Bulk Sorting Blade Alignment via Particle Flow Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk material sorters, such as eddy current separators, face challenges in maintaining effective separation due to subjective manual adjustments of the cutting edge and lack of automatic correction, leading to inefficiencies from changes in grain size, material composition, conveyor speed, and magnetic field disturbances, resulting in overlapping trajectories of conductive and non-conductive particles.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a sensor to detect the number flow of particles at the cutting edge, generating a control signal to align the separating blade relative to the bulk material flow, ensuring that weakly and strongly conductive particles are separated without complex measurement technology, by positioning the blade where the particle flow is minimal, thereby optimizing the separation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of the cutting edge is used, then the separation process can be operated, but the separation precision deteriorates due to subjective settings and lack of automatic correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using sensors to detect particle trajectories and providing this information back to the control system, which automatically adjusts the cutting edge position to optimize separation. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates subjective manual settings and maintains high separation precision under varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically detecting trajectory changes and adjusting the cutting edge without human intervention. The control system monitors particle flow and autonomously optimizes the separation point, freeing the system from reliance on manual operation while maintaining precision.
2Device complexity
If the cutting edge position is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability deteriorates when material conditions change
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the cutting edge position variable rather than fixed. The cutting edge can dynamically adjust its position based on real-time detection of particle trajectories, allowing the system to adapt to changing material conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of cutting edge position dynamically based on detected trajectory variations. By adjusting this key parameter in response to material condition changes, the system achieves high adaptability without requiring complex structural modifications.
3Measurement precision
If complex measurement technology is used to detect particle properties, then measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for separation - the particle trajectory and position relative to the cutting edge. By using simple sensors to detect only these critical parameters rather than comprehensive particle properties, the system achieves sufficient measurement precision while keeping device complexity low.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses optical sensors to create a light-based copy or representation of particle trajectories. This optical copying method provides precise trajectory detection without requiring direct physical contact or complex mechanical measurement devices, thereby maintaining measurement precision while minimizing device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the separation efficiency by automatically adjusting the cutting edge position based on real-time particle flow data, reducing overlap and enhancing the separation of bulk material fractions without the need for extensive measurement, thus improving the overall sorting performance.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one sensor detects the number of particles which pass the detection range of the at least one sensor
Implementation Method 2
Eddy current separator according to 6 are used to separate electrically conductive 10 and electrically non-conductive material 11
Implementation Method 3
the conductive particles 10 are deflected by the separating force generated by 5 and get into the concentrate 20
Implementation Method 4
the non-conductive particles 11 follow the trajectory for the horizontal throw after the conveyor belt is discharged
Implementation Method 5
The separating blade and the flow of bulk material are aligned relative to one another based on the control signal
Data Source
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AI summary
Bulk sorting using a bulk sorting machine that comprises a conveying means (7), an exciter (5) for generating a separating force, a splitter (1) with a blade, and a sensor (2) that senses the particles hitting the blade. The signal generated by the sensor (2) is used to optimize the result of the separation process.