Material Combining Confluence Region Without Mix Tank
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for combining materials in mix tanks are energy-intensive and require extensive cleaning for formulation changes, leading to inefficiencies and material waste during transient production shifts, with limited responsiveness to flow rate changes due to hardware limitations.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that combine materials in a confluence region without a mix tank, using dedicated inlets for major and minor materials, which are discharged through a common outlet without flow control valves or feedback loops, allowing for rapid and accurate changes in formulation and minimizing waste by maintaining predetermined proportions within tight tolerances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a mix tank is used to combine materials, then the materials can be thoroughly mixed, but considerable energy is required and extensive cleaning is needed for formulation changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the mix tank from the system entirely, extracting the mixing function to a confluence region where materials are combined through controlled flow convergence. This eliminates the energy-intensive mechanical agitation required by traditional mix tanks while achieving sufficient mixing through fluid dynamics alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical mixing system (mix tank with agitators) with a flow-based mixing approach. Materials are mixed through their natural convergence and interaction in the confluence region, substituting mechanical energy input with hydrodynamic mixing mechanisms.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a mix tank is used to combine materials, then the materials can be thoroughly mixed, but extensive cleaning is required when changing formulations
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the mix tank and associated extensive cleaning infrastructure, the system reduces the time and resources required for formulation changes. The confluence region's simple geometry and lack of internal components eliminate the need for thorough cleaning between different material combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing function is localized to a specific confluence region rather than requiring a large mix tank. This localized approach maintains mixing effectiveness while minimizing the volume that requires cleaning, thereby reducing downtime during formulation changes.
3Manufacturing precision
If flow control valves and feedback loops are used, then material proportions can be controlled, but the system responds slowly to transient changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes flow control valves and feedback loops from the system, extracting the proportion control function to the pump control system. This eliminates the inherent lag and response delays associated with valve-based flow control, enabling rapid response to transient changes while maintaining precise material proportions through direct pump speed control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements feedback at the pump control level rather than at the valve level. By monitoring flow rates and adjusting pump speeds directly, the system achieves both precise proportion control and rapid response to changing conditions, avoiding the sluggish response characteristic of valve-based feedback systems.
4Productivity
If the system responds quickly to transients, then productivity increases, but accuracy in product manufactured during transient may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for transient changes by pre-programming pump speed adjustments and flow rate transitions. This preliminary action ensures that when transients occur, the system can respond quickly while maintaining accurate material proportions from the outset of the transition, rather than gradually adjusting and risking off-specification product during the ramp-up phase.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for combining multiple materials into a stream. The multiple materials may include both a major material and one or more minor materials. The minor materials are added using inlet tubes. The major and minor materials are added at transient or steady state flow rates, depending upon a command from a control signal. The apparatus and method utilize a control system which does not have flow control valves, flow control feedback loops or a dynamic mix tank. The actual flow rates track the commanded flow rates, but deviate by an error. The claimed arrangement provides a time-based error believed to be unobtainable in the prior art.