EP3261769A1

EP3261769A1 - Method and device for fragmenting and/or weakening pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges

Info

Publication number: EP3261769A1
Application number: EP16707373.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander WEH; Jean-Pierre AEBY; Johannes KÄPPELER
Original assignee: Selfrag AG
Current assignee: Selfrag AG
Priority date: 2015-02-27
Filing date: 2016-02-24
Publication date: 2018-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-24
Also published as: WO2016134492A1; JP2018506429A; US10919045B2; ES2717833T3; EP3261769B1; JP6815323B2; CA2976964C; IL253921A0; US20180353968A1; CA2976964A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for fragmenting pourable material (1) by means of high-voltage discharges. A material flow of the material (1) is guided past an electrode assembly (2) by means of a conveying device (6) that carries the material flow, the material flow being immersed in a process liquid (5), while high-voltage punctures through the material (1) of the material flow are produced by applying high-voltage pulses to the electrode assembly (2). The electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are dipped into the process liquid (5) from above, and those of these electrodes (12, 13) between which the high-voltage punctures are produced lie opposite each other transversely to the material guiding-past direction (S) at an electrode distance in each case. The invention makes enables the provision of a continuous method for fragmenting large amounts of pourable material (1), wherein the dwell time of the material (1) in the process zone can be set in wide ranges and practically independently of the piece size of the materials and wherein complex conveying devices that are electrically conductive at least in the region of the process zone, which are expensive and additionally subject to heavy wear, can be forgone.

Description

Method and device for fragmentation and / or weakening of pourable material by means of

High-voltage discharges

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a method for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material by means of high-voltage discharges, a device for carrying out the method, a system comprising a plurality of such devices and a use of the device or system according to the preambles of the independent claims. STATE OF THE ART

It is known from the prior art to comminute (fragment) or to weaken various materials by means of pulsed high-voltage discharges in such a way that they can be comminuted more easily in a downstream mechanical comminution process.

For the fragmentation and / or weakening of pourable material by means of high-voltage charges, two different types of process are generally known today.

For small amounts of material or strict specifications concerning the purity and / or the target particle size of the processed material, the fragmentation and / or weakening of the material is erroneous. Batch operation in a closed process vessel in which high-voltage breakdowns are generated by the material.

In the case of large quantities of material, the fragmentation and / or weakening of the material takes place in a continuous process, by passing a stream of material from the material to be comminuted past one or more electrodes and using these high-voltage can be produced by the material. In this case, the material is transported past the electrodes either by gravity or by means of a conveyor which simultaneously serves as a counter electrode to one or more high voltage electrodes. In the former case, the problem arises that the material flow or the residence time of the material in the process zone is only very limited adjustable and strongly depends on the piece size of the materials. In the latter case, the decisive disadvantage arises that very expensive, at least in the process zone electrically conductive conveyors are needed, which are expensive and also subject to heavy wear.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it has as its object to provide continuous process and apparatus for fragmenting and / or weakening of large quantities of bulk material by means of high-voltage discharges are available which do not have the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art or at least partially ^¬ example avoided.

This object is solved by the subject matters of the independent claims.

According to these, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material, in particular slag from waste incineration, by means of high-voltage discharges "

In this case, a material flow from the material to be fragmented or weakened, immersed in a process liquid, by means of a material flow carrying conveyor on an electrode arrangement with one or more high voltage electrodes and these high voltage electrodes associated counter-electrodes, while by applying the high-voltage pulse electrode assembly by means of one or more high-voltage generators high-voltage breakdowns between the high voltage electrodes and the associated counter-electrodes are generated by the material flow material.

The high-voltage electrodes and the counterelectrodes assigned to them are immersed in the process liquid from above, and those of these electrodes between which the high-voltage breakdowns are produced face each other transversely to the material advancing direction with an electrode spacing.

In this way it becomes possible to provide a continuous process for the fragmentation and / or weakening of large quantities of free-flowing material, in which the residence time of the material in the process zone can be adjusted within wide limits and practically independent of the piece size of the materials and at the same time complicated, at least in the process zone electrically conductive conveyors, which are expensive and also subject to heavy wear, can be dispensed with.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the high-voltage electrodes and the counterelectrodes, between which the high-voltage breakdowns are generated, are in contact with the material flow.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, they are even immersed in the material flow.

Depending on the material and size of the material to be fragmented and / or on the type or quality of the process fluid, one or the other embodiment may be more preferable.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the material flow is formed from pieces of material which do not exceed a certain maximum piece size, preferably one maximum piece size in the range between 40 mm and 80 mm.

It is preferred that the electrode spacing is greater in each case than this maximum piece size. This has the advantage that the pieces of material can migrate between them when the electrodes are immersed in the material flow, which makes it possible to subject the pieces of material to the high-voltage breakdowns in a particularly intensive manner. Also, this makes it relatively easy to apply the material flow substantially over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns, which is also preferred.

Further, it is preferred that the distance of the electrodes to the bottom of the material flow, i. to the top of the material flow carrying conveyor, is greater than this maximum piece size. This results in the advantage that the pieces of material can not be clamped between the upper side of the conveying device and the electrodes when the electrodes are in contact with the material flow or when the electrodes are immersed in the flow of material, thereby significantly improving the operational reliability and service life of the device.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, the material of the material flow or a part thereof is divided downstream of the electrode assembly into coarse material having a size greater than a desired target size and fine material having a size less than or equal to the desired target size.

In this case, it is further preferred that the coarse material is fed back into the material flow upstream of the electrode arrangement, in order to be guided once again past the electrode arrangement and fragmented or weakened, or that the coarse material is subjected to a further fragmentation or weakening process. is subjected, in particular a further method according to this first aspect of the invention, to be further crushed or weakened.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, a conveying device is used which, viewed in cross-section, is designed to be channel-shaped, preferably V-shaped, at least in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode arrangement. This results in the advantage that the pourable material can be guided from the side areas in the middle, thereby simplifying a substantially complete loading of the material flow over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns.

Advantageously, the material flow is guided past the electrode arrangement by means of a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt whose edge regions are curved upward in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode arrangement. Such conveyor belts are robust, low-maintenance and commercially available in a variety of designs and sizes. The inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt are preferably set to optimize the respective process. At its ends, the conveyor belt is preferably flat so that the lowest possible elongation of the edge areas is required.

It is further preferred that the stream of material downstream of the region in which it is passed with the conveyor belt on the electrode assembly and there is fragmented by means of high voltage breakdown, is conveyed upwards with the conveyor belt, preferably such that it the conveyor belt is led out of the process liquid. In this way can be dispensed with expensive additional devices for removal of the processed material from the process liquid. Particularly simple and inexpensive way to do this by the fact that a straight För ^¬ derband is used, which increases in material orbeiführ- ungsrichtung of the material flow at the electrode arrangement, in particular with a rise angle between 10 and 35 degrees.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method, the material flow conveyed upward with the conveyor belt is fed from the delivery end of the conveyor belt, preferably via a device for screening pieces of material comminuted to a certain target size, to an underlying delivery end of a further conveyor belt, with which it further fragmentation - And / or weakening method is supplied, in particular according to this first aspect of the invention. Accordingly, the method described is then part of a multi-stage fragmentation and / or attenuation method.

Preferably, the method according to the invention uses an electrode arrangement which comprises a plurality of electrode pairs or electrode groups, with each electrode pair or electrode group being assigned its own high-voltage generator, with which exclusively this pair or this group is advantageously independent from the other pairs of electrodes or electrode groups, with high voltage pulses is applied. As a result, a particularly intensive loading of the past on the electrode assembly Mate ialStromes possible.

Under a pair of electrodes is here a combination of a high voltage electrode, which is acted upon by the high voltage generator with high voltage pulses, and a single of these high voltage electrode associated counter electrode, between which electrodes take place the high voltage breakdowns understood. An electrode group is understood here to mean a combination of a high-voltage electrode, which is supplied with high-voltage pulses with the high-voltage generator, and a plurality of counter electrodes, between which the high-voltage breakdowns take place, whereby the respective high-voltage breakdown between the high-voltage electrode and that of the counterelectrodes usually takes place. between which the most favorable breakdown conditions are present.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the method, the material stream is formed from pieces of material or contains pieces of material which form a composite of metallic and non-metallic materials, as e.g. in slag pieces from waste incineration is the case. In the fragmentation or weakening of such materials with the method according to the invention, the advantages of the invention become particularly clear and it proves to be a further advantage that the requirements on the quality of the process liquid, mostly water, are very low, which reduces the costs are extremely low for the process liquid preparation.

Accordingly, it is advantageous in such methods to perform the process with a process liquid having a conductivity of more than 500 pS / cra.

In this case, the processed material resulting from the process is preferably divided into metallic material and non-metallic material, advantageously with ferromagnetic metals, non-ferromagnetic metals and non-metallic material. In this way, a recycling or selective disposal of the components of the processed material is simplified.

To generate the high-voltage breakdown by the material flow, the electrode arrangement is Preferably applied with high voltage pulses in the range between 100 KV and 300 KV, in particular in the range between 150 KV and 200 KV, wherein preferably the power per pulse between 100 joules and 1000 joules, in particular between 300 joules and 750 joules. The high-voltage pulse frequencies are preferably in the range between 0.5 Hz and 40 Hz, in particular in the range between 5 Hz and 20 Hz, and the material flow is when passing the electrode assembly per millimeter of its extension in the direction Vorbeiführungsrichtung preferably 0.1 to 2.0, in particular 0.5 to 1.0 applied to high voltage breakdowns.

A second aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

The device comprises an electrode arrangement with one or more high-voltage electrodes and associated counterelectrodes. Their high-voltage electrodes can be acted upon by high-voltage pulses with one or more high-voltage generators.

Furthermore, the device comprises a conveying device, preferably in the form of a conveyor belt or a conveyor chain, which is arranged at least partially in a tank filled or to be filled with a process liquid, in particular water, and with which a stream of material from a free-flowing z fragmenting and / or or material to be attenuated, immersed in a process fluid, may be carried past the electrode assembly while high voltage breakdowns are produced by the material flow by applying high voltage pulses to the electrodes of the electrode assembly.

In this case, the device is designed in such a way that, during normal operation, the electrodes of the electrode arrangement are immersed in the process fluid from above and those of these electrodes between which the high-voltage breakdowns are generated. which, in each case opposite to the Materialvorbeiführungsrichtung with an electrode spacing.

With the device according to the invention, it is possible in a simple manner to carry out the method according to the first aspect of the invention with the advantages already explained.

In a preferred embodiment, the device is designed in such a way that, in the case of appropriate operation, the high-voltage electrodes and the counterelectrodes, between which the high-voltage breakdowns are generated, are in contact with the material flow or even immersed in it.

In a further preferred embodiment of the device, the distance between the electrodes, between which high-voltage breakdowns are generated, is in each case greater than 40 mm, more preferably in each case greater than 80 mm. This results in the advantage that correspondingly large pieces of material can migrate between them immersed in the material flow between them, whereby a particularly intense loading of the pieces of material with the high voltage breakdowns is possible. This also makes it possible to form the device in a simple manner such that the material flow can be subjected to high-voltage breakdowns essentially over its entire width, which is likewise preferred.

In yet another preferred embodiment, the device has downstream of the electrode assembly means, in particular screening devices, with which the processed material of the material flow or a part thereof can be divided into coarse material with a size larger than a desired size. The target size and in fine material with a piece size smaller than or equal to the desired target size.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the device, the electrode arrangement comprises a plurality of electrode pairs or electrode groups. In this case, each electrode pair or each electrode group is assigned its own high-voltage generator, with which only this electrode pair or this electrode group can be acted upon during normal operation with high-voltage pulses. As a result, a particularly intensive loading of the past on the electrode assembly material flow is possible.

Under a pair of electrodes is here a combination of a high voltage electrode, which is acted upon in normal operation with the associated high voltage generator with high voltage pulses, and a single of these high voltage electrode associated counter electrode, between which electrodes take place in the normal operation, the high voltage breakdowns understood.

An electrode group is understood here to mean a combination of a high-voltage electrode, which is subjected to high-voltage pulses during normal operation with the associated high-voltage generator, and a plurality of counterelectrodes assigned to this high-voltage electrode, between which electrodes the high-voltage breakdowns take place during normal operation, where usually the same applies High voltage breakdown occurs between the high voltage electrode and the back of the counter electrodes, between which the most favorable breakdown conditions exist.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the device, the conveying device, at least in the region in which it passes the material flow past the electrode arrangement, is channel-shaped, preferably V-shaped, seen in cross-section. det. This results in the advantage that the pourable material can be guided from the side areas in the middle, thereby simplifying a substantially complete loading of the material flow over its entire width with high voltage breakdowns.

Advantageously, the conveyor thereby comprises a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt, with which the material flow is passed in the intended operation of the electrode assembly whose edge regions in the area in which it passes the material flow past the electrode assembly, curved upwards are. Such conveyor belts are robust, low-maintenance and commercially available in a variety of designs and sizes. The inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt are preferably adjustable to optimize the respective process. At its ends, the conveyor belt is preferably flat, so that the smallest possible elongation of the edge regions results.

Preferably, the conveyor of the device comprises a conveyor belt, which is designed such that during normal operation of the material flow downstream of the area in which it is passed with the conveyor belt on the electrode assembly and is fragmented there by high voltage breakdowns or weakened, with the The conveyor belt is conveyed upward, preferably in such a way that it is led out of the process fluid with the conveyor belt. In this way can be dispensed with expensive additional devices for removal of the processed material from the process liquid.

This can be achieved in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner by using a straight conveyor belt which rises in the material forwarding direction of the material flow, in particular with a rise angle between 10 and 35 degrees. A third aspect of the invention relates to a multi-stage plant for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material, comprising a plurality of devices connected in series in the material conveying direction according to the second aspect of the invention.

The plant is constructed in such a way that, in the normal operation of the plant, a material flow which is conveyed upwards by the conveyor belt of a first of the devices, from the discharge end of this conveyor belt, preferably via a device for screening pieces of material comminuted to a certain target size on the underlying Task end of the conveyor belt is placed in a direction of material delivery to this first of the devices following second of the devices, with which it passes the electrode assembly of this second of the devices and thereby further fragmented and / or weakened.

With such multi-stage systems, large amounts of material can be processed.

A fourth aspect of the invention relates to the use of the device according to the second aspect of the invention or the device according to the third aspect of the invention for the fragmentation and / or weakening of pieces of material which form a composite of non-metallic and metallic materials, preferably slag pieces , from the waste incineration.

In such uses, the benefits of the invention are particularly evident.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further embodiments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and from the following description with reference to FIGS. Showing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first inventions dungsgemässe device in a first mode. FIG. 2 shows a vertical section through the first device along the line AA in FIG. 1; FIG.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the first device along the line B-B in Fig. 1;

4 is a plan view of the first Vorrich ^¬ device in a second mode;

Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the electrodes of the electrode assembly of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

6 is a side view of a first Vari ^¬ ante the high voltage electrode of FIG. 5.

7 is a side view of a second Vari ^¬ ante the high voltage electrode of FIG .. 5

FIG. 8 shows a longitudinal section along the line D-D in FIG. 10 through a second device according to the invention; FIG.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the ^device of FIG. 8; FIG.

Fig. 10 is a cross-section through the device taken along the line C-C in Fig. 8;

FIG. 11 shows a longitudinal section along the line E-E in FIG. 13 through a third device according to the invention; FIG.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a cross section through the Vorrich ^¬ tung along the line FF in Fig. 11;

FIG. 14 shows a longitudinal section along the line G-G in FIG. 16a through a system according to the invention;

15 is a plan view from above of the system of FIG. 14;

Figures 16a and 16b are cross-sectional views of the plant along the line H-H in Figure 14; and

FIGS. 17 to 19 are longitudinal sections as in FIG. 14 through different variants of individual apparatus of the system from FIG. 14. WAYS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first device according to the invention for fragmenting bulk material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a plan view from above (FIG. 1), once in a vertical section along the line AA in FIG. 1 (FIG. 2) and once in a partial vertical section along the line BB in Fig. 1 (Fig. 3).

As can be seen, the device comprises a carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 formed from an annular bottom plate 10, a fixed to the bottom plate 10 and connected from the bottom plate 10 perpendicular upwardly projecting cylindrical outer and 9 and not with the bottom plate 10 in connection and perpendicular from the bottom plate 10 upwardly projecting cylindrical inner wall 11. The bottom plate 10 is flat and continuously closed and is mounted by means of a roller ring 24 on an annular support member 25 of a fixed support structure, and is in normal operation by means of a drive motor 26 in the direction of rotation R to a running through the center of the circular shape of the bottom plate 10 vertical axis of rotation Z rotates around, whereby the lying on the bottom plate 10 to be fragmented material 1 forms an annular or kreisringsegment- fcrmigen material flow 4 in the direction of rotation R about the rotation axis Z around.

The carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 is disposed in a water-5 (process liquid) be ^¬ filled circular basin 27, the bottom of which is penetrated by the annular support member 25th The carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 is completely immersed in the water 5 in the basin 27 except for the upper boundary edges of the outer wall 9 and the inner wall 11. In the region inside the annular support element 25, the bottom of the basin 27 is surrounded by a circular, downwardly extending funnel 19. forms whose lower end over a conveyor belt 20 ends, which promotes obliquely up to a level above the water level of the basin 27 (not fully shown here for space) and is arranged in a housing 30 which is connected to the lower funnel end and together with the basin 27 forms a water ^¬ tight container. The basin 27 is surrounded by an annular Schutzwar.d 31 through which the housing of the conveyor belt 30 and the conveyor belt 20 pass.

As can also be seen, the device, arranged on the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11, a Elek oden-Ano tion 2 with a plurality of matrix-arranged high-voltage electrodes 12, which is approximately over a range of 270 ° of the circular ring shape carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 extends. Each of the high-voltage electrodes 12 protrudes in the illustrated situation from above to just above the surface of guided in the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 circular ring-shaped material flow 4, wherein it dips into the water 5, and has its own, arranged directly above it High voltage generator 3, with which it is acted upon in operation with high voltage pulses. In the figures, for the sake of clarity, only one of the high-voltage electrodes with the reference numeral 12 and only one of the high-voltage generators is designated by the reference numeral 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, which shows one of the high voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2 of this device in side view, each of the high voltage electrodes 12 has its own ground potential counter electrode 13. The high-voltage electrodes 12 and the counterelectrodes 13 associated therewith face each other at a distance transversely to the material forwarding direction and are in each case arranged in such a way that in the illustrated embodiment operation according to the invention by applying the respective high voltage electrode 12 with high voltage pulses Hochspannungsdurchschläge between the high voltage electrode 12 and its associated counter electrode 13 are generated by the material 1 of the material flow 4 therethrough. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the only associated counter electrode 13 thus forms a claimed pair of electrodes 12, 13th

FIGS. 6 and 7 show side views of two variants of the high voltage electrode of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows a high-voltage electrode 12, which differs from that shown in FIG. 5 essentially in that it has two identical counter-electrodes 13 which are opposite one another and are inclined at their free ends to the high-voltage electrode 12. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the two counter-electrodes 13 thus forms a claim-compliant electrode group 12, 13. Another difference is that this high-voltage electrode 12 has a straight electrode tip.

FIG. 7 shows a high-voltage electrode 12, which differs substantially from that shown in FIG. 6 in that here the two mirror-inverted counterelectrodes 13 shown below in FIG. 6 form a single, U-shaped counterelectrode 13 are connected .

Depending on the process or material to be processed, it is also provided that the electrodes 12 and counter electrodes 13 are immersed in the material flow.

As can be seen further, the apparatus has a in a closed housing 32 angeord ^¬ scribed feed conveyor belt 15, by means of which upstream of the electrode assembly 2 to be fragmented material 1, in this case, fragments of precious metal ore body 1 on the base plate 10 the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 is abandoned. The height of the material packing 1 guided under the electrode arrangement 2 as a circular ring-segment-shaped material flow 4 is defined by a passage-limiting plate 33 before entry into the region (process zone) formed between the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 and the electrode arrangement 2.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2 is a fixed first baffle 17 which extends from the outer wall 9 of the carousel-like device 9, 10, 11 through a first interruption 23 in the inner wall 11 in a region 7 in the center of the carousel-like device 9, 10th , 11 extends and shown in the intended operation, the material stream 4 emerging from the process zone substantially completely over the first interruption 23 in the inner wall 11 in the central region 7 leads.

The bottom of the central region 7 is formed as a flat sieve bottom 8, with a Sieböffr.ungs- size which is dimensioned such that on target size fragmented material la passes through the sieve openings and falls into the funnel 19 disposed below, while material 1b, which is larger is as the target size, remains on the sieve plate 8. The finished material la shredded to target size is passed from the hopper 19 onto the conveyor belt 20 with which it is transported out of the device.

The non-finished processed or not yet shredded to target size material 1b is pushed by the nachrückende material 1 on the sieve 8 and from a subsequent to the first baffle 17 fixed second baffle 21 via a second interruption 28 in the inner wall 11 from the central Area 7 back into the annular segment-shaped material flow 4 out, with which it again at a portion of the high voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly. 2 is passed and thereby acted upon with high voltage breakdowns.

As is apparent from Fig. 3, which shows a vertical section through a part of the first device in the region of the processing zone along the line BB in Fig. 1, 10, the bottom plate of the carousel-like A ^¬ direction 9, 10, 11 one with a verschleisshemmenden layer 29 made of rubber occupied top on which the material to be processed 1 rests.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the device in another mode. As can be seen, the second baffle 21 is here arranged in a position in which it closes the second interruption 28 in the inner wall 11 from the side of the central area 7 and releases an exhaust duct 34, in which the non-finished process resp not yet shredded to target size material 1b, which is pushed by the advancing material 1 on the sieve plate 8, falls into it and then with devices (not shown) is led away from the device.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a second device according to the invention for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line DD in FIG. 10 (FIG. 8), once in a plan view from above (FIG. 9). and once in a cross section along the line CC in Fig. 8 (Fig. 10).

As can be seen, the device has an electrode arrangement 2 with a matrix of high-voltage electrodes 12, which are arranged in four consecutively arranged rows with four electrodes 12 in the direction of passage through the material S (in the figures, for the sake of clarity, only one of each is shown) Electrodes provided with the reference numeral 12).

The electrodes 12 are in the illustrated normal operation with one directly over they are arranged high voltage generator 3 applied with high voltage pulses.

Under the electrode assembly 2 is located in a flooded with water 5 (process liquid} basin 16, a conveyor belt 6, by means of which a flow of material from a fragmented bulk material 1, in the present case fragments of ore, from the task side Ä Device is moved past in the material passage direction S to the electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2, while high voltage breakdowns are generated by the material 1 as a result of application of high voltage pulses to the electrode assembly 2. In this case, the material 1 of the material flow is in the water in the basin 16 5 immersed, as well as the electrodes 12 arranged above.

The height of the flow of material is adjusted before entry into the area between the conveyor belt 6 and the electrode assembly 2 (process zone) through a Durchlassbegrenzu.ngsblech 18.

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the conveyor belt 6 extends in the passage direction S over the entire width of the basin 16, so that the moving material flow covers the entire width of the basin 16.

As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 8 and 10, the medium region of the material flow is subjected to high-voltage breakdowns when passing through the process zone, which leads to an increasing fragmentation of the material 1 in this region, while the edge regions of the material flow remain practically untouched by high-voltage breakdown , so that the material 1 kept there retains its original lumpiness.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2, the material stream exiting the process zone is separated from the conveyor belt 6 into three of separation walls 22 and juxtaposed across the entire width the collecting conveyor 6 extending collecting funnel 14, 14a, 14b at the end of the basin 16 delivered. In this case, the separation walls 22 are arranged such that the fragmented material 1 is discharged from the middle region of the material flow into the central collecting funnel 14, while the unfragmented material 1 is discharged from the edge regions of the material flow into the outer collecting funnels 14a, 14b.

The fragmented material 1, which is discharged into the central hopper 14, is conveyed out of the basin 16 by means of a conveyor (not shown) and supplied for further use. The non-fragmented material 1, which is discharged into the outer collecting funnels 14a, 14b, is conveyed out of the basin 16 by means of conveying devices (not shown) and returned to the material flow on the feeding side A of the device.

As is apparent from Fig. 6, which one of the electrodes 12 shows the electrode assembly 2 of the device in side view, each of the high tensioning ^¬ voltage electrodes 12 two identical, mirror image opposite ode at their free ends respectively to Hochspannungselekt 12 inclined towards Counter electrodes 13, which are at ground potential and attached to the support structure of the high voltage electrode 12. The high-voltage electrode 12 together with the two counter-electrodes 13 forms a claim-compliant electrode group 12, 13. Here are the high voltage electrodes 12 and their respective associated two counter electrodes 13 each transverse to Materialvorbeiführungs- direction with a distance and immerse in the flow of material.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show a third device according to the invention for fragmenting bulk-capable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line EE in FIG. 13 (FIG. 11), once in a plan view from above (FIG. 12) and once in a cross section along the line FF in Fig. 11 (Fig. 13).

As can be seen, the device has an electrode arrangement 2 with three high-voltage electrodes 12, which are arranged one behind the other in the material passage direction S.

Again, the high voltage electrodes 12 and the associated counter electrodes 13 are formed as shown in Fig. 6, are each transverse to the material vorbeiführungsrichtung with a distance opposite and immerse in the flow of material.

As further from Fig. 12, in which the positions of the respective high-voltage electrodes 12 and counterelectrodes 13 are shown in broken lines, these electrode groups 12, 13 each have a lateral offset with respect to one another in the material passage direction S.

The high voltage electrodes 12 are acted upon in the illustrated operation as intended, each with a directly above them arranged high voltage generator 3 with high voltage pulses.

Below the electrode assembly 2, arranged in a tank 16 flooded with water 5 (process liquid), is a straight conveyor belt 6 of a flexible, electrically non-conductive strip material which has been reinforced in the direction of passage of material S at an angle of 10 degrees. Mitteis which a stream of material to be fragmented from the pourable material 1, in the present case slag pieces from waste incineration with a maximum piece size of 80 mm, from the task side A of the device ago in the material flow direction S at the electrodes 12, 13 of the electrode assembly is passed while high voltage breakdowns are produced by the material 1 as a result of application of high voltage pulses to the high voltage electrodes 12 of the electrode assembly 2. In this case, the material 1 of the material flow in Area of the electrode assembly 2 immersed in the water in the basin 16 5, as well as the electrodes 12 arranged above it, 13, which also dive into the flow of material.

At the same time, process water is removed from the basin 16 via a discharge line 35 arranged at the bottom of the basin 16 and fed to a water treatment plant (not shown), from which treated process water is conveyed back into the basin 16 via supply lines 36, which supply the water in each case of the electrodes 12, 13 in the material flow.

As can be seen from FIGS. 12 and 13, the edge regions of the conveyor belt 6 are curved upward in the region in which they pass the material flow past the electrode arrangement 2, so that the conveyor belt 6 is channel-shaped in cross-section in this region or V-shaped, in such a way that the pourable material 1 of the material flow is guided by the side areas in the middle.

As a result, the material flow is subjected to high voltage breakdowns over substantially its entire width, which leads to a fragmentation of the entire material flow.

The angle of inclination of the edge regions of the conveyor belt can be adjusted in order to be able to optimally adapt the device to the material to be processed or its piece size. In the region of its ends, the conveyor belt 6 is flat.

Downstream of the electrode assembly 2, the material flow emerging from the process zone is led upwards out of the basin 16 by the conveyor belt 6 and subsequently fed to a further utilization or processing step (not shown).

Figures 14, 15, 16a and 16b show an inventive system for fragmenting pourable material 1 by means of high-voltage discharges, once in a longitudinal section along the line GG in Fig. 16a (Fig. 14), once in a plan view from above (Fig. 15) and twice in a cross section along the line HH in Fig. 14 (Figures 16a and 16b).

As can be seen, this system consists of three devices connected in series according to FIGS 11 to 13 (three stages), with the difference that each of the devices in place of the three in the material flow direction S successively arranged and staggered electrode groups 13, 12, 13 with eweils own high voltage generator 3 only one centrally positioned electrode group 13, 12, 13, each with associated high voltage generator 3 has. In addition, the angle of rise of the conveyor belt 6 with 15 degrees here is DEU Lich steeper than in the previously described third inventive device according to Figures 11 to 13. All other details are identical and therefore will not be explained again here.

Figures 16a and lob show cross-sections through the plant along the line HH in Fig. (But without pool and high-voltage generator) 14 at different settings of the inclination angles a of the edge regions of the conveyor belt shown 6, namely once at Nei ^¬ supply angles α of 23 degrees (Figure . 16a) and once at Nei ^¬ supply angles a of 33 degrees (ig. 16b).

FIGS. 17 to 19 show longitudinal sections as in FIG. 14 through different variants of one of the ^apparatuses according to FIGS. 14, 15, 16 a and 16 b.

The first variant of the device according to FIG. 17 differs from that shown in Fig. 14 Vorrich ^¬ tung characterized in that the to be processed material is fed to the feed end A of the device via an outside of the basin 16 arranged inclined screening surface 37, by means of which fine material bes with a immten piece size, eg depending on the location of the device within the plant of less than 2 mm, less than 5 mm or less than 8 mm, is screened off before entering this device.

The second device variant according to FIG. 18 differs from the device shown in FIG. 14 in that the material to be processed is placed on the conveyor belt 6 of the device at the feed end A of the device via an inclined screen surface 38 arranged inside the basin 16. by means of which fine material with a specific piece size, eg depending on the location of the device within the plant of less than 2 mm, less than 5 mm or less than 8 mm, within the basin 16 of this device but before entering the process zone is sieved.

The third device variant according to FIG. 19 consists of a device according to FIG. 18, at the discharge end of which the processed material is dispensed onto an inclined screen surface 41, through which the material fragmented to a desired size falls onto a further conveying belt 39 arranged below it. The insufficiently fragmented material travels over the screen surface 38 and falls at the end of a conveyor belt 40, with which it is conveyed back to the task end of the device and there again to be processed material stream 1 to.

The devices according to FIGS. 17 to

19 each individually form a device according to the invention.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in the present application, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and may be practiced otherwise within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method for fragmenting and / or weakening pourable material (1) by means of high-voltage discharges, comprising the steps:

a) providing an electrode arrangement (2),

which is associated with one or more high voltage generators (3), by means of which or which these can be acted upon by high voltage pulses;

b) passing a material stream of pourable material (1) by means of a material flow carrying conveyor (6; 9, 10, 11) on the electrode assembly (2), wherein the Mate ^¬ rialstrom immersed in a process liquid (5); and

c) generating high-voltage flashovers by the flow of material during the passage of guiding the same to the electrode assembly (2) by application of the electrode assembly (2) with high tensioning ^¬ voltage pulses,

wherein the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) from above into the process liquid (5) are immersed and those electrodes (12, 13) between which age the Hochspannungsdurchsch be generated depending ^¬ weils transversely (to the material passing guide direction S) with an electrode spacing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are in contact with the material flow.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are immersed in the material flow.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow of pieces of material (1) is formed, which do not exceed a certain maximum piece size, in particular do not exceed a maximum piece size in the range between 40 mm and 80 mm, and wherein the electrode spacing is greater in each case as this maximum piece size.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the high voltage breakdowns are generated such that the material flow is applied over substantially its entire width with high voltage breakdowns.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material (1) of the material stream or a part thereof downstream of the electrode assembly (2) in coarse material with a size greater than a desired target size and in fine material with a piece size less than or equal to the desired Target size is divided.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the coarse material upstream of the electrode assembly (2) is fed back into the material flow.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the coarse material is subjected to a further fragmentation or attenuation process, in particular according to one of the preceding claims.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow of pieces of material (1) is formed or pieces of material (1) which do not exceed a certain maximum piece size, in particular a maximum piece size in the range between

Do not exceed 40 mm and 80 mm, and wherein the distance between the electrodes (12, 13) to the bottom of the material flow is greater than this maximum piece size.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor (6; 9, 10, 11) at least in the region in which it passes the material flow to the electrode assembly (2), seen in cross-section trough-shaped, in particular V- is formed, in particular such that the pourable material (1) is guided by the side areas in the middle.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow is guided by means of a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt (6) on the electrode assembly (2}, wherein its edge regions in the region in which it the material flow to the electrode assembly ( 2), are curved upward, and in particular, wherein the conveyor belt (6) is flat in the region of its ends.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt (6) are adjusted.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow downstream of the region in which it is passed by the conveyor or the conveyor belt (6) on the electrode assembly (2) with the conveyor or with the conveyor belt ( 6) is conveyed upward, in particular such that it is led out of the process liquid (5) with the conveyor or with the conveyor belt (6).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a straight conveyor belt (6) is used, with a rise angle in Materialvorbeführrichtung (S) between 10 and 35 degrees.

15. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 14, wherein the conveyed with the conveyor belt (6) upwards Material flow from the discharge end of the conveyor belt (6), in particular via a device (37, 38, 41) for screening shredded material to a certain target pieces of material is placed on an underlying task end of another conveyor belt (6), with which he further fragmentation - and / or attenuation method is supplied, in particular according to one of the preceding claims,

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode assembly (2) a plurality

Electrode pairs (12, 13) or electrode groups (13, 12, 13), wherein each electrode pair or each electrode group is assigned its own high voltage generator (3), with which exclusively this pair zw. This group, in particular independent of the other pairs of electrodes or Electrode groups, with high voltage pulses is applied.

17. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow of pieces of material

(1) is formed or comprises material pieces (1), which form a composite of metallic and non-metallic materials, in particular slag pieces (1) from the waste incineration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the process liquid (5) has a conductivity of more than 500 pS / cna.

19. The method according to any one of claims 17 to

18, wherein the processed material (1) resulting from the process is divided into metallic material and non-metallic material, in particular into ferromagnetic metals, non-ferromagnetic metals and non-metallic material.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode assembly (4) for producing Supply of high voltage breakdowns by the material flow with high voltage pulses in the range between 100 KV and 300 KV, in particular in the range between 150 KV and 200 KV is applied.

21. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode assembly (2) is applied to generate the high voltage breakdowns by the material flow with high voltage pulses with a power per pulse between 100 joules and 1000 joules, in particular between 300 joules and 750 joules.

22. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode assembly {2} for generating the high-voltage breakdowns by the material flow with high-voltage pulse frequencies in the range between 0.5 Hz and 40 Hz, in particular in the range between 5 Hz and 20 Hz is applied.

23. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the material flow when passing on the electrode assembly (2) per millimeter of its extension in the direction Vorbeiführungsrichtung is applied with 0.1 to 2.0, in particular with 0.5 to 1.0 high voltage breakdowns.

24. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising: a) an electrode assembly (2), which a

or associated with a plurality of high-voltage generators (3), by means of which or which these can be acted upon by high-voltage pulses;

b) a conveyor (6; 9, 10, 11), in particular in the form of a conveyor belt (6) or a conveyor chain, at least partially arranged in a with a process liquid (5) filled or fillable basin (16, 27), with which in the intended. Operating a flow of material from a pourable to be fragmented and / or to be weakened material (1) immersed in a

Process fluid (5) on the electrode assembly (2) can be passed while high voltage breakdowns are generated by the flow of material by applying high voltage pulses to the electrode assembly (2),

wherein the device is designed such that in normal operation, the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) from above into the process liquid (5) are immersed and those electrodes (12, 13), between which the high voltage breakdowns are generated , in each case transversely to the Materialvorbeiführungsrich- direction (S) face with an electrode spacing.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the device is configured such that in best immungge as sen operation, the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) are in contact with the material flow.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the

Device is designed such that in the operation according to the operation, the electrodes (12, 13) of the electrode assembly (2) immersed i the Materialström, in particular with a distance to the bottom of the material flow of more than 40 mm, in particular more than 80 mm.

27. Device according to one of claims 24 to 26, wherein the electrode spacing in each case is greater than 40 mm, in particular greater than 80 mm.

28. Device according to one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the device is designed such that during normal operation of the material flow can be acted upon substantially over its entire width with high-voltage breakdowns.

29. Device according to one of claims 24 to 28, wherein the device downstream of the electrode assembly (2) means (37, 38, 41) with which the material (1) of the material flow or a part thereof divided v / ground in coarse material with a piece size greater than a desired target size and in fine material with a piece size smaller than or equal to the desired target size.

30. Device according to one of claims 24 to 29, wherein the electrode assembly (2) comprises a plurality of electrode pairs (12, 13) or electrode groups (13, 12, 13), and wherein each electrode pair or each electrode group a separate high voltage generator (3 ) is conces- arranged, with which only the pair or group during the intended operation can be subjected to high tension ^¬ voltage pulses.

31. Device according to one of claims 24 to 30, wherein the conveyor (6; 9, 10, 11) at least in the region in which it passes the material flow on the Elekt oden arrangement (2), seen in cross-section groove-shaped, in particular V-shaped, in particular derar that the pourable material (1) is guided by the side areas in the middle.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the conveyor (6) comprises a flexible, electrically non-conductive conveyor belt (6) with which the Mate rialstrom under intended operating conditions of the electric ^¬ the assembly (2) is passed, wherein the edge ^¬ areas in the area in which it passes the flow of material on the electrode assembly (2) are curved upwards, and in particular, wherein the conveyor belt (6) is flat in the region of its ends.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the

Inclinations of the edge regions of the conveyor belt (6) are adjustable.

34. Device according to one of claims 24 to 33, wherein the conveyor comprises a conveyor belt (6) which is designed such that in the normal operation of the device, the flow of material downstream of the area in which it with the conveyor belt (6) on the Electrode assembly (2) is passed, is conveyed with the conveyor belt (6) upwards, in particular such that it is led out with the conveyor belt (6) from the process liquid (5).

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the conveyor belt (6) is a straight conveyor belt, with a rise angle in Materialvorbeifrichtung S (S) between 15 and 35 degrees.

36. A system comprising a plurality of apparatuses arranged one behind the other in the material conveying direction (S) according to one of claims 24 to 35, wherein in the intended operation of the system the material flow conveyed with the conveyor belt (6) of a first one of the apparatuses from the delivery end thereof Conveyor belt (6), in particular via a device (37, 38) for screening pieces of material comminuted to a certain target size, onto the lower end of a conveyor belt (6), a second device following in the material conveying direction (S) on the first device is given, with which it passes on the electrode assembly (2) of this second device and thereby further fragmented and / or weakened.

37. Use of the device according to one of claims 24 to 35 or the system according to claim 36 for the fragmentation and / or weakening of material pieces. he. (1) which form a composite of non-metallic and metallic materials, in particular slag pieces (1) from waste incineration,