Refiner Surface Guide Surface Eliminates Blade Groove Blockages

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional refiner designs with dams in the blade grooves lead to blockages, decreased production capacity, non-uniformity of refined material, and increased energy consumption due to restricted steam flow and material passage.

Innovation Solution

The refining surface is designed without actual dams, using a guide surface on the third blade bar to direct lignocellulose-containing material into the blade gap while allowing steam to flow freely, reducing blockages and energy waste by facilitating the flow of both material and steam.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If dams are positioned at the bottom of blade grooves to guide material to the blade gap, then material guidance and refining are promoted, but steam flow is restricted and blockages occur on the refining surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial guidanceVSAvoidproduction capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the dams from the blade grooves entirely. Instead of having dams at the bottom of blade grooves that restrict steam flow, the patent extracts this guiding function and replaces it with a guide surface on the third blade bar that directs material without obstructing steam flow, thereby eliminating blockages while maintaining material guidance capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide surface on the third blade bar acts as an intermediary element that performs the material guidance function previously handled by dams. This guide surface directs material to the blade gap while allowing steam to flow freely underneath, serving as a mediator between material guidance requirements and steam flow needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If dams are positioned at the bottom of blade grooves to guide material, then refining is promoted, but energy consumption increases due to restricted flow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial guidanceVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

By removing the dams that caused flow restriction and energy loss, the invention extracts the harmful flow obstruction while preserving the essential material guidance function through the guide surface on the third blade bar, thereby reducing energy consumption associated with pumping material through restricted passages

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If dams are positioned at the bottom of blade grooves, then material guidance is improved, but blockages occur that reduce production capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial guidanceVSAvoidblockage prevention
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the dams that created blockage-prone conditions while maintaining material guidance through the guide surface on the third blade bar. This extraction of the problematic component eliminates the source of blockages that reduced production capacity and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes steam flow (a pneumatic/fluid mechanism) to naturally transport material through the blade grooves without mechanical dams. The steam current carries material forward, preventing blockages that would occur with solid dam structures while maintaining effective material guidance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Data Source

PatentEP2408961B1Refining surface for a refiner
Publication Date: 2017.12.20 VALMET TECH INC
  • EP2408961B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2408961B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2408961B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

A refining surface (1, 2) of a refiner for a refiner intended for defibrating lignocellulose-containing material. The refining surface has a feed edge (12) directed in the direction of the feed flow of the material to be refined and a discharge edge (13) directed in the direction of the discharge flow of the refined material. The refining surface comprises at least one first blade bar (14') and at least one second blade bar (14"), between which there is a blade groove (15). Both the first and the second blade bar have a first end (14a) directed in the direction of the feed edge, and a second end (14b) directed in the direction of the discharge edge. The refining surface further comprises at least one third blade bar having a first end directed in the direction of the feed edge, and a second end directed in the direction of the discharge edge. The first end of the third blade bar has a rising guide surface (21 ) for guiding the lignocellulose-containing material to the upper surface (14c) of the third blade bar. Said guide surface is arranged, in the direction of travel of the first and the second blade bar (14"), at least partly between the first and the second blade bar, between the first blade bar and an imaginary extension of the second blade bar, between an imaginary extension of the first blade bar and the second blade bar, or between the imaginary extensions of both the first and the second blade bar.