Pump-Wheel Comminution for Simplified Suspension Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods and devices for producing suspensions from plant parts, such as nuts, kernels, and seeds, require additional drives for comminuting elements, which complicates the process and may not effectively maintain the freshness of the plant parts and their nutrients.
Innovation Solution
Configuring the pump wheel of a centrifugal pump as the comminuting element eliminates the need for an additional drive, allowing for simplified production of suspensions by mechanically comminuting plant parts with water in a mixing chamber and filtering out pomace, using a pump wheel that enhances the centrifugal effect with a radial exit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an additional drive for the comminuting element is used, then the comminution of plant parts is effective, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump wheel is designed to perform both pumping and comminuting functions simultaneously. The pump wheel includes cutting edges or teeth that mechanically comminute plant parts while the plant parts are being pumped through the mixing chamber, eliminating the need for a separate comminuting element and its drive mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump wheel is configured as a multi-functional component that serves dual purposes: it acts as both the pumping element to move the liquid mixture and the comminuting element to mechanically break down plant parts. This universal design reduces the total number of components required in the system.
2Device complexity
If the pump wheel is configured as the comminuting element, then the device is simplified, but the comminution function must be integrated into the pump wheel design
Solution Approach 1:
The pump wheel is designed with localized comminuting features such as cutting edges, teeth, or abrasive surfaces at specific locations on the wheel perimeter. These local modifications enable the pump wheel to perform comminution while maintaining the overall simplicity of the pump wheel structure and manufacturing process.
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 simplifies the device, maintains the freshness of plant parts and nutrients, and allows for continuous production of ready-to-drink suspensions, with components that can be easily cleaned and reused.
Implementation Method 1
The configuration as a radial pump, thus with a radial exit from the pump enhances the centrifugal effect of the pump wheel
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing a suspension, the method including feeding water by a pump from a storage container through a mixing chamber; mechanically comminuting plant parts from real nuts, kernels, grains, and/or seeds by a comminuting element to form comminuted plat parts; mixing the comminuted plant parts with the water in the mixing chamber to form a mix; pressing the mix through a filter that passes the suspension through and retains a pomace that remains from the plant parts, wherein a pump wheel of the pump forms the comminuting element.