# US 11,992,591 B2 · Acid mixing system

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- Number: US 11,992,591 B2
- Document ID: US11992591B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/360,419
- Filed: 2021-06-28
- Published: 2021-10-21
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-22
- Assignees: Isopure, Corp.
- Applicants: Isopure, Corp.
- Inventors: Kevin C. Gillespie; Zachary Patrick Ford; Guillermo J. Cohen Freue
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992591B2

## CPC

- A61M 1/1656: {Apparatus for preparing dialysates}
- A61M 1/1666: {by dissolving solids}
- B01F 21/20: using flow mixing
- B01F 21/30: {Workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. flow charts; Details of workflow diagrams or layout of plants, e.g. controlling means}
- B01F 23/59: {Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams}
- B01F 25/312: with Venturi elements; Details thereof
- B01F 25/51: in which the mixture is circulated through a set of tubes, e.g. with gradual introduction of a component into the circulating flow
- B01F 25/53: in which the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle through a recirculation tube, into which an additional component is introduced
- B01F 35/2113: {Pressure}
- B01F 35/2133: {Electrical conductivity or dielectric constant of the mixture}
- B01F 35/2134: {Density or solids or particle number}
- B01F 35/2207: {Use of data, i.e. barcodes, 3D codes or similar type of tagging information, as instruction or identification codes for controlling the computer programs, e.g. for manipulation, handling, production or compounding in mixing plants (B01F33/848 takes precedence)}
- B01F 35/71731: {using a hopper}
- A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3382: Upper level detectors
- A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
- A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
- A61M 2205/6072: Bar codes
- B01F 23/56: {by introducing solids in liquids, e.g. dispersing or dissolving}
- B01F 2101/2202: {Mixing compositions or mixers in the medical or veterinary field}
- G01N 9/26: by measuring pressure differences
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A system for mixing a liquid with a powder into a solution batch includes a hopper (20) into which said powder is deposited, the hopper (20) having a powder outlet (22) therein. A mix tank (60) is also provided having a liquid supply inlet (62), a recirculation inlet (64), and a solution outlet (66). A mix pump (40) that is in fluid communication with the solution outlet (66), the powder outlet (22), and the recirculation inlet (64) operates to mix and transfer the solution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for mixing a liquid and a powder into a solution batch comprising:
a hopper into which said powder is deposited having a powder outlet therein and a powder control valve in fluid communication with said powder outlet;
a mix tank having a liquid supply inlet in fluid communication with a liquid inlet valve, a recirculation inlet in fluid communication with said liquid inlet valve, and a solution outlet;
a mix pump in fluid communication with said solution outlet, said powder outlet, and said recirculation inlet;
a controller having a data memory and a plurality of inputs and outputs for supplying and receiving signals, and an operator interface operatively coupled to said controller for receiving user commands; and
a pressure sensor disposed in fluid communication with said mix tank for monitoring the pressure of the solution in said mix tank, said pressure sensor having an output operatively coupled to an input of said controller, whereby said controller provides an indication of solution concentration through said operator interface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 comprising:
a bar code scanner operatively coupled to an input of said controller for inputting data related to said batch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 wherein said powder is provided in a plurality of preselected container each having data identification thereon comprising:
a set of instructions provided to said controller whereby said bar code scanner reads data provided on each container of powder supplied to said hopper for a specified solution batch, and wherein said controller provides an indication through said operator interface when said specified solution batch is missing a container of powder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2 comprising:
a set of instructions provided to said controller whereby said bar code scanner reads bar code data provided on each container of powder supplied to said hopper for a specified solution batch, and wherein said controller provides an indication through said operator interface when said specified solution batch is missing a container of powder.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4 comprising:
a recirculation and transfer hose in fluid communication with said mix pump and said recirculation inlet, said transfer hose having a coupling thereon for disconnecting said transfer hose from said recirculation inlet;
an RFID interrogator disposed on said transfer hose having an input operatively coupled to said controller; and
whereby said controller monitors data provided by said RFID interrogator to prohibit said mix pump from operating to transfer said solution through said transfer hose when said interrogator does not read specified data from interrogation of a remote RFID tag.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein said controller monitors said pressure sensor and provides an indication through said operator interface that the pressure of said solution batch is out of a predetermined pressure range.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6 wherein said controller converts said pressure sensor output to a specific gravity measure for a specified solution batch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 comprising:
a conductivity sensor disposed in fluid communication with said mix tank for monitoring the conductivity of the solution in said system, said conductivity sensor having an output operatively coupled to an input of said controller, whereby said controller provides an indication of solution concentration through said operator interface.

### Claim 9

A method for mixing a liquid and a powder into a solution batch comprising:
providing a hopper into which said powder is deposited having a powder outlet therein and a powder control valve in fluid communication with said powder outlet;
providing a mix tank having a liquid supply inlet in fluid communication with a liquid inlet valve, a recirculation inlet in fluid communication with said liquid inlet valve, and a solution outlet;
providing a mix pump in fluid communication with said solution outlet, said powder outlet, and said recirculation inlet;
providing a controller having a data memory and an instruction set for operation, said controller having a plurality of inputs and outputs for supplying and receiving signals, and an operator interface operatively coupled to said controller for receiving user commands; and
providing a pressure sensor disposed in fluid communication with said mix tank for monitoring the pressure of the solution in said system, said pressure sensor having an output operatively coupled to an input of said controller, whereby said controller provides an indication of solution concentration through said operator interface.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising:
monitoring said pressure sensor output to determine whether there is an out of range solution pressure for a specified solution batch, and providing an indication through said operator interface of a missing quantity of powder based said determination.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 further comprising:
providing a bar code scanner operatively coupled to an input of said controller for inputting data related to said solution batch and storing said data for future verification.