Chemical mixing apparatus

• US 7,281,840 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tres Ark
• Original Assignee: Tres-Ark, Inc.
• Inventors: Simpson, Michael B., Anderson, Gary R., Woodley, George V.
• Primary Examiner(s): SORKIN, DAVID L
• Application Number:
  US10/887,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20060009875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 366/141, 366/152.1, 366/152.2, 366/136, 366/137, 366/142, 366/132, 137/3, 137/4, 137/92, 700/265, 700/266, 700/285
• US Class Current: 366/132
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/405 Methods of mixing liquids with liquids B01F23/4105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/213 of the properties of the mixtures, e.g. temperature, density or colour
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2132 Concentration, pH, pOH, p(ION) or oxygen-demand B01F35/2133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2202 Controlling the mixing process by feed-back, i.e. a measured parameter of the mixture is measured, compared with the set-value and the feed values are corrected
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/2209 Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/82 by adding a material to be mixed to a mixture in response to a detected feature, e.g. density, radioactivity, consumed power or colour
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/832 Flow control by weighing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/883 using flow rate controls for feeding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/90 Heating or cooling systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00029 Batch processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00191 Control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/02 for feeding measured , i.e. prescribed quantities of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/134 by sensing the weight of the individual components

Abstract

There is disclosed a system and method of formulating a batch comprising at least two ingredients. The ingredients are admitted to a container to partially fill it. The quantities of the ingredient in the container are determined, and a ratio of a target quantity to the determined current quantity for at least one ingredient is calculated. The next quantity of that ingredient to be admitted to the admixture is calculated by multiplying the target quantity by the calculated ratio to determine a corrected quantity. The corrected quantity of the ingredient is admitted to the admixture, and a quantity of another ingredient is admitted to the admixture to adjust the proportion of ingredients to the target formulation. These steps may be repeated until the batch is completed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for formulating a batch, comprising:

a tank;

at least two chemical dispensing devices, each chemical dispensing device having an input and an output, each input coupled to a chemical supply;

a manifold coupled to the output of each of the at least two chemical dispensing devices, the manifold having an outlet that is coupled to the tank such that chemicals dispensed from the chemical dispensing devices are transferred to the manifold and from the manifold into the tank;

an analytical instrument for measuring the quantities of one or more ingredients in a chemical mixture, the analytical instrument coupled to the tank;

a conduit configured to transfer fluid from the tank to the manifold, wherein fluid travels from the manifold to the tank and from the tank through the conduit back to the manifold to form a recycle loop;

a controller coupled to the chemical dispensing devices and the analytical instrument, wherein the controller controls the flow of chemicals from the chemical dispensing devices and the flow of fluid through the recycle loop based on the measurements received from the analytical instrument.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the chemical dispensing devices is configured to dispense water.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the chemical dispensing devices is configured to dispense hydrogen peroxide.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the chemical dispensing devices is configured to dispense ammonium hydroxide.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a heater coupled to the mixing tank, wherein the heater heats the mixing tank; and

a temperature controller coupled to the heater and the controller, wherein the temperature controller controls the output of the heater based on a communication from the controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analytical instrument comprises a spectral adsorption device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more ingredients have a known supply concentration.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least on of the measurements received from the analytical instrument comprises a specific gravity of at least one of the ingredients.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of quantities of the one or more ingredients comprises a volume percentage.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of quantities of the one or more ingredients comprises a weight percentage.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit configured to transfer the chemical solution from the mixing tank to a process chamber.