ROTARY PRESSURE FILTER MODULE

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotary pressure filter module (100) which comprises a rotary pressure filter (200) having a plurality of supply lines (302, 318, 330) for supplying a suspension, washing medium, drying medium, and optionally other operating media to be filtered and having a plurality of discharge lines (314, 326, 348) for discharging mother filtrate, washing filtrate, and filter cakes, different sensor devices (306/308/310, 322/324, 334/336, 316, 328, 349) being assigned to the supply lines and the discharge lines, and adjusting devices also being assigned to the supply lines, the rotary pressure filter module (100) additionally comprising a control device (400) which is connected to the sensor devices and the adjusting devices. According to the invention, the decentralised control device (400) assigned to the rotary pressure filter (200) is arranged on the rotary pressure filter (200) or in its immediate vicinity and has a signal input via which it can be brought into data exchange connection with a central control device, which does not belong to the rotary pressure filter module (100), of a higher-level production system.

Claims

1. A rotary pressure filter module, comprising: a rotary pressure filter, comprising: a first supply line for supplying a suspension to be filtered, the first supply line associated with: a first sensor device, wherein the first sensor device determines at least one physical property of the suspension, and a first adjusting device, wherein the first adjusting device influences a supply of the suspension, a second supply line for supplying a washing medium, the second supply line associated with a second sensor device, wherein the second sensor device determines at least one physical property of the washing medium and a second adjusting device for influencing the supply of the washing medium, a third supply line for supplying a drying medium, the third supply line associated with a third sensor device, wherein the third sensor device determines at least one physical property of the drying medium, as well as a third adjusting device for influencing the supply of the drying medium, a first discharge line for discharging a mother filtrate, the first discharge line associated with a fourth sensor device, wherein the fourth sensor device determines at least one physical property of the mother filtrate discharged, a second discharge line for discharging a washing filtrate, the second discharge line associated with a fifth sensor device, wherein the fifth sensor device determines at least one physical property of the discharged washing filtrate, a third discharge line for discharging a filter cake, the third discharge line associated with a sixth sensor device, wherein the sixth sensor device determines at least one physical property of the discharged filter cake; and a control device associated with the rotary pressure filter, comprising: at least one signal input for supplying detection signals from sensor devices comprising the first sensor device, the second sensor device, the third sensor device, the fourth sensor device, the fifth sensor device, and the sixth sensor device, and at least one signal output for outputting control signals to adjusting devices, wherein a decentralised control device associated with the rotary pressure filter is arranged on the rotary pressure filter or in a vicinity of the rotary pressure filter and can be brought into a data exchange connection with a central control device of a higher-level production system via a signal input, wherein the rotary pressure filter module does not comprise the central control device.

2. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the decentralised control device comprises an input unit to receive an operating start signal from the central control device and at least one of a type of the supplied suspension, an amount of filter cake to be discharged, a quality of the discharged filter cake, and a type of operation mode.

3. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the decentralised control device comprises a manipulated variable determination unit to determine manipulated variables for one or more of the adjusting devices based on one or more detection signals provided by one or more of the sensor devices and based on information received from the central control device.

4. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the decentralised control device comprises a monitoring unit to monitor compliance with manipulated variables on the basis of the detection signals received from the sensor devices and to output corrective control signals to the adjusting devices.

5. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the decentralised control device comprises an output unit to transmit information about an operation of the rotary pressure filter module to the central control device.

6. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 3, further comprising a manipulated variable determination unit to determine the manipulated variables via one or more of (a) building a predetermined determination program in a manner of a fixedly predetermined decision tree or (b) accessing at least one multidimensional value table.

7. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 3, wherein the manipulated variable determination unit is equipped with artificial intelligence.

8. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 7, wherein the artificial intelligence comprises one or more of an adaptive decision tree or a neural network, wherein the one or more of the adaptive decision tree or the neural network is generated based on training data.

9. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 7, wherein the artificial intelligence comprises static intelligence.

10. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 7, wherein the artificial intelligence comprises adaptive intelligence.

11. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 10, wherein the decentralised control device comprises a memory unit for storing training data sets for the artificial intelligence.

12. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter has a fourth discharge line for discharging the drying medium, wherein a seventh sensor device is associated with the fourth discharge line.

13. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 12, wherein the fourth discharge line is connected to a separating device, wherein the separating device is designed to separate the drying medium from residual filtrate.

14. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter comprises a cake thickness sensor.

15. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter comprises a fourth supply line for supplying a filter cake blowback medium, wherein a seventh sensor device is associated with the filter cake blowback medium.

16. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter comprises a fifth supply line for supplying filter cloth rinsing liquid, wherein a seventh sensor device comprising one or more of a pressure sensor or a pressure flow rate sensor is associated with the fifth supply line.

17. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter comprises a sixth supply line for supplying a filter cloth blowback medium, wherein a seventh sensor device comprising a pressure sensor is associated with the sixth supply line.

18. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein the rotary pressure filter comprises a seventh supply line for supplying pressing medium, wherein a seventh sensor device comprising a pressure sensor is associated with the seventh supply line.

19. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein a seventh sensor device comprising one or more of a rotational speed sensor, a torque sensor, or a sensor for power consumed by a drive device of the rotary pressure filter is associated with the drive device.

20. The rotary pressure filter module of claim 1, wherein a wear sensor is associated with at least one sealing element of the rotary pressure filter.

Description

[0060] The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0061] FIG. 1 is a roughly schematic illustration of a rotary pressure filter module according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken orthogonally to the axis of rotation of the filter drum thereof, of a rotary pressure filter as can be used in the rotary pressure filter module according to the invention;

[0063] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the rotary pressure filter of FIG. 2 taken along the axis of rotation of the filter drum; and

[0064] FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the design of a decentralised control device as can be used in the rotary pressure filter module according to the invention.

[0065] In FIG. 1, a rotary pressure filter module is very generally denoted by 100. The rotary pressure filter module 100 comprises a rotary pressure filter 200, which is also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and a control device 400, the schematic design of which is shown in FIG. 4.

[0066] As shown in particular in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotary pressure filter 200 comprises a filter housing 210 and a filter drum 212 rotating in the filter housing 210 about an axis of rotation A. The filter housing 210 comprises a housing casing unit 214 having end rings 216. The housing casing unit 214 is supported on a foundation (not shown) by means of a filter housing support 218 attached to the end rings 216. End shields 220, which comprise rotor bearings 222, are fastened to the filter housing 210. The filter drum 212 is rotatably mounted in the rotor bearings 222 by means of two end portions 224 and 226. The filter drum 212 comprises a rotor casing unit 228. The rotor casing unit 228 and the housing casing unit 214 form a space 230 therebetween. This space 230 is subdivided into space zones Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, also called segment zones but simply referred to as “zone” in the following, by zone separating means 232. At its axially spaced ends, the space 230 is sealed by sealing assemblies 234.

[0067] The outer face of the rotor casing unit 228 facing the space 230 is designed as a cell structure. This cell structure comprises filter cells 236 and 237. A filter means 238 is arranged in each filter cell 236, 237 and covers a discharge opening 240. The discharge openings 240 of a pair of filter cells 236, 237 are connected to the core 244 of a control head 246, which circulates with the filter drum 212, by a discharge line 242 which also circulates with the filter drum 212. The circulating core 244 is arranged on the end portion 224 of the filter drum 212 in a rotationally fixed manner. The control head 246 also comprises a stator 248, which is supported on the filter housing 210 against rotation and surrounds the core 244. Ring segment chambers 250 are formed in the stator 248, each of the ring segment chambers 250 corresponding in its circumferential length to the circumferential length of one of the zones Z1 to Z4. A stationary discharge line 252 leads from the ring segment chambers 250 assigned to zones Z1 to Z3 to a relevant collecting space (not shown), while the ring segment chamber 250 assigned to zone Z4, as will be explained in more detail below, can be connected to a supply line for blowback air.

[0068] The filter drum 212 is driven by a transmission unit 254. The transmission unit 254 comprises a large gear wheel 256 and a drive pinion 258. The drive pinion 258 is driven by an electric motor 260. The speed of the electric motor 260 is transmitted into slow speed by the transmission unit 254, so that the filter drum 212 rotates at a speed of the order of magnitude of 0.5 to 4 revolutions per minute. The direction of rotation is indicated by an arrow U in FIG. 2.

[0069] In FIG. 1, the zones Z1 to Z4 are shown roughly schematically as rectangles. The left-hand side of these rectangles in FIG. 1 corresponds to the outer circumferential surface of the filter drum 212, while the right-hand side in FIG. 1 corresponds to the radially inner side of the filter drum 212 connected to the discharge lines 242.

[0070] The rotary pressure filter 200 described above operates, for example, as follows:

[0071] A supply fitting A1 of the rotary pressure filter 200 is connected to a supply line 302 for filter material FG. The filter material FG can be, for example, a liquid-solid suspension, the solids content of which is to be separated from the liquid. The filter material FG passes through the supply fitting A1 into the filtration zone Z1 and spreads there.

[0072] The amount of filter material FG that reaches the filtration zone Z1 per unit of time is determined via a metering valve 304, which receives its setting commands from the decentralised control device 400 via a control signal line 402. The supply line 302 is also assigned a pressure sensor 306 and a flow rate sensor 308, for example a mass flow sensor and/or a volumetric flow sensor. If necessary, the supply line 302 can also be assigned further sensors which detect further properties of the filter material FG, for example a temperature sensor and/or a solids content sensor and/or a density sensor and/or a viscosity sensor and/or a particle size distribution sensor. These further sensors are represented in FIG. 1 by a sensor 310 and three points. Finally, the pressure that is established in the filtration zone Z1 can also be detected via a pressure sensor 312.

[0073] The liquid component of the filter material FG is pressed through the filter means 238 of the cells 236, 237, such that the solids content in the supply spaces 266 collects radially outside the filter means 238 as filter cake FK, and passes as filtrate through the discharge openings 240 into the discharge lines 242. The filtrate flow is indicated in FIG. 3 by the arrows PM. If FIG. 2 is considered a snapshot during the continuous rotary movement of the filter drum 212, then at the corresponding moment all the filter cells 236, 237, which are radially opposite the filtration zone Z1 and are open towards said zone, are connected to the supply fitting A1, and furthermore the discharge openings 240 of these cells 236, 237, which are in connection with the filtration zone Z1, are each connected to the core 244 of the control head 246 via a discharge line 242 and are further connected via the stator 248 of the control head 246 to the stationary discharge line 252, which leads to a filtrate collecting container (not shown).

[0074] The circulating discharge lines 242 located in the filtration zone Z1 form a first portion of a discharge line 314 (see FIG. 1) assigned to the filtration zone Z1, while the stationary discharge line 252 forms a second portion of this discharge line 314. Various sensors can also be assigned to the discharge line 314, for example a conductivity sensor and/or a turbidity sensor and/or a pH value sensor, which are represented in FIG. 1 by the sensor 316 and three points.

[0075] In the course of the further rotation of the filter drum 212, the cell group 236/237 is separated from the filtration zone Z1 as it passes the zone separating means 232 and comes into connection with the washing zone Z2, in which the filter cake FK is cleaned. For this purpose, a supply fitting A2 of the rotary pressure filter 200 is connected to a supply line 318 for washing medium WM, for example a washing liquid. The washing medium WM passes through the supply fitting A2 into the washing zone Z2 and spreads there.

[0076] The amount of washing medium WM that reaches the washing zone Z2 per unit of time is determined via a metering valve 320. The supply line 318 is also assigned a pressure sensor 322 and a flow rate sensor 324.

[0077] The washing medium WM penetrates the filter cake FK and the filter medium 238 in order to then pass through the relevant discharge opening 240 into the relevant discharge line 242. The discharge lines 242 of all the filter cells 236, 237, which are currently in connection with the zone Z2 in the snapshot according to FIG. 2, are supplied to a washing liquid collecting container (not shown) through a ring segment chamber (not shown in FIG. 3) by means of a stationary discharge line (also not shown), which washing liquid collecting container can be followed by a separating stage in order to separate the washed-out liquid components from the cake from the washing liquid and to be able to use the washing liquid for a new washing process.

[0078] The circulating discharge lines 242 located in the washing zone Z2 form a first portion of a discharge line 326 assigned to the washing zone Z2, while the stationary discharge line (not shown) forms a second portion of this discharge line 326. Various sensors can also be assigned to the discharge line 326, for example a conductivity sensor and/or a turbidity sensor and/or a pH value sensor, which are represented in FIG. 1 by the sensor 328 and three points.

[0079] In the course of the further rotation of the filter drum 212, the cell group 236/237 is separated from the washing zone Z2 as it passes the zone separating means 232 and comes into connection with the drying zone Z3, which serves to dry the filter cake FK washed in the washing zone Z2. For this purpose, a supply fitting A3 of the rotary pressure filter 200 is connected to a supply line 330 for drying medium TM, for example drying air. The drying medium TM passes through the supply fitting A3 into the drying zone Z3 and spreads there.

[0080] The amount of drying medium TM that reaches the drying zone Z3 per unit of time is determined via a metering valve 332. The supply line 330 is also assigned a pressure sensor 334 and a flow rate sensor 336.

[0081] In the drying zone Z3, the drying medium TM passes through the filter cake FK and the filter medium 238 and can in turn reach the control head 246 through the relevant discharge opening 240 and the relevant associated discharge line 242. There, the drying medium TM is fed to a further ring segment chamber (not shown) of the stator 248 and can escape into the atmosphere therefrom through a stationary discharge line (also not shown), which together form a discharge line 338, or can be supplied to a separating device 340 in which the liquid components discharged from the filter cake FK by the drying medium TM can be separated.

[0082] In addition to a pressure sensor 342, at least one further sensor 344, for example an oxygen partial pressure sensor, can also be assigned to the discharge line 338 and/or the separating device 340. A cake thickness sensor 346 can also be provided in the drying zone Z3.

[0083] When the filter cells 236, 237 have passed through the zone separating means 232 between the drying zone Z3 and the ejection zone Z4, the treatment is ended and the filter cake FK can be ejected via a discharge line 348, preferably designed as an ejection chute. According to FIG. 1, at least one quality sensor 349 is assigned to the ejection chute 348, which sensor detects the quality of the ejected filter cake. A possible quality sensor 349 can be designed, for example, as a residual moisture sensor.

[0084] The ejection of the filter cake FK can be facilitated by an ejector scraper 262, which can be introduced into the filter cells 236, 237 and later withdrawn again by means of a fluidically, preferably pneumatically, actuatable power device (not shown). The supply line for actuating fluid leading to this power device is denoted by 350 in FIG. 1, the metering valve assigned to this supply line 350 by 352 and the pressure sensor assigned to the supply line 350 by 354.

[0085] Furthermore, the ejection of the filter cake can be facilitated by blowing back using blowback gas, preferably blowback air, which in particular helps to detach the filter cake FK from the filter medium 238. The blowback gas can be supplied via a supply line 356 which is at least partially formed by the lines 242 arranged in the ejection zone Z4. The supply line 356 is in turn assigned a metering valve 358 and a pressure sensor 360.

[0086] A washing nozzle 268 can also be provided in the ejection zone Z4, by means of which any filter cake residues in the cells 236, 237 can be washed out. The washing nozzle 268 can be connected to a supply line 362 for filter cloth rinsing medium, which supply line in turn can be assigned a metering valve 364, a pressure sensor 366 and a flow rate sensor 368. The cleaning of the filter cloth can also be supported by blowback gas. The blowback gas can be supplied via a supply line 370 which is at least partially formed by the lines 242 arranged in the ejection zone Z4. The supply line 370 is in turn assigned a metering valve 372 and a pressure sensor 374.

[0087] Furthermore, the discharge line 270 for filter cloth rinsing medium can be assigned a turbidity sensor 271, the degree of turbidity being used as a measure of the completeness of the discharge of the filter cake FK.

[0088] Finally, to prepare the filter cells 236, 237 for the next filtration cycle, the filter medium 238, for example the filter cloth, can be placed against the bottom of the relevant filter cell or a support mesh (not shown) provided there by a gas surge. The gas for this gas surge can be supplied via a supply line 376 which in turn can be assigned a metering valve 378 and a pressure sensor 380.

[0089] At least one further sensor can also be assigned to the drive motor 260, for example a rotational speed sensor and/or a drive power sensor and/or a torque sensor and/or a sensor for the power consumed by the drive device 260. The at least one further sensor is represented in FIG. 1 by the sensor 382 and three points.

[0090] Furthermore, sensors, for example wear sensors, can be assigned to the sealing devices of the rotary pressure filter 200, i.e. to the sealing assemblies 234 formed, for example, by stuffing box packings, and to the zone separating elements 232. In addition, a sensor can be provided which detects the fill level in a storage container for lubricant, for example lubricant for the rotor bearings 222, and/or a sensor for detecting the moisture content of the lubricant. All of these sensors are indicated in FIG. 1 by the sensor 384.

[0091] It should be added that all the sensors 306, 308, 310, 316, 322, 324, 328, 334, 336, 342, 344, 346, 349, 354, 360, 366, 368, 374, 380, 382 and 384 transmit the detection signals thereof to the control device 400 via a signal line 404, and that all the metering valves 304, 320, 332, 352, 356, 364, 372 and 378 receive the adjusting signals thereof from the control device 400 via a signal line 402. In addition, a metering pump can be provided instead of one or more of the metering valves.

[0092] It should also be added that all of the above-mentioned flow rate sensors can be formed by a mass flow sensor and/or a volumetric flow sensor.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 4, the decentralised control device 400 comprises a monitoring unit 406, which is connected via an input unit 408 and an output unit 410 to a central control device (not shown) which is part of a higher-level production system in which the rotary pressure filter module 100 is integrated.

[0094] The monitoring unit 406 serves to monitor compliance with manipulated variables which have been transmitted thereto by a manipulated variable determination unit 412. It does this by outputting appropriate adjusting signals via the signal line 402 to the metering valves 304, 320, 332, 352, 356, 364, 372 and 378 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “metering valves 414” for the sake of simplicity) and to monitor the response thereto on the basis of the detection signals transmitted thereto from the sensors 306, 308, 310, 316, 322, 324, 328, 334, 336, 342, 344, 346, 349, 354, 360, 366, 368, 374, 380, 382 and 384 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “sensors 416” for the sake of simplicity).

[0095] The manipulated variable determination unit 412 determines the manipulated variables on the basis of the production specifications received from the central control device of the production system via the input unit 408, taking into consideration the detection signals received from the sensors 416, which have been forwarded to the determination unit by the monitoring unit 406. The production specifications can contain, for example, information about the type of product FG to be filtered, the amount of filter cake FK to be ejected per unit of time, the quality of the filter cake FK to be ejected, and the like.

[0096] For example, the manipulated variable determination unit 412 can determine the manipulated variables using artificial intelligence, preferably an artificial intelligence that is continuously learning. The artificial intelligence can advantageously comprise at least one adaptive decision tree and/or at least one neural network, which can be generated on the basis of training data that are stored in a memory unit 418.

[0097] The training data stored in the memory unit 418 can already have been stored there when the rotary pressure filter module 100 was first put into operation and, for example, recorded on other rotary pressure filter modules of the same design. However, it is also possible to record training data while the rotary filter arrangement 100 is in operation and to store it in the memory unit 418. In this case, the artificial intelligence learns from the experiences it has made itself. It may be necessary to overwrite older training data when storing new training data.

[0098] The continuity of further learning does not have to be permanent or stepless continuity. Rather, it is also possible to retrain the artificial intelligence again and again only at predetermined time intervals. In addition, the training of the artificial intelligence does not need to be taken over by the decentralised control device 400 itself. Rather, it is also conceivable to transmit all the data required for the training by means of a transmission unit 420 to a remote service centre in which the artificial intelligence of the manipulated variable determination unit 412 is mirrored, to carry out the training on this “mirror system” and to feed back the trained system to the decentralised control device 400 again.

[0099] In addition to the tasks explained above, the decentralised control device 400 can, for example, take on the following additional tasks:

[0100] Should the decentralised control device 400 determine, on the basis of the detection signals of the sensors 416 and the setting options of the metering valves 414, that the production specifications made thereto by the central control device of the production system cannot be fulfilled or can only be fulfilled with a loss of quality or quantity of the ejected filter cake FK or an increased consumption, in particular an economically unjustifiable increased consumption, of resources, for example washing medium WM, said decentralised control device can output a corresponding warning message to the central control device of the production system and request corrected production specifications therefrom.

[0101] In this context, it is also conceivable that the decentralised control device 400 submits suggestions to the central control device of the production system as to which production specifications could be complied with, taking into consideration a predetermined cost-benefit efficiency.

[0102] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the decentralised control device 400, based on the detection signals transmitted by the wear sensors 384 on the basis of a wear model, which can also be based on artificial intelligence, for example, makes a prediction as to when the next maintenance should be carried out at the latest, for example when lubricant needs to be refilled or seals need to be replaced.