A propellant filling apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of flammable hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in propellant filling for inhalation aerosols poses challenges in storage and handling due to their flammability, particularly in 'current good manufacturing practice' environments, and there is a need for propellants with lower global warming potential.
Innovation Solution
A propellant filling apparatus that includes a filling booth with a propellant inlet, an inert gas inlet, an extraction fan to maintain pressure below atmospheric, and an oxygen detector to control oxygen levels, ensuring safe handling of flammable propellants by reducing oxygen concentrations and minimizing inert gas consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If inert gas is continuously circulated in the filling booth to maintain safety, then safety risk is reduced, but inert gas consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback control by using oxygen sensors to monitor oxygen concentration in real-time and adjusting nitrogen gas flow accordingly. When oxygen levels approach the 12% threshold, the system increases nitrogen injection; when levels are safe, it reduces or stops circulation, optimizing inert gas consumption while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic oxygen monitoring and controlled inert gas circulation rather than continuous operation. The oxygen detectors trigger nitrogen injection only when needed, creating a periodic action pattern that reduces overall inert gas consumption while maintaining safety during critical periods
2Productivity
If the filling booth volume is increased to accommodate more containers, then productivity is improved, but inert gas consumption and safety risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the filling operation into multiple smaller booths rather than using one large booth. Each booth is independently controlled with its own oxygen monitoring and inert gas system, allowing parallel processing of multiple containers while limiting inert gas consumption to smaller individual volumes and reducing overall safety risk
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively reduces the risk of explosions, minimizes inert gas consumption, and enhances operator safety by controlling oxygen levels and preventing propellant leakage, while using propellants like R32 and R152a that have lower global warming potential and ozone depletion potential.
Implementation Method 1
an extraction fan which is capable of adjusting its fan speed to maintain the pressure of gas in the filling booth to be lower than atmospheric pressure outside the filling booth
Implementation Method 2
an oxygen detector that is capable of detecting levels of oxygen in the filling booth and triggering circulation of inert gas in the filling booth when the level of oxygen in the filling booth attains or exceeds an oxygen threshold level
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A propellant filling apparatus (10) comprising a filling booth (11) for receiving within it one or more containers for filling with a propellant; a propellant inlet (12) to the filling booth (11) that is capable of supplying propellant into one or more containers within the filling booth (11) from a propellant supply; an inert gas inlet (13) supplying inert gas from an inert gas supply (14) into the filling booth (11), a discharge outlet (16) from the filling booth (11); an extraction fan (17) that is capable of adjusting its fan speed to maintain the pressure of gas in the filling booth (11) to be lower than atmospheric pressure; and an oxygen detector (27) that is capable of detecting levels of oxygen in the filling booth (11) and triggering circulation of inert gas in the filling booth (11) when the level of oxygen in the filling booth (11) falls below an oxygen threshold level.