Adjustable kiln flight for rotary kiln decoater and associated method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11543184-B2
Application number	US-201916532822-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2019
Priority date	Aug 7, 2018
Publication date	Jan 3, 2023
Grant date	Jan 3, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed are adjustable kiln flights for rotary kilns and associated methods. The kiln flight includes a base configured to be secured to a rotary kiln surface of a rotary kiln. In some aspects, the kiln flight includes a flight body rotatably supported on the base such that an angular orientation of the flight body is adjustable. In various examples, the kiln flight includes a height adjuster movably supported relative to the base such that a height of the kiln flight is adjustable. A method of controlling a rotary kiln with the adjustable kiln flight includes supporting a kiln flight on a base that is secured to an inner kiln surface of a rotary kiln, and adjusting at least one of the angular orientation of the kiln flight or the height of the kiln flight.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A kiln flight for a rotary kiln, the kiln flight comprising:
a base configured to be secured to a rotary kiln surface; and
a body assembly movably supported on the base such that the body assembly is adjustable relative to the base, wherein the body assembly is configured to be rotated about a rotation axis extending in a direction that is not parallel to a central axis of the kiln,
wherein the body assembly comprises a flight body and a height adjuster, wherein the height adjuster comprises an upper edge, wherein a distance from the upper edge to the base is a height of the kiln flight, and wherein the height adjuster is movably supported on the flight body such that the height of the kiln flight is adjustable.

2. The kiln flight of claim 1 , wherein the body assembly comprises the flight body rotatably supported on the base such that an angular orientation of the flight body is adjustable relative to the base.

3. The kiln flight of claim 2 , wherein the angular orientation of the flight body is adjustable between a first position and a second position.

4. The kiln flight of claim 3 , wherein a difference between the first position and the second position is from 0° to 30°.

5. The kiln flight of claim 2 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of openings, and wherein the flight body comprises a plurality of supports, each support movable within a corresponding opening such that the angular orientation of the flight body is adjustable relative to the base.

6. The kiln flight of claim 1 , wherein the flight body defines a plurality of height slots, and wherein the height adjuster comprises a plurality of height supports, each height support movable within a corresponding height slot such that the height of the kiln flight is adjustable.

7. The kiln flight of claim 1 , wherein the height adjuster comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion comprises the upper edge, wherein the first portion is slidably supported on the flight body, and wherein the second portion and first portion are non-coplanar.

8. A rotary kiln system comprising:
a rotary kiln comprising an inner kiln surface; and
the kiln flight of claim 1 .

9. The rotary kiln system of claim 8 , wherein the body assembly comprises a flight body rotatably supported on the base such that an angular orientation of the flight body relative to the central axis is adjustable.

10. The rotary kiln system of claim 9 , wherein the angular orientation of the flight body is adjustable between a maximum position and a base position relative to the central axis, and wherein a difference between the maximum position and the base position is from 0° to 30°.

11. The rotary kiln system of claim 8 , wherein the flight body is rotatably supported on the base such that an angular orientation of the flight body relative to the central axis is adjustable, and wherein the height adjuster is movably supported on the flight body.

12. The rotary kiln system of claim 9 , wherein the base is fixed to the inner kiln surface.

13. The rotary kiln system of claim 9 , wherein the kiln flight is a first adjustable kiln flight of a plurality of adjustable kiln flights arranged on the inner kiln surface, wherein the rotary kiln comprises a first zone and a second zone, wherein a first group of kiln flights of the plurality of adjustable kiln flights are arranged in the first zone, and a second group of kiln flights of the plurality of adjustable kiln flights are arranged in the second zone, and wherein an angular orientation of the first group is different from an angular orientation of the second group, or a height of the first group is different from a height of the adjustable kiln flights in the second group.

14. A method of controlling a rotary kiln, the method:
supporting a base of a kiln flight on an inner kiln surface of a rotary kiln, wherein the base is fixedly secured to the inner kiln surface;
supporting a body assembly of the kiln flight on the base, wherein the body assembly is movable relative to the base and the inner kiln surface and comprises a flight body and a height adjuster, wherein the height adjuster comprises an upper edge, and wherein a distance from the upper edge to the base is a height of the kiln flight; and
adjusting the body assembly of the kiln flight by:
moving the body assembly relative to the base, wherein adjusting the body assembly comprises rotating the body assembly about a rotation axis extending in a direction that is not parallel to a central axis of the kiln; and
moving the height adjuster relative to the flight body to adjust the height of the kiln flight.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adjusting an angular orientation of the body assembly relative to the base.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the kiln flight is a first kiln flight of a plurality of kiln flights, wherein a first group of flights of the plurality of kiln flights are provided on the inner kiln surface in a first zone of the kiln, and a second group of flights of the plurality of kiln flights are provided on the inner kiln surface in a second zone of the kiln, and wherein adjusting the body assembly comprises:
adjusting an angular orientation of the first group to be different from an angular orientation of the second group, or
adjusting a height of the first group to be different from a height of the second group.

Assignees

• Novelis Inc

Inventors

• Son Jungyoung
• Koentopp Cameron

Classifications

• F27B7/161

  the means comprising projections jutting out from the wall · CPC title

• F27B7/18 Primary

  the means being movable within the drum · CPC title

• F27B7/162 Primary

  the projections consisting of separate lifting elements, e.g. lifting shovels · CPC title

• F27B7/20

  Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for rotary-drum furnaces · CPC title

• F27B7/16

  the means being fixed relatively to the drum, {e.g. composite means}(F27B7/04 takes precedence) · CPC title