Loom Lubricant Temperature Control via Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern weaving looms experience heat-related issues due to friction, causing oil lubricants to degrade and lose viscosity, leading to safety concerns and reduced equipment lifespan, especially in high-speed shedding devices where different components require different types of lubricants, resulting in compromises and contamination.
Innovation Solution
A dual lubrication circuit system with a heat exchange mechanism between the lubricants, allowing one lubricant to cool the other without fluid communication, using a heat transfer fluid for thermal contact, maintaining optimal lubrication conditions without altering the nature of the lubricants and preventing contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single lubrication circuit is used for all components, then the system is simpler and easier to manufacture, but different components require different types of lubricants leading to contamination and compromised lubrication performance
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system is divided into separate circulation circuits for different components (e.g., shedding device, flapper box, pick insertion device, warp beam, reed). Each circuit uses lubricant optimized for its specific component, preventing contamination while maintaining reliable lubrication performance for each component type.
2Productivity
If high-speed operation is maintained, then productivity increases, but friction generates excessive heat that degrades lubricant viscosity and compromises lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
A heat transfer fluid circulates through heat exchangers in thermal contact with high-temperature lubricant circuits (shedding device, flapper box). This intermediary fluid transfers heat away from the lubricant without direct fluid mixing, maintaining lubricant viscosity and lubrication performance during high-speed operation.
3Temperature
If external water cooling is used for the lubricant reservoir, then lubricant temperature is reduced, but the system requires external water supply infrastructure and pipe installation
Solution Approach 1:
The lubrication system uses its own lubricant as the cooling medium. Heat is transferred from high-temperature lubricant circuits to heat transfer fluid through heat exchangers, eliminating the need for external water supply infrastructure. The system is self-contained and can be installed anywhere without water access requirements.
4Temperature
If lubricant is circulated through external heat exchangers, then cooling is effective, but hard particles from component failure contaminate all components and reduce loom life
Solution Approach 1:
Each component or group of components has its own sealed lubrication circuit. When hard particles are generated from component failure, they remain confined to that specific circuit and cannot contaminate other components. This segmentation maintains system reliability and extends overall loom lifespan.
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 effectively manages temperature differences between lubricants, maintaining optimal viscosity and extending equipment lifespan by using one lubricant to cool another, ensuring safe operation and efficient lubrication without compromising the type of oil used for different components.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchange system between the first lubricant and the second lubricant, without fluid communication between these lubricants
Implementation Method 2
one of the lubricants, from among the first lubricant and the second lubricant, or from a heat transfer fluid to a zone where this lubricant or this heat transfer fluid is in thermal contact with another lubricant
Implementation Method 3
means for circulating one of the lubricants, from among the first lubricant and the second lubricant, or from a heat transfer fluid to a zone where this lubricant or this heat transfer fluid is in thermal contact with another lubricant
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The lubrication units lubricate certain components of a subassembly (2), and a shed-forming device (4). The lubrication units have right and left circuits (C1,C2) which respectively circulate right and left lubricants. A heat exchanger system (6) exchanges heat between right and left lubricants without fluid communication between the lubricants. The heat exchanger system has a circulating unit which circulates a lubricant selected from two lubricants, or a coolant fluid to a zone where lubricant or coolant fluid is in thermal contact with another lubricant selected from two lubricants. An independent claim is included for method of controlling temperature of lubricant in shed-forming device of loom.