Bulk density measuring device and method for manufacturing bulk density adjusted powder

Abstract

To provide a bulk density measurement device that can be permanently provided in a pipe a fine particle passes through in an exposed state, and can minimize an error included in a bulk density measurement value.SOLUTION: A bulk density measurement device 4 is installed in a pipe 2 a fine particle 7 passes through, collects a part of the fine particle 7 and measures bulk density of the fine particle. The bulk density measurement device 4 comprises: a quantitative container 9 that collects the part of the fine particle 7 passing through inside the pipe 2, and accommodates the collected one part in a hollow part; a scraping mechanism 13 that scrapes and removes the fine particle 7 to be accommodated beyond an opening 9c position of the quantitative container 9; a weight measuring mechanism 8 that measures at least a weight of the quantitative container 9 and a weight of the fine particle 7 to be accommodated in the quantitative container 9; and a purge structure 17 that cleans at least a part of an exposed part becoming a weight measurement object of the weight measuring mechanism 8, and other than an inner side plane 9a of the quantitative container 9 by purge gas.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bulk density measuring device that is installed in a powder production line and measures the bulk density of powder passing through the line, and a method for producing bulk density-adjusted powder using the same.

[0002] Generally, when the final product to be produced is a powder, or when a powder is used as a raw material in the production of a product, it may be necessary to adjust the bulk density of the powder depending on the purpose. In such cases, it has been necessary to measure the bulk density of the powder passing through the production line and reflect the result in the control of powder processing equipment upstream or downstream. The following prior applications related to the present invention are known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an invention titled "Online automatic measuring device for bulk density, density or specific gravity" that relates to an apparatus for automatically measuring online the bulk density, density or specific gravity of powder or granular material or liquid that flows and falls inside pipes and into storage tanks or other containers. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a quantitative container for collecting samples, a track for guiding the quantitative container, and a driving device for moving the quantitative container along the track via a flexible joint, wherein at least the track and the quantitative container are arranged within an apparatus space through which the fluid flows and a space connected to the space and isolated from the outside, and the track along which the quantitative container moves is provided with a sample collection section in which the flowing fluid is stored in the quantitative container as a sample, a measuring section for measuring the weight of the quantitative container containing the sample, and a sample recovery section formed by a bent part of the track in which the quantitative container tips over to discharge the sample into the apparatus space. According to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1 as described above, it is possible to provide an online automatic measuring device that can automatically measure bulk density, density, or specific gravity with high accuracy within a system of manufacturing equipment or transportation equipment for various powders and granular materials, liquids, etc., and can directly recover the sample used for measurement within the system. Furthermore, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, as described in paragraph 0016 of the specification, "the shape of the roof of the housing 21 through which the powder or granular material flows and the locations of the sampling damper 22, the sampling port 23a, the buffer plate 23b, etc. are determined taking into consideration the angle of repose of the powder or granular material to be handled, and the configuration of the sampling damper 22 is determined taking into consideration the shape of the roof of the housing 21." Therefore, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, as described in paragraph 0021 of the specification, "the sample is absorbed by the roof of the housing 21 and the buffer plate 23b and is guided to the center of the box 24."

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses an idea for a device called a "powder sampling device" for sampling a fixed amount of powder. The device disclosed in Patent Document 2 is characterized by comprising two chambers with adjacent side walls open, one of which has a sample insertion device and a scraping shutter and the other a sample receiving container, a sampling container that moves back and forth within the two chambers and is replaceably attached, a driving device for driving the sampling container, and a purge nozzle for purging the sampling container and the inside of the chambers. According to the above-mentioned invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, the inner surface of the empty sampling container and the inside of the chamber are purged by the purge nozzle. Therefore, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is possible to prevent the previous sample from being mixed into the next sample. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-323979 [Patent Document 2] Publication No. 63-107839 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The invention disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 is configured so that the placement of the sample in the measure and the measurement of the weight of the sample placed in the measure are performed in a housing formed by partitioning a part of the powder flow path, so there is a low risk that the powder sample will unintentionally adhere to or accumulate in the measurement range of the load cell. On the other hand, in the case of the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, it would be difficult to make the housing for collecting and weighing the sample protrude significantly toward the center of the pipe in order to improve the flow of powder through the pipe. In this case, if the amount of powder passing through is greater toward the center of the pipe, it is expected that it will take time to secure a sufficient amount of sample for weighing, making it difficult to measure the bulk density of the powder continuously in a short cycle.

[0007] In the case of the device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the sampling container and the rod for moving the sampling container are not the objects to be weighed in the first place. Therefore, there is no particular problem even if some of the powder sample adheres to or accumulates on the sampling container or the rod for moving the sampling container.

[0008] The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a bulk density measuring device that can be permanently installed in an exposed state in a pipe through which powder passes and that can reduce errors contained in the measured bulk density, and a method for producing bulk density-adjusted powder using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The first invention for solving the above problems is a bulk density measuring device that is installed in a line through which powder passes and collects a portion of the powder to measure its bulk density, and is characterized by comprising a quantitative container that collects a portion of the passing powder and stores it in its hollow portion, a leveling mechanism that levels off and removes the powder that is stored beyond the opening position of the quantitative container, a weighing mechanism that measures at least the weight of the quantitative container and the weight of the powder stored in the quantitative container, and a purge structure that is the object of measurement by the weighing mechanism and cleans at least a portion of the exposed portion other than the inside of the quantitative container with purge gas. In the first invention having the above configuration, the metered quantity container is disposed in the line and serves to receive powder passing through the line and store and hold it in its hollow portion. The leveling mechanism serves to level and remove powder stored beyond the opening position of the metered quantity container. In addition, the weighing mechanism serves to measure at least the weight of the metered quantity container and the weight of the powder stored in the metered quantity container. The purge structure serves to clean at least a portion of the exposed portion other than the inside of the metered quantity container, which is the object of measurement by the weighing mechanism, with a purge gas.

[0010] A second invention is the above-mentioned first invention, characterized in that the purge structure includes a first purge gas ejection port for cleaning the outside of the quantitative container. The second invention having the above configuration has the same effect as the first invention described above. Furthermore, in the second invention, the first purge gas ejection port has an effect of blowing off and removing powder adhering to the outside of the metered quantity container with the purge gas ejected therefrom.

[0011] The third invention is the first or second invention described above, characterized in that the measuring mechanism includes a support structure interposed between the quantitative container and the measuring means, and the purge structure includes a second purge gas nozzle for cleaning the support structure. The third invention having the above configuration has the same effect as the first or second invention. Furthermore, in the third invention, the support structure interposed between the quantity container and the measuring means has the effect of transmitting the weight of the quantity container and the powder contained in its hollow portion to the measuring means. In addition, in the third invention, the second purge gas ejection port has the effect of blowing away and removing powder that has accumulated on the upper surface of the support structure and powder that adheres to the bare surface of the support structure by the purge gas ejected therefrom.

[0012] The fourth invention is any of the first to third inventions described above, characterized in that the leveling mechanism is arranged so as to block the powder flow path and cover the metering mechanism. The fourth invention having the above configuration has the same effect as each of the first to third inventions. Furthermore, in the fourth invention, by disposing the leveling mechanism so as to block the powder flow path and cover the measuring mechanism, it has the effect of suitably suppressing powder from accumulating on the upper surface of the measuring mechanism or adhering to the exposed portion of the measuring mechanism.

[0013] The fifth invention, a method for producing a bulk density-adjusted powder, is characterized in that the bulk density of the powder is adjusted by adjusting the powder production conditions and / or powder processing conditions based on the bulk density measurement results obtained by the bulk density measuring device of any of the first to fourth inventions described above. In the fifth aspect of the invention having the above-mentioned configuration, the bulk density measuring device has the same functions as those of the first to fourth aspects of the invention. In other words, in the fifth invention, when measuring the bulk density of powder passing through the line, at least a portion of the powder that falls, accumulates or adheres to the weighing mechanism is blown away and removed by purge gas sprayed from the purge structure. Therefore, when the weight of the powder contained in the quantity container is measured by the weighing mechanism, the weight of the powder that has fallen onto or adhered to the weighing mechanism, which is included as an error in the measured value, becomes relatively small. This improves the measurement accuracy of the bulk density measured by the bulk density measuring device. In other words, in the fifth invention, the measured value of the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device approaches the true value. Therefore, according to the fifth invention, it becomes possible to control the production conditions of the powder and / or the treatment conditions for the powder on the upstream side with high accuracy based on the measured bulk density value by the bulk density measuring device. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the first invention as described above, powder that is the object of measurement by the measuring mechanism and that has fallen, accumulated or adhered to the exposed parts other than the inside of the quantitative container can be blown away and removed by purge gas sprayed from the purge structure. This makes it possible to prevent the weight of the powder that is contained in the measuring container and that has been leveled off from being unintentionally included in the measured value of the measuring mechanism when the weighing mechanism measures the weight of the powder that is the target of the measuring mechanism and that has fallen onto or adhered to the exposed part other than the inside of the quantity container, from being included in the measured value of the measuring mechanism, thereby preventing the measured value of the bulk density from deviating from the true value. Therefore, according to the first invention, it is possible to improve the measurement accuracy when measuring the bulk density of the powder passing through the line.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the first invention, when installing the bulk density measuring device in the line through which the powder passes, it is not necessary to house the bulk density measuring device in a housing as in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1. In other words, it is not necessary to separate the bulk density measuring device from the powder passage by a partition wall or the like. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the bulk density measuring device can be permanently installed in the pipe through which the powder passes, without providing a housing or a separating wall around it.

[0016] Furthermore, in this case, the bulk density measuring device according to the first aspect of the invention can be disposed in the center of the line through which the amount of powder passing through is the greatest. This shortens the time required to fill the quantitative container of the first invention with the powder whose bulk density is to be measured, making it possible to continuously measure the bulk density of the powder passing through the line in a short cycle.

[0017] The second invention is similar to the first invention described above in that the area to be cleaned by the purge structure is specified to be outside the measuring container, and the effects thereof are the same as those of the first invention.

[0018] The third invention is the first invention described above, in which the areas to be cleaned by the purge structure are specified as the outside of the measuring container and / or the exposed parts of the support structure, and the effects thereof are the same as those of the first invention.

[0019] The fourth invention has the same effects as those of the first to third inventions described above. Furthermore, according to the fourth invention, by disposing the leveling mechanism so as to block the powder flow path and cover the measuring mechanism, it is possible to more reliably prevent powder from falling and accumulating on the measuring mechanism or from adhering to the bare surface of the measuring mechanism. Therefore, according to the fourth invention, the measurement accuracy of the bulk density can be further improved compared to each of the above-mentioned first to third inventions.

[0020] The bulk density measuring device in the fifth aspect of the invention has the same effects as those of the first to fourth aspects of the invention described above. Furthermore, according to the fifth invention, it is possible to minimize errors when measuring the bulk density of powder passing through the line, so that the powder production conditions and / or powder processing conditions can be controlled based on this measurement value while maintaining high accuracy. As a result, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, powder having a bulk density that matches or is close to the target bulk density can be efficiently produced. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1]1 is an image diagram of a production line for bulk density-adjusted powder equipped with a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view showing a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention with a part thereof cut away; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the opening side of a measuring container. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are perspective views of a weighing mechanism and a leveling mechanism of a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are side views each showing a part of a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention with which a part is cut away for explaining an operation procedure of the device. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are side views each showing a part of a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention with which a part is cut away for explaining an operation procedure of the device. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a bulk density measuring device according to a modified example of the present invention, with a part of the device cut away. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] A bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a method for producing bulk density-adjusted powder using the same will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG.

[0023] First, an overview of a production line for bulk density-adjusted powder according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an image diagram of a production line for bulk-density-adjusted powder equipped with a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 of this embodiment comprises a piping 2 consisting of a hollow tube through which the powder 6 to be processed passes, a powder processing equipment 3 for performing a process to adjust the bulk density of the powder 6 as desired, a bulk density measuring device 4 for measuring the bulk density of the processed powder 7 processed by the powder processing equipment 3, and a control means 5 for controlling the powder processing equipment 3 based on the measurement value measured by the bulk density measuring device 4. That is, in the manufacturing line 1 for bulk density adjusted powder according to this embodiment, the powder processing equipment 3 is configured to be controlled based on the measurement value of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment. Therefore, in the bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 of this embodiment, the higher the measurement accuracy of the bulk density measuring device 4, that is, the closer the bulk density measured by the bulk density measuring device 4 is to the true value, the more accurately the powder processing equipment 3 can be controlled. In the production line 1 for bulk density adjusted powder according to this embodiment, the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment is installed in the pipe 2 in an exposed state without providing a housing, a partition wall, or the like.

[0024] Next, the basic configuration of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 2 is a side view showing a bulk density measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention with a part cut away. Note that the same parts as those shown in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and the description of their configurations will be omitted. The bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment comprises a quantitative container 9 that collects a portion of the processed powder 7 passing through a pipe 2 constituting a bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 shown in Figure 1 above and stores it in its hollow portion, a leveling mechanism 13 that levels off and removes the processed powder 7 that is stored beyond the opening 9c position of the quantitative container 9, a weighing mechanism 8 that measures at least the weight of the quantitative container 9 and the weight of the processed powder 7 stored in the quantitative container 9, and a purge structure 17 that is the object of measurement by the weighing mechanism 8 and cleans at least a portion of the exposed portion other than the inside of the quantitative container 9 with a purge gas.

[0025] The bulk density measuring device 4 according to the present embodiment as described above is installed and used in a bare state without providing a housing, a partition wall, or the like, in a pipe 2 constituting a production line 1 for bulk density-adjusted powder as shown in Fig. 1. That is, in the bulk density measuring device 4 according to the present embodiment, the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2, more specifically, the treated powder 7 falling through the pipe 2, constantly falls on the bulk density measuring device 4 and passes through the bulk density measuring device 4. For this reason, the weight measurement value measured by the weighing mechanism 8 of the bulk density measuring device 4 in this embodiment unintentionally includes the weight of the processed powder 7 that is the object of weighing by the weighing mechanism 8 and that has adhered to or accumulated on exposed parts other than the inside of the quantitative container 9. In this case, the bulk density of the processed powder 7 obtained based on the measurement results by the weighing mechanism 8 will deviate from the true value, making it difficult to control with high precision the powder processing equipment 3 in the production line 1 for bulk density adjusted powder according to this embodiment shown in Figure 1 above.

[0026] In contrast, the bulk density measurement device 4 according to this embodiment is provided with a purge structure 17 that is the measurement target of the measuring mechanism 8 and cleans at least a part of the exposed portion other than the inside of the quantity container 9 with a purge gas. Therefore, according to the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, at least a portion of the processed powder 7 that is the object of measurement by the measuring mechanism 8 and that has adhered to or accumulated on the exposed parts other than the inside of the quantitative container 9 can be blown away and removed by the purging structure 17. This makes it possible to reduce the weight of the processed powder 7 that is the target of measurement by the weighing mechanism 8 of the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment and that adheres to or accumulates on exposed parts other than the inside of the quantity container 9, and that is unintentionally included in the measurement value by the weighing mechanism 8. As a result, even when the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment is installed in an exposed state in the pipe 2 through which the treated powder 7 passes, the measurement accuracy can be improved. Therefore, according to the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, the measured bulk density value can be made closer to the true value, so that the powder processing equipment 3 in the production line 1 for bulk density adjusted powder can be controlled based on this measured value while maintaining high accuracy. Therefore, by being equipped with the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, it is possible to efficiently produce bulk density adjusted powder (e.g., treated powder 7, etc.) in which the bulk density of the powder has been adjusted with high precision, for example, in a bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 as shown in Figure 1 above.

[0027] Next, examples of detailed structures that can be added as necessary to the basic structure of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment described above will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention, seen from the opening side of a measuring container. Note that the same parts as those shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are given the same reference numerals, and the description of their configurations is omitted. First, the details of the purge structure of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described. The weighing mechanism 8 in the bulk density measurement device 4 according to this embodiment may include a support structure 10 interposed between the quantitative container 9 and the weighing means 11, such as a load cell, as shown in FIGS. Furthermore, the weighing mechanism 8 of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment may be equipped with an inversion mechanism 12 capable of inverting the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 and discharging the treated powder 7 contained in the hollow portion thereof into the piping 2 after measuring the weight of the quantitative container 9 and the treated powder 7 contained in this quantitative container 9, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. As such an inversion mechanism 12, for example, a cylindrical shaft, i.e., a shaft supporting a weighing means 11, such as a load cell, can be used, which is held within the hollow portion of a cylinder so that it can rotate in its circumferential direction. In this case, the objects to be measured for weight by the weighing means 11 (for example, a load cell) are three parts: the quantity container 9, the treated powder 7 contained in the quantity container 9 in a level state, and the support structure 10. Furthermore, in this case, the target to be cleaned by the purging structure 17 of this embodiment is either only the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, only the bare surface of the support structure 10, or both the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 and the bare surface of the support structure 10.

[0028] The bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment may be provided with a first purge gas nozzle 18a that injects purge gas toward the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 as a purge structure 17 for cleaning the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, for example. In this case, the treated powder 7 that has adhered to or accumulated on the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 can be blown off and removed by the purge gas injected from the first purge gas injection port 18a (effect A).

[0029] Furthermore, the bulk density measurement device 4 of this embodiment may be provided with a second purge gas injection port 18b that injects purge gas toward the bare surface of the support structure 10 as a purge structure 17 for cleaning the bare surface of the support structure 10, as shown in, for example, FIG. 3. In this case, the treated powder 7 adhering to or accumulated on the exposed surface of the support structure 10 can be blown off and removed by the purge gas injected from the second purge gas injection port 18b (effect B). In this embodiment, an example is given in which the purge gas ejected from the second purge gas ejection port 18b is configured to clean not only the support structure 10 but also the measuring means 11 (e.g., a load cell, etc.); however, if the length of the support structure 10 is large, for example, a purge gas ejection port (not shown) for cleaning the measuring means 11 may be provided in addition to the second purge gas ejection port 18b for cleaning the support structure 10.

[0030] Furthermore, when the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment has both the first purge gas ejection port 18a and the second purge gas ejection port 18b as the purge structure 17, the above-mentioned effects A and B can be achieved simultaneously.

[0031] Therefore, since the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment is equipped with the first purge gas nozzle 18a or the second purge gas nozzle 18b, or both, as the purge structure 17, it is possible to reduce the weight of the treated powder 7 that has adhered to or accumulated on the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 or the bare surface of the support structure 10, which is unintentionally included in the weight measurement value by the weighing mechanism 8. Furthermore, in the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, the effect of reducing the error contained in the measurement value by the weighing mechanism 8 is more pronounced when the purge structure 17 is provided with only the first purge gas nozzle 18a (i.e., when only the above-mentioned effect A is achieved) than when the purge structure 17 is provided with only the second purge gas nozzle 18b (i.e., when only the above-mentioned effect B is achieved). Furthermore, the effect of reducing the error contained in the measurement value by the measuring mechanism 8 is more pronounced when the purge structure 17 is provided with both the first purge gas nozzle 18a and the second purge gas nozzle 18b rather than providing either one of them. In either case, the bulk density obtained by the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be made closer to the true value. As a result, based on the highly accurate measurement values ​​obtained from the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, the powder processing equipment 3 located upstream of the bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 shown in FIG. 1 can be controlled with high precision. Therefore, by equipping the bulk density-adjusted powder production line 1 shown in FIG. 1 with the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, bulk density-adjusted powder having a bulk density that matches or is close to the target bulk density can be efficiently produced.

[0032] In Figure 3, an example is shown in which the first purge gas injection ports 18a are arranged on three sides on the outside of the peripheral side of the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 when the quantitative container 9 is viewed from the opening 9c side, but the number and arrangement of the first purge gas injection ports 18a do not need to be specified as shown in Figure 3. More specifically, the first purge gas injection port 18a may be arranged opposite each other at two locations on the outside of the peripheral side surface of the opening 9c of the quantity container 9, or may be arranged at three or more locations on the outside of the peripheral side surface of the opening 9c of the quantity container 9, for example, at a desired interval. In the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, in order to spray purge gas over the entire outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, the more densely the first purge gas nozzles 18a are arranged around the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, that is, the more the total number of first purge gas nozzles 18a distributed and arranged around the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 increases, the more the amount of treated powder 7 remaining adhering to the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 can be reduced. On the other hand, as the number of first purge gas injection ports 18a increases, the number of purge gas supply pipes 19 increases, etc., and the purge structure 17 becomes more complicated, making it more likely to malfunction. For this reason, the number of first purge gas injection ports 18a may be appropriately set according to the properties (e.g., electrostatic charge property) of the treated powder 7, the bulk density of which is to be measured, and generally, 3 to 4 ports may be provided at intervals of 60° to 120°.

[0033] More specifically, the first purge gas injection port 18a may be provided, for example, when the quantitative container 9 is viewed from the opening 9c side, so that there are three first purge gas injection ports 18a, one in each of three directions in the circumferential direction of the opening 9c, and more specifically, there may be three first purge gas injection ports 18a, one every 90° to 120° with respect to the center of the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9. In this case, the number of first purge gas ejection ports 18a for cleaning the peripheral side surface of the quantitative container 9 can be minimized, while the purge gas can be sprayed all over the side surface of the quantitative container 9 (effect C). Furthermore, in this case, three first purge gas injection ports 18a may be arranged in series on one purge gas supply pipe 19 as shown in FIG. In this case, the purge structure 17 itself can be made extremely simple. As a result, in addition to the effect C described above, the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be made less prone to breakdowns and its maintenance can be made easier.

[0034] In addition, Figure 3 illustrates an example in which the second purge gas injection port 18b is arranged on only one of the sides of the support structure 10 (and the metering means 11 extended therefrom), but the second purge gas injection port 18b may be arranged individually on each of both sides of the support structure 10 (and the metering means 11 extended therefrom). More specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 2 or Figure 3, when the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment is equipped with an inversion mechanism 12 for inverting the quantitative container 9, its support structure 10, and the measuring means 11 extended therefrom, purge gas is injected from the second purge gas nozzle 18b toward the side of the support structure 10 (and the measuring means 11 extended therefrom) during inversion and normal rotation, so that the bare surface of the support structure 10 (and the measuring means 11 extended therefrom) can be efficiently cleaned using one second purge gas nozzle 18b.

[0035] Next, a detailed structure of the leveling mechanism 13 of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4(a) and (b) are perspective views of the weighing mechanism and the leveling mechanism of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as those shown in Figs. 1 to 3 are given the same reference numerals, and the description of the configurations is omitted. The leveling mechanism 13 of the bulk density measuring device 4 in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 4(a) and (b), for example, comprises a slide mechanism 16 that is arranged parallel to the weighing means 11 in the weighing mechanism 8 (including the concept of approximately parallel) and slides in the direction of its central axis, and a leveling mechanism 14 that is provided at the tip side of the slide mechanism 16 and whose lower end is arranged as close as possible to the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 without contacting it.

[0036] In the bulk density measuring device 4 equipped with the leveling mechanism 13, when the sliding mechanism 16 is operated, the lower end of the leveling mechanism 14 slides in conjunction with the operation of the sliding mechanism 16 while remaining close to the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9. More specifically, the leveling mechanism 14, which is in the position shown in Fig. 4(b), slides to the position shown in Fig. 4(a). As a result, the treated powder 7 contained beyond the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 can be removed.

[0037] Furthermore, the leveling mechanism 13 of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment may be provided with a cover 15 between the leveling mechanism 14 and the tip of the sliding mechanism 16, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 4(a) and (b). In this case, the opening 9c of the quantity container 9 immediately after being flushed by the flushing edge 14 can be covered with the cover 15. In this case, it is possible to effectively prevent the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2 from entering the leveled-out quantity container 9 and changing the amount of the treated powder 7 in the leveled-out quantity container 9. As a result, when the weighing mechanism 8 measures the weight of the quantity container 9 and the leveled processed powder 7 contained in its hollow portion (and the weight of the support structure 10, which is provided if necessary), the error contained in the measurement value can be reduced. Therefore, when the leveling mechanism 13 in the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment includes the cover 15 in addition to the leveling mechanism 14, the accuracy of measuring the weight by the weighing mechanism 8 can be improved.

[0038] 2 and 4(a) and (b), in the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, the leveling mechanism 13 may be disposed so as to block the flow path of the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2 and to cover the weighing mechanism 8. The leveling mechanism 13 mentioned here is a concept that encompasses both the case where the slide mechanism 16 is provided with only the leveling mechanism 14 and the case where the slide mechanism 16 is provided with the leveling mechanism 14 and the cover 15. In this case, the leveling mechanism 13 functions like an umbrella, and can prevent the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2 from falling onto and accumulating on the measuring mechanism 8. As a result, the amount of treated powder 7 that adheres to or accumulates on the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, the support structure 10, and even the exposed parts of the measuring means 11 can be reduced compared to when the leveling mechanism 13 is not provided on the measuring mechanism 8. Therefore, by providing a leveling mechanism 13 on the weighing mechanism 8 in the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, the error contained in the measured value when measuring weight by the weighing mechanism 8 can be reduced, thereby improving the accuracy of measuring bulk density by the bulk density measuring device 4.

[0039] Furthermore, when the leveling mechanism 13 of the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment is provided with a cover 15 in addition to the leveling 14, the cover 15 may be arranged to cover the measuring means 11, or the support structure 10 and the measuring means 11, when the treated powder 7 is collected, as shown in Figure 4(b). In this case, it is possible to more reliably prevent the treated powder 7 from adhering to or accumulating on the bare surface of the measuring means 11 or on the bare surfaces of the support structure 10 and the measuring means 11 while a portion of the treated powder 7 is being collected into the quantitative container 9. In this case as well, the measurement accuracy of the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be further improved.

[0040] In the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, the leveling mechanism 13 is arranged so as to block the flow path of the treated powder 7 and to cover the measuring mechanism 8, but the leveling mechanism 13 may have a structure other than that shown in Figure 2 and Figures 4(a) and (b). More specifically, as a leveling mechanism other than that shown in Figures 2 and Figures 4(a) and (b), although not specifically shown, for example, a leveling mechanism 14, or a leveling mechanism 14 and a cover 15, may be installed immovably within the piping 2, and the weighing mechanism 8 and the inversion mechanism 12 may be slid directly below it in the direction of the central axis of the weighing means 11. In this case as well, the same actions and effects can be achieved as in the case where the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment includes the leveling mechanism 13 as shown in FIG. 2 and FIGS. 4(a) and (b).

[0041] Next, other detailed structures of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described. The bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment may include a frame structure 20 that houses therein the measuring mechanism 8, the leveling mechanism 13 and the purge structure 17 (the first purge gas nozzle 18a and / or the second purge gas nozzle 18b), as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In this case, the bulk density measuring device 4 can be installed and removed from the pipe 2 via the frame structure 20. Therefore, when the bulk density measurement device 4 according to this embodiment includes the frame structure 20, repair and maintenance work of the bulk density measurement device 4 can be easily performed.

[0042] Furthermore, in the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, although not specifically shown, the weighing mechanism 8 and the leveling mechanism 13 may be housed within a frame structure 20, and the purge structure 17 (first purge gas injection port 18a and / or second purge gas injection port 18b) may be provided separately from the frame structure 20. In this case, the purge structure 17 may be provided on the inner wall of the piping 2, or a separate frame structure (not shown; for example, a second frame structure) capable of accommodating the frame structure 20 may be provided, and only the purge structure 17 may be provided on this separate frame structure. In this case, a conventionally known bulk density measuring device equipped with a weighing mechanism 8 and a leveling mechanism 13 can be converted into the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment. In this case, there is no need to order the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, so the cost required to install the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be reduced.

[0043] Additionally, in the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, the driving source for the leveling mechanism 13 and / or the inverting mechanism 12 may be air pressure. In this case, the purge gas (eg, air, etc.) supplied to the purge structure 17 can also be used as a drive source for the leveling mechanism 13 and / or the inversion mechanism 12, so that the structure of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be simplified. As a result, the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be structured to be less prone to breakdowns, and the maintenance work therefor can be facilitated.

[0044] Here, an example of the operation procedure of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Figures 5(a) and (b) are both side views showing a part of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention, for explaining the operation procedure of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Also, Figures 6(a) and (b) are both side views showing a part of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention, for explaining the operation procedure of the bulk density measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as those shown in Figures 1 to 4, and the description of their configurations is omitted. In order to measure the bulk density of the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2 using the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment, it is necessary to fill the quantitative container 9 with the treated powder 7 (step S1; powder sampling step). In the powder collection process of step S1, first, the slide mechanism 16 of the leveling mechanism 13 is operated to move the cover 15 covering the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9, thereby opening the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 (step S1-1; powder collection begins). More specifically, the slide mechanism 16 of the leveling mechanism 13 is operated to slide the cover 15 in the direction indicated by symbol S in Figure 4(a) so that the cover 15 is placed on the weighing means 11, or on the support structure 10 and the weighing means 11. As a result, a portion of the treated powder 7 passing through the pipe 2 falls from the opening 9c of the quantity container 9 into its hollow portion, as shown in Figure 5(a), and gradually accumulates therein, eventually exceeding the position of the opening 9c of the quantity container 9, as shown in Figure 5(b) (step S1-2; powder collection completed). The timing of step S1-2 can be determined, for example, by using a timer (not shown) or by using the weighing means 11.

[0045] Thereafter, the slide mechanism 16 of the leveling mechanism 13 is operated to slide the leveling mechanism 14 over the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9. More specifically, for example, the leveling mechanism 14 of the leveling mechanism 13 is slid in the direction indicated by the symbol T in FIG. 5(b). As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the treated powder 7 contained in the quantitative container 9 is leveled off, and the leveled surface becomes substantially flush with the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 (step S2; leveling step).

[0046] Then, in this state, the weighing means 11 (e.g., a load cell) constituting the weighing mechanism 8 measures the total weight of the quantitative container 9 and the weight of the leveled treated powder 7 in the quantitative container 9 (and the weight of the support structure 10 provided if necessary) (step S3; weight measurement process). In addition, if the leveling mechanism 13 is equipped with a cover 15 in addition to the leveling cutter 14, after the opening 9c of the fixed-quantity container 9 is leveled by the leveling cutter 14, the operation of the sliding mechanism 16 may be stopped and the cover 15 may be placed on the opening 9c of the fixed-quantity container 9. In this case, it is possible to preferably prevent new treated powder 7 from pouring into the fixed quantity container 9 after the fixed quantity container 9 is completely filled, which would cause a change in the volume of the powder in the fixed quantity container 9. This makes it possible to reduce errors contained in the measured value by the weighing means 11.

[0047] Furthermore, in the bulk density measurement device 4 of this embodiment, the slide mechanism 16 in the leveling mechanism 13 is arranged so as to overlap with the arrangement position of the weighing means 11, or the arrangement positions of the support structure 10 and the weighing means 11, when the bulk density measurement device 4 is viewed in a plane, and the minimum width of the slide mechanism 16 may be set to be larger than the maximum width of the weighing means 11, or the larger of the maximum width of the weighing means 11 and the maximum width of the support structure 10. In this case, the upper surface of the weighing means 11, or the upper surfaces of the support structure 10 and the weighing means 11, can be covered with the slide mechanism 16. This makes it possible to suitably prevent the treated powder 7 passing through the inside of the pipe 2 from adhering to or accumulating on the bare surfaces of the weighing means 11 and the support structure 10 after the quantity container 9 is filled to the brim and before the weighing means 11 measures the weight, or during the weighing means 11 measures the weight. Therefore, in this case as well, it is possible to reduce the error contained in the measurement value by the weighing means 11.

[0048] Furthermore, after the weighing mechanism 8 has completed measuring the weight of the processed powder 7, etc., the inversion mechanism 12 is operated to invert the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 upside down, thereby discharging the processed powder 7 contained in the quantitative container 9 into the piping 2 (step S4; powder discharge process).

[0049] In a cleaning step (step S5) following the powder discharging step of step S4, the outer surface 9b of the quantity container 9 is cleaned with purge gas injected from the first purge gas injection port 18a. In addition, in the cleaning process of step S5, instead of cleaning the outer surface 9b of the metered quantity container 9, the bare surface of the support structure 10 may be cleaned with purge gas injected from the second purge gas injection port 18b. Alternatively, the bare surfaces of the support structure 10 and the measuring means 11 may be cleaned with purge gas injected from the second purge gas injection port 18b. The areas to be cleaned with the purge gas may be only the outer surface 9b of the quantity container 9 or only the exposed surface of the support structure 10, or both. Furthermore, in addition to the above areas, the exposed surface of the measuring means 11 may also be cleaned. In other words, the more areas that are to be cleaned by the purge gas, the less likely it is that the weight of treated powder 7 other than the treated powder 7 contained in the quantitative container 9 will be included in the measurement value by the weighing means 11, thereby improving the accuracy of bulk density measurement by the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment.

[0050] More specifically, if there is almost no adhesion or accumulation of treated powder 7 on the exposed parts of support structure 10 or measuring means 11 during the powder sampling process in the previous step S1, for example because cover 15 is provided on support structure 10 or measuring means 11, there is little need to clean the exposed surfaces of support structure 10 and measuring means 11. In such a case, it is sufficient to clean only the outer surface 9b of quantity container 9 without cleaning the exposed surfaces of support structure 10 and measuring means 11. On the other hand, if there is almost no adhesion or accumulation of the treated powder 7 on the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, and due to the structure of the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, adhesion or accumulation of the treated powder 7 on the exposed parts of the support structure 10 and the measuring means 11 is the main cause of errors in the measurement values ​​obtained by the measuring means 11, then it is sufficient to only clean the exposed surfaces of the support structure 10 and the measuring means 11, without cleaning the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9.

[0051] Then, after completing the cleaning process of step S5 described above, the inversion mechanism 12 is operated to rotate the inverted quantitative container 9 back to its original orientation, that is, with the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 facing vertically upward as shown in Figures 2 and 4(a) above, the weighing means 11 measures the tare weight of the object to be weighed (step S6; tare weight measurement process). In addition, if the leveling mechanism 13 of the bulk density measuring device 4 in this embodiment is equipped with a cover 15, the cover 15 may be placed over the opening 9c of the rotated quantitative container 9 when performing the tare weight measurement process in step S6. In this case, it is possible to effectively prevent the treated powder 7 passing through the piping 2 from adhering to or accumulating on the quantitative container 9, which is the measurement target during tare measurement, or on the quantitative container 9 and the support structure 10. In this case, it is possible to effectively prevent the weight of the treated powder 7 from being unintentionally included in the measurement value by the weighing means 11 in addition to the weight of the quantitative container 9, or the weight of the quantitative container 9 and the support structure 10. Therefore, when the leveling mechanism 13 is equipped with the cover 15, the measurement accuracy when measuring the tare weight by the weighing mechanism 8 can be improved, which can also improve the measurement accuracy of the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment.

[0052] After the tare weight measurement process in step S6 is completed, the above steps S1 to S6 can be repeated. In this way, the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can measure the bulk density of the treated powder 7 continuously or periodically in the pipe 2 through which the powder constantly passes, while improving the measurement accuracy. Furthermore, according to the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment, the bulk density measuring device 4 can be permanently installed and used in an exposed state in the pipe 2 through which the treated powder 7 constantly passes. This means that in order to measure the bulk density of the treated powder 7 moving in the pipe 2 continuously or periodically while improving the measurement accuracy, it is not necessary to provide a branch pipe for installing a bulk density measuring device in the pipe 2 or to provide a separate housing or partition for installing the bulk density measuring device in the pipe 2. Therefore, the structure of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment can be simplified. In this case, the bulk density measurement device 4 according to this embodiment can be easily installed in and removed from the pipe 2, and maintenance and repair of the bulk density measurement device 4 can also be easily performed.

[0053] Here, a modified example of the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the configuration of a modified bulk density measuring device according to the present invention will be described. Fig. 7 is a side view showing a bulk density measuring device according to a modified example of the present invention with a part cut out. Note that the same parts as those shown in Figs. 1 to 6 are given the same reference numerals, and the description of their configurations is omitted. The purge structure 17 of the bulk density measurement device 4' according to the modified example of this embodiment may include a third purge gas nozzle 18c for cleaning the bottom surface of the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9, as shown in FIG. In this case, the treated powder 7 adhering to the bottom surface of the outer side surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 can be blown away and removed by the purge gas injected from the third purge gas injection port 18c. In this case, the amount of treated powder 7 remaining on the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 can be reduced compared to when the purge structure 17 is equipped with the first purge gas nozzle 18a and / or the second purge gas nozzle 18b, thereby further improving the accuracy of bulk density measurement by the bulk density measuring device 4' of the modified example.

[0054] In addition, Figure 7 illustrates an example in which a purge gas supply pipe 19 for supplying purge gas to the third purge gas nozzle 18c is provided outside the frame structure 20, that is, a case in which the purge gas supply pipe 19 equipped with the third purge gas nozzle 18c is attached to the inner wall of the piping 2. However, the purge gas supply pipe 19 equipped with the third purge gas nozzle 18c may be installed in the frame structure 20 by making the external size of the frame structure 20 larger than that shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6. In this case, the purge gas supply pipe 19 equipped with the third purge gas injection port 18c together with the frame structure 20 can be installed or removed from the piping 2, making it easy to repair and maintain the bulk density measurement device 4' related to the modified example.

[0055] Next, an operation procedure of the bulk density measuring device according to the modified example of the present invention will be described. The operation procedure of the bulk density measuring device 4' according to the modified example is almost the same as the use procedure of the previous bulk density measuring device 4, but further includes a step of injecting purge gas from the third purge gas injection port 18c to clean the bottom surface of the outer side surface 9b of the quantitative container 9 in a state where the quantitative container 9 is rotated forward after the cleaning step of step S5, i.e., in a state where the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 faces vertically upward (step S5-2; container bottom surface cleaning step). In this case, the previous cleaning step of step S5 becomes the container side surface cleaning step (step S5-1). In this case, the weight of the treated powder 7 adhering to the bottom surface of the outer surface 9b of the quantity container 9, which is included as an error in the weight measurement by the weighing means 11 in the subsequent tare measurement process in step S6, can be reduced. Therefore, according to the bulk density measuring device 4' of the modified example, the purge structure 17 further includes the third purge gas injection port 18c, so that the measurement accuracy of the bulk density can be further improved.

[0056] In addition, when the purge structure 17 of the bulk density measuring device 4' relating to the modified example is equipped with a third purge gas nozzle 18c, in the cleaning process of the previous step S5, the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 is inverted to discharge the treated powder 7 in the quantitative container 9 into the piping 2, and then the treated powder 7 adhering to the inner surface 9a of the quantitative container 9 can be blown away and removed by the purge gas sprayed from the third purge gas nozzle 18c. That is, according to the bulk density measuring device 4' of the modified example, the treated powder 7 contained in the quantity container 9 can be reliably replaced every time the weighing means 11 measures the weight. In this case, for example, when one bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 is used to continuously produce processed powders 7 having different bulk densities, the processed powder 7 before the bulk density change remains in the quantitative container 9, which makes it possible to preferably prevent errors from occurring in the measured bulk density of the processed powder 7 after the bulk density change. Therefore, the bulk density measuring device 4' according to the modified example can bring the measured bulk density value closer to the true value. Furthermore, the accuracy of controlling the equipment (such as the powder processing equipment 3) arranged on the upstream side of the pipe 2 based on the measured value can be further improved. As a result, the quality of the powder produced by the bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 equipped with the bulk density measuring device 4' according to this embodiment can be controlled with high accuracy.

[0057] Next, another modified example of the bulk density measuring device of the present invention will be described. Although not specifically shown in Figures 1 to 7, the bulk density measurement device 4 of this embodiment or its modified bulk density measurement device 4' may be provided with a second purge structure for cleaning the leveling mechanism 13 and a third purge structure for cleaning the operating parts and / or exposed parts of the weighing mechanism 8 and its inversion mechanism 12, either alone or in combination.

[0058] Furthermore, when the bulk density measurement device 4 of this embodiment or the bulk density measurement device 4' of its modified example is equipped with a second purge structure, the treated powder 7 that has adhered to or accumulated on the exposed portion of the leveling mechanism 13 can be blown away and removed with purge gas when necessary, thereby reducing the risk of the leveling mechanism 13 failing during use of the bulk density measurement device 4 or the bulk density measurement device 4'. Furthermore, when the bulk density measurement device 4 according to this embodiment or the bulk density measurement device 4' according to its modified example is equipped with a third purge structure, the treated powder 7 that has adhered to or accumulated on the operating parts and / or exposed parts of the weighing mechanism 8 and its inversion mechanism 12 can be blown away and removed with purge gas when necessary, thereby reducing the risk of failure of the weighing mechanism 8 or the inversion mechanism 12 during use of the bulk density measurement device 4 or the bulk density measurement device 4'.

[0059] Furthermore, when the bulk density measurement device 4′ according to the modified example of this embodiment is equipped with both the second purge structure and the third purge structure, the second purge structure and the third purge structure may be operated, for example, according to the procedure shown below. That is, after the powder discharging process in step S4 (see FIG. 6(b) above), purge gas is sprayed from a second purge structure (not shown) to clean the leveling mechanism 13. Thereafter, purge gas is injected from the third purge gas injection port 18c to clean the inner surface 9a of the quantitative container 9. Thereafter, while the quantity-quantity container 9 is in the inverted state, purge gas is sprayed from the first purge gas nozzle 18a to clean the side surface of the outer surface 9b of the quantity-quantity container 9. If the weighing mechanism 8 is equipped with a support structure 10, purge gas may be sprayed from the second purge gas nozzle 18b at the same time to clean the bare surface of the support structure 10. Next, the inversion mechanism 12 is operated to rotate the quantitative container 9 in the normal direction, i.e., to position the opening 9c of the quantitative container 9 vertically upward, and then purge gas is sprayed again from the third purge gas spray port 18c to clean the bottom surface of the outer surface 9b of the quantitative container 9. Thereafter, a purge gas is sprayed from a third purge structure (not shown) to clean the weighing mechanism 8 and / or the reversing mechanism 12, and then the tare weight measurement process of step S6 is performed.

[0060] In other words, when the bulk density measuring device 4' according to the modified example of this embodiment is equipped with both the second purge structure and the third purge structure described above, the parts can be cleaned sequentially from the parts arranged upstream of the flow path of the treated powder 7 to the parts arranged downstream. Furthermore, cleaning can be started from the parts arranged farthest from the weighing means 11 in the horizontal direction, then move closer to the weighing means 11, and finally cleaning the weighing means 11. In this case, when the tare measurement step of step S6 is performed, the amount of treated powder 7 remaining on the object to be weighed by the weighing means 11 can be minimized. This minimizes the error contained in the weight measurement value obtained in the tare weight measurement process in step S6, thereby further improving the accuracy of bulk density measurement by the bulk density measurement device 4' according to the modified example of this embodiment. As a result, the bulk density of the powder produced in the bulk density adjusted powder production line 1 according to this embodiment can be controlled while maintaining high accuracy.

[0061] Here, a simulation result for explaining the effect of the present invention will be described. First, the results of a simulation on the effect of powder remaining in a quantity-based container will be described. The bulk density of powder (1) used in the first measurement is set to 100, and the bulk density of powder (2) used in the second measurement is assumed to be the value shown in Table 1 below. Note that the values ​​shown in Tables 1 and 2 below are merely hypothetical values ​​for simulation purposes, and do not indicate that the values ​​of the powder to be actually measured will be these values. A simulation was performed to determine how the bulk density of powder (2) would be calculated, i.e., how the “apparent bulk density” would change when the amount of powder remaining in the container (corresponding to quantity container 9) after the first measurement was 10%, 5%, and 3%, and the results are shown in Table 1 below. In this simulation, a configuration was assumed in which the weighing mechanism (corresponding to weighing mechanism 8) does not have a support structure 10, and no powder (e.g., treated powder 7, etc.) adheres to the outside (corresponding to outer surface 9b) of the container (corresponding to fixed-quantity container 9).

[0062] [Table 1]

[0063] Next, the results of a simulation of the effect of powder remaining on the outside of the quantity-based container will be described. As in the case of the above-mentioned "Simulation results on the effect of powder remaining in a quantitative container," a simulation was performed to determine what value the bulk density of powder (2) would be calculated as, i.e., how the "apparent bulk density" would change, when the amount of powder remaining on the outside (corresponding to outer surface 9b) of the container (corresponding to quantitative container 9) during measurement of powder (1) was 5%, 3%, and 1%, as shown in Table 2 below. In this simulation, a configuration was assumed in which the weighing mechanism (corresponding to weighing mechanism 8) does not have a support structure 10, and no powder (e.g., treated powder 7, etc.) adheres to the inside (corresponding to inner surface 9a) of the container (corresponding to fixed-quantity container 9). [Table 2]

[0064] As is clear from the simulation results in Tables 1 and 2 above, when powder remains inside (corresponding to inner surface 9a) of a container (corresponding to fixed-dose container 9), if the amount is small, the apparent bulk density does not deviate significantly from the true value. On the other hand, if powder remains on the outside (corresponding to outer surface 9b) of the container (corresponding to quantity container 9), for example by adhering thereto, the apparent bulk density will be significantly higher than the true value even if the amount is small. Therefore, by having the purge structure 17 (the first purge gas injection port 18a to the third purge gas injection port 18c) in the bulk density measuring device 4 of this embodiment and the bulk density measuring device 4' of its modified example, it is possible to exert the unique effect of making the measured bulk density value closer to the true value.

[0065] Finally, the components and concepts of the present invention are described. As the powder processing equipment 3 in the production line 1 for the bulk density adjusted powder of this embodiment, for example, a compaction processing equipment for shifting the bulk density of the powder 6 in a higher direction, or a crushing processing equipment for shifting the bulk density of the powder 6 in a lower direction, etc. can be used.

[0066] In addition, in this embodiment, an example is described in which the bulk density measurement results obtained by the bulk density measurement device 4 or a bulk density measurement device 4' related to a modified example thereof are used to control the powder processing equipment 3, but the bulk density measurement results obtained by the bulk density measurement device 4 or the bulk density measurement device 4' can also be used to control the manufacturing conditions of the powder 6 itself. In other words, the bulk density of the powder 6 can be changed by shortening or increasing the physical distance between the individual particles that make up the powder 6, but it can also be changed by changing the diameter of the individual particles that make up the powder 6. Therefore, the concept of the present invention also includes a case where the results of measurement of the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device 4 or a bulk density measuring device 4' according to a modified example thereof are used to control the manufacturing conditions of the powder 6 itself. In this case, the object of measurement of bulk density in the bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment or the bulk density measuring device 4' according to the modified example thereof is the powder 6 (see FIG. 1) rather than the treated powder . Furthermore, in the present invention, the results of measuring the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device 4 or a bulk density measuring device 4' related to a modified example thereof may be used both to control the manufacturing conditions of the powder 6 itself and to control the physical processing of the powder 6 (such as processing by the powder processing equipment 3). In this case as well, the bulk density of the powder, which is the final product, can be controlled with high precision, so that bulk density-adjusted powder of high quality can be efficiently manufactured.

[0067] The bulk density measuring device 4 according to this embodiment or the bulk density measuring device 4', which is a modified example thereof, and the average particle size of the powder 6 handled in the production line 1 for bulk density-adjusted powder using the same are not particularly limited, but are particularly suitable when the particles constituting the powder 6 are particularly fine powders at the nano level, more specifically when the powder 6 is a fumed fine powder, and even more specifically when the powder has an average particle size in the range of about 3 to 50 nm, or even about 5 to 35 nm, such as fumed silica (fumed silica) produced by converting a volatile silicon compound such as silicon tetrachloride into silicon dioxide by flame hydrolysis. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] As described above, the present invention provides a bulk density measuring device that can be permanently installed in an exposed state in a pipe through which powder passes and that can reduce errors contained in the measured bulk density, and a method for producing bulk density-adjusted powder using the same, and can be used in technical fields related to powder and fine powder manufacturing equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1...Production line for bulk density adjusted powder 2...Pipe 3...Powder processing equipment 4,4'...Bulk density measuring device 5...Control means 6...Powder 7...Treated powder 8...Measuring mechanism 9...Quantitative container 9a...Inner surface 9b...Outer surface 9c...Opening 10...Support structure 11...Measuring means (e.g., load cell, etc.) 12...Inversion mechanism 13...Leveling mechanism 14...Leveling 15...Cover 16...Slide mechanism 17...Purge structure 18a...First purge gas nozzle 18b...Second purge gas nozzle 18c...Third purge gas nozzle 19...Purge gas supply pipe 20...Frame structure

Claims

1. A bulk density measuring device that is installed in a line through which a powder passes and samples a portion of the powder to measure its bulk density, a quantity-based container for collecting a portion of the powder passing through the container and storing the portion in a hollow portion of the container; a leveling mechanism for leveling and removing the powder contained in the quantity container beyond the opening position; a weighing mechanism for measuring at least the weight of the quantity container and the weight of the powder contained in the quantity container; a purge structure that cleans at least a part of an exposed portion other than the inside of the quantitative container, which is a measurement target of the measuring mechanism, with a purge gas; 2. The bulk density measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the leveling mechanism is disposed so as to block a flow path of the powder and to cover the measuring mechanism.

2. 2. The bulk density measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the purge structure includes a first purge gas jet for cleaning the outside of the quantitative container.

3. The measuring mechanism includes a support structure interposed between the fixed quantity container and the measuring means, 3. The bulk density measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the purge structure includes a second purge gas jet for cleaning the support structure.

4. A method for producing a bulk density-adjusted powder, comprising adjusting the bulk density of the powder by adjusting production conditions of the powder and / or processing conditions for the powder based on a result of measurement of the bulk density by the bulk density measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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