V-shaped Trough Pneumatic Conveyor for Solid Particulate Trans-loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fine solids with high sticking tendencies tend to form lumps during trans-loading from bulk containers, causing clogs in pneumatic hoses and disrupting the trans-loading process, especially in systems with high surface charge, hygroscopic nature, and irregular shapes.
Innovation Solution
A portable pneumatic conveyor system featuring a V-shaped trough with angled sides and integrated aerators, using vacuum and pressurized gas to fluidize and break up lumps, ensuring continuous flow and reducing agglomeration, with adjustable vacuum levels and gas supply to accommodate various particle sizes and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pneumatic conveyors are used to trans-load fine solids, then trans-loading efficiency is improved, but solids with high sticking tendencies form lumps and block the pneumatic hoses
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a vibratory mechanism that applies mechanical vibration to the solids in the trough, preventing particles from sticking together and forming lumps. This vibration keeps the material fluidized and ensures continuous flow through the pneumatic hose without blockages, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining high trans-loading efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state of the solids by applying vibration and controlling material flow parameters. By adjusting the vibration frequency and intensity, the solids maintain a fluidized state that prevents lumping and clogging, allowing reliable continuous operation at high productivity.
2Reliability
If mechanical vibration is applied to screws or augers to de-lump particles, then operation interruptions are avoided, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the vibration function from the traditional screw/auger mechanism and applies it directly to the material in the trough. This separate vibration source is simpler to implement and maintain than vibrating screws or augers, reducing overall device complexity while ensuring continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pneumatic conveyance combined with vibration rather than mechanical screws or augers. This pneumatic approach with integrated vibration is simpler and more reliable for handling fine, sticky solids, avoiding the complexity of mechanical conveying mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If conventional loading/unloading pits with augers are used, then fine solids can be handled, but the system becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces bulky mechanical auger systems with a compact pneumatic conveyor trough. Fine solids are handled efficiently through the pneumatic flow and vibration mechanism, which is much more space-efficient and cost-effective than traditional loading/unloading pits with mechanical augers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental approach from mechanical conveying to pneumatic conveying with vibration. This parameter change enables fine solids handling in a compact, cost-effective system that eliminates the need for large pits and complex mechanical auger assemblies.
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 system effectively prevents lumping and ensures smooth trans-loading of fine solids by maintaining continuous motion and reducing compaction, enhancing flowability and trans-loading efficiency even with difficult-to-handle materials like adipic acid powder.
Implementation Method 1
Gas pressure from about 117 kPa to about 241 kPa, or from about 158 kPa to about 172 kPa, is applied to the aerators to aid in fluidizing the solid particulates and disperse any lumpy conglomerates of particulates
Implementation Method 2
The storage container can be at least partially evacuated to cause at least a partial vacuum therein, and apply vacuum to the vacuum pipe of the V-shaped trough through a vacuum conveyor hose
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~4F
AI summary
A method and system for trans-loading solid particulates from a hopper to a storage container, by clamping a trough (110) to a discharge gate of the hopper, the trough having an open top, sides, and a bottom, a vacuum pipe (140) extending into the trough, and at least one aerator (150) located on the trough, to which is provided an aerating gas. The method further comprises at least partially evacuating the storage container to cause at least a partial vacuum therein and drawing a vacuum through a conveyor hose connected to the trough.