Cellular Wheel Sluice Sealing Lips Abrasion

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Solution Overview

Problem

The friction between sealing lips and surfaces in cellular wheel sluices causes abrasion, contaminating the conveyed material and reducing its quality, as the sealing mechanism introduces foreign material inclusions.

Innovation Solution

Using sealing lips and surfaces made from materials that are part of the conveyed material itself, ensuring that any abrasion is from the same material, thus maintaining the material's integrity and preventing contamination, with options including polyethylene, polypropylene, and other thermoplastics for the sealing components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sealing lips made of conventional sealing materials (EPDM, PVC, PTFE, etc.) are used, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but material contamination occurs due to abrasion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidmaterial contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing lips are made from the same thermoplastic material as the conveyed material (e.g., polyethylene sealing lips for polyethylene granules). This homogeneity ensures that any abrasion particles generated are identical to the conveyed material, preventing contamination and maintaining material quality while preserving sealing effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the material parameter of the sealing lips from conventional sealing materials to thermoplastic materials matching the conveyed material. This parameter change allows the sealing mechanism to generate acceptable abrasion particles while eliminating foreign material contamination, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and material purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of stationary object

If hard sealing materials are used to resist wear, then sealing durability is improved, but abrasion contamination of conveyed material increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing durabilityVSAvoidabrasion contamination
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By making the sealing lips from the same thermoplastic material as the conveyed material, the invention ensures that wear particles are homogeneous with the conveyed material. This resolves the contradiction by allowing durable sealing while preventing contamination, as the abrasion particles are indistinguishable from the original material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #33Homogeneity

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful effect of abrasion into a beneficial outcome by ensuring that abrasion particles are made of the same material as the conveyed substance. What would normally be contamination is transformed into acceptable material particles, particularly valuable in recycling applications where material homogeneity is crucial.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 prevents contamination of the conveyed material by ensuring that any abrasion is from the same material, maintaining the quality of the processed product, especially in recycling and dosing applications, and allowing for easy adaptation of sealing components to match the conveyed material.

Implementation Method 1

the friction of the sealing lips with the sealing surfaces can cause abrasion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

the friction of the sealing lips with the sealing surfaces can cause abrasion, which contaminates the conveyed material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Data Source

PatentEP2695836B1Method and system for conveying material with a cellular wheel sluice
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 KRONES AG
  • EP2695836B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2695836B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP2695836B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The method involves providing housing (3) in which to-be-conveyed goods (2) are conveyed with rotor blades (5) of a rotating cellular wheel (4). The sealing lips (6) of the rotor blades are abutted against the sealing surface of the housing. The sealing surface (7) or sealing lips which are made of an abrasive material that is contained in the to-be-conveyed goods are used during the transport of to-be-conveyed goods. The bristle or lamella structure is used as the sealing lips. An independent claim is included for rotary feeder.