BACKGROUND
[0001] This disclosure relates to disc refiners including a sliding head that supports a
nonrotating movable refiner disc.
[0002] In FIG. 1, wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, a conventional double disc
refiner 20 is shown. The refiner 20 has a machine frame 22 on which is mounted a rotating
assembly 24 having a shaft 26 mounted by bearings 28 to a shaft case 30. The shaft
26 is connected at a first end 32 to a drive motor (not shown). A second end 33 of
the shaft 26 passes into a refiner housing 34 through a circular bulkhead at a removable
packing box 36. The second shaft end 33 is machined to form a spline 38 to which the
hub 40 of a rotor 42 is mounted.
[0003] The drive side 43 of the refiner housing 34 has a stock inlet 44 which supplies stock
to a shroud 46 defining a triangular cross-section passageway between an outer conical
shell 48, an inner cylindrical structure 50, and a drive side stationery disc support
structure 51. The inner cylindrical structure 50 surrounds the bulkhead 35. The triangular
passageway allows stock to enter a stock chamber formed on the inside of the cylindrical
structure 50 surrounding the shaft 26. The refiner 20 also includes a first outlet
65 extending upwardly for evacuation of refined pulp.
[0004] The stock chamber accommodates four refining members or discs, a drive side, non-moving,
stationery disc 60, a drive side rotating disc 62, movable stationery disc 64 and
a door side rotating disc 66. In the illustrated embodiment, the discs have identical
outer diameters. In other embodiments (not shown), only two discs can be used. In
still other embodiments (not shown), additional disc sets can be used. In still other
embodiments (not shown), the refining members may constitute cones or other types
of refining members.
[0005] The movable stationary disc 64 is mounted on a sliding head 68. The sliding head
68 is mounted for translation toward and away from the rotor 42. The sliding head
68 is mounted by a bearing ring 72 to a removable door 70 which forms part of the
refiner housing 34. The sliding head 68 is balanced by a counterweight 74 and driven
by a screw jack mechanism 76 which employs a variable frequency drive motor 78.
[0006] The rotor 42 is mounted on the spline 38 at the end of the shaft 26. The spline transmits
rotary power to the rotor but is not affixed to the rotor 42. Sufficient play between
the rotor hub 40 and the spline 38 is provided so that the rotor 42 slides along the
spline 38, thus positioning the rotor 42 in response to hydrodynamic forces between
the stationary disc mounted on a support structure 51 and the stationary disc 64 mounted
on the sliding head 68. A very small amount of tilting of the rotor with respect to
the axis of the shaft 26 is also accommodated by the spline hub mount.
[0007] The sliding head 68 supports the door side stationery disc 64 on a support structure
80. This support structure allows stock to flow behind about thirty percent of the
outer circumference of the support 80 which represents approximately fifty percent
of the area of the refiner disc 64. Further, the stock which supports the outer thirty
percent of the support 80 is at a higher pressure than the stock which flows through
the shroud 46, due to the pumping action of the rotor 42. The hydraulic support of
the support structure 80 thus supports the most highly loaded portion of the disc
because the fluid pressure increases radially as the fluid is pumped by the rotor
42. The support structure 80 has minimal thermal gradients because the disc is either
exposed directly to the stock or is remote from the exterior of the refiner 20. Thus,
deflections induced by thermal gradients are minimized.
[0008] In a refiner the action on the fibers as they pass between the discs requires that
the disc be closely spaced, typically between 50,8µm and 101,6µm (two and four thousandths
of an inch) apart. Maintaining this gap uniformly across the entire refiner disc diameter-which
may be 137,16cm (fifty-four inches) across or more-has in the past resulted in massive
support structures to resist deflections caused by pressures between the refiner disc.
[0009] By presenting the stock pressure to both sides of the stationery disc support structure
80, the deflection loads on the support structure 80 are reduced, allowing a lighter
weight support structure which has lower deflections under load.
[0010] The increased rigidity of the stationary disc mounting structure 80 combined with
the ability of the rotor 42 to align itself with the stationery disc 60, 64 results
in greater uniformity of the gap between the rotating refiner disc 62, 64 mounted
on the rotor 42 and the stationery disc 60, 64. The gap between the refiner disc typically
is 50,8µm and 101,6µm (two and four thousandths of an inch) and is typically maintained
and supported by the physical thickness of the pulp fibers as they pass between the
refiner disc. Greater uniformity of this gap produces more uniform refining and reduced
wear.
[0011] In the refiner 20 of FIG. 1, stock is allowed behind the peripheral edges of the
stationary disc mounting structure, only equalizing the stock force on the refining
side to a limited degree. As a result, substantial force is still required to keep
the movable stationary disc adjacent the rotating disc. An example of a disc refiner
is disclosed in
US 6053440 A.
SUMMARY
[0012] Disclosed is a disc refiner comprises a rotating disc connected to and driven by
a shaft for rotation within a housing, and a sliding head plate within the housing.
The sliding head plate has a front face and a rear face, and a nonrotating movable
refiner disc is attached to the front face of the sliding head plate. An actuator
is attached to the housing, and a guide rod support plate is within the housing. The
guide rod support plate has a plurality of spaced apart guide rod openings. A counterweight
is connected to the actuator. The refiner also includes a plurality of spaced apart
guide rods, each of which extends through a respective one of the guide rod openings,
each guide rod having a first end attached to the rear face of the sliding head plate
and a second end attached to the counterweight. An actuator mounting plate is attached
to the housing, and a plurality of tie rods attached to and extending between the
actuator mounting plate and the guide rod support plate.
DRAWINGS
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional side view of a conventional refiner.
FIG. 2 is a perspective side view of a portion of a refiner according to this disclosure.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of a side view of the refiner of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a partially broken away perspective side view of the refiner of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a partially broken away exploded perspective end view of the refiner of
FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a cross section of an end view of the refiner of FIG. 2 taken through the
side of a guide rod support plate.
FIG. 7 is a cross section of an end view of the refiner of FIG. 2 taken through the
side of the space between the guide rod support plate and an actuator mounting plate.
[0014] Before one embodiment of the disclosure is explained in detail, it is to be understood
that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction
and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced
or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology
and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded
as limiting. Use of "including" and "comprising" and variations thereof as used herein
is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well
as additional items. Use of "consisting of" and variations thereof as used herein
is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further,
it is to be understood that such terms as "forward", "rearward", "left", "right",
"upward" and "downward", etc., are words of convenience and are not to be construed
as limiting terms.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] A new and improved refiner 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 7. The refiner 100
includes a housing 104 having portions defining a stock inlet 108 and portions defining
a stock outlet 112. As illustrated in Fig. 2, a refining chamber 116 is between the
stock inlet 108 and the stock outlet 112, and a shaft 120 extends into the housing
104. A rotating disc 124 is connected to and driven by the shaft 120 for rotation
within the housing 104. A sliding head plate 130 is within the housing 104, and the
sliding head plate 130 has a front face 134 and a rear face 138. A nonrotating movable
refiner disc 140 is attached to the front face 134 of the sliding head plate 130.
The nonrotating movable refiner disc 140 is adjacent the rotating disc 124 so that
a small adjustable refining gap is between the nonrotating movable refiner disc 140
and the rotating disc 124. An actuator 144 is attached to the housing 104 for moving
the sliding head plate 130 relative to the rotating disc 124. The refiner 100 improves
upon the refiner 20 by including a guide rod support plate 150 within the housing
104, and the guide rod support plate 150 has a plurality of spaced apart guide rod
openings. More particularly, in this embodiment, there are only three guide rod openings
152, 154, and 156 (see FIG. 6), but in other embodiments (not shown), more openings
can be used. The guide rod support plate 150 also acts as an access door to the refining
chamber 116.
[0016] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a counterweight 158 is connected to the actuator 144. In
this embodiment, the counterweight 158 is a circular plate, but in other embodiments,
a spoke wheel configuration (not shown) as well as other configurations can be used.
[0017] The refiner 100 also includes a plurality of spaced apart guide rods 160 (see FIGS.
4 and 6), each of which extends through a respective one of the guide rod openings
152, 154 and 156, each guide rod 160 having a first end 162 (see FIG. 4) attached
to the rear face 138 of the sliding head plate 130 and a second end 164 attached to
the counterweight 158. The sliding head plate 130 is on one side of the guide rod
support plate 150 and the counterweight 158 is on the other side of the guide rod
support plate 150. In the disclosed embodiment, the three guide rod openings 152,
154, and 156 and three guide rods 160 lay in a circle spaced apart from the center
of the guide rod support plate 150 (see FIG. 6).
[0018] The refiner 100 also includes an actuator mounting plate 170 attached to the housing
104 and a plurality of tie rods 180 (see FIGS. 4 and 7) attached to and extending
between the actuator mounting plate 170 and the guide rod support plate 150. The actuator
mounting plate 170 is spaced apart from the guide rod support plate 150, and the counterweight
158 is positioned between the actuator mounting plate 170 and the guide rod support
plate 150. In this embodiment, six tie rods 180 are spaced apart around the periphery
of the actuator mounting plate 170, but with smaller or larger refiners (not shown),
less or more tie rods can be used. In other less preferred embodiments, other structure
components such as a cylindrical shell (not shown) attached to and extending between
the actuator mounting plate 170 and the guide rod support plate 150 can be used.
[0019] The space 184 between the actuator mounting plate 170 and the guide rod support plate
150 is an area where there are bearings and sensors (not shown) that require maintenance
access. In this design, removable covers 190 make it much easier that existing designs
which employ a small access window in a casting (not shown). This space 184 and the
removable covers 190 also keep dust and debris from a mill from getting into the space
184.
[0020] The sliding head plate 130 of this disclosure is exposed to fluid pressure on its
rear face 138 which helps to counter the fluid pressure applied to the nonrotating
movable refiner disc 140. The amount of rear face area exposed to fluid pressure is
substantial more than in conventional designs which have only a very large central
piston connecting a counterweight to a sliding head plate, such as the conventional
refiner shown in FIG. 1. The greater amount of rear face area exposed to fluid pressure
helps to reduce stresses on the sliding head plate 130 and reduce the amount of force
needed to move the sliding head plate 130. The conventional refiners needed a large
central piston to counteract the forces applied to the sliding head plate. In the
disclosed refiner, the plurality of spaced apart guide rods spaced apart from the
center of the sliding head plate provides the support needed to counteract the forces
seen by the sliding head plate 130.
[0021] Further, in the disclosed refiner 100, the various major plates of the assembly (i.e.,
door plate, sliding head plate, actuator mounting plate) are held together by means
of the guide rods and the tie rods, thereby eliminating all cast components and nearly
all weldments. The advantages of this type of construction are that it allows for
much easier removal and repair/rebuild of all the components that comprise the assembly.
It also provides for a modularity of design in which common components, such as the
guide rods and tie-rods, can be used across various refiner sizes. Lastly, it significantly
reduces the cost and complexity of the manufacture of sliding head and actuator mechanism
as compared to traditional means.
[0022] Various other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
following claims.
A disc refiner comprises a rotating disc connected to and driven by a shaft for rotation
within a housing, and a sliding head plate within the housing. The sliding head plate
has a front face and a rear face, and a nonrotating movable refiner disc is attached
to the front face of the sliding head plate. An actuator is attached to the housing,
and a guide rod support plate is within the housing. The guide rod support plate has
a plurality of spaced apart guide rod openings. A counterweight is connected to the
actuator. The refiner also includes a plurality of spaced apart guide rods, each of
which extends through a respective one of the guide rod openings, each guide rod having
a first end attached to the rear face of the sliding head plate and a second end attached
to the counterweight. An actuator mounting plate is attached to the housing, and a
plurality of tie rods attached to and extending between the actuator mounting plate
and the guide rod support plate.
1. A disc refiner (100) comprising a housing (104) having portions defining a stock inlet
(108) and portions defining a stock outlet (112), a refining chamber (116) between
the stock inlet (108) and the stock outlet (112), a shaft (120) which extends into
the housing (104), a rotating disc (124) connected to and driven by the shaft (120)
for rotation within the housing (104), a sliding head plate (130) within the housing
(104), the sliding head plate (130) having a front face (134) and a rear face (138),
a nonrotating movable refiner disc (140) attached to the front face (134) of the sliding
head plate (130), the nonrotating movable refiner disc (140) being adjacent the rotating
disc (124) so that a small adjustable refining gap is between the nonrotating movable
refiner disc (140) and the rotating disc, an actuator (144) attached to the housing
(104) for moving the sliding head plate (130) relative to the rotating disc (124),
a guide rod support plate (150) within the housing (104), the guide rod support plate
(150) having a plurality of spaced apart guide rod openings (152, 154, 156), a counterweight
(158) connected to the actuator (144),
a plurality of spaced apart guide rods (160), each of which extends through a respective
one of the guide rod openings (152, 154, 156), each guide rod (160) having a first
end (162) attached to the rear face (138) of the sliding head plate (130) and a second
end (164) attached to the counterweight (158), the sliding head plate (130) being
on one side of the guide rod support plate (150) and the counterweight (158) being
on the other side of the guide rod support plate (150), an actuator mounting plate
(170) attached to the housing (104), and
a structural component attached to and extending between the actuator mounting plate
(170) and the guide rod support plate (150), the actuator mounting plate (170) being
spaced apart from the guide rod support plate (150), with the counterweight (158)
positioned between the actuator mounting plate (170) and the guide rod support plate
(150).
2. The disc refiner of claim 1 wherein there are at least three guide rod openings (152,
154, 156) and at least three guide rods (160) lying in a circle spaced apart from
the center of the guide rod support plate (150).
3. The disc refiner of claim 2 wherein there are only three guide rod openings (152,
154, 156) and three guide rods (160) lying in a circle spaced apart from the center
of the guide rod support plate (150).
4. The disc refiner of claim 1 wherein the counterweight (158) is a circular plate.
5. The disc refiner of claim 1 wherein the structural component comprise a plurality
of tie rods (180) attached to and extending between the actuator mounting plate (170)
and the guide rod support plate (150).
1. Scheibenrefiner (100), der aufweist:
ein Gehäuse (104) mit Abschnitten, die einen Materialeinlass (108) definieren, und
Abschnitten, die einen Materialauslass (112) definieren,
eine Refinerkammer (116) zwischen dem Materialeinlass (108) und dem Materialauslass
(112),
eine Welle (120), die sich in das Gehäuse (104) hinein erstreckt,
eine drehende Scheibe (124), die mit der Welle (120) verbunden ist und von dieser
angetrieben wird, um sich innerhalb des Gehäuses (104) zu drehen,
eine Gleitkopfplatte (130) innerhalb des Gehäuses (104), wobei die Gleitkopfplatte
(130) eine Frontfläche (134) und eine Rückfläche (138) hat,
eine nichtdrehende bewegliche Refinerscheibe (140), die an der Gleitfläche (134) der
Gleitkopfplatte (130) angebracht ist, wobei die nichtdrehende bewegliche Refinerscheibe
(140) zu der drehenden Scheibe (124) benachbart ist, so dass sich ein kleiner einstellbarer
Refinerspalt zwischen der nichtdrehenden beweglichen Refinerscheibe (140) und der
drehenden Scheibe befindet,
ein am Gehäuse (104) angebrachter Aktuator (144) zum Bewegen der Gleitkopfplatte (130)
relativ zu der drehenden Scheibe (124),
eine Führungsstangenstützplatte (150) innerhalb des Gehäuses (104), wobei die Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) eine Mehrzahl von beabstandeten Führungsstangenöffnungen (152, 154, 156) hat,
ein Ausgleichsgewicht (158), das mit dem Aktuator (144) verbunden ist,
eine Mehrzahl von beabstandeten Führungsstangen (160), von denen sich jede durch eine
jeweilige der Führungsstangenöffnungen (152, 154, 156) erstreckt, wobei
jede Führungsstange (160) ein erstes Ende (162), das an der Rückfläche (138) der Gleitkopfplatte
(130) angebracht ist, und ein zweites Ende (164) hat, das an dem Ausgleichsgewicht
(158) angebracht ist, wobei sich die Gleitkopfplatte (130) auf einer Seite der Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) und das Ausgleichsgewicht (158) auf der anderen Seite der Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) befindet,
eine Aktuatormontageplatte (170), die an dem Gehäuse (104) angebracht ist, und
ein Strukturbauteil, das an der Aktuatormontageplatte (170) und der Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) angebracht ist und sich zwischen diesen erstreckt, wobei die Aktuatormontageplatte
(170) von der Führungsstangenstützplatte (150) beabstandet ist, wobei das Ausgleichsgewicht
(158) zwischen der Aktuatormontageplatte (170) und der Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) positioniert ist.
2. Scheibenrefiner nach Anspruch 1, wobei mindestens drei Führungsstangenöffnungen (152,
154, 156) und mindestens drei Führungsstangen (160) vorhanden sind, die in einem Kreis
liegen, der vom Zentrum der Führungsstangenstützplatte (150) beabstandet ist.
3. Scheibenrefiner nach Anspruch 2, wobei nur drei Führungsstangenöffnungen (152, 154,
156) und drei Führungsstangen (160) vorhanden sind, die in einem Kreis liegen, der
vom Zentrum der Führungsstangenstützplatte (150) beabstandet ist.
4. Scheibenrefiner nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Ausgleichsgewicht (158) eine kreisförmige
Platte ist.
5. Scheibenrefiner nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Strukturbauteil eine Mehrzahl von Verbindungsstangen
(180) aufweist, die an der Aktuatormontageplatte (170) und der Führungsstangenstützplatte
(150) angebracht sind und sich zwischen diesen erstrecken.
1. Raffineur de disque (100) comprenant un boîtier (104) ayant des parties définissant
une entrée de masse (108) et des parties définissant une sortie de masse (112), une
chambre de raffinage (116) entre l'entrée de masse (108) et la sortie de masse (112),
un arbre (120) qui s'étend dans le boîtier (104), un disque rotatif (124) relié à
et entraîné par l'arbre (120) pour la rotation dans le boîtier (104), une plaque de
tête coulissante (130) à l'intérieur du boîtier (104), la plaque de tête coulissante
(130) ayant une face avant (134) et une face arrière (138), un disque de raffinage
mobile non rotatif (140) fixé à la face avant (134) de la plaque de tête coulissante
(130), le disque de raffinage mobile non rotatif (140) étant adjacent au disque rotatif
(124) de sorte qu'un petit espace de raffinage réglable se trouve entre le disque
de raffinage mobile non rotatif (140) et le disque rotatif, un actionneur (144) fixé
au boîtier (104) pour déplacer la plaque de tête coulissante (130) par rapport au
disque rotatif (124), une plaque de support de tige de guidage (150) à l'intérieur
du boîtier (104), la plaque de support de tige de guidage (150) comportant plusieurs
ouvertures de tige de guidage espacées (152, 154, 156), un contrepoids (158) relié
à l'actionneur (144), plusieurs tiges de guidage espacées (160), chacune s'étendant
à travers une des ouvertures de tige de guidage (152, 154, 156), chaque tige de guidage
(160) ayant une première extrémité (162) fixée à la face arrière (138) de la plaque
de tête coulissante (130) et une seconde extrémité (164) attachée au contrepoids (158),
la plaque de tête coulissante (130) se trouvant d'un côté de la plaque de support
de tige de guidage (150) et le contrepoids (158) se trouvant de l'autre côté de la
plaque de support de tige de guidage (150), une plaque de montage de l'actionneur
(170) fixée au boîtier (104), et un composant structurel fixé à la plaque de montage
de l'actionneur (170) et s'étendant entre celle-ci et la plaque de support de tige
de guidage (150), la plaque de montage de l'actionneur (170) étant espacée de la plaque
de support de tige de guidage (150), le contrepoids (158) étant positionné entre la
plaque de montage de l'actionneur (170) et la plaque de support de tige de guidage
(150).
2. Raffineur de disque selon la revendication 1 dans lequel il y a au moins trois ouvertures
de tige de guidage (152, 154, 156) et au moins trois tiges de guidage (160) disposées
en cercle et espacées du centre de la plaque de support de tige de guidage (150).
3. Raffineur de disque selon la revendication 2, dans lequel il n'y a que trois ouvertures
de tige de guidage (152, 154, 156) et trois tiges de guidage (160) disposées en cercle
et espacées du centre de la plaque de support de tige de guidage (150).
4. Raffineur de disque selon la revendication 1 dans lequel le contrepoids (158) est
une plaque circulaire.
5. Raffineur de disque selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le composant structurel
comprend une pluralité de tirants (180) fixés et s'étendant entre la plaque de montage
de l'actionneur (170) et la plaque de support de tige de guidage (150).