Feeding arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879209-B2
Application number	US-201917268680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 5, 2018
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A feeding arrangement comprising a transportation means (3) for transportation of material from a material supply to at least a first chute (7) and a second chute (8), a plug screw feeder (11) for feeding the material to the treatment stage. The plug screw feeder (11) is provided with a first inlet opening (12) connected to the first chute (7), which first chute (7) is provided between the transportation means (3) and the plug screw feeder (11). Further, the transportation means (3) comprises at least selectively openable first and second outlets (4, 5) arranged at different axial positions along the transportation means (2), which first outlet (4) is in connection with the first chute (7) and the second outlet (5) is in connection with the second chute (8).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A feeding arrangement for feeding comminuted cellulose material to a treatment stage, the feeding arrangement comprising:
a transportation means for transportation of the material from a material supply to a first chute and a second chute and
a plug screw feeder configured to feed the material to the treatment stage, wherein:
the plug screw feeder comprises a first inlet opening connected to the first chute, which first chute is provided between the transportation means and the plug screw feeder,
the second chute is provided between the transportation means and the plug screw feeder,
the plug screw feeder comprises a second inlet opening in feeding communication with the second chute,
the transportation means is located above the plug screw feeder, and
the transportation means comprises selectively openable first and second outlets arranged at different axial positions along the transportation means,
the first outlet is in connection with the first chute, and the second outlet is in connection with the second chute,
the first chute is substantially vertically arranged and configured to allow the material to be gravity fed through the first chute, and
the second chute is in feeding connection with a force feed screw configured to feed and compress the material before it enters the plug screw feeder.

2. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second inlet openings of the plug screw feeder are located in different radial positions in relation to each other.

3. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second inlet openings of the plug screw feeder are arranged in a perpendicular relationship to each other.

4. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the plug screw feeder comprises an outlet opening connected to a treatment vessel.

5. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the feeding arrangement comprises a pin drum feeder connected to the second chute.

6. The feeding arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the force feed screw is configured to receive the material from the the pin drum feeder and configured to provide the material to the second inlet opening of the plug screw feeder.

7. The feeding arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the second chute has a cross section with a width that increases from an area in a vicinity of the transportation means towards the pin drum feeder.

8. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the force feed screw comprises a feed screw configured to force feed the material from a pin drum feeder to the plug screw feeder.

9. The feeding arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the transportation means comprises a third outlet arranged at the end of the transportation means.

10. The feeding arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:
the plug screw feeder is driven by a first independent motor, the force feed screw is driven by a second independent motor, and the pin drum feeder is driven by a third independent motor, and
the first, second and third independent motors are connected to a control unit configured to control an individual speed of each motor.

11. The feeding arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the control unit is arranged to control the selectively openable first and second outlets of the transportation means.

12. A method for operating the feeding arrangement according to claim 11 , the method comprising steps of:
controlling the selectively openable first and second of the transportation means using the control unit;
feeding the material from the material supply, using the transportation means, to the first chute or the second chute;
feeding the material from the first chute or the second chute to the plug screw feeder;
feeding the material from the plug screw feeder to a treatment vessel; and
controlling the speed of the first independent motor, the second independent motor, and the third independent motor using the control unit.

13. The method for feeding the feeding arrangement according to claim 12 , comprising steps of:
feeding the material from the second chute to a pin drum feeder;
handling of the material using the pin drum feeder; and
feeding the material from the pin drum feeder to the plug screw feeder using the force feed screw.

Assignees

• Valmet Oy

Inventors

• Wahlberg Robert

Classifications

• D21C7/06 Primary

  Feeding devices · CPC title

• B30B9/127

  Feed means · CPC title

• B65G33/22

  with means for retarding material flow at the delivery end of the housing · CPC title

• D21B1/26 Primary

  Driving or feeding arrangements · CPC title

• D21C7/12

  Devices for regulating or controlling · CPC title