Colloidal Mixing Mill for Cementitious Slurries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing technologies for cementitious materials and granular substances face challenges such as plugging, cavitation, and inability to handle larger batches with lower water/cement ratios, leading to inconsistent mixes and high operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A colloidal mixing method involving a high-shear colloidal mill that recirculates mixed particulate and liquid materials between a mixing tank and the mill, utilizing a rotor with specific clearance and lobe designs to achieve thorough shearing and hydration, acting both as a mixer and pump for uniform slurry production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mixing technologies are used for cementitious materials, then mixing can be performed, but plugging and cavitation occur and larger batches with lower water/cement ratios cannot be handled
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing process is divided into multiple stages: initial mixing in a tank, then transfer to a colloidal mill for high-shear mixing, and recirculation back to the tank. This segmentation allows each stage to perform specific functions - the colloidal mill's high-shear action breaks up agglomerates and prevents plugging while the recirculation system maintains consistent mixing without cavitation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes mixing parameters by using high-shear rotation speeds in the colloidal mill and controlling the water/cement ratio through recirculation. The high-shear action at specific rotation speeds breaks up particle agglomerates and prevents cavitation, while the recirculation process maintains optimal mixing conditions for larger batches with lower water/cement ratios
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional mixing is used, then mixing can be performed, but complete hydration of particles is not achieved and mixes are inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous recirculation of the slurry from the colloidal mill back to the mixing tank, maintaining continuous mixing action. This continuous action ensures complete particle hydration and consistent mix composition by repeatedly exposing particles to fresh liquid and maintaining uniform distribution throughout the batch
Solution Approach 2:
The colloidal mill operates at high rotation speeds that generate high-shear forces, changing the mixing parameters to achieve complete particle hydration. The controlled water/cement ratio and continuous recirculation maintain optimal conditions for consistent mix composition and complete particle wetting
3Productivity
If conventional mixing technologies are used, then mixing can be performed, but operational costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The colloidal mill serves multiple functions: high-shear mixing, particle breakdown, and pumping/recirculation. By combining these functions into a single device, the system eliminates the need for separate mixing and pumping equipment, reducing energy consumption and operational costs while maintaining high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous recirculation system maintains efficient mixing throughout the process, eliminating idle time and ensuring continuous productive operation. This continuous action improves productivity while the efficient high-shear mixing reduces energy consumption compared to conventional intermittent mixing methods
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
The solution provides a reliable, cost-effective, and efficient mixing process that ensures complete hydration of particles, resulting in a uniform, stable mix with potential cost savings of up to 55% and improved handling of thicker mixes, while minimizing cavitation and plugging, and enabling larger batch sizes.
Implementation Method 1
the rotor and the housing being shaped to define a clearance between a stationary wall of the housing and a rotating wall of the rotor and to carry the mixed materials to the clearance where a shearing action takes place to shear the particles in the mixed materials prior to exit through the outlet
Implementation Method 2
the colloidal mixing mill acting to pump the mixed material back to the mixing tank such that the material is repeatedly circulated between the colloidal mixing mill and the mixing tank
Implementation Method 3
The high velocity rotor inside the chamber does the shearing of the cementitious particles breaking them down to their individual form
Data Source
AI summary
Colloidal mixing of cementitious material into a liquid such as water to form a grout slurry for pumping to a location for use includes a mixing tank and a colloidal mixing mill which grinds and pumps the mixed material with the material being repeatedly circulated between the mill and the tank. The colloidal mixing mill includes a housing defining a generally cylindrical chamber containing a rotor shaped to define a clearance of the order of 3 mm between the front and rear wall of the housing and the rotor with holes from a dished front face of the rotor to the rear face to carry the mixed materials to the clearance where a shearing action takes place to shear the particles in the mixed materials prior to exit through the outlet.