Flexible Screening Belt for Cross-Flow Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cross-flow belt filter machines experience high pressure loss and increased energy expenditure due to unnecessary flow deflection and dirt contamination from the dirty water side to the clean water side, with complex and costly structural measures required to minimize these issues.

Innovation Solution

A belt filter machine with a flexibly folded, compressed, or bent endless screen belt that reduces the transverse extent during circulation, allowing the screen-active section to contribute maximally to filtration while minimizing pressure loss and avoiding dirt transfer, featuring a design that combines the advantages of 'cross-flow' with 'inside-out' or 'outside-in' configurations without their disadvantages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the endless screen belt is completely immersed in the liquid flow with screen fields arranged next to one another, then continuous separation and conveyance of solids can be achieved, but the pressure loss in the liquid flow is doubled due to flow passing through both upstream and downstream sections

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous separation and conveyance of solidsVSAvoidpressure loss in liquid flow
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The screen belt is designed to be movable and adjustable in its position within the liquid flow. The screen belt can be raised or lowered to optimize the flow path, and the screen fields can be dynamically positioned to minimize unnecessary flow resistance while maintaining continuous separation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The screen belt is divided into multiple separate screen fields that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows the liquid flow to pass through only the necessary screening sections rather than being forced through the entire belt structure, reducing overall pressure loss while maintaining continuous separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the screen fields are arranged transversely to the flow direction in a cross-flow configuration, then the screen belt can be fully utilized for screening, but complex structural measures are required to prevent dirt contamination from dirty water side to clean water side

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescreening efficiencyVSAvoidstructural measures for preventing dirt transfer
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The problematic cross-flow configuration that causes dirt transfer is replaced by extracting only the essential screening function. The screen belt is repositioned to run parallel to the flow direction, eliminating the need for complex structural barriers while maintaining effective solids separation through the screening action alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the endless screen belt is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the screen fields remain stable in the liquid flow, but the device length and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrity of screen beltVSAvoiddevice length
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The screen belt is constructed as a flexible structure that can bend and adapt to the flow conditions while maintaining its screening function. This flexibility allows the belt to be configured in a more compact arrangement, reducing the overall device length while the modular screen field design ensures structural integrity is maintained where needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 solution achieves the lowest possible pressure loss and shortest device length while preventing dirt contamination and reducing permanent deposits, enabling efficient and cost-effective filtration with reduced energy consumption.

Implementation Method 1

By means of hosing down or spraying the screen fields at the discharge point, a complete cleaning of the screen fields can be carried out

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpray: Spray

Implementation Method 2

The sieve fields have sieve inserts for separating solids from the liquid flow, with the solids not being able to pass through the belt sieve machine if their dimensions are larger than the gap or mesh width of the sieve inserts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2563973B1Screening belt machine
Publication Date: 2014.11.26 BILFINGER WATER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP2563973B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2563973B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2563973B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a screening belt machine (1) comprising a section (10) that acts as a screen and is disposed transversely to the flow direction (4) of a liquid flow (5). The endless screening belt (6) is designed as an endless screening belt (6) that can be flexibly folded, compressed, or bent transversely to its direction of movement.