FLUID FLOW APPARATUS

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for providing a flow of fluid, such as wash liquid suitably water for washing the interior of a discharge station (2) for particulate material, the apparatus (1) being mounted in a wall (3), which may be a hopper of the station (2). The apparatus (1) has a non-return valve (4) for obviating reverse flow of material from an outlet (5) for the fluid to an inlet (6) therefor, of the apparatus (1). The outlet (5) is defined by a nozzle which is a rotary nozzle extending from a body (8) of the apparatus (1), which is securely mounted in an orifice in a boss (9) in the wall (3) by a clamp (10). The non-return valve (4) comprises a generally cylindrical hollow valve poppet which has an open end (11) facing the outlet (5) and which is mounted in the bore for reciprocable sliding motion, an external wall of the valve poppet being in sliding contact with a part (12) of the bore of the body. There is a biassing means (13) in the form of a spring, part of which is mounted in the valve poppet, and part of which extends therefrom to bear on an abutment (14) of the device adjacent the outlet (5). The spring (13) normally acts to bias the valve poppet in a direction towards the inlet (6), the valve poppet having a sealing means in the form of a frustoconical end (15) which can seal with a complementary part (16) of the body (8) which is adjacent an end of the body (8) defining the inlet (6). There is also means (17) in the form of an orifice through the wall of the valve poppet (4) providing means to the interior thereof so that water can pass therethrough from the inlet in the direction of arrow "X" to the rotary nozzle.

Description: FLUID FLOW APPARATUS The invention relates to apparatus for providing a flow of fluid, particularly a wash fluid such as a stream of water. In apparatus for handling material particularly flowable particulate material, there is often a container such as an IBC or tote container for the material. In order to discharge the material, the IBC or the like is usually set down at a discharge station where an operating mechanism such as a MATCON (Registered Trade Mark) unit opens an outlet of the IBC for passage of material therethrough. The material is often such that its escape to the surrounding atmosphere can constitute a health and/or environmental hazard. To obviate this, the IBC's and MATCON units have a comprehensive, and patented, seal arrangement. However, some particles of material can still adhere to internal surfaces of the IBC and/or discharge station and they therefore need to be removed periodically to avoid unintentional leakage or cross- contamination when a different subsequent material is handled. Therefore cleaning by use of fluids such as air or water is often provided, the cleaning being by jets of air or water directed into the apparatus usually adjacent a seal arrangement. The jets are usually emitted from nozzles, but these nozzles, being in place for a cleaning in place (CIP) process, often allow passage of material through a device defining the nozzle and into a ring main or manifold for distributing the wash air or water, it being understood that generally there will be a plurality of nozzles arranged around the periphery of the apparatus. Such passage of material can block the nozzle(s) so preventing cleaning, and can lead to contamination. It is an object of the invention to seek to obviate these disadvantages. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for providing a flow of washing fluid to apparatus for handling flowable particulate material, comprising an inlet and an outlet for washing fluid, characterised by a device for delivering washing liquid and for obviating flow of particulate material to the inlet. The device may be a non-return valve, which may comprise a slidable member mounted under pressure of biassing means which may bias said member towards the inlet. This provides for a relatively simple yet positive mechanism for controlling flow through the device. The slidable member may comprise a valve poppet towards the inlet and may comprise spring means. This is a relatively simple construction, particularly when the valve poppet may comprise a hollow member and when at least part of the spring means may be mounted internally of the hollow member. The valve poppet may comprise a part for sealing engagement with a complementary part of a body of the device. This provides for prevention of reverse flow through the inlet, particularly when the sealing engagement part and the complementary part of the device may comprise frusto-conical parts. The valve poppet may be mounted for slidable engagement in a bore of the device and may comprise means to allow passage of fluid from the inlet to the outlet along the bore. A variety of means such as a reduced diameter or spindle part of the valve poppet, or an enlarged part of the bore may comprise the means, though a particularly simple yet efficient and thus preferred means may comprise an orifice through a wall of the poppet providing access to the interior thereof. The outlet may comprise a nozzle, particularly a rotary nozzle. The valve may be positioned within the nozzle. This construction seals the interior of the device against ingress of flowable particulate material. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for handling flowable particulate material, comprising apparatus as hereinbefore defined, for cleaning an internal part of the apparatus for handling flowable material, which may comprise a discharge station, with the said apparatus being mounted in a wall of that station. Apparatus for providing a flow of fluid are hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a first apparatus according to the invention mounted in a wall of a discharge station for discharging flowable particulate material from a container therefor such as an IBC. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of apparatus according to the invention, to a larger scale than that of Fig. 1 . Fig. 3 shows a longitudinally sectional view of a third embodiment of apparatus according to the invention in a first operative position; and Fig. 4 shows the apparatus of Fig. 3 in a second operative position. Referring to the drawings in which like parts are referred to by like numerals, there is shown in Fig. 1 apparatus 1 for providing a flow of fluid, such as wash liquid suitably water for washing the interior of a discharge station 2 for particulate material, the apparatus 1 being mounted in a wall 3, which may be a hopper of the station 2. The apparatus 1 has a non-return valve 4 for obviating reverse flow of material from an outlet 5 for the fluid to an inlet 6 therefor, of the apparatus 1 . The outlet 5 is defined by a nozzle which is a rotary nozzle extending from a body 8 of the apparatus 1 , which is securely mounted in an orifice in a boss 9 in the wall 3 by a clamp 10. The non-return valve 4 comprises a generally cylindrical hollow valve poppet which has an open end 1 1 facing the outlet 5 and which is mounted in the bore for reciprocable sliding motion, an external wall of the valve poppet being in sliding contact with a part 1 2 of the bore of the body. There is a biassing means 1 3 in the form of a spring, part of which is mounted in the valve poppet, and part of which extends therefrom to bear on an abutment 14 of the device adjacent the outlet 5. The spring 1 3 normally acts to bias the valve poppet in a direction towards the inlet 6, the valve poppet having a sealing means in the form of a frusto- conical end 1 5 which can seal with a complementary part 16 of the body 8 which is adjacent an end of the body 8 defining the inlet 6. There is also means 17 in the form of an orifice through the wall of the valve poppet 4 providing means leading to the interior thereof so that water can pass therethrough from the inlet in the direction of arrow 'X' to the rotary nozzle. In use, there will usually be a plurality of apparatus 1 spaced equidistantly around the wall 3, with the nozzles 5 and rotary impellers 7 thereof interiorly of the apparatus 2 for washing same there being a pipe or manifold (not shown) for feeding the apparatus 1 with wash water under pressure. The spring 13 normally biasses the valve poppet 4 to the left as viewed so that the complementary-interengaging parts 15, 16 seat, and thus seal, together, thereby preventing passage of material from the outlet 5 to the inlet 6. Even if material does reach the orifice 17 it can go no further towards the inlet 6, because of the seal provided by the two parts 15, 16. When it is required to wash the apparatus 2, water under pressure is fed from the manifold or main pipe down the inlet 6 towards the outlet 5. The water engages the part 15 and pushes the valve poppet 4 to the right against, and overcoming, the pressure of the spring 13. The water flows into an annular space 18 defined round the valve poppet 4 by a part of the bore of enlarged diameter, and flows into the orifice 17 of which there may be a plurality. The water then passes from the orifice 17 through the interior of the valve poppet out of the end 1 1 thereof and along the bore to the outlet 5, and hence into the apparatus 2 yja the rotary nozzle(s) as a high power spray or plurality of jets to effect cleaning. During its passage, any material in the apparatus is carried by the water away from the position where it was lodged to be drawn off through a dedicated exit therefor from the apparatus 2. When the cleaning is finished, the water supply is turned off, and the spring 1 3 returns the valve poppet 4 to its sealing condition with the parts 1 5, 1 6 in sealing engagement. Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a second embodiment of apparatus 20 according to the invention, which like the apparatus 1 prevents powder reverse-flowing into the water ring main. In the device 20, the non-return valve 21 is positioned internally of the outlet 5, which is a nozzle with outlet orifices 5' for the water, which impinge on impeller 7 for effecting a rotary distribution of wash liquid (usually water, as before) . The sealing means comprising the f rusto-conical parts 1 5, 16 is internally of the nozzles too, in this embodiment, so that there is no cavity internally of the bodies of the valve and nozzle in which powder can collect during powder discharge as the orifices 5' are sealed by the surface 1 5. (Fig. 2 showing the apparatus in the operative position, open for a washing cycle), the valve 21 being moved to the right as viewed by the water pressure in direction 'X' to lift the part 1 5 out of sealing engagement with the part 16 to open a flow path to the orifices 5' against the pressure of spring 1 3 so that wash water can exit the nozzles 5 as shown at 'Y'. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a third embodiment 30 of apparatus embodying the invention. The apparatus 30 is similar to the embodiments 1 , 20 and acts to wash the interior of the discharge station 2 by water exiting orifices 5' to rotate the rotary impeller(s) 7 to effect washing. In this embodiment however, the apparatus 30 forming the wash nozzle 5 is retractable. Stated in another way, the wash nozzle 5 is movable between a retracted, sealed position (Fig. 3) and an extended or washing position (Fig. 4) . In order to effect this, the nozzle 5 is mounted on a reciprocable support or hollow member 31 , centrally positioned with respect to an inlet 32 to the discharge station 2. There is an actuator (not shown) which could be a cylinder of which the support or hollow member 31 essentially comprises the piston. The actuator may be actuated by any suitable means such as pneumatically, hydraulically or electro-mechanically. In order to provide a seal so that particulate flowable material cannot exit the discharge station 2 or IBC, there is a valving arrangement in the form of complementary inclined surfaces 33, 34 of the impellor 7 and walls 3. There is also a set of complementary, inclined surfaces 35, 36 which mate, respectively on the impellor and a stop or nose 37, carried by the hollow support 31 . In the retracted, or Fig. 3 position the respective sets of surfaces 33, 34 and 35, 36 mate securely as shown when the actuator is operative to retract the nozzle 5, so providing a dust or particulate-tight valving arrangement. The impellor 7 is arranged to "float" on the hollow support 31 in that it can move bodily therealong between a nose 37 and a stop 38, so that in the Fig. 3 position, orifices 5' which are in board of the wall 3 are closed by the body of the impellor 7. In order to effect washing, the actuator is operated to move the member 31 to the right as shown, so opening a gap between the impellor 7 and wall 3 of the discharge station or IBC, and so that the orifices 5' are uncovered, Fig. 4. Washing fluid, usually water, is passed along the hollow support member 31 in the direction X' from inlet 6 to exit through orifices 5' as shown at 'Y' at the outlet 5 to rotate the impellor 7 and eject washing fluid in a washing action, including over the surfaces 33, 34, 35 and 36, which are thereby cleaned with the rest of the outlet 32 of the IBC. After washing, the fluid flow is ceased and the nozzle 5 is retracted from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 3 position, to effect sealing before there is any more flow of particulate material. It will be understood that in the Fig. 4 position, the innermost or left hand orifices 5' do not need to be covered as the mated surfaces 33, 34 and 35, 36 prevent particulate material reaching them. The floating impellor 7 can be controlled on its position on the support by suitable control means, also not shown. The apparatus 1 , 20, 30 thus provide a washing device which is effected to wash over a full 360 ° in a washing mode, the orifices 5' being arranged to provide a wash over this range, and which is fully dust tight in a non-washing mode.

Claims: CLAIMS 1 . Apparatus for providing a flow of washing fluid to apparatus for handling flowable particulate material, comprising an inlet and an outlet for washing fluid, characterised by a device (4, 21 , 30) for delivering washing liquid and for obviating flow of particulate material to the inlet. 2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , the device (4) being characterised in that it is a non-return valve (5) . 3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterised by the non-return valve (4) comprising a slidable member (8) mounted under pressure of means biassing ( 13) said member towards the inlet (6) . 4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, characterised by the slidable member (8) comprising a valve poppet and by the means ( 13) biassing the poppet (8) towards the inlet (6) comprising spring means. 5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised by the valve poppet (8) comprising a hollow member with at least part of the spring means ( 13) being mounted internally thereof. 6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised by the valve poppet (8) comprising a part (1 5) for sealing-engagement with a complementary part (1 6) of a body of the device whereby to obviate reverse flow through the inlet (6). 7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised by the sealing engagement part (1 5) and the complementary part (16) of the device comprising frusto-conical parts. 8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, characterised by the valve poppet (8) being mounted for slidable engagement in a bore ( 12) of the device and comprising means (17) to allow passage of fluid from the inlet to the outlet along the bore. 9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, characterised by the means ( 17) comprising an orifice through a wall of the valve poppet providing access to the interior thereof. 10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterised by an outlet (5) comprising a nozzle. 1 1 . Apparatus according to Claim 10, characterised by the nozzle (5) comprising a rotary nozzle. 12. Apparatus according to Claim 1 1 , characterised by the device (21 ) being positioned within the nozzle (5). 13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, characterised by the device (21 ) and outlet (5) comprising complementary sealing surfaces (15, 16). 14. Apparatus according to Claim 1 , characterised by the device (31 ) comprising a retractable device. 15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterised by the retractable device (31 ) comprising means to retract the device between a working position and a sealing position. 1 6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 5, characterised by a floating impellor (7) for directing flow of washing fluid exiting orifices (5') in a washing mode. 17. Apparatus for handling flowable particulate material, characterised by incorporating apparatus (4, 21 , 30), according to any preceding claim for cleaning an internal part of the apparatus for handling flowable material. 1 8. Apparatus according to Claim 1 7, characterised by a discharge station (2) for a container for flowable particulate material. 1 9. Apparatus according to Claim 1 8, characterised by there being at least one apparatus (4, 21 , 30) being mounted in a wall of the discharge station adjacent a seal thereof.

Inventors: PIEPEREIT EDWARD, PIEPEREIT, EDWARD
Applicants: MATCON R & D LTD, PIEPEREIT EDWARD, MATCON (R & D) LIMITED, PIEPEREIT, EDWARD
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B08B9
IPC codes: B08B9, F16K15