Grease production system and grease production method

Abstract

A grease production system (100), as an embodiment of this grease production system, is provided with a plurality of equipment units (1-11) for continuous-type grease production, at least part of the equipment units (1-11) being portable.

Description

Grease manufacturing system and grease manufacturing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a grease manufacturing system and a method for manufacturing grease.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for preparing a urea grease, which includes the steps of (a) introducing a first feed component into a first feed zone, (b) introducing a second feed component into a second feed zone, (c) performing a first reactive mixing in a first reactive mixing zone, and (d) performing cooling mixing in a cooling mixing zone.

[0003] In the method for producing urea grease described in Patent Document 1, zones for feeding various feed components, reacting, processing urea grease, etc. are defined, and it is described that this makes it possible to obtain a variety of urea greases without making major changes to the process and equipment.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-58674

[0005] However, grease is generally a small-volume, high-mix product, and the grease base oil, thickener raw material, and additive types, as well as the presence or absence of additives, must be changed depending on the customer's required performance and application. For this reason, when using the same manufacturing equipment, thorough cleaning is required to prevent contamination.

[0006] Furthermore, some high-performance products require manufacturing in special environments such as clean rooms or specialized milling equipment. This requires additional processes, such as transferring containers in small containers within or between factories depending on the availability of equipment, and re-feeding them into processing equipment, which requires the creation of highly complex manufacturing plans and the implementation of labor-intensive tasks. As a result, the situation is prone to human error.

[0007] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables the recombination of a manufacturing process in accordance with the product specifications of a grease.

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of equipment units for producing grease, at least some of which are portable.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a technology that enables the recombination of the manufacturing process according to the product specifications of the grease.

[0010] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a grease production system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] [1. Grease Production System] A grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a plurality of equipment units for producing grease. In this specification, the term "equipment unit" refers to an assembly of a plurality of devices and parts configured to have a predetermined function as a single assembly.

[0012] In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, each equipment unit is connected and cooperates to produce grease. With the above configuration, the equipment units can be replaced as needed, making it possible to rearrange the production process according to the grease product specifications.

[0013] In addition, in a grease production system according to one embodiment of the present invention, at least a part of the equipment unit is portable. Here, in this specification, "portable" means that the installation position of the equipment unit can be moved. The method for moving the equipment unit is not particularly limited. For example, the equipment unit may be lifted from the floor and moved by a transport mechanism (e.g., a forklift) separate from the equipment unit, or may be moved by using a moving means such as casters provided on the bottom surface of the equipment unit.

[0014] According to the above configuration, at least a part of the equipment unit is portable, so that the installation location of the equipment unit can be freely selected, and the equipment unit can be freely and easily replaced, moved, and connected to other equipment units.

[0015] Furthermore, since at least a part of the equipment unit is portable, the following effects are also achieved.

[0016] First, the equipment units can be easily moved. This allows for easy movement of the units within a factory or between factories, facilitating flexible manufacturing in special environments such as clean rooms and manufacturing using specialized equipment.

[0017] Furthermore, by moving the equipment units, the distance between the equipment units can be minimized, and the length of the piping connecting the equipment units can be kept to the minimum necessary. As a result, product loss in the piping section can be reduced, and the amount of cleaning oil used to clean the piping can be reduced, resulting in cost reduction.

[0018] Furthermore, the number of piping and other parts can be reduced. This reduces the number of cleaning steps in the grease production system, leading to a reduction in the amount of cleaning oil. In addition, since cleaning is easier, contamination is less likely to occur.

[0019] Secondly, it is easy to add more equipment units. By adding more equipment units, the processing capacity can be easily increased, which results in low plant costs.

[0020] Secondly, it can easily accommodate the production of a wide variety of products. By using a dedicated equipment unit for each product and freely rearranging the equipment units that make up the grease production system according to the product specifications of the grease, it is possible to flexibly accommodate the production of a wide variety of products. In addition, it is possible to reduce the loss of base grease and the loss of time. Examples of time that can be saved include the time required for production and the time required for cleaning, heating, cooling, etc. In this specification, the term "base grease" refers to a mixture of base oil and thickener, which does not contain any additives.

[0021] The specific type of grease produced by the grease production system according to an embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited. The grease production system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied to the production of any type of grease. Examples of grease produced by the grease production system according to an embodiment of the present invention include urea grease and grease containing a soap-based thickener such as lithium or calcium. Grease produced by mixing several different types of these greases can also be used.

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an embodiment of the grease production system according to the present invention will be described by taking as an example an aspect including the following equipment units (1) to (11) as a plurality of equipment units: (1) a base grease raw solution preparation unit that prepares a raw solution used to produce a base grease containing a base oil and a thickener; (2) a base grease raw material storage unit that stores the raw solution prepared in the base grease raw material solution preparation unit; (3) a base grease reaction unit that reacts the raw solution to produce a base grease; (4) a base grease storage unit that stores the base grease; (5) a mixing unit that mixes the base grease, additives, and diluent oil to produce a grease composition; (6) an additive unit that stores additives to be added to the base grease; (7) a diluent oil unit that stores diluent oil to be added to the base grease; (8) a milling unit that homogenizes the base grease or the grease composition; (9) a product storage unit that stores the base grease or the grease composition that has been homogenized; (10) a filling unit that fills the base grease or the grease composition from the product storage unit into a container; and (11) a heat exchanger unit that heats and cools the base grease.

[0023] The grease production system according to this embodiment is equipped with the equipment units (1) to (11) described above, and is therefore capable of producing a heat-treated base grease and a grease composition containing the base grease as products.

[0024] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and by appropriately rearranging the equipment units provided in the grease production system, it is also possible to create a production system for producing a different type of base grease or a grease composition containing that base grease as a product. For example, if the base grease is not subjected to heat treatment, the heat exchanger unit can be omitted from the equipment units provided in the grease production system.

[0025] (Grease production system 100) An overview of the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram that schematically illustrates the configuration of the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the grease production system 100 includes a plurality of equipment units 1 to 11 for grease production, a transport mechanism 30, and an automated multi-story warehouse 40. The transport mechanism 30 is a mechanism for transporting the equipment units 1 to 11 to predetermined positions on the production line of the grease production system 100. The automated multi-story warehouse 40 is a warehouse for storing equipment units 12 that are not being used in the production process until they are to be used.

[0026] (Multiple Equipment Units) The grease production system 100 according to this embodiment includes multiple equipment units for producing grease, including a base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1, a base grease raw material storage unit 2, a base grease reaction unit 3, a base grease storage unit 4, a mixing unit 5, an additive unit 6, a dilution oil unit 7, a milling unit 8, a product storage unit 9, a filling unit 10, and a heat exchanger unit 11.

[0027] (Base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1) The base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 is an equipment unit having the function of preparing a raw material solution used to manufacture a base grease. The base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 includes a tank 13 that contains raw materials for preparing the raw material solution, and an agitator 14. By including the agitator 14, the raw material solution can be dissolved or mixed, or both dissolved and mixed.

[0028] The configuration of the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately modified as long as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 may include components or devices other than those described above. Examples of such components or devices include heating and cooling devices, generated gas recovery devices, and pump devices.

[0029] The grease production system 100 includes one base grease stock solution preparation unit 1. In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, the number of base grease stock solution preparation units 1 can be adjusted as needed, and one or more may be provided. For example, when multiple types of base grease stock solution are prepared individually, it is preferable to provide multiple base grease stock solution preparation units 1 corresponding to the number of types of base grease stock solutions. It is also preferable to prepare a dedicated equipment unit 1 as the base grease stock solution preparation unit 1 for each type of grease to be produced (i.e., for each product).

[0030] As an example, a case where urea grease is produced using the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. In producing urea grease, an isocyanate solution, a first amine solution (aliphatic amine), and a second amine solution (cyclic or aromatic amine) are mixed in any desired ratio to produce a base grease raw material solution. In this case, the grease production system 100 can be configured to include at least three base grease raw material solution preparation units 1. This allows the isocyanate solution, the first amine solution, and the second amine solution to be individually prepared in their own dedicated base grease raw material solution preparation units 1. Furthermore, since the physical properties of the raw materials vary, and the time required for dissolution and volatility are expected to differ, different temperature adjustments and dissolution time adjustments may be required. In this case, it is preferable to have multiple units.

[0031] (Base grease raw material storage units 2a, 2b) The base grease raw material storage units 2a, 2b are equipment units that have the function of storing the raw material solution prepared in the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1. Each of the base grease raw material storage units 2a, 2b is a tank unit equipped with a temperature control jacket, and is equipped with a tank 13 that contains the prepared raw material solution, and a temperature control jacket (not shown). The tank 13 may be a vertical storage tank with a simple structure, a floating roof storage tank, or the like. In the following description, the two base grease raw material storage units 2a, 2b included in the grease production system 100 may not be distinguished from one another and may be simply referred to as the base grease raw material storage unit 2.

[0032] The configuration of the base grease raw material storage unit 2 is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified as appropriate as long as the base grease raw material storage unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the base grease raw material storage unit 2 may be equipped with components or equipment other than those described above. Examples of such components or equipment include heating and cooling equipment, measuring instruments, generated gas recovery devices, and pumping devices. Examples of pumping devices include vane pumps, screw pumps, gear pumps, and mono-type pumps. Furthermore, the base grease raw material storage unit 2 may be equipped with a double-motion agitator for stirring high-viscosity grease.

[0033] The grease production system 100 is equipped with two base grease raw material storage units 2a, 2b. In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, the number of base grease raw material storage units 2 can be adjusted as needed, and one or more base grease raw material storage units 2 can be provided. For example, when the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 prepares multiple types of base grease raw material solutions separately, it is preferable to provide multiple base grease raw material storage units 2 corresponding to the number of types of base grease raw material solutions so that the prepared base grease raw material solutions can be stored separately. As an example, when urea grease is produced using the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment, the system can be configured to include at least three base grease raw material storage units 2 so that three types of base grease raw material solutions, namely an isocyanate solution, a first amine solution (aliphatic amine), and a second amine solution (cyclic or aromatic amine), can be stored separately.

[0034] (Base grease reaction unit 3) The base grease reaction unit 3 is an equipment unit that has the function of reacting the raw material solution to produce a base grease. The base grease reaction unit 3 is provided downstream of the base grease raw material storage unit 2 in the production line of the grease production system 100. Herein, based on the direction of fluid flow within the grease production system 100, the downstream side of the flow will be referred to as the "downstream" of the production line, and the upstream side of the flow will be referred to as the "upstream" of the production line.

[0035] The base grease reaction unit 3 is equipped with a base grease production device 16 that mixes multiple raw materials at high speed to produce the base grease. The base grease production device 16 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include conventionally known base grease production devices used for producing the base grease by applying high shear force to base grease raw materials. For example, the grease production device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-115109 can be used.

[0036] The base grease reaction unit 3 is also equipped with a flow rate adjustment mechanism 15 that adjusts the flow rate of the raw material solution introduced into the base grease reaction unit 3. An example of the flow rate adjustment mechanism 15 is a mechanism that adjusts the flow rate of a pump in response to a signal from an ultrasonic flow meter. The base grease reaction unit 3 may also be equipped with an ultrasonic flow meter that measures the flow rate of the raw material solution introduced into the base grease reaction unit 3.

[0037] The configuration of the base grease reaction unit 3 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately changed as long as the base grease reaction unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the base grease reaction unit 3 may be equipped with components or equipment other than those described above. Examples of such components or equipment include heating and cooling devices.

[0038] (Base grease storage unit 4) The base grease storage unit 4 is an equipment unit having the function of storing the base grease. The base grease storage unit 4 is provided downstream of the base grease reaction unit 3 in the production line of the grease production system 100.

[0039] The base grease storage unit 4 can include a tank 17 having a floating roof tank structure and an agitator 18. By including the agitator 18, it is possible to agitate the base grease in the tank 17. By agitating the base grease with the agitator 18, the base grease is softened by shear, making it easier to discharge the base grease from the tank 17 and reducing loss of production time.

[0040] The configuration of the base grease storage unit 4 is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified as appropriate as long as the base grease storage unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the base grease storage unit 4 may include components or devices other than those described above. Examples of such components or devices include a heating device. Heating the base grease using a heating device softens the base grease, facilitating and stabilizing the discharge of the base grease from the tank 17, thereby reducing lost production time.

[0041] In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, the number of base grease storage units 4 can be adjusted as needed, and one or more can be provided. For example, a plurality of base grease storage units 4 can be provided according to the number of types of base grease. As an example, in the case of producing urea grease using the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment, multiple types of base greases can be produced by blending any ratio from 100% first amine solution (aliphatic amine) to 100% second amine solution (cyclic or aromatic amine). In such a case, a configuration can be adopted in which a plurality of base grease storage units 4 is provided according to the number of types of base grease so that the multiple types of base grease can be stored individually.

[0042] (Mixing unit 5) The mixing unit 5 is an equipment unit having the function of mixing a base grease, additives, and diluent oil to produce a grease composition. The mixing unit 5 is provided downstream of the base grease storage unit 4 in the production line of the grease production system 100. The mixing unit 5 may be a portable equipment unit or a fixed type.

[0043] The mixing unit 5 has an agitation tank equipped with a double-motion agitator (not shown). By providing the agitation tank with a double-motion agitator (not shown), the base grease, additives, and diluent oil can be mixed.

[0044] The configuration of the mixing unit 5 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately changed as long as the mixing unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the mixing unit 5 may include components or devices other than those described above. Examples of such components or devices include a heating and cooling device, a pump device, and the like.

[0045] (Additive unit 6) The additive unit 6 is an equipment unit having the function of storing additives to be added to the base grease. The additive unit 6 is provided upstream of the mixing unit 5 in the production line of the grease production system 100. The additive unit 6 is a portable equipment unit.

[0046] The additive unit 6 includes a tank 13 that stores additives and one agitator 14. The addition of the agitator 14 allows the additives to be mixed. The configuration of the additive unit 6 is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified as appropriate as long as the additive unit can perform its intended function. The additive unit 6 may also include components or equipment other than those described above. Examples of such components or equipment include a heating device. For example, when the additive has a high viscosity, the manufacturing time can be shortened by using a heating device from the viewpoint of dissolving and mixing.

[0047] The additive unit 6 preferably has the same configuration as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1. As a result, if multiple equipment units having the same configuration are prepared, they can be used as both the additive unit 6 and the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1. As a result, there is no need to prepare multiple types of equipment units with different configurations, such as an equipment unit for the additive unit 6 and an equipment unit for the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1. This eliminates the need to prepare more types of equipment units than necessary, leading to a reduction in the number of types of parts. Here, the phrase "having the same configuration" means that two or more equipment units are composed of the same types of parts and devices. For example, it means that the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 and the additive unit 6 are composed of the same types of parts and devices. It is preferable to prepare a dedicated equipment unit as the additive unit 6 for each type of grease to be manufactured (i.e., for each product).

[0048] (Dilution oil unit 7) The dilution oil unit 7 is an equipment unit that has the function of storing dilution oil to be added to the base grease. The dilution oil unit 7 is provided upstream of the mixing unit 5 in the production line of the grease production system 100. The dilution oil unit 7 is a portable equipment unit.

[0049] The dilution oil unit 7 includes a tank 13 that stores dilution oil, and one agitator 14. By including the agitator 14, the dilution oil can be mixed.

[0050] The configuration of the dilution oil unit 7 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately changed as long as the dilution oil unit can perform the intended function. In addition, the dilution oil unit 7 may include parts or equipment other than those described above.

[0051] (Milling unit 8) The milling unit 8 is an equipment unit having the function of homogenizing the base grease or the grease composition. The milling unit 8 is provided downstream of the mixing unit 5 in the production line of the grease production system 100. The milling unit 8 is a portable equipment unit.

[0052] The milling unit 8 is individually equipped with devices such as a roll mill, colloid mill, and homogenizer, which enable the base grease or grease composition to be homogenized. These devices are not particularly limited, and examples include conventionally known mills, homogenizers, and the like, which are used for the purpose of homogenizing the base grease or grease composition.

[0053] The configuration of the milling unit 8 is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified as needed as long as the milling unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the milling unit 8 may include components or devices other than those described above. Examples of such components or devices include a pump device.

[0054] (Product Storage Unit 9) The product storage unit 9 is an equipment unit that has the function of storing the homogenized base grease or grease composition. The product storage unit 9 is provided downstream of the milling unit 8 in the production line of the grease production system 100. The product storage unit 9 is a portable equipment unit.

[0055] The product storage unit 9 includes a tank 17 having a floating roof tank structure and an agitator 18. The provision of the agitator 18 makes it possible to agitate the base grease or grease composition in the tank 17. By agitating the base grease or grease composition with the agitator 18, the base grease or grease composition is softened by shear, making it easier to discharge the base grease or grease composition from the tank 17 and reducing loss of production time.

[0056] The configuration of the product storage unit 9 is not limited to the above configuration and can be modified as needed as long as the product storage unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the product storage unit 9 may include components or equipment other than those described above. Examples of such components or equipment include a heating device and a pump device.

[0057] (Filling unit 10) The filling unit 10 is an equipment unit that has the function of filling the container C with the base grease or the grease composition from the product storage unit 9. The filling unit 10 is equipped with a supply pump, a filter device, and a filling machine, none of which are shown. The filling unit 10 is a portable equipment unit.

[0058] The configuration of the filling unit 10 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately changed as long as the filling unit can perform the intended function. In addition, the filling unit 10 may include parts or devices other than those described above.

[0059] (Heat exchanger unit 11) The heat exchanger unit 11 is an equipment unit that has the function of heating and cooling the base grease. In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, the heat exchanger unit 11 is an equipment unit that is provided as needed. When the grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the heat exchanger unit 11, the heat exchanger unit 11 is preferably disposed between the base grease reaction unit 3 and the base grease storage unit 4 in the production line of the grease production system 100, as shown in FIG. 1 .

[0060] The heat exchanger unit 11 is equipped with a special heat exchanger 19 that heats and then cools the base grease. By providing the special heat exchanger 19, the base grease can be heated and cooled. In addition to the special heat exchanger 19, any conventionally known heat exchanger used for heating and cooling the base grease can be used.

[0061] The configuration of the heat exchanger unit 11 is not limited to the above configuration and can be appropriately changed as long as the heat exchanger unit can perform its intended function. Furthermore, the heat exchanger unit 11 may include components or equipment other than those described above. Examples of such components or equipment include a heat medium supply device and a pump device.

[0062] (Directions of introduction and delivery of fluid to and from each equipment unit) The black arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the directions of introduction and delivery of fluid to and from the equipment units. Introduction and delivery of fluid to and from the equipment units can be performed through piping or the like. For example, in the grease production system 100, circulation piping (not shown) is installed within the base grease raw material storage unit 2; within the mixing unit 5; between the mixing unit 5 and the milling unit 8; and between the mixing unit 5 and the heat exchanger unit 11, respectively, to enable circulation of fluid between the equipment units.

[0063] In the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment, the raw material solution can be introduced into the base grease reaction unit 3 from at least one of the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 and the base grease raw material storage unit 2. From the viewpoint of stabilizing the flow rate of the pump that supplies the raw material solution to the base grease reaction unit 3 and from the viewpoint of continuous operation, it is preferable to temporarily store the base grease raw material solution from the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 in the base grease raw material storage unit 2 and then introduce the raw material solution from the base grease raw material storage unit 2 into the base grease reaction unit 3, rather than introducing the raw material solution directly from the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 into the base grease reaction unit 3.

[0064] In addition, in the grease production system 100 according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the mixing unit 5, additive unit 6, diluent oil unit 7, milling unit 8, product storage unit 9, and filling unit 10 are portable equipment units, but the present invention is not limited to this. In a grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention, at least some of the equipment units can be portable, and the types of portable equipment units can be appropriately selected as needed. For example, the mixing unit, additive unit, and diluent oil unit may be portable; the mixing unit, additive unit, diluent oil unit, and milling unit may be portable; or the mixing unit, additive unit, diluent oil unit, milling unit, and product storage unit may be portable.

[0065] By making at least the mixing unit, additive unit, and dilution oil unit of the multiple equipment units included in the grease production system according to one embodiment of the present invention portable, the piping distance can be shortened, which in turn reduces pressure loss and enables steady operation in a short time. Furthermore, the shorter piping distance simplifies cleaning, thereby reducing the risk of contamination. Furthermore, the cost of replacing piping is reduced, making it easier to replace piping and reducing the risk of contamination.

[0066] The effect of simplifying cleaning will be explained below with a specific example. For example, when products are run through pipes of a typical length of about 5 to 10 meters, pre-wash grease may be poured into the pipes to clean them. In this case, even if a sufficient amount of pre-wash grease is poured in, it may not be possible to completely wash away all the grease remaining inside the pipes. Furthermore, when the pipes are long, special tools may be used for cleaning in addition to flushing with pre-wash grease, which increases the cost of cleaning.

[0067] On the other hand, if the length of the piping can be shortened to about several tens of centimeters, the possibility of the grease not being able to flow completely can be reduced, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.In addition, if the piping is short, there is no need to use special tools for cleaning, and the piping can be easily replaced, reducing the costs associated with cleaning and replacing the piping.

[0068] Furthermore, among the multiple equipment units included in the grease production system according to one embodiment of the present invention, at least the mixing unit, additive unit, dilution oil unit, and milling unit are portable, thereby shortening the piping distance connecting these equipment units, thereby achieving the above-mentioned advantages of shorter piping distances.

[0069] Furthermore, among the multiple equipment units included in the grease production system according to one embodiment of the present invention, at least the mixing unit, additive unit, diluent oil unit, milling unit, and product storage unit are portable, thereby shortening the piping distances connecting these equipment units, thereby achieving the aforementioned benefits of shorter piping distances.

[0070] Furthermore, by making at least the mixing unit, additive unit, dilution oil unit, milling unit, product storage unit, and filling unit portable among the multiple equipment units included in the grease production system according to one aspect of the invention, as in the grease production system 100 according to this embodiment, the piping distances connecting these equipment units can be shortened, thereby achieving the above-mentioned advantages of shorter piping distances.

[0071] (Transport Mechanism 30) The transport mechanism 30 is a mechanism for transporting portable equipment units to predetermined positions in the grease production system 100. The transport mechanism 30 includes a stacker crane 31 and a transfer conveyor 32.

[0072] 1, the provision of the transfer mechanism 30 makes it possible to remove the equipment units 12 stored in the automated warehouse 40 by the stacker crane 31 and transfer them to predetermined positions in the grease production system 100 by the transfer conveyor 32. In addition, the transfer conveyor 32 makes it possible to adjust the distance between the equipment units in the grease production system 100.

[0073] Furthermore, the equipment units can be moved to locations appropriate for the grease manufacturing process by the transfer conveyor 32. For example, the product storage unit 9, which stores the homogenized base grease or grease composition, is transported by the transfer conveyor 32 to a position where the filling unit 10 is installed during the filling process of filling the base grease or grease composition into a container C. The open arrows in Figure 1 indicate the movement of the equipment units on the transfer conveyor 32.

[0074] 1 illustrates an example in which the conveying mechanism 30 includes a stacker crane 31 and a transfer conveyor 32, but the conveying mechanism 30 is not limited to this. The conveying mechanism 30 may be a conventionally known conveying device used for the purpose of conveying an object, and for example, the equipment unit may be conveyed by a forklift or the like.

[0075] (Automated warehouse 40) The automated warehouse 40 stores equipment units 12 that are not used in the manufacturing process. Each equipment unit after use is transported to the automated warehouse 40 and may be stored there until it is next used in the manufacturing process. Each used equipment unit transported to the automated warehouse 40 may be periodically cleaned, such as its tank, for the purpose of maintaining the equipment unit. After cleaning, the equipment unit is stored in the automated warehouse 40 until it is next used.

[0076] 2. Grease Manufacturing Method Hereinafter, a grease manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0077] In this embodiment, an example of carrying out a grease production method including the following steps (a) to (f) using the above-mentioned grease production system 100 will be described: (a) a base grease raw material solution preparation step in which a raw material solution used to produce a base grease containing a base oil and a thickener is prepared; (b) a base grease reaction step in which the raw material solution is reacted to produce a base grease; (c) a mixing step in which the base grease, additives, and diluent oil are mixed to produce a grease composition; (d) a milling step in which the base grease or the grease composition is homogenized; (e) a filling step in which the base grease or the grease composition after the milling step is filled into a container; and (f) a heat treatment step in which the base grease is heated and cooled.

[0078] By including steps (a) to (f) in the grease manufacturing method according to this embodiment, it is possible to manufacture a heat-treated base grease and a grease composition containing the base grease as products. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the base grease is not heat-treated, step (f) can be omitted.

[0079] (Step (a): Base grease stock solution preparation step) First, in step (a), a base grease stock solution used to produce a base grease containing a base oil and a thickener is prepared in a base grease stock solution preparation unit 1. The base grease stock solution prepared in step (a) may be one type or multiple types. When multiple types of base grease stock solutions are prepared individually, it is preferable to provide multiple base grease stock solution preparation units 1 corresponding to the number of types of stock solutions.

[0080] The type of base grease stock solution prepared in step (a) is not particularly limited. The type of base grease stock solution can be appropriately selected depending on the type of grease to be produced. Furthermore, the treatment conditions in the base grease stock solution preparation unit 1 can be appropriately selected depending on the base grease stock solution to be prepared.

[0081] The raw material solutions prepared in the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 are stored in separate base grease raw material storage units 2 for each type of raw material solution.

[0082] (Step (b): Base Grease Reaction Step) In step (b), the base grease raw material solution is reacted in the base grease reaction unit 3 to produce a base grease.

[0083] In step (b), the base grease reaction unit 3 introduces and reacts a plurality of the base grease raw solutions from either one or more base grease raw solution preparation units 1 and one or more base grease raw material storage units 2, or from both one or more base grease raw material preparation units 1 and one or more base grease raw material storage units 2. In step (b), from the viewpoint of completing the reaction without waste, it is preferable to react the base grease raw material solution while adjusting the flow rate of the base grease raw material solution introduced into the base grease reaction unit 3 using a flow rate adjustment mechanism 15.

[0084] The reaction conditions in the base grease reaction unit 3 can be selected appropriately depending on the base grease raw material solution used in the reaction.

[0085] The base grease produced in the base grease reaction unit 3 exits the base grease reaction unit 3 and is introduced into a heat exchanger unit 11 to undergo heat treatment.

[0086] (Step (f): Heat Treatment Step) When step (f) is performed, it is performed between steps (b) and (c). In step (f), the base grease is heated and cooled in the heat exchanger unit 11. Heating the base grease completes the reaction and stabilizes the crystalline form of the thickener. Cooling the base grease also has the effects of preventing side reactions, thermal degradation, and evaporation of the raw materials.

[0087] In step (f), the base grease is introduced from the base grease reaction unit 3 into the heat exchanger unit 11 or from the base grease storage unit 4 into the heat exchanger unit 11 .

[0088] The conditions for the heat treatment in the heat exchanger unit 11 can be selected appropriately depending on the base grease raw material solution used in the reaction.

[0089] The base grease heat-treated in the heat exchanger unit 11 is stored in a base grease storage unit 4. A portion of the base grease stored in the base grease storage unit 4 is introduced into a mixing unit 5 to produce a grease composition. Another portion of the base grease stored in the base grease storage unit 4 leaves the base grease storage unit 4 and is introduced into a milling unit 8 to undergo a homogenization treatment to produce a base grease product.

[0090] (Step (c): Mixing Step) In step (c), the base grease, additives, and diluent oil are mixed in the mixing unit 5 to produce a grease composition.

[0091] In step (c), the mixing unit 5 introduces the base grease, additives, and diluent oil from the base grease storage unit 4, additive unit 6, and diluent oil unit 7, respectively, and mixes them to produce a grease composition. An equipment unit having the same configuration as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit 1 used in step (a) can be used as the additive unit 6. This allows equipment units having the same configuration to be used in a plurality of different production steps, eliminating the need to prepare more types of equipment units than necessary, and leading to a reduction in the number of types of parts.

[0092] The types and amounts of additives and diluent oils added to the base grease can be appropriately selected depending on the grease composition to be produced. The additives added to the base grease can be any conventional additives used in the production of grease. The diluent oil added to the base grease can be any conventional diluent oil used in the production of grease.

[0093] The mixing conditions in the mixing unit 5 can be selected appropriately depending on the base grease, additives, and diluent oil used for mixing, and on the specifications of the grease composition product to be produced.

[0094] The grease composition produced in the mixing unit 5 exits the mixing unit 5 and is introduced into a milling unit 8 to undergo a homogenization treatment.

[0095] (Step (d): Milling Step) In step (d), the base grease or the grease composition is homogenized in a milling unit 8. By homogenizing the base grease or the grease composition, the dispersion state of the thickener can be made uniform, and the quality can be stabilized.

[0096] In step (d), the milling unit 8 introduces the base grease from the base grease storage unit 4 and homogenizes it. Alternatively, the milling unit 8 introduces the grease composition from the mixing unit 5 and homogenizes it.

[0097] The conditions for the homogenization treatment in the milling unit 8 can be selected appropriately depending on the base grease or grease composition to be treated and on the specifications of the base grease product or grease composition product to be produced.

[0098] The base grease or grease composition homogenized in the milling unit 8 is supplied to a product storage unit 9 or a filling unit 10, respectively.

[0099] (Step (e): Filling Step) In step (e), the base grease or grease composition after the milling step is filled into a container C in a filling unit 10. The filling unit 10 fills the container C with the homogenized base grease or grease composition stored in the product storage unit 9.

[0100] According to the above-described method for producing grease, it is possible to easily accommodate the production of a wide variety of products.

[0101] The grease production system according to aspect 1 of the present invention includes a plurality of equipment units for producing grease, at least some of which are portable, thereby providing a technology that enables the production process to be reconfigured according to the product specifications of the grease.

[0102] A grease production system according to Aspect 2 of the present invention is the same as Aspect 1 above, except that the multiple equipment units include the following equipment units (1) to (10): (1) a base grease raw material solution preparation unit that prepares a raw material solution used to produce a base grease containing a base oil and a thickener; (2) a base grease raw material storage unit that stores the raw material solution prepared in the base grease raw material solution preparation unit; (3) a base grease reaction unit that reacts the raw material solution to produce a base grease; (4) a base grease storage unit that stores the base grease; (5) a mixing unit that mixes the base grease, additives, and diluent oil to produce a grease composition; (6) an additive unit that stores additives to be added to the base grease; (7) a diluent oil unit that stores diluent oil to be added to the base grease; (8) a milling unit that homogenizes the base grease or the grease composition; (9) a product storage unit that stores the base grease or the grease composition that has been homogenized; (10) a filling unit that fills a container with the base grease or the grease composition from the product storage unit; and optionally, the following equipment unit (11): (11) a heat exchanger unit that heats and cools the base grease. The heat exchanger unit may be disposed between the base grease reaction unit and the base grease storage unit.

[0103] This makes it possible to easily accommodate multi-product production.

[0104] The grease production system according to Aspect 3 of the present invention may include a plurality of base grease raw material solution preparation units and a plurality of base grease raw material storage units in the above-described Aspect 2. This makes the grease production system according to one aspect of the present invention applicable to a production process in which a base grease is produced by reacting a plurality of types of base grease raw material solutions.

[0105] A grease production system according to Aspect 4 of the present invention is the grease production system according to Aspects 2 or 3 above, wherein the base grease reaction unit introduces the raw material solution from at least one of the base grease raw material solution preparation unit and the base grease raw material storage unit, and the base grease reaction unit may be equipped with a flow rate adjustment mechanism that adjusts the flow rate of the raw material solution introduced into the base grease reaction unit. This allows the piping distance connecting these equipment units to be shortened. As a result, the shorter piping distance reduces the costs associated with cleaning and replacing piping, and the risk of contamination can be reduced.

[0106] A grease production system according to aspect 5 of the present invention is any one of aspects 2 to 4 above, wherein the base grease storage unit introduces the base grease from the base grease reaction unit, or, if the grease production system is equipped with a heat exchanger unit, the base grease storage unit may introduce the heat-treated base grease from the heat exchanger unit.

[0107] A grease production system according to Aspect 6 of the present invention is any one of Aspects 2 to 5 above, wherein the additive unit, the dilution oil unit, and the mixing unit are preferably portable. This allows the piping distance connecting these equipment units to be shortened. As a result, the short piping distance reduces the costs associated with cleaning and replacing piping, and the risk of contamination can be reduced.

[0108] A grease production system according to Aspect 7 of the present invention is any one of Aspects 2 to 6, wherein the milling unit is preferably portable. This allows the piping distance connecting these equipment units to be shortened. As a result, the shorter piping distance reduces the costs associated with cleaning and replacing the piping, and the risk of contamination can be reduced.

[0109] A grease production system according to Aspect 8 of the present invention is any one of Aspects 2 to 7, wherein the product storage unit is preferably portable. This allows the piping distance connecting these equipment units to be shortened. As a result, the shorter piping distance reduces the costs associated with cleaning and replacing piping, and the risk of contamination can be reduced.

[0110] A grease production system according to Aspect 9 of the present invention is any one of Aspects 2 to 8, wherein the filling unit is preferably portable. This allows the piping distance connecting these equipment units to be shortened. As a result, the shorter piping distance reduces the costs associated with cleaning and replacing piping, and the risk of contamination can be reduced.

[0111] A grease production system according to Aspect 10 of the present invention is any one of Aspects 2 to 9, wherein the additive unit preferably has the same configuration as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit. This allows equipment units having the same configuration to be used as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit and the additive unit, eliminating the need to prepare more types of equipment units than necessary, leading to a reduction in the number of types of parts.

[0112] A grease manufacturing method according to Aspect 11 of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a grease by the grease manufacturing system according to any one of Aspects 1 to 10 above, and includes the following steps (a) to (e): (a) a base grease raw material solution preparation step of preparing a raw material solution used to manufacture a base grease containing a base oil and a thickener; (b) a base grease reaction step of reacting the raw material solution to produce a base grease; (c) a mixing step of mixing the base grease, an additive, and a diluent oil to manufacture a grease composition; (d) a milling step of homogenizing the base grease or the grease composition; (e) a filling step of filling a container with the base grease or the grease composition after the milling step, and optionally including the following step (f): (f) a heat treatment step of heating and cooling the base grease, and the heat treatment step is performed between the base grease reaction step and the mixing step.

[0113] This makes it possible to easily accommodate multi-product production.

[0114] In the method for producing a grease according to Aspect 12 of the present invention, in Aspect 11 described above, it is preferable that the base grease raw material solution preparation step is carried out using an equipment unit having the same configuration as an equipment unit that stores the additives used in the mixing step.

[0115] This allows equipment units having the same configuration to be used in a plurality of different manufacturing processes, eliminating the need to prepare more types of equipment units than necessary, which leads to a reduction in the number of types of parts.

[0116] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0117] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Grease raw material solution preparation unit 2 Grease raw material storage unit 3 Grease reaction unit 4 Grease storage unit 5 Mixing unit 6 Additive unit 7 Dilution oil unit 8 Milling unit 9 Product storage unit 10 Filling unit 11 Heat exchanger unit 15 Flow rate adjustment mechanism 100 Grease manufacturing system

Claims

1. A grease manufacturing system comprising a plurality of equipment units, at least a part of which is portable, for manufacturing grease.

2. The grease manufacturing system according to claim 1, comprising the following equipment units (1) to (10) as the plurality of equipment units: (1) A base grease raw material solution preparation unit for preparing a raw material solution used for manufacturing base grease containing base oil and thickener; (2) A base grease raw material storage unit for storing the raw material solution prepared by the base grease raw material solution preparation unit; (3) A base grease reaction unit for reacting the raw material solution to generate base grease; (4) A base grease storage unit for storing the base grease; (5) A mixing unit for mixing the base grease, an additive, and a diluent oil to manufacture a grease composition; (6) An additive unit for storing an additive to be added to the base grease; (7) A diluent oil unit for storing a diluent oil to be added to the base grease; (8) A milling unit for homogenizing the base grease or the grease composition; (9) A product storage unit for storing the homogenized base grease or the grease composition; (10) A filling unit for filling the base grease or the grease composition from the product storage unit into a container. Optionally, the system comprises the following equipment unit (11): (11) A heat exchanger unit for heat-treating and cooling the base grease. The heat exchanger unit is disposed between the base grease reaction unit and the base grease storage unit.

3. The grease manufacturing system according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of the base grease raw material solution preparation units and a plurality of the base grease raw material storage units respectively.

4. The grease manufacturing system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the base grease reaction unit introduces the raw material solution from at least one of the base grease raw material solution preparation unit and the base grease raw material storage unit, and the base grease reaction unit is provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism for adjusting the flow rate of the raw material solution introduced into the base grease reaction unit.

5. The base grease storage unit introduces base grease from the base grease reaction unit, or when the grease manufacturing system includes the heat exchanger unit, the base grease storage unit introduces the heat-treated base grease from the heat exchanger unit. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The additive unit, the diluent oil unit, and the mixing unit are portable. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The milling unit is portable. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 6.

8. The product storage unit is portable. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 7.

9. The filling unit is portable. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 8.

10. The additive unit has the same configuration as the base grease raw material solution preparation unit. The grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 2 to 9.

11. A method for manufacturing grease by the grease manufacturing system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, including the following steps (a) to (e): (a) A base grease raw material solution preparation step of preparing a raw material solution used for manufacturing base grease containing base oil and thickener; (b) A base grease reaction step of reacting the raw material solution to generate base grease; (c) A mixing step of mixing the base grease, an additive, and diluent oil to manufacture a grease composition; (d) A milling step of homogenizing the base grease or the grease composition; (e) A filling step of filling the base grease or the grease composition after the milling step into a container. Optionally, it includes the following step (f): (f) A heat treatment step of heat-treating and cooling the base grease. The heat treatment step is performed between the base grease reaction step and the mixing step. Grease manufacturing method.

12. The base grease raw material solution preparation step is performed using a device unit having the same configuration as the device unit for storing the additive used in the mixing step. The grease manufacturing method according to claim 11.

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