Row-arranged Powder Feeding System with Separation Wall
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding and blending systems for continuous powder processing have a large footprint, limited accessibility, and complex maintenance due to circular arrangements of feeding and dosing devices, leading to inefficient cleaning and longer changeover times.
Innovation Solution
The feeding and dosing devices are arranged in a row with a separation wall separating the process area from the technical area, allowing for easier access and maintenance, reduced components to clean, and a more compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If feeding and dosing devices are arranged in a circular setup, then it is easily possible to combine product streams from different feeders in the centre, but this leads to a large footprint with substantial unused space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional circular arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration where feeders are stacked vertically in multiple levels. This vertical stacking allows product streams to be combined in the horizontal plane while minimizing the footprint, effectively using the vertical dimension to resolve the space contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding and dosing devices are segmented into multiple independent feeders that can be arranged in a modular fashion. Each feeder operates independently and can be positioned to optimize space utilization, allowing the system to achieve efficient product stream combination without requiring a large circular footprint.
2Ease of manufacture
If feeding and dosing devices are arranged in a circular setup, then product streams can be combined in the centre, but accessibility is limited and usually only given from the back of the feeders
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into modular feeder units with standardized interfaces. This modularity allows maintenance personnel to access and service individual feeders independently, improving accessibility while maintaining the efficient circular arrangement for product stream combination.
Solution Approach 2:
By stacking feeders vertically in multiple levels, the patent creates multiple access points at different heights and positions. This three-dimensional arrangement allows maintenance access from multiple directions (front, back, sides) rather than being limited to a single access point, thereby improving overall accessibility.
3Ease of operation
If slides or pivots are used to access process components of the feeder, then accessibility is improved, but this increases the required footprint further and makes the arrangement more costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex slide and pivot mechanisms from the system and replaces them with a simpler vertical stacking arrangement. Process components are made accessible through direct vertical access paths, eliminating the need for additional mechanical complexity and reducing the footprint.
4Ease of operation
If slides or pivots are used to access process components, then accessibility is improved, but cleaning becomes more complicated and changeover time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes slides and pivots from the system, eliminating the additional surfaces and complex geometries that complicate cleaning. The simplified vertical stacking arrangement provides direct access to all process components, making cleaning more straightforward and reducing changeover time.
5Adaptability or versatility
If the whole feeder must be moved to another location for change of blender inlet position, then flexibility is achieved, but this makes the slide or pivoting system even more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into independent, modular feeder units that can be individually repositioned or reconfigured. This segmentation allows the blender inlet position to be changed by adjusting individual feeders rather than moving the entire system, reducing complexity while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic, adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow feeders to be easily repositioned along vertical and horizontal axes. This dynamic capability provides the needed flexibility for changing blender inlet positions without requiring complex fixed slide or pivoting systems.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
Feeding and blending system for a system for continuous processing of powder products, the feeding and blending system comprising at least two system inlets for powder products and at least two feeding and dosing devices, each having an inlet being connected with a system inlet, further comprising at least one powder blending device, the feeding and dosing devices each having an outlet being connected with an inlet of the powder blending device, wherein the feeding and dosing devices are arranged in a row, wherein a separation wall is provided separating a process area from a technical area, wherein in the process area process components of the feeding and dosing devices, including at least feeders of the feeding and dosing devices, are arranged, and wherein in the technical area technical components of the feeding and dosing devices, including at least actuators for actuating the feeders, are arranged, wherein connections between the actuators and the feeders pass through the separation wall.