Nepenthes-imitating tiny oil drop collector and processing technology thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a nepenthes-imitating tiny oil drop collector and a processing technology thereof, and relates to the technical field of oil mist collectors, the nepenthes-imitating tiny oil drop collector comprises an oil suction device, a water outlet, an oil collection tank, a fixing device, a water outlet and a manual valve; the oil absorption device is designed to be of a common nepenthes pot opening multi-scale micro-nano structure and is in an opening horn shape. The lower part of the oil suction device extends into the water inlet, and the upper part of the oil suction device is laid on the top of the oil collecting tank; a water outlet is formed in the bottom of the oil collecting tank, and a manual valve is arranged on a lower pipeline; one end of the fixing device clamps the oil collecting tank, and the other end of the fixing device is provided with a rectangular fixing sticky plate used for fixing the oil collector on a vertical wall. The device is suitable for collecting tiny oil drops discharged from narrow spaces of large machinery and chemical exhaust pipelines, and is used for sample collection or secondary utilization in an oil tank; the method has the advantages of high efficiency, passivity and high adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of oil mist collectors, and in particular to a pitcher plant-like tiny oil droplet collector and a processing technology thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the field of oil mist treatment in industrial exhaust pipes, the efficient capture of submicron oil droplets, which can overcome gravity and rise, has long faced technical bottlenecks. Early technologies mainly relied on physical interception and multi-stage filtration (2010-2015). Although stainless steel filters can capture oil droplets larger than 10μm, the capture rate of particles smaller than 0.5μm is less than 30%, and high-viscosity oil mist easily clogs the filter element, causing maintenance costs to surge by more than 40%. After 2015, electrostatic adsorption technology became the mainstream, and the capture rate of bipolar plate electric fields for 0.01-1μm oil droplets is greater than 98%, but the risk of electrode short circuit in high humidity environments is significant, and the activated carbon adsorption layer needs to be replaced frequently, resulting in high operation and maintenance costs. The condensation cryogenic technology (-110℃) developed at the same time coalesces oil droplets through phase change, with an energy consumption of up to 0.8kW·h / m 3 , and for low concentration oil mist (<20mg / m 3 ) Poor adaptability.

[0003] While the recent rise of biomimetic surface technologies has overcome physical limitations, they still have significant drawbacks. For example, pine needle-like conical grooves utilize Laplace pressure to drive directional transport of oil droplets (at speeds up to 55.2 mm / s), but this requires a pre-set 30° inclination angle, resulting in an escape rate exceeding 40% in turbulent flows exceeding 5 m / s. Magnetic Janus microspheres can capture 20 μm oil droplets, but rely on an external magnetic field and have a recovery efficiency of less than 60%. The discovery of super-slippery interfaces (SLIPS) in the rim of the pitcher plant provides a new approach to addressing the challenge of collecting tiny oil droplets. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a Nepenthes-inspired micro-oil droplet collector and its processing technology. Based on the principle of the unique liquid transport method on the surface of the Nepenthes pitcher plant, the invention uses micro-CT and 3D printing technologies to produce a substrate, and a PDMS oil gel imitation is prepared through a film pouring process. This bionic design can expand the application of collecting micro-organic smoke to evaporation towers, laboratories, kitchens, and the chemical industry, and achieve high-efficiency collection.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A pitcher plant-like micro-oil droplet collector comprises an oil suction device, a water outlet, an oil collecting box, a fixing device, a water outlet, and a manual valve. The upper end of the oil collecting box is provided with a water inlet. The lower portion of the oil suction device extends into the water inlet, and the upper portion is laid on the top of the oil collecting box. The bottom of the oil collecting box is provided with a water outlet, and a manual valve is provided on the lower pipe. One end of the fixing device clamps the oil collecting box, and the other end of the fixing device is provided with a rectangular fixing adhesive plate for fixing the oil collector on the vertical wall.

[0006] As a further solution of the present invention: the material of the fixing device is XPS board + heat-resistant epoxy glue.

[0007] As a further solution of the present invention: the oil suction device is in the shape of an open trumpet, with the opening at the large end extending upward and outward, and the water inlet at the small end facing downward.

[0008] As a further solution of the present invention: the oil absorption device is a pitcher plant-like pitcher mouth structure, with macro channels and micro channels provided on the surface. The macro channels are used to limit the lateral spread of the liquid and create a continuous and stable fluid channel; The microscopic channels have a certain degree of roughness, which enables the channels to remain completely wet and smooth.

[0009] As a further embodiment of the present invention: the ridge width of the macro channel ranges from 103 to 261 μm, and the depth ranges from 34 to 129 μm; The microscopic channels have a width ranging from 11 to 21 μm and a depth ranging from 3 to 7 μm.

[0010] As a further solution of the present invention: the ratchet teeth of the oil suction device are on the outside facing downwards.

[0011] As a further solution of the present invention: a process for manufacturing a water-absorbing device for a Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector comprises the following steps: Substrate Fabrication: The morphology of the 3D-printed substrate was reconstructed by micro-CT scanning and redesigned using computer-aided design. The 3D-printed substrate was printed layer by layer, every 30 μm, using a commercial digital light processing printer at a power of 60 mW. After 3D printing, the printed substrate was immersed in ethanol for 5 minutes to remove uncured resin. Mold preparation: PDMS oil gel replica: It is manufactured by replicating the surface morphology of the 3D printed substrate. The PDMS prepolymer and curing agent are mixed in a mass ratio of 10:1 and stirred for 15 minutes until uniform. The mixture is placed in a vacuum drying oven and evacuated for 15 minutes to remove bubbles. PDMS is poured onto the surface of the 3D printed substrate and vacuumed again to ensure the microstructure is filled. It is then cured in a 60°C oven for 8 hours. After curing, the PDMS negative mold is carefully peeled off to obtain a PDMS soft template with a negative structure on the pot mouth surface. PDMS is poured into the PDMS negative mold, evacuated and cured at 60°C for 8 hours. After peeling, a replica of the pot mouth surface consistent with the original 3D printed substrate is obtained. In this way, a PDMS oil gel replica is prepared.

[0012] Beneficial effects of the present invention: The invention has higher harvesting speed and transportation speed than the current common oil mist collector, is easy to install, and is suitable for use in narrow channels.

[0013] Compared to traditional mist collectors, which struggle to intercept submicron oil droplets, the multifunctional PDMS oil gel collector employed in this biomimetic design is beneficial for oil mist control in industrial exhaust ducts. It can collect organic vapors, including isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, gasoline, and ethylene glycol, at high speeds and absorb gravity-defying oil droplets ≤5 μm in diameter. This biomimetic design expands the application of organic mist collection to the aerospace, machinery, and chemical industries. The oil mist collector's submicron oil droplet collection efficiency is significantly higher than that of traditional multi-stage filtration mist lubricators. Furthermore, the oil mist collector exhibits low external field dependence and can operate in high-temperature (>50°C) oil vapor environments without compromising collection efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the oil mist collector of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the surface texture of the oil absorption device of the present invention; Figure 3 It is a replica of the oil suction device of the present invention; Figure 4 It is a top view of the oil suction device of the present invention.

[0016] In the figure: 1. Oil suction device; 2. Water outlet; 3. Oil collecting tank; 4. Fixing device; 5. Water outlet; 6. Manual valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] See also Figure 1The device, shown in Figure 1, is a pitcher plant-like micro-oil droplet collector. The device comprises an oil suction device 1, a water outlet 2, an oil collection tank 3, a fixture 4, a water outlet 5, and a manual valve 6. The device 1 is trumpet-shaped, with the large end opening upward and outward, and the small end water inlet facing downward. The oil collection tank 3 has a water inlet 2 at its upper end. The lower portion of the device 1 extends into the water inlet 2, while the upper portion rests on the top of the oil collection tank 3. The bottom of the oil collection tank 3 has a water outlet 5, and a manual valve 6 is provided on the lower pipe to facilitate access to organic liquid collected by the oil collection tank 3. One end of the fixture 4 clamps the oil collection tank 3, while the other end is provided with a rectangular fixing plate for securing the oil mist collector to a vertical wall. The fixture 4 is made of XPS board and heat-resistant epoxy adhesive.

[0019] See Figure 2 As shown, the oil suction device 1 has a pitcher plant-like structure, with macro- and micro-channels on its surface. The macro-channels restrict the lateral spread of liquid, creating a continuous and stable fluid pathway. The micro-channels have a certain degree of roughness, ensuring they remain completely moist and smooth, enhancing the stability of liquid transport. The ridge width of the macro-channels ranges from 103-261µm, with a depth of 34-129µm. The width of the micro-channels ranges from 11-21µm, with a depth of 3-7µm. The ratchet teeth of the oil suction device 1 face downward on the outside.

[0020] Specifically, due to the synergistic transmission effect of the Laplace force caused by the conical ratchet at the ratchet teeth and the suction at the concave surface, tiny oil droplets enter from the ratchet teeth, form accumulators in the concave part, and spontaneously climb up the surface in the vertical direction, and then overflow at the arch to form a thin liquid layer. After a stable liquid film is formed in the arch channel, the oil mist collection efficiency can be improved.

[0021] A process for producing a pitcher plant-like micro-oil droplet collector comprises the following steps: Substrate Fabrication: The morphology of the 3D-printed substrate was reconstructed by micro-CT scanning and redesigned using computer-aided design. The 3D-printed substrate was printed layer by layer, every 30 μm, using a commercial digital light processing printer at a power of 60 mW. After 3D printing, the printed substrate was immersed in ethanol for 5 minutes to remove uncured resin. Mold preparation: PDMS oil gel replica: It is manufactured by replicating the surface morphology of the 3D printed substrate. The PDMS prepolymer and curing agent are mixed in a mass ratio of 10:1 and stirred for 15 minutes until uniform. The mixture is placed in a vacuum drying oven and evacuated for 15 minutes to remove bubbles. PDMS is poured onto the surface of the 3D printed substrate and vacuumed again to ensure the microstructure is filled. It is then cured in a 60°C oven for 8 hours. After curing, the PDMS negative mold is carefully peeled off to obtain a PDMS soft template with a negative structure on the pot mouth surface. PDMS is poured into the PDMS negative mold, evacuated and cured at 60°C for 8 hours. After peeling, a replica of the pot mouth surface consistent with the original 3D printed substrate is obtained. In this way, a PDMS oil gel replica is prepared.

[0022] After casting, the replica is unfolded as Figure 3 As shown, the mold replica is bent into Figure 4 The shape shown is different from the original pitcher plant, the ratchet teeth are facing inwards, and the direction of the ring is reversed so that the ratchet teeth are facing downwards on the outside. Figure 1 Oil suction device 1.

[0023] The present invention uses digital light processing 3D printing to construct a pitcher plant-like pitcher mouth base with an inverted structure, and manufactures an oil mist collector by replicating the surface morphology of the 3D printed base through PDMS oil gel.

[0024] The bionic structure differs from the original pitcher plant in that the ratchet teeth face inwards and the direction of the collar is reversed so that the replica ratchet teeth face downwards on the outside, allowing tiny oil droplets to be transported from the outside to the inside to fill the oil collector.

[0025] Specifically, the multifunctional PDMS oil gel collector can collect organic vapors at high speed, including isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, gasoline, ethylene glycol, etc.

[0026] The above is a detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention. However, the content described is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention. All equivalent changes and improvements made within the scope of the present invention should still fall within the scope of the patent coverage of the present invention.

Claims

1. A Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector, characterized in that: The oil collecting tank (3) comprises an oil suction device (1), a water outlet (2), an oil collecting tank (3), a fixing device (4), a water outlet (5), and a manual valve (6); the oil collecting tank (3) is provided with a water inlet (2) at the upper end; the lower portion of the oil suction device (1) extends into the water inlet (2), and the upper portion is laid on the top of the oil collecting tank (3); the oil collecting tank (3) is provided with a water outlet (5) at the bottom, and a manual valve (6) is provided at the lower pipe; One end of the fixing device (4) clamps the oil collecting tank (3), and the other end of the fixing device (4) is provided with a rectangular fixing adhesive plate for fixing the oil mist collector on a vertical wall.

2. The Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the fixing device (4) is XPS board + heat-resistant epoxy glue.

3. The Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil suction device (1) is in the shape of an open trumpet, with the opening at the large end extending upward and outward, and the water inlet at the small end facing downward.

4. The Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oil absorption device (1) is a pitcher plant-like pitcher mouth structure, with macroscopic channels and microscopic channels provided on the surface. The macroscopic channels are used to limit the lateral spread of the liquid and create a continuous and stable fluid channel; the microscopic channels have a certain degree of roughness, so that the channels remain completely moist and smooth.

5. The Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The macrochannels have ridge widths ranging from 103 to 261 μm and depths ranging from 34 to 129 μm; The microscopic channels have a width ranging from 11 to 21 μm and a depth ranging from 3 to 7 μm.

6. The Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The ratchet teeth of the water collecting device (1) are on the outside facing downwards.

7. A process for manufacturing an oil suction device for a Nepenthes-like micro-oil droplet collector, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Substrate Fabrication: The morphology of the 3D-printed substrate was reconstructed by micro-CT scanning and redesigned using computer-aided design. The 3D-printed substrate was printed layer by layer, every 30 μm, using a commercial digital light processing printer at a power of 60 mW. After 3D printing, the printed substrate was immersed in ethanol for 5 minutes to remove uncured resin. Mold preparation: PDMS oil gel replica: It is manufactured by replicating the surface morphology of the 3D printed substrate. The PDMS prepolymer and curing agent are mixed in a mass ratio of 10:1 and stirred for 15 minutes until uniform. The mixture is placed in a vacuum drying oven and evacuated for 15 minutes to remove bubbles. PDMS is poured onto the surface of the 3D printed substrate and vacuumed again to ensure the microstructure is filled. It is then cured in a 60°C oven for 8 hours. After curing, the PDMS negative mold is carefully peeled off to obtain a PDMS soft template with a negative structure on the pot mouth surface. PDMS is poured into the PDMS negative mold, evacuated and cured at 60°C for 8 hours. After peeling, a replica of the pot mouth surface consistent with the original 3D printed substrate is obtained. In this way, a PDMS oil gel replica is prepared.

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