| US6176437B1 | 2001-01-23 | |||
| US4067150A | 1978-01-10 | |||
| US5860232A | 1999-01-19 | |||
| US20140130383A1 | 2014-05-15 | |||
| US20160243598A1 | 2016-08-25 | |||
| US6102157A | 2000-08-15 | |||
| US3940072A | 1976-02-24 | |||
| CN105171619A | 2015-12-23 |
| CLAIMS 1 . System for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold using a pulsating compressed gas stream, the system comprising: a pressure device for providing a compressed gas stream; a dispensing device which is connected to the pressure device for producing a flow of gas of the compressed gas stream which is providable by the pressure device, wherein the dispensing device is provided with a dispensing opening for dispensing the pulsating compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening for removing the bulk material; a blocking device for blocking the delivery in a first position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream and unblocking the delivery in a second position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream, in such a way that a pulsating compressed gas stream can be produced. 2. System according to Claim 1 , wherein the dispensing device is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting a flow profile of the pulsating compressed gas stream to be dispensed. 3. System according to Claim 2, wherein the dispensing device is provided with a dispensing chamber which is connected to the dispensing opening for a pulsating gas flow, wherein the adjustment means is provided in the dispensing chamber. 4. System according to Claims 2 or 3, wherein the adjustment means comprises an adjustable element in order to produce a substantially curtain-shaped, funnel-shaped or cone-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream. 5. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the blocking device comprises a valve which can be driven by a drive mechanism, preferably a ball valve, wherein the valve can be brought in the first position or the second position by the drive mechanism. 6. System according to Claim 5, wherein the valve is configured so that it can be made to rotate substantially continuously in order to alternately bring the blocking device in the first position and the second position. 7. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure device is configured to provide a compressed air stream with a pressure in the range from 1 to 35 bar, preferably in the range from 5 to 25 bar, more preferably 14 to 20 bar and/or is configured to provide a compressed air stream with a flow rate in the range from 1 to 65 m3 per minute, preferably in the range from 1 to 25 m3 per minute, more preferably in the range from 5 to 35 m3 per minute. 8. System according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the system is provided with a supply for supplying a liquid to the compressed gas stream and/or to the pulsating compressed gas stream in order to dispense the pulsating compressed gas stream and the liquid via the dispensing opening simultaneously. 9. System according to Claim 8, wherein the supply for supplying the liquid is configured to provide a liquid at a pressure in the range from 1 to 100 bar, preferably at a pressure in the range from 6 to 36 bar. 10. Vehicle provided with a system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the dispensing device is provided on a tool arm of the vehicle in order to move the dispensing opening along a wall of a ship's hold. 1 1 . Method for cleaning a wall using a pulsating compressed gas stream by means of a system according to one of Claims 1 to 9 or a vehicle according to Claim 10, the method comprising the following steps: producing a compressed gas stream using the pressure device; repeatedly unblocking or blocking the delivery of the compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening of the dispensing device by means of the blocking device in such a way that the pulsating compressed gas stream is produced; directing the pulsating compressed gas stream onto the wall to be cleaned. 12. Method according to Claim 1 1 using a device according to Claim 7, wherein the pulsating compressed gas stream comprises a liquid, preferably water. 13. Method according to Claim 1 1 or 12, wherein the compressed gas stream has a pressure in the range from 1 to 35 bar, preferably in the range from 5 to 25 bar, more preferably 14 to 20 bar. 14. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 13, wherein an average flow rate of the pulsating compressed gas stream is in the range from 1 to 65 m3 per minute, preferably in the range from 1 to 25 m3 per minute, more preferably in the range from 5 to 35 m3 per minute. 15. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 14, wherein the pulsating compressed gas stream pulsates in the range from 5 - 200 Hz. 16. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 15, wherein the pulsating compressed gas stream is formed substantially as a curtain at the location of the dispensing opening, preferably with a thickness in the range from 2 - 15 cm, preferably in the range from 5 - 15 cm. 17. Method according to Claim 12, wherein the liquid is introduced in the pulsating compressed gas stream at a liquid pressure which is greater than the pressure of the compressed gas stream. 18. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 17, wherein the pulsating compressed gas stream is substantially curtain-shaped in order to remove a bulk material having a density less than 800 kg/m3. 19. Method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 17, wherein the pulsating compressed gas stream is substantially funnel-shaped or cone-shaped in order to remove a bulk material having a density greater than 800 kg/m3. 20. Use of the method according to one of Claims 1 1 - 19 for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold. |
Description
According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a system for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold using a pulsating compressed gas stream.
According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle provided with a system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a method for cleaning a wall with a pulsating compressed gas stream using a system according to the first aspect or using a vehicle according to the second aspect of the present invention.
According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a use of the method according to the third aspect of the present invention for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold.
With a known method for unloading a bulk material, such as ores, including bauxite, coal, wooden pallets and agricultural products, such as grain or soy, from a ship's hold, digging machines, shovels and bulldozers are inter alia used to empty the hold. Using such machines, it is not possible to remove bulk material from the wall of a hold without touching the wall of the ship's hold multiple times when cleaning up the hold, thus causing damage to the ship. Therefore, the bulk material which adheres to the wall or remains in spaces in the walls is removed manually using brushes and/or using vibrating plates. A drawback of this manual removal is the fact that this damages a coating on the wall due to the mechanical contact with the wall of the hold.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and a method for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold, in which relatively less damage is caused to a coating with which the wall of the hold is provided.
This object is achieved by the fact that the system according to the present invention is provided with:
a pressure device for providing a compressed gas stream;
a dispensing device which is connected to the pressure device for producing a flow of gas of the compressed gas stream which is providable by the pressure device, wherein the dispensing device is provided with a dispensing opening for dispensing the pulsating compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening for removing the bulk material;
a blocking device for blocking the delivery in a first position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream and unblocking the delivery in a second position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream, in such a way that a pulsating compressed gas stream can be produced.
The present invention is at least partly based on the view that by repeatedly applying the pulsating action of a pulsating compressed gas stream to bulk material which is situated on a wall of a ship, a relatively thorough removal of the bulk material can be achieved, which causes relatively less damage to a coating applied to the wall. An additional advantage is the fact that, because of the pulsating action, the mean flow rate can remain relatively low, resulting in relatively little dust formation. In order to be able to produce a pulsating compressed air flow, the system comprises a dispensing device and a blocking device in addition to a pressure device. As the dispensing opening of the dispensing device can be blocked and unblocked by the blocking device, a pulsating compressed gas stream can be produced for which the pressure device does not have to be operated in a pulsating manner, as a result of which a relatively reliable system can be made.
It is advantageous if the dispensing device is provided with an adjustment means for adjusting a flow profile of the pulsating compressed gas stream to be dispensed. This is favourable for modifying the pulsating compressed gas flow in a practical way, based on the bulk material to be removed or the design of the wall of the hold, in order to achieve satisfactory removal of the bulk material.
In this case, it is favourable if the dispensing device is provided with a dispensing chamber which is connected to the dispensing opening for a pulsating gas flow, in which case the adjustment means is provided in the dispensing chamber. This is favourable in order to produce a relatively robust system, in which the adjustment means is not directly exposable to the bulk material.
In a practical embodiment, the adjustment means comprises an adjustable element in order to produce a substantially curtain-shaped, funnel-shaped or cone-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream. A substantially curtain-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream is favourable in order to produce a pulsating air blade for removing the bulk material by means of a relatively large force. It has been found that a substantially curtain-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream produces surprisingly good results for material having a density of less than 800 kg/m 3 , such as wood pellets and agricultural products, such as for example maize, soy and flour. A substantially funnel-shaped or cone-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream has been found to be surprisingly favourable for material having a density greater than 800 kg/m 3 , such as for example ore, coal and sand.
It is advantageous if the blocking device comprises a valve which can be driven by a drive mechanism, preferably a ball valve, in which the valve can be brought in the first position or the second position by the drive mechanism. Such a valve is favourable for reliably unblocking or blocking delivery via the dispensing opening of the compressed air stream.
In this case, it is advantageous if the valve is configured so that it can be made to rotate substantially continuously in order to alternately bring the blocking device in the first position and the second position. This is favourable in order to achieve a relatively high pulsation frequency of the pulsating compressed gas stream in a reliable manner.
It is advantageous if the pressure device is configured to provide a compressed air stream with a pressure in the range from 1 to 35 bar, preferably in the range from 5 to 25 bar, more preferably 14 to 20 bar and/or is configured to provide a compressed air stream with a flow rate in the range from 1 to 65 m 3 per minute, preferably in the range from 1 to 25 m 3 per minute, more preferably in the range from 5 to 35 m 3 per minute. It has been found that a pressure in said range and/or a flow rate in said range is surprisingly efficient in the removal of a bulk material.
In a practical embodiment, the system is provided with a supply for supplying a liquid to the compressed gas stream and/or to the pulsating compressed gas stream in order to dispense the pulsating compressed gas stream and the liquid via the dispensing opening simultaneously. This is favourable in order to reduce dust formation when removing bulk material.
In this case, it is favourable if the supply for supplying the liquid is configured to provide a liquid at a pressure in the range from 1 to 100 bar, preferably at a pressure in the range from 6 to 36 bar. This is favourable in order to prevent dust formation during removal of the bulk material at a relatively limited flow rate of the liquid. System for removing a bulk material from a wall using a pulsating compressed gas stream, the system comprising:
a pressure device for providing a compressed gas stream;
a dispensing device which is connected to the pressure device for producing a flow of gas of the compressed gas stream which is providable by the pressure device, wherein the dispensing device is provided with a dispensing opening for dispensing the pulsating compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening for removing the bulk material;
a blocking device for blocking the delivery in a first position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream and unblocking the delivery in a second position via the dispensing opening of the compressed gas stream, in such a way that a pulsating compressed gas stream can be produced.
According to the second aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle provided with a system according to the first aspect, wherein the dispensing device is provided on a tool arm of the vehicle in order to move the dispensing opening along a wall of a ship's hold. The advantages of such a vehicle are analogous to the advantages of the system according to the first aspect of the present invention. An additional advantage of such a vehicle is the fact that the removal of bulk material from relatively high walls of a hold can be achieved in a relatively quick and safe manner.
According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a method for using a pulsating compressed gas stream to remove a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold by means of a system according to the first aspect or a vehicle according to the second aspect, the method comprising the following steps:
producing a compressed gas stream using the pressure device; - repeatedly unblocking or blocking the delivery of the compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening of the dispensing device by means of the blocking device in such a way that the pulsating compressed gas stream is produced;
directing the pulsating compressed gas stream onto the bulk material to be removed from the wall of the hold of the ship.
The advantages of the method are analogous to the advantages of the system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
It is advantageous if the pulsating compressed gas stream comprises a liquid, preferably water. This is favourable in order to reduce dust formation during the removal of bulk material. In this case, the liquid is preferably supplied at a pressure in the range from 100 - 800 bar and a flow rate of 5 - 30 litres per minute.
In a practical embodiment of the method, the compressed gas stream has a pressure in the range from 1 to 35 bar, preferably in the range from 5 to 25 bar, more preferably in the range from 14 to 20 bar. This is advantageous in order to remove bulk material from the wall of the hold relatively quickly and with relatively little damage.
It is advantageous if an average flow rate of the pulsating compressed gas stream is in the range from 1 to 65 m 3 per minute, preferably in the range from 1 to 25 m 3 per minute, more preferably in the range from 5 to 35 m 3 per minute. This is favourable in order to reduce dust formation during the removal of bulk material.
It is favourable if the pulsating compressed gas stream pulsates in the range from 5 - 200 Hz. This is favourable in order to remove the bulk material relatively quickly.
In a particular practical embodiment of the method, the pulsating compressed gas stream is formed substantially as a curtain at the location of the dispensing opening, preferably with a thickness in the range from 2 - 15 cm, preferably in the range from 5 - 15 cm. A substantially curtain-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream is favourable in order to obtain a pulsating air blade for removing the bulk material by means of a relatively large force.
In an embodiment of the invention according to the third aspect, the invention relates to a method for using a pulsating compressed gas stream to clean a wall by means of a system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising the following steps:
- producing a compressed gas stream using the pressure device;
repeatedly unblocking or blocking the delivery of the compressed gas stream via the dispensing opening of the dispensing device by means of the blocking device in such a way that the pulsating compressed gas stream is produced;
directing the pulsating compressed gas stream onto the wall to be cleaned.
In an embodiment of the method according to the third aspect, the liquid is introduced in the pulsating compressed gas stream at a liquid pressure which is greater than the pressure of the compressed gas stream. This is favourable in order to prevent dust formation during cleaning of the wall at a relatively limited flow rate of the liquid, such as for example during the removal of a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold.
In an embodiment of the method according to the third aspect, the pulsating compressed gas stream is substantially curtain-shaped in order to remove a bulk material having a density of less than 800 kg/m 3 . It has been found that a substantially curtain-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream produces surprisingly good results for material having a density of less than 800 kg/m 3 , such as for example maize, wood pellets, soy and flour.
In an embodiment of the method according to the third aspect, the pulsating compressed gas stream is substantially funnel-shaped or cone-shaped in order to remove a bulk material having a density greater than 800 kg/m 3 . A substantially funnel-shaped or cone-shaped pulsating compressed gas stream has been found to be surprisingly favourable for material having a density greater than 800 kg/m 3 , such as for example ore, coal and sand.
According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a use of the method according to the third aspect of the present invention for removing a bulk material from a wall of a ship's hold. The advantages of this use of the method are analogous to the method according to the third aspect of the present invention.
Below, the present invention will be explained by means of the description of a preferred embodiment of a system and a vehicle according to the present invention with reference to the following diagrammatic figures, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a cross section of a system according to the present invention;
Figs. 2 - 3 show a vehicle provided with a system according to the first aspect of the present invention.
The system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is provided with a pressure device formed by a compressor 3 in order to produce a compressed gas stream. The compressor 3 is connected to a dispensing device 5. The dispensing device 5 has a dispensing opening formed by a nozzle 7 for dispensing the pulsating compressed gas stream which can be produced by the compressor 3 and the dispensing device 5. The dispensing device 5 is provided with a blocking device formed by a ball valve 1 1 which can be driven by a drive mechanism 9. When the drivable ball valve 1 1 is driven, the delivery of the compressed gas stream can be interrupted, as a result of which a pulsating compressed gas stream can be produced. The dispensing device 5 is furthermore provided with a connection 23 for connecting a high-pressure water supply 25. The liquid supplied via connection 23 can be supplied to the pulsating compressed gas stream via a second connection 31 .
The geometrical form of the gas stream to be dispensed by the dispensing device 5 at the nozzle 7 is adjustable by an adjustment member 13 which is provided in a dispensing chamber 17 of the dispensing device 5. By moving the adjustment member 13 in such a way that the passage opening in the dispensing device 5 is reduced, an increase in the outflow velocity from the nozzle 7 can be achieved. In the dispensing chamber 17, further flow elements 15 are provided in order to produce a desired flow profile from the nozzle 7. The flow elements 15 are configured so as to cause the pulsating gas stream emerging from the nozzle 7 to alternately emerge from the nozzle 7 at a different angle.
A nozzle part 19 which surrounds the nozzle 7 and forms part of the dispensing device 5 is rotatable about a rotation axis 21 . The nozzle part 19 is provided with a gear ring 27 with which a drive mechanism formed by a hydromotor 29 engages to rotate the nozzle part 19. This is favourable in order to produce an additional movement of the gas stream on the bulk material to be removed in addition to the pulsation of the gas stream. Due to the fact that the nozzle 7 encloses an angle with the rotation axis 21 , the additional movement is increased.
By means of the system 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 , it is possible to remove bulk material from the wall of a ship's hold in the following way. Using the compressor 3, a compressed gas stream in the range from 14 - 20 bar is produced. This compressed gas stream is supplied to the dispensing device 5. In the dispensing device 5, the ball valve 1 1 is driven in such a way that it alternately unblocks and blocks the compressed gas stream at a frequency in the range from 5 - 200 Hz in order to produce a pulsating compressed gas stream. Water at a pressure in the range from 100 - 800 bar is added to the resulting pulsating compressed gas stream before the pulsating compressed gas stream is introduced in the dispensing chamber 17. In the dispensing chamber 17, the pulsating compressed gas stream is passed along the adjustment member 13 and the flow elements 15 in order to produce a substantially curtain-shaped gas flow which emerges from the nozzle 7 at an alternately varying angle. In this case, the nozzle part 19 is rotated about rotation axis 21 and the resulting rotating curtain is moved along the wall of the ship's hold in order to remove bulk material from the wall. Figs. 2 and 3 show vehicles 100 and 200 provided with a system 1 according to the first aspect of the present invention.