Antimicrobial Plastic Liquid Tank for Motor Vehicle Water Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motor vehicle water tanks for water injection systems often experience biofilm formation due to microorganisms like bacteria, algae, fungi, or protozoa, leading to contaminated water that can impair engine performance.
Innovation Solution
A plastic liquid tank with an embedded antimicrobial agent that diffuses into the stored liquid, preventing microorganism reproduction and biofilm formation, using a penetrable plastic with small pores and molecular interstices to ensure continuous and controlled release of the agent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional water tanks are used without antimicrobial agents, then the tank structure remains simple and manufacturing cost is low, but biofilm formation occurs and water quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the water tank structure with an antimicrobial protection function by embedding the antimicrobial agent directly into the plastic material of the tank shell. This merging of storage function and biofilm prevention function resolves the contradiction by maintaining structural simplicity while improving water quality reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by incorporating an antimicrobial agent into the plastic matrix of the tank shell. This creates a composite material system where the plastic provides structural integrity and the embedded antimicrobial agent provides biofilm prevention, thereby improving water quality without significantly increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If an antimicrobial agent is embedded in the plastic tank shell, then biofilm formation is prevented and water quality is improved, but the plastic must be penetrable which may affect structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous or penetrable plastic materials that allow the antimicrobial agent to diffuse into the water while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. The controlled porosity enables the antimicrobial function without compromising the tank shell's strength and durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the penetration parameters of the plastic material to achieve a balance between antimicrobial agent release and structural integrity. By controlling the degree of penetrability and diffusion rate, the system maintains both water quality improvement and adequate mechanical strength.
3Reliability
If the antimicrobial agent is released quickly into the liquid, then microorganisms are effectively killed, but the agent may be depleted too rapidly reducing long-term protection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or sustained release of the antimicrobial agent through the penetrable plastic, maintaining a continuous presence of the agent in the water. This periodic diffusion through the plastic matrix ensures long-term protection against biofilm formation while preventing rapid depletion of the antimicrobial agent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous action of the antimicrobial agent by embedding it within the plastic structure that continuously releases small amounts of the agent into the water. This continuous diffusion process maintains effective microorganism control over extended periods without rapid agent depletion.
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
Effectively prevents biofilm formation and contamination by maintaining a sufficient antimicrobial concentration in the liquid, ensuring the water quality for the engine over an extended period.
Implementation Method 1
the plastic is designed to deliver the embedded antimicrobial agent to a liquid in the interior of the liquid tank by diffusion
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a liquid tank (100) for receiving liquid (105) in a motor vehicle, comprising a liquid tank shell (101) which encloses an interior (103) of the liquid tank (100) for receiving liquid (105), wherein the liquid tank shell (101) is formed from a plastic, wherein an antimicrobial agent (107) is embedded within the plastic, wherein the plastic is permeable by the antimicrobial agent (107), and wherein the plastic is configured to release the embedded antimicrobial agent (107) to a liquid (105) in the interior (103) of the liquid tank (100) by diffusion.