Device and method for processing materials

Abstract

Apparatus and method for processing materials such as granular matter mined from deposits, comprising a tubular container disposed upright and an axle device provided centered therein. A processing chamber for receiving the material to be processed is provided between the axle device and the inner wall of the tubular container. The tubular container is driven rotatingly. Engaging dogs are provided in the processing chamber as working elements.

Claims

1. Cleaning device for materials to be processed and for crushing lumpy foreign matter contained in raw gravel, with a tubular container disposed upright and an axle device provided therein disposed substantially centered in the tubular container, wherein a processing chamber is provided between the axle device and the inner wall of the tubular container for receiving the material to be processed, characterized in that the tubular container can be driven rotatingly and that engaging dogs are provided as working elements in the processing chamber.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein at least one working element is disposed exchangeably on the tubular container.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein at least one working element is configured as an outer working element which can be inserted into the processing chamber from outside through the wall of the tubular container.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 3 wherein the outer working element is secured by at least one stud member.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 4 wherein working elements with different engaging dogs are provided where different angles of the engaging dog relative to the longitudinal axis of the engaging dog are provided.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein at least one working element is disposed exchangeably on the axle device.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 6 wherein the working elements overlap in the vertical direction.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein between the inner wall of the tubular container and an outer wall of the axle device a variable working gap is provided.

9. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the axle device comprises an axle configured non-round surrounded by spacers configured substantially round.

10. The cleaning device according to claim 9 wherein spacers having different diameters are provided for providing different working gaps.

11. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein at least one working element is configured as an inner working element which protrudes into the processing chamber from inside.

12. The cleaning device according to claim 11 wherein the inner working element can be non-rotatably clipped onto the axle and/or can be aligned at different angles relative to the axle.

13. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein working elements are provided with engaging dogs of different lengths and shapes.

14. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the tubular container at the inner wall has a wear protection device.

15. The cleaning device according to claim 14 wherein the wear protection device is configured as an autogenous wear protection and comprises circumferential webs at least in sections and longitudinal stays extending transverse thereto.

16. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the tubular container is supported in at least one region at the upper and/or lower ends.

17. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein a control device is provided with which the rotational speed of the tubular container can be controlled.

18. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein at least one fill level sensor is provided.

19. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein at least one top filling mouth for delivering material and at least one bottom discharge opening for discharging material are provided, wherein the top filling mouth has a conveyor belt or a filling hopper assigned to it and downstream of the bottom discharge opening at least one discharge element is disposed which is taken from a group of discharge elements including belt conveyors, scraper chain conveyors, rotary vane locks, and vibrating conveyors.

20. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the degree of filling in operation is on average above 0.4.

21. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the axle device is configured stationary.

22. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the axle device is configured rotary and rotating in the opposite sense of the tubular container.

23. System for processing materials comprising at least one cleaning device according to claim 1.

24. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the degree of filling in operation is on average above 0.6.

25. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the degree of filling in operation is on average above 0.7.

26. The cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the degree of filling in operation is on average above 0.80.

27. Cleaning device for materials to be processed and for crushing lumpy foreign matter contained in raw gravel, with a tubular container disposed upright and an axle device provided therein disposed substantially centered in the tubular container, wherein a processing chamber is provided between the axle device and the inner wall of the tubular container for receiving the material to be processed, characterized in that the tubular container can be driven rotatingly and that engaging dogs are provided as working elements in the processing chamber, wherein at least one working element is configured as an inner working element which protrudes into the processing chamber from inside and wherein the inner working element comprises at least two engaging dogs.

28. Method for processing materials and for crushing lumpy foreign matter contained in raw gravel, with a cleaning device and a tubular container disposed upright therein and an axle device provided therein disposed substantially centered in the tubular container, wherein a processing chamber is provided between the axle device and the inner wall of the tubular container for receiving the material to be processed, characterized in that the tubular container is driven rotatingly and that engaging dogs are provided as working elements in the processing chamber.

Description

(1) Further advantages of the present invention can be taken from the exemplary embodiment which will be described below with reference to the enclosed figures.

(2) The figures show in:

(3) FIG. 1 a schematic illustration of a processing plant;

(4) FIG. 2 a side view of the cleaning device according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 3 a cross section of the tubular container of the cleaning device according to FIG. 2;

(6) FIG. 4 a schematic top view of the tubular container;

(7) FIG. 5 a first inner working element;

(8) FIG. 6 a second inner working element;

(9) FIG. 7 a third inner working element;

(10) FIG. 8 an outer working element;

(11) FIG. 9 a closing head; and

(12) FIG. 10 a perspective illustration of the cleaning device according to the invention.

(13) With reference to the enclosed figures an exemplary embodiment of the system 100 according to the invention will be described below, comprising an inventive cleaning device 1.

(14) FIG. 1 shows a simplistic side view of the system 100 according to the invention, presently comprising a cleaning device 1 and a screening machine 120 positioned downstream.

(15) The system 100 serves for processing materials such as materials comprising granular matter mined from deposits and/or for processing and in particular crushing lumpy foreign matter contained in raw gravel such as clay or the like. The inventive system 100 is also suitable for processing other, similar materials.

(16) The cleaning device 1 schematically shown in FIG. 1 comprises a tubular container 2 and an axle device 3 provided therein. While the axle device 3 is preferably disposed stationary, the tubular container 2 is rotatably supported.

(17) Between the inner wall 4 of the tubular container 2 and the outer wall 11 of the axle device 3 a processing chamber 5 is spanned which when in operation is substantially at all times filled nearly to capacity with material 6 to be processed which is delivered to the cleaning device 1 from above through the top feeding mouth 34.

(18) The material 6 to be processed may have been pretreated or presorted for example in an upstream cleaning device.

(19) The processed material exiting the processing chamber 5 at the lower end 30 is conveyed off via a discharge element 36 such as for example a belt conveyor.

(20) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment the material 6 discharged through the bottom discharge opening 35 is delivered to a screening machine 120 of the processing plant 100. At the screening machine 120 for example a liquid such as water may be added to assist in processing. The material to be processed is preferably separated at the screening machine 120 into at least two fractions which subsequently can be subjected to further treatment steps.

(21) The tubular container 2 of the cleaning device 1 can be driven by an electric motor 32. A drive belt may serve for force transmission from the motor 32 to the tubular container 2. Or else a transmission may be employed consisting of two or more gear wheels or the like.

(22) The rotation of the tubular container 2 is controlled by a control device 31 which may preferably also serve for process monitoring.

(23) For monitoring the degree of filling 37 at least one fill level sensor 33 may be provided which captures a rate of the degree of filling 37 for example optically, electrically, or magnetically. It is also possible to employ a weight sensor which senses for example the weight of the tubular container 2 or the entire cleaning device 1, deriving therefrom a parameter of the degree of filling 37. When the density of the material to be processed is known and/or when empirical data exist, the weight of the cleaning device allows reliable conclusions about the degree of filling 37.

(24) In dependence on the degree of filling and/or empirical values and/or for example the electric power consumption of the motor 32 and/or the current speed of rotation of the tubular container 2, conclusions can be drawn about the operating conditions and correspondingly the speed of rotation of the tubular container 2 can be increased or decreased or for example the quantity of material 6 delivered on top can be increased or reduced to maintain or meet the desired operating point.

(25) Or else the process may be controlled via the quantity and type of the acting working elements 9, 10, or via the diameters of the spacers 15, 16.

(26) Working elements 9 are disposed on the axle device 3. The working elements 9 are referred to as inner or internally disposed working elements 19 because they protrude into the processing chamber 5 from the interior. The quantity, types and orientations of the working elements 9, which may comprise different numbers of engaging dogs 7, is variable and may be chosen as needed.

(27) The tubular container 2 is provided with working elements 10 having engaging dogs 8. The working elements 10 may be referred to as outer or outwardly disposed working elements 20 since their engaging dogs 8 protrude into the processing chamber 5 from the exterior.

(28) As can be better seen in the following figures, the working elements 10 are inserted from the exterior through the wall 24 of the tubular container 2 into the processing chamber 5. The lengths, shapes, and quantity of engaging dogs 8 on the working elements 10 may vary.

(29) This configuration allows to provide a flexible quantity of working elements 10, since working elements 10 can be inserted as needed from the exterior through the insertion openings 23 into the tubular container 2 and thus into the processing chamber 5. This may optionally be done during a short stop in ongoing operation so as to enable adapting and responding to changing conditions of the material 6 to be processed.

(30) FIG. 2 illustrates an enlarged cross section of the cleaning device according to FIG. 1. The axle device 3 is illustrated in the interior of the tubular container 2. The axle device 3 consists of a centered axle 14 which is presently polygonal and preferably square in cross section, onto which spacers 15 or 16 and working elements 9 are successively placed.

(31) Each of the working elements 9 comprises one or more engaging dogs 7. The engaging dogs 7 extend outwardly from the axle 14. The orientation of the engaging dogs 7 may be radial while it may additionally show tangential or vertical components.

(32) A spacer 15 or 16 positioned in-between provides the required distance in the processing direction or the vertical direction 38 between pairs of working elements 9. It is also possible for two or more spacers 15 or 16 to be placed in-line immediately adjacent to one another.

(33) As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, the spacers 15 provided in the upper region are smaller in diameter 17 than the spacers 16 provided in the lower region which show larger outer diameters 18.

(34) In this way a larger working gap 12 is provided in the upper region than in the lower region where there is a clearly smaller working gap 13 between the outer wall 11 of the axle device 3 and the inner wall 4 of the tubular container 2.

(35) It is also possible to provide a smaller gap 13 in a topmost region followed by a larger gap 12 further down which in turn is followed by a smaller gap 13 further down.

(36) Spacers 15, 16 having two or more different outer diameters 17, 18 allow to configure the processing chamber as it is optimal for the material 6 currently processed. The structure may be adapted flexibly since each of the components is pushed onto the axle 14 whose outer cross section is non-round. The spacers 15, 16 in turn provide a round outer cross section so as to reduce wear. Moreover the axle 14 is protected from contamination so as to allow ease of changing the working elements 9.

(37) A water supply 44 may be provided which may be additionally activated as needed for influencing the cleaning process.

(38) FIG. 3 shows another schematic cross section of the cleaning device 1 or the tubular container 2 and the axle device 3. The axle device 3 is presently provided with identical spacers 15, all showing the same outer diameters. The working elements 9 mounted on the axle device 3 are aligned at different angles to the axle 14 to achieve a homogeneous, thorough mixing in the processing chamber 5.

(39) The outer surface of the tubular container 2 is provided with a plurality of insertion openings 23 which are disposed symmetrically distributed over the circumference and at several different heights. The insertion openings 23 allow a flexible quantity of inserted working elements 10. The engaging dogs 8 of the working elements 10 inserted from outside protrude into the interior of the processing chamber 5. Here the working elements 9 and 10 and their engaging dogs 7 and 8 are configured and disposed in the vertical direction 38 so that the operating ranges of the engaging dogs 7 and 8 overlap at least partially. This causes a particularly thorough mixing in the processing chamber. Simple mounting and dismantling is still possible though since for dismantling, the outer working elements 10 can first be removed before the entire axle device 3 or the spacers 15, 16 and the working elements 9 can be removed.

(40) To secure the outer working elements 20 to the tubular container 2 and as a support thereof, stud members 25 are provided which can be inserted in relation to their orientation into one of the two openings 39 of the working elements 10.

(41) In FIG. 3 a wear protection device 26 can be seen additionally. The wear protection device 26 comprises longitudinal stays 28 positioned vertical which are distributed along the inner periphery of the tubular container 2, and horizontal webs 27 disposed at periodic intervals over the height of the tubular container 2.

(42) In this case, double webs 27 are provided between which the insertion openings 23 are provided for inserting the working elements 10. This additionally reinforces the tubular container 2 near the insertion openings 23 to accommodate the loads and stresses. Furthermore the wear protection device 26 also serves to protect the inner wall 4 of the tubular container 2 from wear. Material 6 to be processed will accumulate in operation in the depressions between the webs 27 and the longitudinal stays 28 which thus serves as an autogenous wear protection. Thus the abrading loads and stresses do not act on the inner surface of the inner wall 4 but within the material to be processed. Moreover the webs 27 and stays 28 can support the working elements 10 if they are suitably arranged.

(43) FIG. 4 shows a simplistic top view of a tubular container 2 with a total of four working elements 10 with their engaging dogs 8 inserted through the wall 24 of the tubular container 2. The working elements 10 are arranged offset from one another at angles of 90 degrees.

(44) Two working elements 9 can be seen on the axle device 3 extending from the interior into the processing chamber 5. Both the working elements 9 comprise one engaging dog 7 each having different acting lengths.

(45) In all the configurations different working elements 9, 10 can be employed. FIGS. 5 to 7 show three different variants of working elements 9.

(46) FIG. 5 shows a working element 9 having one single engaging dog 7. FIG. 6 shows a working element 9 having two opposite engaging dogs 7a and 7b. FIG. 7 shows a working element 9 having three engaging dogs 7a, 7b and 7c provided offset from one another at angles of 120 degrees each.

(47) The inner periphery of the working elements 9 is adapted to the outer periphery of the axle 14 so that the working elements 9 can for one, be non-rotatably disposed on the axle 14 and for another, can be positioned at different angles to one another. FIG. 6 shows exemplarily two different angular positions 21 and 22 to an axle 14 drawn schematically.

(48) FIG. 8 shows two different configurations of a working element 10 with the engaging dogs 8 configured in different lengths. The solid line is a length 43 of the entire working element and the dashed line illustrates another variant of a working element 10 showing a shorter length 42. The working elements 10 are inserted into the processing chamber 5 through a feeding mouth 23 so that the engaging dog 8 protrudes into the processing chamber 5. The openings 39 remain outside of the tubular container 2. A stud member 25 which is inserted into one of the openings 39 allows to secure the working element 10 to the cleaning device 1.

(49) If no working element 10 is needed in any position then a closing head 40 may be inserted instead which does not at all or substantially not enter into the processing chamber 5.

(50) FIG. 10 finally shows a perspective view of the cleaning device 1. The filling hopper 41 can be seen at the top end. One can recognize therein the axle device 3 with the axle 14 that is presently stationary and square in cross section. The inserted working elements 10, which have been inserted into feeding mouths 23, are shown on the outside surface of the tubular container 2. It is also possible to not only insert working elements 10 but also closing heads 40 which when viewed from the outside do not need to differ from working elements 10. It is, however, preferred for the closing heads 40 to differ for example by their color or in structural features so that one recognizes at a glance whether a working element 10 or a closing head 40 is inserted in any position.

(51) On the whole the invention provides a highly compact cleaning device 1 which can operate at degrees of filling 37 of above 75% and in particular above 90% and thus achieves high throughput while requiring little space.

(52) Due to the fact that the working elements 9 and 10 show flexibility in use and replacement, an optimal operating point can be found for virtually any material to be processed. The flexible adjusting of the working gap 12 or 13, which can even be varied within the working device 1, can limit the throughput in a simple way for example by reducing the gap downwardly.

(53) Moreover the inventive cleaning device 1 allows simpler maintenance since in particular the working modules inserted from outside can be exchanged even during short stops without emptying the container 2.

(54) The rotation of the tubular container enables an efficient processing which is energy-saving and requires little space. Due to the rotating outer wall the stressing intensity within the processing chamber 5 is considerably higher than in the prior art. The input energy density is higher so as to allow a more efficient desagglomeration. The shearing gradient acts on the entire rotating surface which is larger than if solely single agitator arms were moved. On the whole an efficient and intense, selective disintegration of the foreign matter adhering to the supplied material is achieved.

(55) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 1 cleaning device 2 tubular container 3 axle device 4 inner wall 5 processing chamber 6 material 7 engaging dog (inner) 7a engaging dog (inner) 7b engaging dog (inner) 7c engaging dog (inner) 8 engaging dog (outer) 9 working element (inner) 10 working element (outer) 11 outer wall 12 working gap 13 working gap 14 axle 15 spacer 16 spacer 17 diameter 18 diameter 19 inner working element 20 outer working element 21 angle 22 angle 23 insertion opening 24 wall 25 stud member 26 wear protection 27 web 28 longitudinal stay 29 upper end 30 lower end 31 control device 32 motor 33 fill level sensor 34 filling mouth 35 discharging opening 36 discharge element 37 degree of filling 38 vertical direction 39 hole (for 25) 40 insertion lid 41 filling hopper 42 length 43 length 44 water supply 100 system 120 screening machine