Design of briquetting press - From idea to start of production

Abstract

In the engineering industry, where the main waste is metal shavings, it can be sent for reprocessing and recovered. It is completely different in the case of organic waste, e.g., sawdust or straw. From the point of view of energy recovery, they can be burned. At this point, the question arises how to realize the idea of obtaining energy from organic waste? Wood chips or sawdust are burning very quickly and are in a loose form, which makes furnace power quite bothersome. In order to extend their burning period and improve the comfort of use, it is possible to use the pressing process. The high degree of compaction of the material means that the combustion takes much longer. Briquetting presses are devices that convert uncomfortable waste into a useful product. The article presents the process of a briquetting press design − from the idea, through the design and technology development, strength calculations and the implementation of a simulation model that verifies production assumptions. The design stage of the project contains a detailed description of the dimension selection of the elements of the main hydraulic cylinder. First, calculations of the basic parts of the actuator were made. The next step was to check the individual parts using FEM. In the case of the actuator, the analysis concerns the pressing process and the return stroke. The technological stage of the project includes the selection of the appropriate technology of machining of each of the seven main elements of the actuator. The simulation phase of the project uses the model of the company's production processes. The analysis showed the necessity of providing additional storage areas in the area of production halls and providing an additional number of operators. At this stage, the assumptions regarding the number of deliveries, the size of the production batch, routes and the choice of means of transport were verified.