Composite Curing System with CO2 Gas Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional curing chambers for composite materials face challenges in terms of cost, operational precision, and control over curing conditions, particularly in controlling water content during the curing process.
Innovation Solution
A curing system that utilizes carbon dioxide as a reactant, featuring a controlled environment with a curing chamber, a source of carbon dioxide, a gas flow subsystem, temperature control, humidity control, and a controller to manage parameters such as CO2 flow rate, temperature, and humidity, ensuring precise curing conditions without water consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional curing chambers are used for composite materials, then curing can be performed, but the cost is high and control precision over curing conditions is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the curing process into distinct phases (water removal phase and CO2 curing phase) with different environmental requirements. Each phase can be controlled independently through separate gas flow paths and humidity control mechanisms, allowing precise control without requiring a completely sealed complex chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The curing system can handle multiple types of composite materials and curing conditions using the same basic apparatus. The system provides versatile control over gas composition, humidity, and temperature, making it adaptable to different curing requirements without needing specialized equipment for each material type.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional curing methods are used, then curing can proceed, but control over water content during curing is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separately controls the water removal function from the overall curing process. A dedicated water removal phase precedes the CO2 curing phase, with specific gas flow rates and humidity control mechanisms designed solely for water extraction, allowing precise control over water content without complicating the main curing chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs water removal as a preliminary action before initiating the CO2 curing process. By pre-drying the composite material in a controlled manner with specific gas flows and humidity levels, the system ensures optimal water content control before the actual curing begins, improving overall precision.
3Productivity
If CO2 flow rate is increased to speed up curing, then productivity improves, but control precision over curing conditions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors and control mechanisms that monitor CO2 concentration, temperature, and humidity in real-time during the curing process. This feedback allows dynamic adjustment of gas flow rates to maintain precise control over curing conditions while optimizing productivity, ensuring that high CO2 flow rates do not compromise curing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses dynamic control of gas flow rates rather than fixed rates. CO2 flow can be adjusted during different stages of curing based on real-time conditions, allowing the system to maximize productivity when conditions are optimal while maintaining precision control when needed, creating a flexible and adaptive curing process.
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 system enables efficient and precise curing of composite materials by controlling CO2 concentration, temperature, and humidity, reducing costs and improving curing precision, while minimizing water usage and carbon footprint.
Implementation Method 1
The material does cure in the presence of carbon dioxide... The material to be cured is in contact with the process gas containing carbon dioxide as a reagent
Implementation Method 2
control over rate limiting steps in water removal... controlling water content of the composite as it cures
Data Source
AI summary
The invention encompasses equipment used to condition a recirculating gas stream in order to cure a CO2 Composite Material (CCM) and processes that use such equipment to cure the CCM. The gas conditioning equipment allows for a process that controls, reduces or eliminates the rate-limiting steps associated with water removal during the curing of a composite material. The equipment may include, but will not be limited to, control over the temperature, relative humidity, flow rate, pressure, and carbon dioxide concentration within the system; which includes the conditioning equipment, any vessel containing the CCM, and the material itself. Flow rate control can be used as a means to achieve uniformity in both gas velocity and composition.