Patent Application
20190152180
None.
The invention generally relates to pelletizing materials such as animal feed, wood, and fuel by compressing the materials utilizing a pelletizer. In particular, the invention relates to a hydraulically driven pellet mill for pelletizing materials (hereinafter “pelletizer”) where the hydraulically driven pelletizer may comprise a pelletizer with a conditioning chamber and a pelleting chamber driven directly by a hydraulic motor with a hydraulic pump and controller that may be remotely situated relative to the pelletizer and direct drive motor allowing application of constant torque to the pelleting die, thus providing a more consistent pellet product.
The current method of driving a pelletizer includes an indirect drive system utilizing large electric motors, belts, gears, and pulleys. The electric motor transfers its energy through a belt/chain to the pelletizer thus rotating the pelleting die to produce pellets. The belts/chains have some elasticity such that if the pelleting die binds, this binding is reflected in the stretching of the belt/chain. Additionally, this binding adds stress to the pulleys and belts requiring constant maintenance and causing failures. The current methods do not provide constant torque to the pelletizer thus creating some variability of the pellets. This method described for indirectly driving a pelletizer has significant disadvantages that are labor intensive, costly, and does not produce a consistent product.
The present invention overcomes these shortcomings by providing a hydraulically-driven pelletizer with a hydraulic motor that is directly connected to the pelleting die and rollers of the pelletizer thus eliminating the belts, gears, and pulleys of the indirect drive system and providing constant torque to the pelletizer producing a more consistent pellet. The hydraulic pelletizer may consist of a conditioning chamber, a pelleting chamber, a hydraulic drive system, and a system controller.
There have thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
The system controller 108 may control the hydraulic pelletizer 110 electro-mechanically and mechanically. Additionally, the system controller 108 may be geographically separated from the hydraulic drive system 106 and pelletizer 110 and provide control inputs to the hydraulic drive system 106 and pelletizer 110 remotely. The hydraulic drive system 106 and pelletizer 110 may also be geographically separated. The separation of the system controller 108 promotes the health and safety of the operators by reducing noise exposure. An electronic system controller 108 may control the hydraulic pelletizer 110 through wired and wireless control inputs.
The hydraulic motor 308 provides the pelletizer 110 with power to create the pellets from the pelleting material. The hydraulic pump 206 drives the hydraulic motor 308 attached to the pelleting chamber 104 by forcing fluid from the internal fluid tank 316 to flow from the hydraulic pump 206 to the hydraulic motor 308 forcing the hydraulic motor 308 to rotate the pelleting chamber 104 and produce pellets. The hydraulic fluid then returns through the radiator 208 where the heated hydraulic fluid releases the absorbed heat and flows back into the internal fluid tank 316 in the hydraulic drive stand 204. This fluid flow process is constantly repeated to maintain the speed of the pelletizer 110. The gages 210 allow an operator to monitor the pressure, temperature, speed, torque, volume, and other desired parameters that would be apparent to one skilled in the art. The control valve 212 controls the speed or pressure at which the hydraulic fluid flows to the hydraulic motor 308 thereby providing constant torque during the pelleting process for a more uniform pellet.
The hydraulic pelletizer 110 accepts pelleting material placed in the conditioning chamber 102 where the conditioning chamber 102 conditions the pelleting material before entering the pelleting chamber 104 as it flows through the conditioning chamber 102 that is driven by an electric motor 502. In an alternate embodiment the condition chamber may be driven by a hydraulic motor. The conditioning chamber 102 transfers the conditioned pelleting mixture to the pelleting chamber 104 to be pelletized through a transfer chute 304. In an alternate nonpreferred embodiment, the hydraulic pelletizer 110 has no conditioning chamber 102 affixed and the pelleting material is supplied directly to the pelleting chamber 104 for pelletization through feeding and metering devices known to one skilled in the art.
The hydraulic pump 206 is in fluid communication with the hydraulic motor 308 by hydraulic hoses 312 that supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor 308 to drive the hydraulic motor 308 and rotate the pelleting chamber 104 then return the hydraulic fluid back to the fluid tank 316 in the hydraulic drive stand 204. As described above, the hydraulic drive system 106 may utilize a fan 314 to dissipate the heat of the hydraulic fluid as it flows from the hydraulic motor 308 to the fluid tank 316 thereby possibly increasing the longevity of the system.
One type of additive may be a binding agent to help with the formation of the animal food pellets. Additionally, other additives to the animal food pelleting material could include medicinal additives for disease prevention, curing current ailments, and periodic animal maintenance such as tick prevention. Further, the additive could be dietary in nature such as adding vitamins, minerals, and protein supplements. For non-animal based pelleting material such as wood pellets and other biomass materials used for burning, one skilled in the art may use a binder for the creation of the pellets. Other additives may increase the speed at which the pellets ignite and burn and the additives may increase the burn time of the pellets. It would be apparent to one skilled in the art the possible additives that may be used in the preparation of the pelleting material for a desired purpose and effect. The conditioning chamber 102 is shown with only one additive input 404 but the conditioning chamber 102 may have multiple additive inputs 404. A system controller 108 may control the amount and the timing of the additive inputs 404 to the pelleting material.
As the pelleting material moves through the conditioning chamber 102, the pelleting material may also receive moisture from the moisture input 406. This moisture may be in a liquid or gaseous state. One skilled in the art would understand the type of moisture needed may be based on the type of pellet and any additional additives. In a preferred embodiment, multiple moisture inputs 406 are positioned above the pelleting material and along the length of the conditioning cylinder 402 to provide steam to the pelleting material as it travels through the conditioning chamber 102. The steam and heat may increase the binding potential of the pelleting material, thereby making the pelletizing process easier and more efficient. The moisture input 406 may be selected from a liquid sprayer and steam injection. A system controller 108 may control the amount, the timing, and the temperature of the moisture inputs 406 to the pelleting material.
Along the paddle shaft 508 may be a plurality of adjustable paddles 510 that integrates additives from the additive input 404 and moisture from the moisture input 406. The adjustable paddles 510 angles may be set to dictate the speed at which the pelleting material passes through the conditioning chamber 102. The adjustable paddles 510 may be adjusted individually or as group. Additionally, the conditioning chamber 102 may contain several groups of adjustable paddles 510 where each group may have a different angle with differing speeds. This group configuration may be preferable when the additives and moisture need more time to fully integrate them into pelleting material. Preferably, the adjustable paddles 510 are positioned before the production of the pellets but the conditioning chamber 102 may allow access to the adjustable paddles 510 so they may be adjusted at any time during the pelleting process. In an alternate embodiment, the adjustable paddle 510 angles may be automatically changed by an external control such as a system controller 108. The combination of the conditioning chamber drive 408 and the paddle shaft 508 and adjustable paddles 510 may control the speed at which the pelleting material transitions the conditioning chamber 102.
The pelleting material is inserted into the conditioning chamber material chute 302 where the conditioning chamber drive 408 rotates the paddle shaft 508 with the affixed adjustable paddles 510. The adjustable paddles 510 propels the pelleting material down through the conditioning chamber 102 where additives and moisture may be added to the pelleting material through the additive input 404 and the moisture input 406. As the additives and moisture are added the adjustable paddles 510 mix the moisture and the additives into the pelleting material as it moves through the conditioning chamber 102 where then the mixture exits the conditioning chamber 102 through the transfer chute 304.
As the ring die 606 rotates, the rollers 804 and the feed deflectors 802 within the pelleting chamber force the conditioned pelleting mixture into the spaces between the rollers 804 and the ring die 606 through the rotation moves the conditioned pelleting mixture from the spaces in between the rollers 804 into the ring die slots 610. The conditioned pelleting material keeps accumulating and compressing inside the ring die slots 610 to create a pellet. As more material is pressed from the roller 804 side of the ring die 606, a pellet exits the opposing side of the ring die 606 from the ring die slots 610 where the pellet may be cut or broke to a desired length.
