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(11) | EP 4 480 573 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | A TRANSPORTABLE PLANT AND DEVICE FOR MAKING MIXTURES AND/OR CHEMICAL PRODUCTS |
| (57) A transportable plant (100) for obtaining a mixture (m) of a main ingredient (x)
and at least one further ingredient (a-e), wherein a first and a second container
(101, 102) configured to be juxtaposed with each other respectively house a mixing
device (1) and a filling device (90) connected to each other by a connecting duct
(89) extending between the inner spaces of the two containers, wherein the mixing
device comprises a main pipe (10) having an end feedable with the main ingredient
(x) by means of a main pump (4), along which at least one inlet light (16a-e, 26a-e,
36a-e, 46a-e) is provided to feed said or each further ingredient and containing at
least one static mixer (31, 32, 33, 34) arranged downstream of the at least one inlet
light; at least one further pipe (10a-e) feedable with a respective further ingredient,
in particular, by means of a respective further pump (4a-e) preferably pneumatically
actuated diaphragm pump; a flow-regulating organ (2a-e) of the flow of the at least
one further ingredient being arranged along the at least one further pipe, provided
by the respective further pump or consisting of a regulating valve (3a-e) preferably
pneumatically actuated (8a-e); a control unit (30) configured to store a composition
recipe (R) of the mixture and to generate a flow-regulating signal (41a-e) for the
at least one further ingredient based on the recipe (R), and preferably also based
on a flow data (F) of the main ingredient, obtainable from a flow meter (50), and
transfer it to the control unit. Preferably, the mixing device comprises a plurality
of rectilinear portions (11, 12, 13, 14) in series, each comprising at least one respective
static mixing element and at least one respective inlet port light upstream thereof.
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Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a transportable plant for mixing together raw materials in a liquid state, obtaining their mixtures and, when a chemical reaction takes place as a result of the mixing, their reaction products.
[0002] Such mixtures and/or products can be used in various technical fields, for example, they can be used as detergents, disinfectants, bactericides, sanitizers and general medical-surgical aids, for use in facilities such as hospital units or areas managed by the Civil Defence. A further use of the mixtures and/or products may be as lubricants, fuels, disinfectants for agriculture and chemicals for tanneries, and so on.
Background of the invention
[0003] Many commodity chemicals for the above fields, particularly those involving significant production risks, are produced almost exclusively in a limited number of large plants. Indeed, in order to reduce production costs, there is a tendency to concentrate such production at a few production sites. However, production costs often remain high due to the stringent safety measures required during the production of these products.
[0004] Processes conducted in this way are generally characterized by poor traceability of raw materials. This encourages the counterfeiting of these products and is the cause of their low quality.
[0005] The risks associated with the transport and storage of such hazardous products, both at production and use sites, must also be taken into account.
Summary of the invention
[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a plant for mixing ingredients and/or reagents according to a predetermined composition to obtain products useful in various fields of industry, by means of a process that can be carried out close to the place where the products are to be used, in order to overcome the problems, indicated above, associated with concentrated production in a limited number of production sites.
[0007] It is a particular object of the invention to provide such a transportable plant that allows such mixing processes, possibly with chemical reaction, to be carried out flexibly, i.e. a transportable plant that allows these processes to be carried out where and when needed, for example, at users premises such as health care facilities or chemical plants, tanneries, dye works and many others.
[0008] It is also a particular object of the invention to provide such a transportable facility that allows accurate tracking of the raw materials used to manufacture said mixtures and/or chemicals, so as to limit the risk of counterfeiting and to ensure better quality of the mixtures and products obtained.
[0009] It is also a particular object of the invention to provide such a transportable plant that reduces waste due to improper processing of raw materials and products.
[0010] The above objects are achieved by a transportable plant and a mixing device for forming a mixture from a plurality of ingredients comprising a main ingredient and at least one further ingredient, as defined in claims 1 and 12, respectively.
[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the transportable plant comprises:
- a first container and a second container, preferably having the same dimensions, preferably configured to be placed each on a respective vehicle such as a truck or a railway wagon, and configured to be placed side by side to each other with two respective sides contiguous to each other;
- a mixing device placed in the first container and comprising:
- a main pipe having a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected with a source of a main ingredient and containing at least one static mixing element, wherein along the main pipe at least one inlet opening for at least one further ingredient is provided;
- a main feed pump configured to feed a predetermined flow of the main ingredient at a predetermined pressure through the main pipe;
- at least one further pipe with a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected to a source of a respective further ingredient, wherein said or each static mixing element is arranged downstream of said or at least one inlet opening;
- a pressurization device arranged to maintain said or each further ingredient at a predetermined pressure in the at least one further pipe;
- a flow-regulating device of said or each further ingredient, the flow-regulating device comprising a flow-regulating organ of said or each further ingredient arranged along said further pipe or along a respective further pipe;
- a filling device, e.g. a drum filling machine, arranged in the second container and
having:
- an inlet port hydraulically connected to a second end portion of the main pipe via a connecting duct extending from the inside of the first container to the inside of the second container, and
- an outlet port arranged to fill portable collection vessels with a produced mixture;
- a control unit configured to:
- receive and store a composition recipe for the composition of the mixture;
- generate a flow-regulating signal for said or each additional ingredient according to the composition recipe;
- transfer the flow-regulating signal to the flow-regulating organ of said or each further ingredient.
[0012] The transportable plant, as defined above, makes it possible to obtain products by mixing, possibly accompanied by chemical reaction, directly at the place where the product is to be used, solving the many problems, mentioned above, associated with concentrated production in a few production sites.
[0013] The transportable plant defined above also allows to carry out the mixing processes, possibly with chemical reaction, that are necessary to obtain the desired mixtures and products where and when they are needed, for example at the users premises such as sanitary facilities or chemical plants, tanneries, dye works and many others.
[0014] The transportable plant also allows each batch of mixture or product obtained to be deterministically associated with the respective production batches of the individual raw materials, thus enabling the raw materials used to manufacture mixtures and products to be accurately traced. This makes it possible to limit the risk of counterfeiting and to ensure, in general, a better quality of the mixtures and products obtained.
[0015] In particular, the control unit can also be configured to receive a start command and, on receipt of this, to operate the main feed pump and transfer the flow-regulating signal to the flow-regulating device.
[0016] The main pipe may comprise a plurality of main pipe rectilinear portions hydraulically connected to each other in series, each of which in turn comprises:
- at least one respective static mixing element, and upstream of this,
- one or more respective inlet openings to feed one or more of said further ingredients, e.g. all the further ingredients.
[0017] Such a configuration allows for mixing processes between further incompatible ingredients as such, for example by mixing a first of such further mutually incompatible ingredients in an upstream mixer and a second of such mutually incompatible ingredients in a downstream mixer, in which the first incompatible ingredient is already present in the mixed state. For example, such further ingredients may be mutually incompatible because they are capable of giving rise to an undesirable chemical reaction or an undesirable emulsion if placed in direct contact with each other, i.e. in the unmixed state with the main ingredient.
[0018] In addition, the above-described arrangement of several static mixing elements and inlet openings makes it possible to carry out reactive processes with which undesirable multiple reactions can be avoided, e.g. parallel or consecutive reactions. This problem can be solved by maintaining a low concentration of one of the reactants in the reaction environments, i.e. in the static mixing elements.
[0019] Advantageously, a storage tank for the mixture produced by the mixing apparatus is arranged in the first container, said storage tank having an inlet opening connected to the second end portion of the main pipe and an outlet opening connected at a suction side of a feed pump arranged to feed the produced mixture to the filling device.
[0020] The arrangement of an accumulation tank between the mixing device and the filling device allows for a more flexible production process and permits to dedicate personnel that can operate alternately at the mixing device and at the filling device, limiting the number of operators required to operate the system. The storage tank also makes it possible to cope with any sudden failure of the filling device without having to immediately stop the mixing device as well and/or discard large quantities of the mixture or product obtained.
[0021] According to another aspect of the invention, the mixing device comprises:
- a main pipe with a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected to a
main ingredient source;
wherein the main pipe comprises a plurality of main pipe rectilinear portions hydraulically connected to each other in series, in which each of the rectilinear portions comprises:- at least one respective static mixing element;
- at least one respective inlet opening to feed said or each further ingredient upstream of the respective static mixing element,
- a main feed pump arranged to feed a predetermined flow of the main ingredient at a predetermined pressure through the main pipe;
- at least one further pipe having a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected to a source of a respective further ingredient, and a second end portion hydraulically connected to the main pipe through said or each inlet opening of the further ingredient;
- a pressurization device arranged to maintain said or each further ingredient at a predetermined pressure in the at least one further pipe;
- a flow-regulating device of said or each further ingredient;
- a control unit configured to:
- receive and store a composition recipe for the desired mixture;
- generate a flow-regulating signal for said or each additional ingredient according to the composition recipe;
- transfer the flow-regulating signal to the flow-regulating device of said or each further ingredient.
[0022] A description of some optional features of the transportable plant or of the mixing device is provided below.
[0023] ]The main pipe rectilinear portions of the transportable plant or of the mixing device may be arranged parallel to each other to form an array which is arranged along a plane and which, in the case of the transportable plant comprising the first and second containers, is substantially parallel to an inner face of a sidewall of the first container, in particular parallel to an inner face of a sidewall contiguous to the corresponding sidewall of the second container. In the case of the mixing device, such an array of main pipe rectilinear portions is however configured to be flanked by a wall of the mixing device installation site. The main pipe rectilinear portions may be connected to each other by means of connecting tubular elements, in particular by means of U-shaped bends.
[0024] Such a conformation of the main pipe, coupled with such an arrangement of the static mixing elements, makes it possible to limit the overall size of the mixing device, and to make best use of the limited space available, for example in a container housing the mixing device.
[0025] Advantageously, the control unit is further configured to receive main flow data of said main ingredient and to generate the flow-regulating signal for said or each further ingredient based on the main flow data, also based on the composition recipe. In particular, the control unit is configured to receive said main flow data as a direct input from an operator, for example by means of a keyboard or equivalent input device, or the mixing device comprises a flow meter arranged along said main line and configured to generate a main flow signal containing said main flow data. Alternatively, the main feed pump is a positive displacement pump associated with a speed or pulse detector configured to generate a speed or pulse signal and said control unit is configured to derive from said speed or pulse signal a main flow signal containing said main flow data.
[0026] In an embodiment of the transportable plant or mixing device, the pressurization device is a variable positive displacement pump, i.e., a pump configured to change the flow of said or each respective further ingredient, arranged along said or each respective further pipe, and the flow-regulating device of said or each respective further ingredient comprises said volumetric pump.
[0027] In another embodiment, the flow-regulating device of said or each further ingredient comprises a respective control valve arranged downstream of said pressurization device.
[0028] In the two embodiments now mentioned, the flow-regulating device, i.e. the positive displacement pump or the control valve, is equipped with a pneumatic drive. In this case, in particular, the positive displacement pump is a membrane or diaphragm pump. The adoption of pneumatic rather than electric drives makes it possible to limit the number of electrical components arranged in the vicinity of the mixing device, i.e., in the case of the transportable plant defined above, in the first container. This is advantageous in the case where the mixing device is designed to handle flammable ingredients, since in this case it is necessary to classify the area close to the device, in particular the inside of the first container, as an explosion hazard area. This would require the use of expensive and bulky electrical components suitable for safe use in such a classified area.
[0029] In another embodiment of the transportable plant or the mixing device, the flow-regulating organ of said or each further ingredient is arranged at said or each inlet port and is configured to switch between a feeding configuration and a blocking configuration. In such a case, the flow-regulating organ may be, for example, a shut-off valve, i.e., an ON-OFF operated valve, provided with a suitable electrical or pneumatic actuator. Alternatively, the flow-regulating organ may be a metering pump, e.g. of a reciprocating type, such as a piston or diaphragm pump.
[0030] Such a design of the flow control device, with a flow-regulating organ for each inlet to the main pipe of each further ingredient, allows the flows of the further ingredients to the individual static mixing elements to be precisely predetermined. This structure enhances the above-mentioned advantages of the plant and mixing device variants in which several static mixing elements are hydraulically connected in series.
[0031] Preferably, the flow-regulating device of the transportable plant or mixing device comprises flow meters of the main ingredient and the further ingredient(s), respectively, arranged along the main pipe and along the further pipe(s) of said or each further ingredient, the flow meters being configured to generate flow signals, respectively, of the main ingredient and of said or each further ingredient, and the control unit being configured to:
- receive flow signals from flow meters;
- generate the flow-regulating signal according to the flow signals, as well as according to the composition recipe and possibly responsive to the flow of the main ingredient.
[0032] By having the flow signals of the individual ingredients, a feedback control system can be obtained, which assists the dosing accuracy of the individual ingredients, under any operating condition of the mixing device.
[0033] For example, if positive displacement pumps are used as feed pumps, the regulating device can be an inverter arranged to vary the number of revolutions or pulses of such pumps, or it can be a mechanical speed or stroke length variator of a piston equipped with an input to receive the flow-regulating signal.
[0034] In particular, the flow-regulating device also comprises a main ingredient flow-regulating device, arranged along said main pipe, chosen from:
- the main supply pump, as this is configured as a variable displacement pump;
- a regulating valve located downstream of the main supply pump.
[0035] In particular, the main feed pump with variable flow, e.g. a diaphragm or diaphragm pump, or the control valve is pneumatically driven, with the aforementioned advantage of being able to avoid classifying the area adjacent to the mixing device as an explosion hazard area.
[0036] In particular, the control unit may be configured to generate the flow-regulating signal as a pulse width modulated signal between a first and a second value, and the flow-regulating device is provided with an actuation unit configured to receive the flow-regulating signal and to bring/maintain said or each flow-regulating device in the blocking configuration or in the feeding configuration according to the flow-regulating signal having the first or second value, respectively, so as to define, for said or each flow-regulating device, a duty-cycle or feeding time fraction of said or each further ingredient.
[0037] A control unit configured in this way makes it possible to exploit the advantages of the serial arrangement of the static mixer elements with multiple feeds of each additional ingredient, by pre-determining the feed rate of each additional ingredient in each static mixer in a particularly precise manner.
[0038] For example, in the case of using a metering pump as a flow-regulating device, this actuator may be a relay configured to supply/switch off the power supply to the motor of this pump, bringing the latter from a stop state to a running state and vice versa, while in the case of using an ON-OFF valve, as mentioned above, this is normally associated with an actuator of various types arranged to bring the valve from a closed state to an open state.
[0039] Advantageously, the filling device includes
- a basement;
- an extensible articulated structure with a proximal end connected to the basement and a free distal end;
- a supply pipe comprising:
- an inlet port at its own first end, hydraulically connected downstream of the main pipe via the connecting duct;
- an outlet port at its own second end portion opposite the first end portion;
- at least one flexible portion contiguous to the outlet port, arranged along the articulated structure with the outlet port at the free end of the articulated structure;
- a radial displacement, so as to vary the distance of the outlet from the base;
- a circumferential displacement at a given angle relative to a predetermined reference;
- a vertical displacement.
[0040] The filling device of the transportable plant may be provided with a user interface accessible from a user station arranged in the second container. The filling device may further comprise a device for handling mixture storage containers.
Brief description of the drawings
[0041] Further features and/or advantages of the present invention will become clearer with the following description of its variants and forms of embodiment, by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
- Figures 1 and 2 are schematic perspective views of a transportable plant according to the invention;
- Figure 3 shows schematically the connection between the mixing device and the filling device of the transportable plant in Figures 1 and 2;
- Figures 4 and 5 schematically show plant-mixing devices according to two embodiments of the invention, in which the regulating organ of the flow-regulating device for a single additional ingredient, as opposed to a main ingredient, consists of a regulating valve and a variable displacement pump, respectively;
- Figures 6 and 7 schematically show plant-mixing devices according to a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the flow-regulating device comprises a flowmeter of the further ingredient and, as a flow-regulating organ, a variable displacement pump, in particular (Figure 6) a pneumatically actuated diaphragm pump;
- Figures 8 and 9 schematically show plant-mixing devices according to further embodiments of the invention, wherein the flow-regulating device comprises a pneumatically actuated regulating valve along the further ingredient piping, in particular (Figure 9), a pneumatically actuated regulating valve is also provided along the main ingredient piping;
- Figures 10 and 11 schematically show plant-mixing devices according to further embodiments of the invention, in which there are further pipes for respective further ingredients and in which the flow-regulating device comprises a flow meter for each further ingredient and, as flow-regulating organs, variable displacement pumps, in particular (Figure 10) pneumatically operated diaphragm pumps;
- Figure 12 schematically shows a mixing device of the system according to a further embodiment of the invention, in which the flow-regulating device comprises a pneumatically actuated control valve along the pipe of each further ingredient;
- Figures 13 and 14 schematically illustrate mixing devices according to further embodiments of the invention, usable in particular in transportable plants, wherein the main pipe comprises two rectilinear portions hydraulically connected in series to each other and each provided with a respective static mixing element, wherein two and three further pipes are arranged to supply respective further ingredients to the tubular portion of the rectilinear portion arranged respectively upstream and downstream in said series, and wherein the flow-regulating device comprises, as flow-regulating devices of the ingredients, pneumatic control valves (Figure 13) or pneumatically operated diaphragm pumps (Figure 14);
- Figures 15 - 17 schematically show mixing devices according to further embodiments of the invention, usable in particular in transportable plants, wherein the main pipe comprises four rectilinear portions hydraulically connected in series to each other and each provided with a respective static mixing element, wherein a single further pipe comprises distribution branches arranged to feed respective fractions of a single further ingredient to the mixing element each of the rectilinear portions, and wherein the flow-regulating device comprises variable displacement pumps (Figure 15) or shut-off valves (Figure 16) on the main pipe and the further pipe, or metering pumps (Figure 17) arranged along respective distribution branches;
- Figures 18 - 20B schematically show mixing devices according to further embodiments of the invention, which can be used in particular in transportable plants, wherein the main pipe and a plurality of further pipes have structures equal to those respectively shown in Figures 15-17, and wherein the flow-regulating device comprises, as flow-regulating device of the ingredients, variable displacement pumps (Figure 18) or pneumatic control valves (Figure 19) on the main pipe and the further pipe, or control valves (Figures 20A/B) arranged along respective distribution branches;
- Figures 21 and 22 are perspective views, corresponding to the views in figures 1 and 2, of installations according to a further embodiment of the invention;
- Figures 23 and 24 are front and side elevation views of the installation in Figures 21 and 22.
Description of some preferred embodiments
[0042] With reference to the appended figures, some exemplary embodiments of a transportable plant 100 are described below, in particular a mixing device 1 which may form part of said plant, for forming a mixture "m" from a plurality of ingredients, including a main ingredient "x" and at least one further ingredient "a", or a plurality of further ingredients a-e.
[0043] As shown schematically in Figures 1-3, the transportable plant 100 comprises an apparatus 110 for forming the mixture "m". The apparatus 110 is distributed between a first container 101 and a second container 102, preferably the same size, suitable for assembly and transport on a vehicle such as a truck or rail car and configured to be side-by-side along two respective sides 103 and 104. The containers 101 and 102 may have, by way of example, dimensions 2.34 G#9.60 G#h2.96 metres, according to a commonly adopted standard for transport.
[0044] In more detail, the apparatus 110 comprises a mixing device 1 arranged in the first container 101 and a filling device 90 arranged in the second container 102 and connected in series downstream of the mixing device 1 via a connecting duct 89 which exits the first container 101 and enters the second container 102, as shown schematically in Figure 3, connecting together a main pipe 10 of the mixing device 1 and an inlet port 91 of the filling device 90.
[0045] Preferably, an inner wall 108 divides the second container 102 into a first room 106, in which the filling device 90 is housed, and a second room 107, within which a control unit 30 is arranged, so that the electrical components of the latter are housed in a safe area even when the equipment 110 is advantageously designed to handle particularly flammable liquids. Indeed, this solution means that a classification as an explosion hazard area is defined within the first container 101 and the room 106.
[0046] Figures 4-9 and 15, 16 show flow diagrams of a mixing device 1, according to some embodiments, for mixing the main ingredient "x" with only one additional ingredient "a", while Figures 10-14, 18-20B show flow diagrams of a mixing device 1, according to other embodiments, for mixing the main ingredient "x" with a plurality of additional ingredients, in particular five additional ingredients a-e.
[0047] In particular, Figures 13-20B refer to a mixing device 1 according to another aspect of the invention, not necessarily part of the transportable plant of Figures 1 and 2.
[0048] A particularly preferred design of the transportable plant 100 and the mixing device 1 is shown in detail in the views of Figures 21-24.
[0049] As anticipated, the mixing device 1 comprises a main pipe 10 arranged to be connected with a source 1' of the main ingredient "x" and containing a single static mixing element 31, as shown in Figures 4-12, or a plurality of static mixing elements arranged in series along the main pipe 10, as shown in Figures 13-20B, in particular two static mixing elements 31, 32 (Figures 13, 14), four static mixing elements 31, 32, 33, 34 (Figures 15-20A) or eight static mixing elements (Figures 21-24). The static mixing elements 31-34 are preferably contained in respective mixing ducts 21, 22, 23, 24 connected e.g. by flanges to the rest of the main pipework 10.
[0050] A main feed pump 4, preferably of the positive displacement type, configured to pass a given flow F of the main ingredient 'x' at a given pressure P through the main pipe 10. More specifically, the positive displacement pump 4 is a pneumatically driven pump, e.g. a diaphragm or diaphragm pump, as shown in Figures 6, 8-10, 12-15.
[0051] A flow meter 50 may be arranged downstream of the main feed pump 4 to detect the flow F of the main ingredient "x". Similar flow meter 51 may advantageously be arranged downstream of the static mixing element 31 or the plurality of static mixing elements 31-34 to detect the flow Fm of the formed mixture "m".
[0052] Preferably, a pressure gauge 60p is arranged downstream of the main supply pump 4 to detect the pressure P at the inlet to the static mixing element 31. Along the main pipe 10, downstream of the static mixing element 31 or each static mixing element 31-34 an additional pressure meter 61p or 61p, 62p, 63p, 64p is preferably arranged to detect the pressure leaving the or each static mixing element. Temperature gauges 60t and 61t or 61t, 62t, 63t, 64t may also be provided upstream and downstream of the or each static mixing element 31-34 to detect the temperature upstream and downstream of the or each static mixing element, in particular, in the case of mixing operations that run with thermal mixing effects, possibly associated with chemical reactions between the mixed ingredients a,b,c,d,e,x.
[0053] Preferably, a shut-off valve 88 is also provided downstream of the static mixing element 31 or the plurality of static mixing elements 31-34 to manually regulate the flow and/or to shut off the mixing device 1.
[0054] The mixing device 1 further comprises a further pipe 10a for the further ingredient a (Figures 4-9 and 15-16), or a plurality of further pipes 10a-e for the further ingredients a-e or a-d (Figures 10-14 and 18-24). Said or each further piping 10a-e is associated with a pressurization device 4a-e for maintaining the further ingredient(s) a-e within a predetermined pressure. Said or each pressurization device 4a or 4a-e may be a pump, as shown in Figures 5-7, 10, 11, 14-16, 18, 19, 21-24, preferably a positive displacement pump, and even more preferably a diaphragm or diaphragm pump provided with a pneumatically actuated device 9a or 9a-e, as shown in Figures 6, 10, 14, 15.
[0055] The further pipe 10a, or the further pipes 10a-e, are configured to introduce the further ingredient "a" or the further ingredients at- and into the main pipe 10, through respective inlet ports 16a, 26a,-36a, 46a or 16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e of the main pipe 10, arranged downstream of the main feed pump 4 and upstream of a respective static mixing element 31, 32, 33, 34 for which the respective further ingredient conveyed is intended.
[0056] More particularly, in the embodiments of Figures 15 to 24, respective distribution branches 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e, 47a-e are detached from the further pipes 10a-e at the feed openings 15a-e, 25a-e, 35a-e, 45a-e which flow into the main pipe 10 respectively at the inlet ports 16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e. In addition, along each further distribution branch 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e, 47a-e a shut-off valve 18a-e, 28a-e, 38a-e, 48a-e is advantageously provided to exclude/enable the supply of a given further ingredient a-e to one or more of said static mixing elements 31-34 or, in predetermined embodiments described below, to regulate the supply flow of a given further ingredient a-e to one or more of said static mixing elements 31-34.
[0057] For example, the main pipe 10 may have a nominal diameter between DN50 (2") and DN100 (4"), preferably DN80 (3"), and the further pipes 10a-e -may have a nominal diameter between DN10 (3/8") and DN32(1"¼), preferably between DN15 (1/2") and DN25 (1"), the further pipes 10a-e may have different diameters from each other in order to handle different flow rates.
[0058] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 6-20A, the flow-regulating device 70 comprises a flow meter 50a arranged along the further pipe 10a (Figures 15-17), or multiple flow meters 50a-e each arranged along a respective one of the further pipes 10a-e (Figures 10, 14, 18, 20A), upstream of the first feed opening 15a or feed openings 15a-e. The flow meters 50a-e may be configured to generate one or more flow signals 40a of the further ingredient "a" (Figures 6-9 and 15-17) or of each further ingredient a-e (Figures 10-14, 18-20A), and to transfer said flow signal(s) 40a-e to the control unit 30.
[0059] In some of these embodiments, shown in Figures 8-20A, the flow-regulating device 70 comprises the flow meter 50 configured to generate a main flow signal 40, containing the main flow data F, and to transfer said main flow signal 40 to the control unit 30.
[0060] The main ingredient "x" may be a solvent and the further ingredient "a", or the further ingredients a-e may be ingredients to be dissolved in solvent "x". Alternatively, the main ingredient "x" may be a raw material base and the further ingredient "a", or the further ingredients a-e may be additives for formulations based on the raw material "x". In a particular case, the ingredient "a", or the further ingredients a-e may be suitable to react chemically by combining with at least part of the main ingredient "x" or to combine chemically with each other, in both cases resulting in a mixture "m" in which there is present at least one compound that was not present among the starting ingredients x, a or x, a-e. By "mixtures" here is meant to encompass both homogeneous solutions of components in a liquid state and heterogeneous mixtures comprising several distinct phases, even if finely dispersed in each other, e.g. emulsions.
[0061] In the mixing device 1, a flow-regulating device 70 controlled by a control unit 30 is also provided for tuning the flows of the ingredients x, a or x, a-e to each other so that in the resulting mixture m the ingredients x, a or x, a-e are present according to predetermined proportions included in a composition recipe R.
[0062] The flow-regulating device 70 comprises a flow-regulating organ 2a/2a-e for regulating the flow of the further ingredient "a" or each further ingredient a-e. Preferably, as shown in Figures 9-11, 13-15 and 19, the flow-regulating device 70 further comprises a flow-regulating organ 2 of the main ingredient "x". Associated with said or each regulating organ 2, 2a/2a-e is a respective actuating assembly 5, 5a/5a-e.
[0063] The flow-regulating organs 2, 2a/2a-e and the respective actuating groups 5, 5a/5a-e can be made in various ways, as described in more detail below.
[0064] To operate the flow-regulating device 70, the control unit 30 is configured to store the mixture composition recipe R of the mixture "m", comprising the doses of the or each further ingredient a/a-e to the main ingredient "x". The control unit 30 is then configured to generate a flow-regulating signal 41a/41a-e for the further ingredient "a" or for each further ingredient a-e, based on the composition recipe R of the main ingredient "x", and to transfer said or each control signal 41a/41a-e to the actuation group 5a/5a-e of a respective flow-regulating organ 2a/2a-e.
[0065] As shown for example in Figures 5 and 6, the control unit 30 may further be configured to receive flow data F of the main ingredient x and to generate the flow-regulating signal 41a/41a-e for said or each further ingredient a-e based on the flow data F of the main ingredient x, as well as based on the composition recipe R. In particular, the control unit 30 may be configured to receive the main flow data F as a direct input from an operator, for example via a keyboard or equivalent input device, not shown. Alternatively, or additionally, the mixing device 1 may have the flow meter 50 arranged along the main line 10 and configured to generate a main flow signal 40 containing the main flow data F, as shown in Figures 8-20A. Alternatively, in an embodiment not shown in the Figures, the main supply pump 4 may be a rotary or reciprocating positive displacement pump associated with a speed or pulse detector respectively configured to generate a speed or pulse signal, and said control unit is configured to transform said speed or pulse signal into the main flow signal 40 containing the main flow data F.
[0066] In an advantageous embodiment, the control unit 30 can also be configured to drive the main feed pump 4 and to transfer the flow regulation signal 41,41a/41a-e to the actuating unit 5, 5a/5a-e when it receives a start command introduced by an operator.
[0067] In some embodiments, shown in Figures 16, 17 and 20A, wherein more than one static mixing elements 31, 32 or 31, 32, 33, 34 are provided, said or each flow-regulating organ 2, 2a/2a-e of the flow of the main ingredient "x" and the further ingredient "a" (Figures 16, 17), or of each further ingredient a-e (Figure 20A), may be arranged along the distribution branch 17a, 27a, 37a, 47a, or the respective distribution branch 17a-e, 27a, 37a, 47a-e. In such a case, the flow-regulating organ 2a-e of the further ingredients is configured to bring the distribution branch 17a,-27a,-37a, 47a, or selectively each distribution branch 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e, 47a-e, from a feeding configuration to a blocking configuration, and vice versa, wherein the ingredient "a", or respective ingredient a-e, may or may not be fed, respectively, from said or each further pipe 10a, or 10a-e, into the main pipe 10 and thus into the respective static mixing element 31-34.
[0068] In particular, in the embodiment shown in Figures 16 and 20A, the control organ 2a or 2a-e, for each supplied rectilinear portion 11-14 of the main pipe 10, is the shut-off valve 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a, or 18a-e, 28a-e, 38a-e, 48a-e mentioned above, provided along each distribution branch 17a, 27a, 37a, 47a, or 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e, 47a-e. In this case, each of the shutoff valves 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a, or 18a-e, 28a-e, 38a-e, 48a-e is associated with a respective actuator 19a, 29a, 39a, 49a, or 19a-e, 29a-e, 39a-e, 49a-e, preferably of a pneumatic type, and is configured to switch between a closed configuration and an open configuration, corresponding to the blocking and passage configurations respectively of the respective distribution branch 17a, 27a, 37a, 47a, or 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e, 47a-e.
[0069] In contrast, in the implementation form shown in Figure 17, the control organ 2a or 2a-e is a metering pump 118a, 128a, 138a, 148a for said or each additional ingredient a or a-e.
[0070] An actuating unit 5a or 5a-e is associated with the flow-regulating organ 2a-e. In the case shown in Figures 16 and 20A, wherein the regulating organ 2a or 2a-e is a shut-off valve 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a, or 18a-e-, 28a-e, 38a-e, 48a-e, the actuating group 5a or 5a-e is the actuator 19a, 29a, 39a, 49a, or 19a-e, 29a-e, 39a-e, 49a-e, mentioned above. In contrast, in the case shown in Figure 17, where the actuator 2a-e is a metering pump 118a, 128a, 138a, 148a, the actuating unit 5a-e is in the form of, for example, a relay 119a, 129a, 139a, 149a. The case, not shown, of a plurality of further ingredients a-e being fed by metering pumps arranged along the distribution branches to the respective static mixing elements of the mixing device, can be easily implemented by a skilled person on the basis of the diagrams of Figures 17 and 20A/B.
[0071] In particular, according to the embodiments shown in Figures 16, 17 and 20A, where the flow-regulating organ 2a or 2a-e is arranged along a respective distribution branch 17a, 27a, 37a, 47a, or 17a-e, 27a-e, 37a-e-, 47a-e, and is provides a feeding configuration and a blocking configuration, the control unit 30 may be configured to generate the flow-regulating signal 41a as a pulse-width modulated signal. That is, the flow-regulating signal 41a can only assume a first value or a second value. The fraction of time of a predetermined time interval in which the flow-regulating signal 41a assumes for example the second value is determined by the control unit 30 according to the composition recipe R, and possibly according to the flow F of the main ingredient "x".
[0072] For example, in the case of only one further ingredient 'a' of Figures 16 and 17, the composition recipe R provides for a predetermined concentration Ca of the further ingredient 'a' and the actuating unit 5ai, i=1...4 for four static mixing elements 31-34 associated with the shut-off valves 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a (Figure 16), or metering pumps 118a, 128a, 138a, 148a (Figure 17) is configured to:
- receive the flow-regulating signal 41 ai, i=1...4, modulated as above, and to
- bring/maintain the flow-regulating organ 2ai, i=1...4, in a feed-through condition, i.e. to keep/maintain the shut-off valve 18a,
28a, 38a, 48a open (figure 16) or to keep/maintain the metering pump 118a, 128a, 138a,
148a running (figure 17),
when flow-regulating signal 41 ai, i=1...4 maintains the above-mentioned second value, and to - bring/maintain the flow-regulating organ 2ai, i=1...4, in a locked condition, i.e. to keep/maintain shut-off valve 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a (figure 16) or to keep/maintain shut-off metering pump 118a, 128a, 138a, 148a (figure 17) when the flow-regulating signal 41ai, i=1...4, maintains the above-mentioned first value.
[0073] In addition, the control unit 30 is configured to make the second value to the flow-regulating signal 41 ai, i=1...4, and thus to keep the shut-off valve 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a / the metering pump 118a, 128a, 138a open/run, 148a for a fraction of the time such that the ratio of the flow Fa of the further ingredient "a" to the sum of the flows of the further ingredient "a" and the main ingredient "x" is equal to the concentration Ca as prescribed in the recipe R, i.e. such that Fa/(Fa+F) = Ca. In other words, the control unit 30 is configured to define a duty-cycle or fraction of open/run time of the flow control apparatus 2a and in such a way as to achieve by mixing the composition provided for by the recipe R.
[0074] Similarly, in the case of the mixing device of Figures 20A/B, the control unit 30 is configured to maintain the control signal 41ai, 41bi, 41ci, 41di, 41ei, i=1...4, and thus to maintain open/running the shut-off valves of groups 18a, 28a, 38a, 48a; 18b, 28b, 38b, 48b; 18c, 28c, 38c, 48c; 18d, 28d, 38d, 48d; 18e, 28e, 38e, 48e for such a fraction of time to allow the flows Fa, Fb, Fc, Fd, Fe of the further ingredients a-e, in such a way that the ratio between the flows Fa, Fb, Fc, Fd Fe of each of the further ingredients a-e and the sum of the flow F of the main ingredient "x" and the total flow nFj of the further a-e ingredients is equal to predetermined concentrations Ca, Cb, Cc, Cd, Ce foreseen in the recipe R, i.e. such that Fi /(F+nFj ) = Ci, with i,j=a,b,c,d,e, and such that any proportion constraints according to which each ingredient is to be fed to the various static mixing elements 31-34 are respected.
[0075] Instead, according to the embodiments shown in Figures 4-15 and 18-20A, the flow-regulating device 70 comprises the pressurization device 4a or the pressurization devices 4a-e each in the form of, for example, a positive displacement pump arranged on a respective further pipe 10a-e, upstream of the respective feed openings 15a-e.
[0076] In some of these embodiments, shown in Figures 10, 11, 7A, 8 and 10, for said or each further ingredient "a" (Figure 15) or a-e (Figures 10, 11, 14 and 18), said or each flow-regulating organ 2a-e comprises the positive displacement pump 4a or the positive displacement pumps 4a-e, respectively, while said or each actuation unit 5a or 5a-e comprises a drive unit 7a or the respective drive units 7a-e of the positive displacement pumps, respectively. Such drive units 7a or 7a-e are configured to change the running conditions of the respective positive displacement pumps 4a or 4a-e. In the case of rotary positive displacement pumps, the drive units 7a or 7a-e may be configured to change the number of revolutions per unit time of the respective positive displacement pumps 4a or 4a-e so as to change the flow of said or respective further ingredients "a" or "a-e". For this purpose, each drive unit 7a or 7a-e may comprise an inverter, not shown.
[0077] In other embodiments, shown in Figures 4, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 19, the flow-regulating organ 2a of the further ingredient "a" (Figures 8, 9) or each flow-regulating organ 2a-e of each further ingredient a-e (Figures 12, 13, 19) comprises one or a respective flow-regulating valve 3a or 3a-e arranged downstream of the pressurization device 4a-e and, in embodiments where more than one distribution branch 17a, 27a, 37a, 47a or 17a-e, 27a-e-, 37a-e, 47a-e, respectively of each further pipe 10a (case not shown) or 10a-e (Figure 19) are provided, arranged upstream of the first spill light 15a or -15a-e, in the flow direction of the further or respective further ingredient "a" or "a-e". In this case, the actuating unit 5a or 5a-e is a modulating actuator 8a-e, preferably of pneumatic type.
[0078] In the embodiments of Figures 8-20A, the control unit 30 is further configured to receive the flow signal(s) 40a or 40a-e from the flow meters 50a or 50a-e, to generate the or each flow-regulating signal 41a or 41a-e based on the flow value Fa or Fa - Fe contained in the respective flow signal 40a-e, as well as according to the composition recipe R, and to transfer the or each flow-regulating signal 41a or 41a-e to the respective flow-regulating organ 2a or 2a-e of the further ingredient a or the respective further ingredient a-e, i.e. to the positive displacement pump 4a or to the respective positive displacement pump 4a-e, or to the flow-regulating valve 3a or to the respective flow-regulating valve 3a-e via the actuating unit 5a or the control unit -5a-e, i.e. via the respective electric drive unit 7a or -7a-e, e.g. with an inverter, or via the respective pneumatic drive unit 9a or 9a-e-, in the case of positive displacement pumps, or via the respective pneumatic actuator 8a or 8a-e-.
[0079] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 13-20A, the main pipe 10 comprises a plurality of rectilinear portions 11, 12 (Figures 13, 14) or 11-14 (Figures 15-20A), hydraulically connected in series to each other. Preferably, the rectilinear portions 11, 12 or 11-14 of the main pipe 10 are arranged parallel to each other and form an array running along a plane, as described in greater detail below.
[0080] In particular, as shown in Figures 15-19, the further pipe 10a or each further pipe -10a-e may also comprise a plurality of rectilinear portions 11a, 12a, 13a, 14a or 11a-e, 12a-e, 13-a-e, 14a-e, in the same number as the rectilinear portions 11-14 of the main pipe 10. In particular, Figures 15-17 refer to the case where only one further pipe 10a is provided for only one further ingredient "a", while Figures 18-20A refer to the case of a plurality of pipes, specifically five pipes 10a-e for respective further ingredients a-e. In particular, the rectilinear portions 11a-e, 12a-e, 13a-e, 14a-e of the piping 10a-e may also be arranged parallel to each other and, furthermore, parallel to respective rectilinear portions 11, 12, 13, 14 of the main pipe 10.
[0081] Figures 21-24 show a transportable plant 100, according to an embodiment of the invention, in which the rectilinear portions 11, 12, 13, 14 of the main pipe 10 containing respective static mixing elements 31-34 are arranged parallel to each other to form an array which is arranged along a plane and which is juxtaposed to an inner face 105 of a sidewall of the first container 101, in particular of the sidewall 103 of the first container 101 contiguous to the sidewall 104 of the second container 102. In this case, the rectilinear portions 11, 14 are preferably connected to each other by means of tubular connecting elements 11'-13', preferably U-shaped.
[0082] The mixing device 1 of the transportable plant 100 of Figures 21-24 is designed to mix up to four further ingredients a,b,c,d for which respective positive displacement pumps 4a-d and respective pipes 10a-d provided with flow meters 50a-d are provided. Furthermore, in this case two mixing conduits 21, 22, 23, 24 are provided for each of the rectilinear portions 11, 12, 13, 14 of the main pipe 10, for example the rectilinear portion 11 comprises two mixing conduits 21, the rectilinear portion 12 comprises two mixing conduits 22 and so on. In addition, each of the further ingredients a,b,c,d may be fed into a subset of the rectilinear portions 11-14 of the main pipe 10, i.e. into only a portion of the static mixing elements of the transportable plant 100, similarly to what is also shown in Figures 13 and 14. More in detail, respective pairs of distribution branches 17a,b and 37a, b branch out from each of the pipes 10a,b of the further ingredients a and b. A first distribution branch 17a, 17b of each pair of distribution branches is connected to the rectilinear portion 11 of the main pipe 10, upstream of the mixing ducts 21, while a second distribution branch 37a, 37b of each pair is connected to the rectilinear portion 13 of the main pipe 10, upstream of the mixing ducts 23. Similarly, from each of the pipes 10c,d of the further ingredients c and d branch respective pairs of distribution branches 27c,d and 47c,d. A first distribution branch 27c, 27d of each pair of distribution branches is connected to the straight portion 12 of the main pipe 10, upstream of the mixing conduits 22, while a second distribution branch 47c, 47d of each pair is connected to the straight portion 14 of the main pipe 10, upstream of the mixing conduits 24.
[0083] Figure 23 also shows components whose use is easily generalisable to the other embodiments described. In particular, along the main pipe 10, downstream of each static mixer, visual specula 45 may be provided to monitor the flow and appearance of the mixture being formed. Furthermore, in an initial portion of the main pipe 10, i.e. upstream of the first or only static mixer, a vent pipe 44 is advantageously provided to allow air to escape when the system is filled, i.e. at the beginning of a processing cycle.
[0084] As again shown in Figures 21-24, in addition to the main pipe 10, the further piping 10a-e and the piping elements and instruments described above, a storage tank 80 of the mixture "m" having an outlet opening 81 connected in suction to a pump 82 feeding the mixture "m" to the filling device 90 located in the second container 102 can be arranged in the first container 101. Furthermore, in the presence of the storage tank 80 of the mixture, the main pipe 10 may advantageously divide into two pipe sections 10' and 10" to feed the tank from above or from an underneath position, for example near the bottom of the tank, the latter embodiment being useful in the case of a mixture "m" which tends to form foam and/or is particularly flammable.
[0085] The filling device 90, arranged in the second container 102, may be a filling machine provided with an inlet port 91 hydraulically connected downstream of the main pipe 10 via the connecting duct 89, and an outlet port 99 arranged to fill portable receptacles 52 for collecting the mixture "m", for example a palletised liquid container, as shown in Figures 21, 22 and 24.
[0086] In the embodiment shown in Figures 21, 22 and 24, the filling device 90 comprises an articulated structure 93 which has a proximal end 93a connected with a basement 92, a free distal end and a plurality of elongated rigid elements 94 mutually connected by means of articulation elements 95 and a free distal end 93b in which the outlet port 99 is arranged, preferably associated with an inlet element for filling the receptacles 52. The outlet port 99 is hydraulically connected with the inlet port 91 by means of a pipe or delivery conduit 96 having at least one flexible portion 97 arranged along the sequence of elongated rigid elements 94 and articulations 95. Preferably, a shut-off valve or a three-way valve 98 is provided at the outlet port 99 with one way engaged by a return conduit to the mixture tank 80. A control panel for opening/closing the shut-off valve or three-way valve 98 and/or the feed pump 82 of the filling device is also provided in the vicinity of the outlet port 99.
[0087] The articulating structure 93 is designed so that an operator can position the outlet port 99 according to the number and size of the portable mixture vessels 52. To this end, the articulated structure 93 is configured to allow the outlet port 99 to perform radial displacements r, so as to vary the distance from the basement 92, circumferential displacements according to an angle θ, as well as vertical displacements z and/or ζ. In particular, the proximal end 93a of the articulated structure 93 may engage slidingly with an upright 92a extending vertically from the basement 92 so as to allow the vertical displacement component z.
[0088] The foregoing description of predetermined specific embodiments is capable of showing the invention from a conceptual point of view in such a way that others, using the known technique, will be able to modify and/or adapt such specific embodiment in various applications without further research and without departing from the inventive concept, and, therefore, it is understood that such adaptations and modifications will be considered as equivalents of the specific embodiment. The means and materials for achieving the various functions described may be of various kinds without departing from the scope of the invention. It is understood that the expressions or terminology used are purely descriptive and, therefore, not limiting.
1. A transportable plant (100) for forming a mixture (m) from a plurality of ingredients
(x,a,b,c,d,e) comprising a main ingredient (x) and at least one further ingredient
(a-e), said transportable plant (100) comprising:
- a first container (101) and a second container (102) configured to be placed side by side to each other with two respective sides (103, 104) contiguous to each other;
- a mixing device (1) arranged in said first container (101) and comprising:
- a main pipe (10) having a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected to a source (1') of said main ingredient (x) and containing at least one static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34), along said main pipe being provided at least one inlet opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e) for said or each further ingredient (a-e);
- a main feed pump (4) configured to feed a predetermined flow (F) of said main ingredient (x) at a predetermined pressure (P) through said main pipe (10);
- at least one further pipe (10a-e) having a first end portion configured to be hydraulically
connected with a source (1'a-e) of a respective further ingredient (a-e),
wherein said or each static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34) is arranged downstream
of said or at least one inlet opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e);
- a pressurization device (4a-e) arranged to maintain said or each further ingredient (a-e) at a predetermined pressure in said or each further pipe (10a-e);
- a flow-regulating device (70) of said or each further ingredient (a-e), said flow-regulating device comprising a flow-regulating organ (2a-e) for regulating said or each further ingredient (a-e) arranged along said further pipe or a respective further pipe (10a-e);
- a filling device (90) arranged in said second container (102) and having:
- an inlet port (91) hydraulically connected with a second end portion of said main pipe (10) via a connecting duct (89) extending from the inside of said first container (101) to the inside of said second container (102);
- an outlet port (99) arranged to fill portable collection vessels (52) with said mixture (m);
- a control unit (30) configured to:
- receive and store a composition recipe (R) of said mixture (m);
- generate a flow-regulating signal (41a-e) for said or each additional ingredient (a-e) according to said composition recipe (R);
- transfer said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) to said flow-regulating organ (2a-e) of said or each further ingredient (a-e).
2. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein said control unit (30)
is further configured to receive flow data (F) of said main ingredient (x) and to
generate said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) for said or each further ingredient (a-e)
responsive to said flow data (F) of said main ingredient (x), as well as based on
said composition recipe (R).
3. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein said pressurization device
(4a-e) is a positive displacement pump (4a-e) arranged along said or each respective
further pipe (10a-e) and configured to change a flow rate of said or each respective
further ingredient (a-e), and said flow-regulating organ (2a-e) of said or each respective
further ingredient comprises said positive displacement pump (4a-e).
4. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 3, wherein said volumetric pump (4a-e)
is a pneumatically driven diaphragm pump (9a-e).
5. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein said flow-regulating organ
(2a-e) of said or each further ingredient (a-e) comprises a respective regulating
valve (3a-e) arranged downstream of said pressurization device (4a-e),
in particular, said control valve (3a-e) is equipped with a pneumatic actuator (8a-e).
in particular, said control valve (3a-e) is equipped with a pneumatic actuator (8a-e).
6. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein said flow-regulating organ
(2a-e) of said or each further ingredient (a-e) is arranged at said or each inlet
opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e) and is configured to switch between a feeding
configuration and a blocking configuration, wherein said flow-regulating organ (2a-e)
is selected among a shut-off valve (18a-e, 28a-e, 38a-e, 48a-e) and a metering pump
(118a-e, 128a-e, 138a-e, 148a-e).
7. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said flow-regulating
device (70) comprises respective flow meters (50, 50a-e) arranged along said main
pipe (10) and along said or each further pipe (10a-e), and configured to generate
flow signals (40, 40a-e), respectively, of said main ingredient (x) and of said or
each further ingredient (a-e), and said control unit (30) is configured to:
- receive -said flow signals (40, 40a-e) from said flow meters (50, 50a-e);
- generate said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) on the basis of said flow signals (40, 40a-e), as well as on the basis of said composition recipe (R) and, in particular, on the basis of said flow data (F) of said main ingredient (x).
8. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 7, wherein said flow-regulating device
(70) further comprises a main flow-regulating organ (2) of the flow of said main ingredient
(x) arranged along said main pipe (10), said main flow-regulating organ (2) being
selected among:
- said main supply pump (4), configured as a variable displacement pump;
- a regulating valve (3) located downstream of said main supply pump (4),
in particular, said main supply pump (4) with variable flow or said regulating valve (3) is equipped with a pneumatic drive (9.8).9. The transportable plant (100) as per claim 6, in which
- said control unit (30) is configured to generate said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) as a pulse width modulated signal between a first and second value,
- said flow control unit (2a-e) is equipped with an actuating unit (5a-e) configured to:
- receive this flow-regulating signal (41a-e);
- bring/maintain said flow-regulating organ (2a-e) in said blocking configuration when said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) has said first value;
- bring/maintain said flow-regulating organ (2a-e) in said passage configuration when said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) has said second value,
so as to define a duty-cycle or passage time fraction for said or each additional ingredient (2a-e).10. The transportable plant according to claim 1, wherein said main pipe (10) comprises
a plurality of rectilinear portions (11, 12, 13, 14) of main pipe hydraulically connected
to each other in series, wherein each of said rectilinear portions (11, 12, 13, 14)
comprises:
- at least one respective static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34);
- at least one respective inlet opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e) upstream of said respective static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34).
11. The transportable apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said rectilinear portions
(11, 12, 13, 14) of said main pipe are arranged parallel to each other to form an
array running along a plane and substantially parallel to an inner face (105) of a
sidewall (103) of said first container (101), in particular of the sidewall (103)
of said two contiguous sides (103, 104).
12. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein in said first container
(101) is arranged a storage tank (80) of said mixture (m) having an inlet port connected
with said second end portion of said main pipe (10) and an outlet opening (81) connected
in suction to a feed pump (82) arranged to feed said mixture (m) to said filling device
(90).
13. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 1, wherein said filling device (90)
comprises
- a basement (92);
- an extensible articulated structure (93) with a proximal end (93a) connected to said basement (92) and a free distal end (93b);
- a supply pipe (96) comprising:
- said inlet port (91) at its own first end portion, hydraulically connected downstream of said main pipe (10) via said connecting duct (89);
- said outlet port (99) at its own second end portion opposite said first end portion;
- at least one flexible portion (97) contiguous to said outlet port (99), arranged along said articulated structure (93) with said outlet port (99) at said free end (93b) of said articulated structure (93);
wherein said articulated structure (93) is configured to allow said outlet port (99) to perform:- a radial displacement (r), so as to vary the distance of said outlet port (99) from said basement (92);
- a circumferential displacement according to an angle (θ) with respect to a predetermined reference;
- a vertical displacement (z,ζ);
14. The transportable plant (100) according to claim 13, wherein said proximal end (93a)
of said articulated structure (93) engages slidingly with a strut (92a) extending
vertically from said basement (92), so as to provide to said outlet port (99) a component
of said vertical displacement (z).
15. A mixing device (1) for forming a mixture (m) from a plurality of ingredients (x,a,b,c,d,e),
said ingredients comprising a main ingredient (x) and at least one further ingredient
(a-e), said mixing device (1) comprising:
- a main pipe (10) having a first end portion arranged to be hydraulically connected
with a source (1') of said main ingredient (x);
wherein said main pipe (10) comprises a plurality of main pipe rectilinear portions
(11, 12, 13, 14) hydraulically connected in series to each other, wherein each of
said rectilinear portions (11, 12, 13, 14) comprises:
- at least one respective static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34);
- at least one respective inlet opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e) to feed said or each further ingredient (a-e) upstream of said respective static mixing element (31, 32, 33, 34),
- a main feed pump (4) configured to feed a predetermined flow (F) of said main ingredient (x) at a predetermined pressure (P) through said main pipe (10);
- at least one further pipe (10a-e) having a first end portion configured to be hydraulically connected with a source (1'a) of a respective further ingredient (a-e) and a second end portion hydraulically connected with said main pipe through said or each inlet opening (16a-e, 26a-e, 36a-e, 46a-e) of said further ingredient (a-e);
- a pressurization device (4a-e) arranged to maintain said or each further ingredient (a-e) at a predetermined pressure in said at least one further pipe (10a-e);
- a flow-regulating device (70) of said or each further ingredient (a-e), comprising a flow-regulating organ (2a-e) of the flow of said or each further ingredient (a-e);
- a control unit (30) configured to:
- receive and store a composition recipe (R) of said mixture (m);
- generate a flow-regulating signal (41a-e) for said or each additional ingredient (a-e) according to said composition recipe (R);
- transfer said flow-regulating signal (41a-e) to said flow-regulating organ (2a-e) of said or each further ingredient (a-e).