Ultrasonic semelt dissolving and shattering system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10557235-B2
Application number	US-201816040333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jul 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

The problem of runaway smelt explosions due to a sudden influx of smelt into a dissolving tank is mitigated by a system comprising an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit ultrasonic waves toward the dissolving tank at a frequency above 20 kilohertz. A system comprising the ultrasonic transducer may further comprise sensors and a data processor configured to regulate the properties of the ultrasonic waves in response to process conditions affecting the smelt flow.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ultrasonic smelt dissolving and shattering system comprising:
a dissolving tank;
a spout adjacently disposed to the dissolving tank, wherein the spout is configured to direct a volume of smelt into the dissolving tank;
an agitator disposed at a side of the dissolving tank;
an ultrasonic transducer, having a transducer end configured to emit ultrasonic waves above 20 kilohertz in the dissolving tank;
a sensor disposed proximately to the dissolving tank, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a process condition within the dissolving tank;
a data processor configured to receive a sensor output signal from the sensor, wherein the sensor output signal indicates the process condition at a measured time, wherein the data processor is further configured to compare the sensor output signal to a programmed operation range for the process condition, and to send a transducer input signal to the ultrasonic transducer to adjust a transducer output if the sensor output signal is outside of the programmed operation range.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data processor is further configured to receive a transducer output signal indicating the transducer output, wherein the data processor is further configured to send an agitator input signal to the agitator to adjust the rate of agitation when the transducer output signal indicates that the transducer output is at a maximum and when the sensor output signal indicates that the process condition is outside of the programmed range.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a disruptor configured to disrupt the volume of smelt flowing from the spout into the dissolving tank to thereby form smelt droplets, wherein a disrupting fluid exits the disruptor at a disruptor discharge rate.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the data processor is further configured to receive a transducer output signal indicating the transducer output, wherein the data processor is further configured to send a disruptor input signal to the disruptor to adjust the rate of disruption when the transducer output signal indicates that the transducer output is at a maximum and when the sensor output signal indicates that the process condition is outside of the programmed range.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of: an accelerometer, a strain sensor, an acoustic sensor, a temperature sensor, a density analyzer, a Baumé hydrometer, a total titratable alkali analyzer, a camera, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising multiple sensors disposed in the dissolving tank, wherein the multiple sensors are configured to measure multiple process conditions.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising multiple ultrasonic transducers disposed in the dissolving tank, wherein each ultrasonic transducer has a transducer end configured to emit ultrasonic waves at a frequency above 20 KHz.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising an outlet conduit fluidly communicating with the dissolving tank, wherein a conduit ultrasonic transducer is disposed in the conduit, and wherein the conduit ultrasonic transducer is configured to emit ultrasonic waves at a frequency above 20 KHz.

9. A method for monitoring and adjusting a rate of smelt dissolving in a dissolving tank comprising:
receiving a sensor output signal from a sensor disposed within the dissolving tank, the sensor output signal indicating a process condition at a measured time;
receiving a transducer output signal from an ultrasonic transducer disposed in the dissolving tank indicating a transducer output;
comparing the sensor output signal with a programmed operation range for the process condition;
comparing the transducer output signal with a programmed operation range for the transducer;
sending a transducer input signal to the transducer to adjust the transducer output when the sensor output signal is outside the operation range for the process condition.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving an agitator output signal from an agitator indicating a rate of agitation, and sending an agitator input signal to the agitator to adjust the rate of agitation when the transducer output is outside of the programmed operation range for the transducer.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising receiving a disruptor output signal from a disruptor indicating a rate of disruption, and sending a disruptor input signal to the disruptor to adjust the rate of disruption when the transducer output is outside of the programmed operation range for the transducer.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising sending a sensor input signal to the sensor to adjust a sensitivity to the process condition.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising pulsing the ultrasonic transducer, wherein pulsing the ultrasonic transducer comprises alternating between a first transducer output and a second transducer output wherein the first transducer output and the second transducer output comprise different power levels, wave intensity, wave frequency, or other wave condition.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising: receiving a conduit transducer output signal from a conduit ultrasonic transducer disposed in an outlet conduit indicating a conduit transducer output, comparing the conduit transducer output signal with a programmed operation range for the conduit ultrasonic transducer, sending a conduit transducer input signal to the conduit ultrasonic transducer to adjust the conduit transducer output when the sensor output signal is outside the operation range for the process condition.

Assignees

• Andritz Inc

Inventors

• Lebel Mark

Classifications

• D21C11/122 Primary

  Treatment, e.g. dissolution, of the smelt · CPC title

• G01N29/221

  Arrangements for directing or focusing the acoustical waves (electronic orientation or focusing G01N29/262; sound directing or focusing G10K11/26; mechanical steering of sound transducers or their beams G10K11/35) · CPC title

• D21C11/04

  of alkali lye · CPC title