The invention relates to a method of controlling a smoke generator. The smoke generator is adapted to be connected to a supply of a pressurized gas and a supply of a smoke liquid and further comprises a valve to regulate the pressure of the gas, a fluid driving means, a mixing unit for mixing the smoke liquid and the gas, and a heat exchanger heating the mixture of the pressurized gas and the smoke liquid to vaporize the smoke liquid and form a smoke upon ejection into surrounding air. The control method according to the invention then comprises the steps of receiving a smoke density parameter indicative of a desired amount of smoke to be generated by the smoke generator, measuring a gas pressure at a position between the valve and the heat exchanger, and using these parameters in controlling the valve. The invention further relates to a smoke generator arranged for performing the control method.

Described herein is a fluid dispensing system, a system for processing waste material and a fluid monitoring system and a method of monitoring the quality of a fluid. One embodiment provides a fluid dispensing system (1) including a fluid dispenser (3) in fluid communication with at least one source of a first fluid. An identification device identifies a user of the system and generates a user identifier. A processor (19) is responsive to the user identifier to access a database (27) to retrieve user data indicative of one or more user preferences and, in response, generate a control signal. One or more electrical sensors (25) are configured to sense a gesture motion from the user and, in response, generate a local input signal. An actuator system (29) is responsive to the control signal and the local input signal to dispense the first fluid from the fluid dispenser with predefined characteristics.

In a mass flow control system which comprises a first apparatus that is a mass flow controller, an external sensor that is at least one detection means constituting a second apparatus that is an apparatus disposed outside said first apparatus and at least one control section prepared in either one or both of housings of said first apparatus and said second apparatus, and is configured so as to control a flow rate of fluid flowing through a channel, the control section is configured such that opening of a flow control valve can be controlled based on at least an external signal that is a detection signal output from the external sensor. Thereby, effects, such as quick purging, more accurate flow control, simple flow rate calibration, flow control based on pressure or temperature in a tank, or flow control based on concentration of a material in the fluid, etc., is attained without adding a separate control device, etc.

A method for operating a mixing apparatus of a manufacturing plant comprises supplying multiple powdered products to the mixing apparatus. An inlet mass flow rate of the multiple powdered products into the mixing apparatus and a weight of the multiple powdered products in the mixing apparatus are measured. The multiple powdered products in the mixing apparatus are mixed to form a mixed product. The weight of the multiple powdered products in the mixing apparatus and an outlet mass flow rate of the mixed product from the mixing apparatus are predicted based on the measured inlet mass flow of the multiple powdered products. The predicted outlet mass flow rate of the mixed product from the mixing apparatus is corrected based on the measured weight of the multiple powdered products in the mixing apparatus. The mixed product is processed into final products

There is provided an apparatus for supplying liquid, comprising a flow controller configured to measure a flow rate of a liquid and control the flow rate based on a measurement value; a first valve connected with the flow controller to control supply of a first liquid to the flow controller; a second valve connected with the flow controller to control supply of a second liquid to the flow controller; and a control device configured to control the first valve and the second valve, wherein the control device switches over the first valve and the second valve with providing a delay time between an open/closed switchover time of the first valve and an open/closed switchover time of the second valve.

An apparatus and method for operating and calibrating a paint mixture delivery system includes a positive displacement fluid cylinder and a linear transducer that monitors operation of the positive displacement fluid cylinder. A controller is connected to a servo drive whose operation manipulates the performance of the positive displacement fluid cylinder. Operation of the fluid delivery system is controlled such that the ratio of paint or resin to catalyst or hardener can be accurately controlled and calibration of the discrete fluid flow sensors can be quickly and conveniently calibrated to assure delivery of the respective fluids are the desired mixture ratio.

Controllers and methods of bulk explosive loading systems are disclosed. A controller of a bulk explosive loading system includes a communication interface configured to communicate with a human-machine interface (HMI). The HMI is configured to execute a software program configured to enable the HMI to receive user inputs from a user. The controller also includes control outputs to output control signals to electrically controllable components. The controller further includes sensor inputs configured to receive sensor signals from sensors configured to monitor the bulk explosive loading system. The controller also includes a processor configured to process recipe information received from the HMI, generate the control signals based on the recipe information to control the electrically controllable components to blend the mixture, process the sensor signals received during blending of the mixture, and transmit blending information to the HMI device. The blending information includes information regarding the blending of the mixture.

Aspects of the disclosure include a method for producing a batch according to a batch process that includes adding ingredients to water to form a batch, mixing the batch, measuring the drive gain of the batch in real time using an in-line density device, monitoring amplitude variation of the drive gain, comparing the amplitude variation of the drive gain to a predetermined threshold, and providing an indication based on the amplitude variation of the drive gain that the batch is homogeneously dispersed or fully dissolved. Other aspects of the disclosure relate to a method for detecting homogeneity of a mixture and a method of determining the degree of mixing of a batch.

A paint production system produced from pigment pastes and vehicles without prior adjustment. The system includes a volumetric dosing module endowed with automatic volumetric calibrators, at least one continuous processing module that includes a rotary mechanism that moves at least one tank between a mixing station, a continuous adjustment station integrated into a filling station, a cleaning station jointly with a manifold cleaning solvent mist generator and a control center that sends commands to be executed in the volumetric dosing module and continuous processing module units from a set of instructions in a computer program.

A method of maintaining a syngas composition ratio during an upset condition, including detecting a reduction in the import carbon dioxide flow rate with a carbon dioxide import stream flow sensor, evaluating the reduction in carbon dioxide flow rate or carbon dioxide pressure in a controller, performing one or more predetermined corrective actions as instructed by the controller. Wherein the predetermined corrective actions are chosen from the following: opening a CO2 import stream flow valve, opening a hydrocarbon and steam stream feed valve, opening a CO2 backup stream control valve, opening a syngas backup letdown valve, and starting a composition adjustment unit.