Counter-Current Air Flow Refiner for Liquid Contaminant Evaporation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional oil refining devices face inefficiencies due to temperature regulation challenges across varying climates, leading to malfunctions and high costs, and existing designs often lack effective contaminant transfer mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A refiner device with a hollow air-guiding member and counter-current flow arrangement, where air is forced to flow along the heated liquid receiving plate, enhancing contaminant transfer efficiency and refining performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heating plate with thermostat regulation is used to maintain oil temperature, then the oil can be kept at the required temperature for evaporation, but the device becomes complex, expensive, and prone to malfunction due to moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the thermostat and regulating arrangement from the system entirely. Instead of actively regulating temperature, the system uses passive heating where the heating plate simply heats the oil to the required temperature without any feedback control mechanism, thereby eliminating complex moving parts while maintaining the essential temperature function.
Solution Approach 2:
The system relies on the natural physical properties of the oil and heating plate to self-regulate the temperature process. The oil absorbs heat from the plate and naturally evaporates contaminants when reaching the appropriate temperature, without requiring external control systems. The phase change of water provides inherent temperature stabilization.
2Productivity
If the heating plate temperature is increased to ensure evaporation in cold climates, then evaporation efficiency improves, but the oil temperature becomes too high in warm climates causing malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The system exploits the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor at its boiling point. As water in the oil reaches 100°C, it naturally evaporates, creating a self-regulating effect where the temperature cannot exceed the boiling point under normal conditions. This physical phenomenon provides automatic temperature control without mechanical regulators, ensuring reliable operation across varying ambient temperatures.
3Device complexity
If conventional heating methods are used without forced air flow, then the device structure is simpler, but contaminant transfer efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a forced air flow system using pneumatic principles. Air is blown across the heating plate surface where evaporated contaminants are present, creating a current that efficiently carries the vaporized contaminants away from the oil. This pneumatic approach significantly enhances contaminant removal efficiency compared to passive diffusion alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces passive thermal diffusion with active forced convection. Instead of relying solely on natural heat-driven vapor movement, a mechanical air blowing system is introduced to actively transport contaminants, substituting a more efficient mechanical transport mechanism for the slower thermal diffusion 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
The counter-current flow design significantly improves contaminant transfer and refining efficiency, reducing energy consumption and extending the device's useful life while maintaining ease of installation and use.
Implementation Method 1
the complete oil film is brought to a temperature, by the heating plate, where the liquid can evaporate from the oil which remains on the plate
Implementation Method 2
air is forced to flow along the heated liquid receiving plate, enhancing contaminant transfer efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A refiner device for refining of a liquid, wherein the refiner device includes a housing provided with a liquid inlet for unrefined oil or fuel, a liquid outlet for refined oil or fuel, an air inlet for supplying a flow of air into the housing, and an air outlet for discharging air and contaminants removed from the liquid. The refiner device further includes a liquid receiving plate arranged inside the housing, the refiner device arranged such that when liquid has passed through the liquid inlet during operation of the device, the liquid is contacted with an upper surface of the liquid receiving plate before it reaches the liquid outlet, and at least one heating element arranged to directly or indirectly heat the liquid while the liquid is in contact with the liquid receiving plate. The refiner device further includes a hollow air-guiding member arranged at the liquid receiving plate.