Agitating Hook with Varying Gap Widths to Minimize Torsional Moment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agitators experience increased pressure and torsional moment on agitating hooks due to non-uniform gaps between rotor blades and hooks, leading to fatigue and potential breakage, which reduces agitation efficiency and increases repair costs.
Innovation Solution
The agitator design features an agitating hook with inclined surfaces and varying widths between the inlet and outlet ports to minimize torsional moment and uniformly distribute pressure, with the outlet port being 1.0 to 2.0 times wider than the inlet port, and is constructed from stainless steel for durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a constant gap is maintained between the rotor blade and agitating hook, then the agitation function is simple to implement, but the pressure applied to the agitating hook increases from inlet to outlet causing torsional moment and fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The agitating hook is designed with non-uniform gap distribution, where the gap width varies along the rotational direction. Specifically, the gap is smaller at the inlet port and larger at the outlet port, creating local quality differences that balance the pressure distribution and reduce torsional moment on the hook
Solution Approach 2:
The agitating hook employs an asymmetric gap configuration relative to the rotor blade passage. The gap width changes asymmetrically from inlet to outlet, with the outlet gap being larger than the inlet gap. This asymmetric design counteracts the pressure gradient and reduces the net torsional force on the hook structure
2Reliability
If the outlet port width is increased to reduce torsional moment, then the durability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gap width parameter of the agitating hook is deliberately changed along the rotational direction. The gap transitions from a smaller width at the inlet to a larger width at the outlet, with the outlet port width being 1.0 to 2.0 times wider than the inlet port. This parameter variation optimizes pressure distribution and reduces torsional stress
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an agitator and an agitating hook provided therein. The agitator includes a rotary shaft rotatably installed in a reactor, rotor blades installed at an outer circumference of the rotary shaft and rotated with the rotary shaft to agitate a material therein, and an agitating hook constituted by a pair of members spaced apart from each other at an inner wall of the reactor and through which the rotor blades pass. Here, a gap between the agitating hook is larger at an outlet port through which the rotor blade leaves than at an inlet port through which the rotor blade enters. Since a pressure is uniformly applied from the inlet port through which the rotor blade enters to the outlet port through which the rotor blade leaves, a torsional moment applied to the agitating hook is minimized. Therefore, it is possible to improve durability of the agitating hook and increase reliability of products.