Thermoformed Composite Plate Sealing for Phase Change Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing composite plates with insulating characteristics cannot effectively incorporate phase changing materials due to difficulties in maintaining air and water tightness during the production process, leading to costly and non-economical methods that alter the materials' properties.
Innovation Solution
A composite plate design featuring a core with integrally formed cavities by thermoforming and a covering sheet permanently bonded by melting during co-extrusion, ensuring air and water tightness and allowing for the use of phase changing materials without alteration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing composite plate production methods are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but air and water tightness cannot be maintained during production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the core sheet formation with cavity integration into a single thermoforming process, and merges the covering sheet bonding with the core sheet in a co-extrusion process. This integration eliminates separate sealing steps that previously compromised air and water tightness, while maintaining manufacturing efficiency through continuous production.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavities are pre-formed as moulded depths in the core sheet before filling with phase changing material. This preliminary formation ensures that the cavities are already sealed within the core structure, preventing leakage during subsequent filling and production processes, while avoiding the need for post-filling sealing operations.
2Use of energy by moving object
If phase changing material is used in existing composite plates, then heat capacity is enhanced, but material properties are altered during production
Solution Approach 1:
The core sheet with integrated cavities is prepared in advance before filling with phase changing material. This preliminary preparation creates a sealed container structure that protects the PCM from degradation during handling and production, preserving material properties while enabling the heat capacity enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The core sheet acts as an intermediary barrier between the phase changing material and the external environment during production. This protective intermediary prevents direct exposure to factors that would alter PCM properties, while still allowing the PCM to function effectively for heat storage within the composite plate structure.
3Reliability
If cavities are sealed after filling with phase changing material, then air and water tightness is improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cavities are pre-formed as integrated moulded depths in the core sheet before filling operations. This preliminary integration of cavity formation into the core sheet manufacturing eliminates the need for separate sealing operations after filling, reducing production complexity while ensuring air and water tightness from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering sheet is merged with the core sheet through co-extrusion and bonding during a single continuous process. This merging of the sealing function into the core structural formation eliminates separate sealing steps, simplifying the production process while achieving reliable air and water tightness.
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
The solution enables the production of composite plates with enhanced heat capacity and reduced leakage, making it commercially viable to produce composite plates with phase changing materials that maintain their properties, offering improved heat transfer and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
the core is made of sheet material in which the cavities are integrally formed as moulded depths by thermoforming
Implementation Method 2
the covering sheet is permanently bonded to the core sheet at said boundaries by melting
Implementation Method 3
PCM's can change phases under varying temperatures and buffer warmth or cold
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 7
AI summary
The present invention relates to a composite plate comprising at least one core (1) of sheet material wherein cavities (2) are integrally formed by thermoforming and filled with filling material (3) and comprising at least one covering sheet (4) closing off the cavities (2), which is permanently bonded to the core sheet (1 ) by melting. Additionally, this invention relates to a method for manufacturing such composite plate in a single production cycle, wherein cavities (2) are thermoformed in a core sheet (1), the cavities (2) are filled with filling material (3) and sealed with a covering sheet (4) which is melted to the core sheet (1).