Drying Device Gas Circulation and Concentration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying devices for printing apparatuses face inefficiencies in reusing volatile organic solvents, leading to increased power consumption and potential safety hazards due to high concentrations of solvent vapors.
Innovation Solution
A drying device comprising a drier, a gas circulator, and a concentration adjuster, where the gas circulator recirculates warmed and volatilized organic solvent vapors to reuse them for drying, and the concentration adjuster adjusts the vapor concentration to prevent excessive buildup, improving safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If organic solvent vapors are recirculated for drying reuse, then power consumption is reduced, but solvent vapor concentration may build up to unsafe levels
Solution Approach 1:
A concentration detector monitors the solvent vapor concentration in the circulation path and provides feedback to the control unit. When the concentration exceeds a predetermined safe level, the control unit automatically adjusts the circulation flow rate or introduces fresh air to dilute the vapors, thereby maintaining safety while preserving energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes operational parameters (circulation flow rate, mixing ratio with fresh air) based on real-time vapor concentration measurements. By adjusting these parameters, the system optimizes the balance between energy recovery and safety, allowing high-rate circulation when concentrations are low and reducing circulation or adding dilution when concentrations approach unsafe levels.
2Productivity
If high concentration of solvent vapors is recirculated, then drying efficiency is improved, but safety hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The concentration detector continuously monitors vapor levels and feeds this information back to the control unit, which adjusts the circulation system in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures that drying efficiency is maintained at high levels while automatically preventing unsafe concentration buildups, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
Fresh air or inert gas is introduced as an intermediary substance to dilute the solvent vapors in the circulation path. This intermediary allows the system to maintain high circulation rates for drying efficiency while the added fresh air keeps vapor concentrations within safe limits, effectively mediating between productivity and safety requirements.
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 solution reduces power consumption by reusing heated vapors and enhances safety by controlling solvent vapor concentrations, thereby improving the drying process while maintaining effective ink drying properties.
Implementation Method 1
The drier (141) warms a liquid composition on a drying target object (110)
Implementation Method 2
a gas containing a volatile component of an organic solvent warmed and volatilized by the drier
Implementation Method 3
The gas circulator (200) circulates a gas containing a volatile component of an organic solvent warmed and volatilized by the drier (141) to reuse the gas for drying
Implementation Method 4
The concentration adjuster adjusts a concentration of the volatile component reused
Data Source
AI summary
A drying device includes a drier, a gas circulator, and a concentration adjuster. The drier warms a liquid composition on a drying target object. The gas circulator circulates a gas containing a volatile component of an organic solvent warmed and volatilized by the drier to reuse the gas for drying. The concentration adjuster adjusts a concentration of the volatile component reused.