VINCENT KP Series Manuel
Operation & Maintenance Manual
KP-6 – KP-16
(Including KP-10L – KP-16L)
Screw Press
Vincent Corporation
2810 East 5th Avenue
Tampa, FL 33605-5638
www.vincentcorp.com
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Contents
Overview..........................................................................................................................5
Safety.....................................................................................................................5
Rigging............................................................................................................................6
Installation........................................................................................................................6
Press Components…………………………………………………………………………7
A/B/C-plates……………………………………………………………………….7
Air Regulator………………………………………………………………………7
Discharge Cone……………………………………………………………………8
Rotating Cone Option…………………………………………………………… 10
Cone Bushing…………………………………………………………………….10
Four-Bar Mechanism……………………………………………………………. 11
Discharge Spout / Spin Stop…………………………………………………….. 11
Screw / Screw Configurations……………………………………………………12
Wing Feeders……………………………………………………………………. 13
Notches………………………………………………………………………….. 14
Resistor Teeth…………………………………………………………………… 14
Screens…………………………………………………………………………... 15
Cord Cutter and Stripper Pins……………………………………………………16
Motor / Gearbox………………………………………………………………….17
A-plate Shaft Seal……………………………………………………………….. 17
Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)……………………………………………... 18
Vincent Cone Timers (VCTs)……………………………………………………18
Start Up..........................................................................................................................19
Screw Speed (RPM) ......................................................................................................19
Feeding the Press / Pre-Thickening.................................................................................20
Building a Plug...............................................................................................................21
Additional Hints.............................................................................................................21
Vacuum Effect…………………………………………………………………... 21
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Instruments……………………………………………………………………….21
Stopping the Press………………………………………………………………..22
Double Pressing…………………………………………………………………. 22
Moisture Content………………………………………………………………... 22
Compression…………………………………………………………………….. 23
Measuring Throughput………………………………………………………….. 23
Screw Life………………………………………………………………………..24
Pie Cutting………………………………………………………………………. 24
Jamming / Plugging……………………………………………………………... 26
Screen Blinding…………………………………………………………………. 26
Channeling………………………………………………………………………. 27
Purging………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Bridging…………………………………………………………………………. 28
Fluid Injection……………………………………………………………………28
Polymer Usage…………………………………………………………………...29
Press Aid………………………………………………………………………… 29
Hydrated Lime, Gypsum, and Alum…………………………………………….. 29
Cleaning…………………………………………………………………………. 29
Maintenance...................................................................................................................30
Checking Screw-to-Screen Clearance……………………………………………30
Screen Removal and Replacement……………………………………………….31
Screw Removal and Replacement………………………………………………. 32
Lubrication……………………………………………………………………….33
Maintenance Checklist...................................................................................................35
Nomenclature Drawing...................................................................................................36
Drawing for Mounting KP-6 on Stand............................................................................37
Parts List........................................................................................................................38
General Dimension Drawing..........................................................................................39
Manuals for Purchased Items........................................................................................40+
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Overview
The Vincent KP Press consists of a screw rotating within a screen housing, a flanged inlet
hopper, and a discharge opening. At the discharge end, the mouth of the screen housing is
closed by a pneumatically actuated cone which moves back and forth on the screw shaft in
proportion to the internal pressure in the screen frame. This motion is opposed by the cone
cylinder thrust, thereby regulating the discharge of solids. An air regulator is provided to adjust
the pressure on the cone. The liquids, which are squeezed from the wet product, escape through
the screen housing and are caught in a built-in pan under the screen.
The screw is driven by a fixed speed electric motor that is C-face mounted to a gearbox. The
gearbox reduces the RPM from the typical 1750 RPM output of the motor to an appropriate
speed for the application, 5 - 50 RPM. The hollow bore gearbox mounts directly on the screw
shaft and is flange mounted to the machine.
The numbers in the model designation stand for the nominal diameter of the screw in inches.
As the press has been adapted to many different applications, options have been added to the
press. These include interrupted or continuous flighted screws, conical screws where the shaft
increases in diameter, different shape inlet hoppers, different style cones, etc. As a result, not all
the information contained in this manual will apply to your press.
Safety
A screw press, like any screw conveyor, is totally unforgiving. If clothing or a limb gets
caught in a rotating screw, the screw will not stop.
Observe the following safety precautions:
Wear safety glasses around the press.
Avoid loose-fitting jewelry or clothing, including high-visibility safety vests. If vests
are required, the Velcro, tear-away type are recommended.
Always lock out electric and compressed air before working on the press.
Dewatering presses squirt liquid out, particularly if screen covers are removed. If
material is hot, acidic, or caustic, do not remove screen covers while operating.
Wear gloves when performing maintenance.
When removing the tailstock and discharge mechanism, watch for pinch points and
hinged assemblies. Be careful when removing or installing the screw and screen
when they are fed through the C-plate as this is a particular pinch point.
Never stand near a press being suspended during installation.
Provide an E-stop button near the press.
Keep hands out of the press inlet and press cake discharge area.
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Rigging
Be sure to properly support the press when lifting it from the truck. Usually a sling
positioned under the inlet hopper, on the side closest to the gearbox, finds the center of
gravity. On bigger presses, do not lift just one corner of the press, as it is possible for the
frame to deflect, shifting the screw within the press.
Installation
These presses are typically called horizontal screw presses. This doesn't mean that the
presses must be installed exactly level from inlet to discharge. Presses are occasionally
installed at an upward angle. Consult the factory if you need to install the press at an angle
above 15° as an adjustment to the gearbox may be required.
Be careful not to rack the press when tightening the mounting bolts. In the case of large
presses, do not just bolt or weld the press down to a level foundation! Instead, first place the
press where it is to be installed. Next, place shims between the press frame and the steelwork
(or floor, concrete pedestal or foundation) to fill any gap where the press is to be anchored.
Only after shimming (or grouting) should the press be pulled down tight. Doing otherwise
can rack the frame of the press, and this can cause screw-to-screen interference.
A large press must be mounted solidly, preferably to a foundation or structural steel. If a
press draws its full rated horsepower without the press being anchored to the floor, the frame
of the press can twist.
For maintenance, the screw is removed through the cake discharge end of the press. Allow
the space required for such maintenance.
To suit individual conditions, a hollow bore gearbox can be rotated 180o, 90o either way.
Consult the gearbox manual or Vincent factory in these situations as it is likely that the oil
level in the gearbox will have to be adjusted.
Material can be fed into the press many ways. You may need to allow for return of overflow
material if more is fed to the press than it can take. When material is piped to a press in a
closed piping system, it is important to have a 2" vent line open to the atmosphere, along
with an overflow return line. The vent is necessary to prevent a siphon effect which can
induce a vacuum in the inlet hopper and reduce press capacity. The return line should empty
above the surface of the return pit. The overflow should fill less than half of the cross section
of the return line.
Spill containment is a consideration which should be considered, because it may be possible
for un-pressed material to purge from the cake discharge of a press.
We recommend that a manual disconnect, for killing power to the motor, be installed close to
the press.
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A variable frequency drive (VFD) programmed for either variable speed or auto-reversing
may be required, depending on the application. If not, the use of a reversing starter switch is
recommended; they cost only a little extra. Such a switch is handy for clearing a jammed
press.
Press Components
A/B/C-plates
There are four vertical plates making up the frame of the press, called out in the
Nomenclature drawing at the end of this manual. Starting from the drive end of a press, the
first one is the Adapter Plate. The gearbox is bolted to the Adapter Plate. Through four
spacers, the Adapter Plate is welded to the A-plate. This A-plate forms one wall of the inlet
hopper. The shaft seal housing is bolted to the A-plate.
The next plate is the B-plate. It forms the downstream wall of the inlet hopper. The screen
starts at the B-plate. There may be a notch (or pair of notches), called a Cord Cutter, in the
B-plate. Also, there may be a bar called Brian's Stripper welded to the bottom of the B-plate,
inside the inlet hopper; it is designed to kiss the edge of the screw flight as it passes. These
two features prevent long fiber pieces from balling up at the exit of the inlet hopper. See the
“Cord Cutter and Stripper Pins” section ahead.
The final plate, the C-plate, supports the discharge end of the screen. The cake discharge
spout is bolted to the C-plate. The discharge cone touches the spout when the cone is in the
closed position.
Air Regulator
To regulate the air pressure of the discharge air cylinder, presses are supplied with an air
pressure regulator along with a 4-way cone positioning valve. These are typically installed
near the cone end of the press. [Until recently FRL (Filter, Regulator, Lubricator) sets were
provided to regulate air pressure. Most air cylinder manufacturers now recommend against
the use of lubricators.]
The valve allows manual selection of the shut, open, or "neutral" position. This valve
connects air supply from the regulator to one end of the air cylinder, while simultaneously
opening the other end to atmosphere. The vent line on the 4-way valve allows air to escape
when pressure is switched from one end of the air cylinder to the other.
Continuous air flow from the 4-way valve’s vent line indicates a leak inside the air cylinder,
or possibly a faulty valve.
The neutral position of the valve is used only in testing. If left in the neutral position, the
cone will not move unless it is pushed open by press cake. If, later, the flow of press cake is
diminished, the cone will remain in the position to which it was pushed, and purging can
occur.
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Regulator 4-way Valve
Discharge Cone
The principal adjustment of the press is made with the discharge cone. The cone is the
component at the cake discharge end of the press that acts as a door or stopper plug to restrict
material from leaving the press. The more pressure exerted by the discharge cone, the drier
the cake material will be leaving the press. Also, the motor amps can be expected to increase
with added pressure, and throughput may decrease.
The discharge cone is moved in (actuated) either by an air cylinder or, rarely, by weights.
Typical air cylinder pressures are in the range of 30 to 60 psi. Some materials will press only
in a low range, say 10 to 20 psi. Other materials may press best with a pressure of 60 to 100
psi. Air consumption is minimal in all models, 1 to 2 cfm.
During initial, first-time start up, presses with air cylinder actuators are generally started up
with the discharge cone in the withdrawn position. This will avoid an unnecessary jam.
With the air cylinder models, the discharge cone mechanism can readily be positioned in the
"open" (or withdrawn/"out") position.
Note that with many materials it is necessary to start the press with the discharge cone in the
closed position at low air pressure. Thin or soupy materials, like pumped manure or clarifier
underflow, can tend to purge right through the press if the press is operated with the
discharge cone open [in the withdrawn ("out") position]. However, with materials that are
dry to begin with, such as sawdust or plastic wash tank sludge, it becomes more important to
start with the discharge cone in the open position. This is because these materials may tend
to jam or overload the press. Similarly, high freeness materials, from which the water falls
away freely, will tend to jam in a press. Start the press with the cone open, then close it with
low air pressure initially, when running such materials for the first time.
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Air to cylinder
Air
Supply
Vent
Once you are through the initial startup, it will be unlikely that your press should have the
cone opened before starting. Most operators rarely open or shut the cone once it is set.
As the pressure on the discharge cone is increased, not only will the cake become drier, but
the flow through the press may also be reduced. With very slippery or slimy feed material it
may be possible to apply enough discharge cone pressure to stop the flow altogether.
High discharge cone pressures can result in increased quantities of suspended solids in the
press liquor.
Care must be taken if a press is to be left running at a very low pressure like 10 psi. If some
fiber enters between the cone bushing and the screw shaft, it will take more than that much
pressure to close a cone which has been pushed open by a heavy flow of cake. The result
will be either high moisture content in the cake or, worse, purging.
On models without air cylinders, weights used to actuate the discharge cone vary
considerably. When dewatering food waste there may be a need to minimize the amount of
solids being forced through the screen. At the other end of the scale, some KP-10s used on
dairy manure may use a 5' extension arm with a hundred pounds of weight.
With some feed materials, the press can be operated with the discharge cone in the
withdrawn position. The screw alone may do enough compressing and dewatering to
produce a cake at the discharge.
It is acceptable to open the discharge cone, in most cases, during normal operating
conditions. This allows inspection, while in operation, of the discharge end of the screw and
screen. This will give the operator a chance to observe operation with minimum dewatering
and maximum throughput. It is also a good technique for purging bad material, i.e. either
jammed or spoiled material, from the press. (Do not try this trick if you are pressing hot or
chemically aggressive materials.)
Where very low air pressure is required for proper operation, it may be practical to put the
cone positioning valve in a neutral position, halfway between open and closed. A press
cannot be left permanently in this condition: keep in mind that a slug of cake will push the
cone open, and it will not re-close on its own afterwards.
An unusual technique is to set the air pressure so that the cone normally stays completely
shut. A timer is used to periodically open the cone. The closed period is determined by the
amount of time required for press cake to accumulate in the press. This type of operation is
used with slippery or slimy press cake that cannot be dewatered to sufficient firmness to
force the cone open. The duration of the "cone open" period is long enough to dump much
of the press cake that has been formed. Vincent Cone Timer panels are available at a
minimal cost.
Once through start-up, the cone is almost always left in the closed position at whatever air
pressure has been found to be effective. A plug of cake will be left around the cone
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whenever the press is turned off; this will normally clear on its own accord on restarting the
press. To prevent a potential jam upon restarting, it is a good idea to open the cone for a few
minutes prior to shutting down the press, after flow to the press has been stopped. Although
there will be solids left in the press, they won't be highly compacted.
There are a few applications where the air cylinder is removed and replaced with a jacking
bolt. There is also a cone rocker arm set screw that can be used instead. This is used if the
cone pushes completely closed even with the lowest air pressure. It results in operating the
press with a fixed discharge annulus, or air cylinders with linear actuators are available.
Rotating Cone Option
Most KP screw presses come with an optional feature which makes the cone rotate and strip
away the press cake. The rotation is driven by two large pins mounted on the back of the
cone. These pins engage with a collar which is clamped onto the screw shaft. Press cake is
stripped away by studs on the face of the cone. These studs are in an axial position parallel
to the screw shaft. If the cake comes out too wet, shorten the length of the studs.
The rotating cone can serve multiple functions. By stripping the cake away, it can prevent
either jamming or purging. Its use generally results in wetter press cake and lower motor
amps. Most commonly it is used when all the press cake tends to channel out past one side
of the cone. It is invaluable in situations where press cake props open the cone and allows
un-pressed material to purge.
The cake will tend to co-rotate with the screw when the cone is rotating. A spin-stop bar,
welded to the inside-bottom of the cake discharge spout, prevents this. See the “Discharge
Spout/Spin Stop” section later in this manual.
Positioning the drive collar limits the maximum opening of the cone. Or, if a large amount
of cake comes from the press, the cone can run into the drive collar and force it to slip along
the screw shaft.
Disconnect the rotating cone by removing the drive pins and/or drive collar.
Cone Bushing
The cone rides on the shaft of the screw. "Cone Sleeve" is the name given to the portion of
the screw on which the cone rides. There may be a bushing in the cone to support and guide
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Autres manuels pour KP Series
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Autres manuels VINCENT Outils électriques
