Title of Invention	AN AIR FEEDER AND HOT PARTICULATE MATERIAL COOLING APPARATUS
Abstract	In a water sealing device (28) which includes an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber ( 24B) provided in a movable annular air duct (21) extending along a circular movement path, and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in a stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), branch ducts (61A, 61B) are provided which are adapted to supply supplementary air into inner spaces (24 i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce the flow rate of air flowing due to a reduced pressure in ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9) which communicate with the atmosphere and have a reduced pressure. Even if the air flows into the ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9), the air flow rate in the water sealing device is reduced by the supplementary air so that the sealing water is prevented from waving and splashing. Thus, troubles and deterioration of sealability are prevented.

Title of Invention

AN AIR FEEDER AND HOT PARTICULATE MATERIAL COOLING APPARATUS

Abstract

In a water sealing device (28) which includes an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber ( 24B) provided in a movable annular air duct (21) extending along a circular movement path, and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in a stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), branch ducts (61A, 61B) are provided which are adapted to supply supplementary air into inner spaces (24 i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce the flow rate of air flowing due to a reduced pressure in ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9) which communicate with the atmosphere and have a reduced pressure. Even if the air flows into the ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9), the air flow rate in the water sealing device is reduced by the supplementary air so that the sealing water is prevented from waving and splashing. Thus, troubles and deterioration of sealability are prevented.

Full Text	SPECIFICATION This invention reiates to an feeder and hot particulate material cooling apparatus. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an air feeder for supplying air to a conveyor moving along a circular movement path, and to a hot particulate material cooling apparatus for cooling a hot particulate material such as a sintered ore, a pellet ore or a hot clinker loaded on the conveyor. BACKGROUND ART In a sintered ore cooling apparatus, for example, a sintered ore as a hot particulate material is supplied into troughs (a conveyor), and cooled by supplying cooling air upwardly from the bottoms of the troughs while the troughs are moved along a circular movement path. A conventional cooling apparatus of this type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-257955 (1994). More specifically, this cooling apparatus includes a plurality of troughs which are circularly -1A - linked to each other and disposed on the bottom of a circular path between an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall movably along the circular path, and are each adapted to receive a sintered ore on the top thereof . The cooling apparatus further includes a cooling air feeder for supplying cooling air into air boxes provided in the bottoms of the troughs. The cooling air feeder includes a stationary annular duct provided along the inner circumferential wall (or the outer circumferential wall) of the circular path, a movable annular air duct connected to the air boxes via an intermediate air duct, and a water sealing device movably engaging the movable annular air duct with the stationary annular air duct for connection therebetween. With this arrangement, the cooling air is supplied to the air boxes of the respective troughs from the stationary annular duct through the movable annular air duct and the intermediate duct. The water sealing device includes an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided on the side of the movable annular air duct, and water sealing plates disposed in the stationary annular air duct with their lower edges being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing 2 chamber. With this arrangement, a cooling air pressure in the air boxes and the movable annular air duct is as high as 500mmAq plus an atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the cooling air leaks outside in an ore supply section where the bottoms of the troughs are opened on the circular path and in an ore discharge section where the tops of the troughs are opened. Accordingly, the cooling air vigorously flows in the annular water sealing chambers from an adjacent cooling section to the ore supply/discharge sections within the water sealing device. At this time, the resultant air streams wave the water surfaces in the annular water sealing chambers to splash the water, and the water splash adheres onto the troughs and peripheral walls in the ore supply/discharge sections. Further, dust particles of the sintered ore adhere onto the water splash and agglomerate to grow. This causes troubles to interfere with the normal operation. In addition, the water-dust mixture adheres onto sealing portions provided between main bodies and movable bottoms of trough trucks , so that a cooling air sealability is deteriorated, resulting in air leakage. In order to solve the aforesaid problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air 3 feeder and a hot particulate material cooling apparatus having such an air feeder, which can prevent the waving and splash of sealing water in a water sealing device for prevention of troubles and deterioration of sealability even if air flows into pressure reduction sections such as an ore supply section and an ore discharge section. DISCLOSURE OP THE INVENTION In accordance with an inventive aspect ac cofe there is provided an air feeder which comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein supplementary air supply means is provided in the pressure reduction section for supplying supplementary air into inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber to reduce a flow rate of the air flowing due to a reduced pressure. With this arrangement, even if the cooling air flows out of the conveyor in the pressure reduction section to reduce an air pressure; the supplementary air is supplied into the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers from the supplementary air supply means. Therefore, the flow rate of the air flowing toward the pressure reduction section in the water sealing chambers is reduced, so that the waving of the sealing water in the water sealing chambers can be suppressed for prevention of the splash of the sealing water. Thus, the troubles and sealing failures can be prevented which may otherwise be caused by adhesion of dust due to the splash of the sealing water. In accordance with an inventive aspect there is provided an air feeder which comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein in inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber of the water sealing device, throughout the pressure reduction section, slidable seal plates are fixed to the water seal plates or interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with 6 interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers or the water sealing plates on a movable side. With this arrangement, the amount of air flowing out of the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers toward the conveyor in the pressure reduction section can be reduced, so that the flow rate of the air flowing in the spaces of the water sealing chambers from the cooling section to the pressure reduction section can be reduced. Thus, the waving and splash of the sealing water can be prevented. In accordance with an inventive aspect there is provided an air feeder which comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular 7 air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein in inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber, at an entrance and an exit of the pressure reduction section, slidable partition plates are fixed to interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with the water sealing plates on a movable side, or fixed to the water sealing plates on the stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers on the movable side, respectively in such a manner that lower edges of the slidable partition plates are submerged in the sealing water. With this arrangement, the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers are partitioned on the side of the cooling section and the side of the pressure reduction section at the entrance and exit of the pressure reduction section by the slidable partition plates . Therefore, even if the pressure in the pressure reduction section is reduced, the air does not flow in 8 the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers from the cooling section to the pressure reduction section. Thus, the splash of the sealing water can assuredly be prevented which may otherwise occur due to the air stream. in accordance with an inventive aspect ac cot forth in claim 6, there is provided a hot particulate material cooling apparatus having an air feeder as set forth in any of claims l to 3, wherein the conveyor comprises inner and outer circular side walls, and a plurality of troughs provided on a bottom between the circular side walls for receiving a hot particulate material loaded thereon, wherein the air to be supplied to the conveyor is cooling air for cooling the hot particulate material loaded on the troughs, wherein the pressure reduction section includes an ore supply section where the hot particulate material is supplied into the troughs and an ore discharge section where the troughs are tilted to drop the hot particulate material for discharge thereof. With this arrangement, the waving and splash of the sealing water can assuredly be prevented which may otherwise be caused due to the air flow in the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers by the cooling air leaking out of the ore supply section and the ore 9 discharge section. Thus, a hot particulate material cooling apparatus of a high performance can be provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE/DRAWINGS 0 Fig. 1 is a whole plan view illustrating a hot particulate material cooling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating major portions of the cooling apparatus; Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating an ore supply section and an ore discharge section of the cooling apparatus; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a water sealing device in the ore supply section of the cooling apparatus; Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the water sealing device in a cooling section of the cooling apparatus; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a branch duct provided in the water sealing device; Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating a branch duct provided on an entrance side in the water sealing device; Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating a branch duct provided on an exit side in the water sealing device; 10 Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a supplementary air feed line provided in the water sealing device; Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating slidable seal plates provided in the water sealing device; Fig. 11 is a partial plan view showing arrangement of slidable partition plates provided in the water sealing device; Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the slidable partition plates provided in the water sealing device; Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of the slidable partition plate; Fig. 14 is an enlarged rear view of the slidable partition plate; Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view illustrating a hot particulate material cooling apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a water sealing device of the cooling apparatu s. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention will hereinafter be l1 described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings. First referring to Figs. 1 through 5, an explanation will be given to the basic construction of a hot particulate material cooling apparatus, in these figures, a reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyor which is disposed movably along a circular movement path A and adapted to transport a sintered ore as a hot particulate material from an ore supply section (pressure reduction section) 8 to an ore discharge section (pressure reduction section) 9 through a cooling section C while cooling the sintered ore by cool air. The conveyor 1 includes a plurality of troughs 7 linked to each other and disposed movably via guide wheels 5A on a pair of left and right guide rails 6A provided along the movement path A, and an inner circular side wall 3 having side wheels 5B to be guided by a side rail 6B and an outer circular side wall 4 connected to the inner circular side wall by connection beams 2 above the troughs 7. As shown in Fig. 3, the troughs 7 are each connected to the circular side walls 3, 4 at a front portion thereof and adapted to be tilted downward around a horizontal axis. In the ore discharge section 9, the guide rails 6A are inclined downward, so that a trough 7 is tilted via the guide wheels 5A to discharge the 12 sintered ore to the underside. The troughs 7 each include a trough body 11 having the guide wheels 5A provided on opposite sides of the front portion thereof, and an air box 12 provided in the bottom of the trough body 11. A vent plate 13 having a multiplicity of vent holes is provided on the top of the air box 12. The air box 12 has an opening 14, for example, below the inner circular side wall 3. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a movable annular air duct 21 having an open top is provided along the circular movement path A adjacent the inner circular side wall 3 of the conveyor 1. The movable annular air duct 21 communicates with the air box 12 of each trough 7 via an intermediate air duct 26 connected to the opening 14. The movable annular air duct 21 is of a double wall structure such that an inner side wall portion 22 and an outer side wall portion 23 respectively comprise inner plates 22a and 23a and outer plates 22b and 23b. The inner and outer plates 22a, 23a, 22b, 23b define an inner annular water sealing chamber 24A and an outer annular water sealing chamber 24B, which each has an open top. A movable annular air passage 2 5 is defined between the inner side wall portion 22 and the outer side wall portion 23 of the movable annular air duct 21. A stationary annular air duct 31 is provided above 13 the movable annular air duct 21. The movable annular air duct 21 is entirely covered by the stationary annular air duct 31 to define a stationary annular air passage 30 which communicates with the movable air passage 25. The stationary annular air duct 31 has an inverted u shaped cross section, which is defined by a top plate 40 and opposite side walls 32, 33 and has an open bottom. A plurality of intermediate air ducts 38 (38o, 38i) extending from an arcuate air header 39 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are connected to the top plate 40 in a cooling section C, so that cooling air is supplied to the stationary air passage 30. The stationary annular air duct 31 and the movable annular air duct 21 are connected to each other via a water sealing device 28. The water sealing device 28 includes the inner annular water sealing chamber 24A, the outer annular water sealing chamber 24B, and water sealing plates 34A, 34B suspended from the opposite side walls 32, 33 of the stationary annular air duct 31 via fixture flanges 35 with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B on the opposite sides. Reference characters 3 6A, 3 6B denote cover plates which respectively project outwardly of upper portions of the water sealing plates 34A, 34B to cover outside portions 14 of the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B, A dead plate 42 is fixed via expansion joints 42 to a portion of the stationary annular air duct 31 except connection portions for connection to the intermediate air ducts 38. Labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B are respectively provided on upper edges of the inner plate 22a and the outer plate 23a as extending toward the dead plate 42 from the movable annular air duct 21. The dead plate 42 and the labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B constitute a labyrinth seal. The intermediate air ducts 38 are not connected to the ore supply section 8 and the ore discharge section 9. A stationary hood 51 is fixed to the upper edges of the inner and outer circular side walls 3, 4 via sealing devices above the movement path A. The stationary hood 51 includes inner and outer stationary side plates 51a, 51b, and a stationary top plate 51c connecting upper edges of the inner and outer stationary side plate 51a, Sib to each other. An exhaust gas duct 52 is connected to a predetermined position of the stationary hood 51. In the ore supply section & and the ore discharge section 9 interposed in the movement path A, the air boxes 12 of the troughs 7 are open to the atmosphere via an ore supply device and an ore discharge device, so that 15 the cooling air flows outside. At this time, the sealing water is liable to be splashed by an air stream flowing into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 in upper spaces 24i, 24i of the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B on sides of the water sealing plates 34A, 34B adjacent to the movable air passage 25. In the present invention, the following means are employed for prevention of troubles which may occur due to the splash of the sealing water. (1) Compressed air (supplementary air) is supplied into the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 (pressure reduction section) (Figs. 6 to 9). (2) Slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are provided as extending from the ore discharge section 9 to the ore supply section 8 to cover the surfaces of the sealing water in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 (Fig. 10). (3) Slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are provided in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 with lower edges thereof being submerged in the sealing water at least at an entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and an exit 16 of the ore supply section 8 (Figs. 11 to 14). These sealing water splash prevention means (1) to (3) may be used alone or, alternatively, any two or all of these means (1) to (3 ) may be used in combination. First, the sealing water splash prevention means (1) will be explained with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. An entrance branch duct (supplementary air supply means) 61A is connected to the intermediate air duct 38o at an exit of the cooling section C. A distal end of the entrance branch duct 61A is connected to the top plate 40 of the stationary annular air duct 31 at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9. A shutter plate-type damper (gate valve) 62A as flow rate regulation means is interposed in the entrance branch duct 61A. An exit branch duct (supplementary air supply means) 61B is connected to the intermediate air duct 38i at an entrance of the cooling section C . A distal end of the exit branch duct 61B is connected to the top plate 40 of the stationary annular air duct 31 at the exit of the ore supply section 8. A shutter plate-type damper (gate valve) 62B as flow rate regulation means is interposed in the exit branch duct 61B- Supplementary air supplied into the stationary annular air duct 31 from these branch ducts 61A, 61B flows into the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers through spaces between the 17 expansion joints 41 and opposite side clearances of the dead plates 42, in the embodiment described above, the branch ducts 61A and 61B are connected to the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and to the exit of the ore supply section 8. However, a supplementary air supply duct 62C may be connected to an intermediate portion between the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8 as indicated by a phantom line in Fig. 1. Although the cooling air flowing in the intermediate air ducts 38 is used as the supplementary air, a supplementary air pump unit 64 may additionally be provided. Alternatively, the supplementary air supply means may be constituted by an air supply duct 62c and a supplementary air pump unit 64 as indicated by a phantom line in Fig. 1. With reference to Fig. 9, an explanation will be given to a modification of the supplementary air supply means. In the ore supply section 8 and the ore discharge section 9,supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 4 5B for supplying compressed air (supplementary air) to the upper spaces 24i, 24 i of the water sealing chambers are respectively provided at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and the exit of the ore supply section 8 to suppress the flow of the air from the cooling section C to the ore supply/discharge sections 8,9. Flow rate 18 regulation valves 4 6 as flow rate regulation means are interposed in the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B. Though not shown, supplementary air is supplied into the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B from the same air pump unit for the cooling air supply or from another air pump unit for the supplementary air supply. Thus, the flow rate of the air flowing in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers in the ore supply/discharge section 8, 9 can significantly be reduced by supplying the supplementary air from the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B for prevention of the splash of the sealing water. Referring to Fig. 10, an explanation will be given to the sealing water splash prevention means (2). Around the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8, the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are respectively attached to the stationary water sealing plates 34A and 34B above the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25. Distal edges of the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are respectively kept in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the inner plates 22a and 23a,. Thus, the sealing effect of the labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B is enhanced in the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8, so that the sealability 19 between the movable air passage 25 and the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers can be improved. In addition, the flow rate of the air flowing in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 can significantly be reduced for prevention of the splash of the sealing water. Next, the sealing water splash prevention means (3) will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 14. As shown in Figs . 11 and 12 , the slidable partition plates 71A, 7 IB are respectively attached to the stationary water sealing plates 34A, 34B in the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the inner annular water sealing chamber 24A and the outer annular water sealing chamber 24B at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and the exit of the ore supply section 8. Distal edges of the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are respectively kept in sliding contact with the interior surfaces of the inner plates 22a, 23a, and the lower portions thereof are submerged in the sealing water. As shown in Figs. 13 and 14 , the slidable partition plates 71A, 7IB each comprise a fixture member 72 attached to a surface of the water sealing plate 34A, 34B, and a slidable plate body 73 attached to the fixture member 72 as inclining downstream with respect to a 20 rotation direction of the water sealing chamber 24A, 24B. The slidable plate body 73 comprises a rubber surface plate 73a, and a comb-shaped spring plate 73b provided on the rear side of the rubber plate so as to smoothly follow variations in an inside spacing between the water sealing plate 34A, 34B and the inner plate 22a, 23a (the width of the inner water sealing chamber) with an improved sealability. The slidable partition plates 71A, 7 IB respectively partition the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B into the side of the cooling section C and the side of the ore supply/ discharge sections 8, 9. Therefore, even if the pressure in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced to a lower level, the air is prevented from flowing into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 from the cooling section C in the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers, so that the splash of the sealing water can be prevented which may otherwise occur due to the air stream. The sealing water splash prevention means (1) to (3) for the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B may be provided alone or, alternatively, any two or all of the three means may be provided in combination as required. Where the branch ducts 61A, 61B of the sealing water 21 splash prevention means (1) and the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B of the sealing water splash prevention means (2) are employed in combination, the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers are covered in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9. It is therefore desirable that the branch ducts 61A, 61B are opened into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 to be supplied with the supplementary air. Where the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B are employed, the supplementary air supply pipes need to be open above the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B. Where the branch ducts 61A, 61B of the sealing water splash prevention means (1) and the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B of the sealing water splash prevention means (3) are employed in combination, it is necessary to connect the branch ducts 61A, 61B to positions closer to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 than the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B to supply the supplementary air thereto. Further, where the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B of the sealing water splash prevention means (2) and the slidable partition plates 71A, 7IB of the sealing water splash prevention means ( 3 ) are employed in combination, the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are provided in positions closer to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 than the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B. Where all the sealing water 22 splash prevention means (1) to (3) are employed in combination, it is necessary to arrange these means in the aforesaid manner. Next, an explanation will be given to the operation of the sintered ore cooling apparatus. In the cooling section C within the movement path A, the cooling air supplied into the stationary air passage 30 of the stationary annular air duct 31 from the intermediate air ducts 38 flows into the air boxes 12 of the troughs 7 from the movable annular air duct 21 provided with the water sealing device 28 via the intermediate air duct 26. Then, the cooling air is supplied to the sintered ore on the troughs 7 via the vent plates 13 to cool the sintered ore, and discharged from the stationary hood 51 provided thereabove. When the troughs 7 are moved from the ore discharge section 9 to the ore supply section 8, part of the cooling air leaks to the atmosphere via the ore discharging device and the ore supplying device, and the cooling air flows into the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8 from the cooling section C. At this time, the waving of the sealing water which may otherwise occur in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B due to the air stream is prevented by employing the sealing water splash 23 prevention means (1) to (3) either alone or in combination in the water sealing device 28, whereby the splash of the sealing water is prevented. Thus, the troubles associated with the adhesion of dust due to the water splash can be prevented. More specifically, with the sealing water splash prevention means (1), the high pressure supplementary air is supplied into the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B from the branch ducts 61A, 61B or the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B, so that a pressure difference in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i between the cooling section C and the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced to lower the air flow rate. Thus, the waving and splash of the sealing water due to the air stream are prevented. With the sealing water splash prevention means (2), the amount of the air flowing into the movable air passage 25 from the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B can be reduced by the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B provided in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i. Thus, the waving of the sealing water can be prevented, so that the troubles and sealing failures can be prevented which may otherwise be caused by adhesion of dust due to the 24 splash of the sealing water. With the sealing water splash prevention means (3), the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B are respectively partitioned into the side of the cooling section C and the side of the ore supply /discharge sections 8, 9 by the slidable seal plates 71A, 71B provided in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i at the exit of the ore supply section 8 and the entrance of the ore discharge section 9. Therefore, even if the pressure in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced, the air does not flow in the inner upper spaces 24i, 241 from the cooling section C to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9. Thus, the splash of the sealing water due to the air stream can be prevented. Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate another embodiment. Although the cooling air is supplied from the top through the intermediate air ducts 38 in the aforesaid embodiment, the cooling air is supplied from the underside in this embodiment. Xn this embodiment, more specifically, the water sealing chambers 24ft, 24B of the water sealing device 28 are provided in the stationary annular air duct 31, and the water sealing plates 34A, 34B are provided in the movable annular air duct 21 on the side of the troughs 25 7. The water sealing device 28 according to this embodiment has substantially the same construction as in the aforesaid embodiment, except that the stationary and movable components are arranged in an inverted relation. Therefore, the like components are denoted by the like reference characters, and no explanation will be given thereto. The slidable seal plates 44A, 44B provided around the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 as the pressure reduction section are fixed to the inner plates 22a, 23a in sliding contact with the water sealing plates 34A, 34B. Where the supplementary air supply pipes 4SA, 45B are provided, the supplementary air supply pipes extend from the supply air passage 30 through the inner plates 22a, 23a so that the high pressure air can be supplied into the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B. Further, where the slidable partition plates are provided, the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are fixed to the inner plates 22a, 23a of the stationary water sealing chambers 24A, 24B in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B with their distal edges being kept in sliding contact with the movable water sealing plates 34A, 34B. This embodiment offers the same effects as the 26 aforesaid embodiment. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As described above, the air feeder and the hot particulate material cooling apparatus having the air feeder are suitable for a case where a movable duct is movably connected to a stationary duct via a water sealing device having a water sealing chamber and a water sealing plate, and a pressure reduction section is provided in a movement path. 27 WE CLAIM 1. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (1) including a plurality of troughs disposed movable along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected bo the conveyor (1) via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28), characterized in that a pressure reduction section (8,9) where aw leaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path (A), the water sealing device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular aw duct (31), and water sealing plates (24A), 34B) provided in the other of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A), and the outer annular water sealing (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (248), and a water supplementary air supply means (45A, 45B, 61A, 618) is provided in the pressure reduction section (8,9) for supplying supplementary air into inner spaces (241) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce a flow rate of the air flowing due to a reduced pressure. 28 2. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (i) having a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected to the conveyor (1) via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movabiy engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28), characterized in that: a pressure reduction section (8,9) where ar teaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path (A), wherein the water sealing device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular at duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in the other of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with tower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), and inner spaces (24i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) of the water sealing device (28), throughout the pressure reduction section (8,9), slidable seal plates (44A, 44B) are fixed to the water seal plates (34A, 34B) or interior surfaces of the annular water 29 sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) or the water sealfrig plates (34A, 34B) on a movable side. 3. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (1) having a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28), characterized In that: a pressure reduction section (8,9) where ar leaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermineded position of the movement path (A), the water seaifrig device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31), and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in the outer of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (248), and in inner spaces (24i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), at an entrance and an exit of the pressure reduction section (8,9) 30 slidable partition plates (71A, 71B) are fixed to interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with the water sealing plates (71A, 71B) on a movable side, or fixed to the water sealing plates (71A, 71B) on the stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on the movable side, respectively in such a manner that lower edges of the siidable partition plates (71A, 71b) are submerged in the sealing water, 4. An air feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplementary air supply means comprises a branch duct (61A, 61B) branched from an intermediate air duct (38o, 38i) through which cooling air is supplied to the stationary annular air duct (31). 5. An air feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suppiymentary air supply means comprises a supplementary air pump unit and a supplementary air supply duct (45A, 45B) connected thereto. 6. A hot particulate material cooling apparatus comprising an air feeder as recited in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveyor (1) comprises inner and outer circular side walls (3,4), and a plurality of troughs (7) provided on a bottom the circular side walls 93,4) in order for loading a hot particulate material thereon, the air to be supplied to the conveyor (1) is cooling air for cooling the hot particulate material loaded on the troughs 97), and 31 the pressure reduction section comprises an ore supply section (8) for supplying the hot particulate material hto the troughs 97) and an ore discharge section (9) for tilting the troughs (7) and drooping the hot particulate material for discharge thereof. In a water sealing device (28) which includes an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber ( 24B) provided in a movable annular air duct (21) extending along a circular movement path, and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in a stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), branch ducts (61A, 61B) are provided which are adapted to supply supplementary air into inner spaces (24 i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce the flow rate of air flowing due to a reduced pressure in ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9) which communicate with the atmosphere and have a reduced pressure. Even if the air flows into the ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9), the air flow rate in the water sealing device is reduced by the supplementary air so that the sealing water is prevented from waving and splashing. Thus, troubles and deterioration of sealability are prevented.

Full Text

SPECIFICATION
This invention reiates to an feeder and hot particulate material cooling apparatus.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an air feeder for supplying air to a conveyor moving along a circular movement path, and to a hot particulate material cooling apparatus for cooling a hot particulate material such as a sintered ore, a pellet ore or a hot clinker loaded on the conveyor.
BACKGROUND ART
In a sintered ore cooling apparatus, for example, a sintered ore as a hot particulate material is supplied into troughs (a conveyor), and cooled by supplying cooling air upwardly from the bottoms of the troughs while the troughs are moved along a circular movement
path.
A conventional cooling apparatus of this type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-257955 (1994).
More specifically, this cooling apparatus includes a plurality of troughs which are circularly
-1A -

linked to each other and disposed on the bottom of a circular path between an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall movably along the circular path, and are each adapted to receive a sintered ore on the top thereof . The cooling apparatus further includes a cooling air feeder for supplying cooling air into air boxes provided in the bottoms of the troughs. The cooling air feeder includes a stationary annular duct provided along the inner circumferential wall (or the outer circumferential wall) of the circular path, a movable annular air duct connected to the air boxes via an intermediate air duct, and a water sealing device movably engaging the movable annular air duct with the stationary annular air duct for connection therebetween. With this arrangement, the cooling air is supplied to the air boxes of the respective troughs from the stationary annular duct through the movable annular air duct and the intermediate duct.
The water sealing device includes an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided on the side of the movable annular air duct, and water sealing plates disposed in the stationary annular air duct with their lower edges being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing
2

chamber.
With this arrangement, a cooling air pressure in the air boxes and the movable annular air duct is as high as 500mmAq plus an atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the cooling air leaks outside in an ore supply section where the bottoms of the troughs are opened on the circular path and in an ore discharge section where the tops of the troughs are opened. Accordingly, the cooling air vigorously flows in the annular water sealing chambers from an adjacent cooling section to the ore supply/discharge sections within the water sealing device. At this time, the resultant air streams wave the water surfaces in the annular water sealing chambers to splash the water, and the water splash adheres onto the troughs and peripheral walls in the ore supply/discharge sections. Further, dust particles of the sintered ore adhere onto the water splash and agglomerate to grow. This causes troubles to interfere with the normal operation. In addition, the water-dust mixture adheres onto sealing portions provided between main bodies and movable bottoms of trough trucks , so that a cooling air sealability is deteriorated, resulting in air leakage.
In order to solve the aforesaid problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an air
3

feeder and a hot particulate material cooling apparatus having such an air feeder, which can prevent the waving and splash of sealing water in a water sealing device for prevention of troubles and deterioration of sealability even if air flows into pressure reduction sections such as an ore supply section and an ore discharge section.

DISCLOSURE OP THE INVENTION
In accordance with an inventive aspect ac cofe

there is provided an air feeder which comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other

of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein supplementary air supply means is provided in the pressure reduction section for supplying supplementary air into inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber to reduce a flow rate of the air flowing due to a reduced pressure.
With this arrangement, even if the cooling air flows out of the conveyor in the pressure reduction section to reduce an air pressure; the supplementary air is supplied into the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers from the supplementary air supply means. Therefore, the flow rate of the air flowing toward the pressure reduction section in the water sealing chambers is reduced, so that the waving of the sealing water in the water sealing chambers can be suppressed for prevention of the splash of the sealing water. Thus, the troubles and sealing failures can be prevented which may otherwise be caused by adhesion of dust due to the splash of the sealing water.
In accordance with an inventive aspect there is provided an air feeder which

comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein in inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber of the water sealing device, throughout the pressure reduction section, slidable seal plates are fixed to the water seal plates or interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with
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interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers or the water sealing plates on a movable side.
With this arrangement, the amount of air flowing out of the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers toward the conveyor in the pressure reduction section can be reduced, so that the flow rate of the air flowing in the spaces of the water sealing chambers from the cooling section to the pressure reduction section can be reduced. Thus, the waving and splash of the sealing water can be prevented.
In accordance with an inventive aspect
there is provided an air feeder which comprises: a conveyor including a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path; a movable annular air duct provided along the movement path and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct; and a stationary annular air duct provided along the movement path and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct via a water sealing device; wherein a pressure reduction section where air leaks out of the conveyor is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path; wherein the water sealing device comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber and an outer annular water sealing chamber provided in one of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular
7

air duct, and water sealing plates provided in the other of the movable annular air duct and the stationary annular air duct with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber; and wherein in inner spaces of the inner annular water sealing chamber and the outer annular water sealing chamber, at an entrance and an exit of the pressure reduction section, slidable partition plates are fixed to interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with the water sealing plates on a movable side, or fixed to the water sealing plates on the stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers on the movable side, respectively in such a manner that lower edges of the slidable partition plates are submerged in the sealing water.
With this arrangement, the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers are partitioned on the side of the cooling section and the side of the pressure reduction section at the entrance and exit of the pressure reduction section by the slidable partition plates . Therefore, even if the pressure in the pressure reduction section is reduced, the air does not flow in
8

the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers from the cooling section to the pressure reduction section. Thus, the splash of the sealing water can assuredly be prevented which may otherwise occur due to the air stream.
in accordance with an inventive aspect ac cot forth in claim 6, there is provided a hot particulate material cooling apparatus having an air feeder as set forth in any of claims l to 3, wherein the conveyor comprises inner and outer circular side walls, and a plurality of troughs provided on a bottom between the circular side walls for receiving a hot particulate material loaded thereon, wherein the air to be supplied
to the conveyor is cooling air for cooling the hot particulate material loaded on the troughs, wherein the pressure reduction section includes an ore supply section where the hot particulate material is supplied into the troughs and an ore discharge section where the troughs are tilted to drop the hot particulate material for discharge thereof.
With this arrangement, the waving and splash of the sealing water can assuredly be prevented which may otherwise be caused due to the air flow in the inner spaces of the water sealing chambers by the cooling air leaking out of the ore supply section and the ore
9

discharge section. Thus, a hot particulate material cooling apparatus of a high performance can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE/DRAWINGS 0
Fig. 1 is a whole plan view illustrating a hot particulate material cooling apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view illustrating major portions of the cooling apparatus;
Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating an ore supply section and an ore discharge section of the cooling apparatus;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating a water sealing device in the ore supply section of the
cooling apparatus;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the water sealing device in a cooling section of the cooling apparatus;
Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a branch duct provided in the water sealing
device;
Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating a branch duct
provided on an entrance side in the water sealing device;
Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating a branch duct
provided on an exit side in the water sealing device;
10

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a supplementary air feed line provided in the water sealing device;
Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating slidable seal plates provided in the water sealing device;
Fig. 11 is a partial plan view showing arrangement of slidable partition plates provided in the water sealing device;
Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating the slidable partition plates provided in the water sealing device;
Fig. 13 is an enlarged plan view of the slidable partition plate;
Fig. 14 is an enlarged rear view of the slidable
partition plate;
Fig. 15 is a cross sectional view illustrating a hot particulate material cooling apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 16 is an enlarged cross sectional view illustrating a water sealing device of the cooling apparatu
s.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention will hereinafter be
l1

described in greater detail with reference to the
attached drawings.
First referring to Figs. 1 through 5, an explanation will be given to the basic construction of a hot particulate material cooling apparatus, in these figures, a reference numeral 1 denotes a conveyor which is disposed movably along a circular movement path A and adapted to transport a sintered ore as a hot particulate material from an ore supply section (pressure reduction section) 8 to an ore discharge section (pressure reduction section) 9 through a cooling section C while cooling the sintered ore by cool air.
The conveyor 1 includes a plurality of troughs 7 linked to each other and disposed movably via guide wheels 5A on a pair of left and right guide rails 6A provided along the movement path A, and an inner circular side wall 3 having side wheels 5B to be guided by a side rail 6B and an outer circular side wall 4 connected to the inner circular side wall by connection beams 2 above the troughs 7. As shown in Fig. 3, the troughs 7 are each connected to the circular side walls 3, 4 at a front portion thereof and adapted to be tilted downward around a horizontal axis. In the ore discharge section 9, the guide rails 6A are inclined downward, so that a trough 7 is tilted via the guide wheels 5A to discharge the
12

sintered ore to the underside.
The troughs 7 each include a trough body 11 having the guide wheels 5A provided on opposite sides of the front portion thereof, and an air box 12 provided in the bottom of the trough body 11. A vent plate 13 having a multiplicity of vent holes is provided on the top of the air box 12. The air box 12 has an opening 14, for example, below the inner circular side wall 3.
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, a movable annular air duct 21 having an open top is provided along the circular movement path A adjacent the inner circular side wall 3 of the conveyor 1. The movable annular air duct 21 communicates with the air box 12 of each trough 7 via an intermediate air duct 26 connected to the opening 14. The movable annular air duct 21 is of a double wall structure such that an inner side wall portion 22 and an outer side wall portion 23 respectively comprise inner plates 22a and 23a and outer plates 22b and 23b. The inner and outer plates 22a, 23a, 22b, 23b define an inner annular water sealing chamber 24A and an outer annular water sealing chamber 24B, which each has an open top. A movable annular air passage 2 5 is defined between the inner side wall portion 22 and the outer side wall portion 23 of the movable annular air duct 21.
A stationary annular air duct 31 is provided above
13

the movable annular air duct 21. The movable annular air duct 21 is entirely covered by the stationary annular air duct 31 to define a stationary annular air passage 30 which communicates with the movable air passage 25. The stationary annular air duct 31 has an inverted u shaped cross section, which is defined by a top plate 40 and opposite side walls 32, 33 and has an open bottom. A plurality of intermediate air ducts 38 (38o, 38i) extending from an arcuate air header 39 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are connected to the top plate 40 in a cooling section C, so that cooling air is supplied to the stationary air passage 30.
The stationary annular air duct 31 and the movable annular air duct 21 are connected to each other via a water sealing device 28. The water sealing device 28 includes the inner annular water sealing chamber 24A, the outer annular water sealing chamber 24B, and water sealing plates 34A, 34B suspended from the opposite side walls 32, 33 of the stationary annular air duct 31 via fixture flanges 35 with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B on the opposite sides. Reference characters 3 6A, 3 6B denote cover plates which respectively project outwardly of upper portions of the water sealing plates 34A, 34B to cover outside portions
14

of the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B,
A dead plate 42 is fixed via expansion joints 42 to a portion of the stationary annular air duct 31 except connection portions for connection to the intermediate air ducts 38. Labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B are respectively provided on upper edges of the inner plate 22a and the outer plate 23a as extending toward the dead plate 42 from the movable annular air duct 21. The dead plate 42 and the labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B constitute a labyrinth seal. The intermediate air ducts 38 are not connected to the ore supply section 8 and the ore discharge section 9.
A stationary hood 51 is fixed to the upper edges of the inner and outer circular side walls 3, 4 via sealing devices above the movement path A. The stationary hood 51 includes inner and outer stationary side plates 51a, 51b, and a stationary top plate 51c connecting upper edges of the inner and outer stationary side plate 51a, Sib to each other. An exhaust gas duct 52 is connected to a predetermined position of the stationary hood 51.
In the ore supply section & and the ore discharge section 9 interposed in the movement path A, the air boxes 12 of the troughs 7 are open to the atmosphere via an ore supply device and an ore discharge device, so that
15

the cooling air flows outside. At this time, the sealing water is liable to be splashed by an air stream flowing into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 in upper spaces 24i, 24i of the annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B on sides of the water sealing plates 34A, 34B adjacent to the movable air passage 25.
In the present invention, the following means are employed for prevention of troubles which may occur due
to the splash of the sealing water.
(1) Compressed air (supplementary air) is supplied
into the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing
chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 in the
ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 (pressure reduction
section) (Figs. 6 to 9).
(2) Slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are provided as extending from the ore discharge section 9 to the ore supply section 8 to cover the surfaces of the sealing water in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 (Fig. 10).
(3) Slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are provided in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25 with lower edges thereof being submerged in the sealing water at least at an entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and an exit
16

of the ore supply section 8 (Figs. 11 to 14).
These sealing water splash prevention means (1) to (3) may be used alone or, alternatively, any two or all of these means (1) to (3 ) may be used in combination. First, the sealing water splash prevention means (1) will be explained with reference to Figs. 6 to 9. An entrance branch duct (supplementary air supply means) 61A is connected to the intermediate air duct 38o at an exit of the cooling section C. A distal end of the entrance branch duct 61A is connected to the top plate 40 of the stationary annular air duct 31 at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9. A shutter plate-type damper (gate valve) 62A as flow rate regulation means is interposed in the entrance branch duct 61A. An exit branch duct (supplementary air supply means) 61B is connected to the intermediate air duct 38i at an entrance of the cooling section C . A distal end of the exit branch duct 61B is connected to the top plate 40 of the stationary annular air duct 31 at the exit of the ore supply section 8. A shutter plate-type damper (gate valve) 62B as flow rate regulation means is interposed in the exit branch duct 61B- Supplementary air supplied into the stationary annular air duct 31 from these branch ducts 61A, 61B flows into the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers through spaces between the
17

expansion joints 41 and opposite side clearances of the dead plates 42,
in the embodiment described above, the branch ducts 61A and 61B are connected to the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and to the exit of the ore supply section 8. However, a supplementary air supply duct 62C may be connected to an intermediate portion between the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8 as indicated by a phantom line in Fig. 1. Although the cooling air flowing in the intermediate air ducts 38 is used as the supplementary air, a supplementary air pump unit 64 may additionally be provided. Alternatively, the supplementary air supply means may be constituted by an air supply duct 62c and a supplementary air pump unit 64 as indicated by a phantom line in Fig. 1.
With reference to Fig. 9, an explanation will be given to a modification of the supplementary air supply means. In the ore supply section 8 and the ore discharge section 9,supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 4 5B for supplying compressed air (supplementary air) to the upper spaces 24i, 24 i of the water sealing chambers are respectively provided at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and the exit of the ore supply section 8 to suppress the flow of the air from the cooling section C to the ore supply/discharge sections 8,9. Flow rate
18

regulation valves 4 6 as flow rate regulation means are interposed in the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B. Though not shown, supplementary air is supplied into the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B from the same air pump unit for the cooling air supply or from another air pump unit for the supplementary air supply.
Thus, the flow rate of the air flowing in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers in the ore supply/discharge section 8, 9 can significantly be reduced by supplying the supplementary air from the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B for prevention of the splash of the sealing water.
Referring to Fig. 10, an explanation will be given to the sealing water splash prevention means (2).
Around the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8, the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are respectively attached to the stationary water sealing plates 34A and 34B above the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers adjacent to the movable air passage 25. Distal edges of the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are respectively kept in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the inner plates 22a and 23a,.
Thus, the sealing effect of the labyrinth seal plates 43A, 43B is enhanced in the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8, so that the sealability
19

between the movable air passage 25 and the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers can be improved. In addition, the flow rate of the air flowing in the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 can significantly be reduced for prevention of the splash of the sealing water.
Next, the sealing water splash prevention means (3) will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 14.
As shown in Figs . 11 and 12 , the slidable partition plates 71A, 7 IB are respectively attached to the stationary water sealing plates 34A, 34B in the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the inner annular water sealing chamber 24A and the outer annular water sealing chamber 24B at the entrance of the ore discharge section 9 and the exit of the ore supply section 8. Distal edges of the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are respectively kept in sliding contact with the interior surfaces of the inner plates 22a, 23a, and the lower portions thereof are submerged in the sealing water.
As shown in Figs. 13 and 14 , the slidable partition plates 71A, 7IB each comprise a fixture member 72 attached to a surface of the water sealing plate 34A, 34B, and a slidable plate body 73 attached to the fixture member 72 as inclining downstream with respect to a
20

rotation direction of the water sealing chamber 24A, 24B. The slidable plate body 73 comprises a rubber surface plate 73a, and a comb-shaped spring plate 73b provided on the rear side of the rubber plate so as to smoothly follow variations in an inside spacing between the water sealing plate 34A, 34B and the inner plate 22a, 23a (the width of the inner water sealing chamber) with an improved sealability.
The slidable partition plates 71A, 7 IB respectively partition the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B into the side of the cooling section C and the side of the ore supply/ discharge sections 8, 9. Therefore, even if the pressure in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced to a lower level, the air is prevented from flowing into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 from the cooling section C in the inner spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers, so that the splash of the sealing water can be prevented which may otherwise occur due to the air stream.
The sealing water splash prevention means (1) to (3) for the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B may be provided alone or, alternatively, any two or all of the three means may be provided in combination as required. Where the branch ducts 61A, 61B of the sealing water
21

splash prevention means (1) and the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B of the sealing water splash prevention means (2) are employed in combination, the upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers are covered in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9. It is therefore desirable that the branch ducts 61A, 61B are opened into the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 to be supplied with the supplementary air. Where the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B are employed, the supplementary air supply pipes need to be open above the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B. Where the branch ducts 61A, 61B of the sealing water splash prevention means (1) and the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B of the sealing water splash prevention means (3) are employed in combination, it is necessary to connect the branch ducts 61A, 61B to positions closer to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 than the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B to supply the supplementary air thereto. Further, where the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B of the sealing water splash prevention means (2) and the slidable partition plates 71A, 7IB of the sealing water splash prevention means ( 3 ) are employed in combination, the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B are provided in positions closer to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 than the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B. Where all the sealing water
22

splash prevention means (1) to (3) are employed in combination, it is necessary to arrange these means in the aforesaid manner.
Next, an explanation will be given to the operation of the sintered ore cooling apparatus.
In the cooling section C within the movement path A, the cooling air supplied into the stationary air passage 30 of the stationary annular air duct 31 from the intermediate air ducts 38 flows into the air boxes 12 of the troughs 7 from the movable annular air duct 21 provided with the water sealing device 28 via the intermediate air duct 26. Then, the cooling air is supplied to the sintered ore on the troughs 7 via the vent plates 13 to cool the sintered ore, and discharged from the stationary hood 51 provided thereabove.
When the troughs 7 are moved from the ore discharge section 9 to the ore supply section 8, part of the cooling air leaks to the atmosphere via the ore discharging device and the ore supplying device, and the cooling air flows into the ore discharge section 9 and the ore supply section 8 from the cooling section C. At this time, the waving of the sealing water which may otherwise occur in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B due to the air stream is prevented by employing the sealing water splash
23

prevention means (1) to (3) either alone or in combination in the water sealing device 28, whereby the splash of the sealing water is prevented. Thus, the troubles associated with the adhesion of dust due to the water splash can be prevented.
More specifically, with the sealing water splash prevention means (1), the high pressure supplementary air is supplied into the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B from the branch ducts 61A, 61B or the supplementary air supply pipes 45A, 45B, so that a pressure difference in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i between the cooling section C and the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced to lower the air flow rate. Thus, the waving and splash of the sealing water due to the air stream are prevented.
With the sealing water splash prevention means (2), the amount of the air flowing into the movable air passage 25 from the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B can be reduced by the slidable seal plates 44A, 44B provided in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i. Thus, the waving of the sealing water can be prevented, so that the troubles and sealing failures can be prevented which may otherwise be caused by adhesion of dust due to the
24

splash of the sealing water.
With the sealing water splash prevention means
(3), the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B are respectively partitioned into the side of the cooling section C and the side of the ore supply /discharge sections 8, 9 by the slidable seal plates 71A, 71B provided in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i at the exit of the ore supply section 8 and the entrance of the ore discharge section 9. Therefore, even if the pressure in the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 is reduced, the air does not flow in the inner upper spaces 24i, 241 from the cooling section C to the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9. Thus, the splash of the sealing water due to the air stream can be prevented.
Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate another embodiment.
Although the cooling air is supplied from the top through the intermediate air ducts 38 in the aforesaid embodiment, the cooling air is supplied from the underside in this embodiment.
Xn this embodiment, more specifically, the water sealing chambers 24ft, 24B of the water sealing device 28 are provided in the stationary annular air duct 31, and the water sealing plates 34A, 34B are provided in the movable annular air duct 21 on the side of the troughs
25

7. The water sealing device 28 according to this embodiment has substantially the same construction as in the aforesaid embodiment, except that the stationary and movable components are arranged in an inverted relation. Therefore, the like components are denoted by the like reference characters, and no explanation will be given thereto.
The slidable seal plates 44A, 44B provided around the ore supply/discharge sections 8, 9 as the pressure reduction section are fixed to the inner plates 22a, 23a in sliding contact with the water sealing plates 34A, 34B. Where the supplementary air supply pipes 4SA, 45B
are provided, the supplementary air supply pipes extend from the supply air passage 30 through the inner plates 22a, 23a so that the high pressure air can be supplied into the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the inner and outer annular water sealing chambers 24A, 24B. Further, where the slidable partition plates are provided, the slidable partition plates 71A, 71B are fixed to the inner plates 22a, 23a of the stationary water sealing chambers 24A, 24B in the inner upper spaces 24i, 24i of the water sealing chambers 24A, 24B with their distal edges being kept in sliding contact with the movable water sealing plates 34A, 34B.
This embodiment offers the same effects as the
26

aforesaid embodiment.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As described above, the air feeder and the hot particulate material cooling apparatus having the air feeder are suitable for a case where a movable duct is movably connected to a stationary duct via a water sealing device having a water sealing chamber and a water sealing plate, and a pressure reduction section is provided in a movement path.
27

WE CLAIM
1. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (1) including a plurality of troughs disposed movable along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected bo the conveyor (1) via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28),
characterized in that a pressure reduction section (8,9) where aw leaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path (A),
the water sealing device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular aw duct (31), and water sealing plates (24A), 34B) provided in the other of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A), and the outer annular water sealing (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (248), and
a water supplementary air supply means (45A, 45B, 61A, 618) is provided in the pressure reduction section (8,9) for supplying supplementary air into inner spaces (241) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce a flow rate of the air flowing due to a reduced pressure.
28

2. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (i) having a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected to the conveyor (1) via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movabiy engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28), characterized in that:
a pressure reduction section (8,9) where ar teaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermined position of the movement path (A),
wherein the water sealing device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular at duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in the other of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with tower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), and
inner spaces (24i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) of the water sealing device (28), throughout the pressure reduction section (8,9), slidable seal plates (44A, 44B) are fixed to the water seal plates (34A, 34B) or interior surfaces of the annular water
29

sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the annular water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) or the water sealfrig plates (34A, 34B) on a movable side.
3. An air feeder comprising: a conveyor (1) having a plurality of troughs disposed movably along a circular movement path (A); a movable annular air duct (21) provided along the movement path (A) and connected to the conveyor via an intermediate air duct (26); and a stationary annular air duct (31) provided along the movement path (A) and movably engaged with the movable annular air duct (21) via a water sealing device (28), characterized In that:
a pressure reduction section (8,9) where ar leaks out of the conveyor (1) is provided in a predetermineded position of the movement path (A),
the water seaifrig device (28) comprises an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) provided in one of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31), and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in the outer of the movable annular air duct (21) and the stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water within the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (248), and
in inner spaces (24i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), at an entrance and an exit of the pressure reduction section (8,9)
30

slidable partition plates (71A, 71B) are fixed to interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on a stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with the water sealing plates (71A, 71B) on a movable side, or fixed to the water sealing plates (71A, 71B) on the stationary side with distal edges thereof being in sliding contact with interior surfaces of the water sealing chambers (24A, 24B) on the movable side, respectively in such a manner that lower edges of the siidable partition plates (71A, 71b) are submerged in the sealing water,
4. An air feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supplementary air supply means comprises a branch duct (61A, 61B) branched from an intermediate air duct (38o, 38i) through which cooling air is supplied to the stationary annular air duct (31).
5. An air feeder as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suppiymentary air supply means comprises a supplementary air pump unit and a supplementary air supply duct (45A, 45B) connected thereto.
6. A hot particulate material cooling apparatus comprising an air feeder as recited in any of claims 1 to 3,
wherein the conveyor (1) comprises inner and outer circular side walls (3,4), and a plurality of troughs (7) provided on a bottom the circular side walls 93,4) in order for loading a hot particulate material thereon,
the air to be supplied to the conveyor (1) is cooling air for cooling the hot particulate material loaded on the troughs 97), and
31

the pressure reduction section comprises an ore supply section (8) for supplying the hot particulate material hto the troughs 97) and an ore discharge section (9) for tilting the troughs (7) and drooping the hot particulate material for discharge thereof.
In a water sealing device (28) which includes an inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and an outer annular water sealing chamber ( 24B) provided in a movable annular air duct (21) extending along a circular movement path, and water sealing plates (34A, 34B) provided in a stationary annular air duct (31) with lower edges thereof being submerged in sealing water in the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B), branch ducts (61A, 61B) are provided which are adapted to supply supplementary air into inner spaces (24 i) of the inner annular water sealing chamber (24A) and the outer annular water sealing chamber (24B) to reduce the flow rate of air flowing due to a reduced pressure in ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9) which communicate with the atmosphere and have a reduced pressure. Even if the air flows into the ore supply/discharge sections (8, 9), the air flow rate in the water sealing device is reduced by the supplementary air so that the sealing water is prevented from waving and splashing. Thus, troubles and deterioration of sealability are prevented.

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Patent Number

208753

Indian Patent Application Number

00856/CAL/1999

PG Journal Number

32/2007

Publication Date

10-Aug-2007

Grant Date

09-Aug-2007

Date of Filing

22-Oct-1999

Name of Patentee

HITACHI ZOSEN CORPORATION

Applicant Address

7-89, NANKO-KITA 1-CHOME,SUMINO E-KU,OSAKA-SHI,OSAKA 559-0034

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	OHSHIO KATSUHIRO	7-89, NANKO-KITA 1-CHOME,SUMINO E-KU,OSAKA-SHI,OSAKA 559-0034
2	SUMOTO TADAAKI	7-89, NANKO-KINTA 1-CHOME,SUMINO E-KU,OSAKA-SHI,ASAKA 559-0034 JAPAN.
3	NISHIMOTO MASARU	7-89, NANKO-KINTA 1-CHOME,SUMINO E-KU,OSAKA-SHI,ASAKA 559-0034 JAPAN.

PCT International Classification Number

F27 B 7/10

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	11-42451	1999-02-22	Japan
2	11/210019	1999-07-26	Japan