Separator device having liquid sensor, retrofit sensor device for a separator device, and method for controlling a separator device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a separator device comprising: a separator unit having an inlet opening (11) for a liquid-containing material, a liquid-outlet opening (23) and a solid-matter-outlet opening (22); an outlet region for the solid matter; and a liquid sensor (100) which is located in the outlet region and comprises two mutually spaced and mutually electrically insulated electrodes (110, 130) and a sensor circuit (150) designed to detect an electrically conductive connection, established by a liquid, between the two electrodes. The invention also relates to a retrofit sensor device for a separator device of this kind, and to a method for controlling a separator device.

Description

[0001] Separator device with liquid sensor

[0002] The invention relates to a separator device comprising a separator unit with an inlet opening for a liquid-containing substance, a liquid outlet opening and a solid outlet opening, an outlet region for the solid, a liquid sensor arranged in the outlet region, comprising two spaced-apart and electrically insulated electrodes and a sensor circuit designed to detect an electrically conductive connection between the two electrodes established by a liquid. A further aspect of the invention is a retrofit sensor device for such a separator device and a method for controlling a separator device.

[0003] Separator devices are generally known and always serve to divide a liquid-containing substance, typically a thick or thin pasty mass, into a dry solid portion and a liquid portion. Various principles are known for this. A typical separator design involves conveying the pasty mass by means of a separator screw through a sieve or filter tube, which has a plurality of liquid outlet openings through which the liquid is discharged. This liquid discharge is achieved by a pressing effect, which is achieved by means of a conveying resistance installed at the end of the separator screw.This conveying resistance can be created by various components, for example an elastically flexible closure flap of a solids outlet opening behind the end of the separator screw, a wingless end section of the separator screw, whereby a dry solids plug builds up in this end section, which is continuously pushed out through the solids outlet opening located at the end of the conveyor screw.

[0004] Separator devices often function according to the principle that such a solid plug is built up and continuously exerts a desired blocking effect. Without such a solid plug, which exerts this sealing and blocking effect, the desired separation of the liquid from the solid cannot usually be achieved, since if the solid plug is not present, the liquid can flow out through the solid outlet opening, which generally represents the path with less flow resistance compared to the smaller liquid outlet openings. In other separator device functions, a built-up solid cake serves as a filtration medium and forms a functionally induced flow resistance. Even with such separator devices, efficient separation and operation cannot be guaranteed if this solid cake is missing or partially damaged.

[0005] The solid plug continuously builds up during normal operation of the separator device, breaks off behind the solid outlet opening, and is fed to a solids collection container, storage area, or transport vehicle. This usually occurs due to the effect of gravity; the broken-off section of the solid plug falls down. However, in the case of inhomogeneities in the pasty mass, particularly when larger solid lumps are contained in the pasty mass, when the fed pasty mass fluctuates between a greater or lesser liquid content, or due to inappropriately set operating parameters, for example, an excessively high delivery pressure or an excessively high delivery rate, it may happen that the solid plug is not retained as desired, but is lost during operation of the separator device, and liquid then escapes through the solids outlet opening.This significantly reduces the efficiency of the separation device and the plant's operation, even leading to a complete failure of the separation process. It leads to contamination of the already separated dry material with the escaping liquid, and thus often causes undesirable environmental pollution from the escaping liquid, which is significantly detrimental. FI127013B discloses a separator device that has an electrical sensor device designed to detect a liquid jet escaping through the solids outlet opening and thereby detect unwanted degradation of the solids plug at the end of a screw separator.For this purpose, this separator device features an array of two plate-shaped metal sheets arranged in the axial extension of the separator screw opposite and at the level of the solids outlet opening. The plate facing the solids outlet opening has a plurality of slots. When liquid passes through the solids outlet opening and impacts this sensor array horizontally from the solids outlet opening, the liquid passes through these slots between the two plates, and this liquid creates a detectable electrical connection between the two plates.

[0006] While this sensor-equipped separator device can, in principle, detect unwanted liquid leakage and initiate appropriate countermeasures, the disadvantage of this device is that the loss of the solid plug is only detected when a powerful liquid jet is already passing horizontally through the solid outlet opening. By this time, the solid plug is usually almost completely lost, and even with a rapid response, a significant amount of liquid has already leaked through the solid outlet opening. This is disadvantageous because it results in a loss of efficiency in the separation process, environmental pollution from the leaked liquid, and a loss of time due to the need to rebuild the solid plug.

[0007] The object of the invention is to avoid these disadvantages.

[0008] The invention solves this problem with a separator device as explained at the outset, in which the two electrical electrodes are arranged below the solids outlet opening in the direction of gravity and comprise or are formed by an upper and a lower electrode which are arranged below the upper electrode in the direction of gravity and are electrically insulated from it, the upper electrode is designed as a liquid conducting element and the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode and offset from the upper electrode with respect to the direction of gravity in such a way that a solid emerging from the solids outlet opening does not impinge on the lower electrode and that liquid impinging on the upper electrode is guided to the lower electrode by adhesion to a guide surface of the upper electrode which points downwards in the direction of gravity.

[0009] The solution according to the invention, similar to the solution previously known from FI 127013B, also applies the detection principle of an electrical connection between two electrodes or conductors through the liquid exiting the solids outlet opening. However, it is based on the inventors' finding that the triggering mechanism used in this previously known technology, by means of the almost horizontally exiting liquid, can reliably prevent an unwanted electrical connection between the two electrodes through the solids, since the solids fall vertically, following the direction of gravity, and consequently cannot reach the metal sheets of the sensor arrangement. However, this separation leads to the disadvantages already mentioned above of too late detection of the degradation of the solid plug.

[0010] The invention therefore takes a different approach here and arranges the two electrodes below the solids outlet opening in the direction of gravity. The two electrodes are arranged in such a way that an upper electrode is located above a lower electrode and covers it. The upper electrode is designed as a liquid conducting element and performs a function which serves to ensure that the electrically conductive connection between the upper and lower electrodes is not triggered by the solids escaping from the solids outlet opening, which can come into contact with the electrode arrangement due to the arrangement of the two electrodes. In contrast, the liquid escaping from the solids outlet opening is guided by the upper electrode in such a way that the liquid creates an electrical connection between the upper and lower electrodes.As a result, although the invention provides for an arrangement of the electrodes in an area into which both solid and liquid pass, which is disadvantageous compared to the previously known solution, it can be differentiated whether only solid or whether (also) liquid is exiting from the solid outlet opening. This differentiation of the liquid conducting function of the upper electrode between solid and liquid is achieved by forming a downward-facing conducting surface on the upper electrode, along which the liquid is guided to the lower electrode by adhesion. The embodiment according to the invention therefore takes advantage of the fact that liquid, in contrast to solid, has the property of running along surfaces and, by adhesion, is also guided along a surface pointing downwards due to gravity and is thus deflected out of the direction of gravity.In contrast, the solid lumps falling out of the solid outlet opening do not have these properties, so that these properties can be used for the differentiated triggering of the electrical connection, although the electrode arrangement comes into contact with both solid and liquid when placed according to the invention.

[0011] Such a downward-facing conducting surface of the upper electrode is understood to be a surface that does not face upward toward the solids outlet opening, and thus cannot be impinged upon by the solids falling out of the solids outlet opening and remain there. Liquid conduction along such a downward-facing conducting surface therefore occurs primarily through adhesion and surface tension. The downward-facing surface can be inclined at any angle, and can therefore also face essentially inward, i.e., toward the passage cross-section through which the solids and liquids fall.The surface is therefore at an angle which, starting from the horizontal, points downwards by 0° to less than 90° and it is preferred if the downward-facing conducting surface of the upper electrode is arranged at an angle of 90 to 15° to the vertical, particularly preferably at an angle of 30 to 60° to the vertical.

[0012] The lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode in such a way that solids emerging from the solids outlet opening cannot hit the lower electrode. The lower electrode is therefore covered from the falling solids by the upper electrode, or the lower electrode is offset far enough outwards from the upper electrode in relation to the passage cross-section of the solids that the solids cannot reach the lower electrode, even if they hit the upper electrode or brush against it. In principle, it should be understood that it is preferable to prevent solids from hitting the lower electrode by covering the lower electrode in the direction of gravity by the upper electrode, or at least by arranging it in alignment with the upper electrode, it being understood that this covering orAligned arrangement is particularly important with regard to the boundary of the electrodes pointing towards the passage cross-section through which the solid falls, but not for parts of the electrodes lying outside this passage cross-section which cannot be caught by the falling solid.

[0013] The embodiment according to the invention ensures that even small amounts of liquid passing through the solids outlet opening under low pressure can be detected by the electrode arrangement, and consequently, the sensor arrangement can detect the incipient degradation of the solid plug. The device according to the invention does not rely on the liquid exiting horizontally from the solids outlet opening and thereby striking the sensor arrangement. The sensor device according to the invention therefore achieves significantly higher sensitivity than the previously known solution. Furthermore, the sensitivity can be adjusted by adjusting the distance between the two electrodes and predetermining the conductivity threshold at which a sensor signal is triggered, and can therefore be adapted to the respective application of the separator device.The electrodes can in principle be made of any electrically conductive material; preferably they are corrosion-resistant to the liquid.

[0014] A particular advantage over the solution previously known from FI 127013B has also been found in the fact that the sensor device according to the invention has a self-cleaning function. The leaked liquid tends to drip completely out of the air gap between the two electrodes and open the air gap again. This is further promoted by the vertically stacked arrangement of the electrodes and the ability to adjust the air gap between the electrodes to a desired size. This, together with gravity and the design of the electrodes as liquid guide plates, results in the leaked liquid tending to drip completely out of the air gap and open the gap again. As a result, as soon as no more liquid escapes, the electrical bridge is quickly interrupted again, and the sensor system stops the 'error message'.This makes it possible to quickly put the system back into operation after an incident without the need for manual or automated cleaning and maintenance work.

[0015] This advantage, however, is not present in the solution known from FI127013B, because the liquid bridge in that sensor is not generated by gravity and drops, but primarily by the quantity and volume flow between the strip-shaped electrodes, which are installed with only a small distance between them. This arrangement will then lead to liquid remaining between the electrodes, or possibly even solidifying there, particularly in the case of the frequently occurring viscous or lumpy liquid medium. The sensor must then be cleaned manually before the sensor system or control system releases the machine for further operation. Since separator devices are often installed at a great height above storage areas, storage containers, or can be raised and lowered above vehicles, manual cleaning of the sensor plate is regularly associated with considerable effort.This can often be avoided with the device according to the invention, since often within a few seconds or minutes without further cleaning or manual intervention after a solid plug breakthrough, the sensor has cleaned itself and thus 'reset' and the separator device can be put into operation again.

[0016] According to a first preferred embodiment, the upper electrode is designed as a preferably angled guide plate, and the lower electrode is arranged below a drip edge of the guide plate in the direction of gravity. By designing it as an angled guide plate, the upper electrode can be manufactured in desired and functional geometries, on the one hand, and efficiently by folding and shaping, on the other. By angling the guide plate, as is preferably provided, a desired profile of the downward-facing guide surface can be achieved, for example, an angle downward and outward with respect to the cross-sectional area through which the solid falls. The further provided arrangement of the lower electrode below a drip edge of this guide plate is to be understood in such a way that a vertical projection of the drip edge impinges on the lower electrode.This allows liquid that breaks off from the drip edge of the upper electrode and flows to the lower electrode, establishing the electrical contact between the two electrodes required for detection.

[0017] It is further preferred if the outlet region extends from the solids outlet opening in the direction of gravity to a solids outlet opening, and the upper and lower electrodes are arranged in a section of the outlet region that lies below a lower edge of the solids outlet opening that delimits the solids outlet opening, preferably below the solids outlet opening. The separator device according to the invention has an outlet region that extends from the solids outlet opening, at which the solid separated from the liquid exits a functional unit serving for separation, to a solids outlet opening, at which the solid falls out of a separator housing that completely surrounds the separator device. In this outlet region, the solid falls downwards following gravity.In order to achieve the inventive function at the two electrodes particularly reliably, it is preferred if the electrodes are arranged below the solids outlet opening, i.e. below the lower edge that delimits the solids outlet opening, and it is particularly preferred if the two electrodes are located in the region of the solids outlet opening or below the solids outlet opening. This arrangement of the two electrodes ensures that the solids move in the direction of gravity in the region of the two electrodes as far as possible, thus reliably ensuring the function of separating solids and liquid through the conducting function of the upper electrode and the forwarding of only the liquid to the lower electrode.

[0018] According to a further preferred embodiment, the upper electrode has, in cross-section, an upper inner edge in the direction of gravity, from which the lower guide surface, pointing downwards in the direction of gravity, extends diagonally outwards and in the direction of gravity to a lower outer drip edge or surface. For the purposes of the invention, the terms “inside” and “outside” are to be understood in relation to the area through which the solid falls after it has exited the solid outlet opening. An inner edge is therefore closer to this area than an outer edge. For the purposes of the invention, an edge is to be understood as the edge of a surface, but also as the curved or angled section of a bevel, i.e. the kink of a fold.According to this embodiment, the lower conducting surface is designed as a surface that slopes from the inside outward, extending to a drip edge or surface, from which a liquid flowing along the lower conducting surface flows onto the lower electrode. The drip edge can be the lower edge of the lower conducting surface or a bevel of the lower conducting surface; however, the lower conducting surface can also transition into a downwardly extending drip surface, along which the liquid continues to flow, then flowing from an edge of this drip surface onto the lower electrode.

[0019] It is even further preferred if the upper electrode has, above the upper inner edge, an upper guide surface which points upwards in the direction of gravity and which extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity up to an upper outer edge which is preferably flush with an inner wall of the outlet region, so that a solid emerging from the solid outlet opening is diverted inwards by the upper electrode.The upper conducting surface designed in this way allows the upper electrode to deflect solids falling onto the upper electrode inwards, thus directing them away from the lower electrode. The upper conducting surface can also absorb dripping liquids, which can be guided along the upper conducting surface via the upper inner edge to the lower conducting surface by adhesive means. This can then flow onto the lower electrode, triggering detectable conductivity between the two electrodes. In the area of ​​the upper and lower conducting surfaces, the upper electrode thus forms a 90° angled "V" shape, the two sides of which are formed by the upper and lower conducting surfaces, and the tip of which points inwards, forming the upper inner edge.This upper inner edge can be rounded to a smaller or larger radius and / or enclose an angle of 30° to 150° in order to achieve reliable conduction of the liquid over this upper inner edge.

[0020] It is even further preferred if the lower electrode has an upper collecting surface in cross-section, the inner edge of which lies inward from the drip edge and the outer edge of which lies outward from the drip edge, and which preferably extends obliquely in cross-section from the outside top to the bottom inward. According to this embodiment, the lower electrode is arranged with respect to the drip edge of the upper electrode such that liquid flowing from this drip edge strikes a surface of the lower electrode, and this surface extends so far that a certain tolerance of the dripping direction of the liquid is established, so that even liquid that does not drip exactly in the direction of gravity strikes the lower electrode.By aligning this collecting surface diagonally from the outside top to the inside bottom, interference effects caused by rebounding liquid, which can lead to a disturbance in the conductivity measurement, are avoided by the liquid hitting the lower electrode being absorbed and drained away by it.

[0021] It is even further preferred if the upper and lower electrodes are fastened to one or more insulator elements, and if the upper and / or lower electrodes are fastened detachably and displaceably to the insulator element(s), and if the distance between the upper and lower electrodes can be adjusted by this displacement. By fastening the upper and lower electrodes to one or more insulator elements, reliable alignment and positioning of the two electrodes to one another is ensured, on the one hand, and easy assembly of the two electrodes to one another is achieved, on the other hand. The adjustability of the distance makes it possible to adjust the sensitivity of the sensor system formed by the two electrodes, and thus, by setting a large distance, conductivity can only be established or maintained when larger quantities of liquid escape.Conversely, by setting a very small distance between the two electrodes, conductivity can be generated even with very small amounts of liquid. It should be understood that the effect of a larger or smaller electrode distance on sensitivity is also influenced by other operating conditions, such as the size of the emerging liquid droplets, the viscosity of the emerging liquid, the surface tension of the droplets and their adhesion force on the electrode surface, the falling speed of the droplets in the area of ​​the electrodes, etc. It is even more preferred if the upper electrode and the lower electrode are arranged laterally to a solids passage cross-section.Such a lateral arrangement allows, on the one hand, the desired conducting effect on the liquid, and if necessary, also the deflecting effect on the solid, to be adjusted precisely and unilaterally by the conducting surface(s) of the upper electrode, since they only need to be designed with respect to the solid and liquid falling along one side of the electrodes. On the other hand, such a lateral arrangement does not disrupt the removal of the solid, as would otherwise be the case, for example, with a central arrangement of the two electrodes.

[0022] It is particularly preferred if the upper electrode and the lower electrode delimit the solids passage cross-section on one side, over a circumference of at least 90°, over a circumference of at least 180°, or completely. In principle, the two electrodes can extend over one side of the solids passage cross-section or just over a section of such a side, which allows a robust and simple design of the electrode arrangement. However, it is preferred if the two electrodes extend over more than one side, for example over more than 90° or over more than 180° or even completely around the solids passage cross-section. This allows liquid flowing down to be detected at any point within the outlet area.It should be understood that the solids passage cross-section can be circular and in this case the two electrodes can also be designed as a segment of a circle or as a full circle. In the case of a non-circular passage cross-section, such as a rectangular passage cross-section, a limitation of the solids passage cross-section over a circumference of at least 90° is to be understood that the two electrodes extend partially or completely over at least two adjacent sides of the solids passage cross-section or, in the case of a limitation over 180°, extend at least partially or completely over two opposite sides and completely over a side of the passage cross-section connecting these.

[0023] A further aspect of the invention is a retrofit sensor device for a separator device, comprising an upper electrode and a lower electrode that is electrically insulated and spaced from the upper electrode, and a sensor circuit that is designed to detect an electrically conductive connection between the two electrodes produced by a liquid, wherein the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode in the direction of gravity, and the upper electrode is designed as a liquid conducting element and the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode and offset from the upper electrode with respect to the direction of gravity such that solid impinging on the upper electrode does not impinge on the lower electrode and that liquid impinging on the upper electrode is guided to the lower electrode by adhesion to a conducting surface of the upper electrode that points downwards in the direction of gravity.

[0024] Such a retrofit sensor device can be used to equip an existing separator device with a liquid sensor having the previously described upper and lower electrodes. This retrofit sensor device can be used and developed in the same way as previously described for the separator device and its liquid sensor with upper and lower electrodes. Accordingly, it is particularly preferred for the retrofit sensor device if the upper electrode is designed as a preferably angled guide plate, and the lower electrode is arranged below a drip edge of the guide plate in the direction of gravity, and / or the upper electrode has, in cross-section, an upper inner edge in the direction of gravity, from which a lower guide surface extending downwards in the direction of gravity extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity to a lower outer drip edge.and further preferably, the upper electrode above the upper inner edge has an upper guide surface pointing upwards in the direction of gravity, which extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity to an upper outer edge, so that a solid emerging from the solids outlet opening is diverted inwards by the upper electrode, and / or the lower electrode has an upper collecting surface in cross-section, the inner edge of which lies inward from the drip edge and the outer edge of which lies outside from the drip edge and which preferably extends obliquely in cross-section from the outside top to the bottom inward, and / or the first and the lower electrode are fastened to one or more insulator elements and the first and / or the lower electrode are detachably and displaceably fastened to the insulator element(s), and a distance between the first and the lower electrode can be adjusted by the displacement,and / or the upper electrode and the lower electrode laterally delimit a solids passage cross-section, and more preferably, the upper electrode and the lower electrode delimit the solids passage cross-section on one side, or over a circumference of at least 90°, or over a circumference of at least 180°, or completely. For these possible developments of the retrofit sensor device, reference is made to the preceding explanations of the separator device. A further aspect of the invention is a separator device of the type described above or a retrofit sensor device of the type described above, which is further developed by a control device with a first signal output for controlling a first drive device of the separator device and a second signal output for controlling a second drive device of a conveying device which conveys a liquid-containing mass to the separator device.wherein the control device comprises the sensor circuit or is signal-connected thereto, and the sensor circuit is designed to determine an electrical conductivity between the first and the lower electrode, and the control device is designed to transmit a stop signal via the first and second signal outputs to control, regulate, and preferably stop the first and / or second drive device when the electrical conductivity exceeds a predetermined electrical conductivity threshold. Such a control device has the advantage that, upon detecting the escape of liquid from the solids outlet opening, it can control both the drive of the separator device and the drive of a conveying device that conveys the liquid-containing mass to the separator devices.This is particularly advantageous compared to the prior art practice of simply stopping the drive of the separator device, since stopping the drive of the separator device can often no longer reliably prevent further passage of liquid when the conveying device continues to convey. In contrast, stopping the drive of the conveying device can reliably prevent further liquid leakage.

[0025] In principle, if a reduced effect of the solid plug is detected by the sensor device, a complete breakout of the plug can still be prevented, possibly by rapidly initiating control of the drive of the conveying device, which is thereby slowed down or stopped. This can allow the plug to rebuild and approach the desired operating point. The control device according to the invention is preferably designed to carry out such a rapid reaction by controlling the conveying device during operation and, based on the sensor signal, to monitor whether the liquid flow through the solid outlet opening is increasing or decreasing.

[0026] The control device can then be further configured to stop the drives when an increase in fluid flow is detected. The control device can then be further configured to control a predetermined startup behavior of the separator device and the conveying device based on the plug breakthrough thus detected, or to regulate it based on the sensor signal, with which the rebuilding of the solid plug is effectively achieved. This can, for example, consist in initially driving only the separator device and not driving the conveying device or only driving it at a slower rate during a startup phase until the solid plug has at least partially formed.It is particularly preferred to control the control or regulation system for continued operation or restart in the event of such a detected low or increasing liquid penetration or after a plug breakout based on a control system that learns from previous, stored control or regulation processes, in particular by using such previous control and regulation data and sensor data as input data for a control or regulation system based on artificial intelligence. In this way, it can be effectively achieved that a separator device, individually optimized for the prevailing field conditions, i.e., influencing variables such as the viscosity of the substances to be separated, temperature, installation position, throughput, etc., can prevent a solid plug breakout or rebuild a solid plug.

[0027] Finally, a further aspect of the invention is a method for controlling a separator device, comprising the steps of: detecting the liquid content in a solid, which is produced in the separator by separating liquid from a liquid-containing mass and is discharged through a solid outlet opening, by means of conductivity measurement between a first and a lower electrode, which are arranged adjacent to one another in the region behind the solid outlet opening, electrically insulated from one another and spaced apart, controlling a drive device of a conveying device, which conveys a liquid-containing mass to the separator device, depending on the detected electrical conductivity, in particular triggering a stop signal for the drive device of the conveying device when the electrical conductivity exceeds a first predetermined electrical conductivity threshold,Controlling a drive device of the separator device as a function of the detected electrical conductivity, in particular triggering a stop signal for the drive device of the separator device when the electrical conductivity exceeds a second predetermined electrical conductivity threshold, wherein the first predetermined electrical conductivity threshold is lower than the second predetermined electrical,

[0028] conductivity threshold or the first and second predetermined electrical

[0029] Conductivity thresholds are equal. According to this method, a separator device and a conveying device that conveys liquid-containing substances to the separator device for separation therein are controlled as a function of unwanted liquid exiting the solids outlet opening of the separator device in such a way that, on the one hand, the liquid exit is reduced, and, on the other hand, the degradation of the solids plug in front of the solids outlet opening of the separator, which is the cause of the liquid exit, is reduced or even reversed, and this solids plug is rebuilt, so that the separator device can return to efficient separator operation.This is achieved by stopping or slowing down both the conveying device and the separator device when liquid is detected, or by initially stopping or slowing down only the conveying device when small amounts of liquid are detected, while the separator device continues to operate and is only stopped or slowed down when more liquid is detected.

[0030] A preferred embodiment is explained with reference to the accompanying figures. They show:

[0031] Figure 1: A side view of a separator device according to the invention,

[0032] Figure 2: A broken rear view of the separator device according to Fig. 1 ,

[0033] Figure 3: A perspective view of an insulated liquid sensor device according to the invention,

[0034] Figure 4: A longitudinal section through the sensor device according to Fig. 3.

[0035] Referring first to Fig. 1, a separator device is shown comprising an inlet housing 10 with an inlet opening 11 for a liquid-containing mass. A conveying device 13 is connected to this inlet opening 11 via a symbolically represented fluid line 12. The conveying device 13 is driven by a drive 14 and conveys the liquid-containing mass to the inlet opening 11.

[0036] Flanged to the inlet housing 10 is a separator housing 20, in which a separator screw (not shown) rotates around a horizontal axis 21 in a cylindrical filtration housing (not shown) with a plurality of openings. This rotation of the separator screw is driven by a drive motor 40 with an angular gear, flanged beyond an outlet housing 30. The rotation of the separator screw conveys the liquid-containing mass from the inlet housing 10 toward the outlet housing 30 to a solids outlet opening 22. Due to a thread-free section of the separator screw, a solids plug forms in front of this solids outlet opening, preventing the passage of liquid from the interior of the filter tube into the outlet housing 30 during normal operation.The liquid contained in the mass is therefore drained through the openings in the filter housing and collects in a separator housing 20, from which it can be discharged via a liquid outlet opening 23. This can be enhanced by a suction effect at this liquid outlet opening 23.

[0037] The solid plug is pressed through the solid outlet opening 22 into the outlet housing 30 and breaks off from the horizontal movement through the solid outlet opening into a vertical falling movement to a solid outlet opening 31 at the lower end of the outlet housing 30. A liquid sensor 100 is mounted at this lower end, which is explained in more detail with reference to Figs. 2 - 4.

[0038] The liquid sensor 100 comprises an upper electrode 110 formed from three sections 110a, b, and c, each at an angle of 90° to each other. These three sections 110a, b, and c are at the same height, or horizontal, relative to the direction of gravity.

[0039] Each of these three sections 110a, b, c is, as can be seen particularly well from the longitudinal section in Fig. 4, divided vertically into three sheet metal sections 111, 112, 113, which are angled relative to one another. The upper sheet metal section 111 extends vertically. On this sheet metal section 111, two elongated holes 114a, c are formed on the two legs 110a, 110c, through which the upper electrode 110 can be fastened to the lower end of the outlet housing 30 by means of a screw connection. Similarly, two elongated holes 115b, 116b are formed on the upper sheet metal section 111 of the central section 110b, which also serve for fastening to the outlet housing by means of a screw connection passing through them.

[0040] The upper sheet metal section 111 is followed by a sheet metal section 112 which runs diagonally inwards and downwards. This sheet metal section provides an upper guide surface 112' which deflects solid material falling from above inwards. Furthermore, liquid falling from above is collected by this upper guide surface 112' and passed on to a lower guide surface 113' of the lower sheet metal section 113. This lower sheet metal section 113 runs from the edge to the middle sheet metal section 112, diagonally downwards and outwards from the inside and ends at a drip edge 113". At this drip edge 113", the liquid flowing along the lower guide surface 113' drips vertically downwards.

[0041] A total of six insulation elements 120 are attached to the central sheet section by means of a screw connection. These insulation elements 120 serve to connect a lower electrode 130 to the upper electrode 110.

[0042] The lower electrode 130 is in turn attached to each of the insulator elements 120 by means of a screw connection 135 through an elongated hole 125 in the latter. The screw connection 135 in the elongated hole 125 allows the position of the lower electrode to be adjusted to a desired vertical position and fixed by means of the screw connection 135. This allows the distance between the upper and lower electrodes to be precisely and permanently adjusted.

[0043] The lower electrode 130 has a vertically oriented upper sheet metal section 131 through which the screw connection is made, and a lower sheet metal section 132 extending obliquely downwards and inwards with a collecting surface 132'. The collecting surface 132' on this lower sheet metal section is arranged such that water flowing from the drip edge 113" falls onto this collecting surface 132', thereby establishing electrical conductivity between the upper electrode 110 and the lower electrode 130.

[0044] A sensor circuit 150 is electrically connected to the upper electrode 110 by a first electrical connection 151 and to the lower electrode 130 by a second electrical connection 152. This sensor circuit 150 can be connected to a machine control system for the separator device and the conveyor device 12. The sensor circuit 150 is designed to measure the conductivity between the upper electrode 110 and the lower electrode 130 continuously or at predeterminable time intervals by programming and to compare it with one or two conductivity thresholds or a conductivity range.The sensor circuit 150 can detect an exceedance of one or both conductivity thresholds, or an exit or entry into the conductivity range, and then generate its own acoustic or optical signal, transmit a signal to the machine control system, or send a signal to another receiving unit, such as a smartphone or other monitoring device. This signaling can be wired or wireless. Upon receiving a corresponding signal, the machine control system is able to initiate an appropriate response to the correspondingly detected liquid escaping from the solids outlet opening. In the simplest case, such a response can consist of an alarm signal, which prompts an operator to take appropriate control action on the separator device.In particular, such a measure may also consist of reducing or completely stopping the conveyor device, possibly followed by stopping the rotation of the separator screw. The measure may also consist of simultaneously slowing down or completely stopping the conveyor device and the separator screw.

Claims

Claims:

1. Separator device comprising - a separator unit with an inlet opening for a liquid-containing substance, a liquid outlet opening and a solid outlet opening, an outlet region for the solid, a liquid sensor arranged in the outlet region, comprising two electrodes spaced apart from one another and electrically insulated from one another and a sensor circuit which is designed to detect an electrically conductive connection between the two electrodes produced by a liquid, characterized in that the two electrical electrodes are arranged below the solid outlet opening in the direction of gravity and - comprise or are formed by an upper and a lower electrode arranged below the upper electrode in the direction of gravity and electrically insulated from it, - the upper electrode is designed as a liquid guide element and the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode and offset from the upper electrode with respect to the direction of gravity in such a way that a solid emerging from the solid outlet opening does not impinge on the lower electrode and that liquid impinging on the upper electrode is guided to the lower electrode by adhesion to a guide surface of the upper electrode pointing downwards in the direction of gravity.

2. Separator device according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper electrode is designed as a preferably angled guide plate and the lower electrode is arranged in the direction of gravity below a drip edge of the guide plate.

3. Separator device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outlet region extends from the solids outlet opening in the direction of gravity to a solids outlet opening and the upper and lower electrodes are arranged in a section of the outlet region which lies below a lower edge of the solids outlet opening delimiting the solids outlet opening, preferably below the solids outlet opening.

4. Separator device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper electrode has in cross-section an upper inner edge in the direction of gravity, from which the lower guide surface pointing downwards in the direction of gravity extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity to a lower outer drip edge or surface.

5. Separator device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the upper electrode has, above the upper inner edge, an upper guide surface pointing upwards in the direction of gravity, which extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity up to an upper outer edge, which is preferably flush with an inner wall of the outlet region, so that a solid emerging from the solid outlet opening is diverted inwards by the upper electrode.

6. Separator device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the lower electrode has in cross section an upper collecting surface, the inner edge of which lies inward from the drip edge and the outer edge of which lies outward from the drip edge and which preferably extends obliquely in cross section from the outside top to the bottom inward.

7. Separator device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper and lower electrodes are fastened to one or more insulator elements and the upper and / or lower electrodes are detachably and displaceably fastened to the insulator element(s) and a distance between the upper and lower electrodes can be adjusted by the displacement.

8. Separator device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper electrode and the lower electrode are arranged laterally to a solids passage cross-section.

9. Separator device according to claim 8, characterized in that the upper electrode and the lower electrode delimit the solids passage cross-section on one side, over a circumference of at least 90°, over a circumference of at least 180°, or completely.

10. Retrofit sensor device for a separator device, comprising: an upper electrode and a lower electrode electrically insulated and spaced from the upper electrode and a sensor circuit which is designed to detect an electrically conductive connection between the two electrodes produced by a liquid, wherein the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode in the direction of gravity, and the upper electrode is designed as a liquid conducting element and the lower electrode is arranged below the upper electrode and offset from the upper electrode with respect to the direction of gravity such that solid impinging on the upper electrode does not impinge on the lower electrode and that liquid impinging on the upper electrode is guided to the lower electrode by adhesion to a conducting surface of the upper electrode which points downwards in the direction of gravity.

11. Retrofit sensor device according to claim 10, characterized in that - the upper electrode is designed as a preferably angled guide plate, and the lower electrode is arranged below a drip edge of the guide plate in the direction of gravity, and / or the upper electrode has, in cross-section, an upper inner edge in the direction of gravity, from which a lower guide surface pointing downwards in the direction of gravity extends obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity to a lower outer drip edge, and further preferably the upper electrode has, above the upper inner edge, an upper guide surface pointing upwards in the direction of gravity and extending obliquely outwards and in the direction of gravity to an upper outer edge, so that a solid emerging from the solids outlet opening is diverted inwards by the upper electrode, and / or the lower electrode has, in cross-section, an upper collecting surface,whose inner edge lies inward from the drip edge and whose outer edge lies outside from the drip edge and which preferably extends obliquely in cross-section from the outside top to the bottom inward, and / or the first and the lower electrode are fastened to one or more insulator elements and the first and / or the lower electrode are detachably and displaceably fastened to the insulator element(s) and a distance between the first and the lower electrode can be adjusted by the displacement, and / or the upper electrode and the lower electrode laterally delimit a solids passage cross-section and further preferably the upper electrode and the lower electrode delimit the solids passage cross-section on one side, or, over a circumference of at least 90°, or over a circumference of at least 180°, or completely limit.

12. Separator device according to one of the preceding claims 1-9 or retrofit sensor device according to one of the preceding claims 10 or 11, characterized by a control device with a first signal output for controlling a first drive device of the separator device and a second signal output for controlling a second drive device of a conveying device which conveys a liquid-containing mass to the separator device, wherein the control device comprises the sensor circuit or is connected to it by signal technology and the sensor circuit is designed to determine an electrical conductivity between the first and the lower electrode and the control device is designed to, when the electrical conductivity exceeds a predetermined electrical conductivity threshold, via the first and the second signal output, a control or regulating signal,in particular to send a stop signal for stopping the first and second drive device., 13. A method for controlling a separator device, comprising the steps: Detecting the liquid content in a solid, which is produced in the separator by separating liquid from a liquid-containing mass and is discharged through a solid outlet opening, by means of conductivity measurement between a first and a lower electrode, which are arranged adjacent to each other in the area behind the solid outlet opening, electrically insulated from each other and spaced apart, Controlling a drive device of a conveying device which conveys a liquid-containing mass to the separator device, depending on the detected electrical conductivity, in particular triggering a stop signal for the drive device of the conveying device when the electrical conductivity exceeds a first predetermined electrical conductivity threshold, Controlling a drive device of the separator device as a function of the detected electrical conductivity, in particular triggering a stop signal for the drive device of the separator device when the electrical conductivity exceeds a second predetermined electrical conductivity threshold, wherein the first predetermined electrical conductivity threshold is lower than the second predetermined electrical conductivity threshold or the first and second predetermined electrical conductivity thresholds are equal.

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