Gel production system and method
AssigneeGel Systems Canada Inc.
InventorsJames Boire, Brent Allan Roberts, Adam Nahachewsky
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Abstract
A gel production system and method, in which a powder configured for mixing with an aqueous solvent such as water to form a gel is metered into a pressurized air stream to fluidize the powder, and the fluidized powder is injected into a pressurized water supply. The fluidized powder is at a greater pressure than the water supply, helping to hydrate the fluidized powder in the water, and the water supply plus fluidized powder are subsequently mixed in a mixing chamber to form the gel.
Claims19
A system for producing a gel, the system comprising:
- a mixing chamber;
- a water subsystem comprising:
- a connection to a source of pressurized water supply for generating a positively pressurized water stream at a first pressure and for supplying the positively pressurized water stream to the mixing chamber in a flow direction;
- and
- a powder fluidization subsystem comprising:
- a pressurized air supply for generating a pressurized air stream at a second pressure;
- a powder supply for supplying a powder configured for mixing with water to produce the gel;
- and
- a metering valve for metering the powder from the powder supply into the pressurized air stream to produce a fluidized powder supply at the second pressure;
- wherein the fluidized powder supply is introduced to the positively pressurized water stream in the mixing chamber as the positively pressurized water stream moves in the flow direction to hydrate the powder in the fluidized powder supply therein to form the gel;
- and
- wherein the second pressure is greater than the first pressure.
A method for producing a gel, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a positively pressurized water stream at a first pressure and directing the positively pressurized water stream in a flow direction;
- providing a powder configured for mixing with water to produce the gel;
- providing a pressurized air stream at a second pressure, the second pressure greater than the first pressure;
- metering the powder into the pressurized air stream to fluidize the powder into a fluidized powder supply;
- and
- introducing the fluidized powder supply at the second pressure into the positively pressurized water stream as the positively pressurized water stream moves in the flow direction to hydrate the powder in the fluidized powder supply therein to produce the gel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.