Bulk Material Storage Surface Mapping for Load Tracing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for tracking and blending commingled non-liquid bulk materials in storage containers face challenges in accurately determining the location and source of individual loads, leading to difficulties in achieving desired material properties and incurring penalties or losses due to incorrect blending.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize surface mapping technology to create detailed surface maps of bulk material storage containers, allowing for the precise determination of load locations, volumes, and properties, and enabling the tracing of material sources through a database and processor that records and processes load information, including properties and identification data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If surface mapping technology is implemented to track individual loads, then measurement precision and information availability improve, but device complexity and implementation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital surface map (copy) of the bulk material storage container that represents the physical arrangement of loads. This digital model allows tracking and measurement without requiring complex physical tracking infrastructure, resolving the contradiction by using a simplified representational approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tracking systems with surface mapping technology that captures the shape and volume of bulk material to determine load locations. This substitution reduces device complexity while maintaining or improving measurement precision.
2Productivity
If commingled storage is used to maximize space utilization, then productivity and storage efficiency improve, but the ability to track and trace individual material sources deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the commingled bulk material storage into identifiable load units by capturing the unique surface shape characteristics of each load. This segmentation allows individual tracking within the commingled storage, preserving source information while maintaining storage efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses surface shape characteristics as a unique identifier for each load, analogous to using color coding. The distinctive surface geometry acts as a fingerprint that allows traceability of individual loads even when commingled, preventing information loss.
3Ease of operation
If average material properties are assumed for blending calculations, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision and blend accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement and recording of actual material properties for each identified load before blending operations. This advance preparation eliminates the need for assumptions during blending calculations, improving both accuracy and operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses measured material properties from surface mapping and sampling to provide feedback for blending calculations. This feedback loop ensures that blending decisions are based on actual data rather than assumptions, improving manufacturing precision while maintaining ease of operation through automated systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system collects and manipulates information from various sources for the purpose of determining the location of loads of material in a bulk material storage container and tracing the number and identity of bulk material sources, such as farms or processing plants, for loads located within a bulk material storage container. Such production source information is thus uniquely associated with a particular non-liquid bulk material load. Surface mapping of a surface of bulk material stored in a storage container is performed before and after material is added to the container, and are used to determine position of loads within the storage container. Embodiments of the present invention, using knowledge of the position of loads within the container, may be used for the purposes of preplanning and enhancing blended load-out batches.