Active Degassing Silo Using Pulse Valves for Granular Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing passive degassing methods for granular or powder materials, commonly used in the food industry, are slow and costly, requiring extensive storage and multiple silos, leading to production line slowdowns and increased costs due to long waiting times for gas expulsion.
Innovation Solution
An active degassing device and method utilizing a blower element with pulse valves and a pneumatic system to inject inert gas into a cylindrical silo, creating a turbulent flow that accelerates gas migration and removal, adaptable to various materials and reducing the need for multiple silos.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If passive gas expulsion method is used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to long waiting times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using pulse valves that open and close at predetermined time intervals to inject inert gas in pulses into the silo. This periodic injection creates turbulent flow that actively promotes gas migration through the material, significantly reducing the waiting time required for degassing while maintaining relatively simple equipment structure.
2Use of energy by moving object
If passive gas expulsion method is used, then energy consumption is reduced, but loss of time increases due to prolonged waiting periods
Solution Approach 1:
The pulse valves inject inert gas in periodic pulses rather than continuous flow, creating turbulent conditions that accelerate gas migration. This periodic action achieves effective degassing in much shorter time while consuming less energy compared to continuous active mixing or aeration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pneumatic principles by injecting inert gas through pulse valves to create pressure variations and turbulent flow within the silo. This pneumatic action actively promotes gas migration through the material, reducing waiting time without requiring mechanical mixing equipment that would consume more energy.
3Productivity
If multiple silos are provided for processing large amounts of material, then productivity is maintained, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By implementing periodic gas injection with pulse valves, a single silo can process material much faster, eliminating the need for multiple silos to maintain high productivity. This reduces the overall system complexity and space requirements while maintaining the same production capacity.
4Speed
If inert gas is injected continuously, then gas migration is accelerated, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pulse valves open and close at predetermined time intervals, injecting inert gas in periodic pulses rather than continuously. This periodic injection creates turbulent flow that accelerates gas migration through the material while consuming less energy than continuous injection would require.
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 active degassing process significantly reduces waiting times, speeds up the production process, and minimizes the number of silos required, while maintaining versatility and cost-effectiveness by regulating gas injection parameters based on material type.
Implementation Method 1
creating a turbulent flow that accelerates gas migration and removal
Implementation Method 2
supplying the inert gas at a predetermined pressure and flow rate
Data Source
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AI summary
A device and related degassing method for granular or powder material and the use of a blower element (6), wherein a containment chamber (2) of the granular or powder material and of a gas produced by said material is provided, means (5) for supplying an injection gas with the gas produced by the material comprising the blower element (6) for feeding the injection gas into said chamber (2) for mixing and/or homogenizing the material and the relative gas produced by the material itself with the injection gas.