Systems, methods, and apparatuses for manufacturing micronized powder
AssigneeLehigh Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJason Stravinski, Karl Counts, David Petroni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for manufacturing micronized powder. The systems, methods, and apparatuses comprise pre-grinding processing, cryogenic freezing, and grinding of infeed material and warming, ferrous metal and fiber removal, accumulation, screening, and storage of micronized powder. Generally, the warming may involve recirculation of micronized powder through the warming apparatus. Further, the accumulation may permit the grinding and screening to occur at their respectively optimal rates, and the fiber removal, via use of a vibrating screener, may increase the purity of the micronized powder. In one embodiment, the micronized powder comprises micronized rubber powder (“MRP”).
Claims21
A method of warming cryogenically-ground micronized particles after grinding, comprising the steps of:
- feeding the micronized particles to a warming apparatus;
- determining an operating efficiency of the warming apparatus;
- determining whether the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below a predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus;
- upon determination that the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below the predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus, recirculating the micronized particles through the warming apparatus;
- upon determination that the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is above the predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus, feeding the micronized particles from the warming apparatus to a screening apparatus;
- wherein
- the step of determining the operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is carried out upstream of the screening apparatus.
A method of cryogenically grinding particles, comprising the steps of:
- grinding chilled granulated particles into micronized powder of a broad particle size distribution;
- warming the micronized powder in a warming apparatus;
- feeding the warmed micronized powder from the warming apparatus to an accumulating apparatus;
- accumulating the warmed micronized powder within the accumulating apparatus, the accumulating apparatus comprising a silo, a storage bin, a bulk bag, or a bulk container;
- feeding the accumulated, warmed micronized powder from the accumulating apparatus to a screening apparatus;
- and
- screening the accumulated, warmed micronized powder into one or more predetermined portions at the screening apparatus, wherein the one or more predetermined portions comprise a predetermined range of particle sizes of the screened, warmed micronized powder, the accumulating apparatus decoupling a rate of grinding the chilled granulated particles from a rate of screening the accumulated, warmed micronized powder, wherein the step of warming the micronized powder further comprises:
- feeding the micronized powder to the warming apparatus;
- determining an operating efficiency of the warming apparatus, the operating efficiency providing information with regard to the effective warming by the warming apparatus of the micronized particles;
- determining whether the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below a predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus;
- and upon determination that the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below a predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus, recirculating the micronized powder through the warming apparatus.
A method of cryogenically grinding particles, comprising the steps of:
- grinding chilled granulated particles into micronized powder of a broad particle size distribution at a grinding rate;
- warming the micronized powder in a warming apparatus;
- feeding the warmed micronized powder from the warming apparatus to an accumulating apparatus;
- accumulating the warmed micronized powder within the accumulating apparatus;
- feeding the accumulated, warmed micronized powder from the accumulating apparatus to a screening apparatus;
- and
- screening the accumulated, warmed micronized powder into one or more predetermined portions at a screening rate;
- wherein the one or more predetermined portions comprise a predetermined range of particle sizes of the screened, warmed micronized powder;
- and
- wherein the grinding rate differs from the screening rate, wherein the step of warming the micronized powder further comprises:
- feeding the micronized powder to the warming apparatus;
- determining an operating efficiency of the warming apparatus, the operating efficiency providing information with regard to the effective warming by the warming apparatus of the micronized particles;
- determining whether the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below a predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus;
- and upon determination that the determined operating efficiency of the warming apparatus is below a predefined threshold operating efficiency for the warming apparatus, recirculating the micronized powder through the warming apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.