Apparatus for producing prills

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12350640-B2
Application number	US-202117797323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2021
Priority date	Feb 5, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

An apparatus for producing prills includes a hollow body rotatable about a first axis, the body having a wall rotationally symmetrical around the first axis forming an interior space, the wall including nozzles for generating jets of liquid in a radially outward direction with respect to the first axis when rotating the hollow body; a second body disposed in the hollow body forming a gap between the hollow body and the second body; a liquid inlet for supplying a flow of liquid to the gap; a rotary drive unit for driving the hollow body around the first axis; a reciprocating drive-unit for reciprocally moving the hollow body and/or second body with respect to the other body along the first axis of rotation for applying reciprocal pressure on the jets; and a coupling for enabling relative rotations between the one of the hollow body and second body and the reciprocating drive-unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for producing prills from a flow of liquid, comprising:
a hollow body arranged to rotate about a first axis of rotation, the hollow body comprising a wall that is arranged rotation symmetrically around the first axis, thereby enclosing an interior space, the wall being provided with a plurality of through-holes forming nozzles for generating jets of liquid in at least a radially outward direction with respect to the first axis when rotating the hollow body;
a second body shaped to fit into the interior space of the hollow body, wherein the second body is nested inside the hollow body such that a gap is present between an inner surface of the wall of the hollow body and an outer surface of the second body;
a liquid inlet in liquid connection with the gap and arranged for supplying the flow of liquid to the gap;
a rotary drive unit for driving the rotational motion of at least the hollow body around the first axis of rotation;
a reciprocating drive-unit arranged for reciprocally moving one of the hollow body and second body with respect to the other of the hollow body and second body along the first axis of rotation for applying a reciprocal pressure excitation on the jets of liquid; and
a coupling mechanism arranged between the reciprocating drive-unit and the one of the hollow body and second body, wherein the coupling mechanism is arranged for enabling relative rotations, at least around an axis parallel to the first axis, between the one of the hollow body and second body and the reciprocating drive-unit.

2. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is at least partially substantially cylindrically and/or conically shaped, wherein the interior space is at least partially substantially cylindrically or conically shaped, and wherein the second body is shaped substantially similar to the interior space of the hollow body, such that a width of the gap is substantially constant along an entire circumference of the second body.

3. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a first rotational bearing unit and a second axis of rotation, wherein a second part of the rotational bearing unit is allowed to rotate with respect to a first part of the first rotational bearing unit around the second axis of rotation and wherein a lower end of the reciprocating-drive unit is arranged to move in a direction substantially parallel to the second axis between a first and second position, and wherein the lower end is coupled to the first part of the first rotational bearing unit and the one of the hollow body and second body is coupled to the second part of the first rotational bearing unit.

4. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 3 , wherein the hollow body, second body and the first rotational bearing unit are arranged coaxially, such that the first and second axes of rotation coincide.

5. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller that is arranged for driving the reciprocating drive-unit with a predefined frequency and amplitude of motion.

6. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein an upper end of the reciprocating drive-unit is coupled to a frame assembly and wherein the coupling mechanism is suspended in the axial direction from the reciprocating drive-unit; and wherein a second rotational bearing unit, which is arranged to rotate around a third axis of rotation, is arranged between the reciprocating drive-unit and the frame, and wherein the third axis of rotation is substantially parallel with the second axes of rotation.

7. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 2 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a rotational blocking mechanism for blocking substantially any rotation of reciprocating drive-unit around the second axis of rotation; and wherein the blocking mechanism comprises a blocking pin for blocking the rotation.

8. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the reciprocating drive-unit comprises a stacked piezo-electric element, wherein the stacked piezo-electric element is arranged for contracting and/or expanding in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis.

9. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , further comprising a biasing mechanism for preloading the reciprocating drive-unit; and wherein the biasing mechanism comprises the coupling mechanism and the one of the hollow body and second body, wherein the coupling mechanism and the one of the hollow body and second body are suspended from the reciprocating drive-unit such that a tensile preload is applied to the reciprocating drive-unit.

10. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , further comprising a shaft-assembly comprising a first and second shaft, wherein the second shaft is arranged between the coupling mechanism and the one of the hollow body and second body and wherein the first shaft is arranged between the rotary drive unit and the other of the hollow body and second body.

11. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second shafts are arranged coaxially.

12. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 10 , wherein the first shaft is arranged to at least partially enclose the second shaft in the radial direction, or wherein the second shaft is arranged to at least partially enclose the first shaft in the radial direction.

13. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 10 , wherein the shaft-assembly comprises a third bearing system, wherein the third bearing system is arranged between the first and second shafts, the third bearing system comprising at least a linear bearing member, such that the second shaft is arranged to move with respect to the first shaft in the axial direction.

14. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein a rotational transfer mechanism is arranged between the hollow body and second body and wherein the rotational transfer mechanism couples the rotational motion around the first axis of the hollow body and second body.

15. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid inlet debouches in the second body and wherein the second body comprises at least one through hole for forming a liquid connection between the gap and the liquid inlet.

16. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 15 , wherein a primary through hole runs substantially parallel to the first axis and wherein the primary through hole is arranged to debouche in a lower section of the hollow body.

17. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 15 , wherein secondary through holes, running at least outwardly in the radial direction as seen from the first axis, are arranged in the circumference of the of the second body; and wherein the secondary through holes of the second body and the liquid outlets of the hollow body, as seen along the radial direction, are arranged at a nonzero distance from each other.

18. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 15 , wherein substantially fin shaped members are arranged in the through-hole of the second body.

19. The apparatus for producing prills according to claim 1 , wherein the hollow body and second body are hollow conical frustums and wherein the reciprocal drive-unit is arranged for reciprocally varying the width of the gap between the hollow body and second body.

Assignees

• Machf Kreber B V
• Stamicarbon

Inventors

• Dits Paulus Johannes Nicolaas
• Groenewegen Marcus Wilhelmus Maria

Classifications

• B05B3/14

  with oscillating elements; with intermittent operation · CPC title

• B05B3/1021

  with individual passages at its periphery · CPC title

• B05B1/083

  the pulsating mechanism comprising movable parts · CPC title

• B01J2/18

  using a vibrating apparatus · CPC title

• B01J2/04 Primary

  in a gaseous medium {(if combined with suspending the material in a gas, e.g. fluidised beds B01J2/16)} · CPC title