FLUIDIZATION APPARATUS WITH A FLOW PLATE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a fluidization apparatus comprising a flow plate permeable to process air with openings for the process air flowing through the flow plate, wherein the flow plate is rotatably arranged in the fluidization apparatus about an axis of the fluidization apparatus and divides the fluidization apparatus into a distribution chamber and a swirl chamber, and wherein the flow plate of the fluidization apparatus has at least a first and a second flow plate, wherein one of the flow plates has or forms a sealing element at its outer end.

[0002] Flow plates have long been state of the art for fluidization apparatus, particularly for classic fluidized bed apparatus. The two international patent applications WO 2014 / 161525 A2 and WO 2014 / 117577 A1 disclose a continuously operating fluidized bed apparatus in which the flow plate is rotatably arranged within the apparatus. Up to now, in fluidization apparatus, especially those operated continuously, the rotatable flow plate has been manufactured to precise dimensions, such that the annular gap between the flow plate and the outer wall of the fluidization apparatus has a minimal width. This sealing mechanism, which operates according to the labyrinth principle, is necessary because otherwise the process air would flow not through the openings of the flow plate, but through the aforementioned annular gap between the flow plate and the outer wall of the fluidization apparatus.

[0003] A disadvantage of the technical solutions described in the prior art is that they require high manufacturing effort and high precision in the production of the individual components of the fluidization apparatus due to small manufacturing tolerances, particularly of the inlet plate and the outer wall of the fluidization apparatus adjacent to the inlet plate, without adequately sealing the resulting annular gap. Furthermore, the sealing mechanisms used to date have the disadvantage of exhibiting very high component wear.

[0004] Patent application US 2011 / 180157 A1 discloses a multi-part flow plate, wherein the flow plate is arranged in a fluidizing apparatus, and wherein the upper flow plate has a flange at its outer end which has a sealing function.

[0005] Patent application DD 293 738 A5 discloses a fluidization apparatus with a rotatably mounted inlet plate, which has a sieve plate ring for the flow of process air and whose circumference forms an annular gap with the container wall of the fluidization apparatus.

[0006] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a fluidization apparatus with a flow plate, wherein an annular gap between the flow plate and the outer wall of the fluidization apparatus is better sealed, thus overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0007] This problem is solved in a fluidization apparatus by forming an annular gap between the inlet plate and an inner wall of an outer wall of the fluidization apparatus, and by arranging or forming the sealing element around the circumference at the outer end of one of the inlet plate plates, so that the sealing element seals the annular gap. Advantageously, the inlet plate according to the invention achieves an optimized seal of the annular gap between the outer end of the inlet plate or an inlet plate and an inner wall of the outer wall of the fluidization apparatus. Furthermore, the improved sealing of the annular gap allows more process air to flow through the inlet plate itself compared to the prior art, thereby improving the fluidization of the material to be treated, in particular the particles or granules. Moreover, it is possible to manufacture the inlet plate or...Due to larger manufacturing tolerances compared to conventional fluidizing plates, the individual inlet plates of the inlet plate simplify the manufacturing of the individual components and thus further optimize the manufacturing process. Furthermore, other components, such as those that facilitate the easy transport of the material to be treated into the fluidizing apparatus, can be advantageously connected to the fluidizing apparatus. Preferably, the inlet plate of the fluidizing apparatus comprises three inlet plates. According to this preferred embodiment of the inlet plate according to the invention, the lowest inlet plate, also referred to as the bottom of the inlet plate, has two functions: Firstly, the lowest inlet plate, which is usually made of steel or stainless steel, serves as a support for the middle inlet plate.The middle airflow plate is arranged on and connected to the lower airflow plate. Furthermore, the middle airflow plate, which is preferably made of PTFE or a similar material, is stabilized by the base plate. The upper airflow plate, on the other hand, serves to weigh down the middle airflow plate, preventing it from being lifted and detached by the process air flowing through the airflow plate and causing the process air to bypass it. Instead, the process air flows through all three airflow plates of the airflow plate according to the invention.

[0008] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the inlet plate according to the invention, one of the inlet plate components forming a sealing element is made of polytetrafluoroethylene. Polytetrafluoroethylene – also known as PTFE – has a very low coefficient of friction, which means that the inlet plate, which seals the annular gap between the inlet plate and the outer wall of the fluidizing apparatus, is subjected to only minimal stress during rotation of the inlet plate for operation of the fluidizing apparatus, and the wear of the inlet plate component forming the sealing element is low. Furthermore, the static friction is equal to or approximately equal to the sliding friction, so that the transition from the stationary position of the inlet plate when the fluidizing apparatus is stationary to the movement or rotation of the inlet plate during operation of the fluidizing apparatus occurs without a "jerk," i.e., the so-called stick-slip effect, i.e.,This prevents the occurrence of "jerking" during the operation of the fluidizing apparatus. This also allows for very slow rotation of the flow plate within the fluidizing apparatus.

[0009] According to a further embodiment of the inflow plate according to the invention, the inflow plate plates can be connected or joined to one another in a manner that prevents movement. Advantageously, this prevents the inflow plate plates from shifting relative to one another, so that the pressure loss across the inflow plate, precisely set by means of the inflow plate plates, is always and remains constant.

[0010] Furthermore, the openings of the individual inlet plates of the inlet floor preferably have different flow areas for the process air. Due to the different sized openings with varying flow areas for the process air in the individual inlet plates of the inlet floor according to the invention, the pressure drop across the inlet floor can be adjusted very precisely. Thus, by simply replacing an inlet plate, the inlet floor can be easily and quickly adapted for use in a different manufacturing or treatment process. Moreover, by eliminating the need for a conventional mesh screen, the perforation, i.e., the openings in the inlet plates, of the inlet floor can be optimally adapted to the contour of the individual process chambers. This significantly reduces or even eliminates dead spaces in the process chambers.

[0011] The inlet plate is particularly preferred for use in a fluidizing apparatus, with the fluidizing apparatus being operated continuously. This advantageously ensures that the continuous operation increases the production capacity and thus the utilization of the fluidizing apparatus.

[0012] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows Figure 1 is a top view of a fluidization apparatus with an inlet plate according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of a part of a fluidization apparatus with an inlet plate according to the invention in full section along the Fig. 1 The section axis AA shown is shown, Figure 3 is a side view of an inflow floor according to the invention having three inflow floor plates in full section along the in Fig. 1 Section axis BB shown, Figure 4 a top view of part of an upper airflow base plate of the in Fig. 3 Figure 5 shows a bottom view of part of a lower inflow plate of the inflow floor, which has three inflow floor plates. Fig. 3 Figure 6 shows a detailed view of the three airflow plates in section X according to the airflow base. Fig. 2 Figure 7 shows the fastening device of the inflow plate according to the invention on a displacement body and a perspective view of an inflow plate of the fluidization apparatus having three inflow plate plates in partial section.

[0013] In Fig. 1 A top view of a fluidizing apparatus 1 with a flow plate 2 according to the invention is shown. The flow plate 2 divides the fluidizing apparatus 1, which is operated particularly continuously, into a distribution chamber (not shown) arranged below the flow plate 2 and a vortex chamber 3 arranged above the flow plate 2. The flow plate 2 according to the invention comprises a displacement body 4 and partition walls 6 arranged on the displacement body 4 and connected to the flow plate 2 by means of fastening means 5. The partition walls 6 also have a partition wall termination 8 at their outer end 7. The partition wall termination 8 can be straight or have a curved shape, in particular to scrape the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1 and thus free it from deposits.The partition wall end 8 extends radially from the outer end 7 of the partition wall 6 to the outer wall 9 of the fluidizing apparatus 1, in particular to the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10. The partition walls 6 extend from the inlet plate 2 to any desired height within the fluidizing apparatus 1, which can be adapted to the respective manufacturing or treatment process within the fluidizing apparatus 1. The partition walls 6 divide the vortex chamber 3 into process chambers 11. In the exemplary embodiment, the fluidizing apparatus 1 has ten process chambers 11.

[0014] The inlet device 2 according to the invention has three inlet base plates 12a to 12c, wherein the lowest inlet base plate 12c is also referred to as the bottom plate and the middle inlet base plate 12b as the sealing plate. The diameter 13 of the upper and lower inlet base plates 12a and 12c is smaller compared to the diameter 14 of the middle inlet base plate 12b. The two inlet base plates 12a and 12c are generally made of steel, in particular stainless steel, or the like. An annular gap 15 is formed between the upper and lower inlet base plates 12a and 12c and the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1.

[0015] In contrast, the middle inlet plate 12b is typically made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or a similar material, such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) or tetrafluoroethylene perfluoropropylene (FEP). Due to its larger diameter 14, the middle inlet plate 12b seals the annular gap 15 between the upper and lower inlet plates 12a and 12c and the inner wall 10 of the outer wall 9 of the fluidizing apparatus 1. In the exemplary embodiment, the middle inlet plate 12b itself forms a sealing element 16 at its outer end 17, which seals the annular gap 15. Alternatively, a sealing element 16 could also be arranged on the middle inlet plate 12b as a second component. Particularly preferred, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, is the sealing element 16 formed over a circumference at the outer end 17 of the middle inflow base plate 12b.A sealing element 16 arranged around the entire circumference of one of the inflow floor plates 12b improves the sealing of the inflow floor 2 against the outer wall 9 of the fluidizing apparatus 1.

[0016] The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) typically used for manufacturing the central airflow plate 2 has a very low coefficient of friction. This results in minimal stress on the airflow plate 12b, which seals the annular gap 15 between the airflow plate 2 and the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1, when the airflow plate 2 rotates about the central axis Z, and consequently, wear is minimal. Furthermore, the static friction of PTFE is approximately equal to the sliding friction, so that the transition from the stationary position of the airflow plate 2 according to the invention when the fluidizing apparatus 1 is stationary to the movement of the airflow plate 2 during operation of the fluidizing apparatus 1 occurs without any jerking motion.

[0017] In the exemplary embodiment, the inlet plate 2, which has three inlet plates 12a to 12c, generates a pressure drop for the process air flowing through it. Process air is a gaseous medium that fluidizes the materials to be treated in the fluidizing apparatus 1, in particular particles or granules. Due to the central inlet plate 12b, which seals against the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1 and divides it into a distributor chamber (not shown) and a swirl chamber 3, the process air flows exclusively through openings 18 in the inlet plate 2 from the distributor chamber into the swirl chamber 3. In the exemplary embodiment, the openings 18 of the three inlet plates 12a to 12c forming the inlet plate 2 have different through-areas. This allows the pressure drop of the inlet plate 2 to be adjusted very precisely for each product being manufactured.

[0018] To better illustrate the openings 18, the inlet plate 2 according to the invention is divided into three sectors I, II, and III. The openings 18a of the upper inlet plate 12a are shown in sector I, the openings 18b of the middle inlet plate 18b are shown in sector II, and the openings 18c of the lower inlet plate 12c are shown in sector III. In the exemplary embodiment, the through-area of ​​the inlet plates 12a to 12c decreases from the lower inlet plate 12c to the upper inlet plate 12a. For example, the openings 18a in the upper inlet plate 12a are designed as very thin slots with a width of 0.2 mm. This results in a pressure drop large enough that any material entering the process chamber 11 is immediately fluidized and thus optimally fluidized from the outset, i.e., upon entering the fluidization apparatus.

[0019] Fig. 2 Figure 1 shows a side view of a part of a fluidization apparatus 1 with a flow plate 2 according to the invention in full section along the in Fig. 1 The section AA is shown. The fluidizing apparatus 1 is divided into the vortex chamber 3 and the distribution chamber 19 by the inflow plate 2 according to the invention. The inflow plate plates 12a to 12c are arranged on the displacement body 4. A detailed view of the attachment of the inflow plate plates 12a to 12c to the displacement body 4 according to section X is shown in Fig. 6 The three inflow plates 12a to 12c do not extend over the entire diameter 13, 14, but are connected to the displacement body 4 below it. The inflow plates 12a to 12c are all detachably connected to each other and individually interchangeable on the displacement body 4.

[0020] Partition walls 6, which have partition wall ends 8, are arranged on the displacement body 4, which rotates about a central axis Z. The partition wall end 8 extends from the outer end 7 of the partition wall 6 to the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1. The partition walls 6 extend from the inlet plate 2, which has three inlet plates 12a to 12c, over the entire height of the fluidizing apparatus 1. At the upper end of the fluidizing apparatus 1, the process air flowing from the distribution chamber 19 towards the vortex chamber 3 through the inlet plate 2 is preferably cleaned by filters (not shown here).

[0021] A side view of an inflow floor 2 according to the invention, comprising three inflow floor plates 12a to 12c, in full section along the in Fig. 1 The section axis BB shown is in Fig. 3 The middle airflow base plate 12b has a larger diameter 14 compared to the upper and lower airflow base plates 12a and 12c. In the illustrated embodiment, the middle airflow base plate 12b thus forms the sealing element 16 at its outer end 17. The openings 18a to 18c of the airflow base plates 12a to 12c are arranged one above the other in the exemplary embodiment, wherein according to Fig. 1 The openings 18a of the inflow base plate 12a have a smaller width compared to the openings 18b and 18c, which is not shown here.

[0022] Fig. 4 shows a top view of part of an upper inflow base plate 12a of the in Fig. 3 The three inlet plates 12a to 12c of the inlet plate 2 are shown. The openings 18a are preferably designed as slots with a width of 0.2 mm. The middle inlet plate 12b is also shown, the outer end 17 of which forms a sealing element 16 that seals the annular gap 15 between the inlet plate 2 according to the invention and the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1.

[0023] In Fig. 5 is a bottom view of part of a lower airflow base plate 12c of the in Fig. 3 The three inlet plates 12a to 12c shown in the illustration depict an inlet plate 2. The openings 18c are preferably also designed as slots, with the slots of the lower inlet plate 12c being wider than the slots of the upper inlet plate 12a, so that the passage area of ​​the openings 16c for the process air is larger than the passage area of ​​the openings 18a. The middle inlet plate 12b is also shown, with its outer end 17 forming a sealing element 16 that seals the annular gap 15 between the inlet plate 2 according to the invention and the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1.

[0024] A detailed view of a section X according to Fig. 2 The attachment of the inflow plate 2 according to the invention to a displacement body 4 is shown in Fig. 6 The inflow plates 12a to 12c are arranged between a displacement body upper part 4a and a displacement body lower part 4b, which is sealed to the upper part by a sealing element 20, in particular an O-ring, a flat gasket or the like, by means of a fastening element 21, in particular a screw or the like. The inflow plates 12a, 12b and 12c are connected to the displacement body 4 by means of a fastening element 22, preferably a bolt or the like.

[0025] Fig. 7 Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an inflow plate 2 of the fluidizing apparatus 1, comprising three inflow plates 12a to 12c, in partial section. The inflow plate 2, comprising three inflow plates 12a to 12c, is arranged on the displacement body 4 of the fluidizing apparatus 1, which includes partition walls 6. The partition walls 6 divide the vortex chamber 3 of the fluidizing apparatus 1 into process chambers 11. For the sake of simplicity, the following illustrations have been omitted. Fig. 7 The three inflow bottom plates 12a to 12c of the inflow bottom 2 are not shown continuously.

[0026] The lower inlet plate 12c serves to support and stabilize the middle inlet plate 12b, which acts as a sealing base. Preferably, the lower inlet plate 12c, like the upper inlet plate 12a, is made of steel, particularly stainless steel. The inlet plate 12b, which acts as a sealing base, is preferably made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or the like. For the middle inlet plate 12b to function as a sealing base, it must either have a larger diameter 14 compared to the lower and upper inlet plates 12a and 12c, respectively, or include a sealing element (not shown) at its outer end 17. In the exemplary embodiment, the middle inlet plate 12b, due to its larger diameter 14 compared to the inlet plates 12a and 12c, forms the sealing element 16 itself at its outer end 17.

[0027] In the preferred embodiment shown in the exemplary embodiment, the upper inlet plate 12a of the inlet plate 2 arranged in the fluidizing apparatus 1 has smaller openings 18a, in particular slot-shaped openings with a width of 0.2 mm. The pressure drop generated across the inlet plate 2 is adjusted through the openings 18a to 18c of the inlet plates 12a to 12c, in particular through the upper inlet plate 12a. With an optimal adjustment of the pressure drop generated across the inlet plate 2, the material to be treated, in particular particles or granules, is optimally fluidized; that is, the process air also fluidizes the generated, moist granules entering the process chamber 11.

[0028] By such a design of the inflow plate 2 arranged in the fluidizing apparatus 1, in particular by the central inflow plate 12b designed as a sealing plate, it can be rotated in the fluidizing apparatus 1 about a central axis Z and simultaneously seal the distributor chamber 19 from the vortex chamber 3 and the inflow plate 2 against the inner wall 9 of the outer wall 10 of the fluidizing apparatus 1 without showing signs of wear.

Claims

1. A fluidization apparatus (1) comprising an air distribution plate (2) permeable to process air with openings (18) for the process air flowing through the air distribution plate (2), wherein the air distribution plate (2) is rotatably arranged in the fluidization apparatus (1) about an axis Z of the fluidization apparatus (1) and divides it into a distribution chamber (19) and a fluidization chamber (3), and wherein the air distribution plate (2) of the fluidization apparatus (1) comprises at least a first and a second air distribution bottom plate (12a, 12b, 12c), wherein one of the air distribution bottom plates (12a, 12b, 12c) comprises or forms a sealing element (16) at its outer end (17), characterized in that an annular gap (15) is formed between the air distribution plate (2) and an inner wall (9) of an outer wall (10) of the fluidization apparatus (1), and the sealing element (16) is arranged or formed over a circumference at the outer end (17) of the one air distribution bottom plate (12a, 12b, 12c), such that the sealing element (16) seals the annular gap (15).

2. A fluidization apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the air distribution plate (2) of the fluidization apparatus (1) comprises three air distribution bottom plates (12a, 12b, 12c).

3. A fluidization apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the one air distribution bottom plate (12a, 12b, 12c) forming a sealing element (16) is made of polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. A fluidization apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air distribution bottom plates (12a, 12b, 12c) are connectable or connected to one another immovably.

5. A fluidization apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the openings (18a, 18b, 18c) of the individual air distribution bottom plates (12a, 12b, 12c) of the air distribution plate (2) have a different passage area for the process air.