Device and method for dilution control

• Main Authors: LEWIS, SUSAN K, MALONEY, MICHAEL, CRULL, JEFFREY, SUTRINA, THOMAS, MICK, JONATHAN, LANG, CHRISTOPHER F, ROOSA, MICHAEL, JONES, TIMOTHY
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 19.10.2011
• Subjects: CONTROLLING; MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING, DISPERSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING

A dilution control device and method of operating the same. The dilution control device can include a structure for dispensing concentrate and diluent fluid in a desired dilution ratio utilizing volumetric dosing. In some embodiments, diluent fluid drives a wheel or compresses a pliable concentrate bag in order to dispense concentrate in the desired ratio with the diluent fluid. In some embodiments, one or more floats can be used to drive a pump or actuate a valve to dispense concentrate at a particular rate proportional with the flow rate of the diluent fluid. In some embodiments, a rocker is responsive to the flow of diluent fluid to pump concentrate. In some embodiments, the dilution control device can be operable to automatically modulate the dispense rate of concentrate when the diluent fluid flow rate is varied in order to maintain a predetermined dilution ratio.