Day Tank Dosing for Stable Solution Concentration During Refilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dosing apparatuses for composition solutions face challenges in maintaining a pre-defined concentration during refilling, leading to waiting times and inaccurate documentation, especially in applications requiring precise concentration control like medical settings.
Innovation Solution
A dosing apparatus with a day tank and separate solution reservoir, allowing continuous preparation and refilling of composition solutions without altering the concentration, using a spray line, measuring conductivity, and motorized pumps for precise control and documentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the solution reservoir is refilled with fresh liquid to maintain continuous operation, then the availability of use solution is improved, but the concentration precision deteriorates because the pre-defined concentration cannot be maintained during refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate functional units: a solution reservoir for preparing concentrated composition solution and a day tank for storing the finished use solution. This segmentation allows the solution reservoir to be refilled with fresh liquid and new composition without affecting the concentration of the use solution already prepared and stored in the day tank, thus maintaining both continuous operation and concentration precision simultaneously.
2Manufacturing precision
If the solution reservoir is emptied and refilled frequently to maintain concentration, then the concentration precision is improved, but the waiting time increases reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares and stores multiple units of use solution in advance in the day tank before they are needed for dispensing. By pre-preparing and storing the use solution separately from the composition reservoir, the system eliminates waiting times during operation while maintaining concentration precision through the separate preparation process with conductivity monitoring.
3Device complexity
If a single reservoir is used for both preparation and storage, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement accuracy deteriorates due to concentration changes during refilling
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the solution reservoir (for preparation) and day tank (for storage) into distinct units, allowing independent operation of each. This enables accurate conductivity measurements in the solution reservoir during preparation without interference from refilling operations, while the day tank maintains stable concentration for accurate documentation and dispensing.
4Manufacturing precision
If the system waits for complete solution preparation before refilling, then the concentration precision is improved, but the operational continuity deteriorates due to waiting times
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation by having the day tank store pre-prepared use solution while the solution reservoir simultaneously prepares new batches. This parallel operation ensures that dispensing never stops, as the day tank continuously supplies use solution while new solution is being prepared in the solution reservoir, maintaining both concentration precision and operational continuity.
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
Enables continuous operation with minimal waiting times, precise concentration control, and accurate documentation of the composition solution, suitable for medical applications by maintaining the pre-defined concentration during refilling and operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spray means coupled to the box for bringing the composition being in the box into contact with a solvent liquid, such that an amount of the composition dissolves
Implementation Method 2
measuring means for measuring the conductivity of the composition solution
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention refers to a dosing apparatus (1) for dosing a composition (31), comprising: at least one box (2) for keeping the composition (31) or a capsule (43) containing the composition (31), a solution reservoir (3) for preparing a composition solution (4) with a pre-defined concentration of the composition (31) in solution, wherein the composition solution (4) with said pre-defined concentration of the composition (31) in solution can be further used as a use solution (34), at least one spray means (5) coupled to the box (2) for bringing the composition (31) being in the box (2) into contact with a solvent liquid, such that an amount of the composition (31) dissolves and the thus resulting composition solution (4) flows into the solution reservoir (3), at least one spray line (10), for feeding the spray means (5) with the solvent liquid, a supply line (6) comprising a liquid connection (7), for supplying fresh liquid, preferably water, to the solution reservoir (3), measuring means (14) for measuring the conductivity of the composition solution (4), at least one motorized feed pump (15) for moving the composition solution (4), the solving liquid, the use solution (34), and/or the fresh liquid, and an electronic control unit (16) for controlling the operation of the dosing apparatus (1). The invention is especially specified in that, the dosing apparatus (1) additionally comprises: a day tank (39) for storing the use solution (34), such that the composition solution (4) with the pre-defined concentration of the composition (31) in solution can be prepared without changing the concentration of the composition (31) in solution in the use solution (34) stored within the day tank (39), a flushing out line (40), connecting the solution reservoir (3) with the day tank (39) for discharging the composition solution (4) with the pre-defined concentration of the composition (5) in solution from the solution reservoir (3) into the day tank (39), thereby refilling the day tank (39) with the use solution (34), a discharge line (8), which is connected to the day tank (39), comprising a discharge (9) for discharging the use solution (34) from the day tank (39). The invention further refers to a method for dosing a composition using said dosing apparatus (1).