Filter device and water heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air supply systems for combustion apparatuses, such as water heaters, face challenges in preventing the entry of liquids like rainwater and condensation moisture, which can cause abnormal combustion and require costly adjustments to pipe arrangements, and existing filters are inadequate in separating liquids from gases.
Innovation Solution
A filter device with a ventilation pipe and filter housing part that uses a gas-liquid separating mechanism, where the outflow hole is positioned higher than the intake opening, allowing air to flow upwards and separating liquids from the outside air, while discharging the liquids externally without the need for additional filter devices or pipe rearrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the air supply pipe is bent in termination elbow manner with opening portion directed downward, then rainwater entry is made harder, but changing pipe arrangement direction requires building repair and increases workload and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separating means provides self-service liquid separation functionality within the existing pipe arrangement. The ventilation pipe with opening part directed downward and the outflow hole positioned higher automatically separate liquid from air using gravity and flow dynamics, eliminating the need to change pipe arrangement direction while maintaining rainwater prevention capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid separation function is extracted as a distinct component (gas-liquid separating means) from the pipe arrangement system. This allows the pipe to maintain its original installation direction while the extracted separation component handles liquid removal, avoiding the need to modify building structures or pipe routing.
2Productivity
If air supply part diameter is reduced to improve air supply capability, then air supply efficiency increases, but flow velocity increases causing rainwater to be easily sucked even with opening part on lower side
Solution Approach 1:
The gas-liquid separating means serves as an intermediary that decouples the relationship between high flow velocity and rainwater suction. It receives high-velocity air that may contain sucked rainwater and separates the liquid through its structured flow path with opening part and outflow hole, allowing the air supply part to maintain reduced diameter for high capability while the intermediary handles liquid removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The high flow velocity that causes rainwater suction is converted into a benefit by using the kinetic energy and flow direction through the gas-liquid separating means. The structured flow path guides the high-velocity air to rise through the opening part while liquid falls to the outflow hole, transforming the harmful high velocity into an effective separation mechanism.
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
Effectively separates liquids from outside air, preventing their accumulation and ensuring stable combustion, reduces maintenance workload, and allows for cost-effective installation without altering building structures.
Implementation Method 1
The filter housing part is equipped with an outflow hole allowing the outside air to flow outside the flow-through part at a position higher than a position of the opening part to form a gas-liquid separating means separating, from the outside air, a liquid in a liquid state or a state close thereto
Data Source
AI summary
The filter device includes a supply air introducing part, a filter main body part and a discharge part. The supply air introducing part takes in an outside air. The filter main body part includes a ventilation pipe connected to the supply air introducing part to allow the outside air to flow through the ventilation pipe and a filter housing part being equipped with an outflow hole allowing the outside air to flow outside at a position higher than a position of the opening part of the ventilation pipe to separate, from the outside air, a liquid in a liquid state or a state close thereto. The liquid is taken in together with the outside air. The discharge part discharges at least the separated liquid from the filter main body part.