Air Waste Water Separator for Compact Vacuum Toilet Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compact vacuum toilet systems face issues with moisture and waste particulate separation, leading to potential corrosion and clogging of components due to the vent port becoming submerged and moisture-rich air flowing through the vent line, which is not effectively addressed by existing centrifugal separation methods suitable for larger systems.
Innovation Solution
An air/waste water separator is designed to raise the vent port and incorporate a labyrinth or baffles to manage airflow, preventing moisture and particulates from entering the vent line, with optional features like a helical coil in the outlet conduit to ensure moisture drains back into the holding tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centrifugal forces are used to separate moisture from airflow, then moisture removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase making it unsuitable for compact systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the moisture separation function from a complex centrifugal system and implements it through a simple baffle structure. The baffle creates a physical barrier that separates moisture-laden air from the vent line without requiring rotating components or complex mechanical systems, achieving effective moisture removal while maintaining system compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle acts as an intermediary element between the waste tank and the vent line. It intercepts moisture and particulates in the airflow and redirects them back into the tank, preventing these contaminants from entering the vent line while allowing clean air to pass through.
2Ease of manufacture
If the vent port is positioned lower, then installation simplicity is improved, but the vent port becomes submerged in waste causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent solves the clogging problem by adding a vertical dimension to the vent port positioning. Instead of only horizontal placement, the vent port is positioned at a higher elevation above the tank contents. This vertical separation prevents submersion and clogging while maintaining installation feasibility.
3Volume of moving object
If airflow path is shortened, then system compactness is improved, but moisture and particulates can more easily enter the vent line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific zone with baffles in the airflow path where moisture separation occurs. The baffle structure creates a localized separation region that treats the airflow locally before it reaches the vent line, allowing compact overall design while maintaining effective moisture removal at the critical location.
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 enhances the reliability of compact vacuum toilet systems by preventing clogging and corrosion, ensuring effective moisture removal and reducing the risk of vent tube flooding, even under aircraft flight angles and accelerations.
Implementation Method 1
Disclosed embodiments do this by either or both of raising the vent port and/or by adding a labyrinth for the air flow. Increasing the distance for airflow can help remove moisture/waste particulates from entering/progressing through the vent line
Implementation Method 2
One way that prior art systems removed moisture and waste particulates from air flow was to spin the moisture out of the vent air and drain the moisture back to the tank. For example, larger waste tanks could use a system that uses centrifugal forces to spin or project the moisture and waste particulates out of the airflow
Data Source
AI summary
A system designed to separate moisture and waste water particulates from air flow for use in connection with compact vacuum toilet systems. There is provided a separator that both raises the position of the vent port, as well as provides a series of baffles to block and/or to collect and help route any collected moisture. The resulting moisture removal from the compact vacuum toilet system can help improve reliability and function of the system.