Isolator-Based High Shear Processing for Ultrahigh Pressure Fluids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high-pressure homogenizer pumps face challenges in operating at ultrahigh pressures due to mechanical stress, making it difficult to achieve efficient ultrahigh pressure fluid shear processing for size reduction and emulsification, especially with viscous products, and pose cleaning difficulties due to small internal passages.
Innovation Solution
A modular high shear processing system utilizing ultrahigh pressure pumps and isolators that transfer pressure from a high-pressure fluid to the product without direct contact, using a separator to divide the chamber into pressure communication but not fluid communication sub-chambers, allowing for easy cleaning and maintaining constant pressure discharge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional homogenizer pumps are used at ultrahigh pressures, then size reduction and emulsification can be achieved, but mechanical stress on pump components increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an isolator as an intermediary device between the ultrahigh pressure pump and the homogenizer. The isolator contains a movable separator that transmits pressure from the pump to the product without direct mechanical contact between the pump and homogenizer components, thereby reducing mechanical stress on pump parts while maintaining ultrahigh pressure operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system is divided into separate functional modules: an ultrahigh pressure pump, an isolator with separator, and a homogenizer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the pump generating pressure and the homogenizer performing size reduction without direct mechanical coupling
2Ease of manufacture
If direct displacement pump type homogenizers are used, then homogenization can be achieved, but the complexity of building and maintaining them increases at ultrahigh pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The isolator acts as a mediator that decouples the complex ultrahigh pressure pump from the homogenizer, allowing the use of commercially available ultrahigh pressure pumps while simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing manufacturing complexity
3Stress or pressure
If pumps with small internal passages are used, then high pressure can be achieved, but cleaning difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cleaning problem from the pump by introducing the isolator as a removable intermediate chamber. The isolator can be detached and cleaned separately, while the pump itself with its small internal passages remains unchanged and continues to function
Solution Approach 2:
The isolator serves as an intermediary chamber that can be easily accessed and cleaned, separating the cleaning requirements from the pump's small internal passages
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 efficient ultrahigh pressure fluid shear processing for size reduction and emulsification, including viscous products, while maintaining equipment longevity and facilitating easy cleaning, by using a modular system with isolators and high-pressure pumps to achieve consistent pressure and fluid separation.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrahigh pressure pump capable of advancing a first fluid at a pressure of at least 1.38 × 10 8 Pascals to move a separator
Implementation Method 2
isolators that transfer pressure from a high-pressure fluid to the product without direct contact
Implementation Method 3
high shear processing of multiphase fluids for the purpose of mixing, size reduction, emulsification, instant heating
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for high fluid shear processing of a fluid uses an isolator that has a first sub-chamber for containing a first fluid and a second sub-chamber for containing a second fluid defined by a separator positioned in the chamber and movable between a first end of the chamber and a second end of the chamber. The two sub-chambers are in pressure communication with each other but are not in fluid communication with each other. A first fluid is pumped at an ultrahigh pressure into the first-sub chamber, and the pressure in the first sub-chamber causes a second fluid to be processed to be discharged from the second sub-chamber into a processing valve. A system is also provided for performing the steps of this method.