Powder Packaging System Vacuum Dosing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in packaging powders lies in achieving precise dosing due to variations in flow rate caused by non-homogeneous powder blocks and the presence of air, which complicates weighing and affects the organoleptic properties and shelf life of powdered materials.
Innovation Solution
A system with a vacuum area inside the hopper and tube, utilizing a screw conveyor and filtering material, where air is sucked from the gap between tubes to compact the powder uniformly, maintaining a constant flow rate and allowing precise control over dosing, with additional features like pressure sensors and controlled gas introduction to manage compacting and prevent oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If deaerators are used to remove air from powder, then the volume of powder is reduced and organoleptic properties are preserved, but the flow rate of powders becomes non-homogeneous and dosing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the powder flow into discrete portions using a screw conveyor with controlled pitch and rotation, allowing precise dosing of deaerated powder by controlling the number and position of powder blocks conveyed per unit time
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameters of powder delivery by controlling the screw conveyor rotation speed, pitch, and positioning to achieve precise dosing volumes despite variations in powder density caused by deaeration
2Reliability
If vacuum is applied to convey powder, then air is removed and powder compacting is improved, but flow rate variations increase due to non-homogeneous powder blocks
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect powder block characteristics and provides feedback to the control unit, which adjusts screw conveyor parameters in real-time to maintain constant flow rate despite variations in powder homogeneity
Solution Approach 2:
The screw conveyor parameters (rotation speed, pitch, positioning) are made dynamically adjustable through the control unit based on real-time powder flow conditions, enabling adaptation to maintain constant flow rate
3Volume of stationary object
If air is present in powder, then powder volume increases making weighing difficult, but powder flow rate becomes more homogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces gravitational weighing with vacuum-based conveyance and vacuum gauge measurement, using the vacuum system to both transport powder and measure its quantity through pressure differential measurements
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 enables precise dosing and extended product freshness by removing air, reducing volume, and preventing oxidation, while maintaining a constant flow rate and compacting degree, thus optimizing packaging efficiency and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
the second tube comprises a first opening configured to be able to suck air from the gap and from the hopper
Implementation Method 2
The operating principle is based on the continuous extraction of the air existing, under normal conditions, between the particles of product, through the creation of vacuum inside the tube for conveying the powders inside the machine
Implementation Method 3
the first tube is made of filtering material and is arranged inside a second tube so as to make a gap between the first tube and the second tube
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The present document presents a system and a method for packaging powders in containers (S) through a hopper (T) and a first tube (TC) connected to the hopper (T). Air is sucked both in the area of the first tube and in the area of the hopper. The powder is then drawn directly from inside the hopper thus keeping the flow rate and the degree of compacting of the system constant. Moreover, the powder sucked inside the first tube is thus compacted and can be conveyed compacted towards the outlet. In this way it is possible to control the dosing of the product exiting from the system with high precision.