CA2220844A1 - High intensity mixer control system and method - Google Patents
High intensity mixer control system and method Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2220844A1 CA2220844A1 CA002220844A CA2220844A CA2220844A1 CA 2220844 A1 CA2220844 A1 CA 2220844A1 CA 002220844 A CA002220844 A CA 002220844A CA 2220844 A CA2220844 A CA 2220844A CA 2220844 A1 CA2220844 A1 CA 2220844A1
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- Prior art keywords
- batch
- mixer
- measurements
- motor
- weight
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29B7/00—Mixing; Kneading
- B29B7/02—Mixing; Kneading non-continuous, with mechanical mixing or kneading devices, i.e. batch type
- B29B7/22—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29B7/28—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations for measuring, controlling or regulating, e.g. viscosity control
- B29B7/283—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations for measuring, controlling or regulating, e.g. viscosity control measuring data of the driving system, e.g. torque, speed, power
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
- B01F35/20—Measuring; Control or regulation
- B01F35/21—Measuring
- B01F35/211—Measuring of the operational parameters
- B01F35/2117—Weight
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F35/00—Accessories for mixers; Auxiliary operations or auxiliary devices; Parts or details of general application
- B01F35/20—Measuring; Control or regulation
- B01F35/21—Measuring
- B01F35/212—Measuring of the driving system data, e.g. torque, speed or power data
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29B—PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS
- B29B7/00—Mixing; Kneading
- B29B7/02—Mixing; Kneading non-continuous, with mechanical mixing or kneading devices, i.e. batch type
- B29B7/22—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
- B29B7/24—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations for feeding
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F2101/00—Mixing characterised by the nature of the mixed materials or by the application field
- B01F2101/2805—Mixing plastics, polymer material ingredients, monomers or oligomers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
- B01F27/00—Mixers with rotary stirring devices in fixed receptacles; Kneaders
- B01F27/60—Mixers with rotary stirring devices in fixed receptacles; Kneaders with stirrers rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
Abstract
A method and a control system for controlling the mixing time of a batch of mixable material of known weight and composition introduced into a high intensity mixer driven by an electric motor, comprising introducing the batch of material into the mixer, making a measurement of the electrical energy input to the motor commencing with the said introduction of the batch of material into the mixer and discharging the batch from the mixer when the measurement of electrical energy input reaches a predetermined level.
Description
, CA 02220844 1997-11-12 HIGH INTENSITY MIXER
CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
LO OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and system of controlling the mi~in of a batch of material in a high intensity mixer so that batches of t~e 10 same compositions of material and weight are mixed to produce a molten mixture having essentially the same predetermined consistent physical state.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVEN'rION
High intensity batch mixers consist of a cylindrical processing chamber in which rotating blades mounted on a drive shaft are driven by an electric motor to rotate at tip speeds of at least 10, and usually at least about 20, meters per second.
Such mixers have a means of feeding material into the mixer and a discharge means consisting of a discharge gate. A batch of material in the mixer is heated by the action of the rotating blades striking and impelling the materials to impact on the internal surfaces and other particles in the enclosed2 5 chamber. This action is sometimes referred to as the thermo-kinetic effect or inner frictional heating.
Such mixers are used to mix or blend small pieces or particles of m~teri~l which may vary in size typically from powder to larger than one-half 3 o inch and which comprise or include meltable plastic particles which may, forinstance, be particles of recycled thermoplastic material. These meltable plastic particles are transformed by frictional heating from a solid state through a softening stage to a flowable melted or molten state. In the softening transition stage between the solid and molten states, such softening particles . CA 02220844 1997-11-12 convert the initial free flowing particles into a viscous mass, the degree of viscosity of which depends upon the nature of the material being mixed.
After reaching the molten state, at which point the viscosity of the mixture falls off rapidly, the material is further heated to the desired temperature and5 then discharged from the cylindrical processing chamber and delivered to a further processing step usually in the form of a molding operation.
At present, the mixing is controlled through measurement of the internal temperature in the mixing chamber, that is, in effect the temperature of 10 the mixture and, when a certain temperature is reached, the mixer is caused to discharge the batch through its discharge gate.
The present temperature governed control system lacks precision because of variable ambient temperature conditions in the mixer depending on its operating mode or cycle. As a result, undesirable variations can occur in the physical state of the mixed batches of the same materials and weight which adversely affect further processing of the batch.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome this problem 2 o whereby mixtures of batches of the same material and weight discharged from the mixer will consistently be in essentially the same physical state.
Another object of the invention is to enable the mixing of the batches to be instantaneously and continuously monitored throughout their 25 transition stages of softening, melting and reaching final discharge state.
Still another object is to provide a mixer control system for automatic batch processing.
SIIMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in its broadest aspects is directed to a method and apparatus for controlling the mixing of batches of material of known weight ~ ~CA 02220844 1997-11-12 and composition or recipe in a high intensity mixer by continuously measuring instantaneous power input to the mixer motor commencing with the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed, accumulating such instantaneous power inputs to measure the electrical energy input to said 5 motor, and discharging the mixed batch after a predetermined level of electrical energy input has been delivered to said motor.
More particularly, in its preferred form the invention resides in a method involving and apparatus for measuring the instantaneous power input 10 to the mixer motor, sllmmin~ such power inputs commencing with the introduction of the batch of material, generating a signal of pulses of discreteenergy quantums in response to said sl-mming, delivering said pulsed signal to a counter, setting the counter to deliver a signal to discharge said batch upon said counter receiving a predetermined number of pulsed signals.
Still further the inventor provides for automatic batch mixing of a series of batches of a specified recipe or mixture and weight of material with each batch mixing precisely controlled to produce the same desired physical state consistency.
These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2 5 l~RIEF DESC~PTION OF THE DRAVVINGS
The Figure is a diagr~mm:~tic view illustrating a high intensity control system in accordance with the invention as applied to an automated batch mixing system.
. . 'CA 02220844 1997-11-12 ., ~ETAILED DESCRIPrION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
l~MBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT lNVENTION
As illustrated in the Figure, a high intensity mixer generally 5 designated a 1 comprises a cylindrical mixing chamber 2 in which blades 3 mounted on a drive shaft 4 are driven at high peripheral speeds by an electric motor 5.
Feed into the mixing chamber 2 is delivered from a hopper 6 by a 10 worm drive 7. The mixing chamber 2 has a discharge outlet 8 which is open and closed by a gate 9 operated by an air or hydraulic cylinder 10 through a linkage system generally designated at 11.
When the charge of material to be mixed is introduced into the 15 mixing chamber 2 via the hopper 6 and worm drive or screw feed 7, the particles which include meltable plastic particles are thrown violently togetherand against the walls of the mixing chamber by the blades 3 rotating at high speeds with their tip speeds usually being at least about 20 meters per second or higher. Due to the thermo-kinetic effect or inner frictional heating, the 2 o meltable plastic particles are transformed from a solid state through a softening stage to a flowable melted or molten state. In the softening transition stage between the solid and molten states, such softening particles convert the initial free flowing particles into a viscous mass the degree of viscosity of which depends upon the nature of material being mixed. Once the molten 2 5 state is reached, the viscosity of the mixture falls off rapidly and the mixture is further heated to a desired temperature ready for discharge at which point the gate 9 is opened through the cylinder 10 and the heated mixture almost instantly discharged under the centrifugal force of the rotating blades.
CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
LO OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and system of controlling the mi~in of a batch of material in a high intensity mixer so that batches of t~e 10 same compositions of material and weight are mixed to produce a molten mixture having essentially the same predetermined consistent physical state.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVEN'rION
High intensity batch mixers consist of a cylindrical processing chamber in which rotating blades mounted on a drive shaft are driven by an electric motor to rotate at tip speeds of at least 10, and usually at least about 20, meters per second.
Such mixers have a means of feeding material into the mixer and a discharge means consisting of a discharge gate. A batch of material in the mixer is heated by the action of the rotating blades striking and impelling the materials to impact on the internal surfaces and other particles in the enclosed2 5 chamber. This action is sometimes referred to as the thermo-kinetic effect or inner frictional heating.
Such mixers are used to mix or blend small pieces or particles of m~teri~l which may vary in size typically from powder to larger than one-half 3 o inch and which comprise or include meltable plastic particles which may, forinstance, be particles of recycled thermoplastic material. These meltable plastic particles are transformed by frictional heating from a solid state through a softening stage to a flowable melted or molten state. In the softening transition stage between the solid and molten states, such softening particles . CA 02220844 1997-11-12 convert the initial free flowing particles into a viscous mass, the degree of viscosity of which depends upon the nature of the material being mixed.
After reaching the molten state, at which point the viscosity of the mixture falls off rapidly, the material is further heated to the desired temperature and5 then discharged from the cylindrical processing chamber and delivered to a further processing step usually in the form of a molding operation.
At present, the mixing is controlled through measurement of the internal temperature in the mixing chamber, that is, in effect the temperature of 10 the mixture and, when a certain temperature is reached, the mixer is caused to discharge the batch through its discharge gate.
The present temperature governed control system lacks precision because of variable ambient temperature conditions in the mixer depending on its operating mode or cycle. As a result, undesirable variations can occur in the physical state of the mixed batches of the same materials and weight which adversely affect further processing of the batch.
It is the object of the present invention to overcome this problem 2 o whereby mixtures of batches of the same material and weight discharged from the mixer will consistently be in essentially the same physical state.
Another object of the invention is to enable the mixing of the batches to be instantaneously and continuously monitored throughout their 25 transition stages of softening, melting and reaching final discharge state.
Still another object is to provide a mixer control system for automatic batch processing.
SIIMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention in its broadest aspects is directed to a method and apparatus for controlling the mixing of batches of material of known weight ~ ~CA 02220844 1997-11-12 and composition or recipe in a high intensity mixer by continuously measuring instantaneous power input to the mixer motor commencing with the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed, accumulating such instantaneous power inputs to measure the electrical energy input to said 5 motor, and discharging the mixed batch after a predetermined level of electrical energy input has been delivered to said motor.
More particularly, in its preferred form the invention resides in a method involving and apparatus for measuring the instantaneous power input 10 to the mixer motor, sllmmin~ such power inputs commencing with the introduction of the batch of material, generating a signal of pulses of discreteenergy quantums in response to said sl-mming, delivering said pulsed signal to a counter, setting the counter to deliver a signal to discharge said batch upon said counter receiving a predetermined number of pulsed signals.
Still further the inventor provides for automatic batch mixing of a series of batches of a specified recipe or mixture and weight of material with each batch mixing precisely controlled to produce the same desired physical state consistency.
These and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2 5 l~RIEF DESC~PTION OF THE DRAVVINGS
The Figure is a diagr~mm:~tic view illustrating a high intensity control system in accordance with the invention as applied to an automated batch mixing system.
. . 'CA 02220844 1997-11-12 ., ~ETAILED DESCRIPrION ACCORDING TO THE PREFERRED
l~MBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT lNVENTION
As illustrated in the Figure, a high intensity mixer generally 5 designated a 1 comprises a cylindrical mixing chamber 2 in which blades 3 mounted on a drive shaft 4 are driven at high peripheral speeds by an electric motor 5.
Feed into the mixing chamber 2 is delivered from a hopper 6 by a 10 worm drive 7. The mixing chamber 2 has a discharge outlet 8 which is open and closed by a gate 9 operated by an air or hydraulic cylinder 10 through a linkage system generally designated at 11.
When the charge of material to be mixed is introduced into the 15 mixing chamber 2 via the hopper 6 and worm drive or screw feed 7, the particles which include meltable plastic particles are thrown violently togetherand against the walls of the mixing chamber by the blades 3 rotating at high speeds with their tip speeds usually being at least about 20 meters per second or higher. Due to the thermo-kinetic effect or inner frictional heating, the 2 o meltable plastic particles are transformed from a solid state through a softening stage to a flowable melted or molten state. In the softening transition stage between the solid and molten states, such softening particles convert the initial free flowing particles into a viscous mass the degree of viscosity of which depends upon the nature of material being mixed. Once the molten 2 5 state is reached, the viscosity of the mixture falls off rapidly and the mixture is further heated to a desired temperature ready for discharge at which point the gate 9 is opened through the cylinder 10 and the heated mixture almost instantly discharged under the centrifugal force of the rotating blades.
3 o An almost unlimited mixture of materials can be mixed in a high intensity mixer involving, in addition to the meltable plastic particles, for example, particles of thermoset materials, metals, fibrous materials, rubber materials, grain husks, shells etc. as well as fly ash, sand and the like. The meltable plastic particles may be particles of recycled thermoplastic materials so that a typical mixture of mixable materials will comprise recycled and waste m~t~
According to the invention, a standard mixing time is set for each 5 desired material mixture of a given weight. The standard for this mixture or recipe of materials is set by operating the mixer with test batches of the material until the desired consistency of the resulting mixture discharged from the mixer is obtained. Each time a test batch is run the electrical energy to the electric motor 5 commencing with the introduction of the test batch until its 10 discharge is recorded. When a batch is mixed and discharged having the desired llltim~te consistency, the electrical energy input to the motor for the batch is recorded. Thereafter the mixing time of batches of the same composition and weight is set by supplying the same energy input to the electric motor commencing with the introduction of the batch into the mixer 15 as was recorded for the mixing of the successful test batch.
Similarly, an electric energy input to the mixer motor 5 is determined for each composition of m~tçri~l and weight of each batch to be mixed in the mlxer.
The required electrical energy input for proper mixing of each batch recipe is recorded and may, for instance, be stored in a computer or microprocessor as hereinafter more fully explained.
The measurement of the electrical power input to the electric motor 5 is accomplished by passing the power input lines 12 feeding the motor 5 through a power cell 13 such as is available from Load Controls Incorporated of Sturbridge, Maryland.
The power cell 13 senses the instantaneous power input to the motor and delivers it as an analogue power signal to a power and energy meter 14 such as the KWH-2 power and energy meter available from the said Load Controls Incorporated. Such a meter provides for the display of the instantaneous power sensed by the power cell 13 and delivered as an analogue power signal through the feed line 15 and as well sums the accum~ ting electrical energy over time and can be selected to display the energy input in terms of kilowatt hours (KW hours) and kilowatt minutes (KW
minlltes) or kilowatt seconds (KW seconds).
As the mixing of the batch of material in a high intensity mixer with which the present invention is concerned, the mixing time only takes a few seconds so that the power and energy meter 14 is set to measure the energy input in terms of KW seconds.
The summ~tion of the energy input to the motor as measured by the power and energy meter 14 is outputted on line 16 as a pulsed signal with each pulse representing 1 KW second. The pulses are delivered on line 16 to a counter 17 which, as hereinafter more fully explained, when reaching a 15 predetermined count following the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed into the mixing chamber 2 of the high intensity mixer affects the opening of the gate 9 whereupon the batch is discharged through the discharge opening 8 in the wall of the mixing chamber.
2 o In operation, the high intensity mixer will normally be operating at idle speed prior to the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed. The power cell 13 will be continuously monitoring the power input necessary to drive the mixer while idling representing the idle load of the mixer. This idle load which causes a continuous signal feed through line lS to the power and energy meter 14 may be balanced out by an external potentiometer normally provided for zeroing out the idle load so that the power and energy meter can monitor the instantaneous power and the accumulating energy for the net load only. That is, there will be no pulse outputs from the power and energy meter 14 outputted on the line 16 to the counter 17 while the mixer is idling.
Alternatively, it may be desirable to track and note the energy consumption of the mixer while idling in which case it becomes necessary to set the counter 17 to zero at the instant the batch of material is delivered to the mixing chamber.
It will be understood that the predetermined count entered into the counter 17 at which predetermined count the batch of material will be discharged from the mixer depends upon how the system was operated in 5 arriving at the count set for that weight of that composition of material as explained above. If the count was set with the power and energy meter set to zero out idle load, then the count would be smaller than if a count was set including the idle load during the mixing of the batch.
To handle an individual batch where the power and energy meter is set to zero out the idle load of the mixer, all that is necessary after setting the counter to the predetermined count for that batch is to dump the batch into the hopper 6 where it is almost instantaneously delivered into the mixing chamber 2 to be mixed by the blades 3 and, when the predetermined count is reached, a signal is delivered by the line 18 to the cylinder 10 to open the gate 9 discharging the mixed material.
If a series of batches are going to be mixed, then the system can be automated by employing a suitable delivery system such as the weigh scale 2 o dispense system available from McGuire Products Inc. of Media, Pennsylvania.
Such a system includes a weigh bin 19 fed from a large supply hopper 20 into which a large quantity of the m~teri~l to be mixed is dumped.
25 The interaction between the supply hopper 20 and the weight bin 19 is such that, as diagr~mm~tically illustrated, a cylinder 21 is arranged to operate a gate 22 to allow materials to feed into the weight bin 19 which is set to close the gate 22 when a predetermined weight of material is delivered thereto at which time a signal is delivered through a control switch 23 providing connections 3 o between the supply hopper cylinder 21 and the weigh bin operating cylinder 24 and its associated weight sensing mech~ni~m (not shown).
With the mixer running at idle speed and the mixer gate 9 closed as signalled to the weight bin cylinder 24 via the line 25, the cylinder 24 will be operated to retract the weigh bin gate 26 at which point the batch of material will be delivered into the hopper 6 and into the mixing chamber 2.
If the power and energy meter has been set to zero out the idle load, 5 then KW second pulses will be fed on line 16 to the counter 17 which will have had the predetermined count to be reached for opening the mixer gate 9 set therein. Upon the counts received by the counter 17 on the line 16 reaching the predetermined set count, the signal will be delivered via the line 18 to open gate 9 and discharge the mixed batch.
Alternatively, if the power and energy meter does not have the idle load of thé mixer zeroed out, a signal will be fed to the counter 17 via the line 27 from control switch 23 to set the counter at zero the instant the batch of material is released from the weigh bin 19.
It will be understood that once the batch of material from the weigh bin 19 is released into the hopper 6, the weigh bin gate 26 will close sending asignal via the control switch 23 to open the gate 22 of the supply hopper to commence refilling the weigh bin.
If the mixer has completed its mixing of the previous batch and discharged same prior to the completion of the filling of the weigh bin with the desired weight of material, the gate 9 will have opened and reclosed and the subsequent batch as soon as its full weight has been reached will then be 25 dumped into the hopper 6 and the cycle repeated. Should the weigh bin be filled before completion of the mixing of the previous batch has been completed, then the signal to be fed by the line 25 to the weigh bin gate will be made a function of a cycle of first opening and then closing the discharge gate 9.
As explained, the predetermined counts for a wide range of batch recipes may be set and can be stored in a computer 28 and, when running a series of one of these batch recipes, the computer can deliver the appropriate , , CA 02220844 1997-11-12 count number to the counter 17 or the counter may be part of the computer 28.
It will be understood that variations in details may be made without 5 departing from the scope of the appended claims.
According to the invention, a standard mixing time is set for each 5 desired material mixture of a given weight. The standard for this mixture or recipe of materials is set by operating the mixer with test batches of the material until the desired consistency of the resulting mixture discharged from the mixer is obtained. Each time a test batch is run the electrical energy to the electric motor 5 commencing with the introduction of the test batch until its 10 discharge is recorded. When a batch is mixed and discharged having the desired llltim~te consistency, the electrical energy input to the motor for the batch is recorded. Thereafter the mixing time of batches of the same composition and weight is set by supplying the same energy input to the electric motor commencing with the introduction of the batch into the mixer 15 as was recorded for the mixing of the successful test batch.
Similarly, an electric energy input to the mixer motor 5 is determined for each composition of m~tçri~l and weight of each batch to be mixed in the mlxer.
The required electrical energy input for proper mixing of each batch recipe is recorded and may, for instance, be stored in a computer or microprocessor as hereinafter more fully explained.
The measurement of the electrical power input to the electric motor 5 is accomplished by passing the power input lines 12 feeding the motor 5 through a power cell 13 such as is available from Load Controls Incorporated of Sturbridge, Maryland.
The power cell 13 senses the instantaneous power input to the motor and delivers it as an analogue power signal to a power and energy meter 14 such as the KWH-2 power and energy meter available from the said Load Controls Incorporated. Such a meter provides for the display of the instantaneous power sensed by the power cell 13 and delivered as an analogue power signal through the feed line 15 and as well sums the accum~ ting electrical energy over time and can be selected to display the energy input in terms of kilowatt hours (KW hours) and kilowatt minutes (KW
minlltes) or kilowatt seconds (KW seconds).
As the mixing of the batch of material in a high intensity mixer with which the present invention is concerned, the mixing time only takes a few seconds so that the power and energy meter 14 is set to measure the energy input in terms of KW seconds.
The summ~tion of the energy input to the motor as measured by the power and energy meter 14 is outputted on line 16 as a pulsed signal with each pulse representing 1 KW second. The pulses are delivered on line 16 to a counter 17 which, as hereinafter more fully explained, when reaching a 15 predetermined count following the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed into the mixing chamber 2 of the high intensity mixer affects the opening of the gate 9 whereupon the batch is discharged through the discharge opening 8 in the wall of the mixing chamber.
2 o In operation, the high intensity mixer will normally be operating at idle speed prior to the introduction of the batch of material to be mixed. The power cell 13 will be continuously monitoring the power input necessary to drive the mixer while idling representing the idle load of the mixer. This idle load which causes a continuous signal feed through line lS to the power and energy meter 14 may be balanced out by an external potentiometer normally provided for zeroing out the idle load so that the power and energy meter can monitor the instantaneous power and the accumulating energy for the net load only. That is, there will be no pulse outputs from the power and energy meter 14 outputted on the line 16 to the counter 17 while the mixer is idling.
Alternatively, it may be desirable to track and note the energy consumption of the mixer while idling in which case it becomes necessary to set the counter 17 to zero at the instant the batch of material is delivered to the mixing chamber.
It will be understood that the predetermined count entered into the counter 17 at which predetermined count the batch of material will be discharged from the mixer depends upon how the system was operated in 5 arriving at the count set for that weight of that composition of material as explained above. If the count was set with the power and energy meter set to zero out idle load, then the count would be smaller than if a count was set including the idle load during the mixing of the batch.
To handle an individual batch where the power and energy meter is set to zero out the idle load of the mixer, all that is necessary after setting the counter to the predetermined count for that batch is to dump the batch into the hopper 6 where it is almost instantaneously delivered into the mixing chamber 2 to be mixed by the blades 3 and, when the predetermined count is reached, a signal is delivered by the line 18 to the cylinder 10 to open the gate 9 discharging the mixed material.
If a series of batches are going to be mixed, then the system can be automated by employing a suitable delivery system such as the weigh scale 2 o dispense system available from McGuire Products Inc. of Media, Pennsylvania.
Such a system includes a weigh bin 19 fed from a large supply hopper 20 into which a large quantity of the m~teri~l to be mixed is dumped.
25 The interaction between the supply hopper 20 and the weight bin 19 is such that, as diagr~mm~tically illustrated, a cylinder 21 is arranged to operate a gate 22 to allow materials to feed into the weight bin 19 which is set to close the gate 22 when a predetermined weight of material is delivered thereto at which time a signal is delivered through a control switch 23 providing connections 3 o between the supply hopper cylinder 21 and the weigh bin operating cylinder 24 and its associated weight sensing mech~ni~m (not shown).
With the mixer running at idle speed and the mixer gate 9 closed as signalled to the weight bin cylinder 24 via the line 25, the cylinder 24 will be operated to retract the weigh bin gate 26 at which point the batch of material will be delivered into the hopper 6 and into the mixing chamber 2.
If the power and energy meter has been set to zero out the idle load, 5 then KW second pulses will be fed on line 16 to the counter 17 which will have had the predetermined count to be reached for opening the mixer gate 9 set therein. Upon the counts received by the counter 17 on the line 16 reaching the predetermined set count, the signal will be delivered via the line 18 to open gate 9 and discharge the mixed batch.
Alternatively, if the power and energy meter does not have the idle load of thé mixer zeroed out, a signal will be fed to the counter 17 via the line 27 from control switch 23 to set the counter at zero the instant the batch of material is released from the weigh bin 19.
It will be understood that once the batch of material from the weigh bin 19 is released into the hopper 6, the weigh bin gate 26 will close sending asignal via the control switch 23 to open the gate 22 of the supply hopper to commence refilling the weigh bin.
If the mixer has completed its mixing of the previous batch and discharged same prior to the completion of the filling of the weigh bin with the desired weight of material, the gate 9 will have opened and reclosed and the subsequent batch as soon as its full weight has been reached will then be 25 dumped into the hopper 6 and the cycle repeated. Should the weigh bin be filled before completion of the mixing of the previous batch has been completed, then the signal to be fed by the line 25 to the weigh bin gate will be made a function of a cycle of first opening and then closing the discharge gate 9.
As explained, the predetermined counts for a wide range of batch recipes may be set and can be stored in a computer 28 and, when running a series of one of these batch recipes, the computer can deliver the appropriate , , CA 02220844 1997-11-12 count number to the counter 17 or the counter may be part of the computer 28.
It will be understood that variations in details may be made without 5 departing from the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (17)
1. A method of controlling the mixing time of a batch of mixable material of known weight and composition introduced into a high intensity mixer driven by an electric motor, said method comprising introducing said batch of material into said mixer, making a measurement of the electrical energy input to said motor commencing with the said introduction of said batch of material into said mixer and discharging said batch from said mixer when said measurement of electrical energy input reaches a predetermined level.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the electrical energy input measured to reach said predetermined level includes the mixer idle load.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which the electrical energy input measured to reach said predetermined level excludes the mixer idle load.
4. A method of controlling the mixing time of a batch of mixable material of known weight and composition introduced into a high intensity mixer driven by an electric motor, said method comprises continuously measuring the instantaneous power input to said motor, introducing said batch of mixable material into said mixer, summing said instantaneous power input measurements reflecting the load placed on said mixer by the introduction of said batch into said mixer to measure the accumulating energy input to said motor, and discharging said batch from said mixer upon said measured accumulating energy input reaching a predetermined level.
5. A method a claimed in Claim 4 in which said instantaneous power measurements are measured by a power cell.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 5 in which said power cell provides an output signal representing said instantaneous power measurements and said summing of said instantaneous power input measurements is effected by a power and energy meter displaying the instantaneous power input measurements and the accumulated instantaneous power input measurements.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which the accumulated power measurements are set to zero upon introduction of said batch into said mixer.
8. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which said power and energy meter is controlled to cancel out instantaneous power measurements measuring the power input to said motor to drive said mixer at idling load.
9. A method as claimed in Claim 6, 7 or 8 in which said power and energy meter delivers a pulsed output signal representing the accumulated power input measurements to a counter.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 6, 7 or 8 in which said said power and energy meter delivers a pulsed output signal representing the accumulated power input measurements to a counter having a preset count level for said batch, said counter providing a signal to discharge said batch from said mixer upon said accumulated power input measurements reaching said preset count level.
11. A control system for an electric motor driven high intensity batch mixer comprising means for measuring instantaneous power input to said motor, means connected to said measuring means for accumulating instantaneous power input measurements commencing with the introduction of a batch of material into said mixer to measure the electric energy delivered to said motor for mixing said batch and to convert said accumulating instantaneous power measurements into pulsed output counts of discrete energy quantums, a counter to receive said output counts, said counter having an output signal source which can be set to trigger an output signal upon receiving a predetermined number of counts from said accumulating means, said counter being connected to deliver its output signal to said mixer to effect discharge of said batch upon said predetermined counts being reached.
12. A control system as claimed in Claim 11 in which said means for measuring instantaneous power input to said motor comprises a power cell.
13. A control system as claimed in Claim 12 in which said means for accumulating said instantaneous power input measurements and to deliver pulsed output counts is a power and energy meter.
14. A control system as claimed in Claim 13 in which said counter is a computer.
15. A control system as claimed in Claim 13 in which said power and energy meter is set to convert into output pulses only the accumulating instantaneous power measurement representing the batch load.
16. A control system as claimed in Claim 12 in which means are provided to set said counter to zero on introduction of said batch into said mixer.
17. A method of automatically mixing in a high intensity mixer driven by an electric motor a series of batches of mixable material of a selected composition and weight to produce consistent resulting mixtures, said method comprising feeding material of a selected known composition to a weigh bin, interrupting feed when the weight of said material in said weigh bin reaches the selected weight to form a first batch to be mixed, delivering said first batch of material into a high intensity mixer driven by an electric motor, making a measurement of the electrical energy input to said motor commencing with the introduction of said first batch into said mixer and, while said mixer is mixingsaid first batch recommencing feed of said material into said weight bin, discharging said first batch of material from said mixer when said measurement of electrical energy reaches a predetermined level, upon discharging of said first batch and the weight of material in said weigh bin having reached said selected weight to form a second batch to be mixed, delivering said second batch of material into said high intensity mixer, making a measurement of the electrical energy input to said motor commencing with the introduction of said second batch into said mixer and, while said mixer is mixing said second batch, recommencing feed of said material into said weight bin, discharging said second batch of material from said mixer when said measurement of electrical energy reaches a predetermined level, and upon discharging of said second batch and the weight of material in said weigh bin having reached said selected weight to form a third batch to be mixed, delivering said third batch of material into said high intensity mixer and so on.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002220844A CA2220844A1 (en) | 1997-11-12 | 1997-11-12 | High intensity mixer control system and method |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002220844A CA2220844A1 (en) | 1997-11-12 | 1997-11-12 | High intensity mixer control system and method |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2220844A1 true CA2220844A1 (en) | 1999-05-12 |
Family
ID=29275194
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002220844A Abandoned CA2220844A1 (en) | 1997-11-12 | 1997-11-12 | High intensity mixer control system and method |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2220844A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2008003513A2 (en) * | 2006-07-07 | 2008-01-10 | Cfs Bakel B.V. | Mixer |
| CN110539414A (en) * | 2019-09-06 | 2019-12-06 | 杭州永腾橡塑实业有限公司 | Rubber batching system |
| CN112008905A (en) * | 2019-05-31 | 2020-12-01 | 昆山力捷塑胶五金有限公司 | Plastic material hybrid system |
| CN116889827A (en) * | 2023-09-11 | 2023-10-17 | 常州九天机电设备有限公司 | Material conveying device for mixer |
-
1997
- 1997-11-12 CA CA002220844A patent/CA2220844A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2008003513A2 (en) * | 2006-07-07 | 2008-01-10 | Cfs Bakel B.V. | Mixer |
| WO2008003513A3 (en) * | 2006-07-07 | 2008-03-27 | Cfs Bakel Bv | Mixer |
| CN112008905A (en) * | 2019-05-31 | 2020-12-01 | 昆山力捷塑胶五金有限公司 | Plastic material hybrid system |
| CN110539414A (en) * | 2019-09-06 | 2019-12-06 | 杭州永腾橡塑实业有限公司 | Rubber batching system |
| CN116889827A (en) * | 2023-09-11 | 2023-10-17 | 常州九天机电设备有限公司 | Material conveying device for mixer |
| CN116889827B (en) * | 2023-09-11 | 2023-11-14 | 常州九天机电设备有限公司 | Material conveying device for mixer |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |