Multi-Line Suction Conveying With Closed-Loop Flow Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing suction conveying systems face challenges in safely and efficiently transporting multiple bulk materials with different properties over varying distances and conditions, often leading to material damage, clogging, and inconsistent flow rates due to inadequate vacuum control.
Innovation Solution
A suction conveying device with individual control circuits and flow sensors on each intake line, allowing for adjustable throttle valves and closed-loop control to manage suction speed and pressure, ensuring safe and flexible material transport by regulating the intake speed and capacity of each line independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high suction power is used to ensure continuous material transport, then the bulk material can be sufficiently absorbed into the air stream, but the bulk material may be damaged by overheating and partially melting
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single suction source into multiple independently controllable suction sources (first and second suction sources), each serving specific intake lines. This segmentation allows selective activation of suction sources based on material requirements, preventing excessive suction power from damaging temperature-sensitive materials while ensuring sufficient suction for other materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the operation of different suction sources based on real-time requirements. The control unit can independently activate or deactivate suction sources, and adjust their suction power levels, enabling adaptive response to different material properties and transport conditions, thus avoiding material damage while maintaining productivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a central pump unit is used to reduce costs, then additional pump unit costs are saved, but a uniform intake pressure is generated that is not suitable for every intake line
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single central pump unit, the system segments the suction function into multiple independent suction sources. Each suction source can be optimized for specific intake lines with different requirements, providing tailored suction pressure while maintaining cost-effectiveness compared to using multiple pump units.
Solution Approach 2:
Each suction source is designed to serve multiple intake lines with different requirements. The suction sources can be selectively activated and their power adjusted to accommodate various material properties, pipe configurations, and transport distances, making the system universally adaptable while using simpler, more cost-effective components.
3Ease of operation
If shut-off valves are successively connected to different intake lines to distribute vacuum, then the set vacuum is distributed across different connections, but pressure drop and flow rate reduction occur leading to loss of flow
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the vacuum distribution into multiple independent suction sources, each capable of maintaining its own vacuum level. This eliminates the pressure drop problem associated with successive valve connections, as each suction source creates its own vacuum field without being affected by other lines, thereby maintaining optimal flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that coordinates the operation of multiple suction sources. It monitors and adjusts each suction source's performance to ensure optimal vacuum distribution across different intake lines, preventing pressure drops and maintaining flow rates by dynamically balancing the system.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conveying is carried out in different cycles or steps for multiple bulk materials, then each material can be conveyed with appropriate vacuum, but the conveying process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the conveying function into multiple independent suction sources, each dedicated to specific intake lines. This allows simultaneous operation of different suction sources for different materials, eliminating the need for sequential cycles while maintaining material-specific vacuum control. The parallel architecture simplifies the overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple suction sources can operate simultaneously and continuously, enabling parallel conveying of different bulk materials without interruption. This eliminates the downtime associated with switching between sequential cycles, maintaining continuous useful action while providing adaptability for different material requirements.
5Productivity
If flow rate is increased to compensate for pressure drop, then flow rate requirements may be met, but the minimum and maximum values for every intake rate cannot be satisfied
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the flow control into multiple independent suction sources, each capable of independent flow rate adjustment. This allows precise control of intake rates for each line within minimum and maximum values, without needing to increase overall flow rate to compensate for pressure drops in other lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit implements feedback control by monitoring the performance of each suction source and adjusting their operation to maintain intake rates within specified minimum and maximum values. This precise feedback control eliminates the need for excessive flow rate increases, maintaining manufacturing precision while compensating for system variations.
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 safe and efficient conveying of multiple bulk materials by preventing material damage and maintaining continuous flow, even with changes in line connections or material properties, through precise control of suction speeds and ratios.
Implementation Method 1
The vacuum or negative pressure is generated by a pump unit
Implementation Method 2
which enables gentle transport over long distances... by pneumatic suction conveying
Implementation Method 3
a conveyor separator, for example, provided on the production machine, which separates the bulk material transported in a suction line from the air stream
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a pneumatic suction conveying device (1) for conveying free-flowing bulk materials (5) and a corresponding method, comprising a pump unit (2) with a vacuum pump (7) and a suction volume (9), at least two suction lines (3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4) which are connected to the suction volume (9) and extend to storage containers (4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4) for receiving bulk materials (5; 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4), wherein the suction lines each have a conveying separator (20) for separating the bulk material (5) and a shut-off valve (16) for shutting off the suction line. In this case, a closed control loop (30) is provided in the intake line with an adjustable throttle valve (18) and a flow sensor (19), wherein the control loop (30) is set up and designed to adjust the throttle valve (18) depending on a measurement of the flow sensor (19).