Reverse Osmosis Filter Stack With Inner-End Sealing Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration devices are complex, costly, and require frequent maintenance, compromising purity and reliability, while also being heavy and inefficient for certain separation tasks.
Innovation Solution
The device employs unsealed outer end elements and plastic inner end elements with integrated seals to simplify assembly and reduce production costs, using polyoxymethylene for inner end elements and elastomeric seals for secure sealing against the housing, eliminating the need for complex circumferential seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex circumferential lip seals are provided between outer end elements and housing wall, then sealing reliability is improved, but device complexity and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the sealing function from the outer end elements and relocates it to the inner end elements. The outer end elements are designed without sealing elements, simplifying their structure to basic disc-shaped components that only need to be turned or milled. The sealing function is concentrated in the inner end elements which engage with the housing wall, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary sealing structure where the inner end elements act as mediators between the stack of spacer elements and the housing wall. These inner end elements carry the sealing elements that engage with the housing, effectively transferring the sealing function away from the outer end elements and simplifying their design.
2Reliability
If complex circumferential lip seals are provided between outer end elements and housing wall, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the outer end elements and concentrated in the inner end elements. This allows outer end elements to be manufactured as simple disc-shaped components using basic turning or milling operations, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. The sealing elements are only required in the inner end elements, reducing the total number of sealing components needed.
3Reliability
If complex sealing structures are used, then sealing reliability is improved, but assembly and disassembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the outer end elements and concentrated in the inner end elements. This design simplifies assembly and disassembly because the outer end elements are simple disc-shaped components without sealing elements, reducing the number of components that need to be carefully positioned and sealed during assembly.
4Strength
If conventional materials are used for end elements, then structural strength is maintained, but device weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs different materials for inner and outer end elements optimized for their specific functions. The outer end elements use lightweight materials such as aluminum or plastic that provide sufficient structural strength while minimizing weight. The inner end elements use materials with appropriate sealing properties. This composite material approach reduces overall device weight while maintaining necessary structural strength.
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 solution achieves cost-effective and maintenance-free operation with enhanced purity and reliability, reducing production costs and assembly complexity without compromising target medium purity.
Implementation Method 1
a first and a second elastomeric sealing elements which prevent leakage between the first and second inner end elements and the inner wall of the housing
Implementation Method 2
a device for filtering and separating flow media by reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration
Implementation Method 3
a device for filtering and separating flow media by reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration
Data Source
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AI summary
A device (10) for filtering and separating flow media (11) by reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration is proposed, comprising a plurality of stacked spacer elements (12), wherein a filter element (14) is enclosed between each substantially disc-shaped spacer element (12) provided with a central hole (13), which guides the flow medium (11) and is enclosed by the flow medium (11), and a central clamping bolt (15) which holds the stack of spacer elements (16), which is bounded on both sides by a first and a second inner end element (17, 172) and a first and a second outer end element (18, 183), together as a unit, wherein the unit is enclosed in a pressure-tight housing (19).For this purpose, the first and second outer end elements (18, 183) are received in the housing (19) without sealing, whereas the first and second inner end elements (17, 172) are received in the housing (19) sealed against the inner wall (190).