US2333104A - Method and apparatus for blending or mixing - Google Patents

Description

2, 1943- v R. c. HCPKINYS 2,333,104

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BLEND ING OR MIXING Fiied June 26, 1941 3nvenfor ROBERT C. H0P/r/Ns m (Ittorneg paratus ifor smoleculalfly;

Patented Nov. 2, 1943 naber-tc. napkins, Alliance, some Application lithe 2e, 1s41,-seii 1 ltd-399,323

Tms'inventien re ates ate metho s an a par tusior. blendine nn mixinemet ri i and; mo e partieularlmiispeenc med h me ho s lend r-epn l uid or li uid containinemateflalsani -,sp c.if a -1y, the1 5 2943 andmethods nve tion ,1h ve ee us b oils such @SubIiEhb stockrneu r t ck, and poundepressa t- 3 I sfi retzofor wvariousn o es e a d a pa a u haveebeen emp oyed to vblemi e f-mix liq i e iq-v um centaini zmate ials; and-withe ea erlpr le liguidsmave mended-to metain themselves in the mixture iwhichgisotten undesirable. Fourth, known apparatuslaasrnot adapted itself to use in arlaiggegplurality of different .materials and hasflbeen. largely confined use one; operation PW T 3 Itds the" generel object 'oflmy-inventionto avoid andv overcome the foregoing andother difficulties and yObjBDtiQIlS henetofore assoeiated with mea s foremixing and eblendingbywthe ,provision of im- .proved methods and apparatus adapted toenera tien upon a wide rvariety;. qi materials and of any given number, and which ,rapidly and inexpensi vely effect a most-intimflemixing of them-aterials in exactly lmown and eontrolled. amounts, and without the, inclusion oi air, water wa'por, or ethergases in the completely mixed product.

Another object 0f my, invention is to provide relatively inexpensive simple, long wearing easilyeoperated, ,and wefiieient apparatus tier blending exactly measured {and controlled amounts Lo'f :aplurality-ofyliquids ormaterials so as to produee a molecularnonglomeratethereof and including substantially .no entrapped gases.

Another object, of invention is the provi- .sion of apparatus 30f the indicated type in which 'by relatively simple changes or-ladiustments the apparatus is capableof hendling and mixing any desired number of liquidsflor lliquid :bear'mgmaterials.

Anothersobjeotof. my inv'ention is to provide expensively, and eflieien-tlyrn giorih' len'di a' lureli yae h'iiel i an wherein-t e mm e mixture is free, or substantially free of entrapped 4 r, 3 a;attneril: ;eriadirr ,arid ;milli i ig' themiwliilei fider' pressure 'infthe s ii' sqha i miss mo ecu a merfat so'flij'qluds'sjti essure'to am nd d enly 40 icqn lomeiaeias mi s h se "in o in s ora materials such as can be moved to or through suitable conduits or other means. However, my method and-apparatus is particularly concerned with blending or mixing liquids or liquid bearing materials. The words liquids or liquid as used-in the specification and claims are intended to include broadly liquids of any and all kinds,

and, also, liquids bearing solids dissolved, sus-..

pended or otherwise carried by the liquid. In this connection it should be understood that I 0011- template adding any non-liquid material in, powdered, granulated, jellied, or any other form to a liquid prior to passing the liquid to the blending apparatus of this invention so that the nonliquid material will be minutely mixed, intermingled, or molecularly combined in the resulting blend of liquids produced by my method and apparatus. v

While as stated above my invention is broadly concerned with handling a wide variety of liquids and other materials, nevertheless, one specific use to which my apparatus and method has already found wide application is that of oil blending, and, accordingly, my invention has been illustrated and will be described in conjunction with oil blending. It should be understood in this connection that oil'or other blending or mixing operations may involve a plurality of materials and that while I have illustrated and will describe in conjunction with the embodiment of my inventionshown in Fig. 1, the blending of three materials, namely, bright stock, neutral stock, and pour depressant, that my apparatus may be readily adapted to blend or mix a greater or less number of materials as hereinafter described in detail. v

Having reference to Fig. l of the drawing, the numeral It! indicates a base of flat rectangular form which carries at one end a prime mover I2,

usually of the form of an explosion proof electric motor. The main driving shaft I3 of the motor l2'is connected through a suitable coupling M to a straight-through shaft l6 of a reduction gear box l8 which is mountedin line with the motor l2 on'the base it. The straightthrough shaft l6 of the gear box 18 is connected at it's'other end, through a suitable coupling 20,

with the operating shaft 22 of a blending mill 24.

that the result is substantially a molecular conglomerate, which word here and in the claims is intended to cover any blending or mixing action of the type wherein substantially every molecule of one material being mixed is torn from every other molecule of the same material and the molecules of the .several materials after mixed tends to lie next to a molecule of another material being mixed rather than having two molecules of the same material engaging each other. Of course, in actual practice where one material is predominate in the blend there may be a number of molecules of this predominate material in engagement with each other, but none-the-less the blending and mixing action produced by the blending mill is such that substantially each' molecule of thesame material will be torn from an adjacent molecule of the same material or the action closely approaches this ideal.

The gear box l8 has a plurality of jack shafts 2'5 extending therefrom, usually in opposite directions, which due to the internal construction of the gear box it are driven at a reduced speed other words, each molecule of one material being as compared to the straight-through shait i6. For example, the jack shafts 2% may b driven at a speed Of 200 R. P. M., whereas the straightthrough shaft it is driven at the same speed as the motor l2, for example 1750 R; P. M. Each jack shaft :23 is connected through suitable couplings 23 and 33 with the operating shafts 32 and 34, respectively, of pumps 35 and which may be mounted upon base brackets 48 and 42 secured to the base iii of the apparatus.

The input side of the pump is connected by a conduit i l to a tank or o-ther'suitable' source of supply for bright stock, which is a petroleum distillate or thinner. The output side of the pump 36 is connected through a valv 45 and a conduit til with a manifold 56 which extends to the intake side 52 of the blending mill 2d. The conduit 58 has a flow indicating meter 54 and a flow totalizing meter 56 associated therewith. The meter 54 indicates the rate of flow of liquid through the conduit d3 whereas the meter indicates the total amount of flow. The pump 33 has a by-pass 58 associated therewithand extending from the output side of the pump back to the input side. A valve 66 controls the flow of liquid through the by-pass.

It will be recognized that the valves 45 and Gil provide a very accurate control together with the meters 54 and 56 so that the exact amount of bright stock passed to the manifold El] and into-the blending mill'24, together with the pressure on the bright stock can be very accurately and quickly controlled. Closing the by-pass valve 60 tends to increase the pressure on the bright stock passed to the manifold 56, and theamount of the bright stock passed to the manifold depends upon the setting of the valve 48. Of course, usually both the valves 46 and 68 must be adjusted to achieve exactly the type of pressure and amount of flow desired.

The input conduit 52 of the pump 38 extends to a tank or other source of supply for neutral stock, which may be crude oil of a given grade and quality, and the output side of the pump 38 extends through a'valve 64 to a conduit 68 which is also connected to the manifold 59. The conduit 68 has associated therewith flow indicating meter id and a flow totalizing meter '52. The pump 38 includes a bypass 14 having a valve 16 therein and which connects the input and output side of the pump 38 so that the pump-together with its associated apparatus will function to supply controlle-d'and 1 desired amounts of neutral stock under desired-pressures tc the-input side of the blending mill 24.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1 means have been illustrated to supply desired'amounts of pour depressant to antenna sally, the numeral tt indicates-a pump which is driven by a-vbelt 332 or other'means'from the shaitfl. An- 'in=put-conduit M onthe is connected to a source of sup-plyofpour depressane andtheoutput side of the pump tt is con-- nected through a valve 86 to a conduit SS-Which isnonnected tothe'manifold 50.- A flowindicatingmeter 9t and a flow totalizing meter- '9 2- are associatedwith the-conduit 88. Pump 80* is provided with-aby-pa'ss T89 valved by means fl li "Ihe outputside of the blending mi-llN is connested by-a conduitQB, having "a pressure gage associated therewith; to pressure relief means of suitablenat u'e positioned the top -o'i-a-storagetanrl b0; Although the'pressure relief means may take a plurality of forms Ihave-round' that a suitable adjustable spray nozzle; such as "indicated by the numeral W2 "and" having some suitabie spray adjusting or adjustable flowrestrictmg means lfikassociated therewith is particu larly suitable for my vpurpose. Usually the pressure'relief "means I G 2 are positioned at v the" center and'in the top of the tankiflfl;

"Thetop of't'he tank' 100 is connecte'dby asuitable conduit lllfi tothe intakeside' of pump *or blower Ntwhioh has its -output conduit I I0 "connected to theatmosphere or to a' distillation'isystern. Convenientlm the pump 'or'blower 1118 is of the centrifugal type' 'and is driven from the prime :mover la eithertby moimtm'g the "blower "78"011 the end of the'motor and extending the drive shaft "3 out both ends of the motor, or by providing pulleys" l '12 on the motor shaft I 3 and having the pulleys drive a jack shaft extending below themo'tor and connected to the blower which wouldthen be mounted on the end *ofthe base 10.

I have found it advantageousto incorporate automatic starting and stoppingapparatus with the tank Tim and this may take the form of an electric switch I It mounted on the outsideofthe tank flllfl and having an operating shaft extendingthrough the side of the tank and securedto a. lever lvf8icarrying a float I at its outer end. The switch 'ITI'BI when operated by the raising "of the float 'lml serves to shut ofithe prime mover l2 vas will be understood. A conduitl'22'conne'ct'ed toi'the bottom offthe tank I illlserves to remove the niixed liquli'dsfrom the tank I110.

Itlis believed that the operation of my improved apparatus, and the practice of my new and use ful method will beev'ident from the foregoing description. Suffice it to say here that brightistock, neutral-stock, and pour depressant aresupplied in controlled and desired amounts by; the.1pumps 3'6, 38-and Bil to the manifoldSO and intake conduit 52. of the blending mill. The -pressure on the materials so supplied is control1ed,=of course, by the valve mechanisms referred to in conjunction with the description ofllithe ,pum-ps, andfurther by adjusting the means" I'M controllin'gthe back pressure action of the.lpressure relief means I02. The pressure on the materials during the mixing or blending inch when blending oil, 'althougnmany "ofthe "75 matic by pass' pumps,- as l irnay use valved byadvantages 1 of the invention are xretaineu when operating-another pressures Whenshlendematerials other-"than oiI I contemplate meme pressures from above atmospheric-lupin about 5'00 pounds =per square inch oi even mm'e. Usually a pressure offat least someones per square 'isemployedi a i The effect orthe -applicationwof pressure on liquids du-rin'g blending andilmixingds such, I believe; on the 'various molecules, ce1ls,:suspensoid iiorms, encapsulated particles and body thereof the='resu lt -'isan apparent increase viscosity of the liquid. "This a very t'dif serene-aman improved type nf eutting, milling,

grinding and a ttiiting action on the-- liquids: in,

the blending mill than would J occur-' without zthe apparent change oi viscosity.

The liquids after blending pass still under pressure to the pressure relief man's-positioned in the top of the tame IM a-t which time: they-awe sprayed or otherwis discharged into the tem: 1-00 winch "is kept under apressure hong-mater than atmospheric, andusually under 'xa' atmospheric pressure bythe blower jfl wi m sudden change from the relatively high pressure on=the=liquids to' tl-ie relatively' low ereven s-ub atmospheric pressure i-n the' IM- causes aI-W air, water vapor, orother gasqbiibbles presemt in the mixed -li'qui'ds to substantially explodeescape, or otherwise separate from the liquids proper. The *result'is that'the liquids"substantially free of gas "inclusionsfifa lljte the bottom 'of t-he tam tfl from which they may be' drawnkofl by 'the eon duitl22 W i L The-gas thusseparated trombhe-liquidsand positioned "atthe top of the tahkis drawn oi f by the bkowehlfltihoughthe conduitffiimandisdischarged to-tlieratmosphere or is passed hy-the blower through a suitable distillation or other 9 so "as-izto" draw the g aswany liquids thereinor could" be "formed' by suitable condensationor treatment the gas; The "1 2fl"011eratingft1'iesW itCh -H6 *shuts off the motor "I 2 *whenthetan'k Hm becomestoo iul li HOWe've'r,

when liqui'd'isdrawn'frdmthe tanl routes neat I20 drops to operate switch II6arrd"restart"the apparatus. v i 'Beforeleavingthe' apparatus andmethod illus trated in andabovedesdribed" it should be noted that :to simplify the'illustration 'of-tne. an-

paratus and to :better exemplify the construction and working thereof "that "the "exact position and form of the various conduits an'd tank llfa'have been diagrammatically ShOWli. 'Inactual, apparatus constructedin'faccordan'ce with the prinany sharp right angle *turnsand will in general *provide'the best possible type of liquid conducting means. Also, I preferably-"arrange-the-*conduit and piping system so that it may behompletelydrained froma single peteock; This is convenient *for cleaning *or forchanging 'theapparatus "to operations on other materials:

It should be understood'that I may-employ pumps incorporating arr-toriiatic by-p assmeans with the 'flow o-f liquid being adjusted 'as above describedby a suitable valvevor valves. 'HGW- ever, I should not be limited to the use-of autopass, as already described, or I may usea pump having an adjustable piston traveleo that 'the pump itself without lay-passing can be adjusted to operate at the partioularrate of iflow liesireu.

Still again, I may employ a variable speed motor to drive-the pump so that the rate offlow may be controlled by the motor rather than the pump;

The embodiment of my invention shown inFig. 2, illustrates the. general arrangement and construction, of the apparatus when it is adapted to blend more than three, and particularly four liquids. Specifically, the numeral [la indicates a basehaving, a, prime mover I20. mounted at one end thereofland driving a straight-through shaft of a gear box 18a. Jack shafts extending laterallyfrom the gear box lBa serve to drive pumps 36a and 38a in themanner heretofore described. The pumps 36a and 38a aremounted on base brackets 40a and 42a. However, instead of connecting the straight-through shaft of the gear box I8a with the blending mill Zdcait is a relatively simple matter to extend the base iii of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 so that room is providedon the extendedbase lila for a second straight-through gear box lllla. The straight-through gear box. lid is connected to the straight-through shaft of the gear box lea at one end and to the blending mill Zdd at its other end. Thus, the blending mill 24a is still driven atthe same speed as the motor 12a. The laterally extending jack shafts of the gear box I8la drive ,pumps 36|a and 3am which are mounted upon suitable basebrackets 40m and Mia secured to the base lfla. In anexactly similar manner additional base brackets can be secured to the base Illa to both extend the length of thebase Illa and to provide additional laterally extending base portions so that any desired number of additional gear boxes and pumps can be added to the apparatus to blend any desired number of liquids. Of course, additional pumps such as the pump 3%] in Fig. 1 can be incorporated anyde'sired number of liquids in the blending or mixing operation.

From the foregoing, it will be recognized that the objects of m invention have been achieved by the provision of improved means and methods for minutely blending or,molecularly mixing a desired plurality of liquids in controlled amounts and at controlled pressures. The method and apparatus are rapid, relatively inexpensive, and easily controlled, adjusted and operated.

While in accordance with the patent statutes, I have particularly illustrated and described certain best known embodiments of my invention, it should be particularly understood that my invention is not to be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. That method of mixingliquids which com.-

prises continuously passing a controlled and measured amount of one liquid to a mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled and measuredamounts of at least one additional liquid to the mixing chamber, maintaining the liquids under a relatively high pressure in the mixing chamber, reducing the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting, attriting, grinding and milling them while under pressure in the mixing chamber, continuously passing the molecular conglomerate of liquids'still under pressure to a storage tank, suddenly releasing the pressure on the conglomerate as it is discharged in spray form into the tank so that any gas bubbles present explode or escape and the gas stays at the top of the tank and the liquid conglomerate falls to the bottom of the tank, and withdrawing the gas from the top of the tank under sub-atmospheric pressure;

2. That method of mixing liquids which coniprise continuously passing controlled and measured amounts of a plurality of liquids to the mixing chamber, maintaining the liquids under a pressure of over atmospheric pressure and up to about 500 pounds per square inch in the mixing chamber, reducing the liquids to a mixture by cutting, attriting, grinding and milling them while under pressure in the mixing chamber, continuously passing the mixture of liquids'still under pressure to a storage tank, suddenly releasing the pressure on the mixture as it is discharged into the tank, and controlling the pressure on the system at the point of pressure release.

3. That method of blending oils which comprises continuously passing bright stock in controlled amounts to a mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled amounts of neutral stock to the mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled amounts of pour depressant to the mixing chamber, maintaining the liquids under a pressure of over 50 pounds per square inch in the mixing chamber, continuously reducing the liquids in the mixing chamber to a molecular conglomerate, continuously passing the liquids from the chamber to a storage chamber while still under pressure, spraying the liquids into the storage chamber so as to suddenly release the pressure thereon, and maintaining sub-atmospheric pressure in and about the spray in the storage chamber.

"4. That method of blending oils which comprises continuously passing bright stockin controlled amounts to a. mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled amounts of neutral stock .to the mixing chamber, continuously passing controlled amounts of pour depressant to the mixing chamber, maintaining the liquids under a relatively high pressure in the mixing chamber, continuously reducing the liquids'in the mixing chamber to a molecular conglomerate by a' cutting, attriting, milling and grinding action, continuously passing the liquids from the chamber to a storage chamber while still under pressure, and discharging the liquids into the storage chamber so as to suddenly release the pressure thereo'n,

5. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising an explosion-proof'motor, a reduction gearbox, a straight-through shaft on the gear box connected with the motor shaft, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the straightthrough shaft of the gear box so that the blending mill is driven at the speed'of the motor, jack shafts extending laterally in opposite directions from the gear box and operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of the blending mill, a separate conduit extending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a flow indicating meter and a flow totalizing meter connected with each one of said lastnamed separate conduit, a by-pass control connected with each of said pumps so as to control the pressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill, pressure-relief spray means for discharging the liquid into the storage tank, and means operated by the motor for removing gas from the top of the storage tank and maintaining the top of the tank under sub-atmospheric pressure.

6. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gear box, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gear box so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jack shafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of the blending mill, a separate conduitextending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a flow indicating meter and a flow totalizing meter connected with each one of said lastnamed separate conduit, a by-pass control connected with each of said pumps so as to control the pressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill, a pressurerelief spray means fordischarging the liquid into the storage tank, and means for removing gas from the top of the storage tank.

7. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gear box, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gear box so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jack shafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of the blending mill, a separate conduit extending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a flow meter connected with each one of said lastnamed separate conduit, a by-pass control con nected with each of said pumps so as to control the pressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill, and pressurerelief spray means for discharging the liquid into the storage tank.

8. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, a reduction gear box, a blending mill having its operating shaft connected with the gear box so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jack shafts extending from the gear box and operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of th blendin mill, a separate conduit extending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a by-pass control connected with each of said pumps so as to control the quantity and in part the pressure head of liquids supplied to the blending mill, a storage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill, pressure-relief means for dischar ing the liquid into the storage tank, and adjustable flow restricting means connected with the pressure-relief means and adapted to control the back pressure.

9. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a motor, reduction gear box means connected to the motor, a blending mil1 having its operating shaft connected with the gear box means so that the blending mill is driven at the speed of the motor, jack shafts extending from the gear box means and operating at a fraction of the motor speed, a plurality of pumps, each pump having its operating shaft connected to a jack shaft, a separate conduit extending from the inlet of each pump to a source of liquid supply, a manifold connected to the input side of the blending mill, a separate conduit extending from the manifold to the output side of each pump, a storage tank connected to the output side of the blending mill,

and means for discharging the output side of the blending mil1 into the storage tank with a sudden release of pressure.

10. Apparatus for mixing liquids comprising a blending mill adapted to reduce the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting, attriting, grinding, and milling, means for driving the mill at high speed, means operated by the mill driving means for continuously supplying controlled amounts of a plurality of liquids and under controlled relatively high pressures to the blending mill, a storage tank, means including a pressure relief spray continuously discharging the output of the blending mill into the storage tank, and means operated by the mill driving means for withdrawing gas from the top of the storage tank and for maintaining the inside of the tank under sub-atmospheric pressure.

11. Apparatus for blending liquids comprising a blending mill adapted to reduce the liquids to a molecular conglomerate by cutting, attriting, grinding, and milling, means for driving the mill at high speed, means for supplying controlled amounts ofa plurality of liquids and under relatively high pressures to the blending mill, a storage tank, means for discharging the output of the blending mill into the storage tank with a sudden release of, pressure, and means for adjustably controlling the flow restricting action of the discharging means.

ROBERT C. HOPKINS.

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