Cooling apparatus used in recycling scrap tires

摘要

The apparatus or “chiller” uses an upward stream of ambient air drawn through the upright housing to cool crumb rubber particles that are deposited into and fall through the housing. The chiller includes an upright chiller housing and an array of internal baffles disposed within the lower section of the housing. Crumb rubber deposited into the chiller housing falls through the upward air flow within the chiller housing and cascades around and through the baffle array before exiting the chiller. The baffle array inside the lower section of the chiller housing slows the fall of the crumb rubber, thereby increasing the dwell time through the chiller to provide enhanced cooling. The baffle array also creates a more turbulent air flow through which the crumb rubber falls. The rising turbulent air mass enhances the transfer of thermal energy from the falling crumb rubber.

主权项

1. An apparatus for cooling granular particles comprising:
an upright housing defining an interior thereof, the housing having an open bottom end, and a side opening therein through which granular particles are deposited into the housing interior; the housing includes an array of spaced baffles mounted within the housing interior below the side opening, the housing includes the housing having a lower section defining a lower plenum chamber and an upper section, the upper section defines an upper plenum chamber having a volume greater than the lower plenum chamber, the side opening disposed between the lower section and the upper section; air flow means operatively connected to the housing for drawing ambient air upward through the housing interior from the bottom end in a path through the housing interior such that the ambient air passes through falling granular particles from the bottom end to a point where the granular particles enter the housing interior from the side opening and then flows out of the housing interior, whereby the granular particles deposited into the housing interior fall through the housing interior cascading through the array of baffles as the ambient air is drawn through falling granular particles and the housing interior; and wherein the housing is configured and arranged such that the granular particles flow in a downward path from the side opening, the particles deflecting off of the array of baffles and passing through the lower plenum chamber and exiting the housing through the open bottom end; and wherein the lower section is substantially filled with the array of baffles.