TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an arrangement for crushing an object, such as construction waste, concrete, mineral wool, fibers, plastic, woods, clothes and organic based material, for example. In particularly the invention relates to an arrangement having a fluid jet crusher with at least one nozzle for providing a high-speed fluid jet towards the object to be crushed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to use a high-speed fluid jet to cut or even crush objects. However, many of the known methods and devices have problems or disadvantages, namely the high-speed fluid jet may ricochet from supporting structures of the devices supporting the object to be crushed which might be dangerous. In addition, the high-speed fluid jet may cause damages to the supporting structures of the devices when the object to be cut or crushed is crushed and when the high-speed fluid jet hits the supporting structures supporting the object, and in particularly when the device is used in a repetitive manner. When the object is crushed at least partially, the high-speed fluid jet typically hits also the supporting structures of the devices and not only the remaining object. Further, when the operation is repetitive, the supporting structures of the devices might be exposed to high load and damages, whereupon the lifetime of the device and the supporting structures is not long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to alleviate and eliminate the problems relating to the known prior art. Especially the object of the invention is to provide an arrangement and method for crushing an object so that harmful effects of the high-speed fluid jet hitting to supporting structures of the arrangement is minimized or even prevented and at the same time maximizing the overall crushing power and crushable effects of the high-speed fluid jet to the object. The object of the invention can be achieved by the features of independent claims.

The invention relates to an arrangement for crushing an object according to claim 1. In addition, the invention relates to a method for crushing an object according to claim 12.

According to an embodiment of the invention an arrangement for crushing an object comprises a fluid jet crusher having at least one nozzle for providing a high-speed fluid jet towards the object to be crushed. The object can be at least in principle any soft or hard material, like construction waste, mineral wool, plastic, wood, concrete, fibers, clothes, leather, textile material or fabric, glass and/or organic material, for example. The high-speed fluid jet may be water or any other fluid, and it may comprise also an additive, like quartz or silica or the like to enforce the momentum of the high-speed fluid jet and thereby the enforce the crushing effect. In addition, the high-speed fluid jet may also have disinfectant or dye, for example, but not however limiting to those only, and the additive can be selected according to the situation in question, such as whether there is soft or hard material to be crushed or is there a demand for disinfecting the material to be crushed.

The arrangement comprises also a space, advantageously a chamber with a supporting structure, the chamber being configured to receive the object to be crushed into the chamber. In addition, the arrangement is configured to receive or provide a fluid layer between the supporting structure and the object to be crushed so that the object is free of contact of the supporting structure during the high-speed fluid jet provided by the fluid jet crusher towards the object. Advantageously the fluid layer is on a surface of the supporting structure and thus covering the supporting structure so that when the high-speed fluid jet hits and crushes the object, the fluid layer covers and protects the supporting structure of the chamber even if the high-speed fluid jet is, accidentally, directed towards the supporting structure and also after the object is crushed and if the high-speed fluid jet is still on. It has been noted that the fluid layer absorbs the energy of the high-speed fluid jet very effectively and thus prevents any mechanical damages to the supporting structure. Advantageously, when the object is crushed, the high-speed fluid jet is turned off.

According to an example the arrangement may comprise also a fluid wall equipment for providing a fluid wall and thereby said fluid layer between the supporting structure of the chamber and the object. The fluid wall can be achieved e.g. by pumping fluid to the upper portion of the chamber and let it rain down along the supporting structure of the chamber. In addition, according to an example the arrangement may comprise a fluid shower for showering and thereby providing said fluid layer between the supporting structure of the chamber and the object. The fluid shower is advantageously arranged to the supporting structure of the chamber so that it sprays the fluid and generates the fluid layer to the surface of the supporting structure or next the supporting structure of the chamber. The supporting structure of the chamber advantageously comprises an inner wall, whereupon the fluid layer is provided on the inner wall or next to the inner wall. It is to be noted that the there is no need that the fluid layer touches the inner wall or the supporting structure, but the fluid layer is provided between the supporting structure or inner wall and the object.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the arrangement comprises a vortex generator for providing a vortex to a fluid in the chamber so that the fluid revolves around the chamber and rises up along the supporting structure (i.e. an inner wall in practise) of the chamber thereby forming said fluid layer between the supporting structure of the chamber and the object to be crushed and thereby supporting the object so that the object is free of contact of said supporting structure.

Providing the vortex offers clear advantages, namely the amount of the fluid required can be kept minimal and in addition the circulating fluid layer keeps the object moving, whereupon the crushed objects or parts of it do not get stuck in any portion of the chamber so easy. In addition, the fluid jet crusher may be even static, so not movable or rotary one, because the circulating or rotating vortex moves and transports the object so that the high-speed fluid jet hits the object at least at some point of the circulation or rotational movement.

The fluid jet crusher can be arranged in different locations, but advantageously it is arranged essentially at the centre of the chamber so that the high-speed fluid jet is directed towards the supporting structure of the chamber and therefore towards the object located between the fluid layer and the fluid jet crusher. When the vortex generator is used, the object is moved, or circulated, by the revolving fluid around the chamber. Therefore, it is advantageous that the chamber is a cylindrical chamber, and the fluid jet crusher is arranged essentially at the central axis of the cylindrical chamber so that the high-speed fluid jet is directed towards the supporting structure of the cylindrical chamber and therefore towards the object located between the fluid layer and the fluid jet crusher.

According to an embodiment, a direction of the high-speed fluid jet is controllable or is configured to oscillate or make a repetitive or an arbitrary pattern or rotate or swing in order to have more crushable effect. In addition, according to an embodiment, a position of the fluid jet crusher is configured to be moved, such as raised and/or lowered in the chamber. Still in addition, the arrangement may naturally comprise plurality of the fluid jet crushers.

The vortex generator may comprise e.g. a pump for pumping the fluid or a propeller to induce propulsion to the fluid and thus cause the fluid to revolve. In addition, the vortex generator may comprise a revolving inner wall or a revolving bottom portion of the chamber for applying the vortex so that the fluid revolves around a central axis of the chamber and rises up along the supporting structure or the inner wall thereby forming the fluid layer between the supporting structure or the inner wall of the chamber and the object.

When the object is crushed enough, the crushed portions of the object should be removed somehow. According to an embodiment, the arrangement comprises a separation equipment for receiving crushed material and separating the crushed material from the mix of fluid and crushed material. The separation equipment may e.g. has a pump system for pumping the mix of fluid and crushed material to a separation device. The separation device may have e.g. mechanical separation means, such as mesh with different sides of holes, or gravitational or centrifuge types means, or magnetic base devices or combination of those or other devices suitable for separation of fluids and crushed material from each other known by the skilled person. The separated fluid may then be recirculated to the arrangement for reuse.

It is to be noted that the objects can be fed as such into the chamber for crushing, e.g. by using a conveyor belt or the like. However, according to an embodiment, the objects can be preliminary manipulated, such as preliminary crushed, before feeding into the chamber, but this is not mandatory or even needed. The speed of the high-speed fluid jet provided by the fluid jet crusher is at least -100 m/s, but advantageously 1-6, more advantageously at least 8, and most advantageously at least 9 times the speed of sound. The pressure of the high-speed fluid jet is at least 200, more preferably 1000-6000, more advantageously at least 7000, or even at least 8500 bar. It is to be noted that when the high-speed fluid jet with high speed and high pressure is run and flown through the nozzle, the temperature of the fluid rises easily over 200 C° or even over 300 C°, which is enough to destroy e.g. bacterium and having thus a disinfecting effect to the material of the crushed object. It is to be understood that the temperature of the high-speed fluid jet can also be managed and controlled to a desired level by methods known from by the skilled person.

The present invention offers advantages over the known prior art, such as enabling a safe and continuous operation of the arrangement for crushing different types of objects. According to the invention loads and possible damages to supporting structures of devices can be minimised and at the same maximise the lifetime of the device and the supporting structures. In addition, possible ricochets from the supporting structures of the devices can be prevented or at least minimised. Furthermore, at the same, a disinfecting effect can be exposed to the material of the crushed object during crushing. Still, also fibrous material can be crushed by the invention to a significantly small piece size in an energy efficiently way because the fibrous material can be fed continuously to the fluid jet crusher and in some embodiments the fibrous material can “float” on the medium or on the fluid layer supporting said fibrous material at the same when the high-speed jet crushes the fibrous material.

The exemplary embodiments presented in this text are not to be interpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used in this text as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific example embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Next the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in accordance with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1-9 illustrate a principle of an exemplary arrangement for crushing objects according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention,

Figures 10-12 illustrate additional examples for providing a fluid layer for an inner surface of a chamber according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, and

Figures 13-21 illustrate a principle of exemplary arrangements for preliminary crushing objects according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figures 1-9 illustrate a principle of an exemplary arrangement 100 for crushing objects according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, where the arrangement 100 comprises a chamber 112 with a supporting structure 105, and where the supporting structure 105 has an inner wall 116. The chamber is configured to receive an object 101 to be crushed for example via a conveyor 125. As discussed elsewhere, the object 101 can be fed as such to the chamber 112, or optionally the object can be preliminary crushed by a preliminary crushing device, examples of which are disclosed in Figures 10-18, and then fed to the chamber.

In addition, the arrangement 100 comprises a fluid jet crusher 102 having at least one nozzle 103 for providing a high-speed fluid jet 104 towards an object 101. In the examples of Figures 1-9 the fluid jet crusher 102 is arranged essentially at the centre of the or advantageously essentially at the central axis 114 of the cylindrical chamber 112. The chamber 112 is configured to receive or provide a fluid layer 113 between the supporting structure 105 or the inner wall 116 and the object 101 so that the object 101 is free of contact of the supporting structure 105 or the inner wall 116 of the chamber during the high-speed fluid jet 104 provided by the fluid jet crusher 102 towards the object 101 . Advantageously the fluid layer is on a surface of the inner wall 116 or next to it and thus covers the inner wall 116 from the high-speed fluid jet 104.

An advantageous way to provide the fluid layer is using a vortex generator 117, which generates a vortex to a fluid in the chamber. Thus, when the fluid revolves around the chamber 112 hard enough, it rises up along the inner wall of the chamber 112 thereby forming the fluid layer 113 between the inner wall 116 of the chamber and the object 101. In Figures 1-9 the vortex generator 117 is a pump for pumping the fluid so that the fluid is directed along a curvature of the inner wall, whereupon the fluid starts to revolve around the chamber and rises along the inner wall of the chamber.

In Figure 10 a revolving inner wall 127 is described, and in Figure 11 a revolving bottom portion 128 of the chamber 112. When the inner wall and/or the bottom portion of the chamber 112 is revolving, also the fluid starts to revolve and when the revolving velocity is high enough, the fluid starts to raise up along the inner wall of the chamber 1 12 thereby forming the fluid layer 113.

Figure 12 illustrates an example, where the arrangement comprises also a fluid wall equipment 129 for providing a fluid wall 130 and thereby said fluid layer 113 between the inner wall 116 of the chamber 112 and the object 101 . The fluid wall 130 is achieved by pumping fluid to the upper portion of the chamber 112 by a fluid wall equipment 129 pump 131 and let it rain down along the inner wall 116 of the chamber.

As can be seen in Figures 1-12, the chamber comprises the fluid layer 113 between the inner wall 116 of the chamber 112 and the object 101 so that the object is located between the fluid layer 113 and the fluid jet crusher 102. Thus, the high-speed fluid jet 104 does not have a direct contact with the supporting structure 105 or the inner wall 1 16 of the chamber but it hits to the object and after the object is crushed the high-speed fluid jet 104 hits the fluid layer 113. In Figure 2 the fluid is in rest inside the chamber 112 and in Figure 3 the fluid revolves so that it starts to raise along the inner wall of the chamber and thereby forming the fluid layer 113. Now also the fluid jet crusher 102 can be seen at the center 114 of the chamber 112 when the fluid revolves. In Figure 4 the object is introduced into the chamber 112 advantageously from the top portion and dropped to the revolving fluid. When the fluid revolves and forms the fluid layer 1 13, it at the same also supports and supplies the object to the fluid jet crusher 102 and high-speed fluid jet 104, as is the case in Figures 5 and 6. Now, when the fluid revolves and supports the object, the object is also continuously revolved around the central axis 114 of the chamber 1 12 so that the high-speed fluid jet 104 crushed the object. When the entire object 101 is crushed the high-speed fluid jet 104 will hit the fluid layer 113 and not the supporting structure 105 or the inner wall 116 behind the object.

It is to be noted that the arrangement 100 illustrated in Figures 1-12 can also be operated continuously because the crushed material can be removed from the chamber at the same time when the new objects are introduced to the chamber. The removing can be done e.g. by the pump system 123 or the like and with suitable separation equipment. As illustrated Figures 1 -9, the arrangement comprises also a separation equipment 124 for receiving crushed material and separating the crushed material from the mix of fluid and crushed material.

Figures 13-21 illustrate a principle of exemplary arrangements 200 for preliminary crushing objects 101 according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention. It is to be noted that those arrangements 200 illustrated in Figures 13-21 can also be used individually for crushing the object, but here they are used for pre-crushing the objects for the arrangements 100 illustrated in Figures 1-12, even also those arrangements 100 can be used independently.

In the arrangement 200 illustrated in Figures 13-17 a supporting structure 105 is a moving device 106, which moves the object from a first position 107 to a second position 108. Different kinds of moving devices are described in Figures 13-18. The object is an 3D object, and it is supplied to the fluid jet crusher 102 so that a first volume 101 A of the object faced towards the highspeed fluid jet 104 is crushed first, as can be seen in particular in Figure 13.

Figure 13 describes the arrangement 200, where the moving device is a piston type moving device 106. When the piston 106 is in the first position 107 (Figure 14), it can receive the object 101 from a space 115, after which the piston 106 is moved from the first position to the second position 108 and towards the fluid jet crusher 102 and the high-speed fluid jet 104, as is the case in Figure 13 and 15, for example. In the second position 108 the object 101 , or at least its first volume 101 A (i.e. a distal end) is supplied and introduced to the fluid jet crusher 102 and the high-speed fluid jet 104. However, it is to be noted that if the second portion 101 B of the previous object is still left, the next object 101 to be moved from the first position 107 to the second position 108 advantageously supports and moves and thereby supplies the second volume 101 B of previous object 101 to the fluid jet crusher 102 and the high-speed fluid jet 104, as is the case especially in Figure 15, where the first volume 101 A of the previous object has already crushed and the second volume 101 B is only left, whereupon the first volume 101 A of the next object pushes the second volume 101 B of the previous one ahead.

Figure 17 describes a screw conveyor 106, which can continuously move the objects from the first position 107 to the second position 108. The screw conveyor 106 is advantageously arranged so that the high-speed fluid jet 104 hits the first volume 101 A of the object first, whereas the screw conveyor 106 supplies or supports the second volume 101 B behind the first volume 101 A of the same object whereupon the high-speed fluid jet 104 does not hit the supporting structure, or the screw conveyor 106. Of course, also the screw conveyor 106 may supply the next object 101 and support and push the second volume 101 B of the previous one by the first volume 101 A of the next one. Anyway, also in these exemplary arrangements 200 the high-speed fluid jet 104 does not hit the supporting structure, or the screw conveyor 106, but only the object 101 .

In addition, according to an embodiment the arrangement may comprise a liquid input 118 receiving a liquid flow 119 and guiding the liquid flow 119 to move the object 101 from the first position 107 to the second position 108 and again to the fluid jet crusher 102 and the high-speed fluid jet 104, as is the case in Figure 18. There a back end 120 can be understood as the supporting structure 105, whereupon the liquid flow 119 is guided between the supporting structure 105/120 and the object 101 fed to the arrangement. Now the back end 120 functions as the supporting structure 105 supporting the liquid flow so that the liquid flow is guided and enforced to flow and move the object 101 from the first position 107 to the second position 108. It is to be noticed that in this embodiment (Figure 18) the object 101 locates between the guided liquid flow 119 and the fluid jet crusher 102 and the guided liquid flow is configured to move the object from the first position 107 to the second position 108 and thereby supplying the first volume 101 A of said object 101 for the fluid jet crusher 102 or to supporting and supplying the second volume 101 B of previous object 101 for the fluid jet crusher 102 by the next object 101 moved from said first position 107 to said second position 108.

The arrangement illustrated in Figures 13-18 advantageously comprises also a conical portion 109 at a distal portion 122 or at the second position 108 area. The conical portion 109 is arranged to converge in the direction 110 of the movement of the object 101 from the first position 107 to said second position 108. In addition, a diameter 121 of the distal portion 122 may be adjustable so that the diameter 121 may be large when receiving the object 101 into the distal portion 122 of the arrangement, after which the diameter 121 can be adjusted smaller to press the object 101 tighter and causing higher counterforce for the object 101 against the high-speed fluid jet 104 and to keep the object essentially in rest, even if the moving device, like the piston, is moved back to the first position 107 to receive the next object.

The arrangement may also comprise protrusions 111 , such as wedge-shaped protrusions or pusher plates or the like, as is illustrated in Figure 16.

According to an embodiment the conical portion 109 may comprise additionally said protrusions 11 1 . In addition, according to an embodiment the conical portion 109 may also comprise said adjustable diameter 121.

In addition, as can be seen in Figures 20 and 21 (and also in Figure 7), the arrangements 200 (and also the arrangements 100) may also comprise a pattern recognition device 126. The pattern recognition device is advantageously in data connection with a control unit (not shown in Figures) of the arrangement so that the control unit may control e.g. the change of the diameter 121 of a distal portion 122 of the arrangement or the diameter 121 the conical portion 109 and/or the high-speed fluid jet 104, such as pressure, speed and direction and track of the fluid jet 104 so to e.g. cause more powerful crushing effect to a portion of the object being left. The invention has been explained above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, and several advantages of the invention have been demonstrated. It is clear that the invention is not only restricted to these embodiments, but comprises all possible embodiments within the spirit and scope of the inventive thought and the following patent claims.

For example, it is to be noted that in addition to the disclosure and examples, that even if the arrangement illustrated in Figures 13-21 is depicted in a horizontal level (the object 101 is moved horizontally in the direction 110), the arrangement can also be operated vertically so that the object is moved from top to bottom. In that kind of arrangement, the fluid jet crusher 102 advantageously locates at the bottom of the arrangement and so that the gravity is also used to help to move the object and keep it in the exposure of the high-speed fluid jet.

In addition, the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 -13 is depicted in a vertical level, whereupon the arrangement advantageously also comprises a conveyor 125 to convey the objects to the chamber. It is to be noted that the conveyor 125 optional and the objects can be lifted e.g. by a crane and dropped down to the chamber.

The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.