Polyacrylamide Concentrate Production via Gel Comminution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of high molecular weight polyacrylamides is energy-intensive due to high water content in the polymer gels, leading to significant drying and equipment costs, and on-site dissolution is time-consuming and costly, while transporting dilute aqueous solutions is expensive.
Innovation Solution
A process involving radical polymerization of an aqueous monomer solution at location A, followed by comminution and mixing with water to create a polyacrylamide concentrate, which is then transported to location B for further dilution, reducing the need for extensive drying and equipment, and utilizing modular, relocatable units for efficient production and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If aqueous polyacrylamide gel is produced by gel polymerization, then high molecular weight polyacrylamide is obtained, but the high water content (65-80%) requires extensive drying which is energy-intensive and increases operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes a significant portion of water (up to 80-95% of total water content) from the polymer gel through filtration and centrifugation processes, reducing water content from 65-80% to less than 20%. This extraction approach avoids the energy-intensive drying process while maintaining high molecular weight polymer integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and composition parameters of the polymer product by producing a semi-dry concentrate with reduced water content (less than 20%) compared to traditional gel polymerization products (65-80% water). This parameter change enables transport without extensive drying while preserving polymer molecular weight.
2Ease of manufacture
If polyacrylamide powder is produced through drying and size reduction, then the polymer can be packaged and shipped, but capital expenditure for post-processing equipment (drying, size reduction, sieving, grinding) is significant
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes water through filtration and centrifugation rather than thermal drying, eliminating the need for complex drying equipment, size reduction machinery, sieving systems, and grinding equipment. The semi-dry concentrate can be directly packaged and shipped without these extensive post-processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses disposable or easily cleanable filtration media and simple centrifugation equipment instead of expensive, complex post-processing equipment. The filter cakes and centrifuged concentrates can be directly packaged and shipped, eliminating the need for extensive processing infrastructure.
3Weight of moving object
If polyacrylamide powder is produced and shipped, then transportation is feasible, but on-site dissolution is time-consuming and requires specialized equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary water removal (up to 80-95% of total water content) during the manufacturing process, creating a semi-dry concentrate that requires minimal water addition and mixing time at the application site. This preliminary action eliminates the time-consuming on-site dissolution process while maintaining transportability.
4Ease of operation
If dilute aqueous solutions of polyacrylamide are produced on-site, then immediate use is possible, but transportation costs become extremely high compared to transporting powders
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the concentration parameter of the transportable product by producing a semi-dry concentrate with less than 20% water content (compared to dilute solutions with 65-80% water). This parameter change reduces transportation costs by 70-80% compared to shipping dilute solutions, while the concentrate can be quickly diluted and used on-site.
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 minimizes energy consumption, capital expenditures, and transportation costs by eliminating the need for extensive drying and on-site dissolution, while enabling efficient production and distribution of polyacrylamide solutions directly to application sites.
Implementation Method 1
an aqueous monomer solution having a relatively high concentration of monomers, for example from 20% by weight to 50% by weight is polymerized by means of suitable polymerization initiators under essentially adiabatic conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Process for producing aqueous polyacrylamide concentrates by polymerizing an aqueous solution comprising at least acrylamide thereby obtaining an aqueous polyacrylamide gel, comminuting said aqueous polyacrylamide gel and mixing it with an aqueous liquid, wherein the manufacturing steps are allocated to two different locations A and B and the process comprises the step of transporting an aqueous polyacrylamide concentrate hold in a suitable transport unit from a location A to a location B. Modular, relocatable plant for manufacturing aqueous polyacrylamide, wherein the units of the plant are located at two different locations A and B.