Flame Arrester With Opposing Channels For Dust Explosion Venting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flame arresters for dust explosion venting rely on textile fabrics or stainless steel packings, which can be contaminated and fail to effectively extinguish flames, potentially leading to further hazards.
Innovation Solution
A flame arrester design featuring a channel system with opposing channels that split incoming burning gas or dust-air mixtures, ensuring collision and extinguishing of flames through kinetic energy loss, oxygen depletion, and mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If textile fabrics or stainless steel packings are used as flame arresters, then flame extinguishing is achieved through large surface area heat dissipation, but the materials can be contaminated by dust or oil and fail to effectively extinguish flames
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrester is segmented into multiple channels (first channel and second channel) that split the incoming burning gas or dust-air mixture into separate flow paths. These channels recombine at a junction, creating opposing flow directions that enhance flame extinction through kinetic energy loss and oxygen depletion, while avoiding contamination issues of traditional materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel system acts as an intermediary structure between the inlet and outlet, using controlled flow paths and opposing stream collision to extinguish flames. This intermediary mechanism replaces traditional fabric or mesh materials, providing a contamination-resistant alternative that achieves flame extinction through hydrodynamic effects rather than material surface area.
2Reliability
If a rupture disc is placed in front of the flame arrester, then the flame arrester is protected from contamination by substances in the protected object, but the overall device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The channel system performs multiple functions: it acts as both the flame arrester and the flow distribution mechanism. The opposing channels create conditions for flame extinction while also serving as the structural framework, eliminating the need for separate protective components like rupture discs in front of traditional flame arresters.
3Reliability
If the channel system splits the burning gas into opposing streams, then flame extinguishing is enhanced through kinetic energy loss and oxygen depletion, but the residence time of hot gases in the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extended residence time of hot gases in the channel system, while potentially concerning, is converted into a benefit through the opposing stream collision mechanism. The prolonged exposure to the channel walls and the turbulent mixing at the junction enhance heat dissipation and oxygen depletion, turning the extended time into an advantage for flame extinction rather than a disadvantage.
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 channel system effectively extinguishes flames by distributing the gas mixture into opposing streams, increasing residence time and heat dissipation, thereby preventing further combustion and ensuring safety.
Implementation Method 1
The fact that kinetic energy is lost when the partial flows collide with each other can contribute to the extinguishing of the flames, which can lead to the flow initially coming to a standstill at the junction.
Implementation Method 2
the partial streams meeting at the junction steal each other's oxygen, resulting in a lack of oxygen that extinguishes the flames
Implementation Method 3
the colliding partial streams can cause mixing. This can lead to the flames being enveloped by combusted dust-air mixtures, preventing sufficient oxygen from reaching the flames, causing them to suffocate due to a lack of oxygen
Implementation Method 4
This can lead to more heat being transported from the gas at the junction and in the area of the duct system adjoining the junction towards the outlet into a body or bodies in which the duct system is formed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a flame arrester with an inlet (E) for burning gases or dust-air mixtures and an outlet (A) for gases or dust-air mixtures which are no longer burning, wherein the flame arrester has a duct system between the inlet (E) and the outlet (A), wherein the duct system has - a branch (V1, V2) connected to the inlet (E), - a junction (Z1, Z2) connected to the outlet (A) and - between the branch (V1, V2) and the junction (Z1, Z2) a first duct (A1, A2) and a second duct (B1, B2), wherein the first duct (A1, A2) and the second duct (B1, B2) begin at the branch (V1, V2) and end at the junction (Z1, Z2) and wherein the direction of the first duct (A1, A2) and the direction of the second duct (B1, B2) at the junction (Z1, Z2) are opposite or almost opposite to each other.