Patent Application
20130039146
The present disclosure generally relates to metering devices used to add precise amounts of concentrate to a solution.
Metering devices are used throughout industry to add specific amounts of one fluid to another fluid or solution in quantitative proportional relationships. For example, metering devices have been used to add syrups to soda in the beverage industry, to add fertilizer to sprinkler systems, and to add additives to water for detoxification or decontamination. Generally, metering systems pump a designated amount of a concentrate into a liquid stream of solution through a mixing device, such as a mixing head. Typically, the concentrate is metered into the liquid stream as a function of signals supplied by a liquid meter to solenoid valves in the liquid stream. These metering systems depend upon electronic controls and mechanical valves which can be somewhat imprecise and also can consume significant amounts of energy. Other metering devices are known that employ a single integral cylinder with chambers to receive pistons for the various liquids which are then added to one another downstream of the device. cl SUMMARY
There is a need for devices that can add precise amounts of concentrate to a solution at very high dilutions. For example, there is a need for devices that can provide concentrates to a solution using a dilution ratio ranging from about 1:1 to about 1:10,000, from about 1:10 to about 1:5,000 or even from about 1:50 to about 1:1000 by volume. State of the art devices have difficulty achieving this dilution ratio. There is also a need for a fully mechanical metering device that does not require added electrical energy. Finally, there is a need for a metering device that provides a precise amount of diluted solution at all times independent of the amount of solution that is needed.
In one aspect, a device is provided that includes a first chamber having a first volume and a second chamber having a second volume, each chamber comprising at least one outer wall, a first piston slideably disposed in the first chamber and sealably dividing the first chamber into a mixing portion and a driving portion, and a second piston coupled to the first piston, the second piston being slideably disposed in the second chamber and sealably defining a concentrate portion in the second chamber, the concentrate portion being in fluid communication with the mixing portion. Additional chambers that have additional concentrate portions are also envisioned as a part of this disclosure.
In another aspect, a method of adding concentrate to a solvent is provided that includes providing a device as described above, urging the first piston in a direction that enlarges the volume in the mixing portion of the first chamber and decreases the volume in the concentrate portion of the second chamber causing solvent to flow from one or more solvent sources into the mixing portion of the first chamber and causing concentrate to flow from the concentrate portion of the second chamber, through a concentrate conduit into the mixing chamber, mixing the concentrate and the solvent to form a solvent/concentrate mix as the volume of the mixing portion increases; closing valves in the concentrate conduit, at least one valve located in or near the first chamber and at least one valve located in or near the second chamber and opening at least one valve in fluid communication with an output conduit which is also in fluid communication with the mixing portion of the first chamber; and urging the piston in the opposite direction and opening a valve in the second chamber; allowing concentrate to flow from one or more concentrate sources through the concentrate conduit into the concentrate portion of the second chamber and, expelling the solvent/concentrate mix through an outlet conduit. A third chamber and a third piston as described for the device above are embodied by this disclosure.
In this disclosure:
“axially aligned” refers to two or more parts that share an axis of symmetry or parallel axes of symmetry;
“bladder” refers to a container that is deformable;
“conduit” refers to a fluid passageway;
“fluid” refers to a liquid or a gas;
“fluid communication” refers to the situation where two devices or parts of a device transfer fluid directly between each other; it is understood that other flow control devices may be included in the fluid communication system;
“linkage” refers to a system of elements used to transfer motion—the linkage can be a direct mechanical linkage or can be an indirect linkage through an energy-transferring medium that is later converted into mechanical motion such as, for example, an electrical signal to a solenoid valve; and
“mechanical communication” refers to two or more parts that have a linkage;
“proportional manner” refers to a predetermined fixed ratio but can also be construed to mean in a ratio that varies in a predictable manner; and
“solvent” refers to any solution to which concentrate is added whether pure solvent or solution.
The provided device and method can allow precise metering of small amounts of concentrate and can provide a precise amount of diluted solution at all times independent of the amount of solution that is needed. The provided device and method can be useful, for example, for adding catalysts to chemical reactions, adding antioxidants, heat and light stabilizers, dye solutions, or other liquid additives to product mixtures. Additionally the provided devices and methods can be useful for injecting precise amounts of additives to drinking water.
The above summary is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment of every implementation of the present invention. The brief description of the drawings and the detailed description which follows more particularly exemplify illustrative embodiments.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying set of drawings that form a part of the description hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration several specific embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. The following detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing feature sizes, amounts, and physical properties used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the foregoing specification and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by those skilled in the art utilizing the teachings disclosed herein. The use of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers within that range (e.g. 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5) and any range within that range.
The provided precision metering devices are further herein described by the Figures. One embodiment of the provided device is shown in
The first chamber can be axially aligned with the second chamber. For example, the first chamber can be directly aligned with the second chamber through a common axis. Alternatively the second chamber can be aligned on a separate axis wherein the separate axis is parallel to the first axis. Alternatively, the second chamber can have an axis that is at an angle to the axis to which the first chamber is aligned. For example, a screw gear can be used that can allow the second chamber to be at substantially right angles to the first chamber. Any other angles can also be accommodated by proper gearing.
It is not necessary that the first chamber or the second chamber to have rotational symmetry. For example, the linkage between the first piston and the second piston can be offset from center of one or the other pistons.
Linkage 130 can be any system that allows the transfer of mechanical motion between first piston 112 and second piston 122. In
First chamber 110 and second chamber 120 can be in the shape of any volume element that can contain a fluid. For example, first chamber 110, second chamber 120, or both can be cylindrical. However, other shapes of volume elements for first chamber 110 and second chamber 120 are also contemplated. For example, first chamber 110, second chamber 120, or both can be rhomboid in shape having a cross-section of any type of polygon from a triangle to a multi-sided polygon. First piston 112 is disposed in first chamber 110 so that the edges of first piston 112 contact the complete outer wall of first chamber 110 and form a seal that divides first chamber 110 into the two portions described above. Analogously, second piston 122 is disposed in second chamber 120 so that the edges of second piston 122 contact the complete outer wall of second chamber 120 and form a seal that defines a concentrate portion. In both chambers, the seal is meant to prevent fluid from substantially traversing from one portion of the chamber to the other portion of the chamber. The first chamber can comprise a plurality of openings that can access the first chamber and the second chamber can comprise a plurality of openings that can access the second chamber. These openings typically are connected to conduits.
In the embodied device, concentrate portion 126 of second chamber 120 is in fluid communication with the mixing portion 114 of first chamber 110. In
Typically useful concentrates include, for example, formulation additives such as antioxidants, heat-and-light stabilizers, actinic radiation absorbers, dyes, and dispersed pigments, catalysts, medicaments, adjuvant, cosolvents, flavors, vitamins, minerals, disinfectants, deodorizers, antifouling agents, and antiscaling agents.
The method of adding concentrate to a solvent can be best illustrated again by referring to
First piston 112 is urged so as to increase the volume of mixing portion 114 of first chamber 110 (downward in
After mixing portion 114 has reached its maximum volume (which can be any volume determined by the length of the stroke of first piston 112), one-way checkvalves 142, 144, and 154 are closed and one-way checkvalves 156 and 164 are opened. The one-way checkvalves can change state passively by just responding to the flow direction or they can be manipulated hydraulically or electronically by an external control system. First piston 112 is then urged so as to decrease the volume of mixing portion 114 (upward in
Optional fluid input conduit 172 with one-way checkvalve 176 and fluid output conduit 174 with one-way checkvalve 178 are illustrated as a part of
The illustrated embodiments include a first chamber and one or two second chambers that contain concentrates. It is also contemplated that additional chambers containing additional concentrates that are in fluid communication with the mixing portion of the first chamber can be provided.
The provided device and method are useful for precise metering of concentrates into solvents. Using the provided device, a proportional amount of concentrate can be added to the solvent in the mixing portion of the first chamber so that the solvent/concentrate mixture in the mixing portion has the same proportionality regardless of the volume of the mixing portion (position of the first piston). With proper gearing the proportionality can range from 1:1 (solvent/concentrate on a volume basis) to very dilute ratios. For example, the concentrate can be diluted, on a volume basis), 1:1, 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:500, 1:1000, 1:10,000 or even higher. It is also contemplated that, in some modes of operation, the first piston, the second piston, or both may not displace the full fixed volume of the first chamber or the second chamber. It is also contemplated that the amount of concentrate pushed through the concentrate conduit and into the mixing chamber of the first chamber might be limited by a mechanical or electrical stop.
It is also contemplated that the linkage can be variable and/or adjustable by using a mechanical or electrical control system. For example, the linkage can be adjustable and changeable during the operation of the device by the control system.
The provided device and method can be useful, for example, for adding catalysts to reaction mixtures, additives to liquid product streams or liquid products, formulation of medicaments, or additives to foods or beverages. The provided device and method is very useful where the dilution ratio is critical and the volume of product is small. It can replace batch formulation with a reliable, precise metering system that can deliver large or small amounts of solvent/concentrate mixture upon demand.
In some embodiments, the provided device does not need to use its own sources of power. For example, the system can be driven by wastewater streams that flow into the driving portion of the first chamber urging the first piston in one direction and by the solvent source that can act as a counterforce to urge the piston in the opposite direction.
Various modifications and alterations to this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. It should be understood that this invention is not intended to be unduly limited by the illustrative embodiments and examples set forth herein and that such examples and embodiments are presented by way of example only with the scope of the invention intended to be limited only by the claims set forth herein as follows. All references cited in this disclosure are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US10/61426 | 12/21/2010 | WO | 00 | 6/27/2012 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61290699 | Dec 2009 | US |
