Patent ID: 6220747
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: B01F,G05D,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for intermixing multiple fluids of varied viscosities while maintaining a prescribed proportion of each of said fluids in a final mixture, said apparatus comprising:a first fluid source having a first fluid therein susceptible to changes in viscosity;a second fluid source having a second fluid therein;a fluid combining chamber in fluid communication with each of said first and second fluid sources for combining said first and second fluids in a prescribed proportion;a first fluid flow conduit for channeling said first fluid from said first fluid source to said fluid combining chamber;a second fluid flow conduit for channeling said second fluid from said second fluid source to said fluid combining chamber;a first sensor means connected to said first fluid flow conduit between said first fluid source and said combining chamber, said first sensor means continuously producing a combination of first signals which in combination are representative of the flow rate and temperature of said first fluid;a second sensor means connected to said second fluid flow conduit between said second fluid source and said combining chamber, said second sensor means continuously producing at least one second signal representative of the flow rate of said second fluid;a first control means having a pre-determined logarithmic temperature/viscosity relationship stored therein, said first control means receiving said combination of first signals from said first sensor means, and said first control means calculating a viscosity correction and generating a first control signal proportioned to the viscosity-corrected flow rate of said first fluid in accordance with said prescribed proportion;a second control means receiving said at least one second signal from said second sensor means, said second control means also receiving said first control signal from said first control means, said second control means comparing said at least one second signal and said first control signal and further generating a driving signal for regulating fluid flow in said second fluid flow conduit, said driving signal being sufficient to maintain said second fluid flow in the prescribed relative proportion to said first fluid flow irrespective of viscosity changes in said first fluid flow.