In-Vessel Filter Media Cleaning With Fluidizing Nozzle Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing nutshell filters face inefficiencies due to media clogging, require frequent scrubber screen cleaning, and have costly designs with top-mounted pumps and motors, necessitating complex and expensive maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A media filter design that cleans the media within the vessel using a fluidizing pump and nozzle, eliminating the need for external scrubbers, and allows a single pump to serve multiple vessels, with a media collector to retrieve escaped media.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an external scrubber with scrubber screen is used to clean nutshell media, then the media can be cleaned, but the scrubber screen becomes fouled with media fines requiring frequent cleaning and maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the external scrubber and scrubber screen from the filter system. Instead of using an external scrubber, the patent implements an internal media cleaning system where media fines are removed directly within the filter vessel through a combination of air sparging and water washing, completely removing the source of the maintenance problem while preserving the media cleaning function
Solution Approach 2:
The filter system performs self-cleaning of the media without requiring separate external cleaning equipment. The internal cleaning system uses the filter's own water and air supplies to fluidize and wash the media in place, enabling the system to maintain itself without external intervention or separate maintenance equipment
2Ease of manufacture
If top-mounted pumps and motors are used for media circulation, then self-draining of accumulated media is achieved, but maintenance requires crane access and increases overall cost
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of mounting pumps and motors on top of the vessel, the invention inverts the arrangement by locating the circulation pump at the bottom of the vessel. This eliminates the need for top-mounted equipment, upper platforms, and crane access for maintenance, while still achieving the self-draining function through proper bottom discharge design
3Reliability
If a dedicated pump is provided for each filter for media cleaning, then each filter can operate independently, but substantial cost is incurred due to pumps being used only periodically
Solution Approach 1:
The invention designs the bottom-mounted circulation pump to serve multiple functions: it acts as both the media circulation pump during filtration and the media backwash pump during cleaning. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated pumps for each filter, reducing the total number of pumps required while maintaining independent operation capability through valve 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
Enhances media retention during cleaning, reduces maintenance costs, and simplifies operations by eliminating external scrubbers and shared pump usage, thereby improving efficiency and reducing capital expenditures.
Implementation Method 1
The fluidizing nozzle discharges the cleaning liquid downwardly in a jet stream that contacts the media in the vessel, causing the media to move upwardly through the vessel and become fluidized in the vessel
Implementation Method 2
A fluidizing pump draws the cleaning liquid from the vessel and returns at least a portion of the cleaning liquid to a fluidizing nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
System and process for cleaning media in a vessel includes directing a cleaning liquid into the vessel. A fluidizing pump draws the cleaning liquid from the vessel and returns a portion of the cleaning liquid to a fluidizing nozzle that is directed downwardly into the vessel. The fluidizing nozzle discharges the cleaning liquid in a jet stream that contacts the media causing the media to move upwardly in the vessel and become fluidized. The media is continuously fluidized and agitated for a time. In the process, contaminants associated with the media are separated and become contained in the cleaning liquid. During this process, most of the media is confined while within the vessel.