Flexible Conveying Pipe for Bulk Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveying devices for bulk materials face challenges in providing a flexible, secure, and easy-to-clean solution for connecting bulk material removal and filling devices at different heights, particularly in preventing contamination and dust accumulation during the transportation of finely divided solids like polymer granules.
Innovation Solution
A vertically arranged conveying device with rotationally symmetrical mating flanges and quick-action clamping devices, optionally mounted on a mobile work platform, ensuring a tight, gap-free connection and easy positioning at various locations, utilizing sensors for reliable docking and incorporating a mobile work platform with lifting, moving, and swiveling devices for flexible placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a rigid conveying line section is used between two fixed abutments, then the connection is stable and secure, but the device lacks flexibility for different positions and applications
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying line is divided into modular sections with standardized flanges that can be independently positioned and connected. Each section can be separately mounted, adjusted, and disconnected, enabling flexible reconfiguration while maintaining stable connections through standardized joining mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying pipe is designed with universal flange connections that can be used at different positions and for different applications. The standardized interface allows the same pipe section to be reliably connected to various docking devices throughout the plant, providing both flexibility and consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the conveying pipe is made interchangeable and movable for flexibility, then adaptability to different locations is improved, but the connection security and tightness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The flange connections are designed with preliminary alignment features such as guide pins or tapered surfaces that automatically center and position the mating flanges before final tightening. This preliminary action ensures proper alignment and secure connection even when pipes are quickly assembled or disassembled at different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional bolted flange connections are replaced or supplemented with quick-action clamping devices that provide secure, tight connections through mechanical advantage. These clamping mechanisms deliver high clamping forces with simple operation, ensuring reliable seals while maintaining interchangeability.
3Reliability
If complex flange connections are used to ensure tight sealing, then connection reliability is improved, but the cleaning effort and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted as a separate, removable component such as a gasket or seal ring that can be independently accessed and replaced. This allows the sealing element to be taken out for cleaning or replacement without disassembling the entire flange connection, reducing cleaning effort while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Flexible sealing elements such as elastomeric gaskets or thin film seals are used to create dust-tight and watertight connections. These flexible seals conform to the mating surfaces, ensuring reliable sealing while allowing for easy removal and cleaning of the connection interfaces.
4Adaptability or versatility
If dead spaces and joints are included in the conveying pipe design, then connection flexibility is improved, but dust accumulation and contamination risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of accepting dead spaces as inevitable in jointed piping, the design inverts the approach by using continuous seamless pipe sections where possible. Where joints are necessary, the flange design eliminates recesses and dead zones by using protruding seal surfaces and streamlined transitions, preventing dust accumulation while maintaining connection flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The flange connection design converts potential dust-trapping joints into self-cleaning interfaces. The geometry of the mating flanges is designed so that bulk material flow naturally sweeps along the connection surfaces, and any residue is directed into the flow stream rather than accumulating in dead spaces, turning the joint from a contamination source into a self-cleaning feature.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a conveying device for free-flowing, finely divided solids (bulk material), in particular for powdery and/or granular (mixed) materials, especially plastic granules. Specifically, the invention relates to a vertically arranged and flexibly mountable pipe for conveying, preferably, polymer granules, e.g., in a polymer granule filling system. The invention further relates to a mobile work platform for transporting the pipe.