METHOD FOR SEPARATING A GRANULAR MIXTURE IN A FLOWING MEDIUM AND DEVICE FOR CARRYING OUT SAID METHOD

Abstract

The invention is used in various branches of industry, in particular in agriculture for preparing seeds for sowing and for selection purposes. The method of separating a granular mixture in a flowing medium is based on a gravitational supply of particles, with an aerodynamic, monotonously increasing action thereon with a cascade of flat jets, said cascade being stabilized in terms of pressure and discharge. Large impurities are removed from the granular mixture beforehand, and stable parameters are maintained in the separation chamber. The device comprises a vibrating screen, an adjustable hopper with an agitator and a vibrating chute, a generator of a cascade of flat jets, which is connected to a drive for supplying air under pressure, a fraction collector and a separation chamber. The output of the separation chamber is covered with a filtering element in the form of a rotating drum with a calibrating sifter on the surface, said sifter being connected to a cyclone.

Claims

1. A method for separating a granular mixture in a flowing medium consisting of providing gravitational supply of the mixture's particles, removing large impurities from the granular mixture, separating the granular mixture with an aerodynamic monotonously increasing action of a cascade of flat jets, at a sharp angle to a vertical plane of the cascade, said cascade being stabilized in terms of pressure and discharge, wherein most of the air flow used for separation is recycled through a return path into a drive supplying air to a generator of the cascade of flat jets, discharging continuously an impassable fraction of volatile impurities together with dust and remaining air stream is into environment through a unit in the form of a cyclone, wherein the granular mixture supplied in the flowing medium into an adjustable hopper is preconditioned by removing therefrom large impurities of biological and mineral origin, creating a cascade of flat jets for further continuity of the separation process, formed from an entire air stream pressure, previously equalized, and a laminar continuous flow of air, and from a gravitational supply of blown loose granular mixture falling into a separation chamber, setting up optimally required kinetic energy of falling with simultaneously forced stabilization of the granular mixture volume continuously supplied for separation, changing automatically a power of the flat jets cascade in case of an unexpected change of quantity or volume of gravitational supply of the granular mixture falling into a separation zone, or a change of parameters of the electrical conduit, particularly, voltage, frequency, and other external factors that affect quality of the separation process, by appropriate adjustment of operating mode, or power, of the drive supplying air to the generator, by continuous replenishment of air flow returned through the return path with an additional volume of air to compensate for loss of the air flow lost after removing a part of the air together with dust into the environment by removing continuously or periodically an excess of air pressure in the separation chamber in order to maintain constant flow conditions of separation process of granular mixtures, by protecting the separation zone or area of the granular mixture from impact of the environment on the separation process, particularly influence of weather and other environmental conditions like rain, wind, drafts, wherein, the entire process of separationfrom loading granular mixture to discharging of finished fractionsif necessary, can be controlled visually, and finished fractions can be removed and move away to any distance from a fraction collector to the desired location.

2. A device for separating a granular mixture in a flowing medium, comprising a control panel, a generator of a cascade of flat jets, disposed one above the other at an acute angle to the vertical plane nozzles, which is connected to a drive for supplying air under pressure, and covered with side walls, a charging hopper with a vibrating chute mounted beneath the generator, a fraction collector made in the form of a frame with sliding out chutes to remove direct and inverse fractions, rotary shutters located above the side walls, a separation chamber whose output is covered with a filtering element in the form of a rotating cylindrical drum with a calibrating sifter on a surface, that is connected with a cleaner on the outside wherein the cleaner of the filtering element is made in the form of a slotted confuser, with a taken out ventilator and a device for removing impurities into the environment made in the form of a cyclone with a waste adjustable hopper placed in a way that the filtering element is adjacent to a slit of a confuser with a gap, which one of the edges is equipped with a cleaning element, a rotating drum with inside cavity equipped with a return path, which connects the rotating drum to the drive supplying air to the generator of the cascade of the flat jets, a mechanical means situated above the hopper which is used for a preliminary preparation of the granular mixture, made in the form of an inclined vibrating screen, with flat or cylindrical structure, through which the loose mixture falls into the hopper, a technical means located between an actuator and the generator of the cascade of flat jets to straighten air stream pressure and laminar flow along the path, which is made in the form of one or more sliding bars, a loading hopper, having ability to regulate its own height relatively to a top nozzle of the jets generator, with ability of changing an angle of inclination, wherein the hopper is equipped with a rotary agitator to break down holdups of the mixture and with a hemispherical shutter to regulate amount of the supplied mixture to the vibrating chute, wherein the rotary shutters of fraction sets are equipped with an aerodynamic profile made of an elastic or other material with upper ends of streamline shape or a non-resilient covering of a fleece woven/nonwoven material, in the form of lashes, brushes, and others which is a technical means for damping kinetic energy of falling particles of the mixture, wherein the particles collide with edges of the rotary shutters to avoid damage to deformation and fracture of separated flowing particles of the loose mixture, wherein output tray holes of fraction chutes are installed being capable of turning to any angle, to allow the separated material be removed in any desired location and/or pipes are mechanically connected with sleeves, a product pipe line of the required length, for a possibility of removal of finished fractions at a certain distance from the device, wherein the sleeves are connected to branch pipes by means of flanges or other fastening elements, wherein the control panel of the device is portable, and the device is a self-contained modular with a possibility of dismantling into separate blocks for ease of preventive maintenance, fast replacement of individual blocks, and, if necessary, transportation, especially of large batches of devices to customers, wherein the drive air supply to the generator is made in the form of a centrifugal or other type of a fan, like an impeller, with an electric motor, kinematically connected with a working member of the fan by means of a flexible transmission in the form of a belt, and the drive air supply is provided with a valve for regulation of flow volume of air delivered into the transmission, wherein the auto-regulation mode is performed with a help of a frequency regulator or other similar technical tool.

3. The method of according to claim 1, characterized in that when the method is applied to dry granular mixtures, a maximum possible aerodynamic capacity of the cascade of flat jets is applied, and the dried granular mixture is collected in one place, without separation into fractions wherein if necessary, as determined by moisture characteristics of air at an outlet of the separation chamber, the dried granular mixture is re-directed to the original position for gravity feed to repeat an action on the granular mixture by the cascade of the powerful air jets, wherein, during drying, exhaust moist air from the separation chamber is discharged directly into the environment without returning the air into the drive through the return path, wherein the drying, if necessary, is carried out by heated under dried air, which is sucked into the drive from the environment in the summer during a warm weather, or is positively heated by a heater installed before an inlet of an actuator or in any convenient place, wherein in the presence of the return path, the moistened air is returned through the return path to the drive, passing through the air heater, absorbing excess of moisture therefrom, or drying air from the return path by sublimationmoisture freezingor by condensation of moisture from the air stream for which purpose appropriate technical means, like a sublimator or a positioner, are incorporated into the device.

4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that depending on type and condition of the granular mixture, and on separation tasks, the flat nozzles of the generator of the cascade of flat jets can be formed of parallel plates of the same or different widths or profiles, like corners, or in the way of other mechanical means permitting to create a longitudinal slits in the generator, wherein the generator is made extendable for a possibility of rapid change of one construction to another, wherein the separation chamber is maximally isolated from an ingress of natural environmental factors, which can have a negative influence on the separation process and the environment.

5. The device according to claim 2, is characterized in that when using the device as a dryer, moisture control of exhaust air is carried out by a technical means like a hygrometer, on parameters of which a degree of the dried, ready free-flowing mixture is assessed, wherein before an entrance to the drive an air heater is mounted for forceful heating air sucked either from the environment or from the return path, if such exists in construction of the device, wherein an entrance to the drive air supply may be equipped with a sublimator or an air conditioner for dehydration of air.

6. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the device can be placed on a chassis with driven steering wheels to allow maneuvering of the device without involvement of additional vehicles in the operating position like in warehouses, grain elevators and during transportation to a new location, wherein the device can be equipped with an automatic loading hopper of the granular mixture in the form of an auger or bucket lift, wherein the device is capable of automatic discharge of the separated or dried material as a finished product, to the desired location.

7. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the trays of collection of fractions are made of a transparent or an opaque fabric or a polymeric material, wherein the trays of collection have a valve to allow sampling fractions, and trays of an unstable form may have a minimum height sufficient only to mount the trays to a frame of the collection of fractions.

8. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that for a possibility of the visual control of the separation or drying process, one of the lateral external surfaces of the entire device or individual units is made of a transparent material, including trays and return path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Further essence of the proposed technical solutions is explained with the illustrative material, which shows a drawings of the proposed device for carrying out the mentioned method of separation of granular mixture in flowing medium, a side view with a partial section for better demonstrating of the construction and the separation process. The single arrows indicate the air stream in the device, double arrowsreturn of the part of air stream to the generator for the reforming from it the cascade of flat jets for separation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

[0041] The proposed device for separation of granular mixture 1 in flowing medium includes a loading unit that consists of a mechanical means for the prior preparation of granular mixture 1, that is made, for example, in the form of inclined vibrating screen 2 of a flat construction (for this purpose can be used another constructions of similar usage, for example, vibrating tables, rotating screens of a drum type). This mechanical tool enables to withdraw from the granular mixture 1 a large impurities of mineral and biological origin and to send it into a specially designed capacity 3. Under the vibrating screen 2 the hopper 4 is installed with vibrating chute 5 for gravitational feeding of granular mixture 1 into the separation zone. In the hopper 4 the rotaring agitator 6 is mounted, that is intended for the destruction of grain vaults in the hopper 4. The amount of output granulate mixture 1 from the hopper 4 on the vibrating chude 5 is regulated by a hemispherical shutter 7. The hopper 4 is installed with the possibility of adjusting its height and an angle of inclination with a simple screw mechanism 8 (the mechanism is given as an example, other ones can also be used for this purpose, such as pantograph, the Nurembergal scissors, etc). The described loading unit of the proposed device is located on the vertical column 9.

[0042] In column 9 a retractable generator 10 of cascade jets is integrated, it is a closed contour volume with a set of a number of flat nozzles 11 for forming a cascade of flat air jets and which are located one under another and at an acute angle to the vertical. The height of cross sections of the nozzles 11, their step and their angle of installation are increasing from top to bottom. In the case of technological necessity, the type and condition of granular mixture 1, the jet generator 10, as a whole, or its nozzle 11 can have another construction, for which the generator is made extendable for the efficiency of replacement it into the necessary part. The jet generator 10 is aerodynamically controlled with the actuator 12 (e.g. with centrifugal fan), that feeds an air stream under the pressure and is kinematically connected (e.g. with a belt transmission 13) with electric motor 14, that sets it in action. In front of the actuator 12 the flap 15 is mounted (made of, for example, in the form of a diaphragm or of another designit does not matter) for the regulation of the air volume, flowing into the actuator 12, as well as at the entrance of the actuator 12, the radiator 16 is located for heating and drying of humid air. This is necessary in case, when the device is used as a dryer in order to accelerate and improve the efficiency of the drying process of the grains. If you are using another principle of the dehydration of the air stream that is for drying of granular mixture 1, before entering into the device 12 of the air stream supply the submisstionor or air conditioner can be arranged (not shown, because of the notoriety). These technical means of heating and dehydration of the air stream can be installed at any other convenient place.

[0043] Between the actuator 12 and the generator 10 of a cascade of flat jets, the technical means is setted, it is used to equalise the air stream according to the pressure and its laminarity of expiry in a cross-section, made in the form of one or more retractable grids 17, the spatial orientation of which in relation to the generator 10 can be changed by permutation of them in the corresponding slots 18. To the generator 10 from the nozzles 11 the separation chamber 19 is adjacented, which represents a closed volume, formed by the side and top walls. At the end of the separation chamber 19, that is, from the opposite side from the jet's generator 10, a filter element having a form of a rotating cylindrical drum 20 with a calibration sieve 21 (directly the filter) on its cylindrical surface is arranged. The drum 20 at one site is kinematically associated with the drive of rotation (not shown because of the notoriety). The second end of the drum 20 is open and duct 22 is adjacented to it, the opposite end of which is adjacented to the drive 12 in order to supply air under pressure to the jet generator 10. The purifier of the air stream from the impassable fractions through the calibrational sieve 21 of the impurities is made in the form of successively arranged slit nozzles 23, the fan air exhaust 24, and of the cyclone 25 with a hopper 26 for collecting the products of cleaning of the air stream. The slot of the confuser 23 adjacents with an ensured clearance directly to the calibrational sieve 21 of the rotating drum 20. One of the edges (no matter which one) of the slit nozzle 23 is provided with a scraper 27, that is made, for example, in the form of a conventional manual brush with the bristles.

[0044] Under the separation chamber 19, a fractions collector 28 with chutes 29 for collection of direct and inverse fractions of the separated material is situated. Through the trays 29 of opposite fractions the lacking volume of air from the environment, is sucked in order to compensate the lost air during the abstraction of the impurities with the help of nozzles 23 with an exhaust fan 24. The turning shutters 30 of the fractions collector 28 has an aerodynamic profile and are made of an elastic material with the streamline shape of the upper ends or are covered with non-elastic platings or with a brushed woven/nonwoven material, in the form of cilia, brushes, etc., that is, the technical means for damping the kinetic energy of the falling particles of granular mixture 1, that faces with ends of the rotary shutters 30, in order to prevent the injury, deformation and the destruction of separating particles of granular mixture 1. The shutters 30 may have a straight or another shape, they can be made of metal, wood, etc., if there is a technological need. The nozzles 31 of the outlets of the chutes 29 of fractions collector 28, are installed with the possibility of rotation at any angle, that is, with the possibility of rotation around its axis. For the possibility of diversion of the separated material in any desired zone, the nozzles 31 are mechanically connected to the sleeves 32 (units to assign the products) of necessary length in order to allow extraction of the finished fractions at a certain distance from the device, which are connected to the nozzles 31 by flanges or other fastening tools. The control panel 33 of the device is made portable or remote, and is connected electromagnatically with the control unit 34 of the device and it is fixed on the column 9, for example.

[0045] The device, in general, is made module with the possibility of dismantling it into separate blocks for the convenience of preventive maintenance, for fast replacement of individual blocks, if necessary, for easy transportation, particularly of large batches of devices to the customers. The device is mounted on a frame 35, if necessary, it also can be installed on a chassis with a driven or non-driven rotatable wheels 36, for the possibility of easy maneuvering of the device, without involving additional vehicles, while changing the operating position, for example, in warehouses, at grain elevators and during the transportation to a new place. However, the wheels 36 are not a mandatory device node. In some cases, for example, when the device is installed in a stationary production line, it just leans on the frame, so the wheels in this case are not necessary. The device, if necessary, can be equipped with an automatic loading hopper of granular mixture 1, for example, screw or bucket lift and with an automatic discharges of the separated or dried material (finished products) in the necessary zone (not shown because of their notoriety).

[0046] The proposed method of separation of granular mixture in fluid medium, with the help of the proposed device, operates as follows (on the example of the separation of the grain material).

[0047] Before the usage, the device is to be setted up (usually it is done by the manufacturer): according to the kind of granular mixture 1, the modes of air suppling to the generator 10 are choosen, the height and the angle of rotation of the hopper is determined, then the grids 17 are installed in the needful location (the stabilizers of the air stream), a set of 10 generators with a variety of nozzles 11 is prepared(according to the type and condition of granular mixture 1, the different designs of nozzles 11 are used, that affects on the efficiency of the device, and on the power of drive 12 for the energy optimization of the device), etc. These device settings are carried out in advance for various kinds of granular materials and these settings of parameters are passed to the consumer together with the set of required generators 10 and with a supporting documentation.

[0048] The grain material (granular mixture 1) is served as a continuous stream to the natone vibrating screen 2, where it is separated from the large impurities of mineral and vegetable origin. These impurities are removed in the intended for them capacities 3, and the purified grain material passes (wakes up) through the cells of inclined vibrating screen 2 and get into the hopper 4 and the vibrating chute 5, in which the agitator 6 destroys the grain vaults in the event of their occursion, and they move up the inclined bottom to the outlet of the hopper 4. The quantity of the grain material that gets into the vibrating chute 5, is regulated by a hemispherical shutter 7. Next comes the gravitational submission of the granular mixture 1 into the separational chamber 19 from the side of the nozzle 11. On the grains of the granular mixture 1, that are in a free falling and that have a specific kinetic energy of the fall, impacts under an acute angle to the vertical with a cascade of flat jets in their fully developed turbulence, that occurs due to the curvature in the generator 10 of the jets, during their expansion in the nozzles 11. At the outlet of the separation chamber 19, the polluted with dust and mechanical impurities of different shape, the air stream is abuted into the rotating drum 20, which almost completely covers the output of the separation chamber 19, because it is practically equal to the width of the chamber. The air stream comes through the calibration sieve 21 into the internal cavity of the rotating drum 20, and the impassable on the size solid particles remain outside the drum 20, on the surface of the calibrating sieve 21. That happens the cleaning of the air stream from the impurities and partially from the dust. Through the calibration sieve 21 the passing small impurities fall together with a portion of the air stream inside the rotating drum 20. This part of the air stream together with small impurities enters the air duct 22 and through it returns to the drive 12, almost forcibly, by sucking the air from the air duct 22 with the help of the actuator 12. As the drum 20 rotates, its surface (the calibration sieve 21) is continuously cleaned from the failing mechanical impurities with the help of a scraper 27. All the waste from the separation process and from the pollution come into the slotted confuser 23, thanks to their suction of the air stream, that is created by the fan 24, then they come into the cyclone 25, where they are separated from the air and then fall into the hopper 26, that is made to collect the waste. From the cyclone 25, totally cleaned air is returned to the environment with a weak power, almost imperceptible stream, and therefore it doesn't create draughts around the working device.

[0049] The returned to the actuator 12 part of the air stream, with a small solid impurities falls on the grats 17, where the air stream is cleaned from impurities, is aligned according the pressure and is transferred into the laminar flowing mode. In this form, the air stream enters the generator 10 of jets and is served into the nozzles 11. During the impact of air jets, the grains of granular mixture 1, are divided into separate fractions and fall into the appropriate for them chutes 29 of fractions collector 28. From the trays 29, the final product is removed by product ducts 32 into the allowed area, that is selected by the rotation of the nozzles 31 and is defined by the length of the product ducts 32. During the technological breaks, the grids 17 are removed and cleaned of accumulated stains on them, the large impurities from the container 3 is also removed. If there is a need to move the device to a new position, it is autonomously transported on its own wheels 36. If necessary, the generator 10 of the jets can be changed to another one, in accordance with new technological challenges.

[0050] In the case, when the device is used for drying grain material, previously, the filter node, vibrating screen 2, a fractions collector 28 must be removed, because there are not necessity in them, the cyclone 25 may be replaced by normal sedimentary camera, that allows to minimize aerodynamic resistance to the movement of air in the separation chamber 19. In this case, the hygrometer is setted, and the mode of drive power 12 of air supply at the maximum allowable for this type of granular mixture (grain material) is changed, the heater is turned on 16 (if necessary) and so the device is being prepared to be used as an aerodynamic dryer. During the drying of granular mixture 1, the process of influence of the cascade of jets on the mixture has the similar effects, as at the process of separation.

[0051] If one side of all units of the device made of a transparent material, it becomes possible to visually see the whole process of separation (drying), watch it, and modify it timely. For sampling of grains material into the product ducts 32, the respective pockets can be made, and the trays 29 can be made of any material, including an unstable form.

[0052] A significant difference of the proposed technical solutions from the prior known, consists of a complete stabilization of process of separation of granular mixture, due to preliminary preparation of the source material, the stabilization according to the pressure, and air stream expiration, in automatic response to changes in the environment, in the possibility of autonomous relocation of the device into the new technological positions, as well as the possibility of withdrawing of finished product in any desired area, the usage of the process and the device as aerodynamic dryer with heated/not heated dehydrated air. All these differences, allow to qualitatively separate granular mixture into separate fractions, regardless of any external and internal factors, allow to expand the sphere of the device usage: as for separation, and as for drying, the device is convenient to maintain and relocate it to a new position. None of the known methods of aerodynamic separation and the devices for their implementation can not have the specified properties, because they do not contain all the essential features, that inherent in the proposed technical solution.

[0053] The proposed technical solutions were tested in practice. The device consists of the usual components and units, the method of separation does not contain activities or processes that would be impossible to reproduce on the modern stage of development of science and technology, particularly, in agricultural engineering, which means, that they are industrially applicable. In the known sources of patent, scientific-technical and other information the similar methods of separation of granular mixture in fluid medium is not revealed, as well as, devices for their implementation of similar purpose with these great essential features and advantages, therefore, it corresponds to the criterion of novelty and therefore considered, that they can get legal protection.

[0054] Since the set of essential features that are contained in the proposed technical solutions do not and can't be mentioned in the existing prior art, and the claimed technical solutions are deemed to be named the inventive level.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

[0055] The technical advantages of the proposed technical solutions in comparison with the prototype are the following: [0056] full stabilization of the separation process (drying) of granular mixture on all aspects of time, due to the lack of influence on the process of external and internal factors; [0057] to prevent the possibility of failure the device or infringement of the separation process due to the prior preparation of the granular mixture for the separation process; [0058] stabilization of loading of granular mixture in the separation zone due to the presence of technical means in the hopper, that destructs the grain domes; [0059] the ability of accounting of the view and physical parameters of granular mixture and regulating the kinetic energy of its free falling due to the possibility of adjusting the height and the angle of the hopper according to the zone of separation; [0060] stabilization of cascade jets by supplying to the generator aligned according to the pressure and its laminarnet expiration of the air stream; [0061] the extension of the techno functional properties of the device, due to the possibility of its usage, as a separator, as well as a dryer; as dehydrated heated air and unheated; [0062] convenience control of the device, due to the remote or portable control panal; [0063] the ability to stabilize the separation process due to the timely response to changes in the external (weather) environment and regulation of air pressure in the separation chamber, and the execution of the separation zone isolated from the environment; [0064] the ease repairing and preventive maintenance, through the use of a block scheme in the construction of the device; [0065] the improving quality of the separation process and preserve the integrity of the grains due to the fact that the rotary shutters have an aerodynamic profile made of elastic material or are provided with the absorbers of kinetic energy of grains, falling on them; [0066] the possibility of removal of the finished product in any desired area, due to the fact that the output connections of the trays are made rotatable and are provided with product ducts; [0067] ease of relocation of the device due to the fact that it is mounted on wheels; [0068] the service ability of the device by equipping it with additional technical means of loading and unloading of ready (separated) products; [0069] it is not attached to a particular kind of electrical network due to the fact that the drive and electric motor are connected kinematically by means of a flexible connection, for example, through a belt transmission; [0070] the ability to visually monitor the entire separation process (drying) granular mixture, due to the fact that one side of the device is fully or partially made of a transparent material.

[0071] The social effect from implementation of the proposed technical solutions in comparison with the prototypes, is got through improving working conditions, ease of maintenance and the transportation of the device, the improving of quality and increasing output of finished products, due to the reduction of waste (destroyed and damaged grains).

[0072] The economic effect from the implementation of the proposed technical solutions in comparison with the prototypes, is obtained by increasing the commercial attractiveness of the device, which will increase sales, but also due to the use of only one device to solve two fundamentally different problemsseparation and drying of the granular mixture.

[0073] After the description of the proposed method of separation of granular mixture in fluid medium and device for its implementation, specialists in this field should be apparent that all of the above mentioned is an illustrative character, but not limiting, while being represented by this particular example. The numerous possible modifications of the device, in particular, its constructive elements and units, principles of parameter settings and methods of using, of course can vary, depending on the type and condition of raw materials, external and internal factors, the volume of production, technological problems, etc., and of course, are within one of the conventional and natural approaches in this field of knowledge and are so considered in such a way, that are within the volume of the proposed technical solutions. The set of essential features inherent in the proposed technical solutions obtained through the introduction of appropriate structural and technological changes, that enabled it to acquire the proposed method of separation and the device for its implementation the above mentioned and other benefits. The introduction of any incremental changes and additions to the proposed items of equipment will naturally limit the range of their advantages, and therefore it cannot be considered as new technical solutions in this field of knowledge, because other similar to the described method of aerodynamic separation of granular mixture in fluid medium and device for its implementation, will not require any creativity from the designers, technologists and engineers, and therefore can not be considered as results of their creative activities or new intellectual property and appropriate protection of security documents in accordance with applicable law.