A discharge flow rate of a loss-in-weight scale is controlled by continuously changing control outputs to save the time necessary for data stabilization. A curve relating the discharge flow rate and the control output is obtained by using the functional relationship between the control output and time and the functional relationship between the material weight and time. The discharge flow rate can be precisely controlled by directly selecting or inputting a value of the control output, to achieve the objectives of direct controlling and of avoiding the time for data stabilization.

The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The invention relates also to a controlling means for controlling feeding of fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) in an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The invention relates also to controlling means for controlling feeding of fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) in an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) and to a computer program product.

The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The invention relates also to a controlling means for controlling feeding of fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) in an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2). The invention relates also to controlling means for controlling feeding of fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) in an arrangement for feeding fine-grained matter to a concentrate burner (1) or a matte burner of a suspension smelting furnace (2) and to a computer program product.

A method of generating batches of food items, includes transferring food items to a weight determination means where the weight of the food items are obtained for single food items and/or food items in groups, and generating a plurality of batches based on the obtained weight of the single food items and/or food items in groups. The step of generating batches is controlled such that the weight of batches is within a pre-defined weight range, and such that the distribution of the batches within the weight range is pre-defined.

A method of generating batches of food items, includes transferring food items to a weight determination means where the weight of the food items are obtained for single food items and/or food items in groups, and generating a plurality of batches based on the obtained weight of the single food items and/or food items in groups. The step of generating batches is controlled such that the weight of batches is within a pre-defined weight range, and such that the distribution of the batches within the weight range is pre-defined.

An exemplary dispenser includes a housing and a refill unit. The refill unit being removable and replaceable. The dispenser also includes a processor, memory, a dose count stored in memory that is indicative of the number of doses in a full refill unit, a level sensor for detecting a predetermined level the refill unit and a dispense count indicative of the number doses of product dispensed from the refill unit. In addition, the dispenser includes memory and has logic stored in the memory for recalibrating the number of doses remaining in the refill unit as a function of the dose count, the number of doses of product dispensed and the predetermined level of product. The number of doses of product remaining in the refill unit may be displayed on the dispenser, on a remote station, or on both the dispenser and a remote station.

An apparatus or method for weighing and/or measuring the flow rate of quantity of a particulate flowing out of a hopper wherein the hopper is isolated from the other components of the apparatus. The apparatus and method are adapted to generate a decoupling point boundary that demarcates the total amount of particulate in the hopper into portions that are not fully supported and portions that are fully supported by the hopper. The particulate is in continuous contact with itself from the inlet to the outlet, with the particulate contained between the isolated hopper and the rest of the components of the system by a flexible coupling or some other method of containment. The invention has the advantages of higher accuracy, decreased cost and complexity, and greater reliability than other solid particulate weighing systems of the prior art, particularly when dealing with low density particulates.

In one embodiment, a liquid dispenser includes a liquid reservoir, a measurement device providing at least one signal indicative of the amount of liquid remaining in the liquid reservoir, an electrically actuated valve coupled to a tube outlet exiting from a bottom of the liquid reservoir, and a processor. The processor is electrically connected to the measurement device and operatively coupled to and controlling operation of the valve. Further, the processor is configured to determine a valve open time for dispensing a requested amount of liquid. The valve open time depends upon a preliminary time based on the requested amount and at least one signal from the measurement device, and an adjustment to the preliminary time based on a difference between a requested amount and a measured amount determined by the measurement device for at least one previous dispense.

A weighing apparatus comprise a large throw-in weighing hopper which is fed with objects having a weight which is less than a target weight of the objects, holds the objects which are weighed, and discharges the weighed objects; a plurality of medium throw-in weighing hoppers which are respectively fed with the objects having weights adjusted with a different ratio, hold the objects for which combination calculation is performed based on the weights of the objects, and discharge the objects based on a result of the combination calculation; and a loss-in weight hopper which is used in loss-in weighing and performs loss-in discharge of the objects.

A weighing apparatus comprise a large throw-in weighing hopper which is fed with objects having a weight which is less than a target weight of the objects, holds the objects which are weighed, and discharges the weighed objects; a plurality of medium throw-in weighing hoppers which are respectively fed with the objects having weights adjusted with a different ratio, hold the objects for which combination calculation is performed based on the weights of the objects, and discharge the objects based on a result of the combination calculation; and a loss-in weight hopper which is used in loss-in weighing and performs loss-in discharge of the objects.