Catalytic Fabric Drying and Steaming to Cut Energy Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile printing processes require separate and energy-intensive drying and steaming processes, leading to inefficiencies and temperature deviations due to the need for sequential heating and cooling, as well as manual movement of fabric between stages.
Innovation Solution
A drying and steaming device utilizing a low temperature combustion catalyst in a mat-shaped configuration, which continuously supplies heat and steam through a single process, allowing for continuous drying and steaming without fabric movement, using far infrared radiation and combustion reactions to optimize energy use and process efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If separate drying and steaming processes are used, then the fabric can be properly dried and steamed, but energy consumption increases and process efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the drying process and steaming process into a single integrated device. The drying section uses hot air circulation to evaporate moisture from the fabric, while the steaming section immediately follows to introduce steam for dye fixation. This merging eliminates the need for separate heating and cooling cycles between processes, reducing energy consumption and improving overall process efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated drying and steaming device enables continuous processing of fabric without interruption. The fabric moves continuously through the drying section and then into the steaming section, maintaining a continuous useful action throughout the process. This eliminates idle time and repeated heating/cooling cycles, thereby reducing energy loss and improving productivity.
2Loss of time
If sequential heating and cooling between drying and steaming processes is performed, then the fabric can be properly processed, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the drying and steaming processes into one continuous device, the patent eliminates the time-consuming transition phase where fabric would otherwise need to be cooled and re-heated between separate processes. The fabric moves directly from the drying section to the steaming section, maintaining optimal temperature and reducing total process time.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous operation of the integrated device maintains useful action throughout the entire process. Fabric processing never stops or requires idle cooling periods, as the steaming section immediately follows the drying section. This continuity eliminates wasted time and improves overall process efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If manual movement of fabric between drying and steaming processes is required, then the processes can be completed, but labor requirements increase and temperature control becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges drying and steaming into a single automated device with continuous fabric transport. The fabric moves automatically through both sections without manual intervention, improving ease of operation. The integrated design also maintains consistent temperature control as the fabric transitions from drying to steaming, eliminating temperature fluctuations that would occur with manual handling and separate processes.
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 overall efficiency and reduces energy consumption by integrating drying and steaming into a single process, minimizing temperature deviations and space/time requirements, while allowing for precise control of the drying speed and load adjustment.
Implementation Method 1
a catalyst layer having a low temperature combustion catalyst serving to burn the gas injected through the injection nozzles in a non-flame state
Implementation Method 2
burn the gas injected through the injection nozzles in a non-flame state
Implementation Method 3
utilizing a low temperature combustion catalyst in a mat-shaped configuration, which continuously supplies heat and steam through a single process, allowing for continuous drying and steaming without fabric movement, using far infrared radiation and combustion reactions to optimize energy use and process efficiency
Implementation Method 4
steaming process in which steam is supplied to the fabric and the temperature of the fabric is thus raised to allow the dyes to be absorbed to the fabric
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a drying and steaming device through which drying and steaming are continuously performed for fabric on which dyes are printed, the device including: a burner body having an internal space formed therein; a gas supply pipe adapted to supply gas to the interior of the burner body; a plurality of injection nozzles adapted to inject the gas supplied from the gas supply pipe into the interior of the burner body; a catalyst layer spaced apart from the fabric by a predetermined distance so as to perform the drying and steaming of the fabric on which the dyes are printed, the catalyst layer having a low temperature combustion catalyst serving to burn the gas injected through the injection nozzles in a non-flame state and a support serving to support the low temperature combustion catalyst; an electrical heater adapted to heat the catalyst layer; and a thermocouple adapted to measure the temperature of the catalyst layer.