Profiled Clinker Cooler Planks for Transport Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cement clinker conveyor systems, particularly plank type coolers, face high costs due to complex driving and suspension mechanisms, and inefficiencies in clinker transport and cooling, leading to increased operational expenses and potential clinker drop issues.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor floor with a profiled grate surface featuring direction-dependent frictional coefficients, utilizing wedge-like protrusions and shingled surfaces to enhance forward movement while maintaining high backward friction, reduces the need for complex actuation systems by allowing planks to be grouped and driven synchronously, thereby simplifying construction and reducing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If individual planks are reciprocated using complex driving and suspension mechanisms, then clinker transport and cooling is achieved, but construction complexity and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor floor is divided into multiple individual planks that can be reciprocated independently or in groups. This segmentation allows for simplified drive mechanisms where only certain planks need active reciprocation, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective clinker transport through the progressive movement of discrete segments
Solution Approach 2:
The planks are reciprocated in a periodic manner with alternating forward and backward movements. This periodic action creates a wave-like progression that efficiently transports clinker forward while allowing cooling air to penetrate through the gaps between planks during the backward stroke, achieving both transport and cooling functions through a simple rhythmic motion pattern
2Stability of the object's composition
If planks are moved forward and backward individually, then clinker bed circulation is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent planks are reciprocated in a coordinated manner, merging their movements to create a combined propulsion effect. This synchronized reciprocation reduces the total energy required compared to moving each plank independently, as the planks work together to push the clinker bed forward while maintaining the circulation needed for effective cooling
3Temperature
If cooling air is inserted through moving gaps between planks, then clinker cooling is achieved, but clinker drop through gaps may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The planks are designed with dynamic reciprocating motion rather than remaining static. During the forward stroke, planks move with the clinker bed, maintaining contact and preventing drop. During the backward stroke, gaps open to allow cooling air penetration. This dynamic behavior allows the system to alternately prioritize both clinker retention and cooling air flow without compromising either function
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 enhances clinker transport efficiency, reduces construction complexity and costs by allowing for synchronized plank movement and reduced actuator requirements, while ensuring homogeneous cooling and minimizing clinker drop through the use of inclined moving gaps for coolant flow.
Implementation Method 1
at least a section of at least one up-facing surface of at least one of said planks has a direction dependent frictional coefficient, this means that the frictional coefficient Cf for clinker moving relative to the respective plank in the conveying direction is lower than the frictional coefficient Cb for clinker moving relative to the respective plank against the conveying direction
Implementation Method 2
The cooling air is inserted via the moving gaps into the clinker bed, to thereby heat the cooling air and cool the clinker
Implementation Method 3
the planks support a small amount of protrusions which may be wedge like or plow like. These protrusions shall periodically churn or circulate the clinker bed, to thereby induce a circulation in its lower part
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A Conveyor floor 1 for conveying bulk material like cement clinker in a conveying direction from a bulk material inlet to a bulk material outlet, with longitudinal reciprocating planks 100 which extend in parallel to the conveying direction and are arranged one besides of the other with moving gaps in between provides enhanced conveying at lower costs, if each plank 100 has a mean coefficient of friction Cf for moving of the bulk material in the conveying direction relative to planks 100 being significantly lower than the mean coefficient of friction Cb for moving of the bulk material against the conveying direction relative to the respective plank.