Patent Publication Number: US-2023147141-A1

Title: Device, assembly and method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials

Description:
FIELD 
     The disclosure is related to the technology for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials, and particularly to a device, assembly and method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As known in the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,333 disclosed a device for removing magnetizable parts from a liquid. This device at least two disadvantages. One is as shown  FIG.  2    of the patent. When the device is in the cleaning state, the magnets thereof are exposed to the outside such that the tramp metals contained in the air will be attracted by the magnets and brought into the interior of the tubes. The other is that when the equipment is in the cleaning state, the liquid raw material whose tramp metals have not been separated will still flow through the housing. 
     In addition, CN Utility Model Patent No. 207025570 also disclosed a fluid irons remover. One of the disadvantages of the remover is that when removing the irons attached on the tubes, the shell for receiving the magnets and tubes must be taken out from the pipeline manually. Moreover, when the shell is taken out from the pipeline, the liquid, whose irons have not been removed, will still flow through the pipeline. 
     SUMMARY 
     Therefore, one of the objectives of the disclosure is to provide a device for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials which can improve the disadvantages of the prior arts mentioned above. 
     Another objective of the disclosure is to provide a method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials which is carried out by the device disclosed herein. 
     A further objective of the disclosure is to provide an assembly for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials continuously and a method carried out by the assembly disclosed herein. 
     Thus, a device for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according the disclosure comprises a body unit, a holding unit, a magnetic unit, a rinsing unit and a driving unit. The body unit includes a tank having an open top side, a close bottom side, an inlet, and an outlet. The tank further defines a first space so that the liquid raw materials can be introduced from the inlet, passed through the first space and flowed out from the outlet. The holding unit includes a cover with a plurality of holes and a plurality of non-magnetic holders. The cover is secured on the open top side of the tank and has an upper surface and a lower surface. Each of the non-magnetic holders has a holding body and an opening disposed on one end of the holding body. The non-magnetic holders are disposed on the lower surface of the cover in a spaced manner and in a way that each of the openings thereof corresponds to each of the holes of the cover and the holding bodies thereof are received in the first space of the tank. The magnetic unit includes a base with an upper side and a lower side, a plurality of magnet members mounted on the lower side of the base in a spaced manner and an enclosure having a telescopic wall, a second space defined by the telescopic wall, an upper end connected to the lower side of the base and a lower end connected to the upper surface of the cover. The magnetic unit is coupled to the tank in such a way that it can move back and forth between a first and a second position, when the magnetic unit is located at the first position, the telescopic wall of the enclosure is in a compressed state and each of the magnetic members extends into the holding body of each of the non-magnetic holders through the opening thereof and when the magnetic unit is located at the second position, the telescopic wall of the enclosure is in an extended state so that the magnet members are received in the second space thereof. The rinsing unit includes an injector fixed on the inner surface of the tank for introducing rinsing liquid from outside to rinse the non-magnetic holders when the magnetic unit is located at the second position. The driving unit is coupled respectively to the tank and the magnetic unit for driving the magnet unit to move back and forth between the first and second positions relative to the tank. 
     The device disclosed here may have a further feature that the distance from the injector to the open top side of the tank is smaller than the distance from the injector to the close bottom side of the tank. 
     Another feature of the device disclosed here is that it further comprises a feed-in valve unit disposed at the inlet of the tank and a feed-out valve unit disposed at the outlet of the tank. 
     A further feature of the device disclosed here is that the tank further includes a discharge port disposed at the close bottom side thereof for discharging the liquid raw materials or the rinsing liquid received in the first space of the tank. 
     A further feature of the device disclosed here is that the device further comprises a first discharge valve unit disposed on a first path between the discharge port and outside and a second discharge valve unit disposed on a second path between the discharge port and outside. 
     A method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according the disclosure, which is carried out by the device disclosed above, comprises the following steps: 
     locating the magnetic unit in the first position; 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the inlet into the first space and feeding-out from the outlet for attracting the tramp metals of the liquid raw materials passing through the first space on the surface of each of the non-magnetic holders under the influence of the magnetic field produced from the magnetic unit; 
     closing the inlet and the outlet after the previous step is performed for a first predetermined time; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remaining in the first space to outside; 
     driving the magnetic unit by the driving unit from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing a rinsing liquid from the outside to the injectors to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the non-magnetic holders; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for a second predetermined time; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remaining in the first space to outside; and 
     driving the magnetic unit by the driving unit from the second position to the first position for re-operating the method. 
     An assembly for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials continuously according to according the disclosure comprises a first and second devices for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials as described above. The assembly further comprises a main inlet, a main outlet, a first feed-in valve unit, a first feed-out valve unit, a second feed-in valve unit, a second feed-out valve unit and a control means. The main inlet respectively connected with the first inlet of the first device and the second inlet of the second device. The main outlet is respectively connected with the first outlet of the first device and the second outlet of the second device. The first feed-in valve unit is disposed on the first inlet of the first device. The first feed-out valve unit is disposed on the first outlet of the first device. The second feed-in valve unit is disposed on the second inlet of the second device. The second feed-out valve unit is disposed on the second outlet of the second device. The control means is respectively coupled with the first driving unit and all the valve units of the first device and the second driving unit and all the valve units of the second device so that the first and second device can be operated in turn thereby. 
     The assembly disclosed here may have a further feature that the first tank of the first device further includes a first discharge port disposed at the close bottom side thereof and the second tank of the second device further includes a second discharge port disposed at the close bottom side thereof. 
     Another feature of the assembly is that it further comprises a third discharge valve unit disposed on a third path between the first discharge port and outside, a fourth discharge valve unit disposed on a fourth path between the first discharge port and outside; a fifth discharge valve unit disposed on a fifth path between the second discharge port and outside and a sixth discharge valve unit disposed on a sixth path between the second discharge port and outside, and all of the discharge valve units are coupled with the control means 
     A method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials continuously according to the disclosure, which is carried out by the assembly described above, comprises the following steps: 
     closing the second inlet and the second outlet; 
     locating the first magnetic unit of the first device in the first position; 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the main inlet and the first inlet into the first space and feed-out it from the first outlet and the main outlet for attracting the tramp metals of the liquid raw materials passing through the first space on the surface of each of the first non-magnetic holders under the influence of the magnetic field produced from the first magnetic unit; 
     closing the first inlet and the first outlet after the previous step is performed for a first predetermined time; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remained in the first space to outside; 
     driving the first magnetic unit by the first driving unit from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing a rinsing liquid from outside to the first injector to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the first non-magnetic holders; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for a second predetermined time; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remained in the first space to outside; 
     locating the second magnetic unit of the second device in the first position; 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the main inlet and the second inlet into the second space and feeding-out it from the second outlet and the main outlet for attracting the tramp metals of the liquid raw materials passing through the second space on the surface of each of the second non-magnetic holders under the influence of the magnetic field produced from the second magnetic unit; 
     closing the second inlet and the second outlet after the previous step is performed for a first predetermined time; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remained in the second space to outside; 
     driving the second magnetic unit by the second driving unit from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing a rinsing liquid from outside to the second injector to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the second non-magnetic holders; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for the second predetermined time; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remained in the second space to outside; and 
     driving the first magnetic unit by the first driving unit from the second position to the first position for re-operating the method. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an embodiment of a device for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according to the disclosure, wherein the magnetic unit thereof in the first position; 
         FIG.  2    is a partially exploded perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1   , wherein the magnetic unit thereof in the second position; 
         FIG.  4    is a cross-sectional view taken along the direction  4 - 4  of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a cross-sectional view taken along the direction  5 - 5  of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  1    cooperating with some external components for illustrating a method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials carried out thereby according to the disclosure; and 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of an embodiment of an assembly for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according to the disclosure, wherein the first magnetic unit thereof in the first position and the second magnetic unit thereof in the second position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring firstly to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  6   , an embodiment of a device for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according to the disclosure is shown in the indication number  100 . The device  100  comprises a body unit  10 , a holding unit  20 , a magnetic unit  30 , a rinsing unit  40 , a driving unit  50 , a feed-in valve unit  60 , a feed-out valve unit  62 , a first discharge valve unit  64  and a second discharge valve unit  66 . 
     The body unit  10  includes a tank  12  and a supporting stand  14 . The tank  12  has a body wall  120  defining a first space  121 , an open top side  122 , a close bottom side  123 , an inlet  124 , an outlet  125 , and a discharge port  126  disposed at the close bottom side  123 . The supporting stand  14  has four legs  140  evenly fixed to the body wall  122 . Each of the legs  140  has a bottom end  142  secured on the ground and a top end  144  secured on the outer surface of the body wall  122 . 
     The holding unit  20  includes a cover  22  and a plurality of non-magnetic holders  24 . The cover  22  is secured on the open top side  122  of the tank  12  and has an upper surface  220 , a lower surface  222  and a plurality of holes  224 . Each of the non-magnetic holders  24  has a cylindrical holding body  240  with an opening  242  on one end of the holding body  240 . The non-magnetic holders  24  are disposed on the lower surface  222  of the cover  22  in a spaced manner and in a way that each of the openings  242  thereof corresponds to each of the holes  224  of the cover  22  and the holding bodies  240  thereof are received in the first space  121  of the tank  12 . 
     The magnetic unit  30  includes a base  32  with an upper side  320  and a lower side  322 , a plurality of magnet members  34  mounted on the lower side  322  of the base  32  in a spaced manner and an enclosure  36  having a telescopic wall  360 , a second space  362  defined by the telescopic wall  360 , an upper end  364  connected to the lower side  322  of the base  32  and a lower end  366  connected to the upper surface  220  of the cover  22 . In this embodiment, the enclosure  36  is a plastic cylindrical tube with a multi-fold wall. The magnetic unit  30  is coupled to the tank  12  in such a way that can move back and forth between a first and a second position, when the magnetic unit  30  is located at the first position, the telescopic wall  360  of the enclosure  36  is in a compressed state and each of the magnetic members  34  inserts into the holding body  240  of each of the non-magnetic holders  24  via the opening  224  thereof and when the magnetic unit  30  is located at the second position, the telescopic wall  360  of the enclosure  36  is in an extended state so that the magnet members  34  are received in the second space  362  for isolating from the outside. 
     The rinsing unit  40 , in this embodiment, includes three injectors  42 ,  44 , and  46  fixed respectively on the inner surface  121  of the tank  12  at a predetermined interval from each other and on the same plane. All of the injectors  42 ,  44 , and  46  are connected with outside piping  16  for introducing rinsing liquid from outside to rinse the non-magnetic holders  24  when the magnetic unit  30  is located at the second position. Furthermore, as shown in  FIG.  4   , the distance d 1  from each of three injectors  42 ,  44 , and  46  to the open top side  122  of the tank  12  is smaller than the distance d 2  from each of the injectors  42 ,  44 , and  46  to the close bottom side  126  of the tank  12  so that the tramp metals adhering on the outer surface of each of the non-magnetic holders  24  can be removed more cleanly. 
     The driving unit  50 , in this embodiment, includes a pair of pneumatic cylinders  52 ,  54  coupled respectively to the tank  12  and the magnetic unit  30  for driving the magnet unit  30  to move back and forth between the first and second positions relative to the tank  12 . In more detail, each of the pneumatic cylinders  52 ,  54  has a cylinder body  520 ,  540  connected with the tank  12  and a piston  522 ,  542  connected with an ear  324  of the base  32  of the magnetic unit  30 . 
     The feed-in valve unit  60 , as shown in  FIG.  6   , is coupled to the inlet  124  of the tank  12  and the feed-out valve unit  62  is coupled to the outlet  125  of the tank  12  for controlling the opening and closing thereof The first discharge valve unit  64  is disposed on a first path between the discharge port  126  and a first storage tank  68 , the second discharge valve unit  66  is disposed on a second path between the discharge port  126  and a second storage tank  69  so that when the first path is opened by the first discharge valve unit  64 , the liquid raw material received in the first space  121  of the tank  12  can be discharged therefrom to the first storage tank  68  to be used as the rinsing liquid and when the second path is opened by the second discharge valve unit  66 , the rinsing liquid received in the first space  12  of the tank  12  can be discharged therefrom to the second storage tank  69 . 
     An embodiment of a method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials according to the disclosure is described below. The method is carded out by the device  100  and comprises the following steps: 
     locating the magnetic unit  30  in the first position; 
     opening the inlet  124  by the feed-in valve unit  60  and the outlet  125  by the feed-out valve unit  62 , 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the inlet  124  into the first space  121  and feeding-out from the outlet  125  so that when the liquid raw materials pass through the first space  121 , the tramp metals thereof are attracted on the surface of each of the non-magnetic holders  240  under the influence of the magnetic field produced from the magnetic unit  30 ; 
     closing the inlet  124  by the feed-in valve unit  60  and the outlet  125  by the feed-out valve unit  62  after the previous step is performed for a first predetermined time; 
     opening the first path by the first discharge valve unit  64 ; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remaining in the first space  121  from the first path to the first storage tank  68  and then closing the first path; 
     driving the magnetic unit  30  by the driving unit  50  from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing the liquid raw materials stored in the first storage tank  68  as a rinsing liquid via the outside piping  16  to the injectors  42 ,  44  and  46  to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the non-magnetic holders  24 ; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for a second predetermined time; 
     opening the second path by the second discharge valve unit  64 ; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remaining in the first space  121  from the second path to the second storage tank  69  and then closing the second path; and 
     driving the magnetic unit  30  by the driving unit  50  from the second position to the first position for re-operating the method. 
     Next, please referring to  FIG.  7   , an embodiment of an assembly for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials continuously according to the disclosure is shown in the indication number  700 . The assembly  700  comprises a first and second devices  701 ,  702  for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials. In this embodiment, the first device  701  and the second device  702  are structurally the same as the device  100 . 
     The assembly  700  further comprises a main inlet  703 , a main outlet  704 , a control means  705 . The main inlet  703  is respectively connected with the first inlet  7010  of the first device  701  and the second inlet  7020  of the second device  702 . The main outlet  704  is respectively connected with the first outlet  7012  of the first device  701  and the second outlet  7022  of the second device  702 . The control means  705  is respectively coupled with all the valve units of the first device  701  and all the valve units of the second device  702 . 
     An embodiment of a method for separating tramp metals from liquid raw materials continuously according to the disclosure carried out by the assembly  700  is described below. The method comprises the following steps: 
     closing the second inlet  7020  by the second feed-in valve unit  7023  and the second outlet  7022  by the second feed-out valve unit  7024 ; 
     locating the first magnetic unit  7011  of the first device  701  in the first position; 
     closing the third path between the first discharge port  7017  and the first storage tank  68  by the third discharge valve unit  7018  and the fourth path between the first discharge port  7017  and the second storage tank  69  by the fourth discharge valve unit  7019 ; 
     opening the first inlet  7010  by the first feed-in valve unit  7013  and the first outlet  7012  by the first feed-out valve unit  7014 ; 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the main inlet  703  and the first inlet  7010  into the first tank  7015  and feeding-out it from the first outlet  7012  and the main outlet  704  so that when the liquid raw materials pass through the first tank  7015 , the tramp metals thereof are attracted on the surface of each of the first non-magnetic holders; 
     closing the first inlet  7010  by the first feed-in valve unit  7013  and the first outlet  7012  by the first feed-out valve unit  7023  after the previous step is performed for a first predetermined time; 
     opening the third path by the third discharge valve unit  7018 ; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remained in the first tank  7015  from the third path to the first storage tank  68  and then closing the third path; 
     driving the first magnetic unit  7011  by the first driving unit of the first device  701  from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing the liquid raw materials stored in the first storage tank  68  as a rinsing liquid via the outside piping  16  to the first injectors by a pump unit  70  to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the first non-magnetic holders; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for a second predetermined time; 
     opening the fourth path by the fourth discharge valve unit  7019 ; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remained in the first tank  7015  from the fourth path to the second storage tank  69 ; 
     closing the first inlet  7010  by the first feed-in valve unit  7013  and the first outlet  7012  by the first feed-out valve unit  7014 ; 
     locating the second magnetic unit  7021  of the second device  702  in the first position; 
     closing a fifth path between the second discharge port  7027  and the first storage tank  68  by the fifth discharge valve unit  7028  and the sixth path between the second discharge port  7027  and the second storage tank  69  by the sixth discharge valve unit  7029 ; 
     opening the second inlet  7020  by the second feed-in valve unit  7023  and the second outlet  7022  by the second feed-out valve unit  7024 ; 
     feeding-in the liquid raw materials from the main inlet  703  and the second inlet  7020  into the second tank  7025  and feeding-out it from the second outlet  7022  and the main outlet  704  so that when the liquid raw materials pass through the second tank, the tramp metals thereof are attracted on the surface of each of the second non-magnetic holders of the second device  702 ; 
     closing the second inlet  7020  by the second feed-in valve unit  7023  and the second outlet  7022  by the second feed-out valve unit  7024  after the previous step is performed for the first predetermined time; 
     opening the fifth path by the fifth discharge valve unit  7028 ; 
     discharging the liquid raw materials remained in the second tank  7025  from the fifth path to the first storage tank  68 ; 
     closing the fifth path by the fifth discharge valve unit  7028 ; 
     driving the second magnetic unit  7021  by the second driving unit of the second device  702  from the first position to the second position; 
     introducing the liquid raw materials stored in the first storage tank  68  as a rinsing liquid via the outside piping  16  to the second injectors by the pump unit  70  to remove the tramp metals attracted on the surface of each of the first non-magnetic holders; 
     unintroducing the rinsing liquid after the previous step is performed for the second predetermined time; and 
     opening the sixth path by the sixth discharge valve unit  7029 ; 
     discharging the rinsing liquid remained in the second tank  7025  from the sixth path to the second storage tank  69  and then closing the sixth path; and driving the first magnetic unit  7011  by the first driving unit from the second position to the first position for re-operating out the method.