Filter Chamber Buffering for Compact Pressurized Liquid Supply
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for fuel cells and sensitive apparatuses face challenges in compact design due to the need to limit coolant pressure, which requires large expansion tanks to compensate for volume changes, making it difficult to minimize both pressure and structural space simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a reservoir with a pressure-increasing device, a filter chamber with a compressible buffer body, and a valve to manage pressure, allowing for compact design by using the filter chamber's volume to compensate for density changes without increasing overall system size, and incorporating a filter insert and ion exchange resin for filtration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large expansion tank is used to compensate for volume changes and maintain minimum pressure, then the minimum pressure can be ensured, but the structural space increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the expansion tank function with the filter chamber into a single integrated component. The filter chamber serves dual purposes: filtering the coolant and acting as the expansion tank to compensate for volume changes and maintain minimum pressure. This merging eliminates the need for a separate large expansion tank, thus ensuring minimum pressure while minimizing structural space.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter chamber is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a filter for removing contaminants from the coolant, an expansion tank for compensating volume changes, and a pressure maintenance device. This multi-functionality allows the system to ensure minimum pressure without requiring additional dedicated components, thereby reducing overall structural space.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the maximum pressure of the coolant is limited for sensitive apparatuses like fuel cells, then the apparatus is protected, but the system requires a very large expansion tank which increases structural space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure limitation function into the filter chamber design. The filter chamber, being a closed container with a defined volume, naturally limits the maximum pressure by providing a fixed volume for expansion. This eliminates the need for a separate large expansion tank to limit pressure, thus protecting sensitive apparatus while minimizing structural space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by designing the filter chamber with specific structural characteristics (closed container, defined volume) that locally provide pressure limitation functionality. This localized design within the filter chamber allows the system to limit maximum pressure without requiring a system-wide large expansion tank, thereby reducing overall structural space while protecting sensitive components.
3Volume of stationary object
If a compact design is pursued to minimize structural space, then the system size is reduced, but it becomes difficult to simultaneously limit maximum pressure and ensure minimum pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple pressure control functions (minimum pressure assurance and maximum pressure limitation) into the single filter chamber component. By integrating the expansion tank functionality within the filter chamber, the system achieves both pressure control capabilities in a compact design, thus minimizing structural space while maintaining full pressure control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter chamber is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously provides filtration, expansion volume for minimum pressure maintenance, and volume constraint for maximum pressure limitation. This universality allows the compact filter chamber to perform all necessary pressure control functions without requiring separate dedicated components, thus achieving compact design while ensuring reliable pressure control.
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 system effectively manages pressure variations and maintains a compact design by using the filter chamber's volume to buffer pressure changes, ensuring reliable cooling performance without exceeding predefined pressure limits, thus optimizing structural space usage.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible, closed buffer body (38), wherein the pressure-increasing device (14) is coupled to the filter chamber (24) and is configured to increase a pressure of the liquid within the filter chamber (24)
Implementation Method 2
The pressure-increasing device may be in the form of a pump which can remove liquid from the reservoir via the discharge, and which conveys the liquid into the filter chamber and can thus increase the pressure in the filter chamber
Implementation Method 3
the first valve (20) is arranged between the feed (12) of the reservoir (4) and the filter chamber (24) and is configured to open in the direction of the reservoir (4) upon attainment or exceedance of a minimum pressure of the liquid in the filter chamber (24)
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing a pressurized liquid, having a reservoir for the liquid, which has a discharge and a feed, having a pump, having a first valve, having a separate filter chamber, having an inlet and at least one outlet, and a compressible, closed buffer body. The pump is between the discharge of the reservoir and the filter chamber and configured to increase pressure of the liquid within the filter chamber, the first valve between the feed of the reservoir and the filter chamber and configured to open in the direction of the reservoir upon attainment or exceedance of a minimum pressure of the liquid in the filter chamber. The buffer body is in the filter chamber such that it can be surrounded by liquid.