Dry-Cleaning Solvent Separation With Air Relief and Interface Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dry-cleaning machines face challenges in efficiently separating water from silicone solvents due to their close relative densities, leading to clogged filters, solvent flow-out, and reduced recycling efficiency, which increases operational costs and affects the quality of cleaned laundry.
Innovation Solution
The dry-cleaning machine incorporates a dual-tank system with an air relief section and a solvent selection filter to stabilize the solvent-water interface, prevent clogging, and efficiently separate water from silicone solvents, using a coarse particle maker to convert colloidal particles into larger particles for effective separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional water separator using relative density difference separation method is used, then water can be separated from petroleum solvents, but the separation process requires a longer period of time and is difficult to coordinate with the drying cycle when using silicone solvents
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the separation mechanism from relying on relative density differences to utilizing surface tension differences. By introducing a porous separation member with specific pore dimensions, the system exploits the fact that water has higher surface tension than silicone solvent, allowing water to be selectively retained while solvent passes through. This parameter change enables rapid separation that coordinates with the drying cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the gravitational separation mechanism (based on density differences) with a surface tension-based filtration mechanism. The porous separation member acts as a selective barrier that utilizes capillary action and surface tension properties to achieve separation, substituting the slow gravitational settling process with a faster filtration process.
2Reliability
If a coalescer-type liquid-liquid separation filter is used, then water can be separated from silicone solvent, but the filter becomes clogged and solvent flows out, reducing recycling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a porous separation member with specifically controlled pore dimensions that exploit surface tension differences between water and silicone solvent. The pore size is designed to allow silicone solvent molecules to pass through while retaining water molecules due to their higher surface tension. This prevents filter clogging by avoiding the coalescence mechanism and prevents solvent loss by providing selective permeability based on molecular properties rather than density.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating a separation interface with specific pore characteristics at the critical separation zone. The porous member has non-uniform pore distribution optimized for selective passage of solvent versus retention of water, creating a localized separation zone with enhanced selectivity that prevents both clogging and solvent loss.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the relative density difference between silicone solvent and water is small, then environmental and health benefits are achieved, but the separation process requires a longer period of time
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the separation parameter from density-based to surface tension-based separation. Since silicone solvents have lower surface tension than water, the porous separation member selectively allows solvent passage while retaining water through capillary action. This parameter change decouples separation effectiveness from relative density differences, enabling rapid separation of environmentally friendly silicone solvents without the time delays associated with density-based methods.
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
This design prevents filter clogging, ensures high-purity solvent recovery, reduces operational costs, and maintains the quality of cleaned laundry by effectively separating water from silicone solvents, even when their relative densities are close to that of water.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing a porous separation member having pore dimensions allowing only the solvent to pass through, thereby separating water from the solvent
Implementation Method 2
The porous separation member having pore dimensions allowing only the solvent to pass through
Implementation Method 3
a distiller, such as the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, which is used to recycle the solvent that has been tainted during the laundry-cleaning process
Implementation Method 4
the solvent thereby vaporized is condensed and recovered in a liquid form
Data Source
AI summary
A vaporized solvent emitted from the laundry in the drum during the drying process is condensed within an air passage. From this passage a liquid mixture (solvent and water) is guided to a first liquid storage tank 50 through a liquid mixture line 51. An air relief pipe 52 is connected to an intermediate point of this line so that air coming from the air passage is released through an activated carbon filter 53 to the outside. The outlet end 51a of the liquid mixture line 51 is immersed in the solvent in the upper layer within the first liquid storage tank 50. Due to the hydraulic pressure acting on the outlet end 51a, the air tends to flow toward the air relief pipe 5. This reduces the current pressure of the air coming from the air passage and alleviates its influence within the first liquid storage tank 50, so that a vertical motion of the interface between the solvent and water due to the current pressure is suppressed. Thus, unwanted matter gathering around the interface is prevented from sticking to a filter, and the solvent is prevented from being discharged.