Sealed Powder Feed Design for Moisture-Sensitive Dispersion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dispersion devices face challenges in handling powders affected by atmospheric moisture, leading to reactions that degrade the quality of the mixture and generate harmful gases, necessitating costly low-humidity environments that are difficult to maintain.

Innovation Solution

A dispersion device with a sealed powder feed unit and dry gas supply system that blocks contact between the powder and moisture, using negative or positive pressure to prevent moisture influence during storage and transfer, and a control unit for adjusting gas flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire mixing device is disposed in a low-humidity environment (dry room), then the reaction between powder and atmospheric moisture is suppressed, but the size, initial cost, and running cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuppression of powder-moisture reactionVSAvoidsize and cost of dry room
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the moisture protection function into a separate sealed powder feed unit, independent from the main mixing device. This segmentation allows moisture protection to be applied only where needed (powder storage and feeding) rather than requiring a large dry room for the entire device, thus reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention applies moisture protection locally to the powder feed unit through sealing and dry gas supply, rather than creating a uniform low-humidity environment throughout the entire mixing device. This localized approach protects the powder from moisture without requiring the entire system to be housed in an expensive dry room.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the size of the dry room increases to secure work space, then the powder can be handled in low-humidity environment, but it becomes difficult to maintain the entire environment under the same conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelow-humidity environment maintenanceVSAvoidenvironment control difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the powder feed unit as an independent sealed module, the invention creates a small, localized controlled environment rather than a large dry room. This segmented approach makes it easier to maintain consistent low-humidity conditions within the small sealed space using dry gas supply, avoiding the difficulties of maintaining uniform conditions across a large area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If a sealed powder feed unit with dry gas supply is used, then the contact between powder and atmospheric moisture is blocked, but additional components (gas supply pipe, powder discharge pipe) are added

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblockage of powder-moisture contactVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The powder discharge pipe is disposed inside the powder feed pipe, creating a nested structure where the outer powder feed pipe serves as both a structural component and a dry gas supply channel. This nesting eliminates the need for separate external gas supply piping, reducing the overall number of components while maintaining effective moisture blockage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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

Effectively suppresses moisture reactions without requiring large dry rooms, maintaining mixture quality and ensuring safety at lower costs by blocking powder-moisture contact before mixing.

Implementation Method 1

the dry gas supplied from the gas supply pipe merges with the powder via an outer pipe of the powder discharge pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow mixing: Turbulence

Implementation Method 2

uses negative or positive pressure to prevent moisture influence during storage and transfer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentEP4104919B1Dispersion device and powder feed member
Publication Date: 2025.10.08 NIHON SPINDLE MFG CO LTD
  • EP4104919B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4104919B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4104919B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispersion device and a powder feed member capable of easily blocking contact with a powder and atmospheric moisture during the storage and transfer of the powder in order to suppress a reaction between the powder before mixing and the atmospheric moisture in the mixing of the powder and the liquid. In order to solve the above problems, provided is a dispersion device including a stirring and mixing unit that mixes a powder with a liquid; a powder feed unit that feeds the powder to the stirring and mixing unit; and a dry gas generation unit that supplies a dry gas to the powder feed unit, in which the powder feed unit is sealable. Additionally, the powder feed unit is also provided as a powder feed member. According to the present invention, it is possible to easily block contact between the powder before mixing with the liquid and atmospheric moisture. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the influence of the powder by the atmospheric moisture without providing a dry room that covers the entire device, to maintain and improve the performance of the mixture after mixing, and to ensure safety during mixing work at low cost.