EP3261769B1 - Method and device for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a method for fragmentation and / or weakening of pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges, a device for carrying out the method, a system comprising a plurality of such devices and a use of the device or system according to the preambles of the independent claims.

STATE OF THE ART

It is known from the prior art to comminute (fragment) or to weaken various materials by means of pulsed high-voltage discharges in such a way that they can be comminuted more easily in a downstream mechanical comminution process.

For the fragmentation and / or weakening of pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges, basically two different types of process are known today.

For small quantities of material or strict specifications regarding the purity and / or the target particle size of the processed material, the fragmentation and / or weakening of the material takes place in batch mode in a closed process vessel in which high-voltage breakdowns are generated by the material.

In the case of large amounts of material, the fragmentation and / or weakening of the material takes place in a continuous process by passing a stream of material from the material to be comminuted past one or more electrodes and with these high-voltage breakdowns generated by the material. In this case, the material is transported past the electrodes either by gravity or by means of a conveyor, which simultaneously serves as a counter electrode to one or more high voltage electrodes. In the former case, the problem arises that the material flow or the residence time of the material in the process zone is only very limited adjustable and strongly depends on the piece size of the materials. In the latter case, the decisive disadvantage arises that very expensive, at least in the process zone electrically conductive conveyors are needed, which are expensive and also subject to heavy wear.

Such a device is known from JP2003154286 known.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object to provide continuous methods and apparatus for fragmenting and / or weakening large quantities of pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges available, which do not have the disadvantages of the prior art mentioned or at least partially avoided.

This object is solved by the subject matters of the independent claims.

According to these, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material, in particular slag from waste incineration, by means of high-voltage discharges.

In this case, a material flow from the material to be fragmented or weakened, immersed in a process liquid, by means of a material flow carrying conveyor on an electrode assembly with one or more high voltage electrodes and these high voltage electrodes associated counter-electrodes passed while being acted upon the high-voltage pulse electrode assembly by means of one or more high-voltage generators high-voltage breakdowns between the high-voltage electrodes and the associated counter-electrodes are generated by the material flow material.

The high-voltage electrodes and the counter electrodes associated therewith are immersed in the process fluid from above, and those of these electrodes between which the high-voltage breakdowns are produced face each other transversely to the material advancing direction with an electrode spacing.

In this way it becomes possible to provide a continuous process for the fragmentation and / or weakening of large quantities of free-flowing material, in which the residence time of the material in the process zone can be adjusted within wide limits and practically independent of the piece size of the materials and at the same time complicated, at least in the process zone electrically conductive conveyors, which are expensive and also subject to heavy wear, can be dispensed with.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the high-voltage electrodes and the counterelectrodes, between which the high-voltage breakdowns are generated, are in contact with the material flow.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, they are even immersed in the material flow.

Depending on the material and size of the material to be fragmented and / or on the type or quality of the process fluid, one or the other embodiment may be more preferable.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the material flow is formed from pieces of material which do not exceed a certain maximum piece size, preferably one maximum piece size in the range between 40 mm and 80 mm.

It is preferred that the electrode spacing is greater in each case than this maximum piece size. This results in the advantage that the pieces of material can migrate between them when immersed in the material flow electrodes, whereby a particularly intensive loading of the pieces of material with the high voltage breakdowns is possible. Also, this makes it relatively easy to apply the material flow substantially over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns, which is also preferred.

Further, it is preferred that the distance of the electrodes to the bottom of the material flow, i. to the top of the material flow carrying conveyor, is greater than this maximum piece size. This results in the advantage that the pieces of material can not be trapped between the upper side of the conveying device and the electrodes when the electrodes are in contact with the flow of material or are immersed in the flow of material, whereby the operational safety and service life of the device is markedly improved.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, the material of the material stream or a portion thereof is divided downstream of the electrode assembly into coarse material having a size greater than a desired target size and fine material having a size less than or equal to the desired target size.

In this case, it is further preferred that the coarse material upstream of the electrode arrangement is returned to the material flow in order to be redirected past the electrode arrangement and fragmented or weakened, or that the coarse material is subjected to a further fragmentation or weakening process is, in particular a further method according to this first aspect of the invention to be further crushed or weakened.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, a conveying device is used which, viewed in cross-section, is designed to be channel-shaped, preferably V-shaped, at least in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode arrangement. This results in the advantage that the pourable material can be guided from the side areas in the middle, thereby simplifying a substantially complete loading of the material flow over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns.

Advantageously, the material flow is guided past the electrode arrangement by means of a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt whose edge regions are curved upward in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode arrangement. Such conveyor belts are robust, low-maintenance and commercially available in a variety of designs and sizes. The inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt are preferably set to optimize the respective process. At its ends, the conveyor belt is preferably flat so that the lowest possible elongation of the edge areas is required.

It is further preferred that the stream of material downstream of the region in which it is passed with the conveyor belt on the electrode assembly and there is fragmented by means of high voltage breakdown, is conveyed upwards with the conveyor belt, preferably such that it the conveyor belt is led out of the process liquid. In this way can be dispensed with expensive additional devices for removal of the processed material from the process liquid.

This can be achieved in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner by using a straight conveyor belt which rises in the material advancing direction of the material flow at the electrode arrangement, in particular with a rise angle between 10 and 35 degrees.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, the material flow conveyed upward with the conveyor belt is fed from the delivery end of the conveyor belt, preferably via a device for screening pieces of material comminuted to a certain target size, to an underlying delivery end of a further conveyor belt with which it further fragmentation - And / or weakening method is supplied, in particular according to this first aspect of the invention. Accordingly, the method described is then part of a multi-stage fragmentation and / or attenuation method.

Preferably, in the method according to the invention, an electrode arrangement is used which comprises a plurality of electrode pairs or electrode groups, wherein each electrode pair or each electrode group is assigned its own high voltage generator, with which exclusively this pair or this group, with advantage independently of the other electrode pairs or electrode groups, with high voltage pulses is applied. As a result, a particularly intensive loading of the past on the electrode assembly material flow is possible.

Under a pair of electrodes is here a combination of a high voltage electrode, which is acted upon by the high voltage generator with high voltage pulses, and a single said high voltage electrode associated counter electrode between which electrodes take place the high voltage breakdowns understood.

An electrode group is here understood to mean a combination of a high-voltage electrode which is subjected to high-voltage pulses with the high-voltage generator and a plurality of counter electrodes associated with this high-voltage electrode, between which electrodes the high-voltage breakdowns take place, wherein the respective high-voltage breakdown usually takes place between the high-voltage electrode and that of the counterelectrodes, between which the most favorable breakdown conditions are present.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, the material stream is formed from pieces of material or contains pieces of material which form a composite of metallic and non-metallic materials, as e.g. in slag pieces from waste incineration is the case. In the fragmentation or weakening of such materials with the inventive method, the advantages of the invention come to light and it proves to be a further advantage that the demands on the quality of the process liquid, mostly water, are very low, whereby the cost of the Process liquid processing are extremely low.

Accordingly, it is advantageous in such processes to carry out the process with a process liquid which has a conductivity of more than 500 μS / cm.

In this case, the processed material resulting from the process is preferably divided into metallic material and non-metallic material, advantageously with ferromagnetic metals, non-ferromagnetic metals and non-metallic material. In this way, a recycling or selective disposal of the components of the processed material is simplified.

To generate the high-voltage breakdowns by the material flow, the electrode arrangement is preferably with high voltage pulses in the range between 100 KV and 300 KV, in particular in the range between 150 KV and 200 KV applied, wherein preferably the power per pulse between 100 joules and 1000 joules, in particular between 300 joules and 750 joules. The high-voltage pulse frequencies are preferably in the range between 0.5 Hz and 40 Hz, in particular in the range between 5 Hz and 20 Hz, and the material flow is when passing the electrode assembly per millimeter of its extension in the direction Vorbeiführungsrichtung preferably 0.1 to 2.0, in particular 0.5 to 1.0 applied to high voltage breakdowns.

A second aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

The device comprises an electrode arrangement with one or more high-voltage electrodes and associated counterelectrodes. Their high-voltage electrodes can be acted upon by high-voltage pulses with one or more high-voltage generators.

Furthermore, the device comprises a conveying device, preferably in the form of a conveyor belt or a conveyor chain, which is arranged at least partially in a tank filled or to be filled with a process fluid, in particular water, and with which a material flow from a free-flowing fragmented and / or or material to be debunked, immersed in a process fluid, past the electrode assembly while high voltage breakdowns are generated by the material flow by applying high voltage pulses to the electrodes of the electrode assembly.

In this case, the device is designed such that, during normal operation, the electrodes of the electrode arrangement are immersed in the process fluid from above and those of these electrodes between which the high-voltage breakdowns are generated, are each opposite to the Materialvorbeiführungsrichtung with an electrode spacing.

With the device according to the invention, it is possible in a simple manner to carry out the method according to the first aspect of the invention with the advantages already explained.

In a preferred embodiment, the device is designed such that in normal operation, the high voltage electrodes and the counter electrodes, between which the high voltage breakdowns are generated, are in contact with the material flow or even immersed in it.

Depending on the material and size of the material to be fragmented and / or on the type or quality of the process fluid, one or the other embodiment may be more preferable.

In a further preferred embodiment of the device, the distance between the electrodes, between which high-voltage breakdowns are generated, is in each case greater than 40 mm, more preferably in each case greater than 80 mm. This results in the advantage that correspondingly large pieces of material can migrate between the electrodes immersed in the material flow, whereby a particularly intensive loading of the pieces of material with the high-voltage breakdowns becomes possible. This also makes it possible to form the device in a simple manner such that the material flow can be subjected to high-voltage breakdowns essentially over its entire width, which is likewise preferred.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the apparatus has downstream of the electrode assembly means, in particular screening devices, with which the processed material of the material stream or a part thereof can be divided into coarse material with a size greater than a gewünsehten Target size and in fine material with a piece size less than or equal to the desired target size.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the device, the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of electrode pairs or electrode groups. In this case, each electrode pair or each electrode group is assigned its own high-voltage generator, with which only this electrode pair or this electrode group can be acted upon during normal operation with high-voltage pulses. As a result, a particularly intensive loading of the past on the electrode assembly material flow is possible.

Under a pair of electrodes here is a combination of a high voltage electrode, which is acted upon in normal operation with the associated high voltage generator with high voltage pulses, and a single of these high voltage electrode associated counter electrode, between which electrodes take place during normal operation, the high voltage breakdowns understood.

An electrode group is understood here to mean a combination of a high-voltage electrode, which is subjected to high-voltage pulses during normal operation with the associated high-voltage generator, and a plurality of counterelectrodes assigned to this high-voltage electrode, between which electrodes the high-voltage breakdowns take place during normal operation, wherein the respective high-voltage breakdown between the electrodes usually occurs High voltage electrode and that of the counter electrodes takes place, between which are the most favorable breakdown conditions.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the device, the conveyor is at least in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode assembly, seen in cross-section groove-shaped, preferably V-shaped. This results in the advantage that the pourable material can be guided from the side areas in the middle, thereby simplifying a substantially complete loading of the material flow over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns.

Advantageously, the conveyor thereby comprises a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt, with which the material flow is passed in the intended operation of the electrode assembly whose edge regions in the area in which it passes the material flow past the electrode assembly, curved upwards are. Such conveyor belts are robust, low-maintenance and commercially available in a variety of designs and sizes. The inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt are preferably adjustable to optimize the respective process. At its ends, the conveyor belt is preferably flat so that the smallest possible elongation of the edge regions results.

Preferably, the conveyor of the device comprises a conveyor belt, which is designed such that during normal operation of the material flow downstream of the area in which it is passed with the conveyor belt on the electrode assembly and is fragmented there by high voltage breakdowns or weakened, with the Conveyor belt is conveyed upward, preferably such that it is led out with the conveyor belt from the process liquid. In this way can be dispensed with expensive additional devices for removal of the processed material from the process liquid.

This can be achieved in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner by using a straight conveyor belt which rises in the material advancing direction of the material flow, in particular with a rise angle between 10 and 35 degrees.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a multi-stage plant for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material, comprising a plurality of devices connected in series in the material conveying direction according to the second aspect of the invention.

The plant is constructed in such a way that, in the normal operation of the plant, a material flow which is conveyed upwards by the conveyor belt of a first of the devices, from the discharge end of this conveyor belt, preferably via a device for screening pieces of material comminuted to a certain target size on the underlying Task end of the conveyor belt is placed in a direction of material delivery to this first of the devices following second of the devices, with which it passes the electrode assembly of this second of the devices and thereby further fragmented and / or weakened.

With such multi-stage systems, large amounts of material can be processed.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to the use of the device according to the second aspect of the invention or the device according to the third aspect of the invention for the fragmentation and / or weakening of pieces of material which form a composite of non-metallic and metallic materials, preferably slag pieces from the waste incineration.

In such uses, the benefits of the invention are particularly evident.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• Fig. 1 eine Draufsicht auf eine erste erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung in einer ersten Betriebsart;
• Fig. 2 einen Vertikalschnitt durch die erste Vorrichtung entlang der Linie A-A in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 einen Vertikalschnitt durch die erste Vorrichtung entlang der Linie B-B in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 eine Draufsicht auf die erste Vorrichtung in einer zweiten Betriebsart;
• Fig. 5 eine Seitenansicht einer der Elektroden der Elektroden-Anordnung der Vorrichtung aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 6 eine Seitenansicht einer ersten Variante der Hochspannungselektrode aus Fig. 5;
• Fig. 7 eine Seitenansicht einer zweiten Variante der Hochspannungselektrode aus Fig. 5.
• Fig. 8 einen Längsschnitt entlang der Linie D-D in Fig. 10 durch eine zweite erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung;
• Fig. 9 eine Draufsicht von oben auf die Vorrichtung aus Fig. 8;
• Fig. 10 einen Querschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang der Linie C-C in Fig. 8;
• Fig. 11 einen Längsschnitt entlang der Linie E-E in Fig. 13 durch eine dritte erfindungsgemässe Vorrichtung;
• Fig. 12 eine Draufsicht von oben auf die Vorrichtung aus Fig. 11;
• Fig. 13 einen Querschnitt durch die Vorrichtung entlang der Linie F-F in Fig. 11;
• Fig. 14 einen Längsschnitt entlang der Linie G-G in Fig. 16a durch eine erfindungsgemässe Anlage;
• Fig. 15 eine Draufsicht von oben auf die Anlage aus Fig. 14;
• die Figuren 16a und 16b Querschnitte durch die Anlage entlang der Linie H-H in Fig. 14; und
• die Figuren 17 bis 19 Längsschnitte wie Fig. 14 durch verschiedene Varianten einzelner Vorrichtung der Anlage aus Fig. 14.

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and from the following description with reference to FIGS. Showing:

• Fig. 1 a plan view of a first inventive device in a first mode;
• Fig. 2 a vertical section through the first device along the line AA in Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 a vertical section through the first device along the line BB in Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 4 a plan view of the first device in a second mode;
• Fig. 5 a side view of one of the electrodes of the electrode assembly of the device Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 6 a side view of a first variant of the high voltage electrode Fig. 5 ;
• Fig. 7 a side view of a second variant of the high voltage electrode Fig. 5 ,
• Fig. 8 a longitudinal section along the line DD in Fig. 10 by a second device according to the invention;
• Fig. 9 a top view of the device from above Fig. 8 ;
• Fig. 10 a cross section through the device along the line CC in Fig. 8 ;
• Fig. 11 a longitudinal section along the line EE in Fig. 13 by a third device according to the invention;
• Fig. 12 a top view of the device from above Fig. 11 ;
• Fig. 13 a cross section through the device along the line FF in Fig. 11 ;
• Fig. 14 a longitudinal section along the line GG in Fig. 16a by a system according to the invention;
• Fig. 15 a top view from the top of the plant Fig. 14 ;
• the FIGS. 16a and 16b Cross sections through the plant along the line HH in Fig. 14 ; and
• the FIGS. 17 to 19 Longitudinal cuts like Fig. 14 by different variants of individual device of the plant Fig. 14 ,

WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first device according to the invention for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a plan view from above ( Fig. 1 ), once in a vertical section along the line AA in Fig. 1 ( Fig. 2 ) and once in a partial vertical section along the line BB in Fig. 1 ( Fig. 3 ).

As can be seen, the apparatus comprises a carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 formed of an annular bottom plate 10, a fixedly connected to the bottom plate 10 and of the bottom plate 10 perpendicular upwardly projecting cylindrical outer wall 9 and one with the bottom plate 10 is not in Connecting standing and perpendicular from the bottom plate 10 upwardly projecting cylindrical inner wall 11. The bottom plate 10 is flat and continuously closed and is mounted by means of a roller ring 24 on an annular support member 25 of a fixed support structure, and is in normal operation by means of a drive motor 26 in the direction of rotation R to a running through the center of the circular shape of the bottom plate 10 vertical axis of rotation Z rotates around, whereby the lying on the bottom plate 10 to be fragmented material 1 forms an annular or annular ring-shaped material flow 4 in the direction of rotation R about the axis of rotation Z around.

The carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 is arranged in a circular basin 27 filled with water 5 (process liquid), the bottom of which is penetrated by the annular support element 25. The carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 is completely immersed in the water 5 in the basin 27 except for the upper boundary edges of the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 11. In the area inside the annular support element 25, the bottom of the basin 27 is formed by a circular, downwardly extending funnel 19, the lower end of which ends above a conveyor belt 20, which conveys obliquely upward to a level above the water level of the basin 27 (not fully shown here for reasons of space) and is arranged in a housing 30 which is connected to the lower funnel end and together with the basin 27 forms a watertight container. The basin 27 is surrounded by an annular protective wall 31 through which the housing of the conveyor belt 30 and the conveyor belt 20 pass.

As can further be seen, the device disposed above the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11, an electrode assembly 2 with a plurality of matrix-arranged high-voltage electrodes 12, which is approximately over a range of 270 ° of the circular shape of the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 extends. Each of the high-voltage electrodes 12 protrudes in the illustrated situation from above to just above the surface of guided in the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 circular ring-shaped material flow 4, where it dips into the water 5, and has its own, arranged directly above it High voltage generator 3, with which it is acted upon in operation with high voltage pulses. In the figures, for the sake of clarity, only one of the high-voltage electrodes is designated by the reference numeral 12 and only one of the high-voltage generators by the reference numeral 3.

How out Fig. 5 which shows one of the high voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2 of this device in side view, each of the high voltage electrodes 12 has its own grounding counter electrode 13. The high voltage electrodes 12 and the associated counter electrodes 13 are each opposite to the material advancing direction with a distance and are each arranged such that in the illustrated as intended Operation by applying the respective high voltage electrode 12 with high voltage pulses Hochspannungsdurchschläge between the high voltage electrode 12 and its associated counter electrode 13 are generated by the material 1 of the material flow 4 therethrough. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the only associated counter electrode 13 thus forms a claimed pair of electrodes 12, 13th

The FIGS. 6 and 7 show side views of two variants of the high voltage electrode Fig. 5 ,

Fig. 6 shows a high voltage electrode 12, which differs from the in Fig. 5 shown essentially differs in that it has two identical, mirror-inverted opposite and at their free ends in each case to the high voltage electrode 12 inclined counter electrodes 13. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the two counter-electrodes 13 thus forms a claim-compliant electrode group 12, 13. Another difference is that this high-voltage electrode 12 has a straight electrode tip.

Fig. 7 shows a high voltage electrode 12, which differs from the in Fig. 6 shown essentially differs in that here the in Fig. 6 shown two mirror-inverted counter-electrodes 13 are connected below the high voltage electrode 12 to a single, U-shaped counter electrode 13.

Depending on the process or material to be processed, it is also provided that the electrodes 12 and counter electrodes 13 are immersed in the material flow.

As can further be seen, the apparatus comprises a feed conveyor belt 15 arranged in a closed housing 32, with which material 1 to be fragmented, in the present case fragments of noble metal ore rock 1, on the bottom plate 10 of the carousel-like material 1 to be fragmented upstream of the electrode arrangement 2 Facility 9, 10, 11 is abandoned.

The height of the material packing 1 guided under the electrode arrangement 2 as a circular ring-segment-shaped material flow 4 is defined by a passage-limiting plate 33 before entry into the region (process zone) formed between the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 and the electrode arrangement 2.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2 is a fixed first baffle 17 which extends from the outer wall 9 of the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 through a first interruption 23 in the inner wall 11 in a region 7 in the center of the carousel-like device 9, 10th , 11 extends and shown in the intended operation, the material stream 4 emerging from the process zone substantially completely over the first interruption 23 in the inner wall 11 in the central region 7 leads.

The bottom of the central region 7 is formed as a flat sieve bottom 8 with a sieve opening size dimensioned so that fragmented material 1a passes through the sieve openings and falls into the funnel 19 below, while material 1b which is larger than the target size , remains on the sieve tray 8. The finished material la shredded to target size is passed from the hopper 19 onto the conveyor belt 20 with which it is transported out of the device.

The non-finished processed or not yet shredded to target size material 1b is pushed by the nachrückende material 1 on the sieve 8 and from a subsequent to the first baffle 17 fixed second baffle 21 via a second interruption 28 in the inner wall 11 from the central Region 7 back into the annular segment-shaped material flow 4, with which it again at a portion of the high voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly. 2 is passed and thereby acted upon with high voltage breakdowns.

How out Fig. 3 which shows a vertical section through part of the first device in the region of the process zone along the line BB in FIG Fig. 1 shows, the bottom plate 10 of the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 a covered with a wear-inhibiting layer 29 made of rubber on top, on which the material to be processed 1 rests.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the device in a different mode. As can be seen, the second baffle 21 is here arranged in a position in which it closes the second interruption 28 in the inner wall 11 from the side of the central area 7 and releases an exhaust duct 34, in which the non-finished process resp not yet shredded to target size material 1b, which is pushed by the advancing material 1 on the sieve plate 8, falls into it and then with devices (not shown) is led away from the device.

The FIGS. 8 to 10 show a second inventive device for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line DD in Fig. 10 ( Fig. 8 ), once in a plan view from above ( Fig. 9 ) and once in a cross section along the line CC in Fig. 8 ( Fig. 10 ).

As can be seen, the device has an electrode arrangement 2 with a matrix of high-voltage electrodes 12, which are arranged in four consecutively arranged rows with four electrodes 12 in the direction of passage through the material S (in the figures, for the sake of clarity, only one of each is shown) Electrodes provided with the reference numeral 12).

The electrodes 12 are in the illustrated normal operation with one directly over they are arranged high voltage generator 3 applied with high voltage pulses.

Under the electrode assembly 2 is located in a flooded with water 5 (process liquid) tank 16, a conveyor belt 6, by means of which a flow of material from a fragmented bulk material 1, in the present case fragments of ore, from the task side A of Device forth in the direction of material flow S on the electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2 is passed while high voltage breakdowns are generated by the material 1 as a result of application of high voltage pulses to the electrode assembly 2. In this case, the material 1 of the material flow is immersed in the water 5 located in the basin 16, as well as the electrodes 12 arranged above it.

The height of the flow of material is adjusted before entry into the area between the conveyor belt 6 and the electrode assembly 2 (process zone) by a passage-limiting plate 18.

How out Fig. 10 can be seen, the conveyor belt 6 extends in the direction of passage S seen over the entire width of the basin 16, so that the moving material flow covers the entire width of the basin 16.

As in particular from the FIGS. 8 and 10 can be seen, the middle portion of the material flow is applied when passing through the process zone with high voltage breakdowns, which leads to an increasing fragmentation of the material 1 in this area, while the edge regions of the material flow remain virtually untouched by high voltage breakdowns, so that the material 1 guided there original piece remains.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2, the material stream exiting the process zone is separated from the conveyor belt 6 into three of separation walls 22 and side by side across its entire width the collecting conveyor 6 extending collecting funnel 14, 14a, 14b at the end of the basin 16 delivered. In this case, the separation walls 22 are arranged such that the fragmented material 1 is discharged from the middle region of the material flow into the central collecting funnel 14, while the unfragmented material 1 is discharged from the edge regions of the material flow into the outer collecting funnels 14a, 14b.

The fragmented material 1, which is discharged into the central collecting hopper 14, is conveyed out of the basin 16 by means of a conveyor (not shown) and supplied for further use. The non-fragmented material 1, which is discharged into the outer collecting funnels 14a, 14b, is conveyed out of the basin 16 by means of conveying devices (not shown) and returned to the material flow on the feeding side A of the device.

How out Fig. 6 it can be seen, which shows one of the electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2 of the device in the side view, each of the high voltage electrodes 12, two identical, mirror images of opposite, at their free ends in each case to the high voltage electrode 12 inclined counter electrodes 13, which are at ground potential and attached to the support structure of the high voltage electrode 12. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the two counter-electrodes 13 forms a claim-compliant electrode group 12, 13. In this case, the high voltage electrodes 12 and the respective associated two counter electrodes 13 are each opposite to the direction Materialvorbeführrichtung with a distance and immerse in the flow of material.

The FIGS. 11 to 13 show a third inventive device for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line EE in Fig. 13 ( Fig. 11 ), once in a plan view from above ( FIG. 12 ) and once in a cross section along the line FF in Fig. 11 ( Fig. 13 ).

As can be seen, the device has an electrode arrangement 2 with three high-voltage electrodes 12, which are arranged one behind the other in the material passage direction S.

Again, the high voltage electrodes 12 and the associated counter electrodes 13 are as in Fig. 6 shown formed, each face transversely to the Materialvorbeiführungsrichtung with a distance and immerse in the flow of material.

How farther Fig. 12 can be seen, in which the positions of the respective high voltage electrodes 12 and counter electrodes 13 are shown in dashed lines, these electrode groups 12, 13 in the material passage direction S each have a lateral offset to each other.

The high voltage electrodes 12 are acted upon in the illustrated operation as intended, each with a directly above them arranged high voltage generator 3 with high voltage pulses.

Below the electrode assembly 2, arranged in a basin 5 flooded with water 5 (process liquid), is a straight conveyor belt 6 of a flexible, electrically non-conductive strip material (fabric-reinforced rubber) ascending in the material passage direction S at an angle of 10 degrees which a material flow from the pourable material 1 to be fragmented, in the present case slag pieces from waste incineration with a maximum piece size of 80 mm, is passed from the feed side A of the device in the direction of material flow S past the electrodes 12, 13 of the electrode arrangement 2, while high-voltage breakdowns are produced by the material 1 as a result of application of high-voltage pulses to the high-voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode arrangement 2. In this case, the material 1 of the material flow in Area of the electrode assembly 2 immersed in the water in the basin 16 5, as well as the electrodes 12 arranged above it, 13, which also dive into the flow of material.

At the same time, process water is removed from the basin 16 via a discharge line 35 arranged at the bottom of the basin 16 and fed to a water treatment plant (not shown), from which treated process water is conveyed back into the basin 16 via supply lines 36, which supply the water in the area of the electrodes 12, 13 inject in the material flow.

Like from the Figures 12 and 13 can be seen, the edge regions of the conveyor belt 6 in the area in which it passes the material flow past the electrode assembly 2, curved upward, so that the conveyor belt 6 in this area in cross-section seen channel-shaped or V-shaped in such a way that the free-flowing material 1 of the material flow is guided from the side regions into the middle.

As a result, the material flow is subjected to high voltage breakdowns over substantially its entire width, which leads to a fragmentation of the entire material flow.

The angle of inclination of the edge regions of the conveyor belt is adjustable in order to be able to adapt the device optimally to the material to be processed or its piece size. In the region of its ends, the conveyor belt 6 is flat.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2, the material flow emerging from the process zone is led upwards out of the basin 16 by the conveyor belt 6 and subsequently fed to a further utilization or processing step (not shown).

The Figures 14 . 15 . 16a and 16b show a device according to the invention for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line GG in Fig. 16a ( Fig. 14 ), once in a plan view from above ( Fig. 15 ) and twice in a cross section along the line HH in Fig. 14 ( FIGS. 16a and 16b ).

As can be seen, this system consists of three devices connected in series according to the FIGS. 11 to 13 (Three stages), with the difference that each of the devices in place of the three in the material flow direction S successively arranged and staggered electrode groups 13, 12, 13, each with its own high voltage generator 3 only one centrally positioned electrode group 13, 12, 13, respectively having associated high voltage generator 3. In addition, the angle of elevation of the conveyor belt 6 with 15 degrees here is significantly steeper than in the previously described third inventive device according to the FIGS. 11 to 13 , All other details are identical and therefore will not be explained again here.

The FIGS. 16a and 16b show cross sections through the plant along the line HH in Fig. 14 (but without basin and high voltage generator) at different settings of the inclination angles α of the edge regions of the conveyor belt 6 shown, namely once at inclination angles α of 23 degrees ( Fig. 16a ) and once at inclination angles α of 33 degrees ( Fig. 16b ).

The FIGS. 17 to 19 show longitudinal sections like Fig. 14 by different variants of one of the devices of the system according to the Figures 14 . 15 . 16a and 16b ,

The first device variant according to Fig. 17 is different from the one in Fig. 14 shown device in that the material to be processed is supplied to the task end A of the device via an arranged outside the basin 16 oblique screen surface 37, by means of which fine material with a specific piece size, eg depending on the location of the device within the plant of less than 2 mm, less than 5 mm or less than 8 mm, is screened off before entering this device.

The second device variant according to Fig. 18 is different from the one in Fig. 14 shown device in that the material to be processed at the task end A of the device is placed over an arranged within the basin 16 oblique screen surface 38 on the conveyor belt 6 of the device, by means of which fine material with a certain piece size, eg depending on the location of the device within the system smaller than 2 mm, smaller than 5 mm or smaller than 8 mm, within the basin 16 of this device but before entering the process zone.

The third device variant according to Fig. 19 consists of a device according to Fig. 18 at the discharge end of which the processed material is discharged onto an inclined screen surface 41, through which the material fragmented to a desired piece size passes through a further conveyor belt 39 arranged below it. The insufficiently fragmented material travels over the screen surface 38 and falls at the end of a conveyor belt 40, with which it is conveyed back to the task end of the device and there again to be processed material stream 1 to.

The devices according to the FIGS. 17 to 19 individually also form a device according to the invention.

While preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the present application, it should be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these and may be practiced otherwise within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (24)

1. Method for fragmenting and/or weakening of pourable material (1) by means of high-voltage discharges, comprising the steps:

   a) providing an electrode assembly (2) which is assigned to one or more high-voltage generators (3), by means of which it is chargeable with high-voltage pulses;

   b) guiding a material flow of pourable material (1) past the electrode assembly (2) by means of a conveying device (6; 9, 10, 11) carrying the material flow, wherein the material flow is immersed in a process liquid (5); and

   c) producing high-voltage punctures through the material flow during the guiding thereof past the electrode assembly (2) by charging of the electrode assembly (2) with high-voltage pulses,

   characterized in that the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are submerged from above in the process liquid (5), and those electrodes (12, 13) between which the high-voltage punctures are produced face each other with an electrode spacing transversely to the material guiding past direction (S).
2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are in contact with the material flow.
3. Method according to claim 2 wherein the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are immersed in the material flow.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the high-voltage punctures are produced in such a way that the material flow is charged with high-voltage punctures essentially over its entire width.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the material (1) of the material flow or a part thereof is divided into coarse material with a piece size larger than a desired target size and into fine material with a piece size smaller than or equal to the desired target size downstream of the electrode assembly (2) .
6. Method according to claim 5 wherein the coarse material is fed again into the material flow upstream of the electrode assembly (2).
7. Method according to claim 5 wherein the coarse material is subjected to a further fragmenting or weakening method, in particular according to one of the preceding claims.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the material flow is formed by material pieces (1) or comprises material pieces (1) which do not exceed a specific maximum piece size, in particular do not exceed a maximum piece size in the range between 40 mm and 80 mm, and wherein the distance of the electrodes (12, 13) to the bottom side of the material flow is larger than this maximum piece size.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the conveying device (6; 9, 10, 11), at least in the region in which it guides the material flow past the electrode assembly (2), is formed as viewed in the cross-section trough-shaped, in particular V-shaped, in particular in such a way that the pourable material (1) is guided from the lateral zones into the center.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the material flow is guided past the electrode assembly (2) by means of a flexible, electrically nonconductive conveyor belt (6), wherein its boundary zones are arched upwards in the region in which it guides the material flow past the electrode assembly (2), and in particular wherein the conveyor belt (6) is planar in the region of its ends.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims wherein the material flow, downstream from the region in which it is guided past the electrode assembly (2) with the conveying device or the conveyor belt (6), respectively, is transported upwards with the conveying device or the conveyor belt (6), respectively, in particular in such a way that it is guided out of the process liquid (5) with the conveying device or with the conveyor belt (6), respectively.
12. Method according to one of the claims 13 to 14 wherein the material flow transported upwards with the conveyor belt (6), from the delivery end of the conveyor belt (6), in particular via a device (37, 38, 41) for sieving of material pieces fragmented to a specific target size, is fed to a below arranged feeding end of another conveyor belt (6), with which it is supplied to a further fragmenting and/or weakening method, in particular according to one of the preceding claims.
13. Method of one of the preceding claims wherein the electrode assembly (2) comprises a plurality of electrode pairs (12, 13) or electrode groups (13, 12, 13), wherein a respective high-voltage generator (3) is assigned to each electrode pair or each electrode group, respectively, with which exclusively this pair or this group, respectively, is charged with high-voltage pulses, in particular independently of the other electrode pairs or electrode groups.
14. Device for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising:

    a) an electrode assembly (2) which is assigned to one or more high-voltage generators (3), by means of which it is chargeable with high-voltage pulses;

    b) a conveying device (6; 9, 10, 11), in particular in form of a conveyor belt (6) or a conveyor chain, at least in part arranged in a basin (16; 27) which is filled or fillable with a process liquid (5) with which in the intended operation a material flow of a pourable, to be fragmented and/or to be weakened material (1), immersed in a process liquid (5), can be guided past the electrode assembly (2) while high-voltage punctures through the material flow are produced by means of charging of the electrode assembly (2) with high-voltage pulses,

    characterized in that the device is structured in such a way that in the intended operation the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are immersed in the process liquid (5) from above, and those electrodes (12, 13) between which the high-voltage punctures are produced face each other with an electrode spacing transversely to the material guiding past direction (S).
15. Device according to claim 14 wherein the device is structured in such a way that in the intended operation the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are in contact with the material flow.
16. Device according to claim 15 wherein the device is structured in such a way that in the intended operation the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are immersed in the material flow, in particular with a distance to the bottom side of the material flow of more than 40 mm, in particular of more than 80 mm.
17. Device according to one of the claims 14 to 16 wherein the device is structured in such a way that in the intended operation the material flow is chargeable with high-voltage punctures essentially over its entire width.
18. Device according to one of the claims 14 to 17 wherein the device, downstream from the electrode assembly (2), comprises devices (37, 38, 41) with which the material (1) of the material flow or a part thereof can be divided into coarse material with a piece size larger than a desired target size and into fine material with a piece size smaller than or equal to the desired target size.
19. Device according to one of the claims 14 to 18 wherein the electrode assembly (2) comprises a plurality of electrode pairs (12, 13) or electrode groups (13, 12, 13), and wherein a respective high-voltage generator (3) is assigned to each electrode pair or each electrode group, respectively, with which, in the intended operation, exclusively this pair or this group, respectively, can be charged with high-voltage pulses.
20. Device according to one of the claims 14 to 19 wherein the conveying device (6; 9, 10, 11), at least in the region in which it guides the material flow past the electrode assembly (2), is formed, as viewed in the cross-section, trough-shaped, in particular V-shaped, in particular in such a way that the pourable material (1) is guided from the lateral zones into the center.
21. Device according to claim 20 wherein the conveying device (6) comprises a flexible, electrically nonconductive conveyor belt (6), with which, in the intended operation, the material flow is guided past the electrode assembly (2), wherein its boundary zones are arched upwards in the region in which it guides the material flow past the electrode assembly (2), and in particular wherein the conveyor belt (6) is planar in the region of its ends.
22. Device according to one of the claims 14 to 21 wherein the conveying device comprises a conveyor belt (6) which is structured in such a way that, in the intended operation of the device, the material flow is, downstream of the region in which it is guided past the electrode assembly (2) with the conveyor belt (6), transported upwards with the conveyor belt (6), in particular in such a way that it is guided out of the process liquid (5) with the conveyor belt (6).
23. An apparatus comprising a plurality of devices according to one of the claims 14 to 22 arranged one behind the other in the material guiding direction (S), wherein, in the intended operation of the apparatus, the material flow transported upwards with the conveyor belt (6) of a first one of the devices, from the delivery end of this conveyor belt (6), in particular via a device (37, 38) for sieving of material pieces fragmented to a specific target size, is supplied to the below arranged feeding end of a conveyor belt (6) of a second device, following after the first device in the material guiding direction (S), with which it is guided past the electrode assembly (2) of this second device and is further fragmented and/or weakened thereby.
24. Use of the device according to one of the claims 14 to 22 or of the apparatus according to claim 23 for the fragmenting and/or weakening of pieces of material (1) which form a composite of non-metallic and metallic materials, in particular slag pieces (1) from waste incineration.

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