Do You Know The Application of Rotary Joint ?

The rotary joint is a rotary sealing connection device. It is installed on the rotating shaft of the equipment, with one end connected to a stationary pipeline and the other end rotating together with the equipment components.

The Main Function of Rotary Joint

1. Achieving dynamic sealing: This is the fundamental function of rotary joints. It overcomes the leakage problem of traditional fixed connections under rotating conditions, ensuring cleanliness, safety, and minimizing medium loss in the production process.

2. Transmitting multiple media: The rotary joints can transmit a wide range of media, including steam, water, thermal oil, hydraulic oil, coolant, compressed air, as well as various chemical gases and liquids, meeting the diverse needs of different processes.

3. Supporting complex movements: Through single passage, dual passage, and even multi-passagel designs, as well as different installation configurations (such as axial installation, radial installation), rotary joints can support various complex movement modes such as continuous rotation, swinging, or intermittent rotation of equipment components, greatly expanding the functionality of the equipment.

The Application of Rotary Joint

1. Plastic and rubber processing industry

In equipment such as internal mixers, open mills, and rolling mills, the drum needs to be heated or cooled to accurately control the process temperature. The rotary joint is responsible for introducing and exporting steam or cooling water into and out of the continuously rotating drum. Its stable and reliable sealing performance is directly related to the accuracy of temperature control, energy consumption level, and the quality uniformity of the final product. Efficient rotary joints help reduce heat loss and improve energy efficiency.

2. Paper industry

The dryer cylinder of a large paper machine is a critical energy consuming component that requires steam heating to dry the paper sheets. During high-speed operation of the dryer, the rotary joint is responsible for continuously feeding steam into the dryer and discharging condensed water. The long-term stability and low friction loss of its seal have a decisive impact on maintaining uniform surface temperature of the dryer, ensuring paper drying quality, improving production line speed, and reducing steam consumption.

3. Textile printing, dyeing and finishing industry

In equipment such as heat setting machines, calendering machines, and printing machines, the rollers that need to be heated also rely on rotaty joints for the circulation of thermal oil or steam. Accurate temperature control is the key to ensuring the shaping effect, feel, and color of fabrics. The reliable operation of the rotary joint ensures the effective transfer of heat medium within the high-speed rotating roller, improving process stability and product quality.

4. Machine tools and machining centers

In CNC machine tools and machining centers, rotary joints are commonly used for spindle center cooling (internal cooling) systems. It transfers coolant or compressed air to the cutting edge of the tool through a rotating spindle, achieving efficient cooling, chip removal, and extending tool life. On equipment with a rotating worktable, rotary joints can also be used to provide power for hydraulic or pneumatic fixtures on the worktable, achieving automatic clamping of workpieces.

5. Metallurgical and continuous casting equipment

In the sector section of the continuous casting machine, secondary cooling is required for the cast billet. Some cooling systems use rotary joints to circulate water inside the rotating rollers for cooling, in order to prevent deformation of the rollers due to high temperatures, extend their service life, and ensure uniform cooling of the castings. In the coiling machine and other parts of the steel rolling production line, rotary joints may also be used for medium transmission in hydraulic or lubrication systems.

6. Chemical and pharmaceutical equipment

In some production equipment with rotating reactors, dryers, or agitators, rotary joints are used to introduce or export heating/cooling media, vacuum, or inert protective gases into the rotating container. The selection of sealing materials should consider the corrosiveness of the medium, ensuring that the sealing integrity can be maintained even in harsh chemical environments, meeting the strict requirements of the process and safety production standards.

7. Construction Machinery and Special Vehicles

On the rotating platforms of concrete pump trucks, aerial work platforms, cranes, and other equipment, the hydraulic system needs to transmit power from the chassis body to the upper continuous rotating working mechanism. The multi-channel hydraulic rotary joint plays the role of the "energy umbilical cord" here, ensuring stable pressure and no leakage of hydraulic oil during the rotation process, which is the foundation for achieving flexible and reliable operation of equipment.

8. Wind power generation equipment

In the wind turbine nacelle, the hydraulic pitch system or brake system may need to transfer hydraulic oil from the fixed tower section to the rotating nacelle. The signal transmission of some monitoring systems may also be achieved through the combination of collector rings and rotary joints. Its long-term maintenance free performance is highly required in harsh environments such as high altitude, low temperature, and vibration.