Flame Arrestor for Clean Air Exhaust Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current explosion protection equipment for combustible dust is expensive and unsuitable for clean air exhaust lines, leading to a dilemma between incurring large capital expenses for additional isolation devices or facing higher energy costs by exhausting conditioned air, with a need for a simple, economical, and reliable explosion isolation device for these lines.
Innovation Solution
A flame arrestor device is designed for clean air exhaust lines, featuring a housing with a central portion and transition portions, a flame barrier of stacked metal mesh layers, and signaling devices, to prevent flame propagation and dust entry while maintaining air flow and being easy to install and maintain, with the ability to withstand high pressures and detect potential issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If explosion isolation devices are installed on clean air exhaust lines, then explosion protection is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrestor divides the housing into distinct functional zones: a central portion containing the flame barrier, and transition portions connecting to inlet/outlet ports. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while keeping the overall device simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The flame barrier is positioned specifically in the central portion of the housing where it most effectively intercepts potential flames. The transition portions are designed with specific geometries to optimize airflow while maintaining protection. This localized optimization achieves explosion protection without requiring complex systems throughout the entire device.
2Reliability
If explosion isolation devices are installed on clean air exhaust lines, then explosion protection is improved, but capital expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrestor uses relatively simple materials and construction methods, making it more cost-effective than complex explosion isolation devices. The design prioritizes essential protection functions over sophisticated mechanisms, reducing manufacturing costs and capital expenses while maintaining adequate explosion protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the essential protection function from complex explosion isolation devices, creating a simplified flame arrestor that provides adequate explosion protection without the unnecessary complexity and cost of full-scale isolation devices. This extraction approach delivers cost-effective protection for clean air exhaust lines.
3Device complexity
If conditioned air is exhausted to the atmosphere instead of being returned, then explosion isolation requirements are reduced, but energy losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flame arrestor converts the potential harm of returning conditioned air (explosion risk) into a benefit by providing simple, effective explosion protection that allows the air to be safely returned to the facility. This eliminates energy waste from exhausting conditioned air while maintaining adequate protection through a straightforward device design.
4Ease of operation
If a simple explosion isolation device is used, then ease of installation and maintenance is improved, but reliability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flame barrier utilizes a porous structure that effectively blocks flames while allowing air flow. This porous design provides reliable explosion protection through a simple geometric configuration that is easy to manufacture, install, and maintain, demonstrating that simplicity and reliability can coexist when the right physical principles are applied.
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 flame arrestor effectively prevents deflagrations from entering facilities, reduces energy losses, and lowers long-term operating costs, while being certifiable under NFPA standards and applicable to various applications, thus addressing the economic and operational challenges of existing solutions.
Implementation Method 1
a flame barrier of stacked metal mesh layers
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed herein are a system, method, and apparatus for arresting flames in an air return line. The apparatus includes a flame barrier containing one or more metal mesh layers and configured to permit airflow there through while preventing flame break-through. The flame barrier can also have or be connected to one or more temperature or pressure sensors configured to detect blockage of airflow through the flame barrier and to detect damage to the flame barrier. The apparatus can also include additional temperature or pressure sensors for detecting the propagation of deflagration in the air return line.