Drying Drum Guide Plates for Plastic Waste Moisture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for drying plastic parts face issues such as unpredictable dwell time, clogging due to poor sliding properties of small-sized materials, and reduced drying efficiency due to the use of exhaust fans, leading to high residual moisture content.
Innovation Solution
A drum with guide plates arranged at an angle on the inner wall to form flow channels, allowing for controlled transport and dehumidification of plastic parts, with adjustable angle settings to optimize dwell time and prevent clogging, combined with a rotor and counter-current hot gas flow for efficient drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If exhaust fan is used to prevent drum blockage, then blockage prevention is improved, but drying efficiency deteriorates due to premature removal of moist air
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the exhaust fan (premature removal of moist air) is completely removed from the system. Instead of using an exhaust fan, the patent relies on the natural circulation created by the guide plates and counter-current hot gas flow to maintain proper air retention and drying efficiency while preventing blockages through controlled material flow.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using an exhaust fan to force air removal from the drum, the system inverts the approach by using guide plates to force material flow through the drum in a controlled manner. The counter-current hot gas flow naturally replaces the exhaust function by creating proper air circulation without premature moisture removal.
2Device complexity
If rotor blade position is fixed, then device simplicity is improved, but dwell time control deteriorates for small-sized materials
Solution Approach 1:
The drum interior is segmented into multiple flow channels by the guide plates arranged at different angles. This segmentation creates distinct pathways that control material flow and dwell time without requiring adjustable rotor blades. Each flow channel provides a defined path for material movement, enabling dwell time control through geometric configuration rather than mechanical adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameters of the flow channels (guide plate angles and positions) to control material flow characteristics and dwell time. By varying the angle of attack of guide plates, the system optimizes the flow path length and material residence time without requiring movable or adjustable rotor components.
3Speed
If high rotational speed is used to transport material, then transport speed is improved, but blockage risk increases due to centrifugal forces
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plates create localized flow channels with specific geometric properties that control material movement. Instead of relying on high rotational speed alone, the local geometry of each flow channel is optimized to guide material smoothly through the drum, preventing centrifugal force-induced blockages while maintaining efficient transport speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide plates act as intermediary elements between the rotating material and the drum wall. They mediate the material flow by creating defined pathways that reduce direct contact between material and drum surface, minimizing sticking and blockage risks while maintaining transport efficiency through controlled flow dynamics.
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 solution significantly reduces clogging and relative residual moisture content from 15% to 5%, ensuring stable and efficient drying of plastic parts by maintaining a defined product flow and optimizing the drying process.
Implementation Method 1
The plastic parts to be dried reach the working range of the rotating blades of the rotor and are flung against the screening drum by the centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
Dehumidification of the plastic parts, wherein the plastic parts can be dehumidified inside the drum, preferably with an air flow
Implementation Method 3
combined with a rotor and counter-current hot gas flow for efficient drying
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a
AI summary
Device for drying a plurality of different plastic parts (7), in particular small-sized material such as shredded plastic waste, comprising a drum (14) with an inlet opening (12) for introducing moist plastic parts (7) into the drum (14) and an outlet opening (13) for releasing dehumidified plastic parts (7) from the drum (14), means for transporting the plastic parts, wherein the plastic parts (7) are transportable from the inlet opening (12) through the drum (14) to the outlet opening (13), and means for dehumidifying the plastic parts, wherein the plastic parts (7) are dehumidifiable within the drum (14), preferably with an airflow (3), characterized in that at least one guide plate (4) is arranged on the inner wall of the drum (14).which has an angle of attack (15) relative to the inner wall of the drum (14) and forms at least sectionally a flow or guide channel (6) for the plastic parts (7) on the inner wall of the drum (14), so that the plastic parts (7) are transported by the means for transporting the plastic parts along the flow or guide channel (6) formed by the at least one guide plate (4) through the drum (14).