Aquatic Substance Cell Disruption via In Situ Carbonic Acid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for damaging cell structures of aquatic substances, such as algae and fungi, face challenges including high energy consumption, damage to active constituents at high temperatures, and the need for expensive, heavy-duty equipment due to high pressure requirements, making them unsuitable for commercial-scale operation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the adjustment of water content in aquatic substance raw materials to form a slurry, followed by placement in a pressure container where a compressed gas forms an acidic fluid to hydrolyze the cell structure at low temperatures and pressures, reducing energy consumption and equipment costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature and high pressure are used to damage cell structure, then cell wall breaking efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases and active constituents are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters from high temperature/high pressure to low temperature/low pressure by introducing carbon dioxide gas under specific conditions (temperature 20-50°C, pressure 0.5-2.0 MPa) to form carbonic acid in situ, achieving cell structure damage without requiring extreme thermal or pressure conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/thermal system (high temperature and pressure physical disruption) with a chemical system (carbonic acid hydrolysis) to achieve cell wall breaking, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining effectiveness
2Productivity
If high temperature is used to damage cell structure, then cell wall breaking efficiency is improved, but active constituents are damaged and decomposed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high temperature to low temperature (20-50°C) range, using carbonic acid chemistry instead of thermal energy to break cell walls, thereby preserving temperature-sensitive active constituents while maintaining cell disruption efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes thermal damage mechanism with chemical hydrolysis mechanism using carbonic acid, replacing high temperature physical disruption with low temperature chemical action that selectively breaks cell walls without damaging active constituents
3Productivity
If ultra high pressure above 500 MPa is used to liquefy cell structures, then cell structure damage is achieved, but thick and heavy pressure-bearing equipment is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dramatically reduces the pressure parameter from ultra high pressure (>500 MPa) to low pressure (0.5-2.0 MPa) by changing the mechanism from physical liquefaction to chemical hydrolysis, enabling the use of simple pressure-resistant containers instead of complex heavy-duty equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical liquefaction system requiring heavy pressure vessels with a chemical hydrolysis system using simple pressure-resistant containers, substituting physical disruption mechanism with chemical reaction mechanism
4Productivity
If ultra high pressure equipment is used for cell structure damage, then processing effectiveness is improved, but building and maintenance cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from ultra high (>500 MPa) to low (0.5-2.0 MPa), transforming the equipment requirement from expensive ultra-high-pressure vessels to inexpensive simple pressure-resistant containers, thereby dramatically reducing manufacturing and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the expensive mechanical ultra-high-pressure liquefaction system with an inexpensive chemical hydrolysis system using simple containers, replacing complex high-pressure machinery with basic pressure-resistant equipment
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 approach allows for efficient cell structure damage at low temperatures and pressures, preserving active constituents and reducing equipment costs, making the process scalable for commercial use.
Implementation Method 1
a compressed gas is introduced into the pressure container to enable the compressed gas and the water in the aquatic substance slurry to be processed to form an acidic fluid
Implementation Method 2
makes the cell structure of the aquatic substance hydrolyzed and damaged by the acidic fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A method of damaging cell structure of an aquatic substance includes: providing an aquatic substance raw material, where the aquatic substance raw material includes an aquatic substance; adjusting a water content in the aquatic substance raw material to form an aquatic substance slurry to be processed; placing the aquatic substance slurry to be processed in a pressure container; introducing a compressed gas into the pressure container to enable the compressed gas and the water in the aquatic substance slurry to be processed to form an acidic fluid, and making the cell structure of the aquatic substance hydrolyzed and damaged by the acidic fluid; and performing a depressurizing step to separate the compressed gas.