Dredging Slurry System with Pulp Tank and Detection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dredging slurry systems with pulp tanks require bidirectional fluid communication, leading to high electricity and equipment costs due to continuous overflow and reflow processes, which are inefficient and costly to maintain.
Innovation Solution
A dredging slurry system with a pulp tank that employs unidirectional fluid communication, utilizing a pulp tank, a dredging-slurry die base, a slurry-physical-feature detection unit, an inflow unit, and a control unit to manage slurry addition and removal efficiently, eliminating the need for continuous pumping and reflow equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bidirectional fluid communication is adopted for continuous overflow and reflow, then slurry circulation is maintained, but electricity cost and equipment cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the reflow mechanism from the conventional bidirectional circulation system. By eliminating the reflow bucket, reflowing pump, and associated piping, the system transitions from continuous circulation to a single-pass flow model, thereby eliminating the electricity costs associated with reflow equipment while maintaining productive slurry supply to the mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the pulp tank to serve itself by using the natural overflow mechanism to supply slurry to the mold without requiring external pumping for reflow. The slurry naturally overflows from the tank and is collected in the reflowing bucket, which then feeds back to the mold area without needing active pumping, creating a self-sustaining circulation pattern.
2Productivity
If bidirectional fluid communication is adopted for continuous overflow and reflow, then slurry circulation is maintained, but equipment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes multiple pieces of equipment from the system including the reflowing bucket, reflowing pump, and associated piping infrastructure. This extraction of unnecessary components directly reduces equipment complexity while preserving the essential function of slurry circulation to the mold.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of slurry storage, overflow control, and distribution into a simplified integrated system. The pulp tank directly overflows to the mold area, and the collected slurry in the reflowing bucket feeds back without requiring separate active pumping systems, thereby combining multiple functions into a simpler unified process.
3Ease of operation
If continuous pumping and reflow equipment are used, then slurry supply is maintained, but electricity cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from continuous active pumping to periodic action based on level detection. The detection unit monitors slurry levels and triggers addition or removal operations only when thresholds are exceeded, eliminating continuous energy consumption while maintaining adequate slurry supply to the mold through timed interventions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses passive overflow mechanisms and gravity-driven flow to maintain slurry supply without continuous pumping. The detection unit and control system enable the system to self-regulate slurry levels and supply, eliminating the need for continuously operating electric pumps and associated energy costs.
4Productivity
If detection and control units are added to manage slurry addition and removal, then slurry supply optimization is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a detection unit that continuously monitors slurry physical features (such as level or concentration) and provides feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism enables automatic adjustment of slurry addition or removal operations, optimizing supply efficiency without requiring complex manual control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical control systems with an automated detection and control unit that uses sensors and electronic control logic. This substitution simplifies the overall system by using intelligent automation rather than complex mechanical linkages or manual operations to manage slurry supply optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A dredging slurry system with a pulp tank is introduced, which is applied for a wet paper pulp molding apparatus. The system comprises the pulp tank, a dredging slurry mold seat, an activating unit, a slurry-physical-feature detection unit and at least one inflow unit and a control unit. The slurry-physical-feature detection unit is used to detect at least one physical feature from a slurry within the pulp tank, during a plurality of different stages, thereby relatively outputting a physical feature data. The control unit is used to control the at least one inflow unit to a manner whether to pour a newly-added slurry into the pulp tank or not, depending upon the physical feature data.