Expanded Metal Packing for Gas Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas separation devices face challenges with uneven liquid flow on packing surfaces due to surface tension, leading to reduced gas-liquid contact area and absorption efficiency, and incur high costs and energy losses due to heavy, distorted packing structures.
Innovation Solution
The use of expanded metal plates with inclined strands, arranged vertically in a processing tank, to facilitate even liquid flow and gas-liquid contact, reducing the need for supporting members and minimizing weight and size while maintaining strength and absorption efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional packing structures are used to increase gas-liquid contact area, then absorption efficiency improves, but liquid flow becomes uneven due to surface tension, reducing contact area and absorption efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The packing surface is designed with curved profiles including convex portions and concave portions. The convex portions have curvature radii of 3-10mm and the concave portions have curvature radii of 2-8mm, creating a wavy surface that disrupts surface tension effects and promotes uniform liquid distribution across the packing, thereby maintaining reliable liquid flow while achieving high absorption efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the packing surface are given different local characteristics through the convex and concave portions. The convex portions create upward curvature while concave portions create downward curvature, with each region having specific curvature radius ranges. This local variation in surface geometry ensures uniform liquid flow across different areas of the packing surface
2Productivity
If mesh-like bodies or three-dimensional knitted fabrics are used to increase contact area, then absorption efficiency improves, but packing weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses thin plate-like bodies (1-5mm thickness) with surface convexities and concavities instead of heavy mesh-like bodies or three-dimensional knitted fabrics. This plate structure achieves the required gas-liquid contact area through surface geometry rather than volumetric complexity, significantly reducing packing weight while maintaining absorption efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing contact area through volumetric complexity (meshes and knitted fabrics extending in multiple dimensions), the invention achieves enhanced contact area through surface geometry modifications on two-dimensional plates. The convex and concave portions create additional contact surfaces without requiring three-dimensional structures, thereby reducing weight
3Productivity
If mesh-like bodies are used to increase contact area, then absorption efficiency improves, but manufacturing cost increases due to processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The convex and concave portions are formed with specific curvature radii (convex: 3-10mm, concave: 2-8mm) that can be achieved through standard forming processes. This curvature-based surface modification is more manufacturable than creating complex mesh patterns or three-dimensional knitted structures, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining absorption efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention controls the curvature radius parameters of the convex and concave portions within specific ranges (convex: 3-10mm, concave: 2-8mm). By optimizing these geometric parameters, the packing achieves high absorption efficiency through form rather than complex material structures, simplifying manufacturing and reducing costs
4Stability of the object's composition
If heavy packing structures are used to maintain structural integrity, then packing stability improves, but pressure loss increases due to blocked gas passages
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses thin plate-like bodies (1-5mm thickness) that are sufficient to maintain structural stability without the need for heavy supporting frameworks. The plates with convex and concave surfaces provide both mechanical integrity and gas flow passages, reducing pressure loss while maintaining packing stability
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 configuration enhances absorption efficiency, reduces manufacturing and operational costs, and prevents pressure loss by maintaining a stable gas passage, resulting in a lightweight, cost-effective gas separation device with improved energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
causing an absorbing liquid to absorb the target gas component contained in a gas to be processed by bringing the absorbing liquid and the gas to be processed into gas-liquid contact
Implementation Method 2
the absorbing liquid sometimes fails to flow evenly on the surface of the packing due to an influence of the surface tension
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
Provided is a gas separation device which is advantageous in achieving reductions in the size and weight while suppressing an increase in pressure loss, and is capable of achieving cost reduction. The gas separation device separates or captures a target gas component from a gas to be processed by: causing an absorbing liquid to flow down on a surface of a packing disposed inside a processing tank while supplying the gas to be processed containing the target gas component into the processing tank; bringing the absorbing liquid flowing down on the surface of the packing and the gas to be processed into gas-liquid contact; and thereby causing the absorbing liquid to absorb the target gas component contained in the gas to be processed. The packing includes at least one packing unit formed from multiple expanded metal plates, which are disposed vertically and arranged in parallel. Each expanded metal plate includes strands forming the openings which are arranged like stairs. Each strand is inclined to the vertical direction at an angle in a range from 48° to 73°.