Auger Chiller Hanger Bearing Assembly for Narrower Bird Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional auger type poultry chillers face issues with birds passing through gaps at intermediate bearings, leading to processing interruptions and product loss, due to large gaps required for structural support which also allow birds to remain in the chiller post-processing, increasing cleanup time and expense.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a hanger bearing assembly with a hanger that passes through an axial gap defined by flight extensions, where the axial length at the auger shafts is greater than at the outer edges, and a leading edge of the second flight extension and engagement edge of the hanger urge product radially outward, with a circumferential gap that narrows from the shafts to the outer edges, allowing product to pass through without damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If robust hanger materials (4 inch square tubing) are used to provide rigid support for the bearing and auger, then structural support strength is improved, but the gap between auger sections becomes large (10 inches or larger), allowing birds to pass through
Solution Approach 1:
The hanger is designed with non-uniform cross-sectional dimensions: 4 inches in the lateral direction (perpendicular to auger axis) for structural strength, but only 1 inch in the axial direction (parallel to auger axis) to minimize gap width. This local differentiation allows the hanger to provide adequate bearing support while reducing the gap between auger sections to prevent bird passage.
2Stability of the object's composition
If large gaps are maintained between auger sections for structural support, then hanger bearing stability is improved, but birds can pass through the gap causing processing interruptions and product loss
Solution Approach 1:
The hanger's cross-sectional dimensions are optimized locally: 4 inches lateral dimension for bearing stability, 1 inch axial dimension for processing continuity. This allows the system to maintain stable bearing support while ensuring processing reliability by preventing bird passage through the reduced gap.
3Strength
If large gaps are used to accommodate hanger bearing support, then structural support is maintained, but cleanup time and expense increase due to birds remaining in the chiller post-processing
Solution Approach 1:
The hanger is designed with 4 inch lateral dimension for structural support strength and 1 inch axial dimension to minimize gap width. This configuration maintains adequate bearing support while reducing the gap sufficiently to prevent bird passage, thereby eliminating the need for extended cleanup operations and reducing associated time losses.
Data Source
AI summary
A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.