JP7650489B2 - Powder and granular material processing device and powder and granular material processing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a powder processing device and a powder processing method for drying powder.

Conventionally, mixers that stir and mix powder or granular materials (hereinafter referred to as "granular materials") are known. In mixers, the materials in a container may be heated while being stirred in order to adjust the moisture content of the granular materials to an appropriate range or to mix the granular materials with liquid to form a composite. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method in which a slurry stored in a container is stirred and dried by applying pressure and heat.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-154531

However, when drying powder or granular material in a container, the container is filled with steam generated from the powder or granular material. For this reason, if the temperature of the inner surface of the container or the underside of the lid that covers the top of the container is lower than the dew point, the steam in the gas may condense on these surfaces. In such a case, droplets formed by condensation make it easier for the powder or granular material to adhere to the inner surface of the container or the underside of the lid. Furthermore, if the droplets or the above-mentioned adhesions are mixed back into the powder or granular material, this may reduce the quality of the powder or granular material after drying.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a powder and granular material processing device and a powder and granular material processing method that can prevent steam generated from powder and granular material during drying processing from condensing on the container body or lid.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing apparatus for drying powder or granular material, comprising a container having a bottomed cylindrical container body and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body, an agitating member located within the container body, a drive unit for rotating the agitating member, a temperature adjustment unit for adjusting the temperature of the container body and the lid portion, a control unit for maintaining the container body and the lid portion at a temperature higher than the dew point during drying processing within the container by operating the temperature adjustment unit, a gas inlet unit for introducing gas into the container, a gas exhaust unit having an exhaust piping connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container and for exhausting gas from within the container via the exhaust piping, and a dew point meter for outputting a dew point value corresponding to a result of measuring the amount of steam contained in the gas discharged via the exhaust piping to the control unit .

The second invention of the present application is the powder/granular material processing device of the first invention, in which the control unit operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than the maximum dew point during the drying process inside the container.

The third invention of the present application is a powder/granular material processing device according to the first or second invention, in which the container body and the lid have a hollow flow path, and the temperature control unit supplies a temperature-controlled fluid to the flow path.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is the powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects , wherein the gas discharge section has an airflow generating section that sucks gas from within the container.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects , wherein the gas inlet section has a heating section that heats the gas introduced into the container.

A sixth invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein the gas introduction section has a dehumidification section which reduces the amount of steam in the gas introduced into the container.

The seventh invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, wherein the gas introduction section has a nozzle attached to the lid section, and gas is introduced into the container from the nozzle.

The eighth invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing device of the seventh invention, wherein the gas exhaust port is formed in the lid portion, the nozzle has a gas inlet port, and the gas inlet port is located below and spaced from the underside of the lid portion.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is the powder/granular material processing apparatus of any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the gas discharge section has a cooling section that cools the gas discharged from the container.

A tenth invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing device of any one of the first to ninth inventions, wherein the gas discharge section has a dust collection section that collects dust in the gas discharged from within the container.

The eleventh invention of the present application is a powder or granular material processing device of any one of the first to tenth inventions, wherein the drive unit has a shaft extending through the bottom plate portion of the container body and whose upper end is connected to the stirring member, and further includes an air seal mechanism that introduces gas into the container from between the bottom plate portion and the shaft.

A twelfth invention of the present application is a powdered or granular material processing method for drying powdered or granular material, comprising: a) a step of introducing powdered or granular material into a container having a bottomed cylindrical container body and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body; b) a step of heating the powdered or granular material in the container while stirring it after the step a); and c) a step of discharging the powdered or granular material from the container after the step b), wherein the step b) further comprises the steps of a) a step of introducing a gas into the container; b) a step of discharging the gas from the container through an exhaust piping connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container; c) a step of measuring an amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust piping; and d) a step of maintaining the container body and the lid portion at a temperature higher than the dew point in the container based on a dew point value corresponding to a result of measuring the amount of steam in the step c).

According to the first to twelfth inventions of the present application, it is possible to prevent steam generated from the powder or granular material from condensing on the container body or the lid. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the powder or granular material from easily adhering to the inner surface of the container body or the underside of the lid due to liquid generated by condensation. It is also possible to prevent the quality of the powder or granular material from being reduced due to liquid generated by condensation. It is also possible to reduce the proportion of steam in the container during the drying process. This makes it possible to reduce the dew point in the container during the drying process. As a result, it is possible to further prevent steam generated from the powder or granular material from condensing on the container body or the lid.

In particular, the third aspect of the present invention allows the temperature of the container body and the lid to be stably and uniformly controlled.

In particular, according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the pressure inside the container is negative relative to atmospheric pressure, which can suppress condensation of steam compared to when the pressure inside the container is positive relative to atmospheric pressure.

In particular, according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to suppress a decrease in temperature inside the container caused by the gas introduced from the gas inlet portion.

In particular, according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the amount of steam inside the container during drying treatment can be further reduced.

In particular, according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the gas inlet and the gas outlet are located at positions separated from each other, which makes it possible to prevent the gas introduced from the gas inlet from flowing in a short circuit to the gas outlet, and to efficiently replace the gas in the container.

In particular, according to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the vapor contained in the gas discharged from the container can be liquefied and recovered.

In particular, according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, dust such as powder and granular materials contained in the gas discharged from the container can be collected.

In particular, according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the powder in the container from leaking out from between the bottom plate and the shaft. Also, the amount of steam in the container can be reduced by the gas introduced into the container by the air seal mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powder/granular material processing apparatus. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a flow of a drying process. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder/granular material processing apparatus according to a first modified example. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder/granular material processing apparatus according to a second modified example. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a powder/granular material processing apparatus according to a third modified example.

1. Configuration of powder/granular material processing device
1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for drying powdered or granular material 9 while stirring it. The powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 heats the powdered or granular material 9 while mixing it in a container 10. This causes moisture to evaporate from the powdered or granular material 9, thereby reducing the moisture content of the powdered or granular material 9. Examples of powdered or granular material 9 to be processed include, but are not limited to, plastics, ceramics, metals, glass, toner, pigments, cosmetics, wood powder, food, and medicines.

As shown in FIG. 1, the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a container 10, an agitator 20, a drive unit 30, a temperature control unit 40, a gas discharge unit 50, a gas introduction unit 60, a powder/granular material discharge unit 70, and a control unit 80.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the container 10 has a cylindrical container body 11 with a bottom and a plate-shaped lid portion 12. The container body 11 has a disk-shaped bottom plate portion 111 and a cylindrical side wall portion 112. The side wall portion 112 extends upward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate portion 111. Inside the container body 11, there is a space for storing the powdered material 9. The lid portion 12 covers the opening at the top of the container body 11. A sealing member such as an O-ring that contacts the upper end surface of the side wall portion 112 may be provided on the lower surface of the lid portion 12.

The container body 11 has a hollow first flow path 131, a first inlet 132, and a first outlet 133. The lid portion 12 has a hollow second flow path 134, a second inlet 135, and a second outlet 136. In Figs. 1 and 2, the first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are shown by hatching. The first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are spaces for the flow of fluid supplied from the temperature adjustment portion 40 described below.

Specifically, the bottom plate portion 111 and the side wall portion 112 of the container body 11 each have a double structure having an inner wall 11a and an outer wall 11b. The space formed between the inner wall 11a and the outer wall 11b is the first flow path 131. The first inlet 132 is located near the lower end of the first flow path 131. The first outlet 133 is located near the upper end of the first flow path 131. The first inlet 132 and the first outlet 133 are connected via the first flow path 131. In this embodiment, the first flow path 131 formed in the bottom plate portion 111 and the first flow path 131 formed in the side wall portion 112 are connected. However, the first flow path 131 may be provided separately in the bottom plate portion 111 and the side wall portion 112.

The lid 12 has a double structure with a lower plate 12a and an upper plate 12b. The flat space formed between the lower plate 12a and the upper plate 12b serves as the second flow path 134. The second inlet 135 and the second outlet 136 communicate with each other via the second flow path 134. The first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134 are separate spaces.

The stirring member 20 is a member for stirring the powdered material 9 stored in the container 10. The stirring member 20 is located near the bottom of the container body 11. The stirring member 20 has a plurality of blades 21. The plurality of blades 21 are provided around a shaft 33 described below. In this embodiment, two stirring members 20 having different shapes are arranged in a vertically stacked state. However, the number of stirring members 20 may be one, or three or more.

The drive unit 30 is a mechanism for rotating the stirring member 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the drive unit 30 has a motor unit 31 (motor and reducer) that serves as a driving source, a power transmission mechanism 32, and a shaft 33. The shaft 33 extends vertically through the bottom plate portion 111 of the container body 11. The upper end of the shaft 33 is connected to the center of the stirring member 20. The power transmission mechanism 32 transmits the driving force output from the motor unit 31 to the shaft 33. For example, the power transmission mechanism 32 is a mechanism having a pair of pulleys and a circular timing belt stretched around the pulleys. However, the power transmission mechanism 32 may be another mechanism. Also, the output shaft of the motor unit 31 may be directly connected to the shaft 33 without going through the power transmission mechanism 32.

The shaft 33 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) interposed between the bottom plate portion 111. As shown in FIG. 1, the powder/granular material processing device 1 is also provided with an air seal mechanism 34 that introduces gas between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33. The air seal mechanism 34 introduces gas pressurized by a compressor into the container 10 through the space between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33. This prevents the powder/granular material 9 in the container 10 from leaking out from between the bottom plate portion 111 and the shaft 33.

The temperature adjustment unit 40 is a part for adjusting the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid unit 12. As conceptually shown in FIG. 1, the temperature adjustment unit 40 has a heater 41 that heats the fluid that serves as the heat medium, and a pump 42 that pumps out the heated fluid. For example, water is used as the fluid that serves as the heat medium. However, instead of water, oil or gas may be used as the heat medium. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is connected to the first inlet 132 via the first liquid supply pipe 43. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the first outlet 133 via the first drainage pipe 44. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the second inlet 135 via the second liquid supply pipe 45. The temperature adjustment unit 40 is also connected to the second outlet 136 via the second drainage pipe 46.

The temperature adjustment unit 40 operates the pump 42 to send the heated fluid to the first liquid supply pipe 43 and the second liquid supply pipe 45. The fluid sent to the first liquid supply pipe 43 is supplied to the first flow path 131 through the first inlet 132. When the powdered or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10, the entire first flow path 131 is filled with the heated fluid. This maintains the temperature of the container body 11 at a predetermined temperature higher than the dew point, which will be described later. The fluid discharged from the first outlet 133 returns to the temperature adjustment unit 40 through the first drainage pipe 44.

The fluid sent to the second liquid supply pipe 45 is supplied to the second flow path 134 through the second inlet 135. When the powdered or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10, the entire second flow path 134 is filled with heated fluid. This maintains the temperature of the lid portion 12 at a predetermined temperature higher than the dew point, which will be described later. The fluid discharged from the second outlet 136 returns to the temperature adjustment unit 40 through the second drainage pipe 46.

In this way, the temperature adjustment unit 40 fills the hollow flow paths 131, 134 provided in the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 with heated fluid. This allows the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 to be stably and uniformly adjusted.

The gas exhaust section 50 is a section for exhausting gas containing steam from inside the container 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the gas exhaust section 50 has a gas exhaust port 51, an exhaust pipe 52, a cooling section 53, a dust collection section 54, and an airflow generating section 55. The gas exhaust port 51 is formed in the center of the lid section 12 of the container 10. The upstream end of the exhaust pipe 52 is connected to the gas exhaust port 51. The downstream end of the exhaust pipe 52 is connected to the airflow generating section 55. The airflow generating section 55 is, for example, a blower. The airflow generating section 55 generates an airflow in the exhaust pipe 52 from the gas exhaust port 51 toward the airflow generating section 55. As a result, the gas in the container 10 is sucked into the exhaust pipe 52 through the gas exhaust port 51. The sucked gas is then exhausted to the outside of the container 10.

The gas exhaust section 50 may have a structure other than that described above. For example, the gas exhaust port 51 may be provided at a position that is off-center of the lid section 12. Also, the gas exhaust port 51 and the exhaust pipe 52 may be structured so as to extend inside the container 10.

The cooling section 53 and the dust collection section 54 are provided on the path of the exhaust pipe 52. The cooling section 53 cools the gas discharged from the container 10. This liquefies and collects the steam in the gas discharged from the container 10. The dust collection section 54 collects the dust in the gas discharged from the container 10. This prevents the dust such as powder and granular materials from scattering outside the container 10. For the dust collection section 54, for example, a cyclone-type dust collection device or a bag filter is used. Furthermore, a wet dust collection such as a scrubber may be used in combination.

The gas introduction section 60 is a section for introducing gas into the space within the container 10. The gas introduction section 60 has a nozzle 61, an air supply pipe 62, a heating section 63, and a filter 64. The nozzle 61 is attached to the lid section 12. A gas introduction port 611 is formed at the lower end of the nozzle 61. The downstream end of the air supply pipe 62 is connected to the nozzle 61. The upstream end of the air supply pipe 62 is connected to the filter 64. The heating section 63 is provided on the path of the air supply pipe 62.

When the airflow generating unit 55 is operated, gas is sucked out of the container 10, and the pressure in the internal space of the container 10 becomes a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure. As a result, gas outside the container 10 is sucked into the air supply pipe 62 through the filter 64. The gas sucked into the air supply pipe 62 is then introduced into the container 10 through the nozzle 61.

The gas inlet 611 is located below and spaced from the underside of the lid 12. Therefore, the gas inlet 611 and the gas outlet 51 are located at positions separated in the vertical direction. In this way, it is possible to prevent the gas introduced from the gas inlet 611 from flowing short-circuiting to the gas outlet 51. Therefore, the gas in the container 10 can be replaced efficiently.

When the powder 9 is stirred by the stirring member 20, the centrifugal force acting on the powder 9 causes the powder 9 to be particularly high near the outer periphery inside the container body 11, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2. However, the nozzle 61 of this embodiment has a lower end that is bent not downward but in the direction of rotation about the central axis of the container body 11. A gas inlet 611 is formed at the tip of the bent portion. In this way, even if the powder 9 is biased toward the outer periphery inside the container body 11 during stirring and mixing, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the gas inlet 611 can be prevented from being blocked by the powder 9.

The lower end of the nozzle 61 may be bent radially inward of the container body 11. The gas introduction section 60 may have multiple nozzles 61 at the downstream end of the air supply pipe 62. The multiple nozzles 61 may be attached to the container 10.

The heating unit 63 is a heater that heats the gas flowing through the air supply pipe 62. The temperature inside the container 10 during the drying process is higher than the outside air temperature. For this reason, if the gas present outside the container 10 is introduced directly into the container 10, the temperature inside the container 10 will drop. However, the powder and granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment introduces the gas heated by the heating unit 63 into the container 10. This makes it possible to prevent the temperature inside the container 10 from dropping.

The powder discharge section 70 is a mechanism for discharging the powder 9 after drying. The powder discharge section 70 has a discharge port 71, a discharge path 72, and a discharge valve 73. The discharge port 71 is an opening provided near the lower end of the side wall portion 112. The discharge port 71 is located radially outside the stirring member 20. The discharge path 72 extends obliquely downward from the discharge port 71. The discharge valve 73 switches the discharge port 71 between a closed state and an open state. When drying the powder 9 in the container 10, the discharge valve 73 closes the discharge port 71. When the drying process is completed, the discharge valve 73 opens the discharge port 71. As a result, the powder 9 stored in the container 10 is discharged through the discharge port 71 to the discharge path 72.

The control unit 80 is a unit for controlling the operation of each part of the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1. The control unit 80 is, for example, configured by an electric circuit board. However, the control unit 80 may also be configured by a computer. As indicated by the dashed arrows in FIG. 1, the control unit 80 is electrically connected to the motor unit 31, the temperature adjustment unit 40, and the discharge valve 73. The control unit 80 also has a memory unit 81. The memory unit 81 can store various conditions related to the drying process, such as the drying time. The control unit 80 operates the motor unit 31, the temperature adjustment unit 40, and the discharge valve 73 based on the various conditions stored in the memory unit 81. This allows the drying process of the powder/granular material 9 in the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 to proceed.

<2. Drying process flow>
Next, a description will be given of the procedure of the drying process in the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1. Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of the drying process.

When drying the powdered or granular material 9, first, a lower limit value for the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 is set (step S1). Specifically, the user inputs the lower limit value by operating an operation panel connected to the control unit 80. The control unit 80 stores the input lower limit value in the memory unit 81 as one of the conditions for executing the drying process. This lower limit value for the temperature is set to a temperature higher than the predicted dew point value in the container 10 when the drying process of step S4 described below is executed.

In addition to storing the above-mentioned lower limit value in the control unit 80, the relationship between the temperature of the fluid and the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid portion 12 may be determined through preliminary testing or the like, and the control unit 80 may store a set temperature of the fluid such that the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid portion 12 is higher than the lower limit value.

Next, the temperature adjustment of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 is started (step S2). Here, the control unit 80 operates the temperature adjustment unit 40 based on the above-mentioned lower limit value stored in the memory unit 81. The temperature adjustment unit 40 heats the temperature of the fluid to a set temperature that is sufficiently higher than the set lower limit value. The set temperature of the fluid is, for example, 100 to 180°C. The temperature adjustment unit 40 also supplies the heated fluid to the first flow path 131 of the container body 11 and the second flow path 134 of the lid portion 12. This increases the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid portion 12. The temperatures of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid portion 12 are maintained at a temperature higher than the above-mentioned lower limit value and lower than the set temperature of the fluid (for example, 80 to 160°C).

Next, the powdered material 9 is poured into the container body 11 (step S3). In this step S3, first, the lid portion 12 is moved from the top of the container body 11 to another position. This opens the top opening of the container body 11. Then, the powdered material 9 is poured into the container body 11 through the top opening of the container body 11. Once the pouring of the powdered material 9 is complete, the lid portion 12 is again positioned at the top of the container body 11. This closes the top opening of the container body 11. As a result, the powdered material 9 is stored inside the container 10, which is composed of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12.

The method of adding powder 9 is not limited to the above example. For example, an inlet may be provided in a part of the lid 12, and the addition and stopping of powder 9 may be switched by opening and closing a valve provided upstream of the inlet. Also, powder 9 may be added manually.

Next, a drying process is performed on the powder/granular material 9 (step S4). Specifically, the control unit 80 rotates the stirring member 20 by operating the motor unit 31 while continuing to control the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid unit 12 by the temperature control unit 40. This stirs the powder/granular material 9 in the container 10 and heats it with the shear heat from the blades 21 and the radiant heat and conducted heat from the container body 11 and the lid unit 12. This causes moisture to evaporate from the powder/granular material 9, decreasing the amount of moisture contained in the powder/granular material 9. In other words, the powder/granular material 9 dries.

In step S4, the airflow generating unit 55 is also operated. This causes the gas in the container 10 to be discharged to the gas exhaust unit 50, and gas is introduced into the container 10 from the gas inlet unit 60. This causes the high humidity gas containing steam generated from the powder/granular material 9 to be replaced with low humidity gas introduced from the gas inlet unit 60. As a result, the drying of the powder/granular material 9 can be efficiently promoted.

In this step S4, the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid portion 12 is maintained at a temperature higher than the dew point by the fluid supplied from the temperature adjustment unit 40. Therefore, even if a gas containing steam comes into contact with the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid portion 12, condensation is unlikely to occur. This makes it possible to prevent the quality of the powder/granular material 9 after drying from being reduced by liquid resulting from condensation being mixed into the powder/granular material 9, for example.

During the drying process in step S4, the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 changes as the drying progresses, and the dew point in the container 10 also changes. Specifically, at the beginning of the drying process in step S4, the amount of water evaporating from the powder/granular material 9 is large, and as the drying progresses, the amount of evaporation decreases. When this amount of evaporation is at its peak, the dew point in the container 10 also becomes maximum. It is desirable that the control unit 80 operates the temperature adjustment unit 40 to maintain the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 at a temperature higher than the maximum dew point during the drying process in step S4.

In particular, the powdered or granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment uses the airflow formed by the gas exhaust section 50 and the gas inlet section 60 to exhaust steam generated from the powdered or granular material 9 to the outside of the container 10. In this way, the proportion of steam contained in the gas inside the container 10 during the drying process can be kept low at all times. Therefore, the dew point inside the container 10 during the drying process can also be kept low. In other words, the absolute humidity (water vapor weight kg/total gas weight kg) can be reduced. As a result, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

In addition, in the structure of this embodiment, the amount of steam contained in the gas inside the container 10 is further reduced by the gas introduced into the container 10 by the air seal mechanism 34. Therefore, the dew point inside the container 10 during the drying process can be kept lower while preventing the powder 9 from entering the bearing. As a result, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

In addition, in the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a negative pressure lower than atmospheric pressure is generated in the internal space of the container 10 by suctioning gas through the gas exhaust section 50. Therefore, the dew point inside the container 10 can be lowered compared to when the pressure in the internal space of the container 10 is a positive pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid section 12 can be further suppressed.

When the drying process in step S4 is completed, the control unit 80 operates the discharge valve 73 to open the discharge port 71. This causes the dried powder 9 in the container 10 to be discharged through the discharge port 71 to the discharge path 72 (step S5).

3. Modifications
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. Various modified examples will be described below, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment.

<3-1. First modified example>
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the first modification. In the example of FIG. 4, the gas introduction section 60 has a dehumidification section 65. The dehumidification section 65 is provided upstream of the heating section 63 on the path of the air supply pipe 62. The dehumidification section 65 is composed of a cooling device and an adsorbent that adsorbs moisture in the gas. Therefore, the amount of steam contained in the gas decreases by passing through the dehumidification section 65. Then, gas with a lower humidity can be introduced into the container 10. In this way, the amount of steam present in the gas in the container 10 during the drying process can be further reduced. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the lower surface of the lid section 12 can be further suppressed.

<3-2. Second modified example>
Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powdered material processing apparatus 1 according to a second modified example. The powdered material processing apparatus 1 in Fig. 5 is provided with a dew point meter 47 in an exhaust pipe 52. The dew point meter 47 measures the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10, and outputs a dew point value corresponding to the amount of steam to the control unit 80. This makes it possible to check whether the dew point inside the container 12 is lower than the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the lower surface of the lid 12.

Furthermore, the control unit 80 can also control the temperature adjustment unit 40 based on the dew point value output from the dew point meter 47. Specifically, the temperature of the fluid, which is the heat medium, is adjusted so that the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 is higher than the dew point output from the dew point meter 47. In this way, the temperature of the inner surface of the container body 11 and the underside of the lid 12 can be maintained at a temperature higher than the actual measured dew point value. Therefore, condensation of steam on the inner surface of the container body 11 or the underside of the lid 12 can be further suppressed.

<3-3. Third modified example>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 according to the third modification. The powder/granular material processing apparatus 1 in FIG. 6 includes an inert gas supply unit 66. During the drying process, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply unit 66 is introduced into the container 10 through the air supply pipe 62 and the nozzle 61. The inert gas is, for example, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or argon. By introducing the inert gas into the high-temperature container 10 in this way, oxidation of the powder/granular material 9 can be suppressed compared to the case of introducing air containing oxygen. Therefore, the quality of the powder/granular material 9 after the drying process can be further improved. In addition, by using a low-humidity inert gas, the drying of the powder/granular material 9 can be promoted. Furthermore, the risk of the powder/granular material 9 exploding in the high-temperature container 10 can be reduced.

<3-4. Other Modifications>
In the above embodiment, only the powder or granular material 9 is dried in the container 10. However, the powder or granular material 9 and liquid may be put into the container 10, and the mixture of the powder or granular material 9 and the liquid may be dried while being stirred. Also, an additive may be mixed into the powder or granular material 9. In this case, an addition port for dropping the additive may be provided in the lid portion 12.

The control unit 80 may also change the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 by controlling the number of revolutions of the motor unit 31 during the drying process. For example, during a time period when the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 is high, the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 may be reduced to suppress the amount of water evaporating from the powder/granule material 9. Furthermore, when drying is slow, the rotation speed of the stirring member 20 may be increased to increase the amount of water evaporating from the powder/granule material 9.

The control unit 80 may also change the output of the airflow generating unit 55 of the gas exhaust unit 50 during the drying process. For example, during a time period when the amount of steam contained in the gas in the container 10 is high, the output of the airflow generating unit 55 may be increased to particularly promote the exhaust of steam from within the container 10 and reduce the humidity within the container 10.

The temperature adjustment unit 40 in the above embodiment adjusts the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 by supplying a heated heat medium fluid to the first flow path 131 and the second flow path 134. However, the temperature adjustment unit 40 may adjust the temperature of the container body 11 and the lid portion 12 by other methods. For example, the temperature adjustment unit 40 may be an electric heater attached to the container body 11 and the lid portion 12.

The detailed configuration of the powder/granular material processing device may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The elements appearing in the above-described embodiments or variations may be combined as appropriate without causing any contradictions.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Powder/granular material processing apparatus 9 Powder/granular material 10 Container 11 Container body 12 Lid 20 Agitating member 21 Blade 30 Drive section 31 Motor section 32 Power transmission mechanism 33 Shaft 34 Air seal mechanism 40 Temperature control section 41 Heater 42 Pump 43 First liquid supply pipe 44 First liquid drain pipe 45 Second liquid supply pipe 46 Second liquid drain pipe 47 Dew point meter 50 Gas exhaust section 51 Gas exhaust port 52 Exhaust pipe 53 Cooling section 54 Dust collection section 55 Air flow generation section 60 Gas introduction section 61 Nozzle 62 Air supply pipe 63 Heating section 64 Filter 65 Dehumidification section 66 Inert gas supply section 70 Powder/granular material exhaust section 71 Exhaust port 72 Exhaust path 73 Exhaust valve Reference Signs List 80 Control unit 81 Memory unit 111 Bottom plate 112 Side wall 131 First flow path 132 First inlet 133 First outlet 134 Second flow path 135 Second inlet 136 Second outlet 611 Gas inlet

Claims (12)

A powder/granular material processing apparatus for drying powder/granular material,
A container having a bottomed cylindrical container body and a lid portion covering an opening at an upper portion of the container body;
a stirring member located within the container body;
A drive unit that rotates the stirring member;
A temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the container body and the lid;
a control unit that operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than a dew point during a drying process inside the container;
A gas inlet portion for introducing a gas into the container;
a gas exhaust unit having an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container and configured to exhaust gas from within the container via the exhaust pipe;
A dew point meter that outputs the dew point value corresponding to a result of measuring an amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe to the control unit;
A powder and granular material processing device comprising: The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1,
The control unit operates the temperature adjustment unit to maintain the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than a maximum dew point during a drying process within the container. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The container body and the lid have a hollow flow path,
The temperature adjustment unit supplies a temperature-adjusted fluid to the flow path. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The gas exhaust section is
An airflow generating unit that draws in air from within the container
The powder and granular material processing device has the following features. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The gas introduction section is
A heating section for heating the gas introduced into the container
The powder and granular material processing device has the following features. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The gas introduction section is
A dehumidifying section for reducing the amount of steam in the gas introduced into the container.
The powder and granular material processing device has the following features. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The gas introduction section is
A nozzle attached to the lid
having
A powder or granular material processing apparatus, wherein a gas is introduced into the container from the nozzle. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to claim 7,
The gas exhaust port is formed in the lid portion,
The nozzle has a gas inlet,
The gas inlet is located below and spaced from the underside of the lid. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The gas exhaust section is
A cooling section for cooling the gas discharged from the container.
The powder and granular material processing device has the following features. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
The gas exhaust section is
A dust collecting section for collecting dust particles in the gas discharged from the container.
The powder and granular material processing device has the following features. The powder/granular material processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The drive unit is
A shaft that extends through the bottom plate of the container body and has an upper end connected to the stirring member.
having
The powder/granular material processing apparatus further includes an air seal mechanism that introduces gas into the container from between the bottom plate portion and the shaft. A powder/granular material processing method for drying powder/granular material, comprising the steps of:
a) pouring powder or granular material into a container having a cylindrical container body with a bottom and a lid portion covering an opening at the top of the container body;
b) after the step a), heating the powder in the container while stirring it;
c) after step b), discharging the powder or granular material from the container;
having
In the step b),
a) introducing a gas into the container;
b) discharging gas from the container through an exhaust pipe connected to a gas exhaust port formed in the container;
c) measuring the amount of steam contained in the gas discharged through the exhaust pipe;
d) maintaining the container body and the lid at a temperature higher than the dew point in the container based on a dew point value corresponding to the result of measuring the amount of steam in the step c);
The powder/granular material processing method further comprises the steps of:

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