Method and apparatus for blending process materials

A blending system, comprising:

• a plurality of material supply lines;
• a static mixer positioned downstream of the plurality of material supply lines and fluidly connected to the plurality of material supply lines;
• a process control system comprising a controller, an input device in communication with the controller to provide an input signal representing a desired blend of process materials, a first valve connected to a first material supply line of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller, and a second valve connected to a second material supply line of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller, the controller programmed to individually adjust the first and second valves to achieve a desired blend of process materials;
• and
• a dispensing subsystem, comprising a holding vessel having an inlet and an outlet and a recirculation line fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet of the holding vessel and to said first valve, the adjustment of the first valve controlling the amount of process material that is diverted from the recirculation line to the first material supply line.

A method of supplying blended process materials, comprising:

• supplying a plurality of process materials through a plurality of material supply lines;
• blending the plurality of process materials in a static mixer positioned downstream of the plurality of material supply lines;
• regulating the supply of the plurality of process materials with a process control system comprising:
• a controller,
• an input device, wherein the input device is connected to the controller to provide an input signal representing a desired blend of process materials,
• a first valve connected to a first of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller;
• and
• a second valve connected to a second of the plurality of material supply lines and to the controller, wherein the controller is programmed to individually adjust the first and second valves to achieve a desired blend of process materials;
• holding a first of the plurality of process materials in a holding vessel having an inlet and an outlet;
• recirculating the first of the plurality of process materials in a recirculation line fluidly connected to the holding vessel inlet and outlet, and to the first of the plurality of material supply lines;
• and
• wherein regulating the supply of process materials includes adjusting the first valve to adjust the amount of process material that is diverted from the recirculation line to the first of the plurality of material supply lines.

A blending system, comprising:

• a first material supply line;
• a first holding vessel including an inlet and an outlet;
• and
• a first recirculation line fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet of the holding vessel and to the first material supply line;
• a second material supply line;
• a static mixer fluidly connected downstream of the first and the second material supply lines;
• and
• a process control system comprising a first flow control device fluidly connected to the first recirculation line and to the first material supply line to control the amount of process material that is recirculated through said first recirculation line and the amount of process material that passes into the first material supply line, a first sensor positioned downstream of the static mixer, and a controller comprising logic code to provide a control signal to the first control devices based upon a sensor signal provided by the first sensor, the controller programmed to individually modify the flow through the first flow control devices to adjust the amount of process material that is diverted from the first recirculation line to the first material supply line to achieve a desired blend of process materials.