Device and method for separating substances of different flowability that are mixed together
An apparatus for separating mixed together substances of different flowability has a frame structure and a hollow drum with a perforated circumferential surface driven in a revolving manner and mounted on the frame structure. A pressing element lies externally in the region of the circumferential surface of the drum and is driven in a revolving manner, such that the drum and the pressing element form a product intake wedge for the feeding in a product stream, of material to be pressed. The drum and pressing element also form a pressing region. A discharge element is associated with the pressing element downstream of the pressing region in the product stream conveying direction, for discharging residues that remain on the pressing element after pressing. The discharge element is an actively drivable, endless discharge belt for discharging the residues in a discharge direction. A corresponding method is also provided.
1. An apparatus for separating substances of different flowability that are mixed together, comprising:
a frame structure;
a hollow drum having a perforated circumferential surface which is driven in a revolving manner and is mounted on the frame structure;
a pressing element which lies externally in a region of the circumferential surface of the hollow drum and is driven in a revolving manner, such that the hollow drum and the pressing element form a product intake wedge for feeding in a product stream, consisting of material to be pressed, between the hollow drum and the pressing element, the hollow drum and the pressing element further forming a pressing region; and
a discharge element associated with the pressing element, the discharge element disposed downstream of the pressing region in a conveying direction of the product stream, the discharge element operable to discharge residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element after pressing;
wherein the discharge element comprises an actively drivable, endless discharge belt for discharging the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element in a discharge direction; and
wherein the endless discharge belt is guided around a rigid, fixed transport section and a take-over section which is pivotable relative to the rigid transport section, the pivotable take-over section being mounted on the transport section so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis in order to create a movable section of the discharge belt.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge belt is positioned at a minimal distance from the pressing element in an operating region with the pressing element for takeover of the residues of the material to be pressed.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the discharge belt and the pressing element are driven in opposite directions in the operating region.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge belt is a stripping belt comprising a link belt which consists of plastics material and is driven in a revolving manner, the stripping belt having at least one web running transversely to the discharge direction, the stripping belt being adjusted relative to the pressing element such that there is a minimal distance between each of the at least one web and the pressing element.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pivotable take-over section is mounted on the frame structure in a spring-loaded manner.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an adjusting arm associated with the pivot axis, the adjusting arm being connected via a spring element to an adjusting element which is arranged on the frame structure.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the adjusting arm lies, by means of a spring force of the spring element, against an abutment element arranged on the frame structure, the abutment element being configured so as to be movable for adjustment of a size of a distance between the discharge belt in a region of the pivotable take-over section and a surface of the pressing element, namely in an operating region.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pressing element is an endless press belt which is pressed from outside against the circumferential surface, while wrapping around part of a circumference of the hollow drum, the endless press belt being driven in a revolving manner and comprising an upper run, facing the hollow drum, and a lower run; and
the apparatus further comprising a support apparatus for the press belt having at least one support element, the support apparatus being arranged on a side of the press belt remote from the hollow drum.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the press belt is guided downstream of the pressing region in the conveying direction of the product stream around a pressure roller which is adjustable relative to the hollow drum, wherein the pivotable take-over section of the discharge belt is positioned beneath the pressure roller.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the pivotable take-over section of the discharge belt has an ascending orientation in an operating region extending over an entire width of the press belt, while the lower run of the press belt has a descending orientation in the operating region.
11. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the discharge belt and the press belt run substantially parallel at least in some regions in order to form a planar operating region.
12. A method for separating substances of different flowability that are mixed together, comprising the steps:
feeding the product stream, consisting of the material to be pressed, into the product intake wedge of the apparatus according to claim 1 for separating substances of different flowability that are mixed together, which the product intake wedge is formed by the hollow drum having the perforated circumferential surface and the pressing element; and
driving the hollow drum and the pressing element in a revolving manner in order to draw the product stream into the pressing region formed between the hollow drum and the pressing element;
wherein more readily flowing constituents of the material to be pressed are pressed by means of the pressing element through the perforation of the circumferential surface into an inner cavity of the hollow drum and are discharged, while less readily flowing constituents of the material to be pressed, as the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element, are discharged downstream of the pressing region in the conveying direction of the product stream by the discharge element associated with the pressing element; and
wherein the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element after pressing are actively discharged in the discharge direction by means of the actively drivable, endless discharge belt.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein:
the pressing element comprises an endless press belt;
the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the press belt after pressing, by means of the discharge belt which is driven in a revolving manner, are detached from the endless press belt, which is driven in a revolving manner, in a planar operating region, and are taken over and are discharged contrary to a drive direction of the press belt.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element after pressing are discharged from the apparatus substantially horizontally and delivered approximately centrally into a collecting container.
15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising providing the apparatus for separating substances of different flowability that are mixed together, comprising:
the frame structure;
the hollow drum having the perforated circumferential surface which is driven in a revolving manner and is mounted on the frame structure;
the pressing element which lies externally in a region of the circumferential surface of the hollow drum and is driven in a revolving manner, such that the hollow drum and the pressing element form the product intake wedge for feeding in the product stream, consisting of the material to be pressed, between the hollow drum and the pressing element, the hollow drum and the pressing element further forming the pressing region; and
the discharge element associated with the pressing element, the discharge element disposed downstream of the pressing region in the conveying direction of the product stream, the discharge element operable to discharge the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element after pressing;
wherein the discharge element comprises the actively drivable, endless discharge belt for discharging the residues of the material to be pressed that remain on the pressing element in the discharge direction; and
wherein the endless discharge belt is guided around a rigid, fixed transport section and the take-over section which is pivotable relative to the rigid transport section, the pivotable take-over section being mounted on the transport section so as to be pivotable about the pivot axis in order to create the movable section of the discharge belt.