Diluting system and method

• US 7,110,861 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Force Flow
• Original Assignee: Force Flow
• Inventors: Nelson, Mark, Davidson, Brad, Townsend, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US11/002,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 700/67, 700/68, 700/80, 700/239, 700/265, 700/281, 700/282, 700/285, 700/305, 137/403, 366/132, 366/140, 366/141, 702/50, 702/55
• US Class Current: 700/265
• 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 23/49 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/21 Measuring
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2111 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2117 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2132 Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand B01F35/2133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2211 Amount of delivered fluid during a period
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/88 by feeding the materials batchwise
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/883 using flow rate controls for feeding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 21/02 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

A system and a method for automatically, accurately diluting chemical solutions on an industrial scale based upon real time weight measurements of chemical and diluent weight is disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for diluting a chemical for water treatment comprising:

a dilution control system comprising;

a dilution tank of known capacity for preparing the chemical in a desired diluted concentration, the tank mounted upon an electronic scale, the scale being capable of generating a series of weight signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of filling;

a source of liquid concentrated chemical feed having a first, but variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

a chemical feed flow controller for controlling the flow of concentrated chemical feed to the dilution tank;

a source of liquid diluent;

a diluent flow controller for controlling the flow of diluent to the dilution tank;

a system controller;

for receiving;

(a) a value related to the dilution tank capacity;

(b) a value related to the variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

(c) a value related to the desired diluted concentration; and

(d) a series of weight signals from the scale;

for calculating the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide a target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration which does not exceed the known capacity of the dilution tank; and

for controlling the chemical feed flow controller and the diluent flow controller based upon the series of weight signals to produce a produced quantity of diluted chemical, the produced quantity related to the target amount of diluted chemical and not exceeding the capacity of the dilution tank; and

a source of water, wherein the dilution control system continuously creates small weight-based batches of the diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration based on changing water demands from the source of water.

2. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising providing a value related to the level of the tank at various levels of filing to the system controller.

3. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a working tank in liquid communication with the dilution tank and into which the diluted chemical can be passed.

4. The system of claim 3, additionally comprising at least one vent line in outlet liquid communication with the working tank.

5. The system of claim 4, additionally comprising a check valve and a flow switch wherein the flow switch is able to shut down the system if flow is detected in the vent lines.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the value related to the variable, concentrated chemical concentration is a concentrated chemical concentration.

7. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one vent line in outlet liquid communication with the dilution tank.

8. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising a pump for feeding diluted chemical to the source of water wherein the system controller receives a value related to a speed of the pump and calculates the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide the target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration for operating the pump at an optimum efficiency.

9. A dilution system for a chemical comprising:

a dilution tank of known capacity for preparing the chemical in a desired diluted concentration, the tank mounted upon an electronic scale, the scale being capable of generating a series of weight signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of filling;

a source of liquid concentrated chemical feed having a first, but variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

a chemical feed flow controller for controlling the flow of concentrated chemical feed to the dilution tank;

a source of liquid diluent;

a diluent flow controller for controlling the flow of diluent to the dilution tank;

a source of water;

a system controller;

for receiving;

(a) a value related to the dilution tank capacity;

(b) a value related to the variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

(c) a value related to the desired diluted concentration;

(d) a series of weight signals from the scale; and

(e) a value related to a source of water;

for calculating the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide a target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration which does not exceed the known capacity of the dilution tank;

for controlling the chemical feed flow controller and the diluent flow controller based upon the series of weight signals to produce a produced quantity of diluted chemical, the produced quantity related to the target amount of diluted chemical and not exceeding the capacity of the dilution tank; and

wherein the system controller continuously creates small weight-based batches of the diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration based on changing water demands from the source of water.

10. The dilution system of claim 9, additionally comprising a working tank in liquid communication with the dilution tank and into which the diluted chemical can be passed.

11. The dilution system of claim 10 additionally comprising at least one vent line in outlet liquid communication with the working tank.

12. The dilution system of claim 11, additionally comprising a check valve and a flow switch wherein the flow switch is able to shut down the system if flow is detected in at least one the vent line.

13. The dilution system of claim 12, additionally comprising a check valve and a flow switch wherein the flow switch is able to shut down the system if flow is detected in the at least one vent line.

14. The dilution system of claim 9, additionally comprising a readable memory into which weight signals are stored the weight signals being from the series of weight signals related to at least one of:

the target amount of diluted chemical produced by the dilution system;

weight of chemical present in the target amount of diluted chemical produced by the dilution system; and

the weight of diluent present in the target amount of diluted chemical produced by the dilution system.

15. The dilution system of claim 9, additionally comprising at least one vent line in outlet liquid communication with the dilution tank.

16. The dilution system of claim 9, additionally comprising a pump for feeding diluted chemical to a source of water wherein the system controller receives a value related to a speed of the pump and calculates the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide the target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration for operating the pump at an optimum efficiency.

17. The dilution system of claim 9, additionally comprising:

a chemical supply tank of known capacity having the source of liquid concentrated chemical feed, the chemical supply tank mounted upon a scale, the scale being capable of generating a series of weight signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of filing;

a plurality of level sensors located inside the chemical supply tank, the level sensors being capable of generating a series of level signals related to the level of the tank at various levels of filing; and

wherein the system controller calculates and displays an amount of concentrated chemical feed in a weight equivalent.

18. A dilution system for a chemical comprising:

a dilution tank of known capacity for preparing the chemical in a desired diluted concentration, the tank mounted upon an electronic scale, the scale being capable of generating a series of weight signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of filling;

a source of liquid concentrated chemical feed having a first, but variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

a chemical feed flow controller for controlling the flow of concentrated chemical feed to the dilution tank;

a source of liquid diluent;

a diluent flow controller for controlling the flow of diluent to the dilution tank;

a source of water;

a chamber of known volume in inlet liquid communication with the source of concentrated chemical feed and in outlet liquid communication with the dilution tank for adding a known volume of concentrated chemical feed to the dilution tank;

a system controller;

for receiving;

(a) a value related to the dilution tank capacity;

(b) a value related to the variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

(c) a value related to the desired diluted concentration;

(d) a series of weight signals from the scale; and

(e) a value related to a source of water;

for calculating the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide a target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration which does not exceed the known capacity of the dilution tank;

for controlling the chemical feed flow controller and the diluent flow controller based upon the series of weight signals to produce a produced quantity of diluted chemical, the produced quantity related to the target amount of diluted chemical and not exceeding the capacity of the dilution tank; and

wherein the system controller continuously creates small weight-based batches of the diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration based on changing water demands from the source of water.

19. The dilution system of claim 18, additionally comprising an overflow line, the overflow line in outlet liquid communication with the chamber and inlet liquid communication with the source of concentrated chemical feed.

20. The dilution system of claim 19, additionally comprising an overflow line, the overflow line in outlet liquid communication with the chamber and inlet liquid communication with the source of chemical in a desired dilution concentration within the dilution tank.

21. A system for diluting a chemical for water treatment comprising:

a dilution tank of known capacity for preparing the chemical in a desired diluted concentration, the tank mounted upon an electronic scale, the scale being capable of generating a series of weight signals related to the weight of the tank when empty and at various levels of filling;

a source of liquid concentrated chemical feed having a first, but variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

a chemical feed flow controller for controlling the flow of concentrated chemical feed to the dilution tank;

a source of liquid diluent;

a diluent flow controller for controlling the flow of diluent to the dilution tank;

a system controller;

for receiving;

(a) a value related to the dilution tank capacity;

(b) a value related to the variable, concentrated chemical concentration;

(c) a value related to the desired diluted concentration; and

(d) a series of weight signals from the scale, wherein the series of weights signals are actual weights of concentrated chemical concentration and diluent;

for calculating the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide a target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration which does not exceed the known capacity of the dilution tank;

for adjusting the amount of concentrated chemical or diluent required to provide the target amount of diluted chemical of desired concentration based on the actual weights of concentrated chemical concentration and diluent within the dilution tank;

for controlling the chemical feed flow controller and the diluent flow controller based upon the series of weight signals to produce a produced quantity of diluted chemical, the produced quantity related to the target amount of diluted chemical and not exceeding the capacity of the dilution tank; and

a pump for feeding diluted chemical to a source of water wherein the system controller receives a value related to a speed of the pump and calculates the amounts of concentrated chemical and diluent required to provide a target amount of diluted chemical of desired diluted concentration for operating the pump at an optimum efficiency.