Stackable Shielding Beams for Bulk Material Analyzer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk material analyzers are cumbersome and require significant modifications to existing conveyor support structures, limiting their flexibility and ease of installation, especially when dealing with varying conveyor belt sizes and shapes.
Innovation Solution
A modular assembly of components including radiation source and detector boxes, stackable structural beams with radiation shielding material, and adjustable spacers, allowing for flexible configuration and mounting directly on existing conveyor support structures without substantial modification, while effectively minimizing unwanted radiation signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a large quantity of radiation shielding material is used to protect persons from harmful radiation, then radiation protection is improved, but the bulk material analyzer assembly becomes so large that it is not easily handled for transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation shielding material is divided into multiple discrete blocks that can be individually handled and transported. These blocks are then assembled together to form the complete shielding structure around the radiation source and detector, combining adequate radiation protection with ease of transportation and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation shielding blocks are designed to nest together in a modular configuration, with each block containing internal cavities or channels that allow for the passage of the conveyor belt and integration with the radiation source and detector assemblies. This nesting arrangement maximizes shielding effectiveness while minimizing overall assembly size.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a modular assembly is designed to accommodate different conveyor belt sizes and shapes, then adaptability is improved, but the assembly requires more complex component configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The modular shielding blocks are designed with universal features including standardized connection interfaces, adjustable positioning mechanisms, and configurable internal channels that can accommodate various conveyor belt widths, shapes, and trajectories. The same basic block design can be arranged in different configurations to suit different application requirements without requiring entirely different component sets.
Solution Approach 2:
The assembly includes adjustable and reconfigurable elements such as movable shielding panels, adjustable support structures, and flexible positioning mechanisms that allow the modular assembly to be dynamically adapted to different conveyor belt configurations. These dynamic features enable the same assembly to accommodate varying belt sizes and shapes through simple repositioning rather than requiring complex custom-designed components for each scenario.
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
Enables a compact, lightweight bulk material analyzer that can be easily installed and adapted to different conveyor systems, reducing interference from conveyor support structures and improving analysis accuracy by strategic radiation shielding.
Implementation Method 1
the term 'radiation shielding material' means material that absorbs, scatters, attenuates and/or reflects neutron radiation and/or gamma radiation
Data Source
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AI summary
A bulk material analyzer (Figure 2) is variably constructed from an assembly of components The analyzer (Figure 2) is the type that is used to analyze bulk material (28) transported on a conveyor belt (29) through an activation region (30) between at least one radiation source (element 11) and at least one radiation detector (12) within the bulk material analyzer (Figure 2) The assembly includes a radiation-source box (11) for disposition either above the activation region (30) or below the conveyor belt (29), a radiation-detector box (12) for disposition on the opposite side of the activation region (30) and the conveyor belt (29) from the radiation-source box (11); and a set of stackable structural beams ( 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) predominantly containing radiation shielding material and configured for stacking about the activation region (30), the radiation-source box (11) and the radiation-detector box (12) to prevent unwanted radiation being generated and transported to the radiation-detector box (12).