Roller Mill Vertical Stacking for Capacity and Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller mills are limited in capacity due to the need for permanent mill stands and gear reducer replacement challenges, which restrict the number of grinding rollers and increase costs when trying to enhance mill capacity.
Innovation Solution
The roller mill design allows for additional rollers to rotate about a stationary shaft attached to an interior frame or a vertical shaft with a hinged connection, eliminating the need for additional mill stands and enabling easy removal of the gear reducer for maintenance, while maintaining grinding pressure through hydraulic cylinders or centrifugal force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of mill stands is increased to add more grinding rollers, then the mill capacity is increased, but the component size and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional horizontal arrangement of mill stands around the grinding table to a vertical arrangement where mill stands are positioned above the grinding table. This dimensional change allows multiple grinding rollers to be stacked vertically, increasing mill capacity without expanding the horizontal footprint and avoiding the need for larger components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests multiple grinding rollers vertically within the same horizontal space by positioning mill stands one above another. The upper mill stand and its grinding roller are positioned directly above the lower mill stand and grinding roller, effectively nesting the roller assemblies in the vertical dimension to increase capacity without increasing horizontal component sizes.
2Stability of the object's composition
If mill stands are permanently fixed into the foundation, then structural stability is improved, but the gear reducer cannot be easily removed for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mill structure into separate functional modules: the foundation remains permanently fixed for stability, while the mill stands are made removable. This segmentation allows the gear reducer to be accessed and replaced by removing the mill stand, without compromising the overall structural stability provided by the fixed foundation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic configurability to the mill structure by making mill stands removable and reconfigurable. The mill stand can be detached from the foundation when gear reducer maintenance is needed, and reattached when complete. This dynamic approach balances permanent fixation for stability with temporary removability for maintenance access.
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 design increases the number of rollers and mill capacity without adding more mill stands, simplifies gear reducer replacement, and maintains grinding efficiency with full-size rollers, reducing operational and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining grinding pressure through hydraulic cylinders
Implementation Method 2
maintaining grinding pressure through hydraulic cylinders or centrifugal force
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a roller mill for grinding solid material such as cement raw materials and similar materials, said roller mill comprising a substantially horizontal grinding table and at least two rollers which are configured for interactive operation with said grinding table, wherein at least one of said rollers rotates about a stationary shaft connected to a rocker arm pivotally connected to a mill stand which substantially is situated outside said grinding table and therefore does not utilize a mill stand and the remaining rollers do not utilize a mill stand. According to the invention the number of rollers, and thereby the capacity of the mill is increased without introducing more mill stands.