CONVEYOR-BELT FILTERING DEVICE AND METHOD

Abstract

A conveyor-belt filtering device includes an endless filtering belt, which has at least one filtering element, a frame, a lower deflection apparatus and at least one upper deflection apparatus. The endless filtering belt has at least one collecting element, which is adapted for collecting foreign solids, in particular sand, stones, pebbles or the like, which are present in the liquid, in particular in an area of the lower deflection apparatus.

Claims

1. A conveyor-belt filtering device, adapted for mechanically cleaning a liquid flowing in a channel and contaminated with solids, the conveyor-belt filtering devicecomprising: an endless filtering belt having at least one filtering element adapted to retain solids present in and contaminating the liquid; a frame; a lower deflection apparatus and at least one upper deflection apparatus, wherein the endless filtering belt ing is guided and moveable via the lower deflection apparatus and the upper deflection apparatus, and wherein the endless filtering belt, the lower deflection apparatus and the upper deflection are disposed on the frame, characterized in that the endless filtering belt has at least one collecting element adapted for collecting foreign solids including sand, stones, and pebbles, which are present in the liquid, in an areaof the lower deflection apparatus, disposed in a bottom area of the channel, and differ essentially from solids present in and contaminating the liquid.

2. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one filtering elementhas a perforation adapted for liquid to flow through while retaining solids.

3. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 2, wherein the perforation is further adapted for at least partially letting foreign solids pass.

4. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one filtering element has a surface adapted for adhering and discharging solids.

5. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one collecting element has a collecting bag adapted for collecting and discharging the foreign solids, the collecting bag having an opening adapted to allow the foreign solids to enter the collecting bag.

6. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the collecting baghas a perforation, preferably on a bottom of the collecting bag, the perforation being adapted for enabling the liquid having entered the collecting bag via the opening to exit the collecting bag.

7. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 6, wherein the perforation is further adapted for enabling the foreign solids to at least partially exit the collecting bag.

8. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the collecting element has a rear wall, a front wall, a bottom wall, a top wall, a first lateral walland a second lateral wall, which together form the collecting bag, the opening extending between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall and being formed in an upper area of a front sideof the at least one collecting element, the opening being bound by the top wall and the front wall.

9. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the endless filtering belthas at least one conveyor chain, the at least one filtering element and/or the at least one collecting element having at least one driver, whereby the at least one filtering element and/or the at least one collecting element is disposed on the conveyor chain.

10. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the conveyor-belt filtering device comprises a filter-material discharge device having a dropping channel in an area of the upper deflection apparatus.

11. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the conveyor-belt filtering device comprises a wiping apparatus, in an area of the upper deflection apparatus.

12. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 5, wherein the conveyor-belt filtering device comprises a bottom seal in the area of the lower deflection apparatus, the bottom seal at least partially making contact with the endless filtering belt and being adapted for preventing the liquid from circumnavigating the conveyor-belt filtering device in the area of the lower deflection apparatus.

13. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 12, wherein the bottom seal has a brush and a seal element made of a rubber-like material and at least covering the brush.

14. The conveyor-belt filtering device according to claim 12, wherein the bottom seal is able to be engaged in such a manner for unburdening the bottom seal with the at least one collecting element when the at least one collecting element passes the bottom seal owing to a movement caused by the endless filtering belt so that the foreign solids present on the bottom seal are collected by means of the at least one collecting element.

15. A method for mechanically cleaning a liquid flowing in a channel and contaminated with solids by means of a conveyor-belt filtering device, the conveyor-belt filtering device being disposed in the channel, comprising: retaining the solids present in and contaminating the liquid by at least one filtering element of an endless filtering belt of the conveyor-belt filtering device; guiding and moving the endless filtering belt over a lower deflection apparatus of the conveyor-belt filtering device and at least one upper deflection apparatus of the conveyor-belt filtering device, the endless filtering belt and the lower deflection apparatus and the upper deflection apparatus being disposed on a frame of the conveyor-belt filtering device; and collecting foreign solids, including sand, stones, and pebbles, which are present in the liquid, in an area of the lower deflection apparatus and differ essentially from solids present in and contaminating the liquid, by means of at least one collecting element of the endless filtering belt.

16. The method according to claim 15, further including contacting a bottom seal of the conveyor-belt filtering device with the endless filtering belt in the area of the lower deflection apparatus to preventthe liquid from circumnavigateing the conveyor-belt filtering device in the area of the lower deflection apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including (a) amassing the foreign solids at least partially on the bottom seal and (b) engaging the bottom seal with the at least one collecting element when the collecting element passes the bottom seal owing to a movement caused by the endless filtering beltso that the foreign solids present on the bottom seal are collected by means of the at least one collecting element.

18. The method according to claim 17, further including dropping the foreign solids at least partially in an areaof the upper deflection apparatus.

19. The method according to claim 18, further including (a) collecting the foreign solids in a collecting bag of the at least one collecting element and (b) discharging the foreign solids from the collecting bag at least partially via a perforation present on a bottom of the collecting bag, on a supply sideof the conveyor-belt filtering device, during a movement of the endless filtering beltand on a discharge side of the conveyor-belt filtering device via a perforation of the filtering element, which is present below the collecting element on the supply side, the perforation retaining the solids.

20. The method according to claim 19, further including retaining the solids by a perforation of the filtering element, the solids adhering to a surface of the filtering element, being discharged and being dropped in an areaof the upper deflection apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE

[0030] In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a conveyor-belt filtering device;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the conveyor-belt filtering device shown in FIG. 1 along an axis A-A;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a collecting element;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the collecting element;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the collecting element;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a lateral view of the collecting element;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the collecting element shown in FIG. 5 along an axis A-A;

[0038] FIGS. 8a - 8n show a detailed view of the conveyor-belt filtering device shown in FIG. 2 in the area of a lower deflection apparatus at points in time chronologically following one another within a partial revolution;

[0039] FIGS. 9a - 9e show a detailed view of the conveyor-belt filtering device shown in FIG. 2 in the area of an upper deflection apparatus at points in time chronologically following one another within a partial revolution.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] A combined view of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a conveyor-belt filtering device 10 for mechanically cleaning a liquid flowing in a channel and contaminated with solids, conveyor-belt filtering device 10 comprising an endless filtering belt 11 which has a plurality of filtering elements 12 designed for retaining solids present in and contaminating the liquid, a frame 13 and a lower deflection apparatus 14 and an upper deflection apparatus 15, endless filtering belt 11 being guided and moveable over lower deflection apparatus 14 and upper deflection apparatus 15, endless filtering belt 11 and lower deflection apparatus 14 and upper deflection apparatus 15 being disposed on frame 13. Furthermore, endless filtering belt 11 has a collecting element 16 which is designed for collecting foreign solids, in particular sand, stones, pebbles or the like, which are present in the liquid, in particular in an area 17 of the lower deflection apparatus 14, which is preferably disposed in a bottom area of the channel, and differ essentially from solids present in and contaminating the liquid.

[0041] Furthermore, conveyor-belt filtering device 10 comprises a filter-material discharge apparatus 19 in an area 18 of upper deflection apparatus 15, filter-material discharge apparatus 19 having a drop channel 20. Further, conveyor-belt filtering device 10 comprises a wiper apparatus 21, which is formed having a rotating brush 23 disposed on a wiper shaft 22, in area 18 of upper deflection apparatus 15. Brush 23 abuts against a surface 24 of filtering elements 12 passing brush 23 by means of a contact force.

[0042] In area 17 of lower deflection apparatus 14, conveyor-belt filtering device 10 further comprises a flexible bottom seal 25 which partially makes contact with endless filtering belt 11 and is designed for preventing the liquid from circumnavigating conveyor-belt filtering device 10 in area 17 of lower deflection apparatus 14 unfiltered. Bottom seal 25 has a brush 26 and a sealing element 27 made of a rubber-like material and completely covering brush 26. A tip 28 of brush 26 and a tip 29 of sealing element 27 continuously make contact with filtering elements 12 passing bottom seal 25 or rather collecting elements 16 passing bottom seal 25 so that the liquid cannot reach a discharge side 31 of conveyor-belt filtering device 10 from a supply side 30 of conveyor-belt filtering device 10 unfiltered.

[0043] Conveyor-belt filtering device 10 can be disposed in the channel in which the liquid contaminated with solids flows. In this context, conveyor-belt filtering device 10 can be disposed in such a manner in the channel that at least one lower section of conveyor-belt filtering device 10 is disposed in the channel below a liquid level, the lower section comprising lower deflection apparatus 14, lower deflection apparatus 14 being disposed in a bottom area of the channel. Endless filtering belt 11 is moveable in such a manner that filtering elements 12 and collecting elements 16 can be moved on supply side 30 from lower deflection apparatus 14 towards upper deflection apparatus 15 and on discharge side 31 from upper deflection apparatus 15 towards lower deflection apparatus 14. The liquid can flow through filtering elements 12 in the direction of a flow direction 33, the solids contaminating the liquid adhering to surface 24 of filtering elements 12 presently on supply side 30 and being able to be discharged from the channel. In area 18 of upper deflection apparatus 15, the solids adhering to surface 24 are wiped by means of wiper apparatus 21, the solids being dropped via drop channel 20.

[0044] A combined view of FIGS. 8a to 8n shows a detailed view of conveyor-belt filtering device 10 in area 17 of lower deflection apparatus 14 at points in time chronologically following one another within a partial revolution. It is in particular shown in what manner collecting element 16 gradually passes bottom seal 25 owing to a movement caused by endless filtering belt 11. FIGS. 8a to 8d initially show that tip 28 of brush 26 and tip 29 of sealing element 27 make contact with filtering element 12. In FIG. 84, collecting element 16 has reached bottom seal 25 and brush 26 folds in an opening 34 of a collecting bag (not illustrated) of collecting element 16 in an engaging manner. During further movement of endless filtering belt 11, sealing element 27 subsequently folds, as shown in FIG. 8f, in opening 34 in an engaging manner, meaning foreign solids, such as sand, stones, pebbles or the like, amassed on bottom seal 25 can enter the collecting bag, while tip 28 and tip 29 engage in opening 34, as shown in FIGS. 8g to 8i. Upon further revolution of endless filtering belt 22, collecting element 16 is moved toward upper deflection apparatus 15, bottom seal coming into contact with filtering element 12 subsequent to collecting element 16, as shown in FIGS. 8j to 8n.

[0045] A combined view of FIGS. 9a to 9e shows a detailed view of conveyor-belt filtering device 10 in area 18 of upper deflection apparatus 15 at points in time chronologically following one another within a partial revolution. It is shown in what manner collecting element 16 gradually passes wiper apparatus 21, the foreign solids collected by means of collecting element 16 being dropped at least partially via drop channel 20.

[0046] Furthermore, a combined view of FIGS. 2, 8a to 8n and 9a to 9e shows that collecting element 16, excepting opening 34, is formed so as to essentially match filtering elements 12 with regards to a geometric shape.

[0047] A combined view of FIGS. 3 to 7 shows a collecting element 35 which has a collecting bag 36 designed for collecting and discharging foreign solids, collecting bag 36 having an opening 37 which allows the foreign solids to enter collecting bag 36. Collecting element 35 has a rear wall 38, a front wall 39, a bottom wall 40, a top wall 41, a first lateral wall 42 and a second wall 43, which together form collecting bag 36, opening 37 extending between first lateral wall 42 and second lateral wall 43 and being formed in an upper area 44 of a front side 45 of collecting element 35, opening 37 being bound by top wall 41 and front wall 39. Front wall 39 is shorter compared to rear wall 38. Furthermore, collecting element 35 has a driver 46 and 47 on first lateral wall 42 and second lateral wall 43, respectively, by means of which collecting element 35 can be disposed on a conveyor chain of an endless filtering belt of a conveyor-belt filtering device. Driver 46 and 47 can be connected to first lateral wall 42 and second lateral wall 43, respectively, by means of a weld connection, a bolt connection or a screw connection.