Rotary Ice Crusher Feeder to Prevent Blasting Motor Overload
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ice blasting systems with V-shaped crusher jaws are prone to clogging and motor overload due to inefficient ice particle handling, particularly when dealing with small media particles or sticky ice, leading to compression and expansion issues in the feeder staging area.
Innovation Solution
A rotary crusher mechanism with radially protruding arms on a rotating shaft and a stationary anvil is introduced, which crushes ice between the rotating arms and anvil, preventing clogging and allowing for efficient ice particle circulation back into the hopper if the feeder is overwhelmed, and a pneumatic or hydraulic piston can be used to push ice into the feeder pockets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If V-shaped crusher jaws are used to crush ice, then the ice particles can be crushed and moved into the feeder, but the feeder staging area volume becomes compressed and expanded causing ice to pack into a hard immovable mass leading to motor overload
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a static V-shaped jaw crusher to a dynamic rotary crusher mechanism. The rotary crusher features a rotating shaft with multiple crusher arms that continuously rotate to crush ice particles, creating a dynamic crushing action that prevents ice from packing into a hard immovable mass. This continuous motion ensures ice particles are consistently broken down and fed into the feeder without causing motor overload or system clogging.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the single V-shaped jaw crusher into multiple separate crusher arms mounted on a rotating shaft. Each crusher arm independently crushes ice particles as they pass by, allowing for more uniform distribution of crushing force and preventing the compression issues that occur with a single large jaw. The segmented design also enables better control over the crushing process and reduces the likelihood of ice packing.
2Ease of operation
If V-shaped crusher jaws compress the feeder staging area volume, then ice particles are moved into the feeder, but the compression packs ice into a very hard immovable mass preventing jaw reciprocation
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary crusher replaces the complex reciprocating motion of V-shaped jaws with a simpler continuous rotary motion. The crusher arms rotate continuously in one direction, eliminating the need for complex reciprocation mechanisms while maintaining effective ice particle movement into the feeder. This dynamic approach simplifies the overall device complexity while improving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical reciprocating jaw system with a rotary mechanical system. Instead of jaws moving back and forth in a reciprocating motion, the system uses a rotating shaft with crusher arms that continuously move through the ice particle stream. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity while maintaining or improving the ease of moving ice particles into the feeder.
3Productivity
If the feeder does not remove crushed ice fast enough, then the staging area fills with ice particles, but the compression creates a hard immovable mass that causes motor overload
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary crusher maintains continuous useful action by constantly rotating the crusher arms through the ice particle stream. This continuous motion ensures that ice particles are consistently crushed and fed into the feeder without interruption, preventing the staging area from filling up and creating hard packed masses. The continuous action matches the feeder's removal rate more effectively, preventing overload conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic rotary motion of the crusher arms creates a more consistent flow of crushed ice to the feeder compared to the intermittent reciprocating motion of V-shaped jaws. This dynamic system can better adapt to the feeder's removal rate, maintaining a steady stream of crushed ice that prevents staging area overflow and the associated motor overload problems.
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
The rotary crusher mechanism prevents motor overload by efficiently handling ice particles of any size without packing them into a dense mass, allowing continuous operation and reducing the risk of clogging, while the pneumatic or hydraulic piston ensures effective delivery of ice into the feeder mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
delivers the crushed ice into a high-pressure airstream passing through the rotary feeder mechanism to thereby entrain the crushed ice into the high-pressure airstream
Data Source
AI summary
An ice blasting system comprising a hopper to receive bulk ice and a rotary crusher disposed inside the hopper, the rotary crusher having rotary crusher arms that cooperate with anvils to produce crushed ice from the bulk ice. The system includes a rotary feeder mechanism disposed below the hopper, the rotary feeder mechanism having a rotor that includes ice-receiving pockets for receiving the crushed ice. The rotor rotates against an airtight seal block and delivers the crushed ice into a high-pressure airstream passing through the rotary feeder mechanism to thereby entrain the crushed ice into the high-pressure airstream whereby the ice-entrained airstream subsequently exits the ice blasting system through an outlet.