Liquid Immersion Sealing for Travelling Grate Wind Boxes

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thermal treatment facilities for bulk materials, such as pelletizing machines, face significant energy inefficiencies and frequent maintenance issues due to leakage caused by high temperature deformations and wear of traditional sealing mechanisms, leading to unscheduled shutdowns.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a sealing system using sealing blades immersed in a liquid-filled box, which are mounted parallel to the moving direction of pallet cars and extend over multiple wind boxes, ensuring effective sealing with minimal lubrication and reducing contact between metallic parts, thereby maintaining thermal energy efficiency and preventing unscheduled stops.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional sealing mechanisms are used in thermal treatment facilities, then sealing function is provided, but energy losses occur due to leakage and frequent maintenance is required due to wear and deformation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal energy lossVSAvoidsealing reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a liquid medium (water) as an intermediary between the sealing blade and the wind box wall. The sealing blade immerses into the liquid rather than directly contacting the wall, creating a liquid seal that prevents gas leakage. This intermediary liquid layer absorbs the thermal and mechanical stress, preventing deformation and wear of the sealing blade while maintaining effective sealing throughout the thermal treatment process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies hydraulic sealing by using a liquid medium (water) under pressure to create the seal. The sealing blade immerses into the liquid-filled box, and the liquid pressure maintains the seal effectiveness against the pressure differences caused by gas flow through the wind boxes. This hydraulic approach replaces traditional mechanical contact sealing, eliminating wear and deformation issues while maintaining reliable sealing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Reliability

If sealing blades directly contact the wind box wall, then sealing is achieved, but wear and tear occur leading to deformation and unscheduled shutdowns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing durabilityVSAvoidwear and deformation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a liquid medium (water) as an intermediary between the sealing blade and the wind box wall. The sealing blade immerses into the liquid rather than directly contacting the wall, creating a liquid seal that prevents gas leakage. This intermediary liquid layer absorbs the thermal and mechanical stress, preventing deformation and wear of the sealing blade while maintaining effective sealing throughout the thermal treatment process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and contact parameters of the sealing system by transitioning from solid-to-solid contact to solid-to-liquid contact. The sealing blade operates immersed in liquid, fundamentally changing the interaction parameters and eliminating the wear and deformation that occur with direct wall contact

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional sealing mechanisms are used, then sealing function is provided, but high lubrication and maintenance costs are incurred

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance costVSAvoidsealing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies hydraulic sealing by using a liquid medium (water) under pressure to create the seal. The sealing blade immerses into the liquid-filled box, and the liquid pressure maintains the seal effectiveness against the pressure differences caused by gas flow through the wind boxes. This hydraulic approach replaces traditional mechanical contact sealing, eliminating wear and deformation issues while maintaining reliable sealing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The liquid seal system is self-regulating and requires minimal external intervention. The liquid automatically maintains the seal effectiveness, and the system self-cools the sealing blade, eliminating the need for external lubrication systems and reducing maintenance requirements while maintaining high sealing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3662219B1Facility for longitudinal sealing up wind boxes in travelling grate facilities

Publication Date: 2021.09.29 OUTOTEC FINDLAND OY

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AI summary

A device for thermal treatment of bulk material, comprising a travelling grate chain being capable of revolving in the direction of movement consisting of an endless travelling grate (1) with movable links. Such a travelling grate chain features a plurality of pallet cars (3), each consisting of a frame (30) with end pieces (33), on which carrying wheels (31) are fixed, and grate rods (35) arranged on crossbars (32). Further, wind boxes (41, 43) are arranged such that from at least one wind box (41, 43) gas flows through the pallet cars (3) and their grate rods (35) from or into the wind boxes (41, 43). At each pallet car (3) of the travelling grate (1) at least one sealing blade (60) each is mounted in parallel to the moving direction and flush with the pallet car (3), whereby at least one sealing box (50) is foreseen in at least one section of the travelling grate (1) in parallel to the moving direction. A liquid medium can be filled into the at least one sealing box (50), wherein the sealing box (50) is arranged such that the sealing blade (60) is immersed in the liquid (L).