Solution mixing method and apparatus

• US 4,650,339 A
• Filed: 02/14/1986
• Issued: 03/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UBS Ag
• Original Assignee: Ciba-Geigy AG (Novartis Ag)
• Inventors: Melbourne, John E., Chetcuti, Raphael J. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US06/829,855
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 366/131, 366/132, 366/136, 366/137, 366/142, 366/159, 366/166, 366/167, 366/182, 366/341, 366/153, 366/348, 354/324, 354/297, 354/325, 354/344, 354/331, 137/565, 137/563, 137/571, 137/574, 118/429, 134/186, 134/182, 134/64 P, 134/122 P, 222/1 R
• US Class Current: 366/142
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/40 Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/483 using water for diluting a liquid ingredient, obtaining a predetermined concentration or making an aqueous solution of a concentrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 3/06 Liquid supply; Liquid circulation outside tanks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85954 Closed circulating system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86067 Fluid sump

Abstract

There is described a method of preparing working strength solution in a processing apparatus which comprises adding a requisite volume of concentrated solution to a storage vessel until the liquid level on the storage vessel reaches the top of a standpipe in the storage vessel and continuing to add diluent to the storage vessel so that excess liquid in the storage vessel flows down the standpipe to a connected working vessel, stopping the flow of diluent when the volume of liquid in the working vessel reaches a predetermined volume, then commencing to pump liquid drawn in part at least from the bottom of the working vessel into the storage vessel, the excess liquid in the storage vessel flowing into the working vessel, and continuing to pump liquid from the working vessel to the storage vessel until the specific gravities of the liquid in the storage vessel and in the working vessel are the same.

Pumping the liquid from the working vessel to the storage vessel until the specific gravities of the liquid in the two vessels is the same ensures that complete mixing of the concentrated solution and diluent has taken place.

An apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

Claims

1. A method of preparing working strength solution in a processing apparatus which comprises adding a requisite volume of concentrated solution solely to a storage vessel in the apparatus, adding liquid diluent solely to and directly into the concentrated solution in the storage vessel so as to partly mix therewith until the liquid level in the storage vessel reaches the top of a standpipe in the storage vessel and continuing to add diluent solely to and directly into the concentrated solution in the storage vessel so that excess partly (mixed liquid) in the storage vessel flows down the standpipe to a connected working vessel, stopping the flow of diluent when the volume of liquid in the working vessel reaches a predetermined volume, then commencing to pump liquid drawn in part at least from the bottom of the working vessel into the storage vessel, the excess liquid in the storage vessel flowing into the working vessel, and continuing to pump liquid from the working vessel to the storage vessel until the specific gravities of the liquid in the storage vessel and in the working vessel are the same.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein a pre-packed measured volume of concentrated solution is added to the storage vessel.

3. A material processing apparatus which comprises means for preparing a working strength processing solution from a requisite volume of a concentrated solution and a diluent which comprises a liquid storage vessel having an overflow standpipe located therein;

means for introducing said concentrated solution into said storage vessel, the height of the standpipe being greater than the height of the concentrated solution introduced into said storage vessel as determined by the requisite volume of the solution and the dimensions of the storage vessel;

means for adding diluent liquid to the storage vessel;

a working vessel in which the material is to be processed using the processing solution;

means for connecting the working vessel to the standpipe, so that any volume of liquid in the storage vessel which is higher than the standpipe flows to the working vessel;

liquid level indicator means present in the working vessel;

a multi-directional liquid pump which is connected to pump liquid from the bottom of the working vessel to the bottom of the storage vessel and to pump working strength processing solution from the storage vessel to the working vessel; and

means for determining the specific gravity of the liquids.