Filter Body Exchange Apparatus for Continuous Fluid Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high expense associated with cleaning and filtering of transport fluids, particularly in the transport of products containing dust, is problematic due to the frequent replacement of EPA, HEPA, or ULPA filters.
Innovation Solution
An operating and changing apparatus for filter bodies with integrated particle filters, which allows for seamless filter replacement without interrupting fluid flow by using a housing with a flow channel and filter body design that ensures continuous operation, including a filter insertion and disposal system that maintains fluid flow integrity during filter changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filters are replaced periodically to maintain filtration efficiency, then filtration quality is improved, but operational time is lost due to flow interruption during replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is divided into multiple filter bodies (first filter body and second filter body) that can be operated in sequence. While one filter body is being used for filtration, the other can be replaced or maintained, allowing continuous operation without flow interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple filter bodies are combined within a single housing structure with a common drive mechanism. This allows the filters to work together in parallel or sequence, ensuring that filtration continues even when one filter is being replaced.
2Reliability
If filter replacement is performed frequently to maintain air quality, then particle removal efficiency is improved, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous filtration operation by having multiple filter bodies that can be swapped without stopping the fluid flow. This eliminates downtime and ensures uninterrupted particle removal, improving overall system productivity despite frequent filter changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter bodies are pre-positioned within the housing, with one ready to immediately replace the other. This preliminary arrangement allows for rapid filter changes without requiring complex retrieval or installation procedures, reducing operational costs.
3Device complexity
If a single filter body is used to simplify the system structure, then device complexity is reduced, but filter replacement requires flow interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The housing structure is designed to be dynamically configurable, allowing it to accommodate multiple filter bodies and adapt during operation. The drive mechanism can selectively position different filter bodies into the fluid flow path, enabling seamless filter replacement without system redesign.
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
Significantly reduces the expense and duration of filter replacement by minimizing air standstill and ensuring continuous fluid flow during filter changes, thereby reducing operational costs and maintaining filtration efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A particle filter has been integrated into every filter body... the particle filter is permeable to the fluid... the fluid flow between flow inlet and flow outlet in the flow channel passes through the filter body's particle filter
Data Source
AI summary
An operating and changing apparatus for a filter body located at a filter position that displays a filter body axis of symmetry located at a filter position and in which a particle filter is integrated in order to remove particles from a particle-laden fluid. The filter body has a fluid-permeable filter body opening and a fluid-impermeable filter body wall section. The apparatus has a housing that the fluid can flow through with a flow channel in which the filter body is so positioned that the fluid can flow through the particle filter. The flow channel has a flow inlet and a flow outlet such that the fluid flow between flow inlet and outlet runs through the particle filter of the filter body. The flow channel has a channel axis which runs parallel/collinear with the filter body's axis. The flow inlet and outlet are offset to each other, relative to the channel symmetric axis. The flow channel and the housing have a filter insertion opening and a filter disposal opening that are in alignment along the channel axis. A change of the particle filter takes place through exchange of the filter body with an exchange filter body with a replacement filter whereby the replacement filter body can be pushed through the filter insertion opening into the flow channel and the filter body to be replaced can be pushed out of the filter disposal opening by the pushing-in of the replacement filter body. During the pushing of the filter body, the flow inlet and outlet are blocked fluidically by the impermeable filter body wall segment until the replacement filter body has reached the original filter position such that the flow channel is not open during the change and the change is accomplished almost entirely without interrupting the flow.