Chemical Storage Container With Localized Melting Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for storing chemical products with high melting points are inefficient, as they require continuous heating, leading to high energy costs and accelerated aging or unwanted reactions, and are unsuitable for rapidly solidifying substances like dimethyl terephthalate.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that store chemical products in a liquid state above their melting point, allowing partial solidification at ambient temperatures, using a vertically fed heat-conducting material and melting elements to liquefy the product as needed, with optional interior wall heating and gas circulation for efficient melting and pressure equalization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If continuous heating is applied to store chemical products above their melting point, then the products remain in liquid form for easy removal and storage, but energy costs increase significantly and aging reactions accelerate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a melting element that performs preliminary action by melting the solidified chemical product at the bottom of the container before removal. This allows the product to be stored in solid state at ambient temperature (avoiding continuous heating energy costs) while ensuring easy removal when needed through localized melting at the outlet area.
Solution Approach 2:
The melting element creates local quality change by concentrating thermal energy only at the bottom outlet area where product removal is needed, rather than heating the entire container. This localized heating approach reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining the ability to remove product efficiently.
2Ease of operation
If continuous heating is applied to store chemical products, then liquid form is maintained for easy handling, but undesired reactions with impurities accelerate
Solution Approach 1:
The melting element performs preliminary melting only at the outlet area, allowing the bulk product to remain in solid state at ambient temperature. This prevents undesired reactions with impurities that occur at elevated temperatures while still enabling easy handling during removal through localized melting.
3Productivity
If heatable devices are used to melt solidified product for removal, then product can be discharged in liquid form, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the melting function from a complex continuous heating system and concentrates it in a simple, localized melting element at the container bottom. This simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining the ability to discharge product in liquid form by melting only the necessary portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The melting element is designed to be self-service by utilizing the heat from the incoming liquid product itself to melt the solidified product at the bottom, reducing or eliminating the need for external heating energy sources and simplifying the system further.
4Productivity
If flushing with warm liquid is used to remove solidified product, then product can be pumped off, but large amount of pumping work is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical pumping system with a thermal approach. Instead of using pumps to force liquid through solidified product, a melting element locally melts the product at the outlet, allowing gravity and natural flow to remove the liquid product, thereby eliminating or significantly reducing pumping work requirements.
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 reduces energy consumption by storing products in a partially solidified state, allowing for rapid liquefaction when needed, while maintaining product integrity and safety, and is adaptable for various chemical substances with different melting points.
Implementation Method 1
the heat content of the liquid product being used in conjunction with the thermal conductivities of the feed line and the melting element or elements for melting product located in the container
Implementation Method 2
the product is stored in the tank in a liquid state at a temperature above its melting point and is stored there at a lower ambient temperature in an at least partially solidified state
Data Source
Figure 1~1a
Figure 1b~1c
Figure 2b~1d
AI summary
The method involves storing a product in a liquid state with a temperature above a melting temperature in a container (1), where the product remains in a solidified state at an environmental temperature until the product is removed from storage. The product is melted by thermal capacity of the product in combination with a heat conductivity of an inlet (5) and a melting body (3). The product is extracted above a horizontal flowing level underneath the melting body and vertically along the inlet. An independent claim is also included for a device for storing a chemical product.