US3802270A

US3802270A - Sampler and method of sampling

Info

Publication number: US3802270A
Application number: US00185599A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Daniels; R Kistler
Original assignee: COLUMBIA CEMENT CORP
Current assignee: COLUMBIA CEMENT CORP
Priority date: 1971-10-01
Filing date: 1971-10-01
Publication date: 1974-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-09

Abstract

A method of sampling solids on a continuous or periodic basis is shown which involves a sample cup with a counterweighted gate. The sampler is timer controlled for frequency of sampling and for time of sampling. The sample cup is designed to prevent bridging during discharge. The use of the sampling device in controlling a cement kiln is also described.

Description

United States Patent [191 Daniels et al.

[451 Apr. 9, 1974 SAMPLER AND METHOD OF SAMPLING [73] Assignee: Columbia Cement Corporation,

Columbus, Ohio [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 185,599

[52] US. Cl. 73/423 R, 73/422 R [51] Int. Cl. G0ln 1/20 [58] Field of Search 73/423 R, 422 R, 421 R; 141/10; 222/356 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,875,472 9/1932 McGregor 73/421 R 3,376,752 4/1968 Malone 73/423 R 3,524,352 8/1970 Paul 73/423 R 976,852 11/1910 Dorsey et al 73/423 R 2,738,679 3/1956 Senkowski 73/423 R Adler et al. 73/423 R 2,668,447 2/1954 Lenhart 73/422 R 2,977,800 4/1961 .lordison 73/423 R 887,615 5/1908 Fenstermaker.... 73/423 R 3,005,347 10/1961 Smithson 73/423 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 19,223 8/1909 Great Britain 73/423 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-Daniel M. Yasich Attorney, Agent, or FirmWebb, Burden, Robinson & Webb I 57 ABSTRACT A method of sampling solids on a continuous or periodic basis is shown which involves a sample cup with a counterweighted gate. The sampler is timer controlled'for frequency of sampling and for time of sampling. The sample cup is designed to prevent bridging during discharge. The use of the sampling device in controlling a cement kiln is also described.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAFR 9 I974 SHEET 8 0F 2 INVENTORS H w/m0 4. DAMEL .e/c/mzn P. 16/57251 ATTORNEYS SAMPLER AND METHOD OF SAMPLING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of many products, particularly chemical products in solid form such as cement, glass batch, pigments, limestone, gypsum, crystals of various salts such as KCl, NaCl, Na SO and the like, close and careful control of operating conditions is typically desired to insure the production of uniform products. This control may involve adjustment of feed materials to the process, adjustments in operating conditions, temperatures, pressures and the like and changes in operating equipment such as grinders, mixers, kilns and the like to alter the physical or chemical characteristics of a product when it ceases to conform to a set standard.

In order to ascertain the integrity of a solid product produced and the continuous production of uniform material, it is an important consideration that an adequate and representative sample of product be obtained either on a continuous or intermittent basis so that the product can be analyzed physically and/or chemically to insure that the operation is performing satisfactorily. In any such procedure, the sampling method used is important. Many of the sampling methods and devices available for this type of service with product solids leave something to be desired. Thus, many are based on rotating shafts and cup arrangements that are high in maintenance costs. Others based on inversion of sample cups for collection of samples result in incomplete sampling due to sticking of the solids in the sample cup. This latter problem is particularly bothersome when hot solids are collected. Thus, in sampling a cement clinker for example that is hot (130 to 400F.), sticking of material to sample cups is quite common. Further, scoops introduced into storage hoppers on a periodic basis give inaccurate analyses of the material passing through the system at any given period of time.

THE PRESENT INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a method of sampling and a sampling apparatus is provided which minimizes or eliminates many of the drawbacks associated with the prior art.

The invention, for convenience, will be described as it relates to sampling a cement clinker produced in a cement kiln, it being understood that the invention has utility in other manufacturing processes producing so]- ids that require a periodic or continuous analysis to determine process integrity in producing uniform product.

In the manufacture of cement a kiln is used to roast the shale and limestone feeds to provide a cement clinker. Thus, kilns operate at high temperatures (1,500 to 3,000F.) and produce a cement clinker which is subsequently fed to a finish mill (typically a ball mill) where the clinker is ground and mixed with an appropriate quantity of gypsum to produce a finished cement product. It is desirable to sample the clinkers produced by the kilns so that their physical and chemical characteristics can be monitored prior to sending them to the finish mill to provide uniform cement product.

In accordance with the instant invention the clinker is sampled at specific time intervals with the sample cup being exposed to the collection of clinkersample for a preset period of time to insure collection of a representative sample of all clinker being sampled.

The invention involving the method of sampling and the apparatus used will be more readily understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away to illustrate the sample cup mechanism and a horizontally moving arm attached thereto with the cup positioned in a solids sampling zone;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away to illustrate the sample cup mechanism and horizontally moving arm attached thereto with the cup positioned in the sampling collection zone;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the sampling apparatus partially broken away to illustrate the sample cup mechanism in the sample discharge position in the sampling cup collection zone;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sample cup and arm mechanism of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the sampling mechanism of the instant invention showing the solenoid actuating mechanism, timer and preferred pneumatic method of moving the cup.

Turning to FIG. 4 there is shown the sample cup 1, provided with a bottom member 2 secured to the front wall of sample cup 1 by hinge 5. A counterweight 3 is positioned in front of hinge 5 on the upper portion. A shield member 4 is secured to the front wall of the cup 1 by members 12. Member 4 is constructed so as to cover the bottom member 2 forward of the hinge 5, the counterweight and the front wall of the sample cup to thereby prevent any solids being sampled from collecting on these members. The sides of the sample cup 1 are sloped outwardly to provide a trapezoidal shape to the cup 1 with the top of the cup 1 having a smaller cross sectional area than the bottom. In general it is desirable to provide a slope to the sides of the cup 1 of at least 7 degrees from a vertical line drawn at right angles to the horizontal planes defining the top and bottom of cup 1. This configuration of the cup 1 is important, especially when the cup is used with hot or sticky solids to prevent bridging and agglomeration of solids in the cup 1 during sampling.

On the posterior of the cup 1 opposite shield 4 is a plate or shield 8 which covers the attachment end of rod member 7 to prevent solids from accumulating thereon. Rod member 7 is attached to the back wall of the cup 1 in any convenient manner. Rod 7 is a metal tube or rod which is actuated to move in the plane of its long axis. This is accomplished by insertion of the free end thereof in an air cylinder 25 as illustrated in FIG. 5 though other linkage with a source of energy for movement can be made.

In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the operation of the sampling mechanism is depicted to illustrate its operation in sampling a solid material falling in a chute. Thus as shown in FIG. I the sample cup I has been extended in to chute or conveyor 10 in which solid particles 13 are falling. As shown therein the particles 13 pass into the cup 1 through the open top filling the cup 1. The shield 4 protects the counterweight 3, hinge 5 and bottom 2 of the cup 1 located below the shield 4' from receiving particles 13 thereon. The rod 7 is shown in its fully extended position and in passage through the falling particles 13 the cup has accumulated particles across the entire stream.

In FIG. 2 the rod 7 has begun to retract from the piston stroke it received from the air cylinder 25 (FIG. 5). The bent lip 11 of the bottom 2 of cup 1 has engaged the trip mechanism or rod member 6 which is conveniently attached to the wall of the sample collection chamber 9 and the bottom 2 due to the force applied to it by hitting the trip mechanism during retraction of rod 7 has begun to open.

In FIG. 3 the bottom 2 of the cup 1 has opened and the contents of the sample cup 1 are discharged into the sample collection chamber 9 from which they are collected in a container 16 shown attached to the bottom of chamber 9.

In its entirety the apparatus is shown in FIG. 5. In this system there is provided an air cylinder 25 which is fed through

lines

26 and 27 attached to a double action solenoid valve 28. The air for the system is supplied by a pressurized air supply line 29. The solenoid valve in solenoid 28 is timer controlled with a timer 30. Line 27 actuates the cylinder 27 to thrust the arm 7 in a direction to extend the cup 1 into the chamber through opening provided therein. The length of time that the cup is extended is controlled by a second timer 31 which de-energizes solenoid valve 28 and reverses the thrust of piston rod 7 via air pressure applied in line 26. In a typical operation for sampling a cement clinker stream the sampling may be conducted on any convenient time basis (A hour intervals) and the sample cup extended through the stream for a period of time sufficient to collect material across the entire descending stream of particles 13.

In the operation of the instant invention in a cement making operation the sampling method and apparatus of the instant invention was used in the following manner.

Cement clinker 13, which was being passed to a finish ball mill on a vibrating conveyor was allowed to fall through a vertically disposed chute 10 to a second vibrating conveyor for feed to the finish mill. Chute 10 had an opening 15 provided therein in the wall and was physically attached to a sample collection zone 9. Timer 30 was connected to a double action solenoid valve 28 .connected to a suitable air supply 29. The timer 30 was set to actuate the sampler arm 7 every 30 minutes and to extend and retract the sampler arm 7 in a time interval of three fourths of a second.

Air lines

26 and 27 were supplied to the air cylinder 25 having the rod 7 attached to sample cup 1. Upon actuation of the solenoid valve 28 by the timer 30 at a 30 minute interval the piston rod 7 moved the attached sample cup 1 forward through opening 15 in the wall of the chute 10. The counterweight 3 forced the bottom 2 of the sample cup 1 closed as it passed the tripper 6 in its passage out of chamber 9 and into chamber 10. Counterweight 3 was a box filled with sufficient lead to maintain the bottom 2 closed when sample cup 1 was filled with cement clinker. The sample cup passed through the stream 13 and by action of the second timer 31 deenergized solenoid valve 28 and let the cup return in a period of three fourths of a second. The arm or rod 7 in its return passed the lip 11 of bottom 2 into contact with tripper 6 which forced the bottom 2 away from the sample cup 1 as the cup I returned to chamber 9. In the open position the cement clinker 13 fell through chambet 9 and into the sample collection zone 16. The sampler stayed in this position for a period of 30 minutes after which timer 30 actuated solenoid 28 and the sequence was repeated.

In general the sampling system may be subject to considerable variation without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the rod 7 can be moved by mechanical means by connecting the timer to a suitable motor which will drive the rod 7 at the set intervals. While in the preferred embodiment the sample cup 1 was constructed of stainless steel as was the shield 4, this is not critical. For specific sampling it may be desirable to construct this of ceramics or some other metallic components. Similarly, the invention has been specifically described with reference to sampling cement clinker in cement making operations for convenience. The method is equally applicable to sampling salts from an evaporation process, to sampling glass batch from a glass batch manufacturing process or any other solids making operations requiring monitoring of the product.

Thus, while the invention has been described with reference to certain illustrated embodiments, it is not intended to be so limited except insofar as appears in the accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cement clinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said falling solids, a rod supporting a sample cup, said rod being mounted to selectively reciprocate and thereby cause the cup to be projected into said chute and into said path of falling solids whereby solids are collected in the cup and to be withdrawn from said path to a cup emptying position over a sample collection zone, said cup being open at the top and having a bottom member to close when the cup is in said path and to open and to permit collected solids to discharge from the cup through the bottom portion thereof when the cup is moved over the sample collection zone; means holding said bottom in the closed position while the cup is disposed in said path of solids and means to move the bottom member to the open position when the cup is moved over the sample collection zone. I

2. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cement clinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said falling solids, a sample cup open at the top and having a bottom member which is hinged and selectively held in either a closed position or in an open position, means for carrying the cup into the path of falling solids whereby said solids are collected in the cup and then out of said path to a sample collection zone, means for holding the bottom member normally in a closed position when the cup is in said path and means to move the bottom member to an open position when the cup is carried over the sample collection zone.

3. The sampling device of claim 2 wherein the sides of the cup are sloped toward the bottom of the cup to provide a greater cross section at the bottom than at the top whereby to minimize bridging of collected solids in the cup when the bottom member is open.

4. The sampling device of claim 3 wherein the bottom member is hinged so as to be capable of moving to an open and also to a closed position and is counterweighted at one end to hold the member normally in the closed position when the cup is in the path of solids and the opening means are provided over the sample collection zone to engage the bottom member and to overcome the closing movement of the counterweight and to move the hinged bottom member to an open position whereby to permit discharge of solids in response to conveyance of the cup over the sample collection zone.

5. The sampling device of claim 4 wherein the counterweight is shielded from the falling solids of said path.

6. The sampling device of claim 4 wherein the cup is mounted on a rod which is capable of being reciprocated to project the cup into the solids path and to withdraw the cup to the sample collection zone, said rod being actuated by a fluid cylinder and means are provided to periodically actuate said cylinder by controlling fluid supply to the cylinder whereby to achieve said projection and withdrawal.

7. A sampling apparatus adapted for sampling hot solids comprising a sample cup for collecting sample solids; said cup being mounted on a rod which by movement in the direction of its longitudinal axis is capable of moving the cup into a body of falling solids whereby to collect a sample of said solids in said cup and then of retracting the cup to a sample collection zone; actuating means to actuate the rod to move the cup into said falling solids and to retract the cup to the collection zone at preset periods of time; said actuating means comprising an air cylinder which moves the rod forward and backward; the interval of time when the cup is moved into the falling solids and is retracted to the collection zone being controlled by a solenoid valve controlling air supply to said cylinder to actuate the cylinder; said cup being open at the top and having sloped sides to provide a cross-sectional area which is smaller at the top than at the bottom of the cup; said cup having a hinged bottom which is counterweighted to hold the bottom normally in a closed position when the cup is in the body of falling solids and while it is withdrawn therefrom, a shield shielding the counterweighted bottom from the solids of the sample zone and means to engage and open said hinged bottom when the cup is over the sample collection zone through the bottom thus opened.

Claims

1. A sampling device for sampling hot falling solids such as hot cement clinker which comprises a chute providing a path for said falling solids, a rod supporting a sample cup, said rod being mounted to selectively reciprocate and thereby cause the cup to be projected into said chute and into said path of falling solids whereby solids are collected in the cup and to be withdrawn from said path to a cup emptying position over a sample collection zone, said cup being open at the top and having a bottom member to close when the cup is in said path and to open and to permit collected solids to discharge from the cup through the bottom portion thereof when the cup is moved over the sample collection zone; means holding said bottom in the closed position while the cup is disposed in said path of solids and means to move the bottom member to the open position when the cup is moved over the sample collection zone.

7. A sampling apparatus adapted for sampling hot solids comprising a sample cup for collecting sample solids; said cup being mounted on a rod which by movement in the direction of its longitudinal axis is capable of moving the cup into a body of falling solids whereby to collect a sample of said solids in said cup and then of retracting the cup to a sample collection zone; actuating means to actuate the rod to move the cup into said falling solids and to retract the cup to the collection zone at preset periods of time; said actuating means comprising an air cylinder wHich moves the rod forward and backward; the interval of time when the cup is moved into the falling solids and is retracted to the collection zone being controlled by a solenoid valve controlling air supply to said cylinder to actuate the cylinder; said cup being open at the top and having sloped sides to provide a cross-sectional area which is smaller at the top than at the bottom of the cup; said cup having a hinged bottom which is counterweighted to hold the bottom normally in a closed position when the cup is in the body of falling solids and while it is withdrawn therefrom, a shield shielding the counterweighted bottom from the solids of the sample zone and means to engage and open said hinged bottom when the cup is over the sample collection zone whereby to permit discharge of solids from the cup through the bottom thus opened.