Method and device for cooling a layer of bulk material on a conveyor grate

1. A conveyor grate for the transport and cooling of bulk material, said conveyor grate comprising a grate floor having multiple planks forming an essentially plane grate floor surface, the planks being adjacently situated transverse to the direction of transport on an associated support structure and operationally moved longitudinally relative to one another individually or in groups, with moving gaps situated therebetween which allow cooling air to pass through, wherein mutually facing side edges or side edge regions of two adjacent planks form two essentially mutually complementary profiles between which the moving gap is formed.

2. The conveyor grate according to claim 1 , in which the moving gaps each have a siphon-like curvature having at least one upwardly directed inlet section, one adjacent downwardly directed intermediate section, and one adjacent upwardly directed outlet section.

3. The conveyor grate according to claim 1 , in which the moving gaps emerge at an acute angle α inclined with respect to the grate floor surface.

4. The conveyor grate according to claim 3 , in which the acute angle α of the moving gaps is selected such that the exiting cooling air lies against the grate floor surface as a result of the Coanda effect.

5. The conveyor grate according to claim 3 , in which the moving gaps have an outlet direction, which extends from the edge of the grate floor toward the middle of the grate floor.

6. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which the width of the moving gaps is selected and coordinated with the width of the planks in such a way that a narrowing which occurs during thermal expansion of the planks in the transverse direction may continuously be compensated for by increasing the power of cooling air fans.

7. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which each plank is attached to a side member which supports the plank along its entire length.

8. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which the planks are supported on multiple cross members which are successively positioned in the longitudinal direction.

9. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which the planks are composed of multiple plank sections which are successively positioned in the longitudinal direction and connected to one another.

10. The conveyor grate according to claim 9 , in which the plank sections abut one another via butt joints which slope forward from bottom to top.

11. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which the planks are connected via heat-insulating elements to the support structures which support the planks.

12. The conveyor grate according claim 1 , in which the movable support structures which support the planks are borne by wear-free linear guides comprising oscillating torsion bars.

13. A method for cooling a layer of bulk material resting on a conveyor grate, said method comprising:

blowing cooling air through the grate floor, the grate floor being formed by multiple planks thereby providing an essentially plane grate floor surface and being adjacently positioned transverse to the direction of transport and operationally moved longitudinally relative to one another, with moving gaps situated therebetween, at least a portion of the cooling air being blown through the moving gaps, wherein at least a quantity of the cooling air is blown through the moving gaps which is sufficient to blow the moving gaps completely open.

14. The method according to claim 13 , in which the predominant portion of the entire provided quantity of cooling air is blown through the moving gaps.

15. The method according to claim 14 , in which the cooling air introduced through the moving gaps is blown out at an acute angle α inclined with respect to the grate floor surface.

16. The method according to claim 15 , in which the cooling air is blown out from each moving gap in each case toward the middle of the grate floor.

17. A conveyor grate for the transport and cooling of bulk material, said conveyor grate comprising a grate floor having multiple planks forming a grate floor surface, the planks being adjacently situated transverse to the direction of transport on an associated support structure and operationally moved longitudinally relative to one another individually or in groups, with moving gaps situated therebetween which allow cooling air to pass through, wherein mutually facing side edges or side edge regions of two adjacent planks form two essentially mutually complementary profiles between which the moving gap is formed, wherein the moving gaps each have a siphon-like curvature having at least one upwardly directed inlet section, one adjacent downwardly directed intermediate section, and one adjacent upwardly directed outlet section.

18. The conveyor grate according to claim 17 , in which the moving gaps emerge at an acute angle a inclined with respect to the grate floor surface.

19. The conveyor grate according to claim 18 , in which the acute angle a of the moving gaps is selected such that the exiting cooling air lies against the grate floor surface as a result of the Coanda effect.

20. The conveyor grate according to claim 18 , in which the moving gaps have an outlet direction, which extends from the edge of the grate floor toward the middle of the grate floor.

21. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which the width of the moving gaps is selected and coordinated with the width of the planks in such a way that a narrowing which occurs during thermal expansion of the planks in the transverse direction may continuously be compensated for by increasing the power of cooling air fans.

22. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which each plank is attached to a side member which supports the plank along its entire length.

23. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which the planks are supported on multiple cross members which are successively positioned in the longitudinal direction.

24. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which the planks are composed of multiple plank sections which are successively positioned in the longitudinal direction and connected to one another.

25. The conveyor grate according to claim 24 , in which the plank sections abut one another via butt joints which slope forward from bottom to top.

26. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which the planks are connected via heat-insulating elements to the support structures which support the planks.

27. The conveyor grate according claim 17 , in which the movable support structures which support the planks are borne by wear-free linear guides comprising oscillating torsion bars.

28. A method for cooling a layer of bulk material resting on a conveyor grate, said method comprising:

blowing cooling air through the grate floor, the grate floor being formed by multiple planks adjacently positioned transverse to the direction of transport and operationally moved longitudinally relative to one another, with moving gaps situated therebetween, at least a portion of the cooling air being blown through the moving gaps, wherein the moving gaps each have a siphon-like curvature having at least one upwardly directed inlet section, one adjacent downwardly directed intermediate section, and one adjacent upwardly directed outlet section and wherein at least a quantity of the cooling air is blown through the moving gaps which is sufficient to blow the moving gaps completely open.

29. The method according to claim 28 , in which the predominant portion of the entire provided quantity of cooling air is blown through the moving gaps.

30. The method according to claim 29 , in which the cooling air introduced through the moving gaps is blown out at an acute angle a inclined with respect to the grate floor surface.

31. The method according to claim 30 , in which the cooling air is blown out from each moving gap in each case toward the middle of the grate floor.