Countercurrent Contacting Device With Integral Transverse Strips
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Solution Overview
Problem
The construction of countercurrent contacting devices, such as those used in fluidized beds, is labor-intensive due to the need for extensive welding of intersecting grids, and existing methods to simplify this process either reduce strength or require metal casting of subassemblies.
Innovation Solution
A contacting device subassembly comprising interleaved grids of deflector blades with uncut portions forming transverse strips and apertures, allowing for a strong integral connection without welding, by bending and joining adjacent blades to eliminate the need for individual welding of deflector blades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If individual deflector blades are welded together at crossing points to form intersecting grids, then the structural strength of the contacting device is improved, but the construction time and labor intensity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual deflector blades are merged into a single integral blank through which continuous transverse strips extend. The transverse strips connect adjacent deflector blades at their crossing points, forming intersecting grids without requiring separate welding operations. This combining of multiple components into one integral structure eliminates the time-consuming welding process while maintaining structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The transverse strips are formed as continuous integral portions of the blank during the initial forming process, before the device is assembled. By preliminarily creating the connecting strips as part of the blank itself, the patent eliminates the need for subsequent welding operations to join individual blades, thus reducing construction time while ensuring strong connections.
2Ease of manufacture
If metal casting process is used to form subassemblies of contacting devices, then the number of welds required is reduced, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The blank is segmented into multiple deflector blades by score lines that define where cuts will be made. This segmentation allows the single integral blank to be divided into functional blade sections while maintaining the advantage of being formed as one piece, avoiding both welding and complex casting processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the welding process (thermal/mechanical joining) with a mechanical forming process where continuous transverse strips are created as integral portions of the blank. This substitution eliminates the need for welding equipment and operations while using standard sheet metal forming techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
The contacting device for countercurrent contacting of fluid streams and having a first pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades and a second pair of intersecting grids of spaced-apart and parallel deflector blades. The deflector blades in each one of the grids are interleaved with the deflector blades in the paired intersecting grid and may have uncut side portions that join them together along a transverse strip where the deflector blades cross each other or adjacent opposed ends of the deflector blades and cut side portions that extend from the uncut side portions to the ends of the deflector blades. At least some of the deflector blades have directional tabs and associated openings to allow portions of the fluid streams to pass through the deflector blades to facilitate mixing of the fluid streams.