Conveyor unit with a conveyor belt and a spraying device

Abstract

The invention relates to a conveyor belt unit (1) comprising a conveyor belt (2) and a spray device (3) for wetting the conveyor belt (2) to reduce adhesion forces between the conveyor belt (2) and a rubber compound, wherein the conveyor belt (2) is configured to transport the rubber compound. The spray device (3) has a water supply (4) and a compressed air supply (5), wherein the spray device (3) is configured to finely atomize water, which can be supplied through the water supply, by means of the compressed air, which can be supplied through the compressed air supply (5).

Description

The invention relates to a conveyor belt unit having a conveyor belt and a spraying device, wherein the conveyor belt is configured to transport a rubber mixture.Conveyor belts for transporting rubber mixtures of different materials are known, wherein adhesion of rubber can occur to all known materials, in particular if the transported rubber is not wetted with a release agent. Adhering rubber leads to warping of rubber and stoppage times of machines.Against this background, the object of the invention is to design a conveyor belt unit in such a way that the adhesion of rubber to a conveyor belt is avoided or at least greatly reduced.This object is achieved with a device according to the features of claim 1.According to the invention, a transport belt unit is therefore provided with a transport belt and a spraying device for wetting the transport belt in order to reduce adhesion forces between the transport belt and a rubber mixture, wherein the transport belt is configured for transporting the rubber mixture. The spraying device has a water feed and a compressed air feed, wherein the spraying device is configured to finely atomize water, which can be fed through the water feed, by means of the compressed air, which can be fed through the compressed air feed, wherein the spraying device is arranged on the conveyor belt in such a way that uniform wetting of the conveyor belt is produced.A large number of separating means are known, wherein the separating means have different disadvantages with regard to the purchase outlay and the costs associated therewith and their effect on their users and the environment. The use of water, especially in the form of tap water, overcomes these disadvantages in a unique form.Finely atomized water is understood to mean individual water particles which at least preferably have a diameter of less than 15 μm. The use of water for wetting conveyor belts prevents contamination of the rubber. The fine atomization of the water enables a particularly uniform and thin coating of the conveyor belt with water, so that a reduction in the adhesion forces is achieved with a high degree of reliability. Furthermore, a low water consumption is realized, whereby not only resources are saved, but also the absorption of water by the rubber is at least greatly limited. Entrainment of the water is also at least very predominantly prevented or at least greatly limited. This prevents contamination of subsequent process units, such as a cooling tank, by the water.It has been found that the production of fine atomized water in a permanently process-safe manner by means of nozzles without a compressed air supply can be ensured with difficulty, since high pressures and a fine nozzle opening are necessary for this purpose. The fine nozzle holes tend to be clogged. Alternatively, ultra clean water is to be used, which entails other disadvantages. Spray devices with a compressed air supply, on the other hand, can have nozzles with a larger opening for the water, and blocking is thus avoided.A preferred embodiment provides that the transport belt conveys the rubber mixture directly away from a calendering plant. The adhesion of rubber mixtures or rubber to conveyor belts is particularly the case with conveyor belts which are arranged after a calendering installation, since the rubber mixtures are not provided here with a release agent.A further preferred embodiment provides that the spraying device has a pressure regulator for adjusting the water throughput. A pressure regulator enables the water flow to be accurately controlled in a simple manner.A further preferred embodiment provides that the spraying device can automatically start and end operation. Automated operation and termination of the operation enables operation of the spraying device with little use of personnel.A further preferred embodiment provides that the spraying device is configured to automatically start operation when the transport belt conveys and rubber is positioned on the transport belt and automatically end operation when the transport belt no longer conveys or no longer rubber is positioned on the transport belt. This minimizes the water consumption with a low level of personnel use and prevents excessive wetting of the conveyor belt or of the rubber.A further preferred embodiment provides that the spray device is configured to generate a spray with a water flow rate of less than 10 liters per hour, preferably less than 5 liters per hour, further preferably less than 2 liters per hour and further preferably less than 1 liter per hour with a width of the spray of one meter. The lower the water throughput, the less resources are required. Furthermore, the entrainment of water is minimized.A further preferred embodiment provides that the spraying device is configured to generate finely atomized water with a diameter of less than 15 μm, preferably less than 10 μm and further preferably less than 8 μm and further preferably less than 6 μm. The finer the water is atomized, the lower the water throughput can be selected without producing increased adhesion of the rubber to the conveyor belt. Water entrainment, such as water consumption, is minimized.The invention permits numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of these is illustrated in the drawing and is described below. This shows in FIG. 1 shows a transport belt unit with a transport belt and a spraying device.FIG. 1 shows a conveyor belt unit 1 with a conveyor belt 2 and a spraying device 3 arranged in the vicinity of the conveyor belt 2. The → short distance, instead of up to 100 cm ← spray device 3, has a water supply 4 and a compressed air supply 5. The water supplied through the water supply 4 is finely atomized by the compressed air supplied through the compressed air supply 5 and conveyed in the direction of the conveyor belt 2. The spraying device 3 further comprises a pressure regulator 6 for regulating the water throughput. The spraying device 3 is automatically put into operation by means of a control unit 7 as soon as the conveyor belt 2 conveys rubber. For this purpose, the control unit 7 receives sensor signals about the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 2 and about the presence of rubber on the conveyor belt 2.List of reference characters1 Transport belt unit 2 Transport belt 3 Spraying device 4 Water supply 5 Compressed air supply 6 Pressure regulator 7 Control unit

Claims

Transport belt unit (1) with a transport belt (2) and a spraying device (3) for wetting the transport belt (2) in order to reduce adhesion forces between the transport belt (2) and a rubber mixture, wherein the transport belt (2) is configured for transporting the rubber mixture, wherein the spraying device (3) has a water feed (4) and a compressed air feed (5), wherein the spraying device (3) is configured to finely atomize water, which can be fed through the water feed, by means of the compressed air, which can be fed through the compressed air feed (5), characterized in that the spraying device (3) is arranged on the transport belt (2) in such a way that uniform wetting of the transport belt (2) is produced.The conveyor belt unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor belt (2) conveys the rubber mixture directly away from a calendering installation.Conveyor belt unit (1) according to Claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the spraying device (3) has a pressure regulator (6) for adjusting the water throughput.Conveyor belt unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spraying device (3) can automatically start and end operation.The conveyor belt unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spraying device (3) is configured to automatically start operation when the conveyor belt (2) conveys and rubber is positioned on the conveyor belt (2) and automatically end operation when the conveyor belt (2) does not convey further or rubber is positioned on the conveyor belt (2).Conveyor belt unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spraying device (3) is configured to generate a spray with a water throughput of less than 20 litres per hour, preferably less than 10 litres per hour, more preferably less than 5 litres per hour and more preferably less than 2 litres per hour, based on a width of the spray of one meter.Conveyor belt unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spraying device (3) is configured to generate finely atomized water with a diameter of less than 15 μm, preferably less than 10 μm and more preferably less than 8 μm and more preferably less than 6 μm.

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