Dual-Side Coating Nozzle Feed Lines for High-Temperature Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coating nozzles for flat materials, such as carbon fibers, face limitations with flexible plastic supply lines that cannot withstand high temperatures and pressures, leading to thermal degradation and difficulties in maintenance due to their flexible nature.
Innovation Solution
The use of rigid, heatable metal supply lines, preferably made of stainless steel, which allow for higher processing temperatures and pressures, and a design that enables easy transfer of coating nozzles between working and maintenance positions without loosening brackets, ensuring a hermetic seal to prevent material loss and oxidation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If flexible plastic feed lines are used to supply coating material, then the nozzle can be opened and cleaned during production with minimal downtime, but the lines cannot withstand high melt temperatures and pressures, leading to thermal degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The feed line system is segmented into a rigid main line and a flexible section that can be disconnected. The rigid line withstands high temperatures and pressures, while the flexible section allows for easy disconnection and cleaning of the nozzle without replacing the entire feed line system.
Solution Approach 2:
A rigid metal feed line acts as an intermediary between the coating material source and the nozzle, replacing the temperature-sensitive flexible plastic lines. This rigid line can withstand high temperatures and pressures while still allowing nozzle access for cleaning through its structural design.
2Reliability
If rigid metal supply lines are used, then high processing temperatures and pressures can be achieved, but the coating nozzles cannot be easily opened for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid feed line system is segmented into sections that can be independently manipulated. The nozzle assembly can be separated from the main rigid line, allowing maintenance access while the rigid line remains in place to maintain temperature and pressure integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid feed line system incorporates movable or adjustable components that allow the nozzle to be positioned for maintenance while the rigid line structure remains stable. This dynamic positioning capability enables easy access without compromising the rigid line's temperature and pressure resistance.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flexible feed lines are used, then the system can accommodate nozzle movement, but the corrugated interior causes variable residence times and thermal degradation of the melt
Solution Approach 1:
The feed line system is divided into a rigid smooth-bore section for melt transport and a separate flexible positioning section. The rigid section ensures consistent melt flow and residence time, while the flexible section provides nozzle positioning adaptability without affecting melt quality.
Solution Approach 2:
A rigid smooth-bore feed line acts as an intermediary between the melt source and the nozzle, eliminating the corrugated interior problem. This rigid line provides consistent hydraulic characteristics for uniform melt flow, while a separate flexible mechanism handles nozzle positioning to maintain adaptability.
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 allows for efficient high-temperature and high-pressure coating processes with reduced thermal degradation and improved maintenance accessibility, enabling the use of temperatures above 400°C and pressures up to 200 bar while preventing material loss and oxidation.
Implementation Method 1
These rigid supply line sections can be made of metal, preferably stainless steel, and are surrounded externally by heating elements, allowing the coating material to flow through them at temperatures above 260 °C
Implementation Method 2
Finally, the hermetic sealing of the supply line prevents the polymer from being oxidatively degraded
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for coating at least one running flat material web (10) on both sides, comprising a first and a second coating nozzle (2, 3). The first coating nozzle (2) can be advanced towards the first face of the flat material web (10), and the second coating nozzle (3) can be advanced towards the second face of the flat material web (10) in order to coat the respective face of the flat material web (10). At least one of the coating nozzles (2, 3), preferably both of the coating nozzles, can be moved from a working position into a maintenance position (A, W) and back. The device also comprises supply line sections (4, 8) with flow channels (4a,8a) which are formed in the supply line sections, which are connected together in the working position (A) and which ensure a flow in order to supply a hot liquid coating material to each coating nozzle (2, 3). When at least one of said coating nozzles (2, 3) is converted from the working position into the maintenance position (A, W), a first and a second rigid supply line section (4, 8), which allow a flow of the coating material to the coating nozzle (2, 3) in the working position (A), are automatically moved relative to each other such that the flow channels (4a, 8a) formed in the supply line sections are moved relative to each other in order to interrupt the flow of the coating material to the respective coating nozzle (2, 3).