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US 2003/0071053 A1Published application
Continuous liquid flow system
AssigneeBioquell UK Limited
InventorDavid Watling
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AssigneeBioquell UK Limited
InventorDavid Watling
Estimating the term…
The disclosure relates to a system for continuous delivery of a measured flow of liquid to a processing apparatus comprising a reservoir (10) for holding a bulk supply of the liquid and an intermediate vessel (12). A first pump delivers liquid form the intermediate vessel to processing equipment at one rate. A second pump (13) delivers liquid from the reservoir to the intermediate vessel of a second much faster rate. A monitor device (14) continuously monitors the weight of the vessel and controls the first pump accordingly to deliver the required weight of liquid at the required rate to the processing equipment. The monitoring device determines when the weight of liquid in the intermediate vessel has reached a minimum position to initiate operation of the second pump (13) to refill the vessel and a further device terminates operation of the second means when the liquid level in the vessel reaches a maximum position.
A system for continuous delivery of a measured flow of liquid to a processing apparatus comprising a reservoir for holding a bulk supply of the liquid, an intermediate vessel, first means to pump liquid from the intermediate vessel to processing equipment at one rate, second means to pump liquid from the reservoir to the intermediate vessel of a second much faster rate, means to monitor continuously the weight of the vessel and to determine the mass flow rate of liquid form the intermediate vessel and to control the first pump means accordingly to deliver the required weight of liquid at the required rate to the processing equipment, means to determine when the weight of liquid in the intermediate level has reached a minimum position to initiate operation of the second pump means to refill the vessel and means to terminate operation of the second pump means when the liquid level in the vessel reaches a maximum position.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the control means for initiating operation of the second pump to recharge the intermediate vessel from the reservoir deactivates the control of the first pump means in accordance with the rate of depletion of liquid from the intermediate reservoir, the first pump means running at a constant rate during the period of replenishment of the intermediate reservoir.
A system as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the further pump arrangement is provided to return any unused liquid in the intermediate vessel to the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.