Alternating Slakers for Continuous Lime Proportional Dosing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lime slakers for continuous operation are difficult to control, maintenance-intensive, costly, and prone to limestone buildup, which leads to dosing issues and dust production, especially when intermediate storage tanks are not used.
Innovation Solution
A method where two slakers operate alternately, with one emptying completely and diluting lime slurry proportional to the water flow, eliminating the need for intermediate tanks, and using flushing water to prevent limestone buildup, allowing direct delivery to the plant without buffer tanks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous operation lime slakers are used, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the continuous slaking process into multiple independent batch slakers operating in sequence. Each slaker operates as an independent unit with simple controls, while the overall system achieves continuous output through coordinated operation of multiple units. This segmentation allows each device to remain simple while the system as a whole provides continuous service.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic operation where slakers cycle through distinct phases: filling with burnt lime, adding water for slaking, settling, and discharge. Each slaker operates periodically rather than continuously, but the coordinated cycling of multiple slakers creates continuous overall output. This periodic action simplifies control compared to true continuous operation.
2Device complexity
If intermediate storage tanks are eliminated, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to dosing control difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback control through level sensors and flow meters that monitor slurry levels in slakers and water flow rates. This feedback allows automatic adjustment of dosing rates and timing to maintain reliable proportional addition of lime to water flow without intermediate storage tanks. The feedback loops compensate for variations in real-time, ensuring dosing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Each slaker is equipped with integrated level sensors and control systems that automatically manage its own filling, slaking, and discharge cycles. The system uses self-regulating mechanisms where slakers automatically signal when ready for next batch, and dosing equipment automatically adjusts based on slaker status, eliminating the need for complex external control of intermediate tanks.
3Ease of operation
If batchwise slaking is used, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple batch slakers into a unified system where they operate in coordinated sequence. Each individual slaker maintains simple batchwise operation for ease of control, but the merging of multiple units through synchronized operation achieves continuous high productivity. The system merges the output of several batch processes to create continuous flow equivalent to complex continuous operation.
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 approach reduces maintenance, prevents limestone buildup, and ensures a closed system with reduced dust production, enabling efficient and cost-effective continuous lime addition to water flows in various industrial plants.
Implementation Method 1
a first slaker is emptying completely slaked and diluted lime slurry after the weight principle proportional to the water flow through of the plant
Implementation Method 2
It is provided a new, immediate cleaning method that prevents build-up of limestone
Implementation Method 3
A closed system is provided that does not produce dust
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a method for continuously and proportional adding of lime to a water flow through in a plant, wherein a number of slakers are used for batchwise slaking of burnt lime, and wherein lime slurry with a greater degree of fineness and prolonged sedimentation time is produced. A first slaker empties completely slaked and diluted lime slurry after the weight principle proportional to the water flow through of the plant, until a predetermined mass of slurry weight is left, which is used for mixing with a next batch. A second slaker, which is ready for its emptying sequence, starts emptying completely slaked and diluted lime slurry after the weight principle proportional to the water flow through of the plant, when the first slaker has finished emptying, until a predetermined mass of slurry weight is left, which is used for mixing with a next batch. After flushing with flushing water via valves of respective slakers, production of a new batch is started, this is ready for its emptying sequence when the active slaker has finished its emptying.