Claims
- 1. Apparatus for mixing a dry particulate polymer or a liquid polymer and a liquid diluent, said apparatus comprising: a centrifugal mixing pump including a motor and a generally annular first casing and an impeller housed within said first casing and rotated by said motor, said first casing having a discharge at the periphery thereof and an inlet generally centrally thereof, a second casing having a generally annular side wall and first and second end walls respectively at the ends of said side wall, said second casing having a particulate inlet and a diluent inlet and a discharge, said diluent inlet being generally tangent to said side wall, said particulate inlet being in said first end wall generally centrally thereon, means for closing said particulate inlet, the discharge of said second casing being in said second end wall generally centrally thereon, thereby to create a swirling flow of diluent in said second casing and a region of lower pressure in the region of the discharge thereof to draw the particulate polymer from said particulate inlet and liquid from said diluent inlet to the discharge of second casing, said particulate inlet being adapted to be coupled to a source of dry particulate material, said diluent inlet being adapted to be coupled to a source of diluent, the discharge of said second casing being coupled to the inlet of said first casing, said second casing having a liquid polymer inlet, a check valve coupled to said liquid polymer inlet and being adapted to be coupled to a source of liquid polymer, and feedback means coupling the discharge of said first casing to the diluent inlet of said second casing.
- 2. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a flowmeter coupled between the source of diluent and the diluent inlet.
- 3. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a funnel coupled to said particulate inlet for receiving the dry particulate material and directing it to said particulate inlet.
- 4. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first end wall is transparent.
- 5. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid polymer inlet is in said second end wall.
- 6. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for closing said particulate inlet includes valve means coupling the dry particulate polymer to the particulate inlet.
- 7. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first casing has a generally annular side wall and a first end wall at the end thereof.
- 8. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the discharge of said first casing is a tubular projection thereon substantially tangent thereto, the inlet of said first casing being an axially extending tubular projection thereon.
- 9. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said diluent inlet of said second casing is a tubular extension on said side wall and tangent thereto, the discharge of said second casing being an axially extending tubular projection on said second end wall.
- 10. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first end wall of said second casing is separate from and attached to said side wall thereof.
- 11. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising means for preventing the liquid diluent from being coupled to said discharge of said first casing.
- 12. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising outer conduit means coupled to said diluent inlet of said second casing, and an inner conduit in said outer conduit and coupled between a source of water and said diluent inlet, said feedback means including means coupling said discharge of said first casing to said outer conduit.
- 13. The mixing apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a funnel having a discharge coupled to said particulate inlet, said funnel having a first inlet adapted to be coupled to a source of dry particulate polymer and a second inlet adapted to be coupled to a source of liquid diluent, whereby liquid diluent washes the interior of said funnel to prevent agglomeration of the dry particulate matter in said funnel.
- 14. The mixing apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first inlet of said funnel is circular and has a diameter on the order of about two inches and the discharge of such funnel is circular and has a diameter on the order of about 0.75 inch.
- 15. The mixing apparatus of claim 13, wherein said funnel has a cylindrical interior surface near said inlet and a frustoconical interior surface between said cylindrical surface and the discharge of said funnel.
- 16. The mixing apparatus of claim 15, wherein said second inlet is generally tangent to said cylindrical interior surface for establishing a swirling flow of diluent around said cylindrical surface and down said frustoconical interior surface.
- 17. Apparatus for mixing a dry particulate material and a liquid diluent, said apparatus comprising: a centrifugal pump including a motor and a generally annular first casing and an impeller housed within said first casing and rotated by said motor, said first casing having a discharge at the periphery thereof and an inlet generally centrally thereof, and a generally annular second casing having a material inlet and a diluent inlet and a discharge, said diluent inlet being generally tangent to said casing, the discharge of said second casing being located generally centrally thereon, said material inlet being adapted to be coupled to a source of the particulate material, electrically operated valve means coupled to said diluent inlet, said valve being adapted to be coupled to a source of diluent, the discharge of said second casing being coupled to the inlet of said first casing, electrically controlled switch means for coupling a source of power to said centrifugal pump, and control means for operating said switch means and said valve means for selective opening and closing thereof, the mechanism defined by said switch means and said valve means and said control means including delay means to cause said switch means to automatically close before said valve means opens by a predetermined amount of first delay.
- 18. The mixing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the predetermined amount of first delay is on the order of about one second.
- 19. The mixing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mechanism defined by said switch means and said valve means and said control means includes delay means to cause said switch means to automatically open after said valve means is closed by a predetermined amount of second delay.
- 20. The mixing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the predetermined amount of second delay is on the order of about one second.
- 21. The mixing apparatus of claim 19, wherein said second delay means is incorporated into said switch means.
- 22. The mixing apparatus of claim 17, wherein said switch means is a relay.
- 23. The mixing apparatus of claim 17, wherein said valve means is a solenoid operated valve.
- 24. The mixing apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising additional delay means coupled between said control means and said switch means to cause said switch means to automatically open after said valve means is closed.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 878,114, filed June 25, 1986, and entitled "Mixing Apparatus".
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0154978 |
Sep 1985 |
EPX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
878114 |
Jun 1986 |
|