Device for capturing and removing magnetic material in a flow of material

Abstract

Device for capturing and removing magnetic material from a flow of material, wherein the device includes magnet assemblies including magnet rods for capturing magnetic material in a flow of material passing the magnet assemblies and where the magnet assemblies are removably arranged to a frame assembly of the device, wherein each magnet assembly includes a set of at least two magnet rods.

Claims

1. A device (100) for capturing and removing magnetic material from a flow of material, comprising magnet assemblies (10) including magnet rods (11) for capturing magnetic material in a flow of the material passing the magnet assemblies (10), the magnet assemblies (10) being removably arranged to a frame assembly (30) of the device (100), wherein the frame assembly (30) comprises a bottom (33), an upper plate (32), and pairs of guiding bars (36a-b), wherein the upper plate (32) is opposite the bottom (33), wherein the bottom (33) and the upper plate (32) include at least two corresponding holes (34, 35) for receiving the magnet assemblies (10), wherein the magnet rods (11) are configured to extend between the corresponding holes (34, 35), wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) extend between the corresponding holes (34, 35), and wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) are at distal ends of the corresponding holes (34, 35), and wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) are adapted to receive a magnet guider (17) of the magnet assemblies (10) each magnet assembly (10) including a set (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) of at least two magnet rods (11) encapsulated in a non-magnetic material (11a), wherein: the at least two magnet rods (11) of each set (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) are spaced both in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction in relation to each other and in relation to a flow direction of the material, wherein the longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to the flow direction of the material, wherein the transversal direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and wherein the magnet rods (11) of adjacent sets (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) of magnet rods (11) are configured to be spaced apart in the transversal direction in relation to the flow direction of the material, the at least two magnet rods (11) of each set (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) are arranged with switched polarisation at any horizontal section, thereby creating a magnetic field working together between separate magnet rods (11) of each set (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) and between magnet rods (11) of neighbouring sets (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) of magnet rods (11), and the magnet rods (11) are divided in at least two vertical magnet segments (11b) with switched polarisation at any vertical section, thereby creating a magnetic field working together between separate magnet segments (11b) vertically on the magnet rod (11) and between vertical magnetic segments (11b) of magnet rods (11) of neighbouring sets (111, 112, 113) of magnet rods (11), the device thereby creating a cross web of magnetic field on both the horizontal and vertical section between magnet rods (11) of each set (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a) and magnet rods (11) of neighbouring sets (111a-b, 112a-b, 113a-b) of magnet rods (11).

2. The device of claim 1, comprising at least one row of at least two magnet assemblies (10).

3. The device of claim 1, comprising at least two rows of magnet assemblies (10) for enabling continuous capturing of magnetic material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnet assemblies (10) include a handle device (14) to which the magnet rods (11) are fixed at an upper end and the magnet guider (17) to which the magnet rods (11) are fixed at a lower end.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly (30) is formed of a substantially U-shaped frame (31) such that the upper plate (32) is fixed between legs of the substantially U-shaped frame (31), and wherein the bottom (33) of the U-shaped frame (31) and the upper plate (32) include at least two rows of the corresponding holes (34, 35) for receiving the magnet assemblies (10).

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame assembly (30) includes at least two substantially U-shaped frames (31a-b) arranged in a series, the U-shaped frames (31a-b) each having an upper plate (32), wherein a respective U-shaped frame (41a-b) and upper plate (32) are provided with corresponding holes (34, 35) for receiving the magnet assemblies (10), arranged in series.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) extend between distal ends of the corresponding holes (34, 35) and are adapted for guiding and retaining the magnet assemblies (10), the guiding bars (36a-b) further configured to decrease speed of material flow through the device (100) to create turbulence behind the flow without significantly increasing pressure drop through the device (100).

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) extend between distal ends of the corresponding holes (34, 35) and are adapted for guiding and retaining the magnet assemblies (10), the guiding bars (36a-b) further configured to decrease speed of material flow through the device (100) to create turbulence behind the flow without significantly increasing pressure drop through the device (100).

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the pairs of guiding bars (36a-b) extend between distal ends of the corresponding holes (34, 35) and are adapted for guiding and retaining the magnet assemblies (10), the guiding bars (36a-b) further configured to decrease speed of material flow through the device (100) to create turbulence behind the flow without significantly increasing pressure drop through the device (100).

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnet rods (11) include non-magnetic end portions (13a, 13b).

11. The device of claim 4, wherein the magnet assemblies (10) include a wiper assembly (20) that is movable between the magnet handle device (14) and the magnet guider (17) for removing captured magnetic material.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein the upper plate (32) of the frame assembly (30) includes upward projecting flanges (37) provided with recesses (38) for receiving and retaining the handle device (14) of the magnet assembly (10).

13. The device of claim 4, wherein the upper plate (32) of the frame assembly (30) includes upward projecting flanges (37) provided with recesses (38) for receiving and retaining the handle device (14) of the magnet assembly (10).

14. The device of claim 5, wherein the holes (35) of the upper plate (32) and the corresponding holes (34) of the U-shaped frame (31, 31a-b) respectively extend in a direction between longitudinal sides of the upper plate (32) and the U-shaped frame (31, 31a-b) with an angle deviating from a straight line between the longitudinal sides to allow positioning of the at least two magnet rods (11) of a magnet assembly (10) in a fixed position in the frame assembly (30), allowing the magnet rods (11) to be displaceable both in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction in relation to the frame assembly (30) for providing a magnetic grid of magnet rods (11).

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnet rods (11) include permanent magnets.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the magnet rods (11) include controllable magnets.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the magnet assemblies is configured to be removable from the frame assembly while remaining ones of the magnet assemblies are arranged within the frame assembly.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein each one of the magnet assemblies includes a set of only two magnet rods.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will below be described in further detail with reference to the attached drawings, where

(2) FIG. 1a is a principle drawings of magnet assemblies according to the disclosure,

(3) FIG. 1b is an exploded view of the magnet assemblies of FIG. 1a,

(4) FIGS. 2a-2d are principle drawings of sets of magnet rods containing magnet segments with different polarisation, as well as showing magnetic field created thereby,

(5) FIG. 3a shows a frame assembly for the magnet assemblies of FIGS. 1a and 1b,

(6) FIG. 3b shows a frame assembly for magnet assemblies of FIGS. 1a and 1b,

(7) FIG. 4 is a principle drawing of a complete device according to the disclosure,

(8) FIG. 5a-5d show simulation of flow through a section of a magnet assembly according to the disclosure, with and without flow breakers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Reference is now made to FIG. 1a-b showing principle drawings of a magnet assembly 10 for a device 100, where FIG. 1b is an exploded view showing further details. The magnet assembly 10 according to the exemplary embodiment includes at a set of at least two magnet rods 11 in the form of permanent magnets, enclosed in a non-magnetic sleeve 11a or material, and where upper and lower ends 13a, 13b thereof do not contain magnets. Even if permanent magnet rods 11 hereafter will be used as the example, this does not limit the invention as also other magnet rods can be used, such as controllable magnet rods. The permanent magnet rods 11 are at upper end fixed to a magnet handle device 14 formed by a handle 15 and a fixation plate 16 having a mainly elliptic shape. At the lower end the permanent magnet rods 11 are fixed to a magnet guider 17 having a mainly elliptic shape with tapering distal ends 17a-b.

(10) The magnet assembly 10 further includes a wiper assembly 20 formed by upper and lower scraper bodies 21a and 21b having a mainly elliptic shape provided with through holes 22a-b for accommodating the permanent magnet rods 11. Between the scraper bodies 21a-b and in connection with the through holes 22a-b are arranged metal wipers 23a-b of non-magnetic material, one for each permanent magnet rod 11, which metal wipers 23a-b having a central opening adapted to outer surface of the permanent magnet rods 11. In this way the metal wipers 23a-b are movably arranged along the permanent magnet rods 11 by means of the scraper bodies 21a-b.

(11) Reference is now made to FIGS. 2a-d which shows principle drawings of interaction between permanent magnet rods 11 in a set 111a-b, 112a-b, i.e. a magnet assembly 10, and between neighbouring sets 111a-b, 112a-b, 113 of permanent magnet rods 11. In the example shown in FIG. 2a there are shown a set of two permanent magnet rods 11 of a magnet assembly 10, each magnet rod 11 containing e.g. four magnet segments 11b with opposite polarisation. In the shown example in FIG. 2a, the magnet rod 11 at the left side includes magnet segments 11b with north up and south down, while the magnet rod 11 at the right side includes magnet segments 11b with south up and north down, seen in the longitudinal direction of the magnet rods 11. By the use of magnet rods 11 formed by at least two magnet segments 11b, in the example permanent magnets, the sets of magnet rods 11 can be arranged in a frame assembly 30 (FIG. 3) with switched polarisation at any horizontal section, creating a magnetic field working together between the separate magnet rods 11 in each set, as well as between magnet rods 11 of neighbouring sets, as shown in FIGS. 2b and 2d. As the magnet rods 11 are divided in at least two vertical magnet segments 11b, with opposite polarisation, this will create the same effect vertically on the magnet rod 11. By this is achieved the creation of a cross web of magnetic field on both the horizontal and vertical section of set of magnet rods 11 of the magnet assembly 10, as well as between magnet rods 11 of neighbouring sets 111a-b, 112a-b, 113, as can been seen from FIGS. 2b and 2d. In FIGS. 2b and 2d there are shown two sets 111a-b and 112a-b formed by two magnet rods 11, a magnet rod 113a of a third set, and the sets 111a-b, 112a-b and 113a being spaced apart in transversal direction of the flow direction of the material, and the sets 111a-b, 112a-b, 113a of magnet rods 11 are arranged so that they deviate from the flow direction with an angle, i.e. the second magnet rod 11 of each set 111a-b, 112a-b is displaced both in longitudinal direction and transversal direction in relation to the first magnet rod 11 of the set 111a-b, 112a-b. In this way the mentioned sets 111a-b, 112a-b, 113a of magnet rods 11 form a magnetic grid with an extension both in the horizontal and vertical plane. As can be seen from the magnetic field lines in Figures the magnet rods 11 of each set 111a-b, 112a-b, 113 create magnetic fields therebetween, but also magnetic fields are created between magnet rods 11 of neighbouring sets 111a-b, 112a-b, 113a. This way of arranging sets of magnet rods 11 are not known from prior art.

(12) Reference is now made to FIG. 3a which is a principle drawing of a frame assembly 30 for the magnet assemblies 10 shown in FIG. 1. The frame assembly 30 is formed by a mainly U-shaped frame 31 and an upper plate 32 fixed between the legs of the U-shaped frame 31. Bottom 33 of the U-shaped frame 30 preferably exhibits a rectangular cross-section corresponding to the upper plate 32 and is further provided with mainly elliptic shaped holes 34 with tapering distal ends for receiving the magnet guider 17 of the permanent magnet assembly 10. The upper plate 32 is further provided with corresponding mainly elliptic holes 35 with tapering distal ends for receiving the permanent magnet assembly 10 and the shape and size of the wiper assembly 20 is larger than the elliptic holes 35, so that the scraper bodies 21a-b works as a stopper for the permanent magnet assembly 10 in vertical direction after insertion into the holes 34, 35.

(13) Between the holes 34 of the bottom 33 of the U-shaped frame 31 and the holes 35 of the upper plate 35 there are arranged pairs of U-shaped guiding bars 36a-b, arranged at the tapering distal ends of the holes 34, 35, which guiding bars 36a-b are arranged for guiding and retaining the permanent magnet assemblies 10 by that the openings of the U-shaped bars 36a-b are arranged facing each other.

(14) The frame assembly 30 is further at the upper side of the upper plate 32 provided with perpendicularly projecting flanges 37, arranged on both sides of the holes 35, which flanges 37 are provided with recesses 38 adapted for receiving and retaining the handle 15 of the permanent magnetic assembly 10.

(15) In this way the permanent magnet assemblies 10, when inserted into the holes 34, 35 and guiding bars 36a-b, and the handle 15 is secured in the recesses 38, the permanent magnet assemblies 10 will be locked for movement in any direction as a consequence of a material flowing past the permanent magnet rods 11.

(16) The holes 35 and 34 of the upper plate 32 and bottom 33, respectively, are further arranged so that they extend in a direction between longitudinal sides of the upper plate 32 and bottom 33, respectively, with an angle deviating from a straight line between the longitudinal sides, for in this way to position the sets of at least two permanent magnet rods 11 of a permanent magnet assembly 10 in a fixed position in the frame assembly 30, and so that the permanent magnet rods 11 are displaced both in longitudinal direction and transversal direction in relation to the frame assembly 30. In this way the permanent magnet assemblies 10, when arranged in the frame assembly 30 will form magnet grids of permanent magnet rods 11 being displaced in lateral and transversal direction in relation to each other, as well as in relation to the flow direction of the material. With the shown example where each permanent magnet assemblies 10 includes a set of two permanent magnet rods 11, a magnet grid of two rows of permanent magnets will be provided, where the first and second row of permanent magnets are displaced in relation to each other both in transversal and longitudinal direction of the frame assembly 30. If the permanent magnet assembly 10 includes a set of three permanent magnet rods 11, three rows of permanent magnet rods 11 will be provided per magnet assembly 10, and so on.

(17) It should be noted, that the distance between the respective permanent magnet rods 11 of a set in a permanent magnet assembly 10, and the distance between the respective permanent magnet assemblies 10 will be dependent on the properties of the permanent magnets in the permanent magnet rods 11.

(18) Reference is now made to FIG. 3b which shows an example of two U-shaped frames 31a and 31b, as described above, arranged together to form a frame assembly 30 arranged for receiving two rows of permanent magnet assemblies 10. Accordingly, if each permanent magnet assembly 10 includes a set of two permanent magnet rods 11, there will be provided two magnet grids as described above arranged in series.

(19) Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which is a principle drawing of a complete device 100 for capturing and removing magnetic material from a flow of material. In the shown example the frame assembly 30 consists of two frames 31a-b arranged together, and each frame 31a-b is provided with four permanent magnet assemblies 10, and where each permanent magnet assembly 10 is provided with a set of two permanent magnet rods 11. By the device 100 according to the disclosure it is provided a device 100 being easily scalable by adding frame assemblies 30 provided with permanent magnet assemblies 10, which can be adapted and arranged in a material flow line where material flows where it is desired to remove unwanted metal material from the flow of material. By that the device 100 according to the disclosure preferably includes at least two rows of permanent magnet assemblies 10 is achieved a solution where the operation can be continued, i.e. the flow of material do not need to be stopped during cleaning/removing of magnetic material from the permanent magnet assemblies 10, as the first row can be cleaned while the second row continues to capture unwanted metal material. By that the rows of permanent magnet assemblies 10 further is divided in several permanent magnet assemblies 10 one at all time ensures high effect on capturing unwanted magnetic material, as only parts (one permanent magnet assembly 10) is removed at time for cleaning, leaving the remaining permanent magnet assemblies 10 in the device for capturing magnetic material. Further, by means of the arrangement of at least two rows of permanent magnet assemblies 10 there will be no area left uncovered of permanent magnet rods 10, ensuring that the device 100 will at all time capture unwanted magnetic material.

(20) It is further achieved a device 100 where the permanent magnet assemblies 10 are easily insertable and removable from the frame assembly 30 by means of the guiding rods 36a-b which ensures correct insertion and removing of the permanent magnet assemblies 10. The guiding bars 36a-b is further arranged for decreasing speed of material flow through the device (100, and creating turbulence behind them, without significantly increasing pressure drop through the device 100, as shown in FIG. 5a-b.

(21) It is further achieved a device 100 where the permanent magnet assemblies 10 are easy handable due to the limited number of permanent magnet rods 11 which make them handable for a single person. By this the low weight requirements according to HES (Health, Environment and Safety) are fulfilled.

(22) By that the permanent magnet assemblies 10 are provided with a wiper assembly 20, the captured unwanted metal material can easily be removed from the permanent magnet assemblies 10 by a single person moving the wiper assembly 20 from the handle device 14 and down to the end of the permanent magnet assemblies 10 and back to the handle device 14.

(23) The disclosed embodiments are especially suitable for capturing and removing metal cuttings from an oil well drilling mud stream onshore or offshore, metal material in a flow of raw material, process lines in food industry (animal, fish and human food) and also recovery or recycling plants, etc.