| CPC B02C 15/08 (2013.01) [B02C 15/004 (2013.01); B02C 23/02 (2013.01); B02C 23/06 (2013.01); B02C 23/24 (2013.01); B02C 15/001 (2013.01); B02C 15/02 (2013.01); B02C 2015/008 (2013.01)] | 27 Claims |
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1. A planetary roller mill for processing a feed material, the roller mill comprising:
a vessel assembly mounted to a stationary frame and having an inside surface;
a material feed supply in communication with the vessel assembly;
a grinding assembly positioned in the vessel assembly below the material feed supply, the grinding assembly comprising:
an annular grinding ring having an opening extending therethrough, the opening being defined by a radially inward facing grinding surface and having a first area, the grinding ring being in sealing engagement with the inside surface of the vessel assembly;
a shaft rotatably and vertically mounted to the frame;
a sleeve connected to the shaft and being concentric about a center axis of the vessel assembly;
a first support plate having a first central area coaxial with the center axis, the first support plate being secured to the sleeve and having a first axially facing surface defining a second area, the first support plate having at least three first lobes extending radially outward from the first central area;
a second support plate having a second central area coaxial with the center axis, the second support plate being secured to the sleeve and having a second axially facing surface defining a third area, the second support plate being spaced axially apart from the first support plate, the second support plate having at least three second lobes extending radially outward from the second central area; and
a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted to and positioned between the first support plate and the second support plate, each of the plurality of rollers having a radially outer surface that is in grinding communication with the grinding surface of the grinding ring, each of the plurality of rollers having a bore axially extending therethrough, the bore having an inside diameter, each of the plurality of rollers being mounted on a corresponding pin secured to and extending between the first support plate and the second support plate, the corresponding pin extending through the bore, the corresponding pin having an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the bore, each of the plurality of rollers being configured to move radially outward from the corresponding pin and radially outward from the shaft during and as a result of rotation of the shaft; and
an air supply system having an outlet in communication with the opening in the grinding ring for supplying air through the opening;
wherein the first support plate is of a non-circular shape such that the second area of the first support plate is of a first magnitude which configures a first flow area through the opening of at least 30 percent of the first area to provide a predetermined quantity of heated air to remove moisture from the feed material in the grinding assembly,
wherein the second support plate is of a non-circular shape such that the third area of the second support plate is of a second magnitude which configures a second flow area through the opening of at least 30 percent of the first area to provide a predetermined quantity of heated air to remove moisture from the feed material in the grinding assembly; and
wherein each of the at least three first lobes and each of the at least three second lobes have an asymmetrical shape and have an area for receiving the corresponding pin of one of the plurality of rollers, the area having a center point, the asymmetric shape comprising a trailing edge and a leading edge opposite the trailing edge, and the trailing edge extends further away from the center point than does the leading edge.
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