Composite Air Duct Assembly for Gas-Tight Corrosion Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air ducts for removing or supplying gaseous media, especially those with large dimensions and solvent-containing air streams, face issues with weight, corrosion, leakage, noise, and increased maintenance due to their material and design, which affect gas-tightness, pressure-tightness, and durability.
Innovation Solution
The air duct is constructed using corrosion-resistant polypropylene sandwich panels with glass fiber reinforced outer and inner layers and a honeycomb core, featuring a profile body that overlaps joints externally and is connected using adhesives and fastening means for gas-tight and pressure-tight seals, along with connecting flanges that are securely fastened to ensure stability and prevent leaks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If exhaust air ducts are made of sheet metal, then they are strong and durable, but they become very heavy and require complex suspension or supporting structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses plastic panels (such as polypropylene) as composite material alternatives to sheet metal, achieving a favorable strength-to-weight ratio that reduces duct weight while maintaining structural integrity and durability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from metal to plastic, fundamentally altering the weight and corrosion properties while maintaining the structural function of the duct system
2Strength
If sheet metal ducts are used, then they provide structural strength, but they corrode from chemical, mechanical and abrasive attacks requiring constant servicing and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs plastic materials (e.g., polypropylene) that inherently resist chemical, mechanical, and abrasive corrosion, eliminating the need for constant servicing and replacement associated with sheet metal ducts
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses plastic panels that are replacement-ready and maintain reliability over time without the corrosion issues of metal, effectively creating a long-lasting durable solution
3Weight of stationary object
If plastic ducts are used, then they are lightweight and corrosion-resistant, but they flutter due to positive and negative pressure promoting leaks and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local reinforcements such as steel rails standing on edge, beads, or rods at specific locations within the plastic duct structure to provide stability against pressure-induced fluttering while maintaining the overall lightweight advantage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining plastic panels with internal reinforcements (steel rails, beads, or rods), achieving both lightweight properties and structural stability against pressure fluctuations
4Stability of the object's composition
If stabilizing reinforcements are added to plastic ducts, then duct stability improves, but weight increases and flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places stabilizing reinforcements (steel rails, beads, or rods) only where needed within the duct structure to provide minimal necessary stability, avoiding excessive weight addition and maintaining optimal airflow characteristics
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 design enhances the air duct's gas-tightness, pressure-tightness, and corrosion resistance while reducing weight and maintenance costs, improving assembly efficiency, and extending the duct's lifespan by distributing loads evenly and preventing fluttering.
Implementation Method 1
the profile body... is connected with a first adhesive in a material and non-positive manner cover layers is held gas-tight and pressure-tight with the first adhesive
Implementation Method 2
The frictional connection between the profile body and the walls is produced by fastening means
Implementation Method 3
the legs of the connecting flange are fastened gas-tight and pressure-tight on the inside edges of the walls by means of a material and non-positive connection using the first adhesive
Implementation Method 4
the legs projecting perpendicularly to the duct axis for gas-tight and pressure-tight coupling to the vertically projecting limb of another air duct with a second adhesive and screwing means inseparably with one another or with a sealing means and screwing or latching means from one another which are detachably connected
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
AI summary
The invention relates to an airway for removing or supplying gaseous media such as solvent-containing air flows. The invention addresses the problem of improving an airway for removing or supplying gaseous media such as solvent-containing air flows in such a manner that same are gas and pressure-tight and corrosion-resistant against chemical, mechanical and abrasive influences, while simultaneously reducing the weight of the airways and the maintenance costs, improving and simplifying assembly, increasing the useful life and saving material and costs. This problem is solved in that: the walls (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) are formed from a polypropylene sandwich panel (3) with fibreglass-reinforced outer and inner protective layers (4, 5), a honeycomb-structured core (6) and at least one profile body (8) which overlaps, on the airway outer side, the joints (7) of adjoining walls (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4), said joints being connected by adhesion and force-fitting using a first adhesive (KM1), and which profile body is held on the outer protective layers (4) by the adhesive (KM1) and additionally with fixing means (13) in a gas and pressure-tight manner; the arms (14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1) of the connecting flange (14, 15, 16, 17) are fixed on the inner edges of the walls (2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) in a gas and pressure-tight manner by adhesion and force-fitting using the first adhesive (KM1) and fixing means (13); and the arm (14.2, 15.2, 16.2, 17.2) projecting perpendicular to the airway axis (K) is undetachably connected to the perpendicular projecting arm of the further airway (21) in order to form the gas- and pressure-tight coupling using a second adhesive (KM2) and screwing means (19) or said perpendicular projecting arms are detachably connected to one another using a sealing means (23) and screwing or catching means (19).