Aquatic Fleece Filter Layout for Continuous Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fleece filters in aquatic installations face challenges such as blocking due to large or sharp-edged particles, tearing of fleece, and require manual intervention for maintenance, which disrupts water flow and filtration efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A fleece filter with a manually sliding fleece retainer that allows maintenance without interrupting water flow, a fleece filter controller for precise fleece dispensing, and a chemical media basket accessible without interrupting operation, along with IoT capabilities for alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If manual intervention is used to replace fleece, then maintenance can be performed, but water flow is interrupted and filtration efficiency is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The filter chamber is divided into an upper section and a lower section separated by a partition wall. The lower section continues to filter water while the upper section is being maintained, allowing continuous operation without interrupting water flow or filtration efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
A second roll of fleece is pre-loaded in the upper filter chamber before maintenance is needed. When the lower fleece needs replacement, the system can immediately switch to the pre-loaded upper fleece, avoiding interruption of filtration.
2Productivity
If fleece is continuously advanced to remove blocked particles, then filtration efficiency is maintained, but large or sharp-edged particles may tear the fleece
Solution Approach 1:
A protective cage structure is introduced as an intermediary element between the fleece and the polluted water. The cage prevents direct contact between large or sharp-edged particles and the fleece, allowing the fleece to advance continuously without being torn while maintaining filtration efficiency.
3Ease of repair
If access to filter components is provided for maintenance, then ease of repair is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter chamber is segmented into accessible sections with removable partitions and lids. This allows maintenance personnel to access specific components like fleece rolls and chemical media baskets without dismantling the entire filter, improving ease of repair while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
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
Enables efficient and automated fleece replacement and maintenance, maintaining filtration efficiency and convenience, while reducing manual intervention and preventing fleece tearing.
Implementation Method 1
Water is allowed to flow by pipes from the aquarium into the sump by gravity
Implementation Method 2
Fleece filters preferably have a positive head pressure to provide a continuous filtering process. This is achieved by a difference in the water height inside the filter chamber and the surrounding water level in the sump.
Implementation Method 3
The fleece retainer doubles as a diffuser of polluted water by way of being in flow communication with a polluted water inlet provided in the filter chamber.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Fleece filter including a filter chamber and a fleece retainer for intimately retaining fleece against inside primary filter chamber plates on being extended between a feed reel and a take-up reel. Fleece filter including a fleece filter controller having a feed reel with a feed reel encoder for enabling accurate measurement of fresh fleece dispensed from a fleece roll wherein a length of fresh fleece is a function of a fleece roll's instantaneous external diameter, fleece thickness, and a number of rotations of fleece unwound from a feed reel. Fleece filter including a fleece filter housing having a polluted water inlet, a filtered water outlet and a chemical media basket mounted on the filtered water outlet such that substantially the entire flow of filtered water from the filtered water outlet immediately subsequently passes through the chemical media basket.