A silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material.
By combining ultrasonic and rotary paddle level gauges, accurate detection of materials in silos is achieved, solving the problems of discontinuous measurement and high cost in existing technologies, and providing a cost-effective solution for silo storage quantity detection.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KAWATA MASCH MFG (SHANGHAI) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-03
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, contact level gauges are cost-effective but cannot achieve real-time continuous measurement, while weighing level gauges are accurate but expensive and difficult to widely apply in large-capacity silos.
The system combines an ultrasonic level gauge with a rotary paddle level gauge. The ultrasonic gauge provides precise positioning, while the rotary paddle gauge provides preliminary positioning and warning. Combined with calculations, it enables real-time weight detection of materials within the silo and features automatic error correction.
It achieves low-cost, widely applicable material storage quantity detection in silos, has automatic error correction function, high cost performance, is easy to install and use, and is safe and reliable.
Smart Images
Figure CN224448943U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of injection molding industry, and more particularly to the field of material level measurement, specifically referring to a silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material. Background Technology
[0002] In the injection molding industry, level measurement is a crucial step in ensuring smooth production processes, improving efficiency, preventing material waste, and guaranteeing safe production. Different level measurement technologies have their own characteristics and are suitable for different materials and operating conditions. Level gauges used for silo level detection are broadly classified into two categories: contact level gauges and non-contact level gauges. Contact level gauges include rotary paddle, float, weighted, differential pressure, capacitive, guided wave radar, tuning fork, electrode, and radio frequency admittance gauges. These gauges typically come into direct contact with the material, thus providing relatively accurate measurement results. Non-contact level gauges include infrared, ultrasonic, radar, weighing, and patch level gauges. These gauges do not come into direct contact with the material and are suitable for materials that are difficult to access or highly corrosive.
[0003] Different level measurement technologies have their own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the appropriate technology is crucial to ensuring the accuracy of level measurement. In practical applications, the commonly used contact level gauge is cost-effective and easy to install and use, but because it is a switching level measurement instrument, it can only measure a certain height point and cannot achieve real-time continuous measurement of the level. Another commonly used type is the weighing level gauge, which infers the level by measuring the total weight of the silo. It is usually installed at the bottom of the silo or on a support, and uses a load cell to sense the total weight of the silo. As the material increases or decreases, the weight will change accordingly, thus allowing the calculation of the level height. This type of sensor can provide very accurate level information, but for large-capacity silos, the cost of configuring large load cells is high, making it less cost-effective. Utility Model Content
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a silo device that is low in cost, high in cost-effectiveness, and widely applicable to accurately detect the amount of stored material.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the silo device of this utility model for accurately detecting the amount of stored material is as follows:
[0006] The main features of this silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material are as follows: the device includes a silo body, an ultrasonic level gauge, a material inlet, a silo outlet, a silo discharge valve, a silo discharge storage hopper, and a silo venting valve. The material inlet is located at the top of the silo body, the silo outlet is located inside the silo body, the silo discharge valve is installed at the silo discharge outlet, the silo discharge storage hopper is installed below the silo discharge outlet, the silo venting valve is installed at the outlet at the bottom of the silo discharge storage hopper, and the ultrasonic level gauge is installed at the top of the silo body.
[0007] Preferably, the hopper body includes a conical structure at the bottom and a cylinder mounted on top of the conical structure.
[0008] Preferably, the device further includes a rotary paddle level gauge, and the three rotary paddle level gauges are respectively installed at different heights on the side wall of the silo body. The three rotary paddle level gauges are the high level gauge, the middle level gauge, and the low level gauge of the silo.
[0009] Preferably, the ultrasonic level gauge is a non-contact level gauge, installed on the top of the silo body near the center.
[0010] Preferably, the high level gauge, medium level gauge, and low level gauge of the silo are all rotary paddle level gauges, which are all contact level gauges.
[0011] This invention relates to a silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material. It employs a combination of two level gauges: three sets of rotary paddle level gauges for initial level positioning and warning; and an ultrasonic level gauge for precise level positioning and calculation of the real-time weight of the material in the silo. This allows for accurate detection of the stored material quantity. The entire device is easy to install and use, and features automatic error correction for enhanced safety and reliability. This silo device is simple, practical, and offers excellent cost-effectiveness. Attached Figure Description
[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the silo device of this utility model for accurately detecting the amount of stored material.
[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the initial accumulation of material in the cone-shaped body at the bottom of the silo, which is part of the material silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material according to this invention.
[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the continuous material falling and accumulating inside the upper cylinder of the silo, which is part of the silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material according to this utility model.
[0015] Figure label:
[0016] 1 Silo body
[0017] 11. Ultrasonic level gauge
[0018] 12 silo high level gauge
[0019] 13. Material level gauge in silo
[0020] 14 Low level gauge for material bins
[0021] 21. Feed inlet of the silo
[0022] 22 Material hopper discharge port
[0023] 23. Material hopper discharge valve
[0024] 24 material hopper discharge storage bins
[0025] 25 and silo drain valve
[0026] 31 Control Box Detailed Implementation
[0027] To more clearly describe the technical content of this utility model, the following description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments.
[0028] The present invention relates to a silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material, comprising a silo body 1, an ultrasonic level gauge 11, a material inlet 21, a silo outlet 22, a silo discharge valve 23, a silo discharge storage hopper 24, and a silo venting valve 25. The material inlet 21 is located at the top of the silo body 1, the silo outlet 22 is located inside the silo body 1, the silo discharge valve 23 is installed at the silo discharge outlet 22, the silo discharge storage hopper 24 is installed below the silo discharge outlet 22, the silo venting valve 25 is installed at the outlet at the bottom of the silo discharge storage hopper 24, and the ultrasonic level gauge 11 is installed at the top of the silo body 1.
[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hopper body 1 includes a conical structure at the bottom and a cylinder mounted on top of the conical structure.
[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device further includes a rotary paddle level gauge. The three rotary paddle level gauges are respectively installed at different heights on the side wall of the silo body 1. The three rotary paddle level gauges are the high level gauge 12, the middle level gauge 13, and the low level gauge 14.
[0031] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the ultrasonic level gauge 11 is a non-contact level gauge, which is installed on the top of the silo body near the center.
[0032] In a preferred embodiment of this utility model, the high level gauge 12, the medium level gauge 13, and the low level gauge 14 in the silo are all rotary paddle level gauges, which are all contact level gauges.
[0033] In the specific embodiments of this utility model, it features convenient control, safety and reliability, and high cost performance, avoiding the disadvantages of ordinary single-detection function silos, such as high installation and maintenance difficulty, difficulty in accurate measurement, or poor cost performance.
[0034] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows:
[0035] The silo device includes a silo body 1, a silo discharge valve 23, a silo discharge storage hopper 24, and a silo vent valve 25. The silo body 1 consists of an upper cylindrical structure and a lower conical structure. An ultrasonic level gauge 11 is installed on the top of the silo body 1, and three rotary paddle level gauges are installed at different heights on the side wall of the cylinder: a high level gauge 12, a middle level gauge 13, and a low level gauge 14. The overall structure is as follows. Figure 1 As shown.
[0036] The ultrasonic level gauge 11 is a non-contact level gauge, installed on the top of the silo body near the center. The ultrasonic level gauge can accurately measure the straight-line distance of the material within the silo. Figure 2 As shown, point O is the emission point of the ultrasonic level gauge, and point d is the farthest reflection point of the ultrasonic level gauge. When there is material accumulation in the silo, point b or c is the reflection point where the ultrasonic level gauge senses the material. Based on the distance of the material sensed by the ultrasonic level gauge, the height of the material level can be calculated, then the volume of the material in the silo can be calculated, and finally, based on the bulk density of the material, the weight of the material in the silo can be obtained.
[0037] The high-level gauge 12, medium-level gauge 13, and low-level gauge 14 in the silo are all rotary paddle level gauges, which are contact level gauges. They measure a specific height point to determine the approximate accumulation position of materials within the silo. Although these three level gauges cannot accurately measure the height of the material, they can be used in conjunction with the ultrasonic level gauge 11 to achieve error correction.
[0038] This utility model's silo device uses a combination of two level gauges to accurately detect the stored material quantity. It is easy to install and use, and features automatic error correction for enhanced safety and reliability. Furthermore, this device offers excellent cost-effectiveness and is highly economical and practical.
[0039] In normal use, silo devices typically have two stages: the feeding stage and the discharging stage.
[0040] The material quantity monitoring process during the feeding stage is as follows:
[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the material is fed into the silo using a pressure conveying method, with the material entering from the silo inlet 21 and falling freely into the silo. The material accumulates inside the silo cylinder, forming an MPN cone-shaped accumulation surface. Figure 2 The image shows the initial accumulation of material inside the cone at the bottom of the hopper. Figure 3 The diagram shows the continuous accumulation of material within the upper cylinder of the hopper. Due to the inherent characteristics of plastic particles, the angle of repose ∠a during free fall is a constant. Based on the angle of repose ∠a, the lengths of segments be and PS can be derived using trigonometric functions; then, the volume of the MPN cone can be calculated using the formula for calculating the volume of a cone; finally, the total volume of material below the material accumulation level L is calculated to obtain the total volume of material inside the hopper; finally, the weight of the material inside the hopper can be obtained using the mass formula. As the material is fed, the ultrasonic level gauge 11 detects the continuous change in the length of segment ob, and the device controller calculates the weight of the material inside the hopper in real time and displays it on the CP1 human-machine interface. The high level gauge 12, the middle level gauge 13, and the low level gauge 14 mainly serve as auxiliary indicators for level display and mutually verify the accuracy of the sensing signals from the four level gauges. The high-level gauge 12 in the silo can also serve as an alarm. When feeding material, the high-level gauge 12 in the silo detects the material level signal, and the ultrasonic level gauge 11 detects and calculates that the material accumulation level line L is above the position of the high-level gauge in the silo. The CP1 human-machine interface issues an alarm and automatically stops the feeding process.
[0042] The material quantity monitoring process during the discharge stage is as follows:
[0043] like Figure 1 As shown, when the silo device discharges material, the silo discharge valve 23 is opened, and the material in the silo is discharged through the silo discharge port 22 to the silo discharge storage hopper 24, and then the material is sucked away by a suction method. At this time, the material descends inside the silo cylinder, forming an MQN conical descending surface. Figure 3 The image shows the initial discharge of material as it descends within the upper cylindrical body of the hopper. Figure 2The diagram shows the continuous descent of material into the cone at the bottom of the hopper. During this process, a reverse repose angle ∠a is formed, which is the angle between the material accumulation horizontal line L and the descending surface of the MQN cone, consistent with the forward repose angle ∠a. Similarly, based on the repose angle ∠a, the lengths of segments ec and SQ can be derived using trigonometric functions; then, the volume of the MQN cone is calculated using the cone volume calculation formula; finally, the total volume of material inside the hopper is obtained by subtracting the volume below the material accumulation horizontal line L; and finally, the weight of the material inside the hopper can be calculated using the mass formula. As the material feeds, the ultrasonic level gauge 11 detects the continuous change in the length of segment oc, and the device controller calculates the weight of the material in the hopper in real time and displays it on the CP1 human-machine interface. The low-level gauge 14 in the hopper also serves as a warning during the discharge process. When discharging material, the low level gauge 14 of the silo does not detect a material level signal, and the ultrasonic level gauge 11 detects and calculates that the material accumulation level line L is below the position of the low level gauge of the silo. The CP1 human-machine interface issues an alarm indicating that the material level in the silo is insufficient.
[0044] For the specific implementation scheme of this embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.
[0045] It is understood that the same or similar parts in the above embodiments can be referred to each other, and the contents not described in detail in some embodiments can be referred to the same or similar contents in other embodiments.
[0046] It should be noted that in the description of this utility model, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means at least two.
[0047] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
[0048] This invention relates to a silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material. It employs a combination of two level gauges: three sets of rotary paddle level gauges for initial level positioning and warning; and an ultrasonic level gauge for precise level positioning and calculation of the real-time weight of the material in the silo. This allows for accurate detection of the stored material quantity. The entire device is easy to install and use, and features automatic error correction for enhanced safety and reliability. This silo device is simple, practical, and offers excellent cost-effectiveness.
[0049] In this specification, the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. However, it will be apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the specification and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
Claims
1. A bin apparatus that enables accurate detection of the amount of stored material, characterized by, The device includes a silo body (1), an ultrasonic level gauge (11), a material inlet (21), a silo discharge outlet (22), a silo discharge valve (23), a silo discharge storage hopper (24), and a silo venting valve (25). The material inlet (21) is located at the top of the silo body (1), the silo discharge outlet (22) is located inside the silo body (1), the silo discharge valve (23) is installed at the silo discharge outlet (22), the silo discharge storage hopper (24) is installed below the silo discharge outlet (22), the silo venting valve (25) is installed at the outlet at the bottom of the silo discharge storage hopper (24), and the ultrasonic level gauge (11) is installed at the top of the silo body (1).
2. The silo apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The silo body (1) includes a conical structure at the bottom and a cylinder mounted on top of the conical structure.
3. The silo apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The device also includes a rotary paddle level gauge. The three rotary paddle level gauges are installed at different heights on the side wall of the silo body (1). The three rotary paddle level gauges are the high level gauge (12), the middle level gauge (13), and the low level gauge (14).
4. The silo device for accurately detecting the amount of stored material according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic level gauge (11) is a non-contact level gauge, which is installed on the top of the silo body near the center.
5. The silo apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The high level gauge (12), medium level gauge (13), and low level gauge (14) of the silo are all rotary paddle level gauges and belong to the contact level gauge category.