Method and installation for guiding material in a single essentially predetermined stream

Installation for accelerating granular material and causing the accelerated material to collide and break, comprising:

• a shaft (93) with an axis of rotation (41, 76, 205);
• a rotor (35, 68, 196) rotatably supported on said shaft and rotatable about said axis of rotation,
• said rotor having a side (201, 202) essentially perpendicular to said axis of rotation, an outer edge of said side being essentially coincident with an outer edge (209) of said rotor;
• a central chamber area (34) of said rotor defining a first imaginary revolving body (43) with an axis of revolution coincident with said axis of rotation;
• a second imaginary revolving body (53) of said rotor with an axis of revolution coincident with said axis of rotation, said second imaginary revolving body being outside of said first imaginary revolving body;
• a guide element (36, 69, 203) carried on said side of said rotor and located outside of said central chamber area,
• said guide element having a guide surface (45) with a revolving start edge (46) and a revolving end edge (47), said guide surface extending from said revolving start edge towards said outer edge of said rotor,
• said revolving start edge defining a first imaginary revolving surface (48) of said first imaginary revolving body,
• said revolving end edge defining a second imaginary revolving surface (54) of said second imaginary revolving body;
• a metering region (39) located within a sector (40) of said central chamber area, said sector being in a first fixed location (I) between two first radial planes (42) originating from said axis of rotation and defining a first mid-point angle (α1) not greater than 180°, said sector terminating, at a second fixed location (II), with an arc coincident with said first imaginary revolving surface, said arc including a first imaginary window area (210) defining a feed region (49);
• a metering element (51) with a metering port (52) for metering said granular material onto said side at said metering region;
• a fixedly located flow region (31) for said granular material exiting said central chamber area, said flow region adjoining said first imaginary window area and located within said second imaginary revolving body,
• said flow region including, at a third (III) fixed location, a spiral portion (55) directed outwards and backwards, when seen from a viewpoint moving with said guide element and a straight portion at a fifth (V) location directed outwards and forwards when seen from a stationary viewpoint;
• a second imaginary window area (56) at a fourth fixed location (IV) coincident with said second revolving surface and between two second radial planes (58) originating from said axis of rotation, said two second radial planes describing a second mid-point angle (α2) at least as large as said first mid-point angle (α1);
• a stationary collision region (62, 79) at a fixed location outside said second imaginary revolving body and proximate said second imaginary window area,
• said second imaginary window area providing an exit for accelerated granular material leaving said guide element through said second imaginary window area and moving in a step along first paths (60) toward said fixed collision region,
• said first paths including i) straight paths directed outwards and forwards forming said straight flow region, as viewed from a direction of rotation and from a stationary viewpoint, and ii) spiral paths (77, 126) directed outwards and backwards forming said spiral flow region, as viewed from the direction of rotation and from a viewpoint moving with said guide element;
• and
• a stationary collision element (38) positioned in said stationary collision region at a fixed position in said straight portion (61, 84) of said flow region extending from said second imaginary window area to said stationary collision element, said stationary collision element presenting a stationary collision surface for said granular material to strike,
• said stationary collision element having at least two outer edges (217) oriented essentially parallel to said axis of rotation and said stationary collision surface (37) oriented transversely to a direction of movement of said granular material in said straight portion of said flow region, said stationary collision element extending between two third radial planes (63, 86) originating from said axis of rotation and describing a third mid-point angle (α3) at least as large as said second mid-point angle (α2), as viewed from said stationary collision element,
• said flow region having a width at said stationary collision element that terminates interior to said outer edges of said stationary collision element so that said granular material striking said stationary collision element does not strike said outer edges.

Method for accelerating a stream of grains of granular material in a step and striking the grains of said granular stream of material at least once, with the aid of a rotor (35) (68) (196) that rotates about an axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) in a direction and is provided with a side (201) (202) that is directed essentially perpendicular to said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205), the outer edge of which side is essentially coincident with the outer edge (209) of said rotor (35) (68) (196), comprising the steps of metering said material onto a side (201) of said rotor (35) (68) (196) with the aid of a metering element into a metering region at a location near said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205), accelerating said metered material in at least a first step with the aid of a guide element (36) (69) (203) that is carried by said rotor (35) (68) (196) on said side and is located a greater radial distance away from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) than said metering region and is provided with a start edge (46) for feeding said metered material to said guide element (36) (69) (203), a guide surface (45) that extends into the direction of the outer edge (209) of said rotor (35) (68) (196) for accelerating said material by sliding along said guide surface (45) with the aid of centrifugal force and an end edge (47) where said accelerated material is released from said guide element (36) (69) (203), moving each of the grains of said accelerated material from said end edge (47) along a path (60) (75) through a flow region that is formed by the bundle of said paths (60) (75) towards a collision element (38) (71) (72) for striking said material at least once, which collision element (38) (71) (72) is located at a greater radial distance away from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) than said guide element (36) (69) (203) and is provided with a collision surface (37) (70) (80) that is directed essentially transversely to the movement of said material in said flow region, seen from said collision element (38) (71) (72), that is at least a stationary collision element (38) (71) that is provided with a stationary collision surface (37) (70) and at least two outer edges (217) that are oriented essentially parallel to said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205), for comminution of said material;

• characterized in that:
• said feeding, said acceleration, said moving and said striking of said stream of granular material takes place in a separate flow region (31) (64) (130) (142) that is in a predetermined fixed location between two radial planes from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) such that said separate flow region (31) (64) (130) (142) is at least a distance away from any other separate flow region (130) (142), which flow region (31) (64) (130) (142) extends between a metering region (39) (73) where said stream of granular material is metered onto said rotor (35) (68) (196), a feed region (49) (212) where said metered material is fed to said guide element (36) (69) for acceleration and a collision region (62) (79) (85) where the accelerated material strikes said collision surface (37) (70) (80), which metering region (39) (73), feed region (49) (212) and collision regions (62) (79) (85) are also in a fixed location, all seen from a stationary viewpoint, comprising the following steps:
• metering said material on a side (201) (202) of said rotor (35) (68) (196), with the aid of a stationary metering element (51) that is provided with a metering port (52) for metering said material into a metering region (39) (73) which is at a position in a sector (40) of a central chamber (34) of said rotor (35) (68) (196), which central chamber (34) is in the form of a first imaginary revolving body (43) of which the revolving start edge (46) of said guide element (36) (69) (203) defines the first imaginary revolving surface (48), the axis of revolution of which is coincident with said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205), which sector (40) is in a first fixed location (I) between two first radial planes (42) from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) which describe a first mid-point angle (α1) which is not greater than 180°, around which central chamber (34) said guide element (36) (69) (203) is arranged, all viewed from a stationary standpoint;
• the metered material is then distributed with at least the aid of said metering element (51) from said metering region (39) (73) to a feed region (49) (212), where said metered material is picked up by said guide element (36) (69) (203), for which distribution said metered material has to pass said first imaginary revolving surface (48), which takes place by directing said metered material with at least the aid of said stationary metering element (51) from said sector (40) in a virtually radial direction through a separate first imaginary window (210) which is in a second fixed location (II) at a position in said first imaginary revolving surface (48) which is essentially determined by the portion of said first imaginary revolving surface (48) which describes the outside arc (211) of said sector (40), which first imaginary window (210) actually determines said fixed location of said flow region (31) (64) (130) (142), viewed from a stationary standpoint;
• the distributed material is then fed, in said feed region (49) (212), to said guide element (36) (69) (203);
• the fed material is then accelerated along said guide surface (45), of which the revolving end edge (47) defines a second imaginary revolving surface (54) of a second imaginary revolving body (53), the axis of revolution of which is coincident with said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205), which acceleration takes place in a spiral portion (55) of said flow region (31) (64), which is directed outwards and forwards and is in a third fixed location (III) and extends from said first imaginary window (210) in the direction of a second imaginary window (56) which is in a fourth fixed location (IV), at a position in said second imaginary revolving surface (54), between two second radial planes (58) from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) which describe a second midpoint angle (α2) which is at least as large as said first mid-point angle (α1), viewed in the direction of rotation and viewed from a stationary standpoint;
• the accelerated material is then released, the grains of said accelerated material leaving said guide element (36) (69) (203) through said second imaginary window (56);
• each released grain then moves in a step along at least a first path (60) (75) through at least a first straight portion (61) (78) of said flow region (31) (64), which first paths appear first straight paths (60) (75) and are directed outwards and forwards, seen into the direction of rotation and seen from a stationary viewpoint and appear first spiral paths (77) (126) and are directed outwards and backwards, seen into the direction of rotation and seen from a viewpoint moving with said rotor (35) (68) (196), which first straight portion (61) (78) of said flow region (31) (64) is formed by the bundle of said first straight paths (60) (75) and is in a fixed location (V) (VII) and extends from said second imaginary window (56) in the direction of at least a first collision region (62) (79), which is in a fixed location (VI) (VII) at a position in said first straight portion (61) (78) of said flow region (31) (64), and extends between two radial planes (63) (81) from said axis of rotation (41) (76) that describe a midpoint angle (α3) (α4) that is as least as large as said second midpoint angle (α2) viewed in the direction of rotation and viewed from a stationary standpoint;
• causing the moving material to strike at least once, in a position in said first collision region (62) (79), with the aid of a collision element (38) (72), that is provided with a collision surface (37) (80) which is oriented essentially transversely to the direction of movement of said material in said first straight portion (61) (78) of said flow region (31) (64), viewed from said collision element;
• where:
• said stream of material strikes at least a collision element (38) (71) that is in a stationary position and is provided with at least two outer edges (217) that are oriented essentially parallel to said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) and a stationary collision surface (37) (70), which stationary collision element (38) (71) is in a position in a collision region (62) (85) that is in a fixed location (VI) (X) at a position in a straight portion (61) (84) of said flow region (31) (64), which stationary collision surface (37) (70) is oriented essentially transversely to the direction of the movement of said material in said straight portion (61) (84) of said flow region (31) (64) and extends between two radial planes (63) (86) from said axis of rotation (41) (76) (205) which describe a midpoint angle (α3) (α5) that is as least as large as said second midpoint angle (α2), seen from a stationary viewpoint, such that said stream of granular material does not strike said outer edges (217) of said stationary collision element (38) (71).