Flexible Gap Seal Pressure Control for Adjustable Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems, such as rotating heat exchangers and sealed rooms, face challenges in controlling air exchange rates due to unregulated leakage, which affects thermal insulation, fire safety, and air quality, especially when weather and usage fluctuations occur.
Innovation Solution
A device with a flexible sealing body and a system of pipes allows for regulated fluid supply to adjust the cross-sectional expansion of the sealing body, enabling precise control of leakage rates at gap-like openings, including those in rotating heat exchangers and sealed rooms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the spatial shell is made airtight to prevent uncontrolled air exchange, then thermal insulation and fire safety are improved, but intentional air exchange for oxygen supply and CO2 removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the sealing body flexible and capable of changing its cross-sectional area. The sealing body can dynamically adjust between a first cross-sectional area (allowing air exchange) and a second cross-sectional area (reducing leakage), enabling the system to switch between different operational states as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the sealing body's cross-sectional area to control leakage. By varying the cross-sectional area of the sealing body through fluid pressure, the system can regulate the leakage rate to achieve desired air exchange while maintaining airtightness when needed.
2Ease of operation
If intentional leakages are provided in the spatial shell to enable air exchange, then oxygen supply and CO2 removal are improved, but uncontrolled air exchange due to weather and usage fluctuations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using a controller that receives signals about the actual air exchange rate and adjusts the fluid pressure to the sealing body accordingly. This closed-loop control system compensates for weather and usage fluctuations, maintaining a stable target air exchange rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the sealing body's cross-sectional area parameter in response to environmental conditions. The controller adjusts the fluid pressure to maintain the leakage rate at a predetermined value despite variations in temperature, wind, or building usage patterns.
3Manufacturing precision
If the sealing body is made rigid to maintain stable leakage characteristics, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different air exchange requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible sealing body that can deform its shape based on fluid pressure. This flexible structure allows the sealing body to adapt its cross-sectional area while maintaining precise sealing characteristics, combining the benefits of manufacturing precision with operational adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing body transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can change its geometry. This enables the system to adapt to different air exchange requirements while maintaining consistent sealing performance through controlled deformation.
4Reliability
If constant inert gas supplementation is used to maintain inertization levels, then fire safety is improved, but energy consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the leakage rate parameter of the spatial shell to reduce inert gas losses. By adjusting the sealing body's cross-sectional area to optimize the leakage rate, the system minimizes the amount of inert gas needed to maintain the desired oxygen displacement level, reducing energy consumption and operational costs.
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
This solution effectively sets and adjusts leakage rates to maintain desired air exchange and inertization levels, reducing material transfer and enhancing thermal efficiency and fire safety without constant inert gas supplementation.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing body (2) is formed at least in part from a flexible material... upon a regulated feed of fluid to the at least one chamber (3a, 3b), a defined cross-sectional expanding of the sealing body (2) takes place
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a measure for minimizing an undesired passage of fluid from a first sector (1) to a second sector (2) separated by a non-fluid-tight separation (3), wherein a first pressure (P1-1) prevails in the first sector (1) and a lower second pressure (P2-1) than the first pressure (P1-1) prevails in the second sector (2). An intermediate chamber (4) which separates the two sectors (1, 2) from one another is arranged at the separation (3). A conveyor mechanism (5) is further provided which is designed to convey fluid from the intermediate chamber (4) to the first sector (1) in order to generate a lower pressure in the intermediate chamber (4) than the first pressure (P1-1) prevailing in the first sector (1), wherein the pressure (P4-1) generated in the intermediate chamber (4) is just as high or higher than the second pressure (P2-1) prevailing in the second sector (2).