Rotatable Gap-Forming Elements for High-Throughput Mixing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mixing and dispersing devices in the paint industry face challenges with low throughput and frequent blockages due to the design of separating devices, which limits the efficiency and reliability of the dispersing process.
Innovation Solution
A device with rotatable gap-forming elements, including a rotor and stator, is designed to create a dynamic gap for mixing and dispersing materials, preventing larger particles from passing through while allowing high throughput without the risk of blockages, using a housing with dynamic gaps and grinding tools to ensure efficient dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a separating device with small gaps is used to prevent larger particles from passing through, then particle separation is improved, but the throughput is reduced and blockage probability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separating device is divided into multiple gap-forming elements with openings arranged in specific patterns. Instead of a single small gap, multiple gaps are created in series, allowing progressive separation while maintaining higher throughput. The segmentation of the separation function across multiple elements prevents blockages while achieving the required particle separation precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The gap-forming elements are designed with rotatable components that create dynamic gaps. The relative rotation between gap-forming elements allows the gap size to vary during operation, preventing material buildup and blockages while maintaining effective separation. This dynamic adjustment enables continuous operation at high throughput without the stagnation issues of static small gaps.
2Manufacturing precision
If a separating device with small gaps is used to separate grinding aids, then separation precision is improved, but the device becomes prone to blockages requiring frequent maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating gap-forming elements create continuously varying gap sizes that prevent material from settling and blocking the separation paths. The dynamic motion ensures that no single small gap remains stationary long enough to accumulate blocking material, thereby maintaining high separation precision while significantly improving reliability and reducing maintenance frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous rotation of gap-forming elements ensures that the separation action is constantly renewed across all gaps. This continuous motion prevents the formation of stationary blockages by ensuring that material is constantly being moved and separated, rather than allowing accumulation in any single location. The useful separation action continues without interruption or blockage.
3Device complexity
If the number of outlet gaps is reduced to simplify the device, then device complexity is reduced, but the throughput is greatly limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single complex separating device with many outlets, the invention segments the separation function across multiple gap-forming elements with openings. This segmentation allows the device to maintain structural simplicity while achieving high throughput through the cumulative effect of multiple gaps working in series, rather than requiring a single complex outlet structure.
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
The solution enables high-throughput material processing without blockages, ensuring efficient dispersion and separation of grinding aids, reducing maintenance needs and improving the overall efficiency of the dispersing process.
Implementation Method 1
a first gap-forming element, preferably a rotor, which is assigned to the first process region and comprises openings, a second gap-forming element, preferably a stator, which is assigned to the second process region and corresponds to the first gap-forming element, wherein the second gap-forming element comprises openings, wherein at least one of the gap-forming elements, preferably the rotor, is designed so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the other gap-forming element
Implementation Method 2
an inlet through which the liquid with the material to be treated and the dispersion medium are sucked in as a result of rotation of the agitating disk
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) for mixing which comprises a housing (2) with at least one inlet (3). A first process region (4) mixes the supplied substances which are introduced via the inlet (3) while a second process region (5) discharges the mixture via an outlet (6). A first gap-forming element (7), preferably a rotor, is assigned to the first process region (4) and comprises openings (8), and a second gap-forming element (9), preferably a stator, is assigned to the second process region (5) and corresponds with the first gap-forming element (7), wherein the second gap-forming element (9) comprises openings (10). At least one of the gap-forming elements (7, 9) is rotatable relative to the other gap-forming element (7, 9). The openings (8, 10) of the first and second gap-forming elements (7, 9) are arranged such that a mixture passes through the openings from the first into the second process region.