Vacuum Transfer Wheel Sealing for Continuous Powder Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum grinding systems for products like food and pharmaceutical powders face challenges in maintaining a vacuum environment effectively, leading to oxidation and alteration of product qualities, and are often bulky and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A transfer system utilizing a transfer wheel with pockets that minimizes air flow between the intake and distribution areas, using a combination of dimensional adjustment and sealing mechanisms to maintain a constant pressure differential, and an air extraction system to remove air from pockets before processing, ensuring continuous and efficient product transfer in a vacuum environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a valve control system is used to transfer product into the grinding chamber, then product can be transferred continuously under vacuum, but the system becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the product transfer function with the vacuum maintenance function by integrating the transfer wheel into the vacuum chamber structure. The transfer wheel serves dual purposes: transporting product and maintaining the vacuum seal, eliminating the need for separate valve control mechanisms and reducing overall system bulkiness.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer wheel is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a product transfer mechanism and a vacuum seal component. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain continuous product transfer while preserving the vacuum environment without requiring additional specialized equipment.
2Ease of operation
If air is allowed to pass between intake zone and distribution zone, then product transfer is simplified, but vacuum environment is compromised causing oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs sealing elements and the transfer wheel structure itself as barriers to prevent air leakage. These sealing mechanisms create a controlled environment that allows product transfer while blocking air from reaching the vacuum chamber, thus preventing oxidation without complicating the transfer process.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer wheel acts as an intermediary mechanism between the atmospheric pressure intake zone and the vacuum distribution zone. It provides a controlled interface that enables product transfer while maintaining the vacuum seal, preventing direct air contact with the vacuum environment.
3Productivity
If the transfer wheel has large pockets for continuous transfer, then productivity increases, but air flow control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different sealing characteristics to different parts of the transfer wheel structure. The pockets are designed with specific sealing properties at their interfaces with the vacuum chamber, allowing large pocket volumes for high productivity while maintaining localized air flow control through targeted sealing mechanisms.
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 allows for continuous processing while maintaining a vacuum environment, minimizing oxidation and ensuring the quality of the product by controlling air flow and pressure, and is more compact compared to existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The body and the transfer wheel cooperate to form a substantially airtight barrier between the intake zone and the distribution zone... a pressure difference between the two zones can be kept substantially constant
Implementation Method 2
The treatment chamber is placed under vacuum... the interior of the treatment chamber, which is advantageously under vacuum, in particular at an absolute pressure of between 0.05 and 0.3 bar
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a system (10) for transferring product, particularly in a vacuum processing chamber, said transfer system (10) comprising: - a body (12) defining a cavity (14), and - a transfer wheel (20) housed in said cavity (14) and provided with at least one pocket (28) at its periphery, the wheel (20) being adapted to rotate so as to convey product from said inlet zone (A) to said distribution zone (D), wherein the transfer wheel (20) and the body (12) cooperate to form a substantially airtight barrier between the two zones (A, D). The invention also relates to a processing system comprising such a transfer system and a corresponding processing method.