Vertical mill

Abstract

This vertical mill comprises: a rotary table having a table body and a table liner; a raw material supply part that supplies a raw material; a roller that, together with the table liner, pulverizes the raw material; a separator that sorts the pulverized material; a heating part having at least one of a table heating part and a roller heating part; a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the table liner or the temperature of the roller; an upward-blowing part that generates an air current for blowing the pulverized material upward around the rotary table; a temperature control unit that controls the heating part so that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor approaches a target value; and a guide plate that restricts movement of the raw material to the outside of the table liner so that the raw material supplied to the upper surface of the table liner is guided between the roller and the table liner.

Description

Vertical mill

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vertical mill.

[0002] A method of alpha - converting (amorphizing) a raw material containing starch or cellulose without adding water is known. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of producing alpha - starch powder by putting raw grain into a mortar mill and pulverizing it. In the production method of Patent Document 1, the raw grain is heated to a temperature of 80°C or higher and then pulverized. Patent Document 2 discloses a method of producing alpha - starch dry powder by shearing and pulverizing grains supplied into the gap between at least two rigid members arranged opposite to each other. In the production method of Patent Document 2, the temperature of the grains during the shearing process is adjusted by a temperature - adjusting means.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid - Open No. 2018 - 38368 International Publication No. 2023 / 162988

[0004] According to Patent Documents 1 and 2, in order to alpha - convert a raw material containing starch or cellulose without adding water, it is necessary to simultaneously shear - pulverize the raw material while heating it. For example, considering mass productivity, it is conceivable to alpha - convert a raw material containing starch or cellulose using a vertical mill that performs pulverization, drying, and classification. In a conventionally used vertical mill, an object to be pulverized supplied to the central part of the table moves to the outer peripheral side due to the rotation of the table, is bitten between the table and the roller, and is pulverized. The pulverized material obtained by pulverizing the object to be pulverized is discharged outside the table and is heated and dried in the process of being blown up by hot air by a separator for classification.

[0005] When a raw material containing starch or cellulose is pulverized using such a vertical mill, the pulverized material is heated and dried at the timing after the raw material is pulverized. As a result, the alpha - conversion of the raw material containing starch or cellulose is not promoted. In order to promote alpha - conversion, at least it is necessary to simultaneously perform heating of the raw material containing starch or cellulose and shear - pulverization of the raw material. Therefore, in order to promote the alpha - conversion of a raw material containing starch or cellulose using a vertical mill, it is necessary to have a structure that can simultaneously perform direct heating and shear - pulverization.

[0006] This disclosure aims to provide a vertical mill that promotes the gelatinization of raw materials containing starch or cellulose by simultaneously performing heating and shear grinding.

[0007] [1] A vertical mill comprising: a rotary table having a table body that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation and a table liner provided on the table body; a raw material supply unit that supplies raw materials containing starch or cellulose to the upper surface of the table liner; a roller that moves with the rotary table and crushes the raw materials together with the table liner; a separator that classifies the pulverized material obtained by crushing the raw materials; a heating unit having at least one of a table heating unit that heats the table liner and a roller heating unit that heats the roller; a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the table liner or the roller; a blowing unit that generates air around the rotary table to blow the pulverized material upward so that it reaches the separator; a temperature control unit that controls the heating unit to bring the temperature measured by the temperature sensor closer to a target value; and a guide plate that restricts the movement of the raw materials outside the table liner so that the raw materials supplied to the upper surface of the table liner are guided between the roller and the table liner.

[0008] [2] In the vertical mill described in [1] above, the air blown around the rotating table up the pulverized material is air at room temperature.

[0009] [3] In the vertical mill described in [1] or [2] above, a roller other than the roller is further provided, and when viewed from a direction along the axis of rotation, the roller and the other roller are arranged with the axis of rotation in between, the guide plate is provided so as to be along the outer circumference of the table liner, and when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the roller and the other roller are lined up and also perpendicular to the axis of rotation, one end of the guide plate overlaps with the other roller and the other end of the guide plate overlaps with the roller.

[0010] [4] In the vertical mill described in any one of [1] to [3] above, the heating unit has the table heating unit, the table body has a support unit that supports the table liner, and a rotating shaft unit that extends from the support unit toward the opposite side of the table liner along the axis of rotation, and the table heating unit supplies hot air to the lower side of the support unit after directing hot air to the rotating shaft unit.

[0011] [5] In the vertical mill described in any one of [1] to [3] above, the heating unit has the table heating unit, the table heating unit has an electric heater and a heat transfer member that contacts the lower surface of the table liner, and the heat of the electric heater is transferred to the table liner via the heat transfer member.

[0012] [6] In the vertical mill described in any one of [1] to [5] above, the heating unit has the roller heating unit, and the roller heating unit supplies hot air directly to the circumferential surface of the roller from a duct provided outside the circumferential surface of the roller.

[0013] According to this disclosure, a vertical mill can be provided that promotes the gelatinization of raw materials containing starch or cellulose by simultaneously performing heating and shear grinding.

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vertical mill according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating heating and temperature control of the table liner. Figure 3(a) is a plan view showing an example of the rotary table shown in Figure 1. Figure 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross section along the line III(b)-III(b) in Figure 3(a). Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the vertical mill. Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of the rotary table. Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotary table illustrating a guide plate. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a pair of rollers and a guide plate when viewed from the side. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cross section of the rotary table along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 6. Figure 9 is a plan view of the rotary table illustrating a guide plate according to another example. Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the vertical mill illustrating another example of a heating section. Figures 11(a) and 11(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the heating section shown in Figure 10. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a vertical mill illustrating another example of a heating section. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail a part of the heating section shown in Figure 12.

[0015] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted. Each drawing shows a Cartesian coordinate system defined by the X, Y, and Z axes. The X and Y axes are horizontal, and the Z axis is vertical.

[0016] The vertical mill 100 shown in Figure 1 is a grinding device (grinder) capable of simultaneously heating and grinding raw materials containing starch or cellulose. Hereinafter, raw materials containing starch or cellulose will be simply referred to as "raw materials." Raw materials are, for example, granular grains, such as rice, buckwheat, wheat, adzuki beans, and corn. The vertical mill 100 comprises, for example, a casing 10, a speed reducer 20, a rotary table 1, a raw material supply unit 2, a separator 4, rollers 31 and 32, and a blowing unit 6. The casing 10 separates the inside and outside of the vertical mill 100. The speed reducer 20 is located below the bottom surface of the casing 10. In the vertical mill 100, the raw materials supplied onto the rotary table 1 are heated and simultaneously ground by the rollers 31 and 32. The vertical mill 100 gelatinizes the raw materials by simultaneously heating and grinding them.

[0017] In one example, the rotary table 1 includes a table body 11, a table liner 12, and a plate 13. The table body 11 rotates around a rotation axis A1 by a reduction gear 20 and a motor (not shown) connected to the reduction gear 20. The rotation axis A1 is a virtual line extending in the vertical direction. When viewed from a direction along the rotation axis A1, the table body 11 has, for example, a circular shape. The rotation axis A1 is set to pass through the center of the table body 11. The table liner 12 and the plate 13 rotate together with the rotation of the table body 11 around the rotation axis A1. In the following description, the direction along the rotation axis A1 may be referred to as the vertical direction.

[0018] The table liner 12 is provided on the table body 11. The table liner 12 protects the surface of the table body 11. Raw materials supplied onto the table liner 12 are crushed between the table liner 12 and the roller 31, and between the table liner 12 and the roller 32. The table liner 12 may wear out as the raw materials are crushed. The table liner 12 may be replaced with a new one when wear progresses. The table liner 12 may be composed of multiple members. Assume that a clamp ring is provided on the table body 11. For example, the center of the clamp ring coincides with the axis of rotation A1, and the diameter of the clamp ring is smaller than the diameter of the table body 11. The table liner 12 may be divided into multiple parts. Multiple parts divided along the circumferential direction around the axis of rotation A1 may be combined to form a single table liner 12. The table liner 12 may be fitted between the outer circumference of the clamp ring and the outer circumference of the table body 11. When the table liner 12 is fitted in place, the table liner 12 has an annular shape. Alternatively, the table liner 12 may have a circular shape, similar to the table body 11.

[0019] The plate 13 is provided between the table body 11 and the table liner 12. In the example shown in Figure 1, the plate 13 is positioned to be in contact with the surface (top surface) of the table body 11. The table liner 12 is positioned to sandwich the plate 13 between itself and the table body 11 and to be in contact with the top surface of the plate 13. The plate 13 may be annular in shape. For example, if a clamp ring is provided on the table body 11, the plate 13 may be fitted between the outer circumference of the clamp ring and the outer circumference of the table body 11. The thickness of the plate 13 is, for example, thinner than the thickness of the table liner 12. The thickness of the plate 13 may be 0.5 mm to 4 mm. The material of the plate 13 is a material with high thermal conductivity, such as steel.

[0020] The table body 11 includes a dam ring 111 that protrudes from the outer circumference of the table body 11 in a direction along the axis of rotation A1. The height of the dam ring 111 (height from the top surface of the table body 11) is greater than the combined thickness of the table liner 12 and the plate 13. Viewed from the vertical, the table liner 12 and the plate 13 are positioned inside the dam ring 111.

[0021] The raw material supply unit 2 supplies raw materials to the upper surface of the table liner 12. The raw material supply unit 2 includes, for example, a raw material inlet 21, a supply passage 22, and an internal cone 23. The raw material inlet 21, the supply passage 22, and the internal cone 23 are arranged in this order from the upper surface of the casing 10 toward the upper surface of the table liner 12. The raw material inlet 21, the supply passage 22, and the internal cone 23 are arranged so as to overlap each other when viewed from the vertical direction. The raw material inlet 21 opens to the upper surface of the casing 10. The supply passage 22 is cylindrical and connects the raw material inlet 21 and the internal cone 23. The internal cone 23 is funnel-shaped and its diameter gradually decreases toward the upper surface of the table liner 12. The center of the raw material inlet 21 and the center of the lower opening of the internal cone 23 may coincide with the axis of rotation A1. In this case, the raw materials introduced from the raw material inlet 21 are supplied to the upper surface and center of the table liner 12.

[0022] The separator 4 classifies the pulverized material (hereinafter simply referred to as "pulverized material") obtained by crushing the raw materials. In the example shown in Figure 1, the separator 4 is positioned above the internal cone 23, blocking the space between the upper end of the internal cone 23 and the casing 10. The separator 4 has, for example, a fixed vane and a rotating vane provided inside the fixed vane. The rotating vane is driven and rotated by a drive motor (not shown) installed at the top of the vertical mill 100. The rotation axis of the rotating vane may coincide with the rotation axis A1.

[0023] Rollers 31 and 32 are driven by the rotary table 1 and crush the raw material together with the table liner 12. Rollers 31 and 32 are pressed against the table liner 12 by hydraulic or spring force and rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the table liner 12. In this embodiment, we will describe the case in which the vertical mill 100 has two rollers, roller 31 and roller 32 (another roller). Viewed from the vertical direction, rollers 31 and 32 are arranged with the axis of rotation A1 in between (see also Figure 6). Rollers 31 and 32 are arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the axis of rotation A1. Rollers 31 and 32 may have the same shape as each other. In this embodiment, we assume that rollers 31 and 32 are aligned along the X-axis. The direction in which rollers 31 and 32 are aligned is defined by the direction in which a hypothetical line segment connecting the center of roller 31 and the center of roller 32 extends.

[0024] The blowing section 6 generates a wind W1 that blows the pulverized material upward around the rotary table 1 so that it reaches the separator 4. The blowing section 6 has, for example, a blower section 6a and a fan 6b. The vertical mill 100 may also include a gas inlet 41 and a gas exhaust port 42. The gas inlet 41 is a gas inlet that opens on the side of the casing 10, located on the side of the rotary table 1. The gas exhaust port 42 is a gas exhaust port that opens on the side of the casing 10, located on the side of the raw material input port 21. The blower section 6a supplies wind W1 into the casing 10 from the gas inlet 41. The fan 6b is provided, for example, near or downstream of the gas exhaust port 42. The fan 6b exhausts air from the casing 10 through the gas exhaust port 42, generating wind W1 and blowing the pulverized material upward. The airflow W1 may be ambient temperature air, heated hot air, or cooled cold air. The air blower 6a supplies the airflow W1 to the outer circumference of the rotary table 1. In this embodiment, the case where the airflow W1 is ambient temperature air will be described. The airflow W1 flows inside the casing 10, passes through the separator 4, and is then exhausted from the gas exhaust port 42.

[0025] Based on the configuration described above, the sequence of events from the input of raw materials to the removal of crushed material will now be explained. First, raw materials are supplied from the raw material supply unit 2 onto the table liner 12. Due to the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the table liner 12, the raw materials move from the center of the table liner 12 toward the outer circumference of the rotary table 1, and are caught between the table liner 12 and the rollers 31 and 32 and crushed. The crushed material passes over the dam ring 111 and is discharged into the space between the perimeter of the rotary table 1 and the casing 10. The crushed material discharged from the table liner 12 is blown upward by the airflow W1 and reaches the separator 4. Larger pieces of crushed material cannot pass through the separator 4 and either fall back onto the table liner 12 and are crushed again, or are discharged from a raw material discharge port (not shown) located at the bottom of the casing 10. The crushed material that has passed through the separator 4 is removed from the gas exhaust port 42 along with the airflow W1.

[0026] Next, the configuration for heating the raw materials will be described. In one example, the vertical mill 100 has a configuration for heating the table liner 12. First, the table body 11 will be described in more detail. The table body 11 includes a dam ring 111, a support part 112, and a rotating shaft part 113. The support part 112 is the part that supports the table liner 12 and the plate 13. Specifically, the plate 13 is placed on the support part 112, and the support part 112 is in contact with the plate 13. The outer edge of the support part 112 is larger than the outer edge of the table liner 12 and the outer edge of the plate 13. The dam ring 111 protrudes vertically upward from the outer circumference of the upper surface of the support part 112.

[0027] The rotating shaft portion 113 is the part that extends from the support portion 112 in the direction opposite to the table liner 12. The rotating shaft portion 113 extends along the rotation axis A1, and the rotation axis A1 is set to pass through the rotating shaft portion 113. That is, the rotating shaft portion 113 is driven by the reduction gear 20 and rotates together with the support portion 112 around the rotation axis A1. The outer edge of the rotating shaft portion 113 is smaller than the outer edge of the support portion 112. That is, as shown in Figure 1, the size (outer diameter) of the outer edge of the table body 11 decreases from the support portion 112 to the rotating shaft portion 113.

[0028] Here, with reference to Figures 2 to 4, an example of the heating unit 5 provided in the vertical mill 100 will be described. The heating unit 5 functions as a table heating unit that heats the table liner 12 of the rotary table 1. In the following, along with the description of the heating unit 5, some of the configurations of the rotary table 1 will also be described. Figure 2 is a partial schematic diagram of the vertical mill 100. Figure 3(a) is a plan view showing an example of the rotary table 1. Figure 3(b) is a schematic diagram showing a cross-section along the line III(b)-III(b) in Figure 3(a). Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the vertical mill 100.

[0029] The heating unit 5, illustrated in Figures 2 to 4, heats the table liner 12 with hot air W2. The heating unit 5 guides the hot air W2 to the rotating shaft 113 and then supplies the hot air W2 to the underside of the support 112. Specifically, the heating unit 5 heats the plate 13 with the hot air W2, thereby heating the table liner 12 through the plate 13. The heating unit 5 guides the hot air W2 to the rotating shaft 113 and then supplies the hot air W2 to the underside of the plate 13 so that it reaches the plate 13. In other words, the heating unit 5 heats the table liner 12 (plate 13) by supplying hot air W2. The heating unit 5 includes a hot air supply unit 51, a hot air supply duct 52, a hot air exhaust duct 53, a hot air isolation outer wall 54, and a hot air isolation bottom surface 55. The hot air isolation outer wall 54 and the hot air isolation bottom surface 55, together with the support portion 112, define the isolation space S1 (see Figure 2). The hot air isolation outer wall 54 is positioned to cover the periphery of the rotating shaft portion 113. As shown in Figures 3(b) and 4, the upper end of the hot air isolation outer wall 54 (the end in the positive Z-axis direction) is provided so as to be rotatable relative to the lower surface of the support portion 112 of the table body 11. Furthermore, the upper end of the hot air isolation outer wall 54 is provided at a distance from the table body 11 to the extent that it does not hinder the rotation of the table body 11 while appropriately suppressing the outflow of heat (hot air W22) to the outside from the gap G2 described later.

[0030] One end of the hot air supply duct 52 opens to the outside of the casing 10 on the side of the rotating shaft portion 113. The other end of the hot air supply duct 52 opens to the hot air isolation outer wall 54. One end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 opens to the hot air isolation inner wall 56, which will be described later. One end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 is positioned offset along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft portion 113 from the position of the other end of the hot air supply duct 52. One end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 may be positioned offset by 180° along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft portion 113 from the position of the other end of the hot air supply duct 52. The other end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 opens to the outside of the casing 10 on the side of the rotating shaft portion 113. The other end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 is positioned offset along the outer circumference of the casing 10 from the position of the one end of the hot air supply duct 52.

[0031] As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the heating section 5 further includes a hot air isolation inner wall 56. The hot air isolation inner wall 56 is positioned inside the hot air isolation outer wall 54 with a gap G1 between it and the hot air isolation outer wall 54, and is positioned to cover the periphery of the rotating shaft section 113. The hot air isolation outer wall 54 and the hot air isolation inner wall 56 are arranged concentrically.

[0032] The table body 11 further includes a plurality of notches 11a (see also Figure 5). The plurality of notches 11a are formed to cut out the support portion 112 from near the outer edge of the support portion 112 toward the center of the support portion 112. The notches 11a penetrate the support portion 112 vertically. As shown in Figures 3(b) and 4, the upper end (end in the positive Z-axis direction) of the hot air isolation inner wall 56 is located on the negative Z-axis side of the lower surface of the support portion 112. The table body 11 further includes an annular plate portion 114. The annular plate portion 114 is positioned near the upper part of the hot air isolation inner wall 56 so as to be exposed in the space formed by the notches 11a. The annular plate portion 114 is positioned inside or outside (for example, inside) the hot air isolation inner wall 56, and the upper part of the hot air isolation inner wall 56 is not in contact with the annular plate portion 114. When observed in the cross-section shown in Figure 3(b), the annular plate portion 114 extends vertically toward the plate 13. Within the space formed by the notch portion 11a, a gap G2 is formed between the upper end of the annular plate portion 114 and the plate 13.

[0033] Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of the table body 11. In Figure 5, the hot air isolation outer wall 54 and the hot air isolation inner wall 56 are not shown. The number of notches 11a in Figure 5 is different from the number of notches 11a in Figure 3(a), which schematically illustrates the configuration. The annular plate portion 114 is arranged in an annular shape around the rotation axis A1. The annular plate portion 114 is fixed to the portion of the support portion 112 where the notches 11a are not formed. As a result, the annular plate portion 114 rotates together with the support portion 112 and the rotation axis portion 113. When viewed from the vertical direction, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 5, the annular plate portion 114 is arranged to intersect with the notches 11a.

[0034] Next, the flow of hot air W2 will be explained. The hot air supply unit 51 supplies hot air W2 from one end of the hot air supply duct 52. The hot air W2 flows through the hot air supply duct 52 and reaches the gap G1. Here, the hot air W2 separates into two paths. Hot air W21, which is part of the hot air W2, flows horizontally through the gap G1 along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 113 and reaches one end of the hot air exhaust duct 53 (see also Figure 2). On the other hand, hot air W22, which is the remaining part of the hot air W2, flows vertically through the gap G1 and is introduced into the space formed by the notch 11a, reaching the lower surface of the plate 13. In this way, hot air W2 is supplied from the hot air supply unit 51 to the lower surface of the plate 13. After reaching the lower surface of the plate 13, the hot air W22 flows through the gap G2 and reaches the inside of the hot air isolation inner wall 56. The hot air W22 flows along the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 113 and reaches one end of the hot air exhaust duct 53. There, the hot air W22 merges with the hot air W21. After merging, the hot air W2 flows through the hot air exhaust duct 53 and is exhausted to the outside of the casing 10 from the other end of the hot air exhaust duct 53. Since the hot air W21 and W22 are isolated by the isolation space S1, leakage from the isolation space S1 to the outside is suppressed.

[0035] The vertical mill 100 further includes a temperature sensor 7 and a temperature control unit 8. The temperature sensor 7 measures the temperature of the table liner 12. Measuring the temperature of the table liner 12 means detecting information indicating the temperature of the table liner 12. For example, the temperature sensor 7 contacts the lower surface of the plate 13 and measures the temperature of the plate 13. Since the temperature of the plate 13 correlates with the temperature of the table liner 12, it is information indicating the temperature of the table liner 12. In this case, the temperature sensor 7 indirectly measures the temperature of the table liner 12 via the temperature of the plate 13. The temperature sensor 7 may be a rod-shaped sensor. The temperature sensor 7 is, for example, a thermocouple. The table body 11 further includes a through hole 11c that penetrates vertically. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the through hole 11c is formed from the bottom surface of the rotating shaft portion 113 to the upper surface of the support portion 112. The temperature sensor 7 is located inside the through hole 11c. The temperature sensor 7 is inserted through the through hole 11c from the bottom surface of the rotating shaft portion 113 to the top surface of the support portion 112. By positioning the temperature sensor 7 within the through hole 11c of the table body 11, it is possible to prevent the crushed material M2 falling from the table liner 12 from coming into contact with the temperature sensor 7.

[0036] The rotary table 1 may further have a temperature sensor fixing part 14. The temperature sensor fixing part 14 is, for example, cylindrical in shape for inserting a temperature sensor 7, and the outer circumference of the temperature sensor fixing part 14 is fixed by screwing it into a through hole 11c, for example. The portion of the through hole 11c into which the temperature sensor fixing part 14 is screwed may be tapped. As shown in Figure 2, a cylindrical part 61 may be connected between the rotating shaft part 113 and the bottom surface of the casing 10. A slip ring 62 is provided on the outer circumference of the cylindrical part 61, for example. The slip ring 62 allows rotation of the cylindrical part 61 to which the rotating shaft part 113 is connected around the rotation axis A1, while maintaining an electrically connected state between the temperature sensor 7 and the temperature control unit 8. For example, the slip ring 62 and the temperature control unit 8 are electrically connected by a signal line.

[0037] The temperature control unit 8 controls the heating unit 5 to bring the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 7 closer to a target value. For example, the temperature control unit 8 may compare the measured value, which is the temperature of the plate 13 measured by the temperature sensor 7, with a pre-stored target value. If the measured value is greater than the target value, the temperature control unit 8 may control the hot air supply unit 51 to lower the temperature of the hot air W2 or reduce the airflow rate of the hot air W2. If the measured value is less than the target value, the temperature control unit 8 may control the hot air supply unit 51 to raise the temperature of the hot air W2 or increase the airflow rate of the hot air W2.

[0038] The temperature control unit 8 controls the heating unit 5 so that, for example, the surface temperature of the table liner 12 is 80°C or higher, 85°C or higher, or 90°C or higher. The temperature control unit 8 may also control the heating unit 5 so that the surface temperature of the table liner 12 is 180°C or lower, 170°C or lower, or 160°C or lower. This makes it easier for the crystallinity of the pulverized material to be reduced to a sufficiently small value when the raw material is gelatinized. The values ​​described above for the surface temperature range of the table liner 12 are just examples. The surface temperature (target value) of the table liner 12 may be adjusted as appropriate according to the aim of gelatinizing the raw material.

[0039] The temperature control unit 8 may be composed of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). Alternatively, the temperature control unit 8 may be composed of a computer including a processor (CPU), main memory, input devices, output devices, a communication module, and auxiliary storage devices. The main memory is ROM and RAM, etc. The input devices are keyboards, mice, and touchscreens, etc. The output devices are displays (including touchscreens), etc. The communication module is a network card, etc., for sending and receiving data with other devices. The auxiliary storage device is a hard disk, etc.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gas inlet 41 through which wind W1 is supplied from the blowing section 6 is located at a different position on the outer circumference of the casing 10 from the opening of the hot air supply duct 52 and the opening of the hot air exhaust duct 53. Furthermore, even inside the casing 10, the wind W1 flows between the casing 10 and the hot air isolation outer wall 54, so it does not mix with the hot air W2. In this way, the paths through which wind W1 flows and the paths through which hot air W2 flows are configured as different paths. The temperature of wind W1 may be lower than the temperature of hot air W2.

[0041] The vertical mill 100 is further equipped with a guide plate 9. Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotary table 1 in the vertical mill 100 equipped with the guide plate 9. Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positional relationship between a pair of rollers 31 and 32 and the guide plate 9 when viewed from the side. Figure 7 illustrates a side view when viewed from a direction (Y-axis direction) that is perpendicular to the direction in which roller 31 and another roller 32 are aligned (X-axis direction) and also perpendicular to the rotation axis A1.

[0042] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a cross-section of the rotary table 1 along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 6. In Figure 8, hatching representing the cross-section is omitted. In the following description, the raw material before crushing will be referred to as "raw material M1," and the crushed material after the raw material has been crushed will be referred to as "crushed material M2." The guide plate 9 restricts the movement of the raw material M1 outside the table liner 12 so that the raw material M1 supplied to the upper surface of the table liner 12 is guided between the roller 31 and the table liner 12. The area between the roller 31 and the table liner 12 is, for example, the crushing location R1 where the raw material M1 is crushed by the roller 31 and the table liner 12.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, the guide plate 9 is provided along the outer periphery of the table liner 12. Along the outer periphery of the table liner 12 means that not only when the whole of the guide plate 9 coincides with the outer periphery (outer edge) of the table liner 12 when viewed from the vertical direction, but also when the whole of the guide plate 9 coincides with the circumference around the rotation axis A1 is included. Further, along the outer periphery of the table liner 12 means that when viewed from the vertical direction, at least a part of the guide plate 9 coincides with the circumference around the rotation axis A1 (including the outer periphery of the table liner 12), and the case where one end 9a or the other end 9b enters inside the circumference is also included. In the example of FIG. 6, one end 9a located near the roller 32 is located on the center side (rotation axis A1 side) of the table liner 12 rather than the outer periphery of the table liner 12.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 7, when viewed from the direction (Y-axis direction) orthogonal to the direction (X-axis direction) in which the roller 31 and another roller 32 are arranged and also orthogonal to the rotation axis A1, one end 9a of the guide plate 9 overlaps the roller 32, and the other end 9b of the guide plate 9 overlaps the roller 31. In FIG. 7, “A21” represents the rotation axis which is the rotation center of the roller 31, and “A22” represents the rotation axis which is the rotation center of the roller 32.

[0045] Roller 31 is closest to the table liner 12 at the crushing point R1. At the crushing point R1, a gap may be formed between roller 31 and the table liner 12. Outside of the crushing point R1, a larger gap is formed between roller 31 and the table liner 12 than at the crushing point R1. Similarly, roller 32 is closest to the table liner 12 at the crushing point R2 (between roller 32 and the table liner 12). At the crushing point R2, a gap may be formed between roller 32 and the table liner 12. Outside of the crushing point R2, a larger gap is formed between roller 32 and the table liner 12 than at the crushing point R2. In the example in Figure 6, rollers 31 and 32 are conical rollers whose diameter increases as they move away from the center of the table liner 12. As a result, the crushing points R1 and R2 are formed at positions away from the center of the table liner 12. The crushed material M2 obtained by the crushing of roller 32 is discharged from the crushing point R2 toward direction DR2, which is one direction in the Y-axis direction (negative Y-axis direction), by the rotation of the rotary table 1. The pulverized material M2 obtained by the crushing of the roller 31 is discharged from the crushing point R1 toward the other direction in the Y-axis direction (positive Y-axis direction), which is direction DR4, by the rotation of the rotary table 1.

[0046] The guide plate 9 is configured not to rotate. That is, even if the table liner 12 rotates in direction DR1 around the rotation axis A1, the position of the guide plate 9 does not change. The guide plate 9 may be fixed to a non-rotating part of the vertical mill 100 (for example, the casing 10) without contacting the table liner 12. For example, a gap is provided between the table liner 12 and the guide plate 9. The distance of this gap may be smaller than the maximum particle size of the raw material M1.

[0047] The function of the guide plate 9 will be described. First, the raw material M1 is pushed out to the outer periphery of the rotary table 1 by the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the table liner 12 in the direction DR1 around the rotation axis A1. At this time, a part of the raw material M1 pushed out to the roller 32 side moves to the grinding portion R2 between the roller 32 and the table liner 12. At the grinding portion R2, the raw material M1 is bitten between the table liner 12 and the roller 32 and ground. The crushed material M2 moves from the grinding portion R2 in the direction DR2, gets over the dam ring 111, and is discharged from the rotary table 1. The discharged crushed material M2 is blown up by the wind W1 generated by the blowing upper part 6 and reaches the separator 4.

[0048] On the other hand, a part of the raw material M1 does not move to the grinding portion R2 but passes through the gap between the roller 32 and the table liner 12 other than the grinding portion R2. The raw material M1 that has passed through the gap is retained on the table liner 12 by the guide plate 9 and moves toward the roller 31 as the rotary table 1 rotates in the direction DR1. The guide plate 9 guides the raw material M1 that has passed through the gap to the roller 31. More specifically, the guide plate 9 receives the raw material M1 from the one end 9a side. The received raw material M1 moves in the direction DR3 along the guide plate 9 toward the roller 31 as the table liner 12 rotates in the direction DR1 around the rotation axis A1. A part of the raw material M1 that has moved to the roller 31 moves to the grinding portion R1 between the roller 31 and the table liner 12. At the grinding portion R1, the raw material M1 is bitten between the table liner 12 and the roller 31 and ground. The crushed material M2 moves from the grinding portion R1 in the direction DR4, gets over the dam ring 111, and is discharged from the rotary table 1.

[0049] In the example shown in Figure 6, the guide plate 9 is provided only in the direction DR3 where the raw material M1 moves from roller 32 to roller 31, and not in the direction where the raw material M1 moves from roller 31 to roller 32. In this case, the raw material M1 that passes through the gap between roller 31 and the table liner 12 moves in the direction DR5 and is discharged from the rotary table 1 without being crushed by the rollers. Then, the raw material M1 is blown up by the wind W1 to the separator 4, and then falls back onto the table liner 12 to be crushed again. Thus, because the guide plate is not provided in the direction where the raw material M1 moves from roller 31 to roller 32, simultaneous heating and crushing of the raw material M1 may not be sufficiently performed. Therefore, even in the example shown in Figure 6, another guide plate may be provided in the direction where the raw material M1 moves from roller 31 to roller 32. That is, when viewed from the vertical direction, the guide plate 9 and another guide plate may be arranged with the rotation axis A1 in between.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, the distance B1 between the other end 9b of the guide plate 9 and the center of the crushing area R1 is, for example, smaller than the diameter DM1 of the smaller diameter side of the roller 31. The distance B1 may be, for example, 0.25 to 0.4 times the diameter DM1, or 0.3 to 0.35 times. The guide plate 9 may have a shape that tapers towards the other end 9b so as not to come into contact with the roller 31. The minimum distance B2 between the guide plate 9 and the roller 31 may be smaller than the maximum particle size of the raw material M1. The height H1 of the guide plate 9 may be higher than the height of the dam ring 111. The height H1 of the guide plate 9 may be 2.5 to 4 times the height of the dam ring 111, or 3 to 3.5 times.

[0051] [Modifications] The vertical mill 100 in this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various other modifications are possible. For example, the vertical mill 100 may be equipped with another roller in addition to rollers 31 and 32. The number of rollers equipped in the vertical mill 100 may be three or more.

[0052] In the examples shown in Figures 6 to 8, a single guide plate 9 is provided only in the direction in which the raw material M1 moves from roller 32 to roller 31. However, as described above, another guide plate 9 may be provided in the direction in which the raw material M1 moves from roller 31 to roller 32. In other words, multiple guide plates 9 may be provided.

[0053] In the examples shown in Figures 6 to 8, one end 9a was located closer to the center of the table liner 12 (towards the rotation axis A1) than the outer circumference of the table liner 12, but one end 9a may also be located on the outer circumference of the table liner 12. Figure 9 is a plan view showing an example of a rotary table 1 in a vertical mill 100A equipped with a guide plate 9 according to another example. The vertical mill 100A is equipped with a pair of guide plates, guide plates 91 and 92, instead of the guide plate 9 of the vertical mill 100. The guide plates 91 and 92 are arranged with the rotation axis A1 in between when viewed from the vertical direction. The guide plates 91 and 92 are provided so as to follow the outer circumference of the table liner 12. In the example shown in Figure 9, the entirety of the guide plates 91 and 92 coincides with the outer circumference of the table liner 12.

[0054] Guide plate 91 is positioned on the outer circumference of the table liner 12 between section R3, where the crushed material M2 is discharged by the roller 32, and the roller 31. Section R3 includes the area that proceeds from the crushing point R2 in the direction DR2 from which the crushed material M2 is discharged by the roller 32. Guide plate 92 is positioned on the outer circumference of the table liner 12 between section R5, where the crushed material M2 is discharged by the roller 31, and the roller 32. Section R5 includes the area that proceeds from the crushing point R1 in the direction DR4 from which the crushed material M2 is discharged by the roller 31.

[0055] As shown in Figure 9, the guide plate 91 does not overlap with the width DM21 of the roller 32 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. The width DM21 of the roller 32 is the length in the X-axis direction of the circumferential surface of the roller 32 at the position closest to the table liner 12. Similarly, the guide plate 92 does not overlap with the width DM22 of the roller 31 when viewed from the Y-axis direction. The width DM22 of the roller 31 is the length in the X-axis direction of the circumferential surface of the roller 31 at the position closest to the table liner 12. The widths DM21 and DM22 of the roller 31 may be the same. The sum of the length (arc length) DM3 of the guide plate 91 around the rotation axis A1 and the length (arc length) DM4 of the guide plate 92 around the rotation axis A1 may be shorter than the outer circumference of the table liner 12. For example, the sum of lengths DM3 and DM4 may be 0.55 to 0.75 times, or 0.6 to 0.7 times, the circumference of the table liner 12.

[0056] In the vertical mill 100A, raw material M1 that passes between the roller 32 and the table liner 12 without being crushed by the roller 32 is prevented from leaving the table liner 12 by the guide plate 91. Then, as the table liner 12 rotates, the raw material M1 moves along the guide plate 91 to the roller 31. As a result, the raw material M1 that passes between the roller 32 and the table liner 12 is also sheared and crushed by the roller 31. Similarly, raw material M1 that passes between the roller 31 and the table liner 12 without being crushed by the roller 31 is prevented from leaving the table liner 12 by the guide plate 92. Then, as the table liner 12 rotates, the raw material M1 moves along the guide plate 92 to the roller 32. As a result, the raw material M1 that passes between the roller 31 and the table liner 12 is also sheared and crushed by the roller 32. By repeating the above operation, the proportion of raw material M1 that is discharged outside the table liner 12 without being crushed by the rollers can be reduced.

[0057] In the vertical mill 100 or vertical mill 100A, the air W1 blowing up the crushed material M2 around the rotary table 1 may be hot air instead of ambient temperature air. The temperature of the hot air from the blowing section 6 may be higher than or equal to the temperature of the hot air W2 from the hot air supply section 51. In this case, the blowing section 6 can promote the drying of the crushed material M2 when blowing it up. Alternatively, the air W1 blowing up the crushed material M2 around the rotary table 1 may be cold air instead of ambient temperature air.

[0058] In the vertical mill 100 or vertical mill 100A, the heating unit 5 may heat the table liner 12 by means of heating other than supplying hot air W2 to the plate 13. For example, the heating unit may have a heater and a heat source for heating the heater. The heater may be plate-shaped and provided between the plate 13 and the support unit 112. By the heater being in direct contact with the plate 13, the plate 13 can be heated to a sufficient temperature in a short time. In the vertical mill 100 or vertical mill 100A, the rotary table 1 does not have to have a plate 13. In this case, the table liner 12 may be installed on the upper surface of the support unit 112 of the table body 11. The temperature sensor 7 may be provided so as to be in contact with the table liner 12.

[0059] Next, with reference to Figures 10 and 11, a vertical mill 100B having a different heating means than the vertical mill 100 will be described. A portion of the configuration of the vertical mill 100B will be described below, but for matters not described below, the vertical mill 100B may have the same configuration as the vertical mill 100 or the vertical mill 100A. The vertical mill 100B includes a heating unit 5B instead of the heating unit 5.

[0060] Figure 10 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a vertical mill 100B equipped with a heating unit 5B. In the vertical mill 100B, the rotary table 1 does not have a plate 13, and the support unit 112 supports the table liner 12 with the lower surface of the table liner 12 in contact with the support unit 112. The temperature sensor 7 is embedded inside the table liner 12. The heating unit 5B functions as a table heating unit that heats the table liner 12, similar to the heating unit 5. The heating unit 5B heats the table liner 12 using the heat of an electric heater instead of hot air W2. The heating unit 5B includes an electric heater 151, a support member 159, and a heat transfer member 152.

[0061] The electric heater 151 is a component that converts electrical energy into thermal energy and functions as a heat source. The electric heater 151 can be of any type, but for example, it is a heater that generates heat by passing an electric current through a resistive conductor that acts as a heating element (i.e., performs resistance heating). The electric heater 151 is formed in an annular shape and is arranged to surround the rotating shaft portion 113 of the table body 11. The electric heater 151 is positioned close to the rotating shaft portion 113, with a gap between it and the portion of the support portion 112 that protrudes outward from the rotating shaft portion 113. When viewed from vertically above, the electric heater 151 overlaps the portion of the support portion 112 that protrudes outward from the rotating shaft portion 113.

[0062] The support member 159 is a member that supports the electric heater 151. The support member 159 is formed in a cylindrical shape so as to surround the rotating shaft portion 113. The support member 159 is not in contact with the table body 11 and is provided so as not to rotate together with the table body 11 even when the table body 11 rotates around the rotation axis A1.

[0063] The heat transfer member 152 is a member that transfers heat from the electric heater 151 to the table liner 12. The heat transfer member 152 is provided inside the portion of the support 112 that protrudes outward from the rotating shaft portion 113. The heat transfer member 152 is in contact with the lower surface of the table liner 12. In the example in Figure 10, the upper end of the heat transfer member 152 is in contact with the table liner 12, and the lower end of the heat transfer member 152 is close to the electric heater 151 but not in contact with it. The thermal conductivity of the material forming the heat transfer member 152 is higher than the thermal conductivity of the material forming the support 112 (table body 11). The material forming the heat transfer member 152 is not particularly limited, but for example, it is copper. The heating unit 5B is configured to heat the table liner 12 by transferring heat from the electric heater 151 to the table liner 12 via the heat transfer member 152.

[0064] Figures 11(a) and 11(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the heating section 5B shown in Figure 10. Figure 11(a) shows a schematic diagram of the rotary table 1 viewed from vertically above, and Figure 11(b) shows a schematic diagram of the rotary table 1 viewed from vertically above with the table liner 12 removed. The table liner 12 exemplified in Figure 11(a) is composed of a plurality of parts 12a divided along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis A1. In Figure 11(b), the position of the electric heater 151 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0065] The heat transfer member 152 may have any shape as long as it is capable of transferring heat from the electric heater 151 to the table liner 12. The heat transfer member 152 includes, for example, a plurality of cylindrical portions 152a and a pair of annular portions 152b. The plurality of cylindrical portions 152a are arranged in a line along the circumferential direction around the rotation axis A1. The plurality of cylindrical portions 152a may be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. When viewed from vertically above, at least a portion of each of the plurality of cylindrical portions 152a overlaps the electric heater 151. When viewed from vertically above, the entirety of each cylindrical portion 152a may overlap the electric heater 151. The cylindrical portions 152a are formed to extend from the lower surface of the portion of the support portion 112 that protrudes outward from the rotation axis portion 113 to the lower surface of the table liner 12 (penetrating the protruding portion vertically).

[0066] One of the pair of annular portions 152b is provided to surround the upper end of each of the multiple cylindrical portions 152a, and the other annular portion 152b is provided to surround the lower end of each of the multiple cylindrical portions 152a. Each of the pair of annular portions 152b is formed in an annular shape so as to extend in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis A1. When viewed from vertically above, at least a part of each of the pair of annular portions 152b overlaps the electric heater 151. When viewed from vertically above, the entirety of each annular portion 152b may overlap the electric heater 151. The cylindrical portion 152a and the pair of annular portions 152b may be made of the same material and may be integrated. Alternatively, instead of the pair of annular portions 152b surrounding the rotation axis A1, each cylindrical portion 152a may be provided with a pair of annular portions surrounding its upper and lower ends, respectively. By providing a pair of annular sections 152b in addition to multiple cylindrical sections 152a, the area of ​​the heat exchange portion can be expanded.

[0067] The temperature control unit 8 controls the heating unit 5B to bring the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 7 closer to a target value. For example, the temperature control unit 8 may compare the measured value, which is the temperature of the table liner 12 measured by the temperature sensor 7, with a pre-stored target value. If the measured value is greater than the target value, the temperature control unit 8 may control the heating unit 5B to reduce the amount of heat generated by the electric heater 151. If the measured value is less than the target value, the temperature control unit 8 may control the heating unit 5B to increase the amount of heat generated by the electric heater 151. The target temperature used by the temperature control unit 8 may be 100°C or higher, 150°C or higher, 200°C or higher, or 250°C or higher. The target temperature used by the temperature control unit 8 may be 400°C or lower.

[0068] Next, with reference to Figures 12 and 13, a vertical mill 100C having a different heating means than the vertical mill 100 will be described. A portion of the configuration of the vertical mill 100C will be described below, but for matters not described below, the vertical mill 100C may have the same configuration as the vertical mill 100 or the vertical mill 100A. The vertical mill 100C includes a heating unit 5C instead of the heating unit 5.

[0069] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a vertical mill 100C equipped with a heating unit 5C. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail a part of the heating unit 5C shown in Figure 12. The heating unit 5C has the function of heating rollers 31 and 32 with hot air W2. The heating unit 5C includes a hot air supply unit 155, a hot air supply duct 156, and a temperature sensor 157. The hot air supply unit 155 is the part that generates the hot air W2 and is located outside the casing 10. The hot air supply unit 155 supplies the hot air W2 into the hot air supply duct 156.

[0070] The hot air supply duct 156 is a duct that guides hot air W2 from the hot air supply unit 155 to the respective circumferential surfaces (outer surfaces) of the rollers 31 and 32. One end of the hot air supply duct 156 is connected to the hot air supply unit 155. The hot air supply duct 156 may be branched inside the casing 10 to guide hot air W2 to the rollers 31 and 32, respectively. One other end of the hot air supply duct 156 is positioned close to the roller 31, and the other end is provided with a discharge port for discharging hot air W2. Since wind W1 blows the crushed material M2 upwards inside the casing 10, it is desirable that the section (part) of the hot air supply duct 156 that is provided inside the casing 10 be short in order to reduce interference with the wind W1. Therefore, the hot air supply duct 156 may be configured to branch outside the casing 10, enter the casing 10, and guide the hot air W2 to the rollers 31 and 32, respectively. By making the portion of the hot air duct supply 156 located inside the casing 10 as short as possible, interference with the wind W1 can be reduced, and the pulverized material M2 can be smoothly blown up. The other end of the hot air supply duct 156 is positioned close to the roller 32, and a discharge port for discharging the hot air W2 is provided at the other end. The end of the hot air supply duct 156 close to the roller 31 and the end of the hot air supply duct 156 close to the roller 32 may be configured similarly, and the end close to the roller 31 will be described below.

[0071] As illustrated in Figure 13, the hot air supply duct 156 is provided outside the circumferential surface of the roller 31. The other end of the hot air supply duct 156, where the discharge port is provided, is positioned at a distance from the roller 31. When viewed from vertically above, the discharge port of the hot air supply duct 156 and the roller 31 are positioned adjacent to each other. Hot air W2 is directly supplied from the discharge port of the hot air supply duct 156 to the circumferential surface of the roller 31. That is, no other components are positioned in the region through which the hot air W2 passes between the discharge port of the hot air supply duct 156 and the circumferential surface of the roller 31. When the hot air W2 hits the circumferential surface of the roller 31, the roller 31 (more specifically, the circumferential surface of the roller 31) is heated.

[0072] The temperature sensor 157 measures the temperature of the roller 31 (or roller 32). Measuring the temperature of the roller 31 means detecting information indicating the temperature of the roller 31. The temperature sensor 157 measures the temperature of the hot air W2 sent out from the outlet of the hot air supply unit 155. Since the roller 31 is heated by the hot air W2 from the hot air supply unit 155, the temperature of the hot air W2 sent out from the hot air supply unit 155 correlates with the temperature of the roller 31. In other words, the temperature of the hot air W2 sent out from the hot air supply unit 155 is information indicating the temperature of the roller 31. In this case, the temperature sensor 157 indirectly measures the temperature of the roller 31 via the temperature of the hot air W2 sent out from the hot air supply unit 155.

[0073] The temperature sensor 157 may be of any type, but for example, it may be a thermocouple. The temperature information measured by the temperature sensor 157 may be transmitted to the temperature control unit 8. That is, the temperature sensor 157 and the temperature control unit 8 may be connected in a way that allows communication. For example, the temperature control unit 8 may compare the measured value, which is the temperature of the hot air W2 measured by the temperature sensor 157, with a target value that has been stored in advance. If the measured value is greater than the target value as a result of the comparison, the temperature control unit 8 may control the hot air supply unit 155 to reduce the amount of heat generated by the hot air supply unit 155. If the measured value is less than the target value as a result of the comparison, the temperature control unit 8 may control the hot air supply unit 155 to increase the amount of heat generated by the hot air supply unit 155. The target temperature value used by the temperature control unit 8 (the target temperature of the hot air W2) may be 80°C or higher, 85°C or higher, or 90°C or higher. The target temperature used by the temperature control unit 8 may be 180°C or lower, 150°C or lower, or 120°C or lower.

[0074] In Figure 13, "r" represents the direction in which the roller 31 rotates. Viewed from the X-axis direction, the roller 31 can be divided into two regions side by side, with the center of the roller 31 as the reference point. The discharge port of the hot air supply duct 156 may be positioned close to the region in which the roller 31 moves toward the table liner 12. As described above, the heating unit 5C supplies hot air W2 directly to the circumferential surface of the roller 31 from the hot air supply duct 156 (duct) provided outside the circumferential surface of the roller 31.

[0075] In one of the various examples described above, at least some of the matters described in the other examples may be combined in a consistent manner. The vertical mill 100 may include a heating unit 5C (roller heating unit) in addition to the heating unit 5 (table heating unit). The vertical mill 100B may include a heating unit 5C in addition to the heating unit 5B (table heating unit). The vertical mill 100 etc. (heating unit provided in the vertical mill) has at least one of a table heating unit that heats the table liner 12 and a roller heating unit that heats the rollers 31, 32. When both a table heating unit and a roller heating unit are provided, the temperature control unit 8 may perform tracking control for the temperature of the table liner 12 to a target value, and also perform tracking control for the temperature of the rollers 31, 32 to a target value.

[0076] [Effects] The vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C described above include a rotating table 1 having a table body 11 that rotates around a vertical axis of rotation A1 and a table liner 12 provided on the table body 11; a raw material supply unit 2 that supplies raw material M1 containing starch or cellulose to the upper surface of the table liner 12; a roller 31 that moves with the rotating table 1 and crushes the raw material M1 together with the table liner 12; a separator 4 that classifies the crushed material M2 obtained by crushing the raw material M1; heating units 5, 5B (table heating unit) that heat the table liner 12 and a heating unit 5C (roller heating unit) that heats the roller 31. The apparatus comprises a heating section having at least one of the heating sections, temperature sensors 7 and 157 for measuring the temperature of the table liner 12 or the roller 31, a blower section 6 for generating a wind W1 around the rotating table 1 to blow up the crushed material M2 so that it reaches the separator 4, a temperature control section 8 for controlling the heating sections 5, 5B and 5C to bring the temperature measured by the temperature sensors 7 and 157 closer to a target value, and a guide plate 9 for restricting the movement of raw material M1 outside the table liner 12 so that the raw material M1 supplied to the upper surface of the table liner 12 is guided between the roller 31 and the table liner 12.

[0077] In the vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C described above, the heating unit heats at least one of the table liner 12 and the roller 31, and the temperature control unit 8 controls the heating unit so that the measured values ​​from the temperature sensors 7 and 157 approach the target value. As a result, the temperature of at least one of the table liner 12 and the roller 31 is feedback-controlled with high precision so that it is within a temperature range suitable for gelatinization, and the raw material M1 can be heated simultaneously with the grinding by the roller 31. On the other hand, it has been confirmed that if a portion of the raw material M1 is discharged outside the table liner 12 in an unground state without heading towards the grinding point R1 between the roller 31 and the table liner 12, gelatinization will not be sufficiently promoted. In contrast, in the vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C described above, the guide plate 9 restricts the movement of the raw material M1 outside the table liner 12 so that the raw material M1 supplied to the upper surface of the table liner 12 is guided to the grinding point R1 between the roller 31 and the table liner 12. This reduces the amount of raw material M1 discharged outside the table liner 12 without being ground. As a result, with the vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C, the gelatinization of the raw material M1 can be promoted by performing heating and shear grinding simultaneously.

[0078] In the vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C described above, the air W1 that blows the crushed material M2 around the rotating table 1 may be room temperature air. In this case, since there is no need to provide a heating mechanism in the blowing part 6, the structure of the vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C can be simplified.

[0079] The vertical mills 100, 100A, 100B, and 100C described above may further include a roller 32, which is a roller separate from the roller 31. When viewed from a direction along the rotation axis A1, the roller 31 and the roller 32 may be arranged with the rotation axis A1 in between. The guide plate 9 may be provided along the outer circumference of the table liner 12. When viewed from the Y-axis direction, one end 9a of the guide plate 9 may overlap with the roller 32, and the other end 9b of the guide plate 9 may overlap with the roller 31. With this arrangement, the raw material M1 that has passed between the roller 32 and the table liner 12 without being crushed by the roller 32 is prevented from leaving the table liner 12 by the guide plate 9. Then, as the table liner 12 rotates, the raw material M1 moves from one end 9a to the other end 9b of the guide plate 9 and reaches the roller 31. As a result, the raw material M1 that has moved to an area not crushed by the roller 32 due to centrifugal force is sheared and crushed by the roller 31, thus enabling efficient crushing of the raw material M1.

[0080] In the vertical mills 100 and 100A described above, the heating section may include a table heating section (5). The table body 11 may have a support section 112 that supports the table liner 12, and a rotating shaft section 113 that extends from the support section 112 toward the opposite side of the table liner 12 along the rotation axis A1. The table heating section (5) may guide hot air W2 to the rotating shaft section 113 and then supply hot air W2 to the underside of the support section 112. With this, by heating with hot air W2, the table liner 12 can be easily heated even for a large table liner 12 without having to provide an additional large heat source.

[0081] In the vertical mill 100B described above, the heating section may include a table heating section (5B). The table heating section (5B) may include an electric heater 151 and a heat transfer member 152 that contacts the lower surface of the table liner 12. The table heating section (5B) may transfer heat from the electric heater 151 to the table liner 12 via the heat transfer member 152. In this case, the electric heater 151 can be installed at a distance from the rotating table 1, and the wiring structure for supplying power to the electric heater 151 can be simplified.

[0082] In the vertical mill 100C described above, the heating section may include a roller heating section (5C). The roller heating section (5C) may supply hot air W2 directly to the circumferential surface of the roller 31 from a hot air supply duct 156 provided outside the circumferential surface of the roller 31. In this case, heat can be applied to the raw materials more efficiently.

[0083] 1... Rotating table, 2... Raw material supply unit, 4... Separator, 5, 5B, 5C... Heating unit, 6... Blowing unit, 7, 157... Temperature sensor, 8... Temperature control unit, 9, 91, 92... Guide plate, 9a... One end, 9b... Other end, 11... Table body, 11c... Through hole, 12... Table liner, 13... Plate, 31... Roller, 32... Roller (another roller), 100, 100A, 100B, 100C... Vertical mill, 112... Support unit, 113... Rotating shaft unit, A1... Rotating axis, M1... Raw material, M2... Crushed material, R1, R2... Crushing location, W1... Air, W2... Hot air.

Claims

1. A vertical mill comprising: a rotary table having a table body that rotates about a vertical axis of rotation and a table liner provided on the table body; a raw material supply unit that supplies raw materials containing starch or cellulose to the upper surface of the table liner; rollers that move with the rotary table and crush the raw materials together with the table liner; a separator that classifies the pulverized material obtained by crushing the raw materials; a heating unit having at least one of a table heating unit that heats the table liner and a roller heating unit that heats the rollers; a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the table liner or the rollers; a blower that generates airflow around the rotary table to blow the pulverized material upward so that it reaches the separator; a temperature control unit that controls the heating unit to bring the temperature measured by the temperature sensor closer to a target value; and a guide plate that restricts the movement of the raw materials outside the table liner so that the raw materials supplied to the upper surface of the table liner are guided between the rollers and the table liner.

2. The vertical mill according to claim 1, wherein the air blowing up the pulverized material around the rotating table is air at room temperature.

3. A vertical mill according to claim 1, further comprising another roller, wherein, viewed from a direction along the axis of rotation, the roller and the other roller are arranged with the axis of rotation in between, the guide plate is provided so as to be along the outer circumference of the table liner, and, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the roller and the other roller are aligned and also perpendicular to the axis of rotation, one end of the guide plate overlaps with the other roller and the other end of the guide plate overlaps with the roller.

4. The vertical mill according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating unit has the table heating unit, the table body has a support unit that supports the table liner, and a rotating shaft unit that extends from the support unit toward the opposite side of the table liner along the axis of rotation, and the table heating unit supplies hot air to the lower side of the support unit after directing hot air to the rotating shaft unit.

5. The vertical mill according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating section has the table heating section, and the table heating section has an electric heater and a heat transfer member that contacts the lower surface of the table liner, and heat from the electric heater is transferred to the table liner via the heat transfer member.

6. The vertical mill according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating unit has the roller heating unit, and the roller heating unit supplies hot air directly to the circumferential surface of the roller from a duct provided outside the circumferential surface of the roller.

Images