Contact Filter Block Porous Structure via Foaming Extrusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing contact filter blocks do not effectively enhance the surface area and material efficiency of structural elements, limiting bacterial growth and decomposition efficiency in wastewater treatment.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a heating and pressurizing unit with a foaming additive to create a mesh-type tubular structure, which is then cooled and cut into discrete elements or corrugated plates, increasing the surface area and reducing material usage, allowing for enhanced bacterial growth and decomposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If conventional extrusion methods are used to produce contact filter blocks, then the production process is simple, but the surface area is insufficient and material efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous materials by incorporating a foaming additive into the granulate material that generates gas during heating, creating a porous internal structure within the extruded elements. This increases the effective surface area available for bacterial growth without significantly increasing the external dimensions or material consumption, directly resolving the contradiction between surface area and material efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by heating the granulate material to temperatures above the melting point of the foaming additive (second melting point) but controlled to remain below or at the first melting point of the main polymer. This parameter control enables the foaming additive to expand and create porous structure while maintaining the structural integrity of the extruded elements, achieving increased surface area without compromising production simplicity
2Area of moving object
If more material is used to increase surface area, then bacterial growth capacity improves, but material cost and waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a porous internal structure through the foaming additive, the patent increases the effective surface area within the same material volume. The gas bubbles created during extrusion form numerous small cavities and channels that provide extensive surface area for bacterial attachment without requiring additional material, thus resolving the contradiction between surface area and material quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure created by the foaming additive effectively nests additional surface area within the existing material volume. The gas bubbles are embedded within the polymer matrix during extrusion, creating a hierarchical structure where the external dimensions remain the same but the internal surface area is dramatically increased, achieving more bacterial growth capacity per unit of material
3Productivity
If the granulate material is heated above the first melting point, then the foaming additive expands effectively, but the structural integrity of the extrudate may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precisely controls the heating parameter to exceed the second melting point (foaming additive) while maintaining temperature at or below the first melting point (main polymer). This selective parameter control allows the foaming additive to expand and create porous structure while the main polymer remains solid and provides structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between foaming efficiency and structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system where the granulate material contains both the main polymer matrix and the foaming additive with different melting points. This composite structure enables differential response to heating: the foaming additive melts and expands to create pores while the main polymer maintains its solid state and structural function, achieving both productivity and strength
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 method increases the surface area by 10-50% and reduces material usage by 20-50%, supporting rapid bacterial growth and efficient decomposition of waste in water treatment.
Implementation Method 1
heating the granulate material to an elevated temperature and pressurising the granulate material to an elevated pressure
Implementation Method 2
pressurising the granulate material to an elevated pressure
Implementation Method 3
heating the granulate material within the extruder heating unit to a temperature above the first melting point and at or above the second melting point and producing a melted material
Implementation Method 4
cooling the extruded mesh-type tubular structure by the cooling unit according to a specific cooling profile thereby stopping or halting expansion of the melted material and/or the foaming additive and locking or fixating the porous structure
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
A method of producing a contact filter block comprising the steps of supplying a granulate material to a heating and pressurising unit from a reservoir conveying the granulate material along a path of travel, heating the granulate material and pressurising the granulate material to an elevated pressure while conveying the granulate material along the path in a heating and pressurising unit, the heating and pressurising being performed according to a specific heating and pressurising profile, transferring the heated and pressurised granulate material to the extruder unit, heating the granulate material within the extruder to a temperature, extruding the mesh-type structural structure from the granulate material, the heating of the granulate material causing an expansion of a foaming additive causing the mesh- type structural structure to obtain a porous structure, cooling the extruded mesh- type structural structure by means of a cooling unit according to a specific cooling profile thereby stopping or halting expansion of the granulate material and/or the foaming additive and locking or fixating the porous structure of the mesh-type structural structure, and cutting the mesh-type structural elements using a measuring and cutting unit.