Dual-Vessel Vacuum System for Vapor Emission Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum installations for industrial processes face challenges in reducing emissions of vapors, particularly harmful substances like hydrocarbons, due to limited scrubber cleaning capacity and the dual function of vacuum chambers as both aspiration and storage units, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum installation design utilizing two vessels and a storage chamber, where the vacuum pump alternates between lowering pressure in one vessel for aspiration and increasing pressure in another to force materials into the storage chamber, reducing vapor emissions by using the gaseous substance to condense and store more material, and incorporating an air pollution control device for further emission reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a vacuum chamber is used as both aspiration and storage chamber, then the device complexity is reduced, but the storage capacity is limited due to vapor generation reducing vacuum efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the vacuum chamber into two separate functional chambers: a first chamber for aspiration and a second chamber for storage. This segmentation allows each chamber to perform its specific function optimally without the interference of vapor generation in the storage chamber, thereby increasing overall storage capacity while maintaining vacuum efficiency in the aspiration chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
A transfer mechanism acts as an intermediary between the aspiration chamber and storage chamber, moving aspirated material from the first chamber to the second chamber. This intermediary system enables the separation of aspiration and storage functions while maintaining system efficiency and preventing vapor contamination in the storage chamber.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If scrubbers are used to remove vapors from emitted gas, then vapor emissions are reduced, but the scrubber becomes saturated and needs frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts vapors from the gas stream at the source (aspiration chamber) before emission, using the separated chamber configuration to prevent vapor generation in the storage chamber. This extraction approach eliminates the need for frequent scrubber replacement while maintaining low vapor emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by separating the aspiration and storage functions before vapor generation becomes a problem. By preventing vapor generation in the storage chamber through functional separation, the system avoids the need for downstream vapor removal systems like scrubbers, eliminating replacement frequency issues.
3Productivity
If vacuum pump power is increased to aspirate more material, then aspiration capacity is improved, but vapor emissions increase due to higher material vaporization
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the vacuum chamber into separate aspiration and storage chambers, the system allows increased vacuum pump power to be applied to the aspiration chamber without increasing vapor emissions from the storage chamber. The functional separation isolates vapor generation to only the aspiration process, enabling higher productivity without proportional increase in harmful emissions.
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 reduces vapor emissions by at least 20% and increases storage capacity, while using an air pollution control device can further decrease emissions by up to 60%, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
operating the vacuum pump to lower the pressure in the second vessel, thereby sucking the material into the second vessel via the second inlet
Implementation Method 2
transport the gaseous substance to the first vessel to raise the pressure in the first vessel
Implementation Method 3
forcing the material in the first vessel through the first outlet into the storage chamber
Implementation Method 4
The gaseous substance is removed from the storage chamber by means of an air pollution control device
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a vacuum installation for industrial application, the installation comprising a first vessel having a first gas inlet for allowing a gaseous substance into the first vessel and a first outlet for depletion of a material, a second vessel having a second inlet for aspirating a quantity of material and a second gas outlet for depletion of the gaseous substance, wherein the gaseous substance comprises a vapour generated from the material, a storage chamber for storing the quantity of material, the storage chamber having a third inlet, wherein at least the first vessel communicates with an interior of the storage chamber via the first outlet and the third inlet; and a vacuum pump located in between the first vessel and the second vessel, and operated to lower the pressure in the second vessel, thereby allowing the material to be sucked into the second vessel via the second liquid inlet to an equilibrium level between the material and the gaseous substance, the vacuum pump being further operated to transport the gaseous substance to the first vessel to raise the pressure in the first vessel, thereby forcing the material in the first vessel into the storage chamber.