Calcium Chloride-Urea Desiccant Composition Against Brine Recrystallization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dehumidifying devices using calcium chloride face issues such as brine recrystallization, clogging, and leakage due to temperature and humidity fluctuations, leading to inefficiencies and inconvenience in use.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising calcium chloride and urea, optionally with additives like starch, citric acid, clay, or glucose, enhances the rate of brine formation and prevents recrystallization, ensuring faster and more reliable moisture removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If calcium chloride is used as a deliquescent desiccant, then moisture absorption capacity is improved, but brine recrystallization occurs at lower temperature and humidity conditions causing clogging and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
Urea is introduced as an intermediary substance that mixes with the calcium chloride brine. The urea acts as a mediator that interferes with the recrystallization process of calcium chloride at lower temperatures and humidity conditions, preventing clogging and leakage while maintaining moisture absorption capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite desiccant system combining calcium chloride and urea. This composite material leverages the high moisture absorption capacity of calcium chloride while using urea to modify the brine properties and prevent recrystallization, achieving both high capacity and reliability.
2Productivity
If brine is allowed to absorb moisture continuously, then dehumidification effectiveness is improved, but volume expansion causes bag ballooning and leakage
Solution Approach 1:
Urea serves as an intermediary that modifies the brine's physical properties. By incorporating urea into the calcium chloride brine, the solution's volume expansion is controlled during continuous moisture absorption, preventing bag ballooning and leakage while maintaining dehumidification productivity.
3Ease of operation
If drainage pores are blocked by recrystallized brine, then product overflow occurs, but increasing pore size reduces structural integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the potentially harmful recrystallization process into a beneficial outcome by using urea to control it. Instead of allowing uncontrolled recrystallization that blocks pores, the urea-modified brine recrystallizes in a controlled manner that maintains pore openness and drainage efficiency without compromising basket structure.
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 composition accelerates brine formation, reduces recrystallization, and minimizes leakage, providing effective and long-lasting dehumidification by maintaining the liquid state of calcium chloride.
Implementation Method 1
calcium chloride (CaCl2) and urea that interacts with calcium chloride and enhance the rate at which calcium chloride turns from a solid state into a liquid state (brine)
Implementation Method 2
urea that interacts with calcium chloride and enhance the rate at which calcium chloride turns from a solid state into a liquid state (brine)... prevents recrystallization
Data Source
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AI summary
A composition for use in brine formation comprising a deliquescent desiccant, urea, and an optional component selected from the group consisting of starch, citric acid, clay, glucose, and a combination thereof. Methods of making and using the composition are provided. The composition may be pressed into tablet form. The composition may be used in a dehumidifying device.