Activated Carbon Filter with Adhesive Binding for Fuel Cell Air

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filtering devices for air supplied to fuel cells and for filtering pesticides face challenges in maintaining adsorption efficiency over long periods due to mechanical stress and structural impairments in activated carbon bulks, leading to reduced air permeability and adsorption performance.

Innovation Solution

The use of immobilized activated carbon particles within a filtering device, adhered via reactive or thermoplastic adhesives, ensures structural integrity and higher air permeability, allowing for efficient adsorption of impurities while enabling various geometries and layer configurations, including stacked media layers with carrier and activated carbon strata.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If activated carbon particles are used in bulk form for adsorption, then adsorption capacity is achieved, but structural stability deteriorates under mechanical stress leading to displacements and compressions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadsorption capacityVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A binder is introduced as an intermediary substance that connects activated carbon particles to each other and to the support structure. This binder maintains the spatial arrangement of particles, preventing displacements and compressions under mechanical stress while preserving the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The activated carbon particles are embedded in a matrix or coating layer that provides structural support. This matrix acts as a protective shell that maintains particle positions and prevents compression, allowing the adsorbent to function effectively over long periods without structural degradation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Strength

If activated carbon particles are immobilized using adhesive, then structural integrity is improved, but air permeability may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidair permeability

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The adhesive is applied selectively at specific locations where structural support is needed, rather than uniformly throughout the entire adsorbent structure. This localized application provides structural integrity at critical points while leaving other areas open for air flow, thus maintaining high air permeability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The adhesive matrix is designed with a porous structure that allows air to pass through while still providing mechanical support. The pores in the adhesive material enable gas flow, preventing the adhesive from becoming a barrier to air permeability while maintaining the immobilization of activated carbon particles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Productivity

If activated carbon is used without immobilization, then air permeability is maintained, but adsorption performance deteriorates due to local faults and leakages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair permeabilityVSAvoidadsorption performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The binder serves as a mediator that connects activated carbon particles to form a coherent structure. This prevents local faults and leakages by ensuring continuous contact between particles, thereby maintaining reliable adsorption performance while allowing air to flow through the structured matrix.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Object-generated harmful factors

If carrier medium is added to support activated carbon, then mechanical filtration is enabled, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemechanical filtration capabilityVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier medium is integrated directly with the activated carbon particles through adhesive bonding, creating a combined structure that performs both mechanical support and filtration functions. This merging eliminates the need for separate carrier components, thereby reducing device complexity while enabling effective mechanical filtration of particulate contaminants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution maintains high adsorption efficiency and air permeability, preventing structural impairments and allowing for adaptable filtering device designs, resulting in extended service life and improved filtration performance.

Implementation Method 1

The filtering device features, on the one hand, a carrier medium and, on the other hand, activated carbon as adsorbent which is according to the invention immobilized due to the addition of adhesive

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

a stratum of activated carbon, which serves as adsorbent for the adsorption of gaseous elements in the air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentUS10164280B2Filtering device, in particular for the air to be supplied to a fuel cell

Publication Date: 2018.12.25 MANN HUMMEL GMBH

AI summary

A filtering device features a carrier medium and activated carbon stratum as adsorbent and having a sealing closing over or sealing longitudinal and width sides of the activated carbon stratum all-around a periphery of the activated carbon stratum.