Airflow cut tobacco dryer and its cooling device

Abstract

The application relates to an air flow drying machine and a cooling device thereof. The cooling device of the air flow drying machine comprises a liquid storage tank, a sprayer and a pumping mechanism. The liquid storage tank is provided with a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet, and the first liquid inlet and the first liquid outlet are communicated with a water source. The pumping mechanism is provided with a second liquid inlet and a second liquid outlet, the second liquid inlet is communicated with the second liquid outlet, the second liquid outlet is communicated with the sprayer, the pumping mechanism is used for pumping and conveying the cooling liquid in the liquid storage tank to the sprayer, and the sprayer is used for spraying the cooling liquid into a cyclone separator to cool the cyclone separation. In this way, the liquid storage tank pre-stores the cooling liquid, and the pumping mechanism is used for directly conveying the cooling liquid to the sprayer for spraying when needed, so that the cooling liquid reaching the cyclone separator for high-altitude operation has sufficient flow and pressure, efficient cooling is realized, the cooling period is shortened, the production efficiency is improved, and the cyclone separator can be prevented from being idled for a long time, and the energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of cigarette manufacturing equipment, and in particular to an airflow drying machine and its cooling device. Background Technology

[0002] The drying process is a core step in cigarette manufacturing. It primarily uses fuel oil (or natural gas) as a heat source to heat the process gases, creating a high-temperature airflow. This high-temperature airflow flows at high speed within the drying pipe, making full contact with the shredded leaves and stems that enter the pipe. This suspends the shredded leaves and stems, allowing for direct heat exchange and achieving rapid drying.

[0003] After production, the cyclone separator of the airflow drying machine needs to be cleaned. Currently, the cleaning water circuit and the coolant circuit are controlled by the same control valve and use a parallel pipeline structure. This results in the water flow being split into multiple paths during the cooling process, which reduces the water pressure and water flow entering the cyclone separator, thus affecting the cooling efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an airflow drying machine and its cooling device to improve cooling efficiency and reduce cooling time.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a cooling device for an airflow yarn drying machine, comprising:

[0006] A liquid storage tank, the liquid storage tank having a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet, the first liquid inlet being connected to the first liquid outlet and a water source;

[0007] Sprayer, the sprayer being configured in correspondence with the cyclone separator; and

[0008] The pumping mechanism has a second inlet and a second outlet, the second inlet and the second outlet are connected, and the second outlet is connected to the sprayer. The pumping mechanism is used to pump the coolant in the storage tank to the sprayer, and the sprayer is used to spray the coolant into the cyclone separator to cool the cyclone separator.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes a switching valve, which is located on the pipeline between the first liquid inlet and the water source, and is used to control the on / off connection between the water source and the first liquid inlet.

[0010] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes a liquid level detection element and a controller. The liquid level detection element is disposed in the liquid storage tank and is used to detect the liquid level of the coolant in the liquid storage tank. The controller is communicatively connected to the switching valve and the liquid level detection element, and the controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the switching valve according to the information fed back by the liquid level detection element.

[0011] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes a shut-off valve located on the pipeline between the on / off valve and the water source.

[0012] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes a check valve located on the pipeline between the second liquid outlet and the sprayer.

[0013] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor is located in the cyclone separator and is used to detect the temperature of the cyclone separator. The controller is communicatively connected to the temperature sensor and the pumping mechanism, and is configured to control the operating state of the pumping mechanism based on the feedback information from the temperature sensor.

[0014] In one embodiment, the cooling device of the airflow drying machine further includes an air source and a purging component. The purging component is disposed inside the cyclone separator and communicates with the air source. The purging component is used to purge gas into the cyclone separator to remove residual coolant inside the cyclone separator.

[0015] Secondly, this application also provides an airflow drying machine, including a cyclone separator with a separation chamber and a cooling device for the airflow drying machine described above.

[0016] In one embodiment, the cyclone separator is provided with a drain port, which is connected to the separation chamber and is used to discharge the coolant in the separation chamber.

[0017] In one embodiment, the airflow drying machine further includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with coolant discharged through the drain outlet; and / or, the airflow drying machine further includes a filter connected to the drain outlet and the water source.

[0018] In the aforementioned airflow drying machine and its cooling device, after the airflow drying machine finishes production, the pumping mechanism is activated. The pumping mechanism directly pumps the coolant pre-stored in the storage tank to the sprayer. The sprayer then sprays the coolant onto the inner wall of the cyclone separator to cool it down. In this embodiment, the storage tank and the pumping mechanism form an independent cooling system. The storage tank pre-stores coolant, and when needed, the pumping mechanism directly delivers it to the sprayer for spraying. This ensures that the coolant reaching the cyclone separator operating at height has sufficient flow and pressure, thereby achieving efficient cooling, shortening the cooling cycle, improving production efficiency, and preventing the cyclone separator from idling for extended periods, thus reducing energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a simplified structural diagram of the cooling device of an airflow drying machine according to an embodiment of this application.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0021] 10. Cooling device; 11. Liquid storage tank; 111. First liquid inlet; 112. First liquid outlet; 12. Sprayer; 13. Pumping mechanism; 131. Second liquid inlet; 132. Second liquid outlet; 15. Switch valve; 16. Shut-off valve; 17. Check valve; 20. Cyclone separator; 21. Separation chamber; 22. Drain outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] See Figure 1 An embodiment of this application provides an airflow drying machine, including a cyclone separator 20 and a cooling device 10. The cyclone separator 20 is located at the top of the airflow drying machine, and uses the principle of centrifugal force to pick out the dried tobacco shreds from the process airflow. The cooling device 10 is used to cool and reduce the temperature of the cyclone separator 20.

[0024] In this embodiment, the airflow drying machine is an HDT airflow drying machine.

[0025] After production, the cyclone separator of the airflow drying machine needs to be cleaned. Currently, the cleaning water circuit and the coolant circuit are controlled by the same control valve and use a parallel pipeline structure. This results in the water flow being split into multiple paths during the cooling process, which reduces the water pressure and water flow entering the cyclone separator, thus affecting the cooling efficiency.

[0026] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The cooling device 10 includes a liquid storage tank 11, a sprayer 12, and a pumping mechanism 13.

[0027] The liquid storage tank 11 has a first liquid inlet 111 and a first liquid outlet 112. The first liquid inlet 111 is connected to the first liquid outlet 112, and the first liquid inlet 111 is also used to connect to a water source. It should be noted that the water source is the workshop's on-site water source.

[0028] The sprayer 12 is correspondingly arranged with the cyclone separator 20. Specifically, the sprayer 12 is located on top of the cyclone separator 20.

[0029] The pumping mechanism 13 has a second inlet 131 and a second outlet 132. The second inlet 131 is connected to the second outlet 132, and the second outlet 132 is connected to the sprayer 12. The pumping mechanism 13 is used to pump the coolant in the storage tank 11 to the sprayer 12, and the sprayer 12 is used to spray the coolant into the cyclone separator 20 to cool and reduce the temperature of the cyclone separator 20.

[0030] After the airflow drying machine finishes production, the pumping mechanism 13 is started. The pumping mechanism 13 pumps the coolant pre-stored in the liquid storage tank 11 directly to the sprayer 12. The sprayer 12 sprays the coolant onto the inner wall of the cyclone separator 20 to cool and reduce the temperature of the cyclone separator 20.

[0031] In this embodiment, the storage tank 11 and the pumping mechanism 13 form an independent cooling system. The storage tank 11 pre-stores coolant, and when needed, the pumping mechanism 13 directly delivers it to the sprayer 12 for spraying. This ensures that the coolant reaching the cyclone separator 20 operating at height has sufficient flow and pressure, thereby achieving efficient cooling, shortening the cooling cycle, improving production efficiency, and preventing the cyclone separator 20 from running idle for a long time, thus reducing energy consumption.

[0032] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The cyclone separator 20 has a separation chamber 21 and a drain port 22. The drain port 22 is located at the lower part of the cyclone separator 20 and communicates with the separation chamber 21. The drain port 22 is used to discharge the coolant in the separation chamber 21. In this way, coolant can be prevented from accumulating in the cyclone separator 20.

[0033] In one embodiment, the cooling device 10 further includes a level detection element. Optionally, the level detection element is a level gauge. The level detection element is located in the storage tank 11 and is used to detect the level of coolant in the storage tank 11. By setting up the level detection element, the level detection element can monitor the level of coolant in the storage tank 11 in real time, which makes it convenient for operators to accurately grasp the remaining amount of coolant in the storage tank 11 in real time. This ensures that there is always a sufficient amount of coolant in the storage tank 11 for pumping, avoids the cooling failure of the cyclone separator 20 due to coolant shortage, and thus ensures the continuity and stability of the entire cooling process, while also avoiding the risk of coolant overflow.

[0034] Furthermore, the cooling device 10 also includes an alarm. The alarm is communicatively connected to the liquid level detection element. Optionally, the alarm can be a buzzer alarm, a light alarm, etc. When the liquid level of the coolant in the reservoir 11 is too high or too low, the alarm will sound an alarm through a buzzer or light, thereby reminding the operator to intervene in time and avoid the cyclone separator 20 from running dry, cooling failure, or coolant overflow that may be caused by abnormal liquid level.

[0035] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The cooling device 10 also includes a switching valve 15 and a controller. The switching valve 15 is located on the pipeline between the first liquid inlet 111 and the water source, and is used to control the connection and disconnection between the water source and the first liquid inlet 111.

[0036] Furthermore, the controller is communicatively connected to the switching valve 15 and the level detection device. The controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the switching valve 15 based on the signal fed back by the level detection device. In use, the level detection device monitors the coolant level in the reservoir 11 in real time. If the coolant level in the reservoir 11 is low, it feeds the signal back to the controller, which then controls the switching valve 15 to open, replenishing coolant into the reservoir 11. When the coolant level in the reservoir 11 reaches the preset level, the controller controls the switching valve 15 to close. Thus, with the cooperation of the level detection device and the switching valve 15, automatic replenishment of coolant in the reservoir 11 can be achieved.

[0037] In one embodiment, the switching valve 15 is a pneumatic ball valve. Using a pneumatic ball valve as the switching valve 15, which employs compressed air as a power source, provides a high opening and closing speed, ensuring rapid opening or switching between the liquid storage tank 11 and the water source, thus achieving rapid response and precise control of the liquid level.

[0038] In one embodiment, see Figure 1The cooling device 10 also includes a shut-off valve 16. The shut-off valve 16 is located on the pipeline between the first liquid inlet 111 and the water source. Specifically, the shut-off valve 16 is located upstream of the on / off valve 15. By installing the shut-off valve 16, the connection between the entire cooling device 10 and the water source can be manually controlled. Furthermore, the shut-off valve 16 forms a reliable mechanical isolation point. When the on / off valve 15 or its downstream pipeline needs maintenance or replacement, the shut-off valve 16 can be closed to safely isolate the part to be maintained from the water source, ensuring the safety and convenience of maintenance operations.

[0039] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The cooling device 10 also includes a check valve 17. The check valve 17 is located on the pipeline between the second outlet 132 and the sprayer 12. By providing the check valve 17, its unidirectional conduction effectively prevents the remaining coolant in the pipeline from flowing back towards the pumping mechanism 13 under gravity or siphon when the pumping mechanism 13 suddenly stops working, thus protecting the pumping mechanism 13, preventing damage, and extending its service life. Furthermore, the check valve 17 also prevents coolant backflow, ensuring that the pipeline between the sprayer 12 and the check valve 17 is always filled with coolant and maintains a certain pre-pressurization. When the pumping mechanism 13 restarts, the cooling device 10 does not need to refill the pipeline between the sprayer 12 and the check valve 17 before immediately establishing the required working pressure for the sprayer 12, thereby improving the response speed and cooling efficiency of the cooling device 10.

[0040] In one embodiment, the cooling device 10 further includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is located in the cyclone separator 20 and is used to detect the temperature of the cyclone separator 20.

[0041] Furthermore, the controller is communicatively connected to the temperature sensor and the pumping mechanism 13. The controller is configured to control the operating status of the pumping mechanism 13 based on feedback information from the temperature sensor. Thus, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the cyclone separator 20 is higher than a preset temperature, the controller activates the pumping mechanism 13 to achieve on-demand cooling, thereby avoiding unnecessary coolant consumption and energy waste. In addition, the controller can be configured to dynamically adjust the power or start / stop frequency of the pumping mechanism 13 based on the real-time temperature change rate, avoiding thermal stress shocks caused by the instantaneous injection of large amounts of low-temperature coolant, thus protecting the cyclone separator 20 and extending its service life.

[0042] In one embodiment, the cooling device 10 further includes an air source and a purging component. The purging component is located inside the cyclone separator 20 and is connected to the air source. The purging component is used to purge gas into the cyclone separator 20 to remove residual coolant. Thus, after cooling is complete, the purging component purges gas into the cyclone separator 20, using the gas flow to quickly remove and evaporate the coolant adhering to the inner wall of the cyclone separator 20, achieving forced drying of the cyclone separator 20. This avoids problems such as water stains and microbial growth caused by slow natural evaporation of residual coolant. Furthermore, it prevents residual coolant from contacting the tobacco in the next production cycle, avoiding excessive humidity that could affect the quality of the tobacco.

[0043] In one embodiment, the airflow drying machine further includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the coolant discharged through the drain port 22. By providing a heat exchanger, the high-temperature coolant discharged from the cyclone separator 20 flows through the heat exchanger, transferring heat to clean cold water. The heated cold water then enters the factory's hot water system, achieving energy recovery.

[0044] In one embodiment, the airflow drying machine further includes a filter, and the processing circulation unit is connected to the drain outlet 22 and a water source. Specifically, the filter includes a filter that allows the coolant to be filtered and supplied to the water source according to the coolant discharged from the drain outlet 22, forming a closed loop and reducing coolant consumption.

[0045] In one embodiment, the connection between the cooling device 10 and the pipeline in the airflow drying machine is made by straight pipe welding, and the straight pipe is made of stainless steel.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0047] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0049] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0050] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0051] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0052] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooling device for an airflow drying machine, characterized in that, include: A liquid storage tank, the liquid storage tank having a first liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet, the first liquid inlet being connected to the first liquid outlet and a water source; A sprayer, wherein the sprayer is configured to correspond with the cyclone separator; as well as The pumping mechanism has a second inlet and a second outlet, the second inlet and the second outlet are connected, and the second outlet is connected to the sprayer. The pumping mechanism is used to pump the coolant in the storage tank to the sprayer, and the sprayer is used to spray the coolant into the cyclone separator.

2. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes a switching valve, which is located on the pipeline between the first liquid inlet and the water source. The switching valve is used to control the connection and disconnection between the water source and the first liquid inlet.

3. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes a liquid level detection element and a controller. The liquid level detection element is located in the liquid storage tank and is used to detect the liquid level of the coolant in the liquid storage tank. The controller is communicatively connected to the switching valve and the liquid level detection device, and the controller is configured to control the opening and closing of the switching valve based on the information fed back by the liquid level detection device.

4. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes a shut-off valve, which is located on the pipeline between the switch valve and the water source.

5. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes a check valve, which is located on the pipeline between the second liquid outlet and the sprayer.

6. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor is installed in the cyclone separator and is used to detect the temperature of the cyclone separator. The controller is communicatively connected to the temperature sensor and the pumping mechanism, and the controller is configured to control the operating state of the pumping mechanism based on feedback information from the temperature sensor.

7. The cooling device for the airflow drying machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling device of the airflow drying machine also includes an air source and a purging component. The purging component is installed inside the cyclone separator and connected to the air source. The purging component is used to purge gas into the cyclone separator to remove residual coolant inside the cyclone separator.

8. An airflow drying machine for yarn, characterized in that, It includes a cyclone separator with a separation chamber and a cooling device for an airflow drying machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The airflow drying machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The cyclone separator is provided with a drain port, which is connected to the separation chamber and is used to discharge the coolant in the separation chamber.

10. The airflow drying machine according to claim 9, characterized in that, The airflow drying machine also includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with the coolant discharged through the drain port; And / or, the airflow drying machine further includes a filter, which is connected to the drain outlet and the water source.

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