Epicyclic Gear System for Roller Mill Drive Train
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller mill designs face high investment costs and unsatisfactory availability due to complex and expensive gearing mechanisms, especially in high-throughput mills, and the weight and vibration of motor-driven grinding rollers put excessive stress on bearings.
Innovation Solution
The roller mill incorporates an epicyclic gear system positioned near the grinding roller, reducing the overall size and mass of the drive train, allowing for smaller, cheaper components and improved bearing durability through reduced mass moment of inertia and optimized torque distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional gearing mechanism is arranged below the grinding table, then the grinding table can be driven, but the investment costs increase and procurement times extend
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of driving the grinding table and having it drive the grinding rollers through a complex gearing mechanism below the table, the invention inverts the approach by directly driving the grinding rollers. The grinding rollers are equipped with their own drives (motors) that are integrated into the pivot lever assembly, eliminating the need for a separate gearing mechanism underneath the grinding table.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system is segmented by assigning individual drives to each grinding roller rather than using a single centralized drive for the grinding table. This allows each grinding roller to be driven independently, simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing the complexity of any single gearing mechanism.
2Power
If the complete drive with motor and gearing mechanism is provided on the pivot lever, then the grinding roller can be driven, but the bearing of the pivot lever is subjected to increased demands due to motor weight
Solution Approach 1:
The motor is extracted from the pivot lever assembly and mounted separately on the mill housing. Only the lighter gearing mechanism and drive shaft remain on the pivot lever, significantly reducing the load on the pivot lever bearing while still providing the necessary drive power to the grinding roller.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a cardan shaft is used to transmit drive power to the gearing mechanism, then angular compensation is achieved, but the shaft must ensure both angular and longitudinal axial compensation increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The cardan shaft and its complex compensation mechanism are eliminated by directly mounting the gearing mechanism on the pivot lever. This eliminates the need for angular and longitudinal axial compensation while simplifying the power transmission path from the motor to the grinding roller.
4Force
If the drive train has large dimensions to transmit high torques, then the required torque can be transmitted, but the drive train becomes relatively complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The lengthy drive train is extracted and shortened by directly mounting the gearing mechanism on the pivot lever near the grinding roller. This eliminates intermediate transmission components and reduces the overall length of the drive train, allowing high torques to be transmitted more efficiently without requiring large dimensional components.
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 configuration enables a more cost-effective and manageable drive system with reduced stress on bearings, enhancing the durability and control of the drive components during the grinding process.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the gearing mechanism being arranged in the grinding chamber in the region of the grinding roller and being in the form of an epicyclic gear system
Implementation Method 2
The grinding roller further has a grinding roller bearing, the grinding roller bearing and the epicyclic gear system having a common oil chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A roller mill includes a mill housing which defines a grinding chamber, a grinding table which can rotate in the grinding chamber and at least one rotatable grinding roller which is in rolling engagement with the grinding table. A drive which is associated with the grinding roller and which has at least one gearing mechanism is further provided, at least a portion of the gearing mechanism being arranged in the grinding chamber in the region of the grinding roller and being in the form of an epicyclic gear system.