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Title:
AIR LOCK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR WAXY OR SEMISOLID MATERIALS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2021/038584
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present invention provides an air lock feeding system (200) for continuous feeding of semisolid material for material such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable material from hopper to the reactor. The air lock feeding system (200) comprising of elongated housing body (204) having conveying zone (100), compressing zone (300), scrapper (206), auger screws (208), rotating shaft (203) and motor (500). The conveying zone along with compressing zone forms a compact cake of sticky material occupying the full volume of compressing zone (300) and allow to squeeze out entrapped air and escaping backwardly from inlet (201) and preventing it to entering the reactor. The novel continuous semisolid material feeding equipment can be used for places needing semisolid feedstock supply, such as application fields of pyrolysis of plastic mass, gasification, torrefaction, oxidation, saponification, flake formation and scale formation of the wax and the like.

Inventors:
DIXIT SUHAS (IN)
Application Number:
PCT/IN2020/050735
Publication Date:
March 04, 2021
Filing Date:
August 23, 2020
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
DIXIT SUHAS (IN)
International Classes:
B65G33/14; B30B9/16
Foreign References:
KR20150134853A2015-12-02
CN109664540A2019-04-23
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
THAKARE, Tanuja Nandkumar (IN)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

I claim,

1. An air lock feeding system (200) for continuous feeding of semisolid, sticky materials in a reactor, comprising of: a) elongated housing body (204) that divided partially into Conveying zone

(100) comprising of auger screws (208) and compressing zone (300); b) inlet (201) configured to couple with hopper (400) and outlet (202) on opposite side configured to couple with reactor; c) rotating shaft (203) coupled with rotating drive (500), d) scraper (206) to cut the compact cake of sticky material formed at the end of compressing zone (300), e) a rotating drive (500) configured with rotating shaft (203) for providing a rotation to auger screws (208), f) a flanges (209) for coupling and sealing;

Characterised in that, the auger screws (208) adapted in conveying zone (100) is forcing a sticky material into compressing zone (300) that resulting into formation of a compact cake of sticky material occupying the full volume of compressing zone (300) and allow to squeeze out entrapped air and escaping backwardly from inlet (201) and preventing it to entering the reactor coupled to outlet (202).

2. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein auger screws (208) are selected from single shaft screw, double/twin screw, Single-flight ribbon screw, Shaftless screw. 3. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein scraper (206) are selected from sharp edge sheet, knife and wire.

4. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein compressing zone (300) is disposed with extended central rotating shaft (203) which is supported with bearing units (600) outside of elongated housing body (204).

5. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length ratio of conveying zone to compressing zone is between 5: 1 to 1:5.

6. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein elongated housing body (204) is covered with jacket (205) for controlling the temperature inside body.

7. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein elongated housing body (204) is partially covered with jacket (205) for controlling the temperature inside body.

8. The air lock feeding system (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein scraper (206) is arranged in a different angle and designed in a different way so as to scrape the material off from the central rotating shaft (203) or in absence of the central shaft, the scraper (206) breaks the material down so that it can fall from outlet

(202) into reactor.

Description:
TITLE OF THE INVENTION:

AIR LOCK FEEDING SYSTEM FOR WAXY OR SEMISOLID MATERIALS FIELD OF INVENTION:

The present invention relates to a feedstock feeding equipment. More specifically, the present invention provides an air lock feeding system for continuous feeding of semisolid materials such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable materials. The novel feeding equipment can be used for places needing continuous semisolid feedstock supply, such as application fields of pyrolysis of plastic mass, gasification, torrefaction, control oxidation, saponification, flake formation and scale formation of the wax and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Continuous reactors are used for a wide variety of chemical and biological processes within the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Continuous working reactors (flow reactors) are useful to save time as well as increase the productivity, which needs continuous supply of feed. Wherein, the reactants are continuously fed into the reactor and emerge as continuous stream of product. And hence such reactor is connected with conveyor system to carry material as a continuous flowing stream. Wherein, generally the residence time in the reactor is controlled by the feed rate of reactants to the reactor which is mainly depending on the feeding equipment capable of controlling the feed rate thereof. Further, along with controlling the rate of feeding, there is also requirement to couple the air-lock system between feeder and reactor or between hopper and feeder inlet.

For example, in the chemical reactors for processes such as pyrolysis, gasification, torrefaction, control oxidation are operated at high temperature 200 to 700 °C under critical environmental atmospheres. The challenges of maintaining control environment (avoiding oxygen) in reactor is important criteria while connecting a feeding device as well as its working mechanism. Typically, chemical industry in general, are using Auger feeding systems along with air-lock valves for solid type of feedstock. The document CN102492444B discloses the spiral feeder used for fluidized-bed-type fast biomass pyrolysis where a raw material is continuously auger from the housing and pushed into the fluidized bed reactor. The said feeding system is operated after airlock system and thereby providing an airlock conveying the material into the reactor. The said feeder is suitable for solid or liquid type of feedstock.

In other hand, the sources of potential feedstock is either from new reactants or by-products of reaction having different flow properties, also the latest development in pre-processing techniques resulting into availability of different feedstocks with different consistencies like semisolid, sticky, waxy, plastic dough or cohesive material or material behaving non-Newtonian fluid.

The conventional spiral feeding devices are ineffective for such semisolid, sticky, waxy, plastic dough or cohesive material or material behaving non- Newtonian fluid feedstock. These materials remain stuck inside the screw of said spiral feeding device. As stated above the screw feeder is more convenient for solid or liquid feed, but when the feed is semisolid or cohesive mass, it is prone to the formation of stagnant bed over the rotating surfaces of screw feeder resulting in screw feeder stop feeding the feed.

Hence, it is difficult to feed the material into continuous operating reactor if feedstock is semisolid in nature. Therefore, the existing and conventional screw feeder is failed to provide feeding equipment for such sticky or waxy material due to flow resistance properties of feed. This problem greatly limits the operating reactors in continuous manner.

Hence, there was need to develop the feeder that will continuously dispense the material at rate required by process for efficient production of final product, wherein the working of said new and improved feeding device is specifically depend upon the flow characteristics of feeding material e.g. material having non- Newtonian fluid. Accordingly, the objective of present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of existing feeder equipment’s. Wherein the inventors of the present invention provide an improved feeding equipment/device for semisolid feed material that will feed the material continuously and at controlled rate.

Additional advantage of present invention is that, the said semi-solid feedstock feeding device avoids the requirement of air-lock system to prevent entry of air in main reactor. Hence, the present invention is providing economic benefit to the processing industry.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a feeding equipment for semisolid feed material.

Second objective of the present invention is to provide the improved screw feeder to feed the semisolid material in reactor operating at controlled air conditions and temperature.

One more objective of the present invention is to provide an air lock feeding system for continuous feeding of semisolid material for material such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable material.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide the feeding system which allows continuous feeding of the semisolid material in reactor operating at controlled air conditions and temperature without requirement of additional airlock system and nitrogen purging system between hopper and feeding system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to an air lock feeding system (200) for continuous feeding of semisolid, sticky materials in a reactor. The semisolid materials such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable materials. The novel feeding equipment can be used for places needing continuous semisolid feedstock supply, such as application fields of pyrolysis of plastic mass, gasification, torrefaction, control oxidation, saponification, flake formation and scale formation of the wax and the like.

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to an air lock feeding system for continuous feeding of semisolid, sticky materials in a reactor, comprising of: a) elongated housing body (204) that divided partially into Conveying zone

(100) comprising of auger screws (208) and compressing zone (300), wherein the length ratio of conveying zone to compressing zone is between 10 : 1 to 1:10 and more preferably between 5 : 1 to 1:5, b) inlet (201) configured to couple with hopper (400) and outlet (202) on opposite side configured to couple with reactor; c) rotating shaft (203) coupled with rotating drive (500), d) scraper (206) to cut the compact cake of sticky material formed at the end of compressing zone (300), e) a rotating drive (500) configured with rotating shaft (203) for providing a rotation to auger screws (208), f) a flanges (209) for coupling and sealing,

Characterised in that, the auger screws (208) adapted in conveying zone (100) is forcing a sticky material into compressing zone (300) that resulting into formation of a compact cake of sticky material occupying the full volume of compressing zone (300) and allow to squeeze out entrapped air and escaping backwardly from inlet (201) and preventing it to entering the reactor coupled to outlet (202).

The non-limiting example of auger screws (208) are single shaft screw, double/twin screw, Single-flight ribbon screw and shaftless screw.

According to present invention, the scraper (206) are selected from sharp edge sheet, knife and wire and are arranged in a different angle and designed in a different way so as to scrape the material off from the central rotating shaft (203) or in absence of the central shaft, the scraper (206) breaks the material down so that it can fall from outlet (202) into reactor.

Optionally, the compressing zone (300) is disposed with extended central rotating shaft (203) which is supported with secondary bearing units (600) outside of elongated housing body (204).

According to present invention, the elongated body can be completely or partially covered with water/thermal fluid circulation jacket (205) having inlet and outlet for said fluid that will help to control the temperature elongated body if required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

For an understanding of the features and advantages of the present invention, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figure and in which: Figure No. 1 : is a diagrammatic view of air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure No. 2: is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure No. 3: is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with one more embodiment of the present invention.

Figure No. 4a: is a diagrammatic perspective -view of air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure No. 4b: is a partial perspective view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Figure No. 5a: is a diagrammatic top-view of air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure No. 5b: is a partial top-view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Figure No. 6: is a partial cross-sectional view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

Particular embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail.

Hereinbelow, the term ‘screw conveyor’ will generically indicate one or more type of rotating helical screw blade (flighting) capable of moving material and not limiting to single screw, double/twin screw, Single-flight ribbon screw, Shaftless screw, Single -cut-flight standard-pitch screw or variable pitch feeder or modification and combination of any one of these.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relates to an air-lock feeding system in order to couple with reactor such as chemical reactor, pyrolysis reactor or any reactor for feeding the semisolid and sticky feedstock in controlled rate and in air-lock manner. The feed material of different consistency such as semisolid, sticky, waxy, plastic dough or cohesive material or material behaving non-Newtonian fluid.

Accordingly, the actual mechanism that allows the continuous feeding of semisolid and sticky material is disposed within the said air-lock feeding system. The said air-lock feeding system is directly coupled at one end to hopper and at another end to reactor, wherein the separate air-lock valves are illuminated as the novel feeding system is itself is providing an air escaping phenomenon while feeding the semisolid material in reactor. This allows the use of said novel feeding system for continuous feeding of waxy/sticky material in reactor and provide end user with ease of dispensing sticky material in controlled manner in reactor to achieve the desired feed rate as well as restricted air environment for better conversion of product. Further, the embodiments of the present invention include any combination of the various side configurations with any of the various instruments.

Referring to figure 1, it illustrates the diagrammatic view of air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention developed for continuous feeding of waxy material, wherein the air lock feeding system (200) provide a the control flow of said material from hopper (400) into a reactor (not shown) as per present invention and the system mainly comprises of elongated housing body (204) partially/completely covered with jacket (205) for controlling the temperature inside the elongated housing body (204) using circulation therein of any suitable fluid.

In accordance to important embodiment of the present invention, the air lock feeding system (200) comprising of an elongated housing body (204) with inlet (201) coupled to hopper (400) and outlet (202) coupled with reactor (not shown) using flanges, wherein the elongated housing body (204) is divided partially into Conveying zone (100) comprising of auger screws (208) and compressing zone (300) and having scraper (206) at the end of compressing zone (300) in manner to cut the compact cake of sticky material formed within the compressing zone and dropping it into a said reactor in air-lock manner.

Further, optionally the elongated housing body (204) is partially or completely covered with jacket (205) for providing temperature control to said body (204) and supports (700) for maintaining the horizontal alignment of elongated body. The rotating shaft (203) is disposed within the elongated body and rotation is provided by coupling it with rotating drive i.e. motor (500) via a bearing assembly (600). The shaft is providing a rotation to auger screws (208) disposed in said Conveying zone (100).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the auger screws (208) adapted in conveying zone (100) is forcing a sticky material into compressing zone (300) that resulting into formation of a compact cake of sticky material occupying the full volume of compressing zone (300) and allow to squeeze out entrapped air and escaping backwardly from inlet (201) and preventing it to entering the reactor coupled to outlet (202).

Further, the damper (207) is provided near the outlet (202) to avoid the heat transfer from reactor to the elongated body area.

Referring to figure no. 2, it is illustrating a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with one more embodiment of the present invention, wherein elongated housing body (204) is divided partially into Conveying zone (100) comprising of auger screws (208) coupled with shaft (203) and compressing zone (300) and having scraper (206) at the end of compressing zone (300) in manner to cut the compact cake of sticky material formed within the compressing zone and allow to fall it into a said reactor in air lock manner. As one of the important embodiments of present invention the area/length covered by conveying zone to compressing zone is between 5: 1 to 1:5 depending upon the flow properties of feedstock.

Referring to figure no. 3, it is illustrating a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an air lock feeding system (200) in accordance with one more embodiment of the present invention, wherein a flanges (209) that are attached at the inlet (201) to couple with hopper and outlet (202) to couple with reactor. Further, such flanges (209) are also part of elongated body at both the ends to provide a seal and configuration with rotating shaft (203) and motor (500). Flange body (209), damper (207), jacket (205) are generally formed of a non-corrosive metal alloy or with combination with tough polymer. However, the selection of material for flange body and any part of system (200) can also be tailored such that it is readily weldable or otherwise attachable to metal materials that are commonly used for thermal reactors.

Accordingly, the embodiment illustrated with respect to figure no. 2 and 3, the auger screws (208) configured with rotating shaft (203) in conveying zone (100) are selected from single shaft screw or shaftless screw or augur, more specifically the screw can be selected from and not limiting to double/twin screw, Single-flight ribbon screw. Further, the scraper is selected from flat metal sheet with angled edge, knife and metal wire to exert the cutting effect on the cake of material.

In one more embodiment and referring to figure no. 4a, that illustrating a diagrammatic perspective-view along with partial view in figure 4b of said air lock feeding system (200), wherein the auger screw shaft is also extended till the compression zone (300) and coupled with bearing units/assembly (600) through a flanges (209). In one embodiment, the pair of scraper (206) is coupled in each side of the rotating shaft leaving a minute space for smooth rotation.

Accordingly, the said scraper (206) can be arranged in a different angle from the elongated body surface selected from range between 45 to 10 degree and designed in a different way such as horizontal or vertical position as that of the elongated body surface, so as to scrape the material off from the central rotating shaft (203) or absence of the central shaft from compressing zone (300). The scraper (206) breaks the material down so that it can fall from outlet (202) into reactor.

In another embodiment, referring to figure no. 5a and 5b, that illustrating a diagrammatic top-view along with partial view of said air lock feeding system (200), wherein the rotating shaft (203) attached to motor (500) is having auger screw (208) disposed in conveying zone (100) and at the end of compressing zone a pair of scraper (206) placed to cut the compressed cake of sticky material. Accordingly, the uniformed cut pieces of sticky material will be drop in the reactor in control rate and ultimately providing the efficient and continuous running of reaction in said reactor.

Further, figure 6 represents the diagrammatic cross-section view of bearing assembly (600) configured with rotating shaft (203) at least at one end where motor is connected and can be coupled with both the ends if rod is extended through the compression zone (300) as depicted in figure no. 4a. A bearing assembly (600) components includes lantern (601), graphite bush (602), gland sealing (603), stuffing box (604), gland pusher (605), bearing (607) and end cap (608) Thus, the embodiments of the present invention have generally provided an air lock feeding system (200) as illustrated in drawing sheets for feeding the sticky and waxy feedstock in control rate and under air-lock manner to the reactor and that to without assembling separate air-lock system with feeder. The feeding material corresponds to without limitation, wax, plastic, polymer, rubber, resin, soil, clay, organic material, catalyst, metals, oils, inorganic material or combination thereof etc.

As per working embodiment of present invention, material received from hopper is conveyed to compressing zone (300) forming a compact cake at the starting point of compression zone (300) due to sticky nature of material. These compact cake formation increases and extended towards outlet due to compression force of incoming material load, which, principally, squeeze out entrapped air and allowing escaping from inlet (201) through the empty overhead spaces of conveying zone (100). The said compact cake occupies the entire volume of compressing zone as the material is loaded and devoid of any air bubble/entrapped in to it. Thereby eliminating the need of installing separate air lock system, as required by conventional screw feeders. Further, the compact cake reaches the scraper (206) edge and back-pressure forcibly allow to cut the compact cake into pieces that falls down into the reactor.

Whereas, with the conventional screw conveyor, it was found that if the material having very poor flow properties like sticky/waxy/semisolid material, it was not possible to feed it in required feeding rate or rather not possible to feed the material at all due to lack of flow properties. To meet the continuous input of reactant with respective to output of product, the present invention is very important.

As set forth above, various embodiments of the present invention employ a air lock feeding system (200), that is useful in processing of sticky material feedstock in order to run the reactor in continuous manner and feeding of substrate in airlock condition. Therefore, the present invention is related to an air lock feeding system for continuous feeding of semisolid material for material such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable material, wherein the said improved screw feeder is to continuously feed the semisolid material in reactor operating at controlled air conditions and temperature as per required by reactor process parameters.

It can be seen from the above description that the advantages of present invention improved feeding equipment, more specifically, a continuous semisolid material feeding apparatus/equipment is its ease of feeding semisolid material such as waxy, plastic dough, cohesive or malleable material, in a reactor operated at control air condition and temperature in such a way that the feeding material can be continuously feed into a reactor with control on feeding rate and without use of external air lock system or nitrogen purging.

It will be understood that certain features and sub combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the invention.

Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Accordingly, the present invention overcome the deficiencies of existing feeder equipment’s. Wherein the inventors of the present invention provide an improved feeding equipment/device for semisolid feed material that will feed the material continuously and at controlled rate.

Reference numbers: -

200-air lock feeding system,

201 -Inlet,

202-Outlet,

203 -Shaft,

204-elongated housing body, 205-jacket,

206-scraper,

207-damper,

208-Screw, 209-Flange,

100-conveying zone, 300-compresing zone, 400-hopper,

500-rotating drive/motor, 600-bearing unit,

601 -lantern,

602-graphite bush,

603 -gland sealing,

604-stuffing box, 605 -gland pusher,

607-bearing,

608-end cap, 700-support.