Chemical Reaction Device with Constant Liquid Surface Area

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional chemical reaction apparatuses face inefficiencies in microwave irradiation, particularly in horizontal flow-type reactors, where changes in the amount of content affect the area of microwave irradiation, leading to reduced efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A chemical reaction apparatus with a reactor design that maintains a constant irradiated area regardless of content changes, incorporating a semicylindrical shape and agitation units to ensure uniform microwave distribution, preventing direct microwave exposure on non-suitable materials and allowing for easy access and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a conventional horizontal flow-type reactor is used, then the structure is simple, but the microwave irradiation efficiency decreases when the content amount changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemicrowave irradiation efficiencyVSAvoidreactor structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reactor employs a cylindrical configuration where the liquid surface area remains constant regardless of liquid height changes. This curved geometric design ensures that microwave irradiation consistently covers the entire liquid surface area, maintaining irradiation efficiency even when content volume varies, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the liquid surface area changes with content amount, then the reactor can accommodate variable content, but the microwave irradiation area decreases leading to reduced efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent amount adaptabilityVSAvoidmicrowave irradiation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The cylindrical reactor design maintains a constant liquid surface area across different content volumes, ensuring that the microwave irradiation area remains unchanged. This geometric feature allows the system to adapt to variable content amounts while preserving microwave irradiation efficiency, effectively resolving the contradiction between adaptability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Temperature

If microwave irradiation is applied to non-suitable materials, then heating occurs, but uneven heating and potential damage result

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating uniformityVSAvoiduneven heating damage
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The cylindrical reactor ensures uniform microwave distribution across the liquid surface, promoting even heating throughout the content. This geometric design prevents localized overheating and potential damage by maintaining consistent irradiation coverage, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving desired temperature and avoiding harmful uneven heating effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

Ensures consistent and efficient microwave irradiation across varying content levels, preventing reduced efficiency due to changes in liquid surface height and promoting uniform heating within the reactor.

Implementation Method 1

a microwave generator (14) that generates microwaves; and at least one waveguide (15) that transmits the microwaves generated by the microwave generator (14) to the unfilled space in the reactor (13)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMicrowave irradiation: Microwave Radiation

Implementation Method 2

chemical reaction apparatus for irradiating microwaves in a reactor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDielectric heating: Dielectric Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2777809B1Chemical reaction device
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 MICROWAVE CHEM
  • EP2777809B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2777809B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2777809B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Provided is a chemical reaction apparatus capable of efficiently irradiating a content with microwaves even in a case where the amount of the content changes, including: a horizontal flow-type reactor 13 inside of which has been partitioned into multiple chambers by a partition plate, and a liquid content horizontally flows with an unfilled space being provided thereabove; a microwave generator 14 that generates microwaves; and at least one waveguide 15 that transmits the microwaves generated by the microwave generator 14 to the unfilled space in the reactor 13; wherein the reactor 13 has a shape in which an area of a liquid surface does not change even in a case where a height of the liquid surface changes according to a change in an amount of the content.