Rotating Container Washing Device for Plastic Flake Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing devices for bulk materials, such as comminuted plastic waste, are inefficient in separating and cleaning plastic flakes for re-use, particularly in the food industry, due to limitations in turbulence and separation of dirt particles.
Innovation Solution
A rotating cylindrical container with coaxially fixed tubes and conveying paddles on its outer wall, utilizing centrifugal forces and separate feed channels for the bulk material and washing liquid, enhances cleaning efficiency and includes air intake for pre-drying.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed washing pipe with vertical shaft and washing blades is used, then the washing process can be performed, but the device construction becomes complex and the separation efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The washing device is segmented into a rotating container with multiple conveying paddles arranged circumferentially, replacing the single vertical shaft with washing blades. This segmentation allows the material to be processed in multiple zones as it moves upward through the rotating container, improving washing efficiency while maintaining relatively simple construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed to rotate, creating dynamic centrifugal forces that enhance the washing process. The rotation enables the conveying paddles to move material upward against gravity while washing liquid is distributed over the material surface, improving separation efficiency without requiring complex fixed blade mechanisms.
2Device complexity
If washing liquid and bulk material are supplied together through a single inlet connection, then the device construction is simplified, but the separation of bulk material and cleaning liquid cannot be achieved effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet system is segmented into separate feed channels: one for bulk material and another for washing liquid. The bulk material is fed tangentially into the rotating container while washing liquid is supplied separately and distributed over the material as it moves through the container, enabling effective separation and washing.
3Reliability
If the container rotates at high speed to improve centrifugal cleaning effect, then washing efficiency increases, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation speed of the container is optimized to provide sufficient centrifugal force for effective washing while avoiding excessive energy consumption. The conveying paddles are positioned to move material efficiently through the washing zones, and the system operates at rotational speeds that balance cleaning effectiveness with energy efficiency.
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 solution effectively separates and cleans plastic flakes using centrifugal forces and separate liquid supply, ensuring thorough removal of dirt and pre-drying, improving the washing process efficiency without complex construction.
Implementation Method 1
Both the tube and the rotatingly driven container have passage openings for the washing liquid, which is supplied via the tube from above and then passes through the openings into the container and from there via further openings into the annular space between container and housing. There, the washing liquid acts on the flakes that are carried upwards, with the centrifugal forces generated by the rotation cleaning the goods intensively.
Implementation Method 2
The incoming air is directed upwards by the suction generated by the rotating container and ensures pre-drying in the upper area of the housing.
Data Source
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AI summary
1. The device is used for washing bulk materials, in particular shredded plastic waste or granules, and has a vertically arranged, cylindrical container (18) with a tube (16) coaxially mounted therein, the tube having an upper inlet opening (42) for supplying washing liquid (R), preferably water, and a lower discharge opening (44) for the used washing liquid. Means for feeding the bulk material (S) to be cleaned and discharge means (A) for the washed bulk material are provided. According to the invention, the tube (16), which is fixedly connected to the container (18), is rotatably mounted in a cylindrical housing (10) and connected to a drive motor, so that it serves as a rotary drive shaft for the container (18) mounted in the housing (10), on the outer wall (28) of which conveying paddles (32) are attached for carrying the material (S) introduced at the lower end of the housing (10) upwards.