Dry Spray Compound Mixing for Intact Microhollow Glass Spheres

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for processing insulating materials with microhollow glass spheres face issues such as damage during mixing and mechanical processing, leading to loss of thermal insulation effect, and recycling difficulties with aerogel particles.

Innovation Solution

A device with a pre-container designed as a pressure vessel and conical nozzle, combined with precise pneumatic conveying and controlled metering, ensures gentle and efficient processing of dry sprayable compounds, particularly those with microhollow glass spheres, using adjustable pressure and flow control to prevent damage and ensure uniform application.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If wet spraying is used to mix building material with water directly in the machine, then application speed and efficiency are improved, but the building material is damaged during mixing and mechanical processing, leading to loss of thermal insulation effect

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication speedVSAvoidthermal insulation effect
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The process is divided into separate stages: dry conveying of building material through a hose, then mixing with water only at the spray nozzle. This segmentation prevents damage during transport while maintaining efficiency at application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The building material is prepared and conveyed in dry form before mixing with water. This preliminary dry handling avoids mechanical damage to the material structure during transport and storage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If dry spraying is used to convey building material through hoses, then material damage is reduced and dosing precision is improved, but mixing with liquid binder occurs only at the end reducing adaptability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial integrityVSAvoidconsistency adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The dry building material is conveyed through the hose in a controlled manner before mixing with liquid binder at the spray nozzle. This allows precise dosing and control of the material flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A spray nozzle acts as an intermediary device that mixes the dry material with liquid binder precisely at the point of application, allowing for high adaptability in achieving desired consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If microhollow glass spheres are mixed with cement and sprayed, then insulating properties are achieved, but the microhollow glass spheres are quickly destroyed during processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsulation qualityVSAvoidstructural integrity of microhollow glass spheres
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The process separates the conveying of dry material containing microhollow glass spheres from the mixing with liquid binder. The microhollow glass spheres remain intact during pneumatic conveying through the hose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Pneumatic conveying is used to transport the dry building material with microhollow glass spheres through the hose, avoiding mechanical contact that would damage the spheres. The material is then mixed with liquid binder at the spray nozzle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 preserves the physical properties of microhollow glass spheres, maintains insulation quality, and facilitates easy recycling, while providing flexible and reliable material processing for various applications.

Implementation Method 1

a conveying gas generator (40) which pressurizes the pressure hose (38) with conveying gas (3) in order to pneumatically convey the dry sprayable compounds (2) in the pressure hose (38) over a required distance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatic conveying: Fluidisation

Implementation Method 2

a mixer (8) which is coupled to the pressure hose (38) and the media hose (52) via an inlet of the mixer (8), wherein the mixer (8) moistens the dry sprayable compound (2) with liquid, such as water and/or a liquid binder, from the media hose (52)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMixing: Stirring

Implementation Method 3

a spray nozzle (9) which is connected to an outlet of the mixer (8)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure-driven flow: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4678298A1Device and method for processing injection molding compounds
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 VELCO GESELLSCHAFT FÜR FÖRDER-, SPRITZ & SILOANLAGEN MBH
  • EP4678298A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4678298A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4678298A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Device (30) for moistening and processing dry sprayable compounds. The device (30) comprises a filling hopper (1) and/or a pre-container (22, 23) for dry sprayable compounds, a metering system (2) which is fed by the filling hopper (1) and/or the pre-container (22, 23), a first pressure hose (38) which is connected to the metering system (2) via a connecting element (5), a conveying gas generator (40) which pressurizes the first pressure hose (38) with conveying gas in order to pneumatically convey the dry sprayable compounds in the pressure hose (38) over a required distance.Furthermore, the device (30) includes a liquid reservoir (50) connected to a media hose (52), a mixer (8) coupled to the pressure hose (38) and the media hose (52) via inlets, the mixer (8) moistening the dry spray compound with liquid, such as water and/or a liquid binder, from the media hose (52), and a spray nozzle (9) connected to an outlet of the mixer (8), the device (30) being designed to allow the use of dry spray compounds with microhollow glass spheres and/or fibers. The invention further relates to a method using such a device (30).