AUTOMATED LIQUID MANUFACTURING SYSTEM
A method for continuously preparing a medium formulation mixes a diluent with a plurality of chemically incompatible concentrate solutions in such a manner that none of the ingredients of the concentrate solutions chemically react in an adverse manner. The method utilizes a static mixing chamber to add the concentrate solutions to the diluent stream sufficiently in advance of one another so that adverse chemical reactions do not occur. The method also adjusts a pH level of the diluent prior to adding any of the concentrate solutions to the diluent.
1 .- 12 . (canceled)
13 . An apparatus for continuously mixing aqueous solutions comprising:
a static mixing chamber, having an upstream end and a downstream end, for creating a turbulent diluent stream from a diluent introduced from the upstream end of said static mixing chamber; and
a plurality of injection ports, incorporated into said static mixing chamber, for introducing a plurality of chemical concentrate solutions to said turbulent diluent stream to form a diluted mixture of said concentrate solutions at the downstream end of said static mixing chamber.
14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of injection ports comprise a plurality of injection ports that are radially disposed from one another.
15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of injection ports comprise a plurality of injection ports that are linearly disposed from one another.
16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of injection ports includes:
a first plurality of injection ports that are radially disposed from one another; and
at least one injection port that is linearly disposed from said first plurality of injection ports.
17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said plurality of injection ports includes:
a first plurality of injection ports incorporated into said static mixing chamber and radially disposed from one another;
a second plurality of injection ports incorporated into said static mixing chamber, radially disposed from one another, and linearly disposed from said first plurality of injection ports; and
at least one injection port incorporated into said static mixing chamber, linearly disposed from both said first plurality of injection ports and said second plurality of injection ports.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces a base soluble concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
19 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces an acid soluble concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces a group I salts concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
21 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduce a group II salts concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
22 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces a concentrate solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
23 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces a solution into said turbulent diluent stream prior to said first plurality of injection ports introducing any concentrate solutions into said turbulent diluent stream.
24 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces an acid solution into said diluent stream.
25 . The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein one of said at least one injection port introduces a caustic solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
26 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein said first plurality of injection ports do not introduce both a group II salts concentrate solution and an acid soluble concentrate solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
27 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces a base soluble concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
28 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces an acid soluble concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
29 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces a group I salts concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
30 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein one of said first plurality of injection ports introduces a group II salts concentrate solution to said turbulent diluent stream.
31 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces a solution into said turbulent diluent stream prior to any of said first plurality of injection ports introducing a concentrate solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
32 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces a concentrate solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
33 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein said at least one injection port introduces an acid solution into said turbulent diluent stream.
34 .- 83 . (canceled)