Flexible Membrane System for Hazardous Pollution Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies fail to effectively isolate and mitigate pollution and hazardous energy in remote and inaccessible environments, leading to environmental damage, infrastructure damage, and loss of natural resources, with existing methods often causing catastrophic consequences and high costs.

Innovation Solution

A lightweight, flexible membrane system that operates as a semi-autonomous unit, capable of rapid deployment and self-extraction, isolates pollution and hazardous energy by utilizing differences in molecular properties to channel, collect, and consolidate pollutants, thereby reducing risks to the environment and infrastructure, and facilitating the recovery of pollution as a valuable resource.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If traditional pollution mitigation methods are used in remote environments, then pollution can be addressed, but the response time is slow and costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the pollution containment function into modular membrane components that can be independently deployed and positioned. These segmented membrane structures can be rapidly assembled in remote locations without requiring extensive infrastructure, thereby reducing both response time and deployment costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The membrane system acts as an intermediary barrier between the pollution source and the environment. By deploying this intermediate containment structure, the system enables rapid isolation of pollutants without requiring immediate access to the pollution source or complex treatment facilities, thus reducing response time and costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If membrane systems are deployed to isolate pollution, then environmental protection is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental damageVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses flexible membrane structures instead of rigid containment structures. These thin-film membranes can be easily transported, rapidly deployed, and adapted to various pollution scenarios without requiring complex assembly procedures or specialized infrastructure, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining environmental protection effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The membrane system is designed to be dynamically deployable and reconfigurable. The membranes can be quickly deployed, positioned, and adjusted in response to different pollution situations, eliminating the need for complex fixed infrastructure and reducing overall system complexity while improving environmental response capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of substance

If pollution is contained and held at advantageous locations, then resource recovery is facilitated, but relocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource recoveryVSAvoidrelocation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The membrane system is divided into modular sections that can be independently manipulated and relocated. This segmentation allows the contained pollution to be moved as discrete units to advantageous locations for resource recovery, simplifying the relocation process and reducing the complexity of handling large-volume contaminated areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs pneumatic or hydraulic mechanisms to facilitate the relocation of contained pollution. By using gas or liquid pressure to move the membrane-containing pollution to desired locations, the system avoids complex mechanical lifting and transportation equipment, thereby reducing relocation complexity while enabling resource recovery at optimal sites.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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 membrane system effectively contains and treats pollution, reduces environmental damage, minimizes infrastructure damage, and captures pollution as a marketable resource, enabling efficient remediation and recovery processes while reducing risks and costs associated with environmental incidents.

Implementation Method 1

The membrane system and methods modify conditions in the isolated environment to eliminate hazardous pollution and dangerous situations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMolecular properties differentiation: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS10036135B2Methods and systems to contain pollution and hazardous environments (CPHE)

Publication Date: 2018.07.31 DUNLAP PHILIP S

AI summary

A membrane system isolates environment volume, contains hazards, enables detoxification, hazard removal, infrastructure restoration, and substance recovery. The flexible membrane system adjusts to advantageously shape its isolated volume and integrate existing infrastructure. Pollution and hazardous energy, including crude oil, toxic-gas, radioactive fallout, fire, and other hazards are isolated, while concurrently enabling access within the isolated volume. Pod encapsulated and readily deployed, the membrane system operates semi-autonomously, uses selective-filtering, specific gravity and substance differences to channel matter, mitigate hazards, protect the biosphere, preserve infrastructure and capture substances.