Coating Device Riser Pipe Fill Level Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for coating ceramic or metallic honeycomb substrates with liquid coating media face challenges in monitoring the fill level, especially when the substrates are made of conductive or semi-conductive materials like metals or silicon carbide, leading to inconsistent coating due to flow profiles and difficulty in detecting the fill height.
Innovation Solution
A coating device with a riser pipe connected via a valve that maintains the same pressure conditions as the substrate, allowing for the use of sensors to monitor and control the fill level of the coating medium, ensuring consistent coating across channels, regardless of the substrate material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensors are used to monitor fill level in conductive substrates, then measurement precision is improved, but the method does not work for conductive or semi-conductive materials
Solution Approach 1:
A non-conductive riser pipe is introduced as an intermediary element that connects to the conductive substrate through a non-conductive coupling. The riser pipe itself becomes the measurement medium rather than measuring directly in the substrate channels, allowing standard sensors to work with conductive materials by measuring liquid level in the non-conductive riser instead
Solution Approach 2:
The riser pipe creates a copy of the liquid level information from the substrate channels. By maintaining pressure equilibrium between the substrate and riser pipe, the liquid level in the riser pipe replicates the liquid level in the substrate channels, allowing indirect measurement that works with conductive materials
2Productivity
If coating medium is pressed into channels by pressure, then coating speed is improved, but it is difficult to monitor when channels are completely coated
Solution Approach 1:
The riser pipe serves as an intermediary that translates the hard-to-monitor pressure-driven filling process in the substrate into an easily observable liquid level in the riser pipe. Sensors on the riser pipe can accurately monitor fill level during pressure-driven coating because the riser provides a clear, accessible measurement interface
3Ease of operation
If different channels are coated to different lengths due to flow profile, then partial coating is achieved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors mounted on the riser pipe provide real-time feedback on the liquid level during the pressure-driven coating process. This feedback enables precise control of the coating depth, ensuring that all channels are coated to the same uniform length even during partial coating operations, eliminating the inconsistency caused by flow profiles
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 accurate monitoring and control of the coating medium fill level, ensuring uniform coating even in substrates made of conductive materials, preventing overfilling and ensuring the desired amount of coating medium is applied, which improves the coating process efficiency and consistency.
Implementation Method 1
the valve (125) having the same pressure conditions and thus an essentially equal rise in liquid in the riser pipe (127) as in the support body
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a novel assembly for coating substrates.