Powder and granular material processing device and powder and granular material processing method

Abstract

To provide a granule processing device and a granule processing method capable of suppressing dew condensation of steam generated from granules being dried, onto a container body or a lid.SOLUTION: A granule processing device 1 comprises a container 10, an agitation member 20, a driving unit 30, a temperature controller 40, and a controller 80. The container 10 comprises a bottomed cylindrical container body 11, and a lid 12 covering an opening on an upper part of the container body 11. The agitation member 20 is disposed in the container body 11. The driving unit 30 rotates the agitation member 20. The temperature controller 40 controls temperatures of the container body 11 and the lid 12. The controller 80 operates the temperature controller 40. The temperatures of the container body 11 and the lid 12 are kept higher than the dew point in the container 10 during drying, by the temperature controller 40. Hence, dew condensation of steam generated from granules 9 onto the container body 11 or the lid 12 can be suppressed. Therefore, the deterioration in quality of the granules 9 caused by a liquid generated by dew condensation, can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powder / granular material processing apparatus and a powder / granular material processing method for drying powder / granular material. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, mixers that stir and mix powder or granular materials (hereinafter referred to as "granular materials") are known. In some mixers, the materials in a container are stirred and heated in order to adjust the moisture content of the granular materials to an appropriate range or to mix the granular materials with liquid to form a composite. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a slurry stored in a container is stirred and dried by reducing pressure and heating. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-154531 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when drying powder or granular material in a container, the container is filled with steam generated from the powder or granular material. Therefore, if the temperature of the inner surface of the container or the underside of the lid covering the upper part of the container is lower than the dew point, the steam in the gas may condense on these surfaces. In such a case, the powder or granular material is likely to adhere to the inner surface of the container or the underside of the lid due to droplets generated by the condensation. Furthermore, if the droplets or the above-mentioned adhesions are mixed back into the powder or granular material, the quality of the powder or granular material after drying may be reduced.

[0005] The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a powder or granular material processing apparatus and a powder or granular material processing method that can prevent steam generated from powder or granular material during drying processing from condensing on the container body or the lid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, a first invention of the present application is a powder / granular material processing apparatus for drying powder / granular material, comprising a container having a bottomed cylindrical container body and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body, an agitating member located within the container body, a drive unit for rotating the agitating member, a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the container body and the lid portion, and a control unit for operating the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid portion at a temperature higher than the dew point during a drying process within the container, a gas inlet section for introducing gas into the container; a gas exhaust section having an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container and for exhausting gas from within the container via the exhaust pipe; and a dew point meter for outputting to the control section a value of the dew point corresponding to a result of measuring an amount of steam contained in the gas exhausted via the exhaust pipe. Equipped with.

[0007] A second invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing apparatus of the first invention, wherein the control unit operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than the maximum dew point during the drying process within the container.

[0008] A third invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing device according to the first or second invention, wherein the container body and the lid have hollow flow paths, and the temperature adjustment unit supplies a temperature-adjusted fluid to the flow path.

[0010] The present application 4 The invention relates to Any one of the first to third inventions In the powder / granular material processing apparatus, the gas discharge section has an airflow generating section that sucks gas from within the container.

[0011] The present application 5 The invention relates to Any one of the first to fourth inventions In the powder / granular material processing apparatus, the gas introduction section has a heating section that heats the gas introduced into the container.

[0012] The present application 6 The invention is 1 From the invention 5 In the powder / granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the above aspects, the gas inlet section has a dehumidifying section which reduces an amount of steam in the gas introduced into the container.

[0013] The present application 7The invention is 1 In the powder / granular material processing apparatus of any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, the gas introduction section has a nozzle attached to the lid section, and gas is introduced into the container from the nozzle.

[0014] The present application 8 The invention is 7 The powder / granular material processing apparatus of the present invention comprises: The gas exhaust port is The cover portion is provided with R, The nozzle has a gas inlet port located below and spaced from the underside of the lid portion.

[0015] The present application 9 The invention is 1 From the invention 8 In the powder / granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the above aspects, the gas discharge section has a cooling section that cools the gas discharged from the container.

[0016] The present application 10 The invention is 1 From the invention 9 In the powder / granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the above aspects, the gas discharge section has a dust collecting section that collects dust in the gas discharged from the container.

[0017] The present application 11 The invention is the first invention to the second invention. 10 This is a powder and granular material processing apparatus of any one of the above inventions, wherein the drive unit has a shaft extending through a bottom plate portion of the container body and an upper end of which is connected to the stirring member, and further includes an air seal mechanism that introduces gas into the container from between the bottom plate portion and the shaft.

[0018] The present application 12 The invention relates to a powder / granular material processing method for drying powder / granular material, the method comprising the steps of: a) introducing powder / granular material into a container having a cylindrical container body with a bottom and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body; b) after the step a), heating the powder / granular material in the container while stirring it; and c) after the step b), discharging the powder / granular material from the container, wherein in the step b): a) introducing a gas into the container; b) discharging the gas from the container through an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container; c) measuring an amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe; and d) based on a dew point value corresponding to a result of measuring the amount of steam in the step c), The container body and the lid are placed in the container. The above Maintain temperature above dew point and further carrying out the steps. . Effect of the Invention

[0019] The first to third aspects of the present application 12 According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent steam generated from the powder or granular material from condensing on the container body or the lid. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the powder or granular material from easily adhering to the inner surface of the container body or the underside of the lid due to the liquid generated by the condensation. It is also possible to prevent the quality of the powder or granular material from being deteriorated due to the liquid generated by the condensation. In addition, the proportion of steam in the container during drying can be reduced, which in turn reduces the dew point in the container during drying, thereby further preventing steam generated from the powder or granule from condensing on the container body or lid.

[0020] In particular, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the temperatures of the container body and the lid can be stably and uniformly adjusted.

[0022] In particular, 4 According to the invention, the pressure inside the container is negative relative to atmospheric pressure, which makes it possible to suppress condensation of steam, compared to when the pressure inside the container is positive relative to atmospheric pressure.

[0023] In particular, 5 According to the invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in temperature inside the container caused by the gas introduced from the gas inlet portion.

[0024] In particular, 6 According to the invention, the amount of steam inside the container during drying treatment can be further reduced.

[0025] In particular, 8 According to the invention, the gas inlet and the gas outlet are located at positions apart from each other, which prevents the gas introduced from the gas inlet from flowing through a short circuit to the gas outlet, and allows efficient replacement of the gas in the container.

[0026] In particular, 9 According to the invention, the vapor contained in the gas discharged from the container can be liquefied and recovered.

[0027] In particular, 10 According to the invention, dust such as powder and granular materials contained in the gas discharged from the container can be collected.

[0028] In particular, 11 According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the powder in the container from leaking out from between the bottom plate and the shaft. Also, the amount of steam in the container can be reduced by the gas introduced into the container by the air seal mechanism. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powder / granular material processing apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is a flowchart showing a flow of a drying process. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder / grain processing apparatus according to a first modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder / grain processing apparatus according to a second modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder / grain processing apparatus according to a third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] <1. Configuration of powder and granular material processing equipment> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for drying powder or granular material 9 while stirring it. The powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 heats the powder or granular material 9 while mixing it in a container 10. This causes moisture to evaporate from the powder or granular material 9, thereby reducing the moisture content of the powder or granular material 9. Examples of powder or granular material 9 to be processed include, but are not limited to, plastics, ceramics, metals, glass, toner, pigments, cosmetics, wood powder, food, and medicines.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the powder or granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a container 10, an agitating member 20, a driving unit 30, a temperature adjustment unit 40, a gas discharge unit 50, a gas introduction unit 60, a powder or granular material discharge unit 70, and a control unit 80.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 10 has a cylindrical container body 11 with a bottom and a plate-shaped lid portion 12. The container body 11 has a disk-shaped bottom plate portion 111 and a cylindrical side wall portion 112. The side wall portion 112 extends upward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate portion 111. A space for storing the powder or granular material 9 exists inside the container body 11. The lid portion 12 covers an opening at the top of the container body 11. A seal member such as an O-ring that contacts the upper end surface of the side wall portion 112 may be provided on the lower surface of the lid portion 12.

[0033] The container body 11 has a hollow first flow path 131, a first inlet 132, and a first outlet 133. The lid part 12 has a hollow second flow path 134, a second inlet 135, and a second outlet 136. In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are indicated by hatching. The first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are spaces for allowing the flow of a fluid supplied from the temperature adjustment part 40 described later.

[0034] Specifically, the bottom plate portion 111 and the side wall portion 112 of the container body 11 each have a double structure having an inner wall 11a and an outer wall 11b. A space formed between the inner wall 11a and the outer wall 11b serves as a first flow path 131. The first inlet 132 is located near the lower end of the first flow path 131. The first outlet 133 is located near the upper end of the first flow path 131. The first inlet 132 and the first outlet 133 communicate with each other via the first flow path 131. In this embodiment, the first flow path 131 formed in the bottom plate portion 111 and the first flow path 131 formed in the side wall portion 112 are connected to each other. However, the first flow path 131 may be provided separately in the bottom plate portion 111 and the side wall portion 112.

[0035] The cover 12 has a double structure including a lower plate 12a and an upper plate 12b. A flat space formed between the lower plate 12a and the upper plate 12b serves as a second flow path 134. The second inlet 135 and the second outlet 136 communicate with each other via the second flow path 134. The first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are spaces separated from each other.

[0036] The stirring member 20 is a member for stirring the powdered or granular material 9 stored in the container 10. The stirring member 20 is located near the bottom of the container body 11. The stirring member 20 has a plurality of blades 21. The plurality of blades 21 are provided around a shaft 33 described below. In this embodiment, two stirring members 20 having different shapes are arranged in a vertically stacked state. However, the number of stirring members 20 may be one, or three or more.

[0037] The driving unit 30 is a mechanism for rotating the stirring member 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the driving unit 30 has a motor unit 31 (motor and reducer) serving as a driving source, a power transmission mechanism 32, and a shaft 33. The shaft 33 extends in the vertical direction through the bottom plate portion 111 of the container body 11. The upper end of the shaft 33 is connected to the center of the stirring member 20. The power transmission mechanism 32 transmits the driving force output from the motor unit 31 to the shaft 33. For example, the power transmission mechanism 32 is a mechanism having a pair of pulleys and a circular timing belt stretched around the pulleys. However, the power transmission mechanism 32 may be another mechanism. Also, the output shaft of the motor unit 31 may be directly connected to the shaft 33 without passing through the power transmission mechanism 32.

[0038] The shaft 33 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) interposed between the bottom plate portion 111. As shown in Fig. 1, the powdered material processing apparatus 1 includes an air seal mechanism 34 that introduces gas between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33. The air seal mechanism 34 introduces gas pressurized by a compressor into the container 10 through the space between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33. This prevents the powdered material 9 in the container 10 from leaking out from between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33 to the outside.

[0039] The temperature adjustment unit 40 is a portion for adjusting the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12. As conceptually shown in FIG. 1, the temperature adjustment unit 40 has a heater 41 for heating a fluid that serves as a heat medium, and a pump 42 for pumping out the heated fluid. For example, water is used as the heat medium fluid. However, instead of water, oil or gas may be used as the heat medium. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is connected to the first inlet 132 via a first liquid supply pipe 43. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the first outlet 133 via a first drainage pipe 44. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the second inlet 135 via a second liquid supply pipe 45. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the second outlet 136 via a second drainage pipe 46.

[0040] The temperature adjustment unit 40 operates the pump 42 to send out the heated fluid to the first liquid supply pipe 43 and the second liquid supply pipe 45. The fluid sent to the first liquid supply pipe 43 is supplied to the first flow path 131 through the first inlet 132. When the powder or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10, the entire first flow path 131 is filled with the heated fluid. This maintains the temperature of the container body 11 at a predetermined temperature higher than the dew point, which will be described later. The fluid discharged from the first outlet 133 returns to the temperature adjustment unit 40 through the first drainage pipe 44.

[0041] The fluid sent to the second liquid supply pipe 45 is supplied to the second flow path 134 through the second inlet 135. When the powder or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10, the entire second flow path 134 is filled with the heated fluid. This maintains the temperature of the lid 12 at a predetermined temperature higher than the dew point, which will be described later. The fluid discharged from the second outlet 136 returns to the temperature adjustment unit 40 through the second drainage pipe 46.

[0042] In this way, the temperature adjustment unit 40 fills the heated fluid in the hollow flow paths 131, 134 provided in the container body 11 and the lid portion 12. This makes it possible to stably and uniformly adjust the temperatures of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12.

[0043] The gas exhaust section 50 is a section for exhausting gas containing steam from inside the container 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the gas exhaust section 50 has a gas exhaust port 51, an exhaust pipe 52, a cooling section 53, a dust collecting section 54, and an airflow generating section 55. The gas exhaust port 51 is formed in the center of the lid section 12 of the container 10. The upstream end of the exhaust pipe 52 is connected to the gas exhaust port 51. The downstream end of the exhaust pipe 52 is connected to the airflow generating section 55. The airflow generating section 55 is, for example, a blower. The airflow generating section 55 generates an airflow in the exhaust pipe 52 from the gas exhaust port 51 toward the airflow generating section 55. As a result, the gas in the container 10 is sucked into the exhaust pipe 52 through the gas exhaust port 51. Then, the sucked gas is exhausted to the outside of the container 10.

[0044] The gas exhaust unit 50 may have a structure other than the above. For example, the gas exhaust port 51 may be provided at a position off the center of the lid 12. In addition, the gas exhaust port 51 and the exhaust pipe 52 may be structured so as to be inserted into the container 10.

[0045] The cooling section 53 and the dust collecting section 54 are provided on the path of the exhaust pipe 52. The cooling section 53 cools the gas discharged from the inside of the container 10. As a result, the steam in the gas discharged from the inside of the container 10 is liquefied and collected. The dust collecting section 54 collects dust in the gas discharged from the inside of the container 10. As a result, the scattering of dust such as powder and granular materials to the outside of the container 10 is suppressed. For example, a cyclone type dust collecting device or a bag filter is used for the dust collecting section 54. Furthermore, a wet dust collector such as a scrubber may be used in combination.

[0046] The gas introduction part 60 is a part for introducing gas into the space within the container 10. The gas introduction part 60 has a nozzle 61, an air supply pipe 62, a heating part 63, and a filter 64. The nozzle 61 is attached to the lid part 12. A gas introduction port 611 is formed at the lower end of the nozzle 61. The downstream end of the air supply pipe 62 is connected to the nozzle 61. The upstream end of the air supply pipe 62 is connected to the filter 64. The heating part 63 is provided on the path of the air supply pipe 62.

[0047] When the above-mentioned airflow generating unit 55 is operated, gas is sucked out of the container 10, and the pressure in the internal space of the container 10 becomes a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the gas outside the container 10 is sucked into the air supply pipe 62 through the filter 64. Then, the gas sucked into the air supply pipe 62 is introduced into the container 10 through the nozzle 61.

[0048] The gas inlet 611 is located below and spaced from the lower surface of the lid 12. Therefore, the gas inlet 611 and the gas outlet 51 are located at positions spaced apart in the up-down direction. This makes it possible to prevent the gas introduced from the gas inlet 611 from short-circuiting and flowing to the gas outlet 51. Therefore, the gas in the container 10 can be replaced efficiently.

[0049] Furthermore, when the powder / granular material 9 is stirred by the stirring member 20, the height of the powder / granular material 9 near the outer periphery inside the container body 11 becomes particularly high due to the centrifugal force acting on the powder / granular material 9, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2. However, the nozzle 61 of this embodiment has a lower end that is bent not downward but toward the rotation direction about the central axis of the container body 11. A gas inlet 611 is formed at the tip of the bent portion. In this way, even if the powder / granular material 9 is biased toward the outer periphery inside the container body 11 during stirring and mixing, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the gas inlet 611 can be prevented from being blocked by the powder / granular material 9.

[0050] The lower end of the nozzle 61 may be bent radially inward of the container body 11. The gas introduction part 60 may have a plurality of nozzles 61 at the downstream end of the gas supply pipe 62. The plurality of nozzles 61 may be attached to the container 10.

[0051] The heating unit 63 is a heater that heats the gas flowing through the air supply pipe 62. The temperature inside the container 10 during the drying process is higher than the outside air temperature. For this reason, if the gas present outside the container 10 is introduced directly into the container 10, the temperature inside the container 10 will drop. However, the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment introduces the gas heated by the heating unit 63 into the container 10. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature inside the container 10 from dropping.

[0052] The powder / granular material discharge section 70 is a mechanism for discharging the powder / granular material 9 after drying. The powder / granular material discharge section 70 has a discharge port 71, a discharge path 72, and a discharge valve 73. The discharge port 71 is an opening provided near the lower end of the side wall portion 112. The discharge port 71 is located radially outside the stirring member 20. The discharge path 72 extends obliquely downward from the discharge port 71. The discharge valve 73 switches the discharge port 71 between a closed state and an open state. When the powder / granular material 9 is dried in the container 10, the discharge valve 73 closes the discharge port 71. When the drying process is completed, the discharge valve 73 opens the discharge port 71. As a result, the powder / granular material 9 stored in the container 10 is discharged through the discharge port 71 to the discharge path 72.

[0053] The control unit 80 is a unit for controlling the operation of each part of the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1. The control unit 80 is, for example, configured by an electric circuit board. However, the control unit 80 may be configured by a computer. As shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 1, the control unit 80 is electrically connected to the motor unit 31, the temperature adjustment unit 40, and the discharge valve 73. The control unit 80 also has a memory unit 81. The memory unit 81 can store various conditions related to the drying process, such as the drying time. The control unit 80 operates the motor unit 31, the temperature adjustment unit 40, and the discharge valve 73 based on the various conditions stored in the memory unit 81. This allows the drying process of the powder / granular material 9 in the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 to proceed.

[0054] <2. Drying process flow> Next, there will be described the procedure of the drying process in the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1. Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of the drying process.

[0055] When drying the powder or granular material 9, first, a lower limit value for the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid 12 is set (step S1). Specifically, a user inputs the lower limit value by operating an operation panel connected to the control unit 80. The control unit 80 stores the input lower limit value in the storage unit 81 as one of the conditions for executing the drying process. This lower limit value for the temperature is set to a temperature higher than a predicted dew point value in the container 10 when the drying process of step S4 described later is executed.

[0056] In addition to storing the above-mentioned lower limit value in the control unit 80, the relationship between the temperature of the fluid and the temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid portion 12 may be determined through preliminary testing, etc., and a set temperature of the fluid such that the temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid portion 12 are higher than the lower limit value may be stored in the control unit 80.

[0057] Next, temperature control of the container body 11 and the lid part 12 is started (step S2). Here, the control part 80 operates the temperature control part 40 based on the above-mentioned lower limit value stored in the memory part 81. The temperature control part 40 heats the temperature of the fluid to a set temperature sufficiently higher than the set lower limit value. The set temperature of the fluid is, for example, 100 to 180°C. The temperature control part 40 also supplies the heated fluid to the first flow path 131 of the container body 11 and the second flow path 134 of the lid part 12. This increases the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid part 12. The temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid part 12 are maintained at a temperature (for example, 80 to 160°C) higher than the above-mentioned lower limit value and lower than the set temperature of the fluid.

[0058] Next, the powdered or granular material 9 is poured into the container body 11 (step S3). In this step S3, first, the lid portion 12 is moved from the top of the container body 11 to another position. This opens the top opening of the container body 11. Then, the powdered or granular material 9 is poured into the container body 11 through the top opening of the container body 11. Once the pouring of the powdered or granular material 9 is completed, the lid portion 12 is again positioned on the top of the container body 11. This closes the top opening of the container body 11. As a result, the powdered or granular material 9 is stored inside the container 10, which is composed of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12.

[0059] The method of feeding the powder or granular material 9 is not limited to the above example. For example, a feeding port may be provided in a part of the lid part 12, and the feeding / stopping of the powder or granular material 9 may be switched by opening and closing a valve provided upstream of the feeding port. The powder or granular material 9 may also be fed manually.

[0060] Next, a drying process of the powder / granular material 9 is performed (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 80 rotates the stirring member 20 by operating the motor unit 31 while continuing the temperature control of the container body 11 and the lid unit 12 by the temperature control unit 40. This stirs the powder / granular material 9 in the container 10 and heats it by the shearing heat from the blades 21 and the radiant heat and the transferred heat from the container body 11 and the lid unit 12. This causes moisture to evaporate from the powder / granular material 9, and the moisture content of the powder / granular material 9 decreases. That is, the powder / granular material 9 dries.

[0061] In step S4, the airflow generating unit 55 is also operated. As a result, the gas in the container 10 is discharged to the gas discharge unit 50, and gas is introduced into the container 10 from the gas introduction unit 60. As a result, the high humidity gas containing steam generated from the powder / granular material 9 is replaced with the low humidity gas introduced from the gas introduction unit 60. As a result, the drying of the powder / granular material 9 can be efficiently progressed.

[0062] In step S4, the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid part 12 is maintained at a temperature higher than the dew point by the fluid supplied from the temperature adjustment part 40. Therefore, even if a gas containing steam comes into contact with the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid part 12, condensation is unlikely to occur. This makes it possible to suppress deterioration in the quality of the powder or granular material 9 after drying, for example, due to liquid generated by condensation being mixed into the powder or granular material 9.

[0063] During the drying process in step S4, the amount of steam contained in the gas in container 10 changes as the drying process progresses, and the dew point in container 10 also changes. Specifically, in the early stage of the drying process in step S4, the amount of water evaporating from powder / granular material 9 is large, and as the drying process progresses, the amount of evaporation decreases. When the amount of evaporation peaks, the dew point in container 10 also reaches a maximum. It is desirable for control unit 80 to operate temperature adjustment unit 40 to maintain the inner surface of container body 11 and the lower surface of lid 12 at a temperature higher than the maximum dew point during the drying process in step S4.

[0064] In particular, the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment exhausts steam generated from the powder / granular material 9 to the outside of the container 10 by the airflow formed by the gas exhaust section 50 and the gas inlet section 60. In this way, the ratio of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 during the drying process can be kept always low. Therefore, the dew point in the container 10 during the drying process can also be kept low. In other words, the absolute humidity (water vapor weight kg / total gas weight kg) can be reduced. As a result, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

[0065] Furthermore, in the structure of this embodiment, the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 is further reduced by the gas introduced into the container 10 by the air seal mechanism 34. Therefore, the dew point in the container 10 during the drying process can be kept lower while preventing the powdered or granular material 9 from entering the bearing. As a result, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

[0066] Furthermore, in the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is generated in the internal space of the container 10 by the gas suction by the gas exhaust unit 50. Therefore, the dew point in the container 10 can be lowered compared to when the pressure in the internal space of the container 10 is a positive pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the lower surface of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

[0067] When the drying process in step S4 is completed, the control unit 80 operates the discharge valve 73 to open the discharge port 71. As a result, the dried powder / granular material 9 in the container 10 is discharged through the discharge port 71 to the discharge path 72 (step S5).

[0068] <3. Modifications> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modified examples will be described below, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment.

[0069] <3-1. First modified example> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the first modification. In the example of FIG. 4, the gas introduction section 60 has a dehumidification section 65. The dehumidification section 65 is provided upstream of the heating section 63 on the path of the air supply pipe 62. The dehumidification section 65 is composed of a cooling device and an adsorbent that adsorbs moisture in the gas. Therefore, the amount of steam contained in the gas decreases by passing through the dehumidification section 65. Then, gas with a lower humidity can be introduced into the container 10. In this way, the amount of steam present in the gas in the container 10 during the drying process can be further reduced. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the lower surface of the lid section 12 can be further suppressed.

[0070] <3-2. Second modified example> Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to a second modified example. The powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 in Fig. 5 is provided with a dew point meter 47 in an exhaust pipe 52. The dew point meter 47 measures the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10, and outputs a dew point value corresponding to the amount of steam to the control unit 80. This makes it possible to check whether the dew point inside the container 12 is lower than the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid 12.

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 80 can also control the temperature adjustment unit 40 based on the dew point value output from the dew point meter 47. Specifically, the temperature of the fluid, which is the heat medium, is adjusted so that the temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 are higher than the dew point output from the dew point meter 47. In this way, the temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 can be maintained at a temperature higher than the actual measured value of the dew point. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

[0072] <3-3.Third modified example> FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the third modified example. The powder / granular material processing apparatus 1 of FIG. 6 includes an inert gas supply unit 66. During drying, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply unit 66 is introduced into the container 10 through the air supply pipe 62 and the nozzle 61. The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or argon. By introducing the inert gas into the high-temperature container 10 in this way, oxidation of the powder / granular material 9 can be suppressed compared to the case of introducing air containing oxygen. Therefore, the quality of the powder / granular material 9 after the drying process can be further improved. In addition, by using a low-humidity inert gas, the drying of the powder / granular material 9 can be promoted. Furthermore, the risk of the powder / granular material 9 exploding in the high-temperature container 10 can be reduced.

[0073] <3-4. Other variations> In the above embodiment, only the powder or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10. However, the powder or granular material 9 and liquid may be put into the container 10, and the mixture of the powder or granular material 9 and the liquid may be dried while being stirred. Also, an additive may be mixed into the powder or granular material 9. In this case, an addition port for dropping the additive may be provided in the lid portion 12.

[0074] Furthermore, the control unit 80 may change the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 by controlling the number of revolutions of the motor unit 31 during the drying process. For example, during a time period when the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 is high, the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 may be reduced to suppress the amount of water evaporation from the powder / granule material 9. Furthermore, when the drying is slow, the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 may be increased to increase the amount of water evaporation from the powder / granule material 9.

[0075] Furthermore, the control unit 80 may change the output of the airflow generating unit 55 of the gas exhaust unit 50 during the drying process. For example, during a time period when the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 is large, the output of the airflow generating unit 55 may be increased to particularly promote the exhaust of steam from the container 10 and reduce the humidity in the container 10.

[0076] The temperature adjustment unit 40 in the above embodiment adjusts the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 by supplying a heated heat medium fluid to the first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134. However, the temperature adjustment unit 40 may adjust the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 by another method. For example, the temperature adjustment unit 40 may be an electric heater attached to the container body 11 and the lid portion 12.

[0077] In addition, the detailed configuration of the powder / granular material processing apparatus may be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the elements appearing in the above-described embodiment or modified example may be appropriately combined without causing any contradiction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1 Powder and granular material processing equipment 9 Powder 10 containers 11 Container body 12 Lid 20 Stirring member 21 Feather 30 Drive unit 31 Motor section 32 Power transmission mechanism 33 Shaft 34 Air seal mechanism 40 Temperature control section 41 Heater 42 Pump 43 First liquid supply pipe 44 First drainage pipe 45 Second liquid supply pipe 46 Second drainage pipe 47 Dew point meter 50 Gas exhaust section 51 Gas outlet 52 Exhaust pipe 53 Cooling section 54 Dust collection section 55 Air flow generating section 60 Gas introduction section 61 Nozzle 62 Air supply pipe 63 Heating section 64 Filters 65 Dehumidification section 66 Inert gas supply section 70 Powder discharge section 71 Outlet 72 Exhaust channel 73 Exhaust valve 80 Control section 81 Storage section 111 Bottom plate part 112 Side wall 131 First Channel 132 1st inlet 133 1st outlet 134 Second Stream 135 2nd inlet 136 2nd outlet 611 Gas inlet

Claims

1. A powder / granular material processing apparatus for drying powder / granular material, A container having a bottomed cylindrical container body and a lid portion covering an opening at an upper portion of the container body; a stirring member located within the container body; A drive unit that rotates the stirring member; A temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the container body and the lid; a control unit that operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than a dew point during a drying process inside the container; A gas inlet portion for introducing a gas into the container; a gas exhaust unit having an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container and configured to exhaust gas from within the container via the exhaust pipe; A dew point meter that outputs the dew point value corresponding to a result of measuring an amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe to the control unit; A powder and granular material processing device comprising:

2. The powder / granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1, The control unit operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than a maximum dew point during a drying process within the container.

3. The powder / granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, The container body and the lid have a hollow flow path, The temperature adjustment unit supplies a temperature-adjusted fluid to the flow path.

4. A powdered or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The gas exhaust section is An airflow generating unit that draws in air from within the container The powder and granular material processing device has the following features.

5. A powdered or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, The gas introduction section is A heating section for heating the gas introduced into the container The powder and granular material processing device has the following features.

6. A powder / granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The gas introduction section is A dehumidifying section for reducing the amount of steam in the gas introduced into the container. The powder and granular material processing device has the following features.

7. A powdered or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The gas introduction section is A nozzle attached to the lid having A powder or granular material processing apparatus, wherein a gas is introduced into the container from the nozzle.

8. A powder / granular material processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, The gas exhaust port is formed in the lid portion, The nozzle has a gas inlet, The gas inlet is located below and spaced from the underside of the lid.

9. A powdered or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The gas exhaust section is A cooling section for cooling the gas discharged from the container. The powder and granular material processing device has the following features.

10. A powdered or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The gas exhaust section is A dust collecting section for collecting dust particles in the gas discharged from the container. The powder and granular material processing device has the following features.

11. A powder / granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The drive unit is A shaft that extends through the bottom plate of the container body and has an upper end connected to the stirring member. having The powder / granular material processing apparatus further includes an air seal mechanism that introduces gas into the container from between the bottom plate portion and the shaft.

12. A method for drying powder or granular material, comprising the steps of: a) pouring powder or granular material into a container having a cylindrical container body with a bottom and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body; b) after the step a), heating the powder in the container while stirring it; c) after step b), discharging the powder or granular material from the container; having In the step b), a) introducing a gas into the container; b) discharging gas from the container through an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container; c) measuring the amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe; d) maintaining the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than the dew point in the container based on a dew point value corresponding to the result of measuring the amount of steam in the step c); The powder / granular material processing method further comprises the steps of:

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