Patent ID: 8791194
Filing Date: 2014-07-29
Classification: B24C,B29B,B29C,B29K,C08K,C08L,F15D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of increasing fluid flow through mechanical process equipment including the steps of: feeding a fluid into the mechanical process equipment; measuring throughput of said fluid passing through said mechanical process equipment; measuring a first motor draw of a motor of said mechanical process equipment when said fluid passes through said mechanical process equipment; feeding particles into said mechanical process equipment, said particles having a sharp conchoidal surface and a complex three-dimensional surface area, said particles having an aspect ratio greater than 0.7; measuring throughput of said fluid and said particles passing through said mechanical process equipment; measuring a second motor draw of said motor when said fluid and said particles pass through said mechanical process equipment; comparing one of said throughput of said fluid with said throughput of said fluid and said particles, and said first motor draw with said second motor draw to determine whether said particle facilitates kinetic mixing in a boundary layer of said fluid resulting in decreased friction of said fluid and said particles flowing through said mechanical process equipment; selecting a size of said particle to be fed into said mechanical process equipment to facilitate one of increased throughput and decreased motor draw.