Dynamic Seal for Bulk Material Conveying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying bulk materials into high-pressure environments like gasification reactors is inefficient and costly, with existing devices experiencing high energy losses and wear due to the need for compressing the entire material flow and inadequate sealing, especially with inhomogeneous materials.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic seal using a partial flow of the bulk material and a separate sealant, which can be regenerated, reduces energy expenditure by only compressing the partial flow and maintains sealing effectiveness, allowing for efficient and long-lasting operation without altering the bulk material's properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire bulk material flow is compressed to create a material plug seal, then sealing effect is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk material flow is divided into two separate flows: one for sealing purposes and another for conveying the bulk material. Only the sealing flow is compressed to form a material plug, while the main bulk material flow remains uncompressed. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by localizing the compression action to only where sealing is needed, dramatically reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effective sealing.
2Reliability
If the entire bulk material flow is compressed continuously, then sealing effect is maintained, but wear on contacting components increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the sealing flow from the main bulk material flow, only a small portion of material undergoes compression. This reduces the cumulative compression cycles experienced by sealing components and minimizes wear on contacting surfaces, thereby extending component service life while maintaining continuous sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of compressing the entire bulk material flow, only a partial flow sufficient for sealing purposes is compressed. This partial action approach maintains adequate sealing effect while significantly reducing the intensity and duration of compression forces applied to components, thereby reducing wear and extending service life.
3Reliability
If bulk material is pre-treated to enable passage through compression section, then conveyance reliability is improved, but process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the main conveying process. A separate sealing flow is diverted from the bulk material flow and compressed independently to form seals. This extraction eliminates the need for pre-treatment of the entire bulk material, simplifying the overall process while ensuring reliable conveyance through dedicated sealing mechanisms.
4Reliability
If mechanical seals or piston rings are used for sealing, then sealing effect is achieved, but component wear increases and replacement frequency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a sacrificial sealing material that is consumed during operation to protect more expensive and durable components. The compressed material plug acts as a disposable sealing element that wears instead of the mechanical seals or piston rings, significantly reducing maintenance frequency and extending the service life of critical components.
Solution Approach 2:
A material plug formed from compressed bulk material serves as an intermediary sealing element between the moving and stationary components. This intermediate material layer absorbs wear and protects the mechanical components, reducing direct contact wear and extending component life while maintaining effective sealing.
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 energy costs and extends the service life of the conveying device by minimizing wear and maintaining sealing integrity, while allowing for efficient and continuous feeding into high-pressure chambers without pre-treating the bulk material.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing element of the dynamic seal which consists of a partial flow of the bulk material flow to be conveyed or of a separate flow of sealant and can be regenerated during operation of the conveying device is provided
Data Source
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AI summary
A device and method for conveying bulk material, said device comprising a movable conveying member and an outer wall that is stationary in relation to the conveying member, wherein the device is connected to a further processing chamber for receiving and further processing the bulk material and a dynamic seal is used which seals with respect to the differential pressure between the further processing chamber and regions lying upstream in the process. A seal element of the dynamic seal formed of a sealant in the form of a material pattern or material seal that can be regenerated during operation of the conveying device, wherein the seal element is provided from a branch flow of the bulk material to be conveyed or from a separate sealant source.