Conveyor with heat transfer arrangement

Abstract

A conveyor for moving hot or cold material along a trough receiving the material. One or more heat transfer fluid flow tubes extend over the outer surface of a trough liner wall to indirectly cause cooling or heating of the liner wall. Fins or angled thin metal strips conductively interconnect the tube or tubes and the liner wall. A series of wear plates are clamped to a pushing side of a helical tube of an auger type conveyor, which tube can also receive a flow of heat transfer fluid. A mass of conductive beads can alternatively be used to transfer heat into or from the heat transfer fluid.

1 . A conveyor for handling hot materials or cold materials comprising: 
 an elongated conveyor trough having an inlet for receiving material to be conveyed and an outlet whereat said material passes out of said trough;    a conveyor member supported within said trough to extend along the length of said trough, and a drive for moving said member to cause advance of material deposited in said trough;    said trough having an inner wall having an inside surface confining said material; and    one or more heat exchange fluid flow tubes extending over an outside surface of said inner wall and having a heat conductive connection thereto, with a source of heat exchange fluid suppling fluid to said one or more fluid flow tubes, whereby said heat exchange fluid may indirectly transfers heat to or from said trough inner wall.    
     
     
         2 . The conveyor according to  claim 1  wherein said one or more fluid flow tubes have an array of heat transfer fins mounted thereto also in contact with said outer surface of said trough liner wall.  
     
     
         3 . The conveyor according to  claim 1  wherein a plurality of lengthwise extending tubes are arranged about said outside surface of said liner wall, each having a heat conductive connection thereto.  
     
     
         4 . The conveyor according to  claim 3  wherein an inlet manifold at one end of said trough supplies fluid to all of said flow tubes.  
     
     
         5 . The conveyor according to  claim 3  wherein each of said fluid flow tubes is connected to said trough inner wall by a respective reversely angled thin metal piece associated with each fluid flow tube.  
     
     
         6 . The conveyor according to  claim 2  wherein a single fluid flow tube is transversely looped about said outside surface of said trough inner wall.  
     
     
         7 . The conveyor according to  claim 6  wherein said loops of said fluid flow tube extend across said trough inner wall.  
     
     
         8 . The conveyor according to  claim 6  wherein said loops of said fluid flow tube extend lengthwise along said trough inner wall.  
     
     
         9 . The conveyor according to  claim 1  wherein said conveyor includes a helical auger tube located extending along the inside of said conveyor trough, and a drive for rotating said auger tube to convey material down said trough.  
     
     
         10 . The conveyor according to  claim 9  further including a series of wear plates clamped onto a pushing side of said helical tube.  
     
     
         11 . The conveyor according to  claim 10  wherein said wear plates have an outer angled side to assist in pushing material.  
     
     
         12 . The conveyor according to  claim 10  wherein said wear plates are arranged side-to-side along the length of said helical tube.  
     
     
         13 . The conveyor according to  claim 1  wherein source of heat transfer fluid is connected to said helical tube to be circulated along the length of said helical tube.  
     
     
         14 . The conveyor according to  claim 1  wherein an outer trough wall overlies said at least one heat transfer fluid flow tube.  
     
     
         15 . The conveyor according to  claim 14  wherein said cover wall is comprised of an open material allowing air circulation therethrough.  
     
     
         16 . The conveyor according to  claim 14  wherein a mass of heat conductive beads fills an intermediate space between said trough inner and outer walls.  
     
     
         17 . The conveyor according to  claim 13  wherein an outer tube surrounds said helical tube and a mass of heat conductive beads fills an intermediate space therebetween.  
     
     
         18 . The conveyor according to  claim 16  wherein said beads are spherical and made of aluminum.  
     
     
         19 . The conveyor according to  claim 17  wherein said beads are spherical and made of aluminum.