to..., but not limited to only according to...", and should be interpreted as meaning that other features may exist in addition to those mentioned later.

[0015] Various embodiments of this application provide a flow control device for solid particles, used to control the flow rate of solid particles.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal section of the flow control device (100) according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the flow control device (100) includes a valve body (10) and a valve core (20).

[0017] The valve body (10) is the outer shell of the flow control device (100), used to house and protect the internal components, and is connected to the feed and discharge pipes to allow solid particles to flow within the valve body (10). The shape and material of the valve body (10) can be determined according to actual conditions, and this application does not limit them.

[0018] The valve body (10) has a feed channel (12) and a discharge channel (13).

[0019] The feed channel (12) is the channel through which solid particles enter the valve body (10). The feed channel (12) is a downward channel, which is used to allow solid particles to flow downward into the valve body (10) under the action of gravity.

[0020] The discharge channel (13) is a downward channel located at the lower part of the valve body (10), used to guide solid particles that enter the valve body (10) through the feed channel (12) to flow downward out of the valve body (10) under the action of gravity. The discharge channel (13) is located at the lower part of the valve body (10), for example, it can be set in the wall of the valve body (10), with its inlet on the inner wall of the lower part of the valve body (10) and its outlet on the outer wall of the bottom of the valve body (10). The discharge channel (13) is downward in that its overall direction is downward, which can be oblique downward or vertical downward. The shape of the discharge channel (13) can be straight, broken, curved, or spiral, etc.

[0021] The valve core (20) is a key component used to control the opening degree of the valve. The valve core (20) is fixed to the valve body (10) via the valve seat (30) and has a transmission connection with the drive mechanism. The valve core (20) includes an end (21) with a gradually changing cross-sectional area. When driven, the end (21) makes a linear motion in and out of the discharge channel (13), changing the depth of entry into the discharge channel (13) to change the flow rate of solid particles out of the valve body (10), while rotating to agitate the solid particles.

[0022] In each embodiment, the gradual change in the cross-sectional area of ​​the end (21) means that the cross-sectional area gradually increases or decreases. The flow rate of solid particles out of the valve body (10) mainly depends on the size of the gap between the inlet of the discharge channel (13) and the end (21) of the valve core. The gradual change in the cross-sectional area of ​​the end (21) means that when the depth of the end (21) entering the discharge channel (13) changes, the gap between the end (21) and the discharge channel (13) also changes, thereby achieving the effect of regulating the flow rate of solid particles, that is, regulating the opening of the valve.

[0023] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Two examples of valve core end (21) used to regulate the flow rate of solid particles are shown.

[0024] Figure 1 In the middle, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end (21) gradually decreases, and the depth of entering the discharge channel (13) gradually increases when moving downward, thereby gradually reducing the flow rate of solid particles; when moving upward, the depth of entering the discharge channel (13) gradually decreases, thereby gradually increasing the flow rate of solid particles.

[0025] Figure 2 In the middle, the cross-sectional area of ​​the end (21) gradually increases, and the depth of entering the discharge channel gradually increases when moving upward, which can gradually reduce the flow rate of solid particles; when moving downward, the depth of entering the discharge channel gradually decreases, which can gradually increase the flow rate of solid particles.

[0026] In addition, while the end (21) moves linearly into and out of the discharge channel (13), it also rotates to agitate the solid particles. This agitation can prevent solid particles from accumulating or getting stuck between the valve core and the discharge channel, thus ensuring the smooth flow of solid particles; on the other hand, it can make the distribution of solid particles in the discharge channel more uniform, so that the solid particles output from the discharge channel can enter the processing equipment evenly, thereby improving the processing effect of solid particles.

[0027] In each embodiment, the feed channel (12) is the channel through which solid particles enter the valve body (10). Its outlet can be located above the inlet of the discharge channel (13), for example, in the upper half of the valve body (10), so that the solid particles can fall naturally under the action of gravity and flow into the lower discharge channel (13). For example, the outlet of the feed channel (12) can be located on the side wall of the upper half of the valve body (10). Or, for example, the feed channel (12) can be located at the top of the valve body (10). In this way, the solid particles can have a certain speed of movement due to gravity during their fall into the valve body (10), which is beneficial for the solid particles to flow in the valve body (10).

[0028] In some embodiments, when the feed channel (12) is located at the top of the valve body (10) and the discharge channel (13) is located at the bottom or lower part of the valve body (10), the valve core (20) needs to be located at the inlet side of the discharge channel (13). The layout of the feed channel (12), the discharge channel (13), and the valve core (20) needs to be planned so that the three can work together efficiently to achieve flow control.

[0029] In some embodiments, the feed channel (12) and the discharge channel (13) can be configured as follows: the discharge channel (13) can be positioned differently from the feed channel (12) in the horizontal direction. That is, there is a distance between the center of the inlet of the discharge channel (13) and the center of the outlet of the feed channel (12) in the horizontal direction. In this way, the valve core (20) can be positioned directly above the inlet of the discharge channel (13) without interfering with the feed channel (12), for example... Figure 3A As shown.

[0030] In other embodiments, the discharge channel (13) and valve core (20) can be configured as follows: the inlet end of the discharge channel (13) includes an inclined channel section (15) at a preset angle α to the horizontal direction; the valve core (20) is also fixed to the valve body (10) at the same preset angle α, and when driven, its end (21) moves linearly along the preset angle, entering or exiting the inclined channel section (15) through the inlet of the discharge channel (13). Thus, by setting the inlet end of the discharge channel (13) as an inclined channel, and also setting the valve core (20) at an inclined angle, even if the feed channel (12) is located directly above the inlet of the discharge channel (13), the valve core (20) will not interfere with it, for example... Figure 3B As shown.

[0031] In each embodiment, the preset angle α can be any angle within the range of 10 degrees to 90 degrees.

[0032] In each embodiment, the outlet end of the discharge channel (13) may include a vertical channel segment (18) in the vertical direction, into which the material enters. Figure 3B As shown. The angle between the vertical channel section (18) and the inclined channel section (15) is less than 180 degrees, so that after the solid particles flow into the vertical channel section (18), their distribution changes under the action of the inner wall of the vertical channel section (18) and other solid particles.

[0033] In other words, when solid particles flow out of the inclined channel section (15), they flow along the direction of the inclined channel section (15) under the action of inertia. After entering the vertical channel section (18), due to the angle between the two channel sections, some solid particles will collide with the inner wall of the vertical channel section (18) and bounce off during the fall, and may also collide with other solid particles. During the fall, the solid particles collide with each other continuously, which can disperse the solid particles that have gathered together and flow out of the vertical channel section (18) in a more uniform distribution.

[0034] Thus, when the solid particles flow out of the vertical channel section (18), the distribution of solid particles on the cross-section of the outlet of the vertical channel section (18) is relatively uniform, which is beneficial for the subsequent equipment to process the solid particles. It can be understood that this uniform distribution is not uniformly distributed on the cross-section at all times, but is relatively average in terms of time and space as a whole. For example, over a period of time, the amount of solid particles in different regions of the cross-section of the outlet of the vertical channel section (18) is roughly the same.

[0035] In some embodiments, the cross-section of the vertical channel section (18) is circular. Thus, solid particles flowing along the inclined channel section (15) under inertia, upon entering the circular vertical channel section (18), will, under the influence of the inner wall of the vertical channel section (18), move circumferentially along the inner wall of the cylindrical vertical channel section (18) during their descent. This creates a "vortex-like" motion, generating relative movement between particles, disrupting the originally tightly packed structure, reducing the interaction force between particles, making them easier to flow, and accelerating the outflow speed. Furthermore, this "vortex" flow pattern of the solid particles allows them to rearrange within the vertical channel section (18), tending towards a looser and more orderly state, reducing blockage and stagnation between particles, and facilitating smoother outflow. During this "vortex" flow, the solid particles also generate centrifugal force. The centrifugal force causes the particles to form a particle flow near the inner wall of the vertical channel section (18), and then flow down along the inner wall to the outlet, which accelerates the transport of particles to the outlet and thus accelerates the outflow speed of the particles, thereby making the vertical channel section (18) discharge solid particles more smoothly and evenly.

[0036] In some embodiments, the discharge channel (13) may include a gradually changing section that cooperates with the end (21) and the channel cross-section gradually changes. When the end (21) enters the discharge channel (13) to a preset depth, the inner wall of the gradually changing section is in contact with the outer surface of the end (21).

[0037] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Two examples of valve core end (21) used to regulate the flow rate of solid particles are shown.

[0038] Figure 4A In the discharge channel (13), the inlet end has a gradually decreasing cross-section section (17), which cooperates with the end (21) with a gradually decreasing cross-sectional area. After the end (21) enters the discharge channel to a preset depth, the inner wall of the gradually decreasing section (17) fits against the outer surface of the end (21), thereby closing the valve and stopping the solid particles from flowing out.

[0039] Figure 4B In the discharge channel (13), the outlet end has a gradually increasing cross-sectional area (17), which cooperates with the gradually increasing cross-sectional area of ​​the end (21). After the end (21) enters the discharge channel to a preset depth, the inner wall of the gradually increasing cross-sectional area (17) fits against the outer surface of the end (21), thereby closing the valve and stopping the solid particles from flowing out.

[0040] In each embodiment, the valve core (20) may be a one-piece component or an assembly of at least two components. For example, the valve core (20) may be a one-piece rod-shaped component with a tapered end (21). As another example, the valve core (20) may be assembled from two parts: a valve stem and an end (21), wherein the valve stem is used to transmit the driving force of the drive mechanism to the end (21).

[0041] In some embodiments, the valve body (10) may further include a storage chamber (16) disposed between the outlet of the feed channel (12) and the inlet of the discharge channel (13), such as Figure 3A , 3B As shown. One end of the valve core (20) with end (21) is housed in the storage chamber (16), and the other end extends out of the valve body (10) and has a drive connection mechanism.

[0042] In each embodiment, the drive connection mechanism can be implemented by various transmission structures, such as keyways or splines, to achieve circumferential fixation with the gear and transmit torque.

[0043] In some embodiments, the drive connection mechanism may further include a gear for meshing with the gear of the drive mechanism to transmit torque.

[0044] Figure 5 This is a structural example of the flow control device (100) according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, the flow control device (100) includes a valve body (10) and a valve core (20).

[0045] A feed channel (12) is provided at the top of the valve body (10) for introducing solid particles into the feed channel (13). The feed channel (12) is a vertical channel located at the top of the valve body (10).

[0046] The lower part of the valve body (10) is provided with a discharge channel (13). The discharge channel (13) is used to guide the solid particles entering the valve body (10) to flow out of the valve body (10). The inlet end of the discharge channel (13) has an inclined channel section at an angle to the vertical direction, and the outlet section has a vertical channel section in the vertical direction.

[0047] A storage chamber (16) is provided inside the valve body (10). A valve seat (30) is installed on the upper part of the valve body (10). The valve seat (30) can be fixed to the valve body (10) by a key connection. A linear bearing (35) and a threaded portion (22) are provided on the inner wall of the valve seat (30) for fixing the rod-shaped valve core (20) in the valve seat (30) at the aforementioned inclination angle with the vertical direction. One end of the valve core (20) is inside the storage chamber (16) and has a tapered end (21); the other end extends out of the valve body (10) and has a keyway (24).

[0048] The outer wall of the valve core (20) is provided with a threaded part that mates with the threaded part of the valve seat (30). When driven, the valve core (20) rotates along the threaded part (22) while making a linear motion in the direction of the rotation axis, so that the end (21) moves linearly and rotates in the direction of the above-mentioned inclination angle, thereby stirring the solid particles and changing the depth of the inclined channel section entering the discharge channel (13), thereby changing the flow rate of solid particles flowing out of the valve body (10), that is, controlling the opening degree of the valve.

[0049] In some embodiments, the flow control device (100) may further include a motor (40) fixed to the valve body (10), which is connected to the valve core via a gear (50), such as Figure 6 As shown.

[0050] The flow control device (100) of each embodiment can be applied to control the flow of equipment using solid particles as a working fluid or raw material. Such equipment may, for example, be a heater that uses solid particles as a heat storage medium. This heater may be, for example, a concentrating solar collector, a heat recovery device, etc.

[0051] The heater may include a heating device and a flow control device (100) according to various embodiments. The heating device is used to heat the solid particles. The flow control device (100) is used to control the flow rate of the solid particles flowing into the heating device.

[0052] It should be noted that not all components in the above structural diagrams are necessary; some components may be omitted depending on actual needs. The components and their combinations shown in the diagrams are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the solution. In actual implementation, a component may be composed of multiple components, and multiple components may be implemented by a single component. The components can also be deployed in any suitable manner that conforms to the concept of this application. Various technical means in the various embodiments can be combined in any way as needed, as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0053] In summary, the scope of the claims should not be limited to the embodiments described in the examples above, but the specification should be taken as a whole and interpreted in the broadest possible sense.

Claims

1. A flow control device (100) for solid particles, characterized in that, include: The valve body (10) has a feed channel (12) and a discharge channel (13), wherein the feed channel (12) is a downward channel for allowing solid particles to flow downward into the valve body (10) under the action of gravity; the discharge channel (13) is a downward channel located at the lower part of the valve body (10) for guiding the solid particles that enter the valve body (10) through the feed channel (12) to flow downward out of the valve body (10) under the action of gravity; The valve core (20) is fixed on the valve body (10) by the valve seat (30) and has a transmission connection with the drive mechanism. It includes an end (21) with a gradually changing cross-sectional area. When driven, the end (21) makes a linear motion in and out of the discharge channel (13), changing the depth of entering the discharge channel (13) to change the flow rate of solid particles out of the valve body (10), and at the same time, it rotates to agitate the solid particles.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet end of the discharge channel (13) includes an inclined channel section (15) at a preset angle to the horizontal direction; The valve core (20) is fixed on the valve body (10) and forms a preset angle with the horizontal direction. When driven, the end (21) moves linearly along the preset angle and enters or exits the inclined channel section (15) through the inlet of the discharge channel (13).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The inlet of the discharge channel (13) and the outlet of the feed channel (12) are located at different positions in the horizontal direction, and the valve core (20) is located directly above the discharge channel (13).

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outlet end of the discharge channel (13) includes a vertical channel section (18) in the vertical direction. The angle between the vertical channel section (18) and the inclined channel section (15) is less than 180 degrees, so that after the solid particles flow into the vertical channel section (18), their distribution state changes under the action of the inner wall of the vertical channel section (18) and other solid particles.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cross-section of the vertical channel segment (18) is circular.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The discharge channel (13) includes a gradient section (17) with a gradually changing cross section for cooperating with the end (21). When the end (21) enters the discharge channel (13) to a preset depth, the inner wall of the gradient section (17) is in contact with the outer surface of the end (21).

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve body (10) further includes a storage chamber (16) disposed between the outlet of the feed channel (12) and the inlet of the discharge channel (13); The valve core (20) with the end (21) is housed in the storage chamber (16) at one end and extends out of the valve body (10) at the other end, and has a drive connection mechanism.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The inner wall of the valve seat (30) and the outer surface of the valve core (20) are provided with matching threaded portions. When the valve core (20) is driven, it rotates and moves relative to the valve seat (30) along the rotation axis along the threaded portion, thereby changing the depth of the end (21) entering the discharge channel (13).

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Further includes: The motor (40) is fixed on the valve body (10) and has a transmission connection with the valve core (20).

10. A heater, characterized in that, include: A heating device used to heat solid particles; and The flow control device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 is used to control the flow rate of the solid particles into the heating device.

Images