Interaction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022331711-A1
Application number	US-202017640865-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2020
Priority date	Sep 20, 2019
Publication date	Oct 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The interaction system that causes an interaction between a first fluid and a second fluid includes a plurality of processing units configured so as to cause the second fluid separated in the separation container of each of the plurality of processing units to flow into the processing channel of the interaction unit of a processing unit that is next in flow order to the each of the plurality of processing units, the separation container of the each of the plurality of processing units is connected to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the processing unit that is next in the flow order, a first fluid feeding path that leads the first fluid separated in the separation container of a succeeding stage processing unit among the plurality of processing units from the separation container to the processing channel of the interaction unit of a preceding stage processing unit, a storage container that stores the first fluid led out from the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit to the first fluid feeding path, and a delivery fluid supply unit that supplies a delivery fluid to the storage container so that the first fluid in the storage container is pushed out by the delivery fluid to flow through the first fluid feeding path into the processing channel of the preceding stage processing unit.

First claim

1 . An interaction system that causes an interaction between a first fluid and a second fluid, the interaction system comprising:
a first fluid tank that stores the first fluid; a second fluid tank that stores the second fluid; a plurality of processing units each including an interaction unit and a separation container, the interaction unit having a processing channel therein, the processing channel allowing the first fluid and the second fluid to flow therethrough so as to cause the first fluid and the second fluid to come in contact with each other to make an interaction, the separation container receiving a mixture fluid of the first fluid and the second fluid discharged from the processing channel to retain the mixture fluid, to thereby cause the mixture fluid to separate into the first fluid and the second fluid, the plurality of processing units being configured such that the second fluid flows from the second fluid tank into the plurality of processing units in predetermined order, the separation container of the each of the plurality of processing units being connected to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the corresponding processing unit that is next in flow order so as to allow the second fluid separated in the separation container of each of the plurality of processing units to flow into the processing channel of the interaction unit of the processing unit that is next in flow order to the each of the plurality of processing units; a first fluid feeding path that leads the first fluid separated in the separation container of a succeeding stage processing unit from the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit to the processing channel of the interaction unit of a preceding stage processing unit, the succeeding stage processing unit being the processing unit that succeeds a first stage processing unit that is the processing unit coming first in the flow order, the preceding stage processing unit being the processing unit that precedes the succeeding stage processing unit in the flow order; a storage container provided on the first fluid feeding path to store the first fluid led from the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit to the first fluid feeding path; and a delivery fluid supply unit connected to the storage container and configured to supply a delivery fluid to the storage container so that the first fluid stored in the storage container is pushed out by the delivery fluid to flow through the first fluid feeding path into the processing channel of the interaction unit of the preceding stage processing unit.

2 . The interaction system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid supply pipe that connects the second fluid tank to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the first stage processing unit so as to lead the second fluid from, the second fluid tank to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the first stage processing unit,
wherein the delivery fluid supply unit includes: a second fluid delivery pump provided on the second fluid supply pipe and configured to send out the second fluid to cause the second fluid to flow from the second fluid tank to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the first stage processing unit; and a delivery fluid supply pipe that connects a part of the second fluid supply pipe to the storage container so as to lead part of the second fluid as the delivery fluid to the storage container, the part of the second fluid being the second fluid sent out by the second fluid delivery pump, the part of the second fluid supply pipe being on a downstream side to the second fluid delivery pump.

3 . The interaction system according to claim 1 , wherein
the delivery fluid supply unit includes: a delivery fluid tank in which the delivery fluid is stored with a pressure higher than an internal pressure of the storage container; and a delivery fluid supply pipe that connects the delivery fluid tank to the storage container so as to lead the delivery fluid stored in the delivery fluid tank, from the delivery fluid tank to the storage container.

4 . The interaction system according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of processing units include three or more processing units, the three or more processing units include: a plurality of succeeding stage processing units as the succeeding stage processing units; and a plurality of preceding stage processing units as the preceding stage processing units, the plurality of preceding stage processing units corresponding respectively to the plurality of succeeding stage processing units, the interaction system comprises: a plurality of first fluid feeding paths as the first fluid feeding path, the plurality of first fluid feeding paths each leading the first fluid from each of the separation containers of the plurality of succeeding stage processing units to each of the processing channels of the interaction units of the preceding stage processing units corresponding respectively to the plurality of succeeding stage processing units; and a plurality of storage containers as the storage container, the plurality of storage containers being provided respectively on the plurality of first fluid feeding paths, and the delivery fluid supply unit is connected to each of the plurality of storage containers so as to supply the delivery fluid to each of the plurality of storage containers.

5 . The interaction system according to claim 1 , comprising a first storage container and a second storage container as the storage container, the first storage container and the second storage container each being capable of storing the first fluid led out from the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit into the first fluid feeding path,
wherein the first fluid feeding path includes: a lead-in side pipe that connects the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit to the first storage container and to the second storage container so as to lead the first fluid flowing out of the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit, to the first storage container and to the second storage container; and a delivery side pipe that connects each of the first storage container and the second storage container to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the preceding stage processing unit so as to lead the first fluid stored in the first storage container and the first fluid stored in the second storage container, to the processing channel of the interaction unit of the preceding stage processing unit, the delivery fluid supply unit is connected to the first storage container and to the second storage container so as to be capable of supplying the delivery fluid to the first storage container and to the second storage container, and the interaction system further comprises: a first fluid filling switching device provided on the lead-in side pipe, the first fluid filling switching device being configured to be capable of switching between a first filling permission state and a second filling permission state, the first filling permission state being a state of permitting a led-out first fluid to be led into the first storage container to fill it and preventing the led-out first fluid from being led into the second storage container, the led-out first fluid being the first fluid led out from the separation container of the succeeding stage processing unit to the lead-in side pipe, the second filling permission state being a state of permitting the led-out first fluid to be led into the second storage container to fill it and preventing the led-out first fluid from being led into the first storage container; a first fluid delivery switching device provided on the delivery side pipe, the first fluid delivery switchin

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Matsuoka Akira
• Noishiki Koji

Classifications

• B01D11/0484

  Controlling means · CPC title

• B01D11/0446

  Juxtaposition of mixers-settlers · CPC title

• B01D11/0488 Primary

  Flow sheets · CPC title

• B01J2204/002

  the feeding side being of particular interest · CPC title

• B01J19/245

  placed in series · CPC title