Air Injector Membrane Actuation for Milking Plant Turbulence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air injectors for milking plants face challenges in achieving high-frequency air injection with low energy consumption and compact design, which are essential for effective washing and installation in compact milking plants.
Innovation Solution
The air injector employs a membrane with a convoluted profile and a coil with a low-power control system, utilizing alternating vacuum and atmospheric pressure to cyclically inject small air quantities at high frequency, with a compact design that includes a filter and a control card for efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane device is used to inject air into the plant, then the washing effectiveness is improved through turbulence generation, but the device dimensions become remarkable and complicate installation
Solution Approach 1:
The air injector is integrated directly into the vacuum pipe structure, merging the air injection function with the existing vacuum pipe. The membrane device is positioned within the vacuum pipe lumen, combining multiple functions (vacuum generation, air injection, turbulence creation) into a single integrated component rather than separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane device is nested within the vacuum pipe, with the membrane housed inside the pipe lumen. The air injector components are contained within the vacuum pipe structure, creating a nested arrangement that minimizes external dimensions while maintaining functional effectiveness
2Productivity
If the membrane moves rapidly to inject high frequency air quantities, then turbulence generation is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic alternation between vacuum and atmospheric pressure phases to drive membrane movement. The vacuum phase draws air through the membrane, and the atmospheric phase allows membrane recovery, creating efficient periodic cycles that generate turbulence without requiring continuous high-energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane device utilizes the existing vacuum pressure from the milking plant system to drive its operation. The vacuum pressure alternates with atmospheric pressure to automatically cycle the membrane without requiring additional external energy input, making the system self-servicing using available process pressures
3Reliability
If controlled quantities of air are injected to create turbulence, then washing effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air injection function is extracted from a complex external air compressor system and implemented through a simple membrane valve mechanism that uses existing vacuum and atmospheric pressures. Only the essential air injection component is retained, eliminating unnecessary complexity while maintaining turbulence generation effectiveness
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables rapid membrane movement for high-frequency air injection, reducing energy consumption and allowing easy installation due to its compact size, resulting in a highly turbulent washing fluid motion with efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
a coil (23) actuating the membrane (14)
Implementation Method 2
the motion of which is generated by the action of a vacuum alternated to an atmospheric air within a lower chamber (25) arranged above the membrane (14)
Implementation Method 3
creating turbulence within the washing fluid for the plant... the air bubbles collide against the surfaces of the pipes and components with which they inevitably come into contact, generating a mechanical action of rubbing against said pipes and components by breaking upon collision
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
Air injector (10) for milking plants comprising a lower body (11) having an air inlet opening (12) for inletting air into the milking plant; a membrane (14) supportedly mounted on the air inlet opening (12); a tight-sealed lower chamber (25) inferiorly delimited by the membrane (14) and superiorly delimited by an upper body (15); a coil (23) housed in the upper body (15) and comprising a mobile core (24) and a coil hole (26) connected to the outside; a tight- sealed upper chamber (35) which is formed in the upper body (15), is superiorly delimited by the coil (23) and is connected to the outside through the coil hole (26), wherein the upper body (15) comprises a first hole (29) communicating the upper chamber (35) with a vacuum duct (36) connected to a vacuum pipe of the milking plant, and wherein the upper body (15) comprises a second hole (30) formed in the upper chamber (35), wherein said second hole (30) leads into an annular connecting chamber (31) connected to the lower chamber (25), said mobile core being adapted to move from a rest position, in which it closes the first hole (29) and opens the coil hole (26), to a position in which the mobile core (24) is lifted and opens the first hole (29) while closing the coil hole (26), so as to let air flow into or create vacuum in the upper chamber (35) and in the lower chamber (25) connected thereto in order to generate a movement of the membrane (14).