Flat-Die Pellet Press with Breaking Plate for Uniform Length
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pellet presses with flat dies produce pellets with significant variation in length due to the use of knife-based breaking mechanisms, which results in pellets of varying lengths.
Innovation Solution
A pellet press with a flat die and a rotatable breaking device having a contact surface mounted below the die, where pellet strands are broken by impact with this surface rather than lateral knife impact, reducing length variance by defining the maximum pellet length through the distance between the die exit and the contact surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a knife-based breaking mechanism is used to break pellet strands, then the breaking process is simple and fast, but the pellet length varies significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a knife that moves laterally to break strands (conventional approach), the patent inverts the mechanism by using a breaking plate that moves vertically downward onto the strands. This inversion changes the breaking dynamics from lateral shear force to vertical impact force, resulting in more uniform pellet lengths while maintaining breaking speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the critical parameter of the breaking mechanism from lateral knife position to vertical breaking plate position. By controlling the vertical distance between the breaking plate and die outlet, and adjusting the plate's downward motion parameters, the system achieves precise control over pellet length uniformity while maintaining high productivity.
2Device complexity
If a knife rotates below the flat die to break strands, then the structure is simple, but the pellet length distribution has large variance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional rotating knife mechanism by using a breaking plate that moves vertically downward. This inversion simplifies the control mechanism while dramatically improving pellet length consistency, as the vertical impact position can be precisely controlled to define maximum pellet length.
Solution Approach 2:
The breaking plate acts as an intermediary element between the die outlet and the pellet strands. By positioning this plate at a controlled distance below the die, it creates a defined breaking zone that ensures uniform pellet lengths, serving as a mediator that transforms the raw extruded strands into consistent pellets.
3Productivity
If the breaking device is positioned close to the die exit, then pellet breaking is efficient, but the maximum pellet length is not well-defined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the vertical position parameter of the breaking plate to control maximum pellet length. By adjusting the distance between the breaking plate and die outlet, and controlling the plate's downward motion, the system precisely defines the maximum pellet length while maintaining breaking efficiency through optimal positioning.
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 the variation in pellet length by ensuring consistent breaking and defined ejection, improving the precision and mechanical durability of the process.
Implementation Method 1
the pellet strands are broken upon impact with the contact surface of the break-off device
Implementation Method 2
the material is applied from above to a perforated plate, namely a die, and pressed through the pressing channels in the perforated plate or die by repeated passes of roller rollers
Implementation Method 3
The material is fed into the pellet press and preferably applied gravimetrically to the top of the flat die
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
In order to improve a pellet press (100) for producing pellets by pressing a material by means of extrusion granulation, wherein the pellet press has a flat die (10) with a plurality of pressing channels (11), in such a way that a significantly reduced variance in the length distribution of the pellets is achieved, it is proposed that a breaking device (13) of the pellet press has a contact surface (14) spaced from the flat die and is mounted on a support (15) below the outlet side (16) of the flat die.