Foundry Sand Cooling Device with Segmented Mixing Blades
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for cooling foundry molding sand achieve uneven cooling, leading to reduced sand quality due to inadequate fluidization and high particle entrainment, resulting in inefficient cooling and separation issues.
Innovation Solution
The design features vertically spaced mixing blades with inclined angles and adjustable rotation direction, creating a cavity for air distribution and lifting the material to ensure uniform fluidization and reduced particle discharge, along with a solids separator for efficient air flow and particle separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If cooling air is introduced at the edge through slot-shaped openings, then the device structure is simple, but the air flow resistance is high and cooling is uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing vessel is divided into multiple levels with air inlet openings distributed at different heights. The mixing blades are also segmented into multiple levels, creating a multi-stage cooling process that improves air distribution and cooling uniformity throughout the sand bed.
Solution Approach 2:
Air inlet openings are positioned at specific locations (edge and bottom areas) rather than uniformly distributed. The mixing blade geometry is optimized with different angles at different locations to create appropriate fluidization zones where needed, improving overall cooling effectiveness.
2Device complexity
If plate-shaped blades are used on vertically arranged holders, then the device structure is simple, but the mixing effect is limited to a small local area
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing action is extended from a two-dimensional planar motion to three-dimensional motion by adding vertical components. The mixing blades are arranged at different heights and angles, creating vertical fluidization and multi-directional mixing that enhances overall mixing effectiveness throughout the entire sand volume.
3Quantity of substance
If the container diameter is increased to cool very large quantities of sand, then the cooling capacity increases, but the cooling becomes uneven
Solution Approach 1:
The large container is effectively segmented into multiple cooling zones through the multi-level air inlet openings and mixing blade arrangement. This creates several independent fluidization zones that can be controlled separately, ensuring uniform cooling across the entire large volume of sand.
4Device complexity
If cooling air is drawn off through a centrally located opening using a gas cyclone, then the exhaust system is simple, but fine particles are completely carried away
Solution Approach 1:
A screen is positioned at the exhaust opening to act as a porous barrier. This allows the gas to pass through while retaining fine particles, preventing their complete loss while maintaining the simplicity of the exhaust system structure.
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 solution achieves a more uniform fluidized bed across the mixing container, reducing particle entrainment and enhancing cooling efficiency, allowing for better sand quality and reduced particle discharge, with improved air distribution and separation performance.
Implementation Method 1
The mixing vessel has a series of air inlet openings through which cooling air can be introduced into the mixing vessel. The mixing blades lift and move foundry sand, creating fluidization and enhancing air distribution throughout the sand bed.
Implementation Method 2
The device attempts to create an air-permeated, water-jetted, mechanically supported fluidized bed in order to cool the foundry sand, heated to up to 150°C by the preceding casting process, to the operating temperature of approximately 45°C by means of evaporative cooling.
Implementation Method 3
The cooling air supplied via the air inlet openings is then extracted through the spaces between the fins of the solids separator. The driven wheel of the solids separator generates a vortex flow in which the solid particles contained in the extracted air are separated and fall back into the mixing vessel.
Implementation Method 4
The driven wheel of the solids separator generates a vortex flow in which the solid particles contained in the extracted air are separated and fall back into the mixing vessel.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for reprocessing and cooling foundry sand, comprising a mixing container (2) and a mixing tool that can be rotated about a drive shaft (4), wherein an air feed (7) is provided for feeding air into the container interior. The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing an improved device by means of which a more uniform fluidized bed is achieved, preferably over the entire cross-section of the mixing container, wherein furthermore the proportion of the solid particles entrained by the gas flow should be reduced. This problem is solved, according to the invention, in that the mixing tool has at least two mixing vanes (8) spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and at least one mixing vane has a mixing blade having a surface that is angled with respect to the horizontal.