Compensated Particle Filling With Buffered Conical Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filling systems for containers with solid particles face challenges in maintaining a homogeneous distribution and consistent flow rate due to variations in the flow rate of the supply device, leading to potential particle size segregation and insect proliferation in grain storage silos.
Innovation Solution
A filling system with a separator element featuring a frustoconical receiving body and tubular part with radial openings, which ensures a minimum flow rate and homogeneous distribution by directing solid particles through axial and radial openings, maintaining a constant flow even with varying supply rates, and is adaptable via rotation and drive mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the supply device flow rate varies, then the filling process becomes simpler and more adaptable to different supply conditions, but the particle size segregation and homogeneous distribution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving body acts as a buffer that preliminarily accumulates particles before they reach the dispensing device. This preliminary storage action decouples the variable supply flow from the dispensing flow, allowing the system to adapt to supply variations while maintaining stable homogeneous distribution through controlled release via the axial opening and scattering elements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flow rate of solid particles from the supply device varies, then the filling system becomes more flexible, but the minimum flow rate required for homogeneous filling cannot be guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving body preliminarily stores particles to build up a sufficient buffer volume before dispensing. This preliminary accumulation ensures that even when supply flow rate drops, the dispensing device receives a consistent minimum flow rate through the axial opening, maintaining reliable homogeneous filling conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving body acts as an intermediary buffer between the variable supply device and the dispensing device. It mediates the flow rate variations by storing excess particles when supply is high and releasing particles at a steady rate when supply is low, thus guaranteeing the minimum flow rate needed for homogeneous filling.
3Productivity
If particles are directly transferred from supply device to container, then the filling process is faster and simpler, but particle size segregation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The filling process is segmented into three distinct stages: reception in the receiving body, storage/buffering, and controlled dispensing through the axial opening to scattering elements. This segmentation allows each stage to be optimized independently - rapid reception for productivity, buffered storage for flow regulation, and controlled scattering for homogeneous distribution, thereby maintaining both speed and distribution quality.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a filling system (1) for a container intended to store solid particles, the system (1) being arranged to cooperate with a supply device for feeding solid particles and comprising a device (5) for distributing the solid particles, which has at least one separator element (9) intended to receive and selectively distribute the solid particles toward a dispensing device (7), the separator element (9) comprising a receiving body (11) for receiving solid particles, one end of which has an axial opening (13) for continuously feeding the dispensing device (7), the dispensing device (7) comprising at least one scattering element (21) for homogeneously filling the container with solid particles, which is driven by a drive shaft passing through the axial opening (13). According to the invention, the receiving body (11) comprises a frustoconical part (11a) which has the axial opening (13) and flares away from the axial opening (13), the frustoconical part (11a) being extended by a tubular part (11b) comprising at least one radial opening (15) which is located upstream of the axial opening (13) and is arranged to direct the solid particles without encountering those exiting the axial opening (13) before arriving in the dispensing device (7) from a predetermined amount of solid particles stored in the frustoconical part (11a) of the receiving body (11) in order to guarantee a minimum flow of solid particles even in the event of variations in the flow rate of the supply device.