Degradable Foil Anti-Fouling Protector for Box Coolers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-fouling systems for box coolers on ships require power to function and are ineffective during the pre-operational period, leading to biofouling issues when ships are stored before delivery.
Innovation Solution
A degradable material-based protector arrangement that prevents water contact initially, using a degradable foil and an energy source, such as ultraviolet light, to disintegrate and activate anti-fouling measures without power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing anti-fouling systems are used, then anti-fouling function is provided, but power consumption and copper pollution occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a degradable foil that is inexpensive and temporarily protective. The foil is designed to degrade naturally after serving its protective purpose, eliminating the need for long-term active systems. This disposable approach replaces expensive, long-lasting active anti-fouling systems with a cheap, temporary physical barrier that resolves the contradiction by providing protection without ongoing power consumption or pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the active power-consuming components from the anti-fouling system by using a passive degradable foil instead. The foil provides anti-fouling function through its physical presence alone, removing the need for electrical power and copper-based electrochemical systems. This extraction of active components directly addresses the harmful factors while maintaining the essential protective function.
2Reliability
If ICAF systems are used, then anti-fouling protection is provided, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The degradable foil serves as a temporary, passive protective barrier that requires no power input. Once the foil degrades after providing protection during storage and initial operation, the system transitions to natural water flow over the box cooler tubes. This eliminates continuous power consumption while maintaining anti-fouling protection during the critical initial period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary protection using the degradable foil during the storage and initial operation periods, before the ship enters regular service. This preliminary action prevents biofouling accumulation during the power-consuming ICAF system would be needed, thereby reducing overall power consumption requirements for the anti-fouling system's lifetime.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If active anti-fouling systems are used during storage, then biofouling is prevented, but power consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The degradable foil provides a passive, power-free protective barrier during storage and initial operation. This temporary protection prevents biofouling without requiring electrical power, directly resolving the contradiction between preventing harmful biofouling and avoiding power consumption during the storage period.
Solution Approach 2:
The degradable foil acts as an intermediary physical barrier between the box cooler tubes and the marine environment during storage. This intermediate protective layer prevents direct contact between water and tube surfaces, thereby preventing biofouling without requiring active power-consuming systems. The foil mediates the interaction between the system and environment during the critical storage period.
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
Prevents biofouling during the pre-operational period without power consumption and enables effective anti-fouling upon activation, ensuring the box cooler's performance upon initial operation.
Implementation Method 1
which comprises degradable material, and at least one energy source which is adapted to emit energy for causing the protector arrangement to disintegrate
Implementation Method 2
using a degradable foil and an energy source, such as ultraviolet light, to disintegrate
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly comprises an object (2, 101, 102, 103) having a surface which is intended to be exposed to water during at least a part of the lifetime thereof. In order to be capable of avoiding biofouling of the surface in a first stage of the lifetime of the assembly, without needing to have a supply of power in order to achieve the anti-fouling effect as desired in that first stage, the assembly furthermore comprises an anti-fouling protector arrangement (30) which is adapted to initially prevent the surface from being contacted by water, and which comprises degradable material. Also, the assembly comprises at least one energy source (20) which is adapted to emit energy for causing the protector arrangement (30) to disintegrate.