Classifications

• • 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
  • B01F35/80—Forming a predetermined ratio of the substances to be mixed
  • B01F35/88—Forming a predetermined ratio of the substances to be mixed by feeding the materials batchwise
  • B01F35/881—Forming a predetermined ratio of the substances to be mixed by feeding the materials batchwise by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
  • B01F23/40—Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the general technical field of producing and formulating mixtures for essentially industrial use, from components which must be mixed in defined proportions in order to produce the final mixture.
• the invention relates, more specifically, but not exclusively, to the formulation of mixtures from components in the liquid phase and is more particularly concerned with obtaining mixtures used as industrial lubricants.
• the formulation of Lubricant mixtures is obtained from several components consisting of a basic component, hereinafter called “base oil.” and at least one, or even several additional components, hereinafter called “additives”, intended to give the oil specific properties, such as anti-rust, anti-foam, anti-oxidant, dispersant properties, detergent and coloring in particular.
• the base oil represents approximately 80% of the final mixture.
• the various additives supplementing the formulation in complementary proportions can be very large, of the order, for example, from 1,000 to 30,000 liters, while the volumes of certain additives can be very small and, for example, from 1 'order of a few liters.
• Lubricant mixtures with high viscosity, for example between 10 and 500 centipoise approximately, are obtained from base oil and additives stored individually in storage means, such as metal drums of variable volume.
• the base oil is generally supplied from large-volume storage means, while the additives are stored in metallic drums of reduced volume, of the order of 200 Liters.
• the conventional installations for producing the formulation and production of industrial lubricant mixtures, comprise, in addition to the storage means described above, components sampling stations including sampling rods, suction pumps or delivery and a set of transfer lines within which the components are directed to the common mixing unit.
• the known conventional installations also include a buffer tank, provided with weighing means and connected, by transfer lines, to the sampling stations and to the mixing enclosure.
• the installation is finally completed by a rinsing tank, also provided with weighing means and connected to the sampling station, the buffer tank and the mixing enclosure, via transfer lines.
• the known sampling rods are mounted on a mobile assembly allowing an upward and downward movement of the rod for introduction and ' exit into the storage means, - as well as a possibility of rotation of the rod to allow its passage from a emptying position of a storage means at a rinsing position, in connection with the rinsing tank.
• the adjustment of the formulation of a Lubricant mixture is carried out according to a process, now conventional, which consists in successively introducing into the mixing enclosure, the base oil and the additives, the quantity of which has been previously , determined by weighing in the r-buffer tank. Due to the incompatibility of certain additives, it is necessary to rinse the Transfer Line and the buffer tank between two successive additions of additives. This is done by removing the base oil 1 contained in the rinsing tank to the rinse buffer tank and, finally, transfer to the mixing enclosure.
• This operation thus performs a base oil rinse of the buffer tank and transfer lines.
• Known devices also use programmable logic controllers or microcomputers performing semi-automatic or automatic control of the movements of the rod, the rotation of the pumps and the opening or closing of the valves in the transfer lines. .
• the conventional methods resort to determining the necessary quantities of additives and, optionally, base oils, by weighing a buffer tank whose large size, generally close to 1 to 3 tonnes, does not allow not the precise dosage of additives, some of which must be incorporated in very low doses, less than one liter.
• the object of the present invention therefore aims to overcome the various drawbacks mentioned above and to propose a process for formulating a mixture allowing as complete control as possible of the composition of the final mixture, by precise control of the quantities of additives used.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a method and an installation ensuring perfect control of the rinsing operation, without compromising the precision of the formulation.
• Another object of the invention consists in proposing a method and a device making it possible to reduce the time necessary for the formulation of a mixture and to reduce the final cost of the mixture by appreciable reduction in the losses of components.
• An additional object of the invention aims to propose a method and a device which significantly reduce the risks of environmental pollution.
• the invention also relates to a sampling rod capable of ensuring the withdrawal of the various components of the mixture, without disturbing the precision and adjustment of the formulation.
• the objectives assigned to the invention are achieved by a process for formulating a mixture from components, preferably liquids, including a base compound and at least one additive kept in separate storage means, from which they are sampled to be dosed and transferred, via transfer lines, to a common mixing enclosure consisting of:
• the aims assigned to the invention are achieved by means of an installation for implementing the process intended for carrying out the formulation of a mixture from components, preferably liquids, including a base compound and at least one additive, said installation comprising:
• sampling stations for each component provided with components sampling means, said sampling means being in relation to transfer lines leading to a common mixing enclosure and including a movable sampling rod intended to withdraw the components,
• the sampling station for the additive comprises a continuous weighing means of the additive storage means, said weighing means being functionally connected to a control automaton responsible for controlling the nature of the additive and determining the quantity of additive withdrawn and ordering the withdrawal .
• Fig. 1 shows a simplified diagram of a basic installation according to the invention.
• Fig. 1_a_ represents a detail L of making a sampling station according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of an installation according to the invention.
• Fig. 3 shows a general view of a sampling of the additive.
• Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of a sampling rod according to the invention.
• Fig. 5 shows, in a cross section, a detail of embodiment of a sampling rod according to the invention.
• the -fig. 1 shows a formulation installation in accordance with the invention, particularly suitable for the formulation and production of lubricant mixtures from a base compound consisting of oil and various additives, intended to give the final mixture specific anti -red, anti-foam, anti-oxidant, dispersing, detergent and coloring, in particular.
• the installation shown in fig. 1, comprises two components sampling stations, namely a station P .. for the sampling of the base oil and a station? -, for the sampling of at least one additive.
• the post P .. connects storage means 1 the base oils, consisting, for example, of large-volume tanks, with a mixing enclosure 2 by means of a transfer line 3, in which at least one suction pump 4 and a valve 5 for closing and opening the transfer line 3 are incorporated.
• the additive withdrawal station P connects the storage means 6 for the additives, generally made up of metal drums with a capacity of the order of 200 liters, with a withdrawal device 7 connected by a transfer line 8 at the mixing chamber 2.
• the sampling device 7 consists of a sampling rod 11 connected, by a pipe 12, to a carriage 13 movable on a column 14 resting on the ground 15, by means of a base 16 (fig. 3) .
• the column 14 is substantially vertical and the carriage 13 is removable, by
• the displacements, of the carriage 13 and of the rod 11 which it carries, correspond to a displacement from bottom to top materialized, respectively, by the arrows i. and f-, and rotations around the main longitudinal axis of column 14, clockwise f, and counterclockwise f ".
• the rotational movements of the rod 11 are limited to approximately 180.
• the sampling device 7 is, moreover, connected to a suction pump 21 which can be fixed on the carriage and connected, by a connecting hose 22, to the transfer line 8.
• the P sampling station ? is intended to ensure the withdrawal of the additives contained in the barrels 6, by means of the withdrawal rod 11 which is brought into contact with the additive by introduction into the barrel 6.
• the sampling device 7 is arranged near a conveying device 23, preferably of the roller type, on which the drums 6 are arranged which are then automatically transferred to the sampling station P_ where they are brought in. fixed sampling position.
• a weighing means 24, arranged for example at the end of the conveyor 23, is used so as to be able to weigh each drum 6 in the fixed sampling position and thus carry out, by weighing, control of the sampling of the quantity of additive withdrawn .
• the weighing means 24 used are of known type and will not, in consequence, not described in detail.
• provision is made for a system of mobile wedges capable of ensuring an inclination of the barrels 6 relative to the vertical, of the order of approximately 3 degrees. This inclination promotes the emptying of the drums 6.
• This assembly can be completed by an automatic device for searching and unscrewing the bungs of each drum 6.
• the withdrawal rod 11, shown in FIG. 4, is in the form of a tubular element 25, preferably cylindrical, surmounted by a bent part 26 ensuring the connection with the pipe 12.
• the tubular element 25, intended to come into contact with the Liquid and to ensure the sampling said liquid, comprises, internally, a dip tube 27 passing right through, the tubular element 25 and the bent part 26 to open outside the rod 11.
• the dip tube 27 is coaxial with
• the tubular element 25 and the passage through the bent portion 26 is made hermetic by conventional interposition of seals.
• the dip tube 27 is movable and is intended to slide with respect to the rod 11, along the longitudinal axis of the tubular element 25.
• the upper part of the dip tube 27 comprises control means constituted by a control head 29, in bearing relation with a control cylinder 31, for example pneumatic, associated with three limit switches.
• the movements of the dip tube 27 are thus under the dependence of the jack 31 which controls the sliding movement of the tube 27.
• the lower part of the dip tube 27 is provided with a closing valve 28 intended to close off the lower end of the body. tubular 25, the lower part of which thus constitutes a receiving seat.
• the jack 31 thus makes it possible to obtain three positions of the valve 28 corresponding to positions of total or average opening of said valve 28 and to a closed position.
• the dip tube 27 has a passage 27a_ defining a tube formed in the thickness of its walls (fig. 5), connecting a chamber 34 formed in the volume internal of the head 29 to a spray nozzle, in the form of a hollow disc with two walls, for example, the upper face 28 of which assumes the function of a closing valve and the spray opening 28b of which extends the passage 27a.
• the latter preferably defines, in a cross section, an annular space in the dip tube 27.
• the chamber 34 is intended to be connected, by a pipe 35, to a means for storing the base oil. Thanks to this arrangement, the nozzle 28 is therefore capable of rinsing a barrel 6 by spraying the base oil.
• a rod 41 is mounted with the possibility of longitudinal sliding.
• the upper end of the rod 41 is constituted by an end piece 42 disposed in an upper chamber 33 delimited in the head 29 of the tubular body 27.
• the end piece 42 bears against a compression means 43, of the helical spring type for example , resting against the upper wall of the chamber 33.
• the endpiece 42 is, moreover, mounted near a sensor 45, for example of the inductive type, arranged, at least in part, in the chamber 33, which is, moreover, in relation, via a pipe 46, with a source of gas under pressure.
• the pipe 46 is also connected to a differential pressure indicator 47.
• the dimensions of the rod 41 are such that the lower end 41_a of the rod 41 protrudes from the dip tube 27 and the valve 28 in its position the lower.
• the cross section of the rod 41 is, moreover, such that the pressurized fluid can circulate freely between the periphery of the rod 41 and the internal envelope 27b of the dip tube 27.
• the assembly thus produced allows a free, elastic sliding of the rod 41 along its longitudinal axis and the detection of the liquid level by highlighting the pressure variation prevailing inside the chamber 33 in contact with the liquid.
• the inductive sensor 45 also makes it possible to detect the bottom of the barrel 6 during the ascent of the rod 41, caused during the support of the end 4l against the bottom of the barrel 6.
• the installation further comprises a rinsing station P_ including a rinsing tank 50 generally containing base oil and equipped with weighing means 51, a suction pump 52, means for agitation 53 and an evacuation pipe 54 towards the mixing enclosure 2.
• the rod 11, movable on the column 14, can be immersed in the rinsing tank 50 and take the position shown in detail in FIG. 12 and indicated, in general, by Reference 55 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
• the rinsing station P_ also comprises a circuit 56 for supplying from the suction of the pump 52.
• the circuit 56 begins downstream of the pump 52, comprises a valve 57 and is intended to be connected to the chamber 34 by a connection hose 58 connected to the pipe 35.
• the mixing enclosure comprises means for weighing 60 of its content, a stirring system, of the paddle type, for example, and means for controlling the temperature 62 of the mixture connected, functionally, to means for raising enclosure temperature 63.
• An evacuation pump 64 and an evacuation pipe 65 complete the mixing station.
• the installation described can, finally, be advantageously connected to a programmable controller or, even, to a microcomputer making it possible to automate, in a conventional manner.
• the programmable controller or the microcomputer can, also, be used to regulate and control the progressive descent of the rod 11 inside a barrel 6, depending on the evolution or the emptying speed of said barrel or, again, the suction speed of The additive. It is then, in this case, to control the mechanical or electrical means ensuring the descent of the carriage 13 to a value proportional to the instantaneous and continuous evolution of emptying of the barrel 6, given by the evolution of the weight of the barrel 6.
• the base oil is taken from the tank 1 by the pump 4 and the pipe 3.
• the valve 5 is closed and the dosage of The additive can start.
• the drums 6, circulating on the conveying device 23, are first identified, in order to determine and recognize, both, the type of additive to be dosed and the standard weight of the drum 6 concerned.
• the position of the bungs is searched for manually or automatically and the bungs are unscrewed.
• the sampling rod 11 is then put into action while the weighing operation begins, by the weighing means 24.
• the sampling rod 11 is positioned above the barrel 6 and begins its descent while gas and, by example, pressurized air is sent, via the pipe 46, to the chamber 33, then to the interior of the dip tube 27, in order to determine the level of
• the sampling rod 11 can be positioned and immersed, advantageously, only in the upper part of the liquid, in order to minimize the buoyancy of Archimedes in the liquid, with the aim of disturbing only very weakly the weighing carried out by the weighing means 24.
• the partial immersion of the rod 11 in the upper part of the liquid, and for example of a few centimeters, also allows to limit the deposit of liquid on the rod, which correspondingly reduces the quantities of different liquids brought into contact in the rest of the process.
• the cane must be successively immersed in several Liquids.
• the weighing means 24 operates continuously and transmits, also continuously, the information relating to the evolution of the weight of the barrel which corresponds, very exactly, to the quantity of additive instantaneously withdrawn and transferred by the pipe 8 in the mixing enclosure 2.
• the partial immersion of the cane 11 is also kept constant by the automatic device which controls and adapts the descent speed of the cane 11 as a function of the instantaneous quantity of additive taken.
• the control automaton stops the pump 21 and the withdrawal by the sampling rod 11.
• the automaton controls the transfer of the cane 11 to the tank 50 to rinse with base oil, by pump 21, the cane 11 and the pipe 8.
• the quantity of base oil taken from the rinsing tank 50 for this rinsing phase is taken into account by the weighing device 51 and can therefore be included in the calculation of the base oil-additive ratio. If it turns out during the additive removal operation that the weighing means 24 or that the rod 41 has revealed the presence of the bottom of the barrel 6, the valve 28 is closed and the pump 21 is stopped.
• the rod 11 is then placed in the high position in the barrel 6 and the pump 52 is started.
• the opening of the valve 57 causes the injection of base oil into the line 56 connected to the line 35 and, finally, the injection of base oil through the spray opening 28b to rinse the barrel. 6.
• the rod 11 is then gradually lowered to the bottom of the barrel 6.
• the pump 52 is stopped and the pump 21 is started.
• the valve 28 is open to allow pumping of the rinsing base oil mixed with the residue of additive which was present in the barrel 6.
• the valve 28 is closed , the pump 21 is stopped and the rod 11 raised.
• Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment which does not differ from the installation described in FIG. 1 only by the incorporation of a buffer tank 70, also provided with weighing means 71, and capable of being connected, by transfer lines 72, to at least one other additive (A,., A ?, ).
• the buffer tank 70 can also advantageously be connected by a pipe 74 to another source of rinsing oil _R or else be connected by a pipe 74a to the rinsing tank 50.
• the buffer tank 70 is connected by a Transfer line 75, to the mixing enclosure 2, and, via line 8, to a sampling rod 11.
• a bypass 76 allows the direct transfer of the additive withdrawn by the rod 11 to the mixing enclosure 2 , without going through the buffer tank 70.
• the installation shown in fig. 2, operates in a manner equivalent to the main variant, while making it possible to ensure the simultaneous dosing or not of several additives, by using the capacity of the buffer tank 70 to better manage the dosing operation by reducing as much as possible downtime.
• the dosage of a first additive being carried out according to the method described above
• a second additive withdrawn by the pipe 72
• the dosage of another additive can be carried out according to the same method as described above, that is to say with the aid of a withdrawal cane withdrawing the additive weighed continuously in a barrel 6 and directing it directly to the mixer 2.
• the direct weighing of an additive drum at a specific station allows the buffer tank to be reserved for weighing other additives, or even weighing the base oil, which saves a considerable amount of time and reduces the total duration of the formulation cycle.
• the invention finds an advantageous application in the formulation of lubricants containing additives in a relatively small proportion compared to the total amount obtained.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Accessories For Mixers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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• 1990
  • 1990-05-16 FR FR9006338A patent/FR2661741A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
• 1991
  • 1991-05-16 JP JP3509572A patent/JPH05504913A/ja active Pending
  • 1991-05-16 BR BR919105766A patent/BR9105766A/pt unknown
  • 1991-05-16 EP EP91910119A patent/EP0483334A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-05-16 WO PCT/FR1991/000395 patent/WO1991017820A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1991-05-16 CA CA002064218A patent/CA2064218A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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