TEXTILE MACHINE WITH AN ENERGY RECOVERY UNIT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a textile machine having several work stations for processing fibers and / or threads, with at least one central air-flowing unit designed as a suction system for generating a vacuum.

[0002] Within the scope of the invention, textile machines are understood to be machines used in the various production steps involved in manufacturing a thread from fibers. These include, for example, textile machines that produce cross-wound bobbins, such as open-end rotor spinning machines, air-jet spinning machines, or cross-wound spinning machines.

[0003] Depending on their intended use, textile machines of this type feature a variety of different components, each performing various tasks within the different processes involved in yarn production. Many of these components utilize an airflow for their operation. These air-driven components can be central units located on the textile machine or units situated at individual workstations. Examples of such workstation units include spinning devices that require a negative pressure for spinning, or suction nozzles used to retrieve yarn from a cross-wound bobbin and prepare it for re-spinning. A suction system for generating the necessary negative pressure is often designed as a central unit or at least assigned to a group of workstations.Compressed air sources are also often central units that supply compressed air to, for example, cleaning or spinning nozzles at the workplace.

[0004] DE 10 2011 114 479 A1 discloses a textile machine designed as a pre-spinning machine with a suction device that is supplied with negative pressure via a suction channel. The detached impurities are fed to a disposal device via the suction channel. The suction channel is pressurized by a vacuum source. The vacuum source comprises a fan and an electric motor. The electric motor drives the fan. The fan also has a flywheel whose kinetic energy ensures the supply of power to electrical consumers in the event of a power outage.

[0005] Creating positive or negative pressure in the air-flowing units requires a considerable amount of energy, only some of which is utilized during the operating process. A large portion of the energy converted into compressed air or negative pressure is lost unused.

[0006] Based on this, the invention aims to provide a textile machine that has high energy efficiency.

[0007] The invention solves the problem by means of a textile machine with an energy recovery unit having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments of the textile machine are specified in claims 2 to 8.

[0008] The invention solves the problem by means of a textile machine with several workstations for processing fibers and / or threads, with at least one central air-flowing unit designed as a suction system for generating a negative pressure, wherein an energy recovery unit is arranged in an exhaust air line of the unit.

[0009] The textile machine according to the invention is characterized in that it utilizes unused airflow, which is supplied to and discharged from the individual components, to generate electrical energy through the use of an energy recovery unit. Compared to conventional textile machines without an energy recovery unit, the textile machine according to the invention exhibits higher efficiency. The electrical energy can be fed back into the system using appropriate electrical components, e.g., the textile machine itself, or used to charge an energy storage device.

[0010] Characteristic of the energy recovery unit of the textile machine according to the invention is a rotating element which can be connected in a fluid-technical manner to an exhaust air line of the air-flowing unit of the textile machine and which can be driven by an airflow and which is connected to a generator for generating electricity.

[0011] The energy recovery unit is designed to be connected to the exhaust duct of an air-cooled unit. The airflow through the unit drives the rotating element of the energy recovery unit. The rotational movement of the rotating element is then used to generate electricity via the connection to the generator.

[0012] The energy recovery unit of the textile machine according to the invention can be arranged in the exhaust air duct, in which a negative pressure exists, generating an airflow, depending on the respective component of the textile machine. The airflow is primarily used for the operation of the component. In addition, the airflow passing through the component serves to drive the rotating element connected to the generator, thus converting the unused airflow into electrical energy. This electrical energy can, for example, be fed back into the textile machine, fed into a central company grid, or used to charge an energy storage device.

[0013] The textile machine according to the invention, with its energy recovery unit, thus makes it possible to convert the unused kinetic energy of the airflow into usable energy. The energy recovery unit therefore increases the efficiency of a suitably designed textile machine.

[0014] The arrangement of the rotating element in the exhaust air duct of the unit designed as a suction system according to the invention is, in principle, freely selectable. However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the energy recovery unit has a housing body that can be connected to an exhaust air duct of the unit and that has a flow cross-section widening from a housing inlet to a housing outlet. According to this embodiment of the invention, the housing body of the energy recovery unit is designed in the manner of a diffuser, in which the opening cross-section of the housing body through which the airflow flows widens in the direction of flow.This allows the flow velocity to be increased and the static pressure to be reduced in specific areas of the flow cross-section, enabling particularly efficient conversion of the airflow into electrical energy via the rotating element in these areas. Furthermore, the use of a housing body, in conjunction with a rotating element arranged in the area of ​​the housing outlet according to a particularly advantageous design, ensures minimal influence of the rotating element on the airflow through the unit, thus reliably preventing malfunctions of the unit due to the arrangement of the energy recovery unit.

[0015] The orientation of the rotation axis of the rotating element, which can be any element that can be set in rotation by an airflow, such as a fan, is generally freely selectable. It is possible to arrange it in the airflow such that its rotation axis is perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing body. However, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rotation axis of the rotating element extends in a plane that is neither perpendicular nor parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing body. It is particularly advantageous that the rotation axis is arranged in such a way that it aligns itself automatically via the airflow or under controlled conditions.

[0016] This embodiment of the invention ensures, particularly when advantageously using a housing body with a widening flow cross-section, that the rotating element is optimally aligned with the airflow within the housing body. This further increases the efficiency of energy recovery via the generator connected to the rotating element. The automatic alignment of the axis of rotation with respect to the airflow can be achieved, for example, by a corresponding flexible mounting of the axis of rotation on the housing body. Controlled alignment of the axis of rotation can be accomplished using an actuator in conjunction with a sensor.

[0017] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the housing body has a guide plate extending in the area between the housing inlet and outlet, which divides the airflow through the housing body, and the rotating element is arranged in the area between the guide plate and a housing wall of the housing body. According to this embodiment of the invention, a defined portion of the airflow supplied from the unit is used to drive the rotating element by means of a guide plate. This embodiment of the invention ensures in a particularly reliable manner that the energy recovery does not impair the function of the airflow through the unit of the textile machine and / or the work area.The guide plate, which is preferably arranged parallel to a housing wall of the housing body, can be directly adjacent to the housing inlet and outlet or extend only over a partial area between the housing inlet and the housing outlet.

[0018] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the housing wall has an opening and the rotating element is arranged on the outside of the housing body in the area of ​​the opening in such a way that an airflow passing through the housing body generates a suction flow driving the rotating element.

[0019] According to this embodiment of the invention, the rotating element is not arranged in the direct airflow, but rather on the outside of the housing opening in such a way that it is driven by the suction flow generated by the air flowing through the housing opening. This embodiment of the invention allows good access to the rotating element in the event of necessary maintenance or repair work. Furthermore, the suction flow acting on the rotating element can be easily varied by means of an advantageously provided adjustment of the opening size, thus regulating energy recovery. This embodiment of the invention also ensures in a particularly reliable manner that the energy recovery unit does not impair the function of the air-flowing components.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the textile machine according to the invention, the exhaust air duct of the unit in which the energy recovery unit is arranged is designed as a channel extending longitudinally along the textile machine. Such channels are generally known and can extend over the entire length of the textile machine. The channels can preferably be the exhaust air duct of a suction system. The machine-length channels can supply the units at the workstations with negative pressure. The channels are particularly suitable for accommodating one or more energy recovery units because they have a particularly high airflow rate. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawing. The drawings show: Fig. 1 in a schematic, perspective view of an energy recovery unit with a rotating element designed as a turbine wheel; Fig. 2 in a schematic, perspective view of a first embodiment of a housing body for arrangement on an exhaust air duct of an air-flowing unit; Fig. 3 in a schematic view of a side view of the housing body of Figure 2 with a rotating element of an energy recovery unit; Fig. 4 in a schematic representation a second embodiment of a housing body with a rotating element; Fig. 5 in a schematic representation a third embodiment of a housing body with a rotating element.

[0021] In Figure 1A schematic representation shows an energy recovery unit 12 with a rotating element, designed as a fan wheel 3, arranged on a frame body 2. The frame body 2 of the energy recovery unit 12 can, for example, be attached to a support frame 4 of a Figure 2 The housing body 1a shown in the illustration is arranged in such a way that it can be connected via a housing inlet 5 to an exhaust air duct (not shown) of an air-flowing unit (also not shown). Starting from the housing inlet 5, the opening cross-section of the housing body 1a widens to the housing outlet 6.

[0022] The housing body 1a, due to its cross-section widening from the housing inlet 5 to the housing outlet 6, acts as a diffuser, thereby reducing the flow velocity of the air flowing through it and increasing the static pressure, so that a drive of the rotating element 3, which is preferably arranged in the area of ​​the housing outlet 6, can be carried out in a particularly reliable manner (cf. Figure 3 The rotational energy of the rotating element 3 is converted into electrical energy via a generator connected to the rotating element 3 (not shown here), which can be used as desired.

[0023] Another embodiment of a housing body 1b is shown in Figure 4As shown. In this embodiment, the housing body 1b has a lateral housing opening 8. The airflow passing through the housing body 1b from the housing inlet 5 to the housing outlet 6 generates a suction flow outside the housing body 1b in the area of ​​the housing opening 8, which drives a vane 3 of the energy recovery unit 12 located there.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the housing body 1c, it has a guide plate 7 that extends from the housing outlet 6 towards the housing inlet 5. A portion of the airflow passing through the housing body 1c is separated by the guide plate 7 and directed between the guide plate 7 and the housing wall of the energy recovery unit 12 (see figure). Figure 5 ). Reference symbol list

[0025] 1a, 1b, 1c Housing body 2 Frame body 3 Rotating element / impeller 4 Support frame 5 Housing inlet 6 Housing outlet 7 Guide plate 8 Housing opening 12 Energy recovery unit

Claims

1. Textile machine having a plurality of workstations for processing fibres and / or threads and having at least one unit (11) through which air flows, located centrally, which is designed as a suction system for generating a vacuum, characterised by an energy recovery device (12) connected to an exhaust air line of the unit and having a rotational element (3), which can be driven by an air flow and is connected to a generator for electricity generation.

2. Textile machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the energy recovery device (12) comprises a housing body (1a, 1b, 1c) which is connected to the exhaust air line of the unit (11) and which has a flow cross-section which widens from a housing inlet (5) up to a housing outlet (6).

3. Textile machine according to claim 2, characterised in that the rotational element (3) is arranged in the region of the housing outlet (6).

4. Textile machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of rotation of the rotational element (3) extends in a plane which is not oriented perpendicularly or parallel to the flow direction.

5. Textile machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of rotation is arranged in such a way that it is oriented relative to the air flow independently or by control.

6. Textile machine according to one or more of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that the housing body (1c) has a guide plate (7), which extends in the region between the housing inlet (5) and the housing outlet (6) and divides the air flow through the housing body (1c), and the rotational element (3) is arranged in the region between the guide plate (7) and a housing wall.

7. Textile machine according to one or more of claims 2 to 5, characterised in that a housing wall has a housing opening (8) and the rotational element (3) is arranged on the outside of the housing body (1b) in the region of the housing opening (8) in such a way that an air flow flowing through the housing body (1b) produces a suction flow which drives the rotational element (3).

8. Textile machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the exhaust air line which belongs to the unit and in which the energy recovery device (12) is arranged is in the form of a duct extending in the longitudinal direction of the textile machine.