Filter Receiver Rapid Feed Rate Control Pneumatic Conveying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pneumatic conveying systems face limitations in rapidly adjusting feed rates due to physical constraints, leading to delayed response times and potential pipeline blockages, which necessitate large material storage that may not be feasible in space-constrained environments.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic conveying apparatus with a filter receiver and control system that allows for rapid adjustment of feed rates from minimum to maximum within 3-30 seconds, utilizing a small storage capacity to maintain continuous material flow and separate material from pneumatic media, enabling close-loop control to match process demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If material is stored in large volume directly adjacent to the feed point to the process, then the response time of the pneumatic conveying system is improved, but the space requirement and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the storage function into two separate locations: a large-volume storage silo positioned away from the process and a small-volume filter receiver positioned adjacent to the process. This segmentation allows the bulk storage to be located where space is available while maintaining rapid response capability near the process through the small buffer receiver.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter receiver acts as an intermediary between the pneumatic conveying system and the process. It serves as a buffer that decouples the slow response of the pneumatic conveying system from the rapid response requirements of the process, enabling fast feed rate adjustments without requiring large storage volumes adjacent to the process.
2Productivity
If the feed rate is increased rapidly from minimum to maximum, then the productivity is improved, but the risk of pipeline blockages increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter receiver pre-stores material in a ready-to-discharge state, allowing the discharge device to rapidly increase feed rate from minimum to maximum without requiring simultaneous rapid material movement through the entire pneumatic conveying pipeline. This preliminary storage action eliminates the blockage risk associated with rapid feed rate changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts the storage function from the pneumatic conveying pipeline, placing it in a separate filter receiver. This allows the pipeline to operate at stable, optimized velocities while the discharge device independently controls feed rate, eliminating the direct link between rapid feed rate changes and pipeline material flow that causes blockages.
3Speed
If the conveying velocity is increased to reduce response time, then the speed of material transport is improved, but the wear and material damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter receiver serves as an intermediary that decouples the conveying velocity from the discharge rate. Material can be conveyed at optimal, lower velocities through the pipeline to minimize wear and damage, then rapidly discharged from the filter receiver to meet process demand. This eliminates the need to increase conveying velocity for rapid response.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the material flow into two distinct phases: a gentle conveyance phase through the pipeline at optimized velocities, and a rapid discharge phase from the filter receiver. This segmentation allows each phase to operate at optimal conditions, minimizing wear during transport while achieving rapid response during discharge.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a large volume of material is stored adjacent to the process, then the feed rate adjustment capability is improved, but the space availability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into two functional components located at different positions: a large-volume silo for bulk storage located where space is available, and a small-volume filter receiver for rapid discharge located adjacent to the process. This segmentation provides both adaptability and space efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates the storage dimensions spatially, placing bulk storage in one location and the response buffer in another. This dimensional separation allows the system to achieve rapid feed rate adjustment capability without requiring large storage volumes in the constrained space adjacent to the process.
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 rapid and smooth material delivery to processes, reducing pulsation, wear, and dust generation, while minimizing storage needs and power consumption, thus improving process efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a filter receiver configured to receive material and pneumatic media from at least one conduit and operable to separate material and pneumatic media
Implementation Method 2
Pneumatic conveying is the process of transporting bulk materials in a gas stream, for example air or nitrogen, through a pipeline
Implementation Method 3
a compression device operable to supply and transport pneumatic media through at least one conduit
Data Source
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AI summary
A pneumatic conveying apparatus operable to transport material from a supply source to a process which requires a rate of change of feed rate far in excess of what is possible from a typical pneumatic conveying system and pipeline alone, and for a process where storage of large volumes of material directly adjacent to the process feed point is either not possible or disadvantageous. The pneumatic conveying apparatus (100; 101;102) comprises at least one conduit (11) and a compression device (8) operable to supply and transport pneumatic media through at least one conduit (11). The supply source (1) may be a feed hopper and is operable to discharge material into the pneumatic conveying system downstream of the supply source. In the pneumatic conveying system at least one vessel (9; 9A, 9B; 20) is arranged to receive material from the supply source (1) and to discharge material to at least one conduit (11). The system also includes a filter receiver (4), which is configured to simultaneously receive and discharge material and pneumatic media from at least conduit. The filter receiver has a working volume or capacity which is very small in relation to the feed rate, typically 1 to 2 minutes storage when operating at the maximum discharge rate, and with a volume typically 1/2th to 1/8th of the volume of the vessels feeding material into the start of the pneumatic conveying pipeline. The filter receiver is equipped with a discharge device operable to increase the discharge rate to the process from the minimum feed rate to the maximum feed rate in a time period of 2 to 30 seconds. The filter receiver (4) is configured and operable to separate material and pneumatic media such that the material can be discharged from the filter receiver to the downstream process (2), in order to separate the conveying apparatus from the process and provide further advantages described within the invention. The apparatus includes a control system (19) that is operable to maintain a target weight and / or level within the filter receiver, and recover the target weight and / or level in the filter receiver, by measuring the weight and / or level and the rate of change of weight or level, of all storage vessels discharging material to the pneumatic conveying pipeline and process and incorporating aspects of closed loop control methodologies.