The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for mixing at least two different solid materials (e.g., adsorbents) and loading the mixture into a vessel, such as an adsorption vessel or reactor.
대표청구항▼
1. An apparatus for mixing at least two solid materials in the form of free flowing particles to form a homogenous mixture, the apparatus comprising: a first discharge hopper for discharging a first material;at least one second discharge hopper for discharging at least one second material;a main fun
1. An apparatus for mixing at least two solid materials in the form of free flowing particles to form a homogenous mixture, the apparatus comprising: a first discharge hopper for discharging a first material;at least one second discharge hopper for discharging at least one second material;a main funnel having an inner surface and positioned relative to the first discharge hopper and to the at least one second discharge hopper such that in use substantially all of the first discharged material directly impacts the inner surface of the main funnel within a first predetermined distance from a central axis of the main funnel and such that in use substantially all of the at the least one second discharged material directly impacts the inner surface of the main funnel within a second predetermined distance from the central axis of the main funnel and whereby the first discharged material and the second discharged material bounce off the inner wall of the main funnel and mix at the center point axis of the main funnel;and wherein the volume percentage of the first and second materials in the mixture is substantially controlled by the flow area of the discharge from the first and second discharge hoppers. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including first and at least one second valves for controlling the discharge of the respective first and at least one second materials into the main funnel. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vessel positioned proximate to a discharge opening of the main funnel and configured to receive a mixture of the first and the at least one second material. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vessel is configured such that at least one bed layer can be formed of the mixture of the first and second materials. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the vessel is an adsorber or reactor. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the vessel is an air prepurification vessel positioned upstream of a cryogenic air separation unit. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second discharge hoppers are arranged such that discharge hopper angles as measured from a vertical reference are each within the range of about 20°-60°. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the discharge hopper angles are each about 30°. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle of the main funnel is such that a main discharge funnel angle as measured from a vertical reference is within the range of about 30°-60°. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the angle of the main funnel is about 40°. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main funnel has a discharge flow area greater than the sum of the areas of the discharge hoppers that in use discharge into the main funnel. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the smallest dimension of the first and at least one second hopper discharge area is at least six times the average particle size of the respective first and at least one second materials contained in the respective hopper. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the points of impact of the first and at least one second material on the inner surface of the main funnel are spaced symmetrically relative to the central axis of the main funnel. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, further including: a third discharge hopper for discharging a third material onto the inner surface of the main funnel such that in use, the first, second and third materials impact the inner surface of the main funnel symmetrically relative to the central axis of the main funnel; andwherein upon impact on the inner surface of the main funnel, the first, second and third materials bounce from the inner surface of the main funnel and form a homogeneous mixture with one another. 15. An apparatus for mixing at least two solid materials in the form of free flowing particles to form a mixture, the apparatus comprising: a first discharge hopper having a first discharge opening for discharging a first material;at least one first load cell configured to weigh a first bin, the first hopper and the first material contained therein;at least one second discharge hopper having a second discharge opening for discharging at least one second material;at least one second load cell configured to weigh a second bin, the second hopper and the second material contained therein;first and second discharge control valves positioned proximate to the first and second discharge hopper openings, respectively;a main funnel having an inner surface and positioned relative to the first discharge hopper and the at least one second discharge hopper such that in use substantially all of the first discharged material directly impacts the inner surface of the main funnel within a first predetermined distance from a central axis of the main funnel and such that in use substantially all of the at the least one second discharged material directly impacts the inner surface of the main funnel within a second predetermined distance from the central axis of the main funnel and whereby the first discharged material and the second discharged material bounce off the inner wall of the main funnel and mix at the center point axis of the main funnel;and a microprocessor programmed to monitor output of the at least one first load cell for the first hopper and the at least one second load cells for the second hopper and to calculate the weight change for each of: the first bin, the first hopper and the material contained in therein; and the second bin, the second hopper and the material contained in therein and for controlling first and second valves discharged and the first and second material discharged from the first and second discharge hoppers to obtain the mixture having a predetermined composition. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second control valves are selected from the group consisting of slide-gates, iris valves, automatic control valves, manual control valves and combinations thereof. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control valves are automatic control valves and the microprocessor is a PLC or computer connected to and programmed to control the automatic control valves. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and at least one second control valves can be adjusted respectively in response to measured weight change in the respective first bin, first hopper and first material therein and the second bin, the at least one second hopper and the at least one second material therein through the program logic controller. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is positioned proximate to an adsorption vessel or a reactor such that in use a mixture of the first and at least one second material can be introduced into the adsorption vessel or the reactor. 20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first and second discharge hoppers are arranged such that discharge hopper angles as measured from a vertical reference are each within the range of about 20°-60°. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the main funnel has a discharge flow area greater than the sum of the areas of the discharge hoppers discharging into the main funnel. 22. The apparatus of claim 15, further including: a third discharge hopper for discharging a third material onto the inner surface of the main funnel such that in use, the first, second and third materials impact the inner surface of the main funnel symmetrically relative to the central axis of the main funnel;a third load cell configured to weigh a third bin, the third hopper and the third material contained therein; andwherein upon impact on the inner surface of the main funnel, the first, second and third materials bounce from the inner surface of the main funnel and form a homogeneous mixture with one another.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (20)
Ackley, Mark William, Adsorbent and catalyst mixtures.
Henzler,Gregory William; Nowobilski,Jeffert John; Ackley,Mark William; Noakes,Michael George, Adsorption process and system using multilayer adsorbent beds containing regenerator section.
Ackley Mark William ; Stewart Alan Barnard ; Henzler Gregory William ; Leavitt Frederick Wells ; Notaro Frank ; Kane Michael Scott, PSA apparatus and process using adsorbent mixtures.
Golden, Timothy Christopher; Taylor, Fred William; Salter, Elizabeth Helen; Kalbassi, Mohammad Ali; Raiswell, Christopher James, Process for nitrous oxide removal.
Golden Timothy Christopher ; Taylor Fred William ; Johnson Leighta Maureen ; Malik Nasim Hassan,GBX ; Raiswell Christopher James,GBX, Purification of air.
Golden Timothy Christopher ; Kalbassi Mohammed Ali,GB2 ; Taylor Fred William ; Allam Rodney John,GB2, Use of zeolites and alumina in adsorption processes.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.