Screw Conveyor Helical Strip That Self-Cleans Separator Screens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid separators for dewatering suspensions with fibrous materials face a limited service life due to sieve openings becoming clogged with fibers, necessitating frequent shutdowns for cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A screw conveyor with a helical strip and screw helix design that forms a gap for fibrous materials to accumulate, forming a scraping device that continuously cleans the cylindrical screen by brushing away trapped fibers, enhancing the screen's permeability over time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cylindrical screen is used for dewatering suspension containing fibrous materials, then liquid separation is achieved, but the sieve openings become clogged with fibers over time, reducing service life
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the fibrous materials themselves to clean the screen. The fibers accumulate in the gap between the helical strip and helix flank, then protrude radially outward to form a self-regenerating scraping device that continuously brushes the screen surface, removing accumulated fibers and maintaining permeability without external intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful fiber accumulation is converted into a beneficial scraping mechanism. Fibers that would normally clog the screen are instead channeled into the gap where they form a brush-like structure that actively cleans the screen, transforming the problem into a solution
2Productivity
If the screw conveyor rotates continuously to convey suspension, then liquid separation efficiency is maintained, but fibers accumulate on the screen requiring shutdown for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The scraping action occurs continuously during operation rather than requiring periodic shutdowns. As the screw conveyor rotates, the fiber cake in the gap continuously brushes the screen surface, maintaining permeability throughout operation and eliminating downtime for manual cleaning
3Reliability
If a gap is formed between the helical strip and helix flank for fiber accumulation, then a self-regenerating scraper is created, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The helical strip serves multiple functions: it creates the gap for fiber accumulation, acts as a support structure for the fiber cake, and its rotation provides the scraping motion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, offsetting the added complexity with functional consolidation
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 design extends the service life of the liquid separator by maintaining screen cleanliness through a self-regenerating fiber cake that acts as a scraper, reducing maintenance and improving separation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
During operation of the screw conveyor, the fibrous materials of the suspension accumulate in this gap and form a scraping device
Implementation Method 2
the fibrous materials that have accumulated and compressed in the gap, thus form the aforementioned scraper mechanism... the fibers protruding radially from the gap into the radial gap act like a brush, stroking along the cylindrical screen and clearing any fibers trapped within its openings
Implementation Method 3
The screw conveyor is set in rotation and then conveys the suspension in the axial and radial directions, whereby a liquid portion of the suspension is forced through the screen in the radial direction, while the solid components of the suspension remain within the screen
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a screw conveyor (12) for a liquid separator (10) designed for dewatering a suspension containing fibrous materials, comprising a drive shaft (16); a screw helix (18) extending helically around the drive shaft (16) and attached to the drive shaft (16); a helical strip (24) which is arranged on a radially outer region of a helix flank (22) of the screw helix (18) such that a gap (28) is formed between mutually facing surfaces of the helical strip (24) and the helix flank (22), so that in operation of the screw conveyor (12) the fibrous materials of the suspension accumulate in this gap (28) and form a scraping device which, when the screw conveyor (12) is arranged as intended in the liquid separator (10), is designed to scrape a cylindrical sieve (14) of the liquid separator (10) surrounding the screw conveyor (12).Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing the screw conveyor (12) and a liquid separator (10).