Mixing Device Additive Conveying Reduces Dust and Foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing devices face issues with product loss, dust formation, and foaming when adding powdery additives due to the introduction of air and negative pressure, which complicates the homogenization process, especially with highly foaming products like shampoos or toothpastes.
Innovation Solution
A mixing device with a rotor-stator homogenizer and a conveying device that allows independent adjustment of conveying capacity, featuring an adding device between the mixing container outlet and the conveyor's suction side, which reduces dust and foam by conveying additives back into the container without creating negative pressure, and a homogenizing device arranged on the outlet side to minimize shear exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If negative pressure or vacuum is created in the mixing container to suck in powdered additive, then the additive can be introduced into the mixing container, but dust development occurs and product loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful vacuum creation step from the additive addition process. Instead of creating vacuum in the mixing container to suck in powder, the system uses a separate conveying device that transports additive under controlled conditions, then introduces it into the mixing container without requiring container vacuum. This separates the additive transport function from the mixing container environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a conveying device as an intermediary between the additive storage and the mixing container. This intermediary device handles the powder transport, allowing controlled addition without directly creating vacuum in the mixing container, thereby preventing dust development and product loss that would result from container vacuum.
2Quantity of substance
If negative pressure or vacuum is created in the mixing container to suck in powdered additive, then the additive can be introduced into the mixing container, but air is introduced into the product mixture causing foaming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the vacuum creation step that causes air entrainment from the mixing container operation. By using a separate conveying device to transport and introduce additive without creating container vacuum, the harmful air introduction and subsequent foaming are eliminated while maintaining effective additive addition capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The conveying device serves as an intermediary that enables additive introduction without requiring negative pressure in the mixing container. This intermediary system transports powder through controlled pathways and introduces it without air entrainment, preventing the foaming problem that occurs when vacuum is applied directly to the container.
3Productivity
If the speed of the homogenization device is increased to adjust conveying capacity, then the conveying capacity increases, but the shear of the product mixture increases affecting viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the functions of conveying and homogenization into separate devices. The conveying device handles material transport independently, while the homogenization device focuses solely on mixing. This segmentation allows conveying capacity to be adjusted without affecting homogenization parameters, preventing unwanted changes to product viscosity that would result from increased homogenization speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where the conveying device handles both additive transport and product circulation, while the homogenization device specializes in mixing. This functional distribution allows independent optimization of conveying capacity and homogenization quality, enabling productivity increases without compromising product composition stability.
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 configuration significantly reduces product loss and foam formation, allowing for efficient homogenization without increasing shear, enabling flexible operation with varying product quantities and preventing air introduction into the mixture.
Implementation Method 1
The homogenization device introduces shear forces into the product, thereby homogenizing it, i.e., finely mixing the product
Implementation Method 2
a conveying device with a suction side and a pressure side, wherein the suction side is connected to the outlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The present invention relates to a mixing device (1) for producing a flowable product, comprising a mixing vessel (2) having a first inlet (5) and an outlet (15), and a homogenizing device (4), a conveying device (7) with a suction side (7.1) and a pressure side (7.2), wherein the suction side (7.1) is connected to the outlet (15) of the mixing vessel (2) and the pressure side (7.2) can optionally be connected to the first inlet (5) of the mixing vessel (2), and an addition device (10) for adding an additive, in particular a powdered additive, which is arranged between the outlet (15) of the mixing vessel (2) and the suction side (7.1) of the conveying device (7).