Retractable Tank Loading Sleeve for Dust and Degradation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for loading materials into tanks, such as using flexible sleeves, face issues with material degradation, dust generation, and safety hazards due to manual intervention when sleeves become blocked, especially for toxic or explosive materials.
Innovation Solution
A retractable device comprising a hopper, pulley, and adjustable sleeve, allowing for continuous loading by adjusting the sleeve's length within the tank using a pulley system, optionally powered by a crank or electric motor, to avoid manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible sleeve is used to load material into the tank, then material degradation and dust generation are reduced, but the sleeve becomes blocked when the tank is filled, requiring manual intervention to cut sections
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is designed to be dynamically adjustable in length through the pulley system. As the tank fills and the sleeve becomes blocked, the pulley can be rotated to retract the sleeve, effectively lengthening the usable portion of the sleeve inside the tank. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the need for manual cutting while maintaining the gentle material delivery benefits of the sleeve.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulley system enables the sleeve to be automatically adjusted and retracted without requiring manual intervention. The rotating mechanism allows the sleeve to be pulled back through the opening, effectively resetting the loading process. This self-service mechanism eliminates the dangerous manual cutting operation while maintaining the benefits of gentle material delivery.
2Productivity
If the sleeve is kept inside the tank to prevent blocking, then continuous loading is enabled, but the weight of the filled sleeve prevents it from being lifted to reopen the lower part
Solution Approach 1:
The sleeve is extracted from the tank through the pulley system when blocking occurs. By rotating the pulley, the sleeve is pulled back out of the tank opening, effectively removing the heavy filled portion from the loading path. This extraction allows the sleeve to be reset and reused without requiring it to be lifted through the opening, solving the weight problem while maintaining continuous loading capability.
3Ease of repair
If manual cutting of the sleeve is performed to clear blocking, then the sleeve can be reused, but the operation is dangerous for toxic or explosive materials
Solution Approach 1:
The pulley system provides a self-service mechanism for resetting the sleeve without requiring manual cutting. The rotating pulley allows the sleeve to be automatically retracted and reset, eliminating the need for workers to manually cut the blocked sleeve. This self-service approach maintains sleeve reuse capability while completely eliminating the safety hazards associated with manual intervention in toxic or explosive environments.
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
Enables safe and efficient loading of materials by preventing material degradation and dust generation, while ensuring continuous operation without manual intervention, particularly suitable for toxic or explosive materials.
Implementation Method 1
a pulley; and a sleeve connected to the pulley. The length of the sleeve inside the tank is adjustable by rotating the pulley
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a retractable device for loading particles of material into a tank, the device comprising: a hopper, a pulley, and a sleeve connected to the pulley. The hopper is configured to receive particles of material and to direct the received particles into the sleeve. The sleeve is configured to carry the particles of material received from the hopper into the tank. The length of the sleeve inside the tank is adjustable by rotating the pulley.