Flame Arrester Plate Stack With Dam Drainage Against Rain Ingress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flame arresters are inefficient in preventing water infiltration through capillary action, leading to potential damage to underlying containers due to rain or snow penetration, and require additional rain covers that increase cost and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A flame arrester block design featuring stacked annulus-shaped plates with a dam plate below the stack to confine and drain water entering the internal hollow space, preventing it from reaching the underlying container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a rain cover is mounted above the flame arrester to intercept rain, then water infiltration is prevented, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the rain protection function with the flame arrester structure by integrating a dam plate into the plate stack itself. The dam plate is positioned at the bottom of the stack and works together with the plate arrangement to both arrest flames and prevent water infiltration, eliminating the need for a separate rain cover component.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate stack structure is given multiple functions: the stacked plates with gaps between them serve both as flame arrestment elements and as a framework for water management. The dam plate integrated into this stack provides rain protection while maintaining the flame-arresting function, making the structure universal for both purposes.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a rain cover is mounted above the flame arrester to intercept rain, then water infiltration is prevented, but maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the rain protection function into the flame arrester structure itself through the integrated dam plate, the invention eliminates separate components that would require separate maintenance. The unified structure reduces maintenance complexity and requirements.
3Reliability
If stacked plates are used to create fluid passages, then flame arrestment is achieved, but capillary action allows water infiltration
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating a specific zone at the bottom of the plate stack with the dam plate that has different functionality from the rest of the plates. While the upper plates maintain gaps for flame arrestment, the dam plate creates a water barrier zone that prevents capillary water infiltration while allowing the flame-arresting function to continue in the upper portions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful capillary action that causes water infiltration into a beneficial drainage system. The dam plate creates a controlled water collection zone that captures capillary water and directs it through designated drainage paths, transforming the problematic capillary rise into a managed water drainage feature.
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 prevents water infiltration while maintaining the flame-arresting function, reducing costs and maintenance by integrating a dam plate to manage capillary water ingress without additional components.
Implementation Method 1
water infiltration through capillary action
Implementation Method 2
The operating principle on which flame arresters is based is the extinction of the combustion due to the transfer of heat from the flame to a body of thermally conductive solid material at a lower temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
A flame arrester block (230) is provided, comprising a plurality of first plates (305) each having an external perimeter and at least one opening in a region inside the external perimeter, the first plates (305) of said plurality being stacked on each other starting from a lower first plate of said plurality of first plates to an upper first plate of said plurality of first plates according to a stacking direction (X) with the openings of said first plates which are at least partially superimposed on each other so as to form a stack of plates defining an internal hollow space (402), said first plates (305) being mutually spaced along said stacking direction (X) so as to define, between adjacent plates in the stack of plates, a corresponding gap transversal to said stacking direction (X). The flame arrester block further comprises a closure plate (310) stacked above said upper first plate along said stacking direction (X), and a dam plate (380) defining together with a first plate (305) above said dam plate (380) along the stacking direction (X) a corresponding further gap, said dam plate (380) having an external perimeter and at least an opening (450) in a region inside the external perimeter of the dam plate, said opening (450) of the dam plate (380) being delimited by a barrier portion (385) of the dam plate which extends along the stacking direction (X) towards the closure plate (310), said barrier portion (385) being configured to confine liquid leaking into the internal hollow space (402) through said gap between adjacent plates, said dam plate (380) being configured to cause liquid confined by the barrier portion (385) be drained toward the outside of the flame arrester block (230) through said further gap.