WO1998052850A1

WO1998052850A1 - Splitter gate

Info

Publication number: WO1998052850A1
Application number: PCT/EP1998/002513
Authority: WO
Inventors: Soren Hundebol
Original assignee: FLSmidth and Co AS
Current assignee: FLSmidth and Co AS
Priority date: 1997-05-21
Filing date: 1998-04-27
Publication date: 1998-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1999-11-21
Also published as: AU7650398A

Abstract

The invention relates to a splitter gate (1, 31, 41) for dividing in an adjustable manner a stream (10) of particulate or pulverulent material into at least three substreams, which gate has an inlet (2) and at least three outlet ducts (4, 5, 6) branching off from separate openings, where between the inlet and the outlet ducts is provided an intermediate section (3) which comprises means (7) such as a baffle plate (7) which forms an angle relative to the vertical so that the material stream is discharged from the lower edge of the baffle plate as a wide, flat, uniform stream, and which close to the lower edge of the baffle plate (7) comprises means (8, 9; 38, 39; 48, 49) for dividing the material stream into at least three outlet substreams. The gate is peculiar in that the dividing means (8, 9; 38, 39; 48, 49) are independently adjustable so that the mutual proportions between the outlet substreams may be freely varied. The material stream can thus be divided into any number of outlet substreams according to any desired mutal proportions.

Description

Splitter Gate ^λ

The present invention relates to a splitter gate (hereinafter referred to as of the kind described) for dividing in an adjustable manner a stream of particulate or pulverulent material into at least three substreams, which gate comprises an inlet and at least three outlet ducts branching off from separate openings, where between the inlet and the outlet ducts is provided an intermediate section which comprises a chute forming an angle relative to the vertical so that the material stream is discharged from the lower edge of the bottom wall of the chute as a wide, flat, uniform stream, and which close to the lower edge of the chute comprises means for dividing the material stream into at least three outlet substreams.

Our EP 0133762 discloses a splitter gate of the aforementioned kind. This known splitter gate comprises a baffle plate which is rotatable about a vertical axis and constitutes the only adjustable component of the gate. Thus, by this known splitter gate the material is divided by means of the stationary edges between the outlet openings into substreams of fixed mutual proportions being determined by the present position of the baffle plate in relation to the outlet openings. In case such a gate is utilized for dividing a material stream into e.g. three substreams, it will not be possible to vary freely the mutual proportions between the outlet material streams. Thus, by way of example, it is not possible with this known splitter gate to keep one substream constant at any desirable flow rate while at the same time the remaining substreams are mutually varied. It is the object of the present invention to provide a splitter gate in which the aforementioned disadvantage is eliminated.

This is achieved by means of a splitter gate of the kind described characterized in that the dividing means are independently adjustable so that the mutual proportions between the outlet substreams may be freely varied. Hence, the material stream can be divided into any number of outlet substreams according to any desired mutual proportions.

The dividing means may be formed in any suitable manner but it is preferred that they consist of plates which are fitted with their planes substantially at right angles to the bottom wall of the chute and extending in the direction of the material stream where the upper side edge of each plate is transversely displaceable relatively to the direction of the material stream.

The upper edge of each plate can be made displaceable in several ways. In one embodiment each of the plates may be rotatably mounted at its lower edge so that the free end of each plate is pointing opposite to the flow direction and may be displaced in the transverse direction by angular displacement of the plate. In a second embodiment each of the plates may at its upper edge be rotatably mounted about a transversely displaceable axis, and hang down freely with its free end projecting into a respective one of the outlet ducts.

In certain instances where the material stream in the inlet duct is highly irregular, the splitter gate may advantageously comprise means for smoothing the material stream in the chute. In a simple embodiment such smoothing means may consist of at least one flap which is rotatably suspended in the chute. To enhance the smoothing effect of the flap, it may biased towards the material in the chute by, e.g., a spring or a weight.

To obtain the most precise dividing of the material it is preferred that the bottom wall of the chute is planar. In cases where the bottom wall is exposed excessively to the effect of heat, and consequently is subjected to a certain thermal expansion, the bottom wall will show a tendency to bend either upwards or downwards. To avoid the bottom wall from bending upwards so that the material slides out to the sides of the chute, it is preferred that the bottom wall is designed with a concavely curved surface in the transverse direction. Hence, it is ensured that thermal expansion will always result in the bottom wall being bent further downwards.

To ensure the best possible spreading of the material on the bottom wall of the chute, no matter the kind of material, the bottom wall of the chute may be designed so that its angle relative to vertical may be adjusted. However, during operation it is preferred that the bottom wall is stationary. The invention will now be described in further details with reference to the accompanying diagrammatical drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the splitter gate according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the splitter gate in Fig. l turned through 90°;

Fig. 3 shows a second embodiment of the splitter gate according to the invention; and,

Fig. 4 shows a variant of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3.

The splitter gate 1 shown in Figs, l and 2, comprises an inlet duct 2, an intermediate section 3 providing a chute, and three outlet ducts in the form of pipes 4, 5 and 6. The bottom wall of the chute 7 constitutes a baffle plate which forms an angle relative to the axis of the inlet duct 2 so that it is struck by the material being fed which will thus be smoothed and discharged from the lower edge 7a of the bottom wall of the chute 7 as a wide, flat, uniform flow. In order to divide the material stream which leaves the chute 7 into three sub-streams with freely variable quantitative proportions, the splitter gate 1 comprises two plates 8 and 9 which are mounted in immediate continuation of the chute 7 at right angles in relation hereto and extending in the direction of the material stream indicated by the arrow 10. The plates 8 and 9 are both rotatably mounted at their lower edges about a respective shaft 8a, 9a, and have their free ends 8b and 9b, respectively, pointing opposite to the direction of flow. By varying the angular position of the plates 8 and 9, the quantitative proportions between the substreams passed on via the outlet pipes 4, 5, and 6 can be entirely freely varied.

In a simple embodiment the angular rotation of the plates 8 and 9 can be carried out manually by means of handles 11 fixed to the shafts 8a and 9a, but may also be carried out automatically using remote-controlled means, not shown.

The splitter gate 1 further comprises one or more flaps 12 which are each rotatably suspended in the chute 7. The function of the flaps 12 is to ensure optimum smoothing of the material stream in the chute 7. To enhance the smoothing effect of a flap 12, the latter may, as shown, be provided with a spring 13.

In a variant, shown by means of dotted lines in Fig. 2, of the aforementioned embodiment, the two plates 8 and 9 of the splitter gate 1 could alternatively be fitted immediately above the bottom wall of the chute 7 at its lower end, being, in similar manner, rotatably mounted at its lower edge about a shaft which is at right angles to the bottom wall of the chute 7.

In Fig. 3 is shown another embodiment of a splitter gate 31 according to the invention. The difference between the splitter gate 31 shown in Fig. 3 and the splitter gate 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 relates primarily to the configuration of the means for dividing the material stream. In the splitter gate 31 in Fig. 3 each of the plates 38 and 39 is rotatably suspended at its upper side edge about a transversely displaceable shaft 38b and 39b, respectively, and hangs down freely with its free end 38a, 39a projecting into a respective one of the outlet pipes 4 and 6. By transverse displacement of the plates 38 and 39 as shown by means of the double arrows, the quantitative proportion between the substreams which are passed on via the outlet pipes 4, 5, and 6 can be entirely freely varied.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is a variant of that shown in Fig. 3. The only difference relates to the configuration of the dividing plates. In Fig. 4 two plates

48 and 49, respectively, are mounted about each shaft 48b,

49b. The pair of plates 48 has one plate hanging freely down into the outlet pipe 4 and the other plate hanging freely down into the outlet pipe 5, whereas the pair of plates 49 has one plate hanging freely down into the outlet pipe 5 and the other plate hanging freely down into the outlet pipe 6.

Claims

98/528506 Claims

1. A splitter gate (1, 31, 41) for dividing in an adjustable manner a stream (10) of particulate or pulverulent material into at least three substreams, which gate comprises an inlet (2) and at least three outlet ducts (4, 5, 6) branching off from separate openings, where between the inlet and the outlet ducts is provided an intermediate section (3) which comprises a chute (7) forming an angle relative to the vertical so that the material stream is discharged from the lower edge of the bottom wall of the chute as a wide, flat, uniform stream, and which close to the lower edge of the chute (7) comprises means (8, 9; 38, 39; 48, 49) for dividing the material stream into at least three outlet substreams; characterized in that the dividing means (8, 9; 38, 39; 48, 49) are independently adjustable so that the mutual proportions between the outlet substreams may be freely varied.

2. A splitter gate according to claim 1, characterized in that the dividing means (8, 9; 38, 39; 48, 49) consist of plates fitted with their planes substantially at right angles to the bottom wall of the chute (7) and extending in the direction of the material stream (10) where the upper side edge (8b, 9b; 38b, 39b; 48b, 49b) of each plate can be transversely displaced relatively to the direction of the material stream.

3. A splitter gate according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the plates (8, 9) is rotatably mounted at its lower edge (8a, 9a) and in that the free end (8b, 9b) of the plate is pointing opposite to the flow direction and displaceable in the transverse direction by angular displacement of the plate.

4. A splitter gate according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the plates (38, 39; 48, 49) is rotatably mounted about a transversely displaceable axis (38b, 39b- 48b, 49b) at its upper edge and in that each plate hangs freely down with its free end projecting into a respective one of the outlet ducts (4, 5, 6).

5. A splitter gate (l, 31, 41) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by means (12) for smoothing the material stream in the chute (7) .

6. A splitter gate according to claim 5, characterized in that the smoothing means (12) consists of at least one flap (12) which is rotatably suspended in the chute (7) .

7. A splitter gate according to claim 6, characterized in that the flap (12) is biased towards the material stream of the chute.

8. A splitter gate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall of the chute is planar.

9. A splitter gate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall of the chute is concavely curved in the transverse direction.

10. A splitter gate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall of the chute (7) is stationary.