Inflatable Wear Liner for Mining Hopper Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bulk material handling equipment faces issues with material accumulation on wear liners, leading to reduced flow efficiency and potential interruptions during operations, due to the cohesive strength of transported materials.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of inflatable wear liners with a deformable composition and incremental inflator system that uses pressurized air pulses to periodically deform the liners, dislodging material accumulations by creating incremental outward deformation, thereby enhancing material flow and reducing abrasive wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If wear liners are used to protect material handling equipment from abrasive wear, then wear resistance is improved, but material accumulates on the liner surfaces reducing flow efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies periodic pulsing action to the wear liner surface to dislodge accumulated material. The pulsing mechanism creates repeated impact forces that break up and remove material buildups on the liner surface, restoring flow efficiency without requiring liner replacement or manual cleaning during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses mechanical vibration through pulsing to prevent material accumulation on the wear liner surface. The vibratory motion creates shear forces that prevent cohesive materials from adhering to the liner and periodically dislodges any material that does accumulate, maintaining flow efficiency while preserving the liner's wear protection function.
2Productivity
If material accumulations are dislodged from wear liner surfaces, then flow efficiency is improved, but the wear liner structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the wear protection function and material dislodgment function into a single integrated wear liner assembly. The pulsing mechanism is incorporated directly into the liner structure, allowing both wear resistance and flow efficiency maintenance to be achieved through one component rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The wear liner is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a protective wear-resistant surface and as an active material dislodgment device. The liner structure incorporates elements that enable both passive wear protection and active pulsing-based material removal, reducing the need for additional separate components.
3Productivity
If incremental outward deformation is applied to dislodge material accumulations, then material flow is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic pulsing rather than continuous deformation to dislodge material accumulations. The incremental outward deformation is applied in repeated short bursts separated by intervals, reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous deformation while maintaining effective material dislodgment and flow enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial deformation in incremental pulses rather than full continuous deformation. Each pulse provides sufficient outward deformation to dislodge material accumulations, and the intermittent nature of the pulsing reduces total energy input while achieving the desired material flow enhancement.
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 system effectively prevents material accumulation on interior surfaces, maintains flow performance, and extends the wear liners' durability by using vibratory pulsing to dislodge bulk materials, ensuring continuous operation and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one incremental inflator structured and arranged to incrementally inflate such at least one inflatable cavity using pressurized air supplied to such at least one inflatable cavity in a series of pressure pulses
Implementation Method 2
at least one material-exposed wear layer structured and arranged to reduce abrasive wear to the at least one interior wall surface during such material handling operations
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable liner with vibratory function related to lining mining hoppers and other such devices. The inflatable liner has an exterior expandable layer and ceramic wear layer beneath that assists maintaining a long-use-life of the inflatable liner. Use of the air-control device to rapidly inflate and deflate exterior expandable layer vibrates in the exterior expandable layer and assist removing unwanted material/debris from the exterior lining of exterior expandable layer to further maintain a long-life use of the inflatable liner and lower maintenance of the machinery/hopper.