Grate Plate for a Grate Cooler

Abstract

A grate plate used in a grate cooler for bulk material, comprising a first region alternately covered by a further grate plate during use and having at least one pocket for holding bulk material as an autogenous wear protection layer, and a second region not covered during use, and also having at least one bulk material pocket and at least one cooling air opening leading to a grate plate underside. The height of the first region pockets is smaller than the second region pockets height. The base of the first region pockets is formed by multiple segments having upper surfaces as bulk material contact surfaces and between which gap-like cooling air channels are formed. Openings of the cooling air channels are oriented at an angle to vertical, such that an acute angle occurs between the conveying direction and the direction of the cooling air flow via these openings.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A grate plate for use in a grate cooler for hot bulk material comprising: a first operating region, referred to as a covering region, which is alternately covered by at least one additional grate plate when the grate plate is used in a grate cooler, wherein the covering region has at least one pocket for retaining bulk material as an autogenous wear protection layer, and a second operating region, referred to as a non-covering region, which is not covered by an additional grate plate when the grate plate is used in a grate cooler, wherein the non-covering region for retaining bulk material as an autogenous wear protection layer has at least one pocket having at least one opening which leads to the lower side of the grate plate for the introduction of cooling air, wherein a height of the at least one pocket in the covering region is smaller than a height of the at least one pocket in the non-covering region, and wherein a base of the at least one pocket in the covering region is formed by a plurality of segments whose upper sides act as a support face for bulk material and between which gap-like cooling air channels are formed for supplying cooling air, wherein, when the grate plate is used in a grate cooler, openings of the cooling air channels which are produced between the upper sides of the segments are each orientated at such an angle with respect to vertical that there is an acute angle in each case between a conveying direction of the bulk material and a direction of the cooling air flow through the openings.

12. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pockets in the covering region have the same height with respect to each other, the pockets in the non-covering region have the same height with respect to each other, and the height of the at least one pocket in the covering region is smaller than a third of the height of the at least one pocket in the non-covering region.

13. The grate plate as claimed in claim 12, wherein the height of the at least one pocket in the covering region is smaller than a fifth of the height of the at least one pocket in the non-covering region.

14. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein the openings of the cooling air channels produced between the upper sides of the segments in the covering region are orientated in such a manner that, when the grate plate is used in a grate cooler, the cooling air flow is introduced substantially in the conveying direction of the bulk material.

15. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one pocket in the covering region the segments which form the base are arranged one behind the other with respect to the conveying direction.

16. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein the segments of the at least one pocket in the covering region have in vertical cross-section parallel with the conveying direction a substantially dual-angled profile.

17. The grate plate as claimed in claim 16, wherein the segments of the at least one pocket of the covering region have at the upper side thereof at least one rib-like reinforcement which extends in the conveying direction and in this instance obliquely relative to the center of the transverse extent of the covering region.

18. The grate plate as claimed in claim 16, wherein the segments of the at least one pocket of the covering region each have at least one air guiding rib which beginning in the base region of the grate plate and extending over the respective segment directs cooling air as far as the upper side of the segment.

19. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the non-covering region the at least one opening which leads to the lower side of the grate plate for the introduction of cooling air is arranged in such a manner that, when the grate plate is used in a grate cooler the opening direction has an angle with respect to vertical.

20. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein the grate plate has a replaceable pushing edge.

21. The grate plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein at the lower side of the grate plate below the covering region a connection element is provided for securing the grate plate in a grate cooler.

22. The grate plate as claimed in claim 21, wherein the connection element comprises a hook device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the following

[0021] Figures. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the grate plate according to the invention,

[0023] FIG. 2a is a plan view of the grate plate with a plane of section indicated,

[0024] FIG. 2b shows the grate plate from FIG. 2a in cross-section along this plane of section,

[0025] FIG. 3a is a plan view of the grate plate with an additional plane of section,

[0026] FIG. 3b shows the grate plate from FIG. 3a in cross-section along this additional plane of section, in particular with a section through the segments,

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two grate plates which operate one above the other, and

[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic section through two grate plate portions which are arranged one above the other with reinforcements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a grate plate 1 according to the invention whose upper side is composed of a first operating region, the covering region 2 and a second operating region, the non-covering region 3. When this grate plate 1 is used in a grate cooler, hot bulk material (not illustrated) falls from the grate plate step located thereabove onto the covering region 2 and is pushed from that location by the oscillating back and forth movement of the grate plate(s) 1 above into the non-covering region 3. The interaction of two such grate plates 1 which are arranged in a stepped manner is illustrated in FIG. 4 (and in FIG. 5). On sequential steps, rows of grate plates 1 which are movably supported alternate with statically fixed rows of grate plates 1. For example, in the illustrations, the upper grate plate 1 can be assumed to be movable and carrying out oscillating pushing movements, whilst the lower grate plate 1 is fixed. In this manner, bulk material (not illustrated) which has fallen from the upper grate plate 1 into the covering region 2 of the lower grate plate 1 is pushed by the pushing edge 4 of the upper grate plate 1 into the non-covering region 3 of the lower grate plate 1 and during the next pushing cycle is conveyed by means of subsequent bulk material from the lower grate plate 1 via the pushing edge 4 thereof. In all the illustrations, the conveying direction is thus directed (with the exception of perspective rotations) from left to right. Therefore, the pushing edge 4 of the upper grate plate 1 in each case overlaps in a maximum advance position precisely the entire covering region 2 of the grate plate 1 located therebelow, but does not reach the non-covering region 3.

[0030] The grate plate 1 has in the non-covering region 3 pockets 5 which are preferably arranged, as in the embodiment illustrated, in rows and transversely relative to the conveying direction. In these pockets, during operation of the grate cooler there is retained bulk material which forms an autogenous wear protection layer (not illustrated) for the pockets 5 in the non-covering region 3. In contact with this layer, the bulk material bed is transported over the grate plate 1. In the base of the pockets 5 in the non-covering region 3, there are arranged openings 6 which lead to the lower side of the grate plate 1 and through which cooling air is blown into the wear protection layer and the conveyed material bed layer which is located thereon. The pockets 5 in the non-covering region 3 have a height which is just adequate for the formation of the wear protection layer, as drawn in FIG. 2b and in FIG. 3b. There are also arranged in the covering region 2 pockets 5 (see FIG. 1) which have such a height 8 (see FIG. 3b and FIG. 5) that during operation they also retain an autogenous wear protection layer (not illustrated).

[0031] According to the invention, the base of the pockets 5 in the covering region 2 is formed by the upper sides of a plurality of segments 9 in each case. These upper sides act as support faces for the wear protection layer of retained bulk material. Between the segments 9 of a pocket 5 which are arranged one behind the other in the illustrated embodiment, gap-like cooling air channels 10 for the supply of cooling air are formed. According to the invention, the height 8 of the pockets 5 is further in the covering region 2 significantly smaller (smaller than a third, preferably smaller than a fifth) of the height 7 of the pockets 5 in the non-covering region 3, as can also be seen in particular in FIG. 3b. Together with the feature according to the invention according to which the cooling air is blown out more in the conveying direction instead of vertically upward, in the borderline case even in the conveying direction out of the air cooling channel 10, and is blown into the bulk material, a particularly high compression of the wear protection layer in the covering region 2 is generally prevented and an effective and uniform cooling of the bulk material, for example, cement clinker from a rotary tubular kiln, is achieved in both operating regions 2 and 3 because overall it is unnecessary to compensate for any disadvantageously high pressure loss. At the same time, as has been found, an adequate wear protection is nevertheless also ensured in the pockets 5 in the covering region 2.

[0032] FIG. 2b shows the cross-section produced along the line of section A-A from FIG. 2a through the grate plate 1. In order to be able to secure the grate plate 1 in a non-positive-locking, but also releasable manner in the grate cooler, a hook 11 acting as a connection element is arranged in the central region of the lower side of the grate plate 1 below the covering region 2. For reasons of stability, there is no pocket above the hook 11, but instead a material face of adequate thickness.

[0033] The cross-section illustration in FIG. 3b, which is produced along the line of section B-B drawn in FIG. 3a shows, in particular, the preferred embodiment of segments 9 with a dual-angled profile. As a result of the slight cropping of a dual right-angled dual-angled profile in the conveying direction, blowing of the cooling air from the cooling air channels 10, that is to say, from the openings which are produced by them between the upper sides which as a result of the right-hand adjacent oblique-sided segment 9 deviate from the vertical at an angle, is promoted primarily in the conveying direction. An oblique positioning of the upper sides of the segments 9 and a resultant additional orientation of the upper opening mouths of the cooling air channels 10 at an additional angle with respect to the vertical could further promote this.

[0034] In the embodiment of the grate plates 1 according to the invention, in particular from FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the dual-angled segments are provided with an additional air guiding rib 12 which directs cooling air far onto the upper side of the respective segment 9 and consequently further improves the cooling effect and wear protection. The additional air guiding ribs 2 direct as a result of the illustrated oblique positioning the cooling air from the cooling air channel 10 between the segments 9 in the direction toward the center of the covering region 2, where the grate plate 1 in the embodiment as a result of securing components 11 fitted therebelow does not have a pocket 5 and consequently also does not have a cooling or thermally insulating wear protection layer.

[0035] The effect of a redirection of cooling air to the center of the covering region is also achieved in embodiments with a correspondingly obliquely arranged rib-like reinforcement 13, for example, produced by means of a build-up welding 13, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, there is further indicated not only an advantageous replaceability of the pushing edge 4 which is subjected to particular loads (at the upper of the two grate plates 1). Instead, it can also be seen that, as a result of the sizing of the pushing edge 4, the size of the gap with respect to the next grate plate is determined.

[0036] As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.