Sludge Hopper Wall Spraying for Low-Friction Gravity Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hoppers face challenges in efficiently transporting sludge with high friction and potential attachment to walls, which complicates utilization and increases waste due to texture issues.
Innovation Solution
A hopper design with flat spray nozzles angled perpendicular to the sludge flow direction, controlled by weight cells and pressure sensors, sprays a minimal amount of liquid onto the walls to reduce friction and prevent sludge attachment, maintaining dry matter content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If liquid is added to sludge to reduce friction and prevent wall attachment, then sludge transport is facilitated, but the dry matter content of the sludge decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding liquid to the bulk sludge, the invention applies liquid locally only to the hopper walls where friction occurs. The spray nozzles direct liquid specifically at the wall surfaces to create a lubricating film, preventing sludge attachment without diluting the sludge mass and maintaining its dry matter content.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces liquid as an intermediary substance between the sludge and the hopper walls. This liquid film acts as a mediator that reduces direct contact and friction between the sludge and walls, enabling smooth transport without altering the sludge's fundamental properties or dry matter content.
2Ease of operation
If spray nozzles are added to reduce friction, then sludge transport is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spray nozzles are integrated into the existing hopper structure, serving multiple functions: they reduce friction during transport, prevent wall attachment, and can be controlled based on sludge conditions. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing several benefits from a single integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates weight cells that measure sludge weight and provide feedback to control the spray nozzles. This feedback mechanism allows the liquid spray to be dynamically adjusted based on actual sludge conditions, optimizing friction reduction while minimizing liquid consumption and system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If more liquid is sprayed on hopper walls, then friction is reduced and sludge transport is improved, but the amount of liquid consumed increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of saturating the sludge with liquid, the invention applies only the minimal necessary amount of liquid to the hopper walls through targeted spraying. This partial action approach provides sufficient friction reduction while avoiding excessive liquid consumption that would dilute the sludge and increase disposal costs.
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
Facilitates effective sludge transport without significant water content increase, preventing clogging and enabling efficient utilization of sludge for food production.
Implementation Method 1
Spraying water through the at least one nozzle towards a wall of the hopper may remove attachment of sludge to said wall of the hopper by decreasing friction between the sludge and said wall so as the sludge can slide along the wall
Implementation Method 2
The at least one weight cell is arranged in connection to the hopper and/or the pump and configured to measure a load onto the hopper
Implementation Method 3
a hopper configured to receive sludge from a solid-liquid separator and to transport the sludge by means of gravity along a direction of transportation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a hopper configured to receive sludge (3) from a solid-liquid separator (4) and to transport the sludge (3) by means of gravity wherein said hopper (2) comprises at least one wall extending along the direction of transportation of the sludge (3) and wherein said hopper (2) further comprises at least one nozzle (23, 24) configured to spray a liquid onto the at least one wall of the hopper. The invention further relates to a solid-liquid separator arrangement and a method for transporting sludge.