In-Line Chemical Blending With Mass Balance Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing continuous or in-line blending systems face challenges in maintaining accurate blend ratios and flow rates, particularly during dynamic changes, leading to inefficiencies, waste, and increased system complexity due to the reliance on PID control loops and the need for surge tanks.
Innovation Solution
An on-demand in-line blending system that uses real-time mass balance calculations and proportional flow control to maintain precise blend accuracy by dynamically adjusting flow rates and species concentrations, eliminating the need for storage vessels and minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous or in-line blending systems use PID control loops to maintain blend ratios, then control stability is improved, but system complexity increases and response time during dynamic changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical PID control loop system with a mass balance calculation system. Instead of using proportional-integral-derivative control algorithms, the system uses real-time mass balance equations (Equation 1: F1*C1 + F2*C2 = F3*C3) to directly calculate and control flow rates, eliminating the complexity of PID tuning and implementation while maintaining control stability
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts flow rate parameters (F1, F2, F3) based on real-time mass balance calculations rather than using fixed PID control parameters. This allows the system to adapt to dynamic changes in demand and composition requirements, improving response time while maintaining reliability through physics-based calculations
2Adaptability or versatility
If surge tanks are added to continuous blending systems to handle dynamic flow changes, then flow rate flexibility is improved, but system complexity and storage volume requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the surge tank component from the continuous blending system. By using on-demand batch blending with real-time mass balance control, the system achieves flow rate flexibility without requiring any storage vessels or surge tanks, thereby reducing system complexity and eliminating the volume requirements for such equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a static storage-based flexibility approach to a dynamic on-demand blending approach. Flow rates are adjusted in real-time based on actual demand and mass balance calculations, providing flow rate flexibility without the need for large storage vessels that would be required in a static surge tank system
3Measurement precision
If large batch volumes are used to overcome measurement imprecision, then measurement accuracy is improved, but manufacturing space requirements and batch preparation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of using large batch volumes to average out measurement errors with a calculation-based mass balance system. Real-time flow meters and composition sensors feed data to a controller that uses mass balance equations to precisely control blending ratios, achieving high measurement accuracy in small volumes through computational methods rather than statistical averaging
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time feedback control where composition sensors continuously monitor the blended stream and feed this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts flow rates based on this feedback to maintain precise composition, eliminating the need for large batch volumes that would be required to achieve similar accuracy through measurement averaging alone
4Stability of the object's composition
If batch blending processes are used to allow composition qualification, then mixture homogeneity is improved, but production time and batch-to-batch variability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous on-demand blending where the useful action of mixing occurs continuously as fluids are combined in real-time according to mass balance calculations. This eliminates the discrete batch preparation steps and holding periods required in traditional batch blending, maintaining composition homogeneity through continuous control while dramatically reducing production time and eliminating batch-to-batch variability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the required flow rates and compositions using mass balance equations before the actual blending occurs. This allows the blending process to proceed directly to the final composition without requiring extended holding or qualification periods, achieving homogeneous mixtures quickly through pre-calculated control parameters
Data Source
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AI summary
This in-line active and reverse calculating mass balance blending system can maintain a chemical at desired control points, such as with respect to concentration, temperature, and/or pressure, while the output flow rate is changing dynamically to a point of use. A blending unit is configured to receive and blend at least two species and deliver a mixture at selected concentrations to points of use. A controller can be configured to determine a mass balance to maintain the concentrations in the mixture using information from metrology systems and a flow in an output to the at least one point of use. The controller also can be configured to maintain a concentrations in the mixture within a concentration range by controlling flow rates to the blending unit.