Hopper Outlet Air Pulse Bridge Breakdown
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveying systems face challenges in maintaining a continuous flow of materials due to bridging, where particles adhere and form self-supporting bridges over hopper outlets, leading to inefficiencies and increased energy consumption in existing methods such as vibration and high-energy air blasting.
Innovation Solution
A conveying system that intermittently releases a pulse of air into the underside of a bridge within the gravity hopper, directing it upward to disintegrate the bridged material, minimizing energy use and avoiding the need for sidewall-mounted devices, allowing for continuous material flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vibration is used to break material bridges in the hopper, then the bridged material can be dislodged and flow can be restored, but energy consumption increases and system life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a pneumatic system with a compressor, reservoir, and solenoid valve to deliver controlled pulses of compressed air to the hopper outlet. This pneumatic approach replaces mechanical vibration, achieving bridge breakdown with lower energy consumption and without the harmful effects of continuous vibration on system components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs periodic, on-demand air pulses triggered by a flow sensor rather than continuous vibration. The solenoid valve opens briefly to deliver a pulse of air only when bridging is detected, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining reliable material flow when needed.
2Reliability
If high-energy air blasting is used to break material bridges, then bridges can be broken effectively, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by delivering brief, targeted pulses of air only when and where needed (at the hopper outlet where bridging occurs), rather than continuous high-energy blasting throughout the system. The flow sensor triggers air pulses only when bridging is detected, optimizing energy usage while maintaining effective bridge breakdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow sensor automatically detects when material flow has stopped due to bridging and triggers the air pulse system without external intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operational state and activating the bridge-breaking mechanism only when necessary, minimizing unnecessary energy consumption.
3Reliability
If air blasters are mounted on the hopper sidewall to break bridges, then bridges can be broken, but device complexity and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air delivery system is merged with the existing hopper outlet structure. The air pulse is delivered through the same outlet where material flows, combining the material discharge function with the bridge-breaking function in a single location, thereby reducing overall system complexity compared to separate sidewall-mounted blasters.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressed air acts as an intermediary substance that transmits energy to break the bridge without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex mounted devices. The air pulse mediates between the compressor system and the bridged material, simplifying the physical configuration compared to mounted air blasters.
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 approach effectively breaks up bridges with minimal energy consumption, ensuring continuous material flow and compatibility with existing systems, while reducing noise and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
directing a pulse or charge of air into an underside of a bridge of normally conveyable material in a gravity hopper in a direction that is opposite to the normal gravitational flow of the conveyable material through the hopper outlet
Implementation Method 2
directing a pulse or charge of air into the underside of a bridge within the gravity hopper, directing it upward to disintegrate the bridged material
Data Source
AI summary
A conveying system for conveying a conveyable material from a hopper where the system includes a fluid port located below the hopper outlet and in a vertical flow path into hopper outlet that can be momentarily opened for an on the go release of a charge of compressed air directly upward into the hopper outlet and into the underside of the bridge in the hopper to either disintegrate or unlock the bridged particles from each other thereby causing the bridged material to fall into the hopper outlet and into the conveying system where the material can be transported to a remote location or to remove any material that may be adhering to the wall during an emptying phase.