Flour Mill Air Guide Assembly for Dust Control and Clogging Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern flour mills are not economically viable for processing small batches of grain due to issues like flour clogging, dust explosion hazards, and insufficient output capacity, as seen in the Unifine Mill operated by Azure Standard.
Innovation Solution
A flour mill assembly with a mill housing, air guide, and grinding assembly that includes a rotor member and grinding members, featuring a specific air flow path and seal system to prevent flour dust leakage and enhance processing efficiency, allowing for increased feed rates and output capacity while maintaining operational safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the feed rate is increased to improve productivity, then output capacity increases, but flour clogs the mill
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic principles by using air flow through the mill chamber to carry ground flour out of the grinding chamber and into collection chambers. The air current prevents flour clogging by continuously moving particles through the system, allowing high feed rates without blockages while maintaining reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and flow parameters of flour by introducing controlled air flow. This transforms static or clogging flour into a pneumatic stream that can be transported efficiently, enabling increased productivity without the harmful clogging effect.
2Ease of operation
If air gaps are present in the mill design to facilitate operation, then ease of operation improves, but flour escapes into surrounding air creating dust explosion hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a controlled air flow environment where air is directed through specific paths that contain flour particles. This controlled atmosphere prevents flour dust from escaping into the surrounding environment, eliminating dust explosion hazards while maintaining operational ease through proper air flow management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses air flow as an intermediary medium to transport flour from the grinding chamber through collection chambers to collection points. This intermediary air stream contains the flour particles, preventing direct contact with the surrounding environment and eliminating the dust explosion hazard while facilitating smooth operation.
3Productivity
If the mill is designed for high-speed operation to improve productivity, then output capacity increases, but the mill runs hotter reducing shelf life of flour
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses pneumatic air flow to carry flour through the mill system, which also serves as a cooling mechanism. The moving air removes heat generated during high-speed grinding, allowing the mill to operate at high productivity levels without excessive temperature rise that would reduce flour shelf life.
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 improves flour mill efficiency by reducing flour dust leakage, increasing output capacity by up to 200%, and enhancing the shelf life of the flour by running cooler, thus addressing the limitations of the Unifine Mill.
Implementation Method 1
Air flows along a first path from the at least one inlet port, through the inlet plenum, the at least one gap path, the grinding chamber, the outlet chamber, and the collection chamber, and out of the exterior collection opening
Implementation Method 2
The plurality of grinding members is supported by the rotor member within the grinding chamber. The rotor member is rotated such that the grinding members grind the product within the collection chamber
Implementation Method 3
The rotor member is rotated such that the grinding members grind the product within the collection chamber and displace the product being ground from a first position adjacent to the inlet chamber of the first port assembly to a second position adjacent to the outlet chamber of the second port assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A mill assembly for processing product comprises a mill housing assembly, at least first and second port assemblies defining an exterior inlet opening and an exterior outlet opening, at least one collection assembly, an air guide assembly, and a grinding assembly. In one form, a feed/collection ratio of the exterior inlet opening to the exterior outlet opening is at least approximately 1.5:1. In another form, seals are formed between the port assemblies and the mill housing assembly. In another form, the mill assembly operates in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, a ring plug plate and a wall plug plate are detached from the mill housing. In the second mode, the ring plug plate and the wall plug plate are attached to the mill housing to prevent air from flowing out of the third housing port.