Double-Belt Press Dehydration Heating and High-Pressure Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dewatering technologies for water-containing materials like coal and sludge are inefficient, particularly in terms of throughput, as they require multiple presses and are limited by low speeds and pressures, making them unsuitable for large-scale energy generation applications.
Innovation Solution
A double-belt press system with a heating section and a dewatering section, where the material is heated to high temperatures and then subjected to high pressures to expel water, utilizing suction devices and membrane belts to separate water from solids, significantly increasing throughput and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional compression or heating methods are used to reduce moisture in lignite or sludge, then moisture content is reduced, but throughput is limited and multiple presses are required
Solution Approach 1:
The press is divided into multiple independent press stations (at least three) arranged in series, each capable of operating autonomously. This segmentation allows continuous processing where material moves from one press station to the next, enabling high throughput with a single integrated device rather than requiring multiple separate presses
Solution Approach 2:
The press operates in a continuous cycle where while one press station is in the compression phase, another is in the return phase and a third is ready to receive material. This continuous operation eliminates idle time between cycles and maintains constant throughput, achieving high productivity without requiring multiple separate presses
2Productivity
If high pressure is applied to dewater material, then water is expelled effectively, but the material requires pre-heating to reduce viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The material is pre-heated in a heating section before entering the high-pressure dewatering section. This preliminary heating reduces the viscosity and changes the material properties, making the subsequent high-pressure dewatering process more effective. The heating section is positioned upstream of the dewatering section to prepare the material in advance
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the material before applying high pressure. By heating the material to elevated temperatures (above 160°C), the physical properties of the material are altered, specifically reducing viscosity and surface tension, which enables more effective water expulsion under pressure
3Productivity
If the press operates at high speed, then throughput increases, but the press belts and components experience increased wear and stress
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the press have different functional characteristics optimized for their specific tasks. The heating section has heated rollers for temperature increase, while the dewatering section has high-pressure compression zones. This local optimization allows each section to operate at appropriate speeds and conditions, reducing overall system stress while maintaining high throughput
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
The system achieves a substantial increase in dewatering capacity, allowing more than half of the material's moisture to be removed, with the double-belt press design being more economical than using multiple cycle presses, and the extracted water and steam can be reused, improving energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the material is heated by highly heated plates between which it is transported. Evaporation is limited in this section. The water trapped in the pores is heated and changes its material properties
Implementation Method 2
The water trapped in the pores is heated and changes its material properties; for example, viscosity and surface tension decrease. The high temperatures cause the solids to melt
Implementation Method 3
As soon as the material is transferred to the dewatering section, where very high pressure prevails, the water within the material can be driven out by the high pressure and carried away in liquid form, sometimes also as steam
Implementation Method 4
at least in the drainage section, suction devices are provided, at least section by section, between the steel press belts, to absorb water and/or steam that has escaped from the material
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for dewatering water-containing material (5) by means of pressure and heat, comprising: a) a device for metered dispensing (2) of the material (5) onto a transport device (3); b) a transfer section (C) in which the material (5) can be transferred from the transport device (3) into a double belt press (4); and c) a double belt press (4) with: - a press lower part (7) and a press upper part (6); - steel press belts (9a, 9b) rotating continuously in a recirculating direction in the press lower part (7) and press upper part (6); - at least one heatable heating plate (8a, 8b) in each of the press lower part (7) and press upper part (6); and - at least one actuator (11) in the press lower part (7) and/or in the press upper part (6), with which pressure is applied to the material via at least one heating plate (8a, 8b) and a steel press belt (9a, 9b). (5) is exerciseable.In order to create dewatering and a dewatering process that allow a significantly higher throughput of water-containing material, it is provided that the double belt press (4) in the operating state has at least one heating section (A) in the conveying direction with pressures on the material below 4 MPa and heating plate surface temperatures above 160°C and at least one dewatering section (B) with pressures on the material (5) above 4 MPa.