Tracking and properties control system for bulk materials

• US 8,042,736 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engineering Consultants Group
• Original Assignee: Engineering Consultants Group
• Inventors: Misal, Nilimb, Scavuzzo, James, Bazant, Martin Z., Santucci, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEDEKEL, TABITHA F
• Application Number:
  US12/428,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/380
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

The invention provides a system of devices and a set of methods for accurately characterizing, tracking and controlling bulk material flows. Measurements of input material properties, dynamical measurements involving identifiable tags, and fast, discrete simulations are combined to predict and control the composition of bulk material exiting a container, such as a silo, bunker or hopper. In one embodiment, a system is provided for a coal-fired power plant where the properties of coal are assessed, then the coal is marked and tracked to provide the plant'"'"'s operators improved control over the coal mixture and target bulk properties as it makes its way from a coal receiving station to delivery for combustion in a furnace.

Claims

1. A tracking system for bulk materials comprising:

at least one funnel-shape container that receives a bulk material that has different physical properties, wherein said bulk material forms an upper free surface in said funnel-shape container that can be subsequently covered upon receipt of additional bulk material and wherein the bulk material mixes while flowing through said funnel-shape container and drains therefrom at a container exit;

a plurality of identifiable tags placed in the material;

a recording system that detects physical properties of the bulk material, wherein said recording system associates said physical properties with at least one said identifiable tag;

a first reader positioned to monitor locational placement of said plurality of identifiable tags on said upper free surface, said first reader generating initial location entry data;

a second reader positioned proximal said container exit so as to read said identifiable tags passing therethrough, said second reader generating exit data; and

a controller connected to said recording system to monitor said plurality of identifiable tags and associated physical properties of the bulk material, said controller receiving said initial location entry data and exit data and generating a mixing flow model based on said entry and exit data to determine the flow of the bulk material through said funnel-shape container, wherein said controller uses said mixing flow model to predict the composition and different physical properties as the bulk material flows from said container exit.

2. The tracking system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a variable belt drive system connected to said controller, said variable drive system controlling delivery of the bulk material with desired physical properties to said container by receiving advisory information from said controller so as to adjust delivery of bulk material to said at least one funnel-shape container.

3. The tracking system according to claim 2, wherein the bulk material is stored in different sections according to grade and is drawn by said variable belt drive system.

4. The tracking system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a blending station connected to said controller and receiving the bulk material from said variable belt drive system, wherein said controller causes said blending station to blend the different grades of the bulk material prior to delivery to said at least one funnel-shape container.

5. The tracking system according to claim 4, wherein said controller adjusts operation of said variable belt drive system and said blending station in realtime to control the predicted composition of the bulk material leaving said at least one funnel-shape container at future times.

6. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises solid fossil fuels, such as coal.

7. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises raw materials for biofuel, such as corn, sugarcane, switchgrass, or woodchips.

8. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said identifiable tags, which can be identified as they exit the container, are selected from the group consisting of radio-frequency identification (RFID) devices, and particles of distinct color, chemical/physical signature, or having a bar code.

9. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein the identifiable tags are radioactive particles, which can be located in the bulk material by external detectors.

10. The tracking system of claim 1, wherein said mixing flow model is an event-driven stochastic algorithm, such as the spot model.

11. A method of tracking bulk materials in at least one container drained by gravity, comprising:

adding bulk material, which has different grades, to a funnel-shape container wherein the bulk material mixes while flowing through said funnel-shape container and drains from said funnel-shape container at a container exit;

seeding the bulk material with identifiable tags, wherein said tags are associated with physical properties of the bulk material'"'"'s grade;

monitoring locational placement with a first reader of said identifiable tags in said funnel-shape container on an upper free surface of the bulk material added to said container;

generating initial location entry data from said first reader;

monitoring with a second reader said identifiable tags passing through said container exit;

generating exit data from said second reader;

generating a mixing flow model based on said initial location entry and exit data; and

adjusting delivery of the different grades of bulk material to said funnel-shape container based on said mixing flow model.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

predicting the flow and mixing of the bulk material through said funnel-shape container based on the monitored flow of the bulk material as determined by said entry data and said exit data.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the bulk material is coal.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

utilizing an event-driven stochastic algorithm with discrete particles to generate said mixing flow model and predict the flow of the bulk materials.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

selecting said identifiable tag from the group consisting of radio-frequency identification devices, particles of distinct color, a chemical signature, a physical signature, a bar code, and radioactive particles.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

receiving the bulk material;

analyzing and associating properties of the bulk material with said identifiable tags according to the bulk material'"'"'s grade; and

storing the bulk material in designated areas according to the bulk material'"'"'s grade.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

drawing the bulk material from the designated areas based on the predicted flow of material through the container and the desired property of the bulk material exiting said container.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

blending the bulk materials from the designated areas prior to entry of the bulk material into said container.

19. A method for tracking coal in a coal-fired power plant using radio frequency identification markers, comprising:

receiving coal at a receiving station;

designating physical properties of received coal as preliminary material data;

writing to identifiable tags from said preliminary material data, and sending tag information and said preliminary material data to a controller;

distributing said identifiable tags within the coal;

segregating the coal into sections according to said preliminary data;

blending the coal from at least one of said sections at a blending station;

designating revised physical properties of the blended coal as revised material data;

updating said identifiable tags in the blended coal with said revised material data;

sending updated tag information and revised material data to said controller;

generating a mixing flow model based on locational placement of said identifiable tags on an upper free surface of coal deposited in a funnel-shape container, the mixing of the coal flowing through said funnel-shape container and exit of said identifiable tags within the coal from said funnel-shape container and providing said mixing flow model to said controller;

delivering the blended coal to a furnace to generate a desired power output; and

generating signals by said controller based on said mixing flow model to control blending and delivering to obtain a desired mixture of the coal supplied to said furnace.