Dissolved Oxygen Removal via Microchannel Contact and Electrical Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for removing dissolved oxygen from hot water in circulating water circuits, such as those used in heat pumps, are inefficient due to membrane resistance and the limitations of prior art methods, leading to corrosion and scale deposition issues.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates hydrogen via water electrolysis and uses a microchannel contactor for direct gas-liquid contact, combined with an electrical discharge to produce oxygen radicals, efficiently dissolving the hydrogen in water and removing unreacted reducing agent, thereby reducing oxygen levels without additional membrane resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If membrane-based dissolved oxygen removal is used, then oxygen removal function is provided, but process efficiency is limited due to membrane resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the membrane component from the oxygen removal system, replacing it with direct gas-liquid contact through a gas-liquid contactor. This eliminates membrane resistance and significantly improves process efficiency while maintaining the dissolved oxygen removal function through direct reaction of reducing agent with dissolved oxygen in the water.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical membrane-based separation system with a chemical reaction-based system using a gas-liquid contactor. The mechanical barrier (membrane) is substituted by direct contact between gas (reducing agent) and liquid (water containing dissolved oxygen), enabling faster and more efficient oxygen removal without membrane resistance limitations.
2Productivity
If chemical reducing agents are added to water, then dissolved oxygen is removed, but additional equipment for removing unreacted reducing agent is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service system where oxygen radicals generated by electrical discharge automatically consume any unreacted reducing agent in the water. This self-cleaning mechanism eliminates the need for additional vacuum-based removal equipment, reducing system complexity while maintaining high oxygen removal efficiency. The system serves itself by using the electrical discharge unit to both generate oxygen radicals for oxygen removal and to consume excess reducing agent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses oxygen radicals generated through electrical discharge as strong oxidants to consume unreacted reducing agents. This accelerated oxidation process efficiently removes excess reducing agent without requiring additional complex equipment, as the same electrical discharge unit that generates oxygen radicals also performs the oxidation of unreacted reducing agent.
3Reliability
If vacuum-based removal of unreacted reducing agent is implemented, then complete oxygen removal is achieved, but system complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the function of oxygen removal and unreacted reducing agent removal into a single integrated system. The gas-liquid contactor and electrical discharge unit work together to simultaneously achieve complete oxygen removal through direct reaction and complete consumption of unreacted reducing agent through electrical discharge, eliminating the need for separate vacuum-based removal equipment and reducing overall system volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical discharge unit serves dual purposes: generating oxygen radicals for oxygen removal and consuming unreacted reducing agent. This self-service approach achieves complete oxygen removal without requiring additional vacuum equipment, significantly reducing system volume while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Dissolved oxygen removal system for removing dissolved oxygen from water (w) containing dissolved oxygen, comprising a gas-liquid contactor (5) being configured to dissolve a reducing agent in said water (w) containing dissolved oxygen, and an electrical discharge device (7) being configured to generate oxygen radicals (O*) in said dissolved oxygen containing water (w') in which said reducing agent has been dissolved.