Stabilizing Flow Feeder for Powder Material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder material feeding systems, such as impeller feeders, spiral conveyors, and rotor scales, face issues like feeding fluctuations, material flush, and interruption of feeding due to structural limitations and reverse air flow from downstream pneumatic delivery systems.
Innovation Solution
A stabilizing flow feeder is designed with an agitating bin and a feeding bin, where the agitating bin uses a rotatable agitating device with agitating rods and a sweeping device to maintain powder fluidity, and the feeding bin incorporates a feeding impeller and an air flow-assisting device to ensure smooth powder flow and counteract reverse air flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an impeller feeder is used to deliver powder materials, then metered delivery can be achieved, but feeding fluctuations and interruption of feeding occur due to limited inlet size and poor material retaining effect
Solution Approach 1:
The feeding device is divided into multiple feeding bins (first feeding bin, second feeding bin, etc.) arranged in series, with each bin having its own feeding impeller. This segmentation allows continuous feeding from multiple sources, reducing the likelihood of interruption and stabilizing the overall feeding process while maintaining metered delivery control.
Solution Approach 2:
The first feeding bin is positioned upstream of the second feeding bin, allowing material to be fed into the first bin in advance. The feeding impeller of the first bin can continuously supply material to the second bin, ensuring that the second bin never runs dry and maintaining continuous feeding operation.
2Productivity
If a spiral conveyor is used to deliver powder materials, then conveying can be achieved, but feeding fluctuations occur due to small inlet opening and poor material retaining effect
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple feeding bins with feeding impellers instead of a single spiral conveyor, allowing segmented material delivery from multiple sources. This increases the total material flow capability while maintaining stable feeding through continuous operation of multiple impellers.
3Measurement precision
If a rotor scale is used to deliver powder materials, then weighing can be achieved, but feeding interruptions and large feeding fluctuations occur due to limited inlet size
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the single rotor scale with multiple feeding bins having feeding impellers, allowing parallel material delivery from multiple sources. This increases the total material flow capacity and eliminates feeding interruptions while maintaining measurement precision through controlled impeller rotation.
4Productivity
If pneumatic delivery is used downstream of the feeding device, then material delivery can be achieved, but reverse air flow causes material circulation and pile-up at the outlet
Solution Approach 1:
The first feeding bin is positioned upstream of the second feeding bin, creating a preliminary feeding stage that receives material before it reaches the pneumatic delivery system. This arrangement allows the pneumatic delivery to draw material from the second bin without causing reverse flow into the first bin, preventing material circulation and pile-up while maintaining accurate feeding measurement.
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 stabilizing flow feeder effectively reduces feeding fluctuations, ensures stable and accurate metering of powder materials, and prevents material flush and pile-up, thereby improving the overall efficiency and reliability of powder material delivery.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow-assisting device having a flow-assisting air path disposed in a top wall of the feeding bin, the flow-assisting air path being air-communicated with the feeding bin and configured to generate, from above the outlet, a flow-assisting air flowing outward through the outlet
Implementation Method 2
an agitating device rotatable about a vertical axis of the agitating bin being disposed in an interior of the agitating bin
Implementation Method 3
an interior of the feeding bin being provided with a feeding impeller rotatable about the vertical axis
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides a stabilizing flow feeder, comprising an agitating bin, a feeding bin, a driving device and an air flow-assisting device. The agitating bin is provided with an opening configured to receive powder material, an agitating device rotatable about a vertical axis being disposed in an interior of the agitating bin. A top of the feeding bin is provided with an inlet communicated with a bottom of the agitating bin, a bottom of the feeding bin is provided with an outlet staggered from the inlet, and an interior of the feeding bin is provided with a feeding impeller rotatable about the vertical axis. The driving device is configured to drive the agitating device and the feeding impeller to rotate. The air flow-assisting device has a flow-assisting air path disposed in a top wall of the feeding bin and air-communicated with the feeding bin and configured to generate, from above the outlet, a flow-assisting air flowing outward through the outlet. According to the present invention, the agitating device may allow the powder material to maintain fluidity and avoid dead spots caused by pile-up, and the flow-assisting air generated by the air flow-assisting device may overcome a reverse blow action exerted by the delivery air flow of a downstream delivery device, thereby making the powder material flow stably and evenly, reducing the feeding fluctuations and making the metering of the delivery amount accurate.