Fluorometric Pipe Flushing Control for Product Yield Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current practices in dairy plants fail to maximize product recovery from piping while preventing over-dilution, as the flushing time is not optimized for varying piping lengths, product compositions, and operator adherence issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that fluorometrically analyzes the fluid flowing through conduits to determine the concentration of the product liquid, controlling the flushing liquid based on this analysis to ensure optimal recovery and prevent excessive dilution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If flushing time is extended to maximize product recovery, then product yield increases, but product dilution increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses fluorometric sensors to continuously monitor product concentration in the flushing liquid in real-time. When the concentration drops below a predetermined threshold, the system automatically terminates the flushing operation. This closed-loop feedback control ensures optimal product recovery while preventing excessive dilution, resolving the contradiction between maximizing yield and maintaining product concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the flushing process parameters based on real-time concentration measurements. By monitoring the product concentration in the flushing liquid and using this data to control the flushing termination, the system optimizes the balance between product recovery and dilution prevention, transforming a static time-based process into a dynamic concentration-based process.
2Quantity of substance
If flushing time is reduced to prevent over-dilution, then product concentration is maintained, but product recovery decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The fluorometric monitoring system provides continuous real-time feedback on product concentration in the flushing liquid. This enables the system to extend flushing operation precisely until the optimal termination point is reached, maximizing product recovery while maintaining concentration above the threshold, thereby resolving the contradiction between concentration maintenance and product recovery.
3Ease of operation
If fixed flushing time is used for all piping configurations, then操作简单性 is maintained, but product recovery optimization fails
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses automated fluorometric monitoring and control to determine flushing termination, eliminating the need for operators to manually time or judge the optimal flushing endpoint. The system self-regulates based on real-time concentration data, providing both operational simplicity and optimization, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and recovery maximization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a fixed time-based flushing parameter to a dynamic concentration-based parameter. This allows the flushing process to automatically adapt to different piping configurations, product viscosities, and flow rates, achieving optimization across varying conditions while maintaining operational simplicity through automation.
4Device complexity
If manual timing of flushing is used, then device complexity is minimized, but adherence to optimal flushing time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fluorometric monitoring system provides objective real-time feedback on product concentration, replacing subjective manual timing with automated measurement and control. This eliminates human error and distraction, ensuring consistent adherence to the optimal flushing endpoint while the simplicity of the automated system keeps added complexity minimal, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and reliability.
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
This approach effectively recovers residual product liquid by determining the product concentration and adjusting the flushing process, thereby maximizing yield and maintaining product quality by preventing excessive dilution.
Implementation Method 1
fluid may be extracted from a fluid transfer line adjacent the downstream destination location and fluorometrically analyzed to determine the concentration of product in the fluid before it reaches the destination location
Data Source
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AI summary
During the production of consumable liquids such as milk, soup, and juice, the liquid consumable may be transferred from one location to another location through a fluid conduit. For example, a consumable liquid may be transferred from a storage tank to another destination through piping. At the end of the process, the piping may be purged with a flushing fluid to push the liquid consumable remaining in the piping to the end destination, thus preventing the volume of liquid remaining in the piping from being wasted. To control the flushing processing, fluid flowing through the piping may be fluorometrically analyzed to determine a concentration of product in the fluid. The flushing liquid can then be controlled based on the determined concentration. For example, the supply of flushing liquid may be terminated when the concentration of product falls below a threshold, indicating the flushing liquid is diluting the liquid consumable.