Device for processing a flowable medium, in particular mineral oil or synthetic oil, and method for operating such a device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- REKTOL GMBH & CO KG
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-10
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-03
AI Technical Summary
Current methods for homogenizing lubricating oil, which involve heating and stirring, are energy-intensive and do not ensure long-term stability, leading to reduced homogeneity and effectiveness over time, and the use of ultrasound waves does not consistently improve these outcomes.
A device that uses an ultrasonic unit to introduce ultrasound waves into a fluid medium, allowing homogenization at room temperature, with adjustable sound power and frequency, and a conveyor system to recirculate the mixture multiple times for enhanced homogeneity and stability, reducing energy consumption and enabling filling into ready-to-use containers.
The device achieves high homogeneity and stability in lubricating oil production with reduced energy costs, allowing for efficient production and storage without cooling, ensuring consistent performance over time.
Smart Images
Figure EP2024065946_30012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Device for processing a flowable medium, in particular mineral oil or synthetic oil, and a method for operating such a device. The present invention relates to a device for processing a flowable medium, in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, for example, API classes I, II, III, IV, and V. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for operating such a device, a computer program for carrying out such a method, and the use of such a device for processing a flowable medium. The invention is explained below with reference to the production of lubricating oil, but also applies analogously to other flowable media that are mixed with additives (chemical and physical active ingredients). The additives themselves can be liquid, viscous, or solid. Lubricating oils are one such mixture.in which a mineral oil or a synthetic oil, also referred to as a base oil, is mixed with one or typically several additives. While the available base oils are more or less the same, it is the additives that optimize the lubricating oil for a specific application. Additives can be cleaning agents, solubilizers, protective film-forming substances, lubricants, and the like, although this list is not exhaustive. In order for the lubricating oil to fully develop its effectiveness, the additives must be distributed as homogeneously as possible in the base oil. For this purpose, the additives are usually added together with the base oil into a typically heatable reaction vessel.in which an agitator is located. The additives are homogenized with the heated base oil for a certain period of time by mixing using the agitator and then removed from the reaction vessel. The resulting mixture is then the finished lubricating oil. Alternatively, the mixture can also be circulated, with the mixture removed from the reaction vessel being fed back to the same or another reaction vessel via a feed line. In addition to the highest possible homogeneity, i.e. the most even distribution of the additives in the base oil, the stability of the mixture of base oil and additives is also of great importance. Regardless of the homogeneity of the mixture after the mixing process, separation can occur over time, which can be seen, for example, in the precipitation of one or more of the additives. This significantly reduces the homogeneity of the mixture.whereby the lubricating oil can no longer exert its effect or can only do so to a reduced extent. Stability can be understood in the context of the present disclosure as a measure of the period for which a certain homogeneity of the mixture is maintained. It is known to use ultrasonic waves for homogenization in addition to or instead of the agitator. In this regard, reference is made to DE 10243 837 A1 and WO 2017 / 013424 A1. However, it has been found that the use of ultrasonic waves does not necessarily lead to increased homogeneity and increased stability. Further information on the technical field to which the present invention relates can be found in DE 4431 872 C1, EP 1800 355 B1, and DE 4016 076 A1. As mentioned,The additives are added to a reaction vessel together with the base oil and mixed together using a stirrer. This mixing process is carried out at temperatures between approximately 40 and 60°C, with the temperature to be used increasing with increased oil viscosity and the number of additives added. The energy required to heat to these temperatures is not insignificant and causes correspondingly high costs. In addition, the mixture thus obtained cannot be immediately filled into ready-to-use bottles or similar containers, but must first be conveyed to an intermediate container where the mixture can cool. This cooling process can take several days. The associated equipment and time expenditure increases the cost of the manufacturing process. The object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a device for processing a flowable medium,in particular of mineral oil or synthetic oil, with which it is possible to remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages using cost-effective means. In particular, the device should make it possible to provide a medium containing additives with a high degree of homogeneity and high stability. Furthermore, one embodiment of the present invention is based on the object of creating a method with which such a device can be operated to produce a medium with a high degree of homogeneity and high stability. Furthermore, one embodiment of the invention is based on the object of providing a computer program product for carrying out this method and proposing a use of such a device for processing a flowable medium. This object is achieved with the features defined in claims 1, 15,16 and 17. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. One embodiment of the invention relates to a device for processing a flowable medium, in particular mineral oil or synthetic oil, comprising - a reaction vessel with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, - a conveying line, which runs in particular outside the reaction vessel and connects the outlet to the inlet, - a conveying device arranged in the conveying line for conveying the medium from the outlet to the inlet, - at least one additive feed line for supplying one or more additives to the flowable medium, - an ultrasonic unit arranged in the conveying line or cooperating with the conveying line for providing ultrasonic waves and for introducing the ultrasonic waves into the flowable medium,and - a control device for controlling and / or regulating at least o the conveying capacity of the conveying device and o the frequency and / or the sound power of the ultrasonic waves provided by the ultrasonic unit. When the term "medium" is used, this is intended, depending on the context and the understanding of the person skilled in the art, to mean in particular the base oil, i.e. the mineral oil or the synthetic oil as such, or the mixture, in particular of the base oil and the additives. A distinction between the medium and the mixture does not appear to be absolutely necessary for understanding the invention. The finished, treated mixture of base oil and additive is also referred to as lubricating oil. The mixture of base oil and additives can be removed from the reaction vessel through the conveying line and returned to it. In this respect, the mixture can be circulated as often as desired, with two to four circulations,i.e., passing through the reaction vessel and the ultrasonic unit two to four times is considered sufficient in the present device to achieve the desired homogeneity and stability. The reaction vessel serves primarily as a storage container for introducing the desired amount of medium into the device. The ultrasonic waves provided by the ultrasonic unit introduce significant amounts of energy into the medium, so that it is no longer necessary to homogenize the additives in the base oil at an elevated temperature. Rather, homogenization can take place at room temperature. The associated energy can be saved. Homogenization can be carried out at room temperature. However, to achieve sufficiently high homogenization and the desired stability,The residence time of the mixture of medium and additive in the ultrasonic unit is of great importance. Furthermore, the sound power and frequency of the ultrasonic waves provided by the ultrasonic unit are of great importance for the resulting homogeneity and stability. The residence time depends essentially on the volume flow of the medium or the mixture of medium and additive through the ultrasonic unit. The volume flow can be adjusted using the conveying capacity of the conveying device. The ultrasonic unit is designed so that the sound power and / or the frequency of the ultrasonic waves it provides can be adjusted. The ultrasonic unit typically comprises a cylindrical flow reactor through which the mixture flows. This flow reactor, which can also be referred to as a resonance body,is set into vibration by ultrasonic transducers attached to it. The ultrasonic transducers, which are designed as piezo actuators, for example, convert electrical energy directly into mechanical kinetic energy, which is transferred from the resonance body to the lubricating oil. The sound power indicates how much energy is introduced into the flow reactor by the ultrasonic transducer. The sound power and the frequency at which the piezo actuators operate can be adjusted. It has proven particularly useful if the flow reactor is constructed of stainless steel, preferably 1.4404, with a wall thickness of 2 to 6 mm. Because both the residence time in the ultrasonic unit and the frequency and sound power can be optimally adjusted to the type, quantity, and properties of the additives, as well as the properties of the base oil used,Optimal homogeneity and stability can be achieved with minimal energy consumption. It is also possible to fill the resulting lubricating oil directly into ready-to-use bottles or corresponding containers without first having to allow the lubricating oil to cool. According to a further embodiment, the ultrasonic unit can be arranged between the conveying device and the inlet. It has been found that particularly high homogeneity and particularly high stability can be achieved if the ultrasonic unit is arranged between the conveying device and the inlet. In a further developed embodiment, the conveying line can have a first branching point and a second branching point, wherein the first branching point and the second branching point are connected to one another by a first sub-line and a second sub-line,and - the ultrasonic unit comprises a first subunit and a second subunit, wherein o the first subunit is arranged in the first subline or cooperates with it, and o the second subunit is arranged in the second subline or cooperates with it. In this embodiment, two subunits of the ultrasonic unit, which act on the mixture, can be connected in parallel. It is also conceivable to connect three or more than three subunits in parallel. The mixture can be passed either through only one subunit or through both subunits. This allows the volume-specific energy of the sound waves introduced into the mixture to be controlled. It can be flexibly adjusted to the desired quantity of the medium to be processed into lubricating oil.reacted. In a further developed embodiment, the at least one additive supply line can open into the conveying line between the outlet and the ultrasonic unit, and in particular between the outlet and the conveying device. The equipment complexity can be kept low, among other things, because the additive supply line and its corresponding components can be arranged close to the ground and at a short distance from the conveying line. In addition, if the additive supply line opens into the conveying line between the outlet and the conveying device, a certain degree of premixing can already be achieved in the conveying device.before the mixture enters the ultrasonic unit. In this embodiment, the desired homogeneity and stability can be achieved with reduced energy requirements. In a further embodiment, the reaction vessel can have at least one additive inlet, and the at least one additive feed line can be connected to the additive inlet. In this embodiment, the additive is not added to the feed line, but rather to the reaction vessel. This embodiment is particularly suitable when existing devices are to be retrofitted. The lids of reaction vessels often have a plurality of connections, at least one of which can be used as an additive inlet. Consequently, the additional effort for retrofitting can be kept to a minimum. A further developed embodiment can be characterized bythat an agitator is arranged in the reaction vessel. With the agitator, additional mixing can be achieved in addition to the homogenization in the ultrasonic unit. This is particularly advantageous for base oils with particularly high viscosity. According to a further embodiment, the conveying device can be a gear pump. With a gear pump, a largely pulsation-free conveyance of the medium within the device is achieved. In addition, gear pumps are well suited for conveying highly viscous media. The gear pump contributes to homogenization, so that the gear pump has a dual function, namely that of conveying and, at least to a certain extent, also that of homogenization. In a further embodiment, it may be advisable for the device to have a temperature control device with which the temperature of the medium can be adjusted. As mentioned,With the proposed device, it is not necessary to carry out homogenization at an elevated temperature. However, the temperature of the medium usually fluctuates somewhat, at least depending on the season, since the storage containers, especially for the base oil, are often located outdoors and are not heated. In order to carry out a reproducible and validatable homogenization process, the medium can be brought to a minimum temperature using the temperature control device, which approximately corresponds to the medium's maximum annual temperature. Thus, the homogenization process can always be carried out at the same inlet temperature and consequently with the same viscosity, without consuming unnecessary amounts of energy. According to a further embodiment, a viscometer can be arranged in the delivery line.with which the viscosity of the medium in the delivery line can be determined. This can be a so-called inline viscometer. To achieve good homogenization, the viscosity must not be too high. The viscosity depends, among other things, on the temperature, which can be changed using the temperature control device. If, despite the correctly set temperature, the viscosity does not reach the desired value, the temperature can be adjusted accordingly. Such deviations can be caused, for example, by batch differences in the base oil and / or additives. In this respect, redundancy can be created to carry out the homogenization process reproducibly. Both the kinematic viscosity and the dynamic viscosity can be determined. In a further developed embodiment, the device can have a medium supply line,with which the medium can be fed to the reaction vessel and / or the delivery line. In this embodiment, a high degree of automation of the homogenization process can be achieved, since the medium, in particular the base oil, can be introduced into the device via its own medium feed line. Manual feeding can be eliminated. In addition, the amount and time at which the medium can be fed can be selected. Typically, homogenization is carried out in the manner of a batch process. However, it is also possible, particularly in this embodiment, to carry out a fed-batch process, for example, whereby increased throughput rates can be achieved. In a further developed embodiment, the device can have a medium discharge line,with which the medium can be removed from the reaction vessel and / or from the delivery line. After homogenization, the finished lubricating oil can be removed from the device through the medium discharge line. For example, the lubricating oil can be fed to a further processing device, such as a filling device, with which the lubricating oil is filled into bottles or similar containers. In a further embodiment, the device can include a weighing device for determining the mass of the medium in the reaction vessel. Although modern pumps allow the volumetric flow rates to be adjusted sufficiently accurately, so that the mass ratios between the base oil and the additives can be easily deduced from the volumetric flow rates, the weighing device can be used to check whether the desired mass ratio is actually present. Redundancy is created,thereby increasing process reliability. A further developed embodiment can be characterized by the device being mounted on a mobile transport platform. The mobile transport platform can, for example, be a 1 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) or a 1 FEU (forty-foot equivalent unit) standard container. This makes it possible to transport the device flexibly from one location to another. In particular, the manufacturer of the device can largely assemble it in its own workshops and test its functionality before sending it to the customer. The effort required by the customer to commission the device is very low. In addition, the device can be made available to the customer on a loan basis, for example, so that they can test the device or so that they can use a special lubricating oil that is only required in small quantities.According to a further embodiment, the device can have - an additive supply line coupling arranged on the transport platform for connecting an additive storage container to the additive supply line, and / or - a medium supply line coupling arranged on the transport platform for connecting a medium storage container to the medium supply line, and / or - a medium discharge line coupling arranged on the transport platform for connecting a further processing device and / or a medium storage container to the medium discharge line. In this embodiment, the device can be put into operation very easily. Only the relevant storage containers need to be connected to the appropriate couplings. The device can then be put into operation. One embodiment of the invention relates to a method for processing a flowable medium,in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, with a device according to one of the previous embodiments, comprising the following steps: - Operating the conveying device at a volume flow for the medium, so that a residence time for the medium in the ultrasonic unit results, - Operating the ultrasonic unit such that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power, - Operating the temperature control device such that the medium has a kinematic viscosity, wherein - an energy quotient in the range of 25 to 70 W sec, 2 mm -2 , especially between 30 and 60 W sec 2 mm -2The energy quotient refers to a single flow through the ultrasonic unit. As mentioned, depending on the device's design, the medium can be circulated within the device. For a circulation in which the relevant volume unit flows through the ultrasonic unit multiple times, the accumulated residence time is to be divided by the number of times the ultrasonic unit flows through. In other words, the residence time, relative to an additive, describes how long this additive was exposed to the ultrasonic waves.One implementation of the invention relates to a method for processing a flowable medium, in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, with a device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - operating the conveying device at a volume flow for the medium, so that a residence time for the medium in the ultrasonic unit results, - operating the ultrasonic unit in such a way that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power and a frequency, - operating the temperature control device in such a way that the medium has a kinematic viscosity, wherein - a frequency-energy quotient in the range from 150 to 350 mm sec. -3 W -1 , especially between 200 and 300 mm sec -3 W -1In this implementation of the method, the frequency-energy quotient also applies when a unit volume of the medium flows through the ultrasonic unit once. The ultrasonic unit is designed so that the frequency of the ultrasound is adjustable. The technical effects and advantages that can be achieved with the proposed method essentially correspond to those discussed for the present device. In summary, it should be noted that when the proposed device is operated within the specified range of the energy quotient, lubricating oils with particularly high homogeneity and particularly high stability can be produced.One embodiment of the invention relates to a computer program product for carrying out a method according to the previously presented embodiment and / or for operating a device according to one of the embodiments discussed above, wherein the computer program product comprises program means for causing a control device to carry out the following steps when the computer program is executed on the control device: - operating the conveying device at a volume flow for the medium so that a residence time for the medium in the ultrasonic unit results, - operating the ultrasonic unit such that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power, - operating the temperature control device such that the medium has a viscosity, wherein - an energy quotient in the range from 25 to 70 W sec. 2 mm -2 , especially between 30 and 60 W sec 2 mm -2One implementation of the invention relates to the use of a device according to one of the embodiments discussed above for processing a flowable medium, in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil. The technical effects and advantages that can be achieved with the proposed computer program product and the use essentially correspond to those discussed for the present device. In summary, it should be noted that this allows a particularly high level of homogeneity and a particularly high level of stability to be achieved. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached drawings.Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a device according to the invention for processing a flowable medium, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention for processing a flowable medium, and Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the device according to the invention for processing a flowable medium, each based on schematic representations. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a device 101 according to the invention for processing a flowable medium based on a schematic representation. The device 101 is explained below for the processing of lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, whereby the use of the device 101 is not limited to this. The device 101 has a reaction vessel 14 with a first inlet 16, a second inlet 18 and an outlet 20. The first inlet 16 is connected to a medium supply line 22.The medium supply line 22 originates from a first medium storage container 24, which is designed in the manner of a tank, in which a base oil, in particular a mineral oil or a synthetic oil, or other flowable media 12 can be stored. Starting from the first medium storage container 24, a first medium shut-off valve 26 is arranged in the medium supply line 22, with which the medium supply line 22 can be selectively opened or closed. Starting from the first medium storage container 24 along the medium supply line 22, a first medium conveying device 28, here a gear pump, is arranged behind the first medium shut-off valve 26, with which the medium 12 can be conveyed along the medium supply line 22 and in particular from the first medium storage container 24 to the reaction vessel 14.Furthermore, a medium flow measuring device 30 for determining the volume flow of the medium through the medium supply line 22 and a second medium shut-off valve 32 are arranged between the first medium conveying device 28 and the reaction vessel 14. The second medium shut-off valve 32 can be designed as an electromechanical or pneumatic valve. The outlet 20 of the reaction vessel 14 is connected to the second inlet 18 by means of a conveying line 34. Starting from the outlet 20, a temperature control device 35 is provided, with which the medium 12 emerging from the reaction vessel 14 can be brought to a specific temperature. From the reaction vessel 14 along the conveying line 34, as seen behind the temperature control device 35, a medium discharge line 38 branches off from the conveying line 34. A third medium shut-off valve 36 and a second medium conveying device 40 are arranged in the medium discharge line 38.The medium discharge line 38 is connected to a further processing device 42 and / or a second medium storage container 44. A fourth medium shut-off valve 46 is provided within the conveying line 34, extending from the temperature control device 35. A first additive supply line 481 and a second additive supply line 482 open into the conveying line 34 behind the fourth medium shut-off valve 46, viewed from the reaction vessel 14 along the conveying line 34. The first additive supply line 481 and the second additive supply line 482 are identically constructed and each originate from an additive storage container 501, 502. Furthermore, an additive delivery unit 511, 512, an additive flow measuring device 521, 522 for determining the volume flow of the additives through the first additive supply line 481 or through the second additive supply line 482, and an additive shut-off valve 541, 542 are provided.Furthermore, a conveying device 56, which is designed as a gear pump 57, a conveying line flow measuring device 58 for determining the volume flow V through the conveying line 34, a viscometer 60 for determining the viscosity of the medium in the conveying line 34, and a temperature measuring device 62 for determining the temperature of the medium in the conveying line 34 are arranged in the conveying line 34. Viewed from the conveying device 56 along the conveying line 34, behind the temperature measuring device 62 there is a first branching point 64 with a first branching valve 66, which can be designed, for example, as a three-way valve. The conveying line 34 divides at the first branching point 64 into a first sub-line 68 and a second sub-line 70.A first sub-unit 72 of an ultrasonic unit 76 is arranged in the first sub-line 68, and a second sub-unit 74 of an ultrasonic unit 76 is arranged in the second sub-line 70. Ultrasonic waves can be generated and introduced into the medium 12 flowing through the first sub-line 68 and the second sub-line 70. The first sub-line 68 and the second sub-line 70 rejoin at a second branching point 78, which contains a second branching valve 80, which can also be designed as a three-way valve. Consequently, the medium 12 can flow through the first sub-line 68 or through the second sub-line 70, or through both the first sub-line 68 and the second sub-line 70, or the delivery line 34 can be blocked at the first branching point 64 or the second branching point 78.From the second branching point 78, the conveying line 34 leads to the aforementioned second inlet 18 of the reaction vessel 14. Furthermore, the device 101 has a weighing device 82 with which the mass of the medium in the reaction vessel 14 can be determined. Furthermore, the device 101 is provided with a control device 84, which is connected to some of the previously described components by electrical lines, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the device 101 can be controlled and / or regulated. A wireless connection is also conceivable. The device 101 can be operated in the following manner: It is assumed that the first medium storage container 24 is sufficiently filled with medium 12 and the additive storage containers 501, 502 are sufficiently filled with additive A1, A2. A base oil, in particular a mineral oil or a synthetic oil, can be used as medium 12.Cleaning substances, solubilizers, protective film-forming substances, lubricants, and the like, or prefabricated mixtures, can be used as the first additive A1 and the second additive A2. The first medium shut-off valve 26 is opened manually, although opening by means of a corresponding control with the control device 84 is also conceivable. The third medium shut-off valve 36 is closed, and the fourth medium shut-off valve 46 is open. The first medium conveying device 28 is now activated, and the second medium shut-off valve 32 is opened by the control device 84. The medium flow measuring device 30 determines the extent to which the volume flow provided by the first medium conveying device 28 corresponds to the desired volume flow. The medium 12 is conveyed into the reaction vessel 14 until the desired volume is reached.The weighing device 82 can be used to check whether the desired volume is present in the reaction vessel 14. If this is the case, the second medium shut-off valve 32 is closed and the first medium conveying device 28 is deactivated. The additive conveying units 511, 512 and the conveying device 56 are activated, and the additive shut-off valves 541, 542 are opened. The additive flow measuring devices 521, 522 can be used to check whether the desired volume flows are flowing through the first additive supply line 481 and the second additive supply line 482 into the conveying line 34. The volume flows through the first additive supply line 481 and the second additive supply line 482 can differ from one another. It is also possible for the volume flow through the first additive supply line 481 or the second additive supply line 482 to be zero.In the additive supply line in which the volume flow is zero, the corresponding additive shut-off valve 541, 542 can remain closed. As mentioned, the conveying device 56 is also activated. As a result, the medium 12 is sucked out of the reaction vessel 14 through the outlet 20. The medium 12 then flows through the temperature control device 35. The volume flow through the conveying line 34 is measured with the conveying line flow measuring device 58. The ratio of the volume flows through the first additive supply line 481 and through the second additive supply line 482 and through the delivery line 34 also determines the mixing or mass ratio between the additives A1, A2 and the medium 12. A certain mixing of the additives A1, A2 in the medium 12 already takes place in the delivery line 34 and mainly in the delivery device 56 designed as the gear pump 57.The viscosity, here the kinematic viscosity ν of the medium or, if additives are conveyed into the conveying line 34, the mixture of medium 12 and additives, in the conveying line 34 is determined using the viscometer 60, and the temperature of the medium or the mixture in the conveying line 34 is determined using a temperature measuring device 62. Since the viscosity depends on the temperature, if the measured viscosity deviates from the desired viscosity, the temperature control device 35 can be controlled accordingly using the control device 84. The measurement of the temperature and the viscosity therefore represents a certain redundancy, which, however, serves to ensure process reliability and can simplify control and / or regulation.In particular, the measured temperature and viscosity values can be subjected to a plausibility check, allowing malfunctions of the temperature measuring device 62 and / or the viscometer 60 to be detected and reported accordingly. After the medium 12 or the mixture of medium 12 and additives has flowed through the viscometer 60 and the temperature measuring device 62, the volume flow through the delivery line 34 is divided between the first sub-line 68 and the second sub-line 70, depending on the position of the first branching valve 66 and the second branching valve 80. There, ultrasonic waves with the desired sound power P and the desired ultrasonic frequency are generated by the ultrasonic unit 76 and introduced into the mixture of medium 12 and additives, as a result of which the mixture is homogenized.The homogeneity can be influenced depending on the sound power P introduced into the cylindrical or tubular flow reactor of the ultrasonic unit 76, the volume flow V through the ultrasonic unit 76 and the resulting residence time T in the ultrasonic unit 76, as well as the temperature-dependent kinematic viscosity ^ of the mixture. The use of an energy quotient EQ as a guideline has proven particularly useful; this is defined as follows: The energy quotient EQ has the unit [W sec 2 mm -2 ] and refers to a single flow through the ultrasonic unit. The dwell time T also refers to a single flow through the ultrasonic unit. Values between 30 and 60 W sec 2 mm -2have proven particularly advantageous for achieving good and stable homogeneity of additives A1, A2 in a base oil, especially in a mineral oil or a synthetic oil. EQ values above 60 also produce a homogeneous oil mixture, but the process becomes less economical in terms of energy requirements and processing times. The control device 84 adjusts the volume flow V and the temperature of the mixture as well as the sound power P such that the energy quotient EQ lies within the specified range. ν [mm sec ] P [Watt] T [sec] EQ [W sec mm ] 200 2000 6 60 Table 1: Example of the homogenization of a flowable medium with a single flow through the ultrasonic unit 76 As mentioned at the beginning, depending on the design of the ultrasonic unit 76, not only the sound power but also the frequency of the ultrasonic waves acting on the mixture can be changed.A frequency-energy quotient can therefore be defined as follows: ^. ^ ∗ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ = The frequency energy quotient EQf has the unit [mm sec -3 W -1 ]. Values between 200 and 300 mm sec -3 W -1have proven to be particularly advantageous for achieving good and stable homogeneity of the additives A1, A2 in a base oil, particularly in a mineral oil or a synthetic oil. EQf values below 200 also produce a homogeneous oil mixture, but the process becomes less economical in terms of energy consumption and process times. ν [mm sec ] P [Watt] Tav [sec] f [sec ] EQf [mm sec W ] 200 2500 10 28000 224 Table 2: Example of the homogenization of a flowable medium with repeated flow through the ultrasonic unit 76 As mentioned, the mixture can be circulated several times so that one volume unit flows through the ultrasonic unit 76 several times. The volume flow V can be changed so that different residence times T result.It is recommended that the energy quotient EQ and the frequency-energy quotient EQf lie within the specified range each time a unit of volume flows through the ultrasonic unit 76. The frequency-energy quotient EQf must lie within the specified range, taking into account the total residence time Tav = T*n, where n indicates the number of times a unit of volume has flowed through the ultrasonic unit 76. Both the energy quotient and the frequency-energy quotient can be used when upscaling the device and for comparing multiple devices. After the mixture has flowed through the ultrasonic unit 76, the two volume flows recombine through the first sub-line 68 and the second sub-line 70 at the second branching point 78. The mixture then reaches the reaction vessel 14. The mixture can now be conveyed again through the conveying line 34 and thus circulated.The additive shut-off valves 541, 542 can be closed and the additive delivery units 511, 512 deactivated so as not to change the set ratio between medium 12 and additives. Once the homogenization process is complete, the fourth medium shut-off valve 46 is closed and the third medium shut-off valve 36 is opened. The now completely homogenized mixture of medium 12 and the additives A1, A2, which can then be referred to as lubricating oil, is now fed to the further processing device 42. For this purpose, the second medium delivery device 40 is activated. In the further processing device 42, the lubricating oil can be filled into ready-to-use bottles or the like or stored in the second medium storage container 44. In Figure 2, a second embodiment of the device 102 according to the invention is also shown in a schematic representation.The essential components of device 102 of the second embodiment correspond to those of device 101 of the first embodiment, which is why only the essential differences will be discussed below. In the second embodiment, the reaction vessel 14 has a first additive inlet 881 and a second additive inlet 882, to which the first additive supply line 481 and the second additive supply line 482 are connected, respectively. Furthermore, the reaction vessel 14 is provided with an agitator 90.The essential difference in the device 102 according to the second embodiment compared to the device 101 according to the first embodiment lies in particular in the fact that the medium 12 and the additives A1, A2 are first fed to the reaction vessel 14 and mixed with one another there using the agitator 90, before the mixture is pumped through the conveyor line 34 by the conveyor device 56 and subjected to ultrasonic waves in the ultrasound unit 76. Otherwise, the mode of operation is essentially the same as that of the device 101 according to the first embodiment. In particular, in the second embodiment of the device 102, good homogeneity and high stability of the mixture of base oil and additives are achieved when the energy quotient EQ has values between 30 and 60 W sec. 2 mm -2Figure 3 shows a third embodiment of the device 103 based on a schematic representation. The device 103 according to the third embodiment is largely similar to the device 101 according to the first embodiment, but the device 103 according to the third embodiment is arranged on a mobile transport platform 92, which is formed by a container, in particular a 1 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) or a 1 FEU (forty-foot equivalent unit) standard container.In this case, two additive supply line couplings 941, 942 for connecting an additive storage container 501, 502 to the additive supply lines 481, 482, a medium supply line coupling 96 for connecting a first medium storage container 24 to the medium supply line 22, and a medium discharge line coupling 98 for connecting a further processing device 42 and / or a second medium storage container 44 to the medium discharge line 38 are arranged on the transport platform 92. The additive supply line couplings 941, 942, the medium supply line coupling 96 and the medium discharge line coupling 98 can be detachably attached to the container wall so that they can be removed during transport, for example by means of a truck or a ship, so that they do not protrude outwards beyond the containers and collide with adjacent containers.Once the transport platform 92 has been placed at the desired location, the additive storage containers 501, 502 can be connected to the additive supply line couplings 94, the first medium storage container 24 to the medium supply line coupling 96, and the second medium storage container 44 and / or the further processing device 42 to the medium discharge line coupling 98. The device 103 can then be operated in the manner described above.
[0002] List of reference symbols 101, 102, 103 Device 12 Medium 14 Reaction vessel 16 First inlet 18 Second inlet 20 Outlet 22 Medium feed line 24 First medium storage container 26 First medium shut-off valve 28 First medium conveying device 30 Medium flow measuring device 32 Second medium shut-off valve 34 Conveying line 36 Third medium shut-off valve 38 Medium discharge line 40 Second medium conveying device 42 Further processing device 44 Second medium storage container 46 Fourth medium shut-off valve 481, 482 Additive feed line 501, 502 Additive storage container 511, 512 Additive conveying unit 521, 522 Additive flow measuring devices 541,542 Additive shut-off valve 56 Conveying device 57 Gear pump 58 Conveying line flow measuring device 60 Viscometer 62 Temperature measuring device 64 First branching point 66 First branching valve 68 First sub-line 70 Second sub-line 72 First sub-unit 74 Second sub-unit 76 Ultrasonic unit 78 Second branching point 80 Second branching valve 82 Weighing device 84 Control device 86 Electrical line 881, 882 Additive inlet 90 Agitator 92 Transport platform 941, 942 Additive feed line coupling 96 Medium feed line coupling 98 Medium discharge line coupling EQ Energy quotient F Frequency P Power V̇ Volume flow T Residence time Tav Total residence time ^ Kinematic viscosity,
Claims
1. Device (101, 102, 103) for processing a flowable medium (12), in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, comprising - a reaction vessel (14) with at least one inlet (16, 18) and at least one outlet (20), - a conveying line (34) connecting the outlet (20) to the inlet (16, 18), - a conveying device (56) arranged in the conveying line (34) for conveying the medium (12) from the outlet (20) to the inlet (16, 18), - at least one additive supply line (481, 482) for supplying one or more additives (A1, A2) to the flowable medium (12), - an ultrasonic unit (76) arranged in the conveying line (34) or cooperating with the conveying line (34) for providing ultrasonic waves and for introducing the ultrasonic waves into the flowable medium (12),and - a control device (84) for controlling and / or regulating at least o the conveying capacity of the conveying device (56) and o the frequency and sound power (P) of the ultrasonic waves provided by the ultrasonic unit (76).
2. Device (101, 102, 103) according to claim 1, characterized in that the ultrasonic unit (76) is arranged between the conveying device (56) and the inlet (16, 18).
3. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that - the conveyor line (34) o has a first branching point (64) and a second branching point (78), wherein o the first branching point (64) and the second branching point (78) are connected to one another by a first sub-line (68) and a second sub-line (70), and - the ultrasound unit (76) has a first sub-unit (72) and a second sub-unit (74), wherein o the first sub-unit (72) is arranged in the first sub-line (68) or cooperates with it, and o the second sub-unit (74) is arranged in the second sub-line (70) or cooperates with it. 4.Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one additive supply line (481, 482) opens into the conveying line (34) between the outlet (20) and the ultrasound unit (76), and in particular between the outlet (20) and the conveying device (56).
5. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that - the reaction container (14) has at least one additive inlet (16, 18) and. - the at least one additive feed line (481, 482) is connected to the additive inlet (16, 18).
6. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an agitator (90) is arranged in the reaction vessel (14).
7. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying device (56) is a gear pump (57).
8. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) has a temperature control device (62) with which the temperature of the medium (12) can be adjusted.
9. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a viscometer (60) is arranged in the conveying line (34), with which the viscosity of the medium (12) in the conveying line (34) can be determined. 10.Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) has a medium supply line (22) with which the medium (12) can be guided to the reaction container (14) and / or to the conveying line (34).
11. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) has a medium discharge line (38) with which the medium (12) can be discharged from the reaction vessel (14) and / or from the conveying line (34).
12. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) comprises a weighing device (82) for determining the mass of the medium (12) located in the reaction vessel (14).
13. Device (101, 102, 103) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) is arranged on a mobile transport platform (92). 14.Device (101, 102, 103) according to claim 13, characterized in that the device (101, 102, 103) - an additive supply line coupling (941, 942) arranged on the transport platform (92) for connecting an additive storage container (501, 502) to the additive supply line (481, 482), and / or - a medium supply line coupling (96) arranged on the transport platform (92) for connecting a first medium storage container (24) to the medium supply line (22), and / or - a medium discharge line coupling (98) arranged on the transport platform (92) for connecting a. Further processing device (42) and / or a second medium storage container (44) to the medium discharge line (38).
15. A method for processing a flowable medium (12), in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, with a device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 8 to 14, comprising the following steps: - operating the conveying device (56) at a volume flow (V ) for the medium (12), so that a residence time (T) for the medium (12) in the ultrasonic unit (76) results, - operating the ultrasonic unit (76) such that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power (P), - operating the temperature control device (62) such that the medium (12) has a kinematic viscosity (ν), wherein - an energy quotient (EQ) in the range of 25 to 70 W sec 2 mm -2 , especially between 30 and 60 W sec 2 mm -216. A method for processing a flowable medium (12), in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil, with a device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 8 to 14, comprising the following steps: - operating the conveying device (56) at a volume flow (V ) for the medium (12) such that a residence time (T) for the medium (12) in the ultrasonic unit (76) results, - Operating the ultrasonic unit (76) in such a way that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power (P) and a frequency (f), - Operating the temperature control device (62) in such a way that the medium (12) has a kinematic viscosity (ν), wherein - a frequency-energy quotient (EQf) in the range of 150 to 350 mm sec -3 W -1 , especially between 200 and 300 mm sec -3 W -1amounts.
17. A computer program product for carrying out a method according to claim 15 and / or for operating a device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the computer program product comprises program means for causing a control device (84) to carry out the following steps when the computer program is executed on the control device (84): - operating the conveying device (56) at a volume flow (V ) for the medium (12) such that a residence time (T) for the medium (12) in the ultrasonic unit (76) results, - operating the ultrasonic unit (76) such that the ultrasonic waves provided by it have a sound power (P), - operating the temperature control device (62) such that the medium (12) has a viscosity, wherein - an energy quotient (EQ) in the range of 25 to 70 W sec 2 mm -2 , especially between 30 and 60 W sec 2 mm -218. Use of a device (101, 102, 103) according to one of claims 1 to 14 for processing a flowable Medium (12), in particular lubricating oil based on mineral oil or synthetic oil.