Bulk Material Curtain Mixing with Liquid Impingement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for continuous wetting and mixing of bulk materials with liquids, such as in dough production, face challenges including long mixing times, incomplete homogeneity, and complex cleaning processes that require partial disassembly of the device, leading to high operating costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A device and method for continuous wetting and mixing of bulk materials with a liquid, where the bulk material is fed into a treatment area as a curtain and directly impinged with liquid, using a screw conveyor or propeller arrangement to ensure even distribution and a nozzle system for efficient wetting, allowing for homogeneous mixing and easy cleaning without disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If bulk material and liquid are mixed separately in a container with an agitator, then the mixing process is simple to implement, but the mixing time becomes very long and mixing homogeneity is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing process is segmented into two distinct zones: a wetting zone where liquid is sprayed onto bulk material in free fall, and a mixing zone where wetted material continues to mix. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function efficiently, reducing overall mixing time while maintaining simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from traditional horizontal/vertical mixing to a free-fall vertical flow configuration. Bulk material falls vertically through the treatment area while liquid is sprayed horizontally onto it, creating a cross-flow mixing pattern that dramatically reduces mixing time from minutes to seconds
2Productivity
If bulk material is sprayed with liquid in free fall using a ring-shaped water pipe with spray nozzles, then mixing time is reduced, but mixing homogeneity is still insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Different spray patterns and liquid distribution characteristics are applied at different locations within the treatment area. The spray nozzles are positioned and angled to create varied local wetting patterns that collectively achieve uniform overall mixing, addressing the insufficiency of homogeneous spray patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The spray nozzles are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the bulk material flow, with nozzles positioned at different heights and angles rather than uniformly distributed. This asymmetric arrangement creates more effective liquid-bulk material contact patterns that improve mixing homogeneity
3Productivity
If a conically widening deflector is used to generate a hollow cylindrical flow of bulk material, then liquid can be sprayed onto the bulk material, but the thickness of the tubular layer prevents sufficient wetting through the entire thickness
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trying to spray liquid through the thickness of a thick tubular layer from the outside, the invention inverts the approach by creating a thinner, more open curtain flow that allows liquid to penetrate and wet the bulk material effectively from the surface as it falls
Solution Approach 2:
The bulk material flow parameters are changed from a thick tubular layer to a thinner curtain flow with optimized velocity and distribution. This parameter change allows liquid spray to effectively wet the entire thickness of the material layer, achieving uniform moisture distribution
4Productivity
If dough is prepared using traditional mixing devices, then mixing can be achieved, but dough remains stuck to the device requiring partial dismantling for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing process is extracted from enclosed containers and agitators to an open free-fall treatment area. This extraction eliminates the surfaces where dough would stick and require dismantling for cleaning, as there are no internal walls or mixing elements to retain residues
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows for easy cleaning by rinsing the treatment area, as there are no complex internal structures requiring disassembly. The system effectively cleans itself through the continuous flow nature of the process and the absence of dead zones where dough could adhere
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 enables efficient, homogeneous mixing of bulk materials with liquids, reducing deposit formation and facilitating easy cleaning, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing costs by allowing for continuous operation and 'Cleaning In Place' (CIP) processes.
Implementation Method 1
the bulk material is fed into a treatment area as a curtain
Implementation Method 2
using a screw conveyor or propeller arrangement to ensure even distribution
Implementation Method 3
a nozzle system for efficient wetting, allowing for homogeneous mixing
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) that is suitable for continuously wetting and/or mixing bulk material with a liquid in order to produce a mixture, in particular a food mixture. The device (1) comprises a bulk material feeding apparatus for feeding the bulk material into a treatment region (9) and a liquid feeding apparatus (7) for directly applying the liquid to the bulk material in the treatment region (9). The bulk material can be fed into the treatment region (9) as a curtain (10) by means of the bulk material feeding apparatus, wherein the liquid can be applied to the curtain (10) substantially completely at least on the outer surface (33) by means of the liquid feeding apparatus (7).