Flow-Activated Cleaning Device for Conductivity Meter

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current water purification systems face challenges in efficiently removing contaminants like emulsions and latexes from waste water, leading to clogging of equipment, high water usage, and ineffective manual cleaning processes, which result in environmental pollution and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

A cleaning system where waste water flow activates a cleaning device with propellers and cleaning blades or brushes that mechanically scrub contaminants from water conductivity meters, using chemicals like aluminum halides and pH additives to agglomerate solids, followed by microfiltration for purification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual cleaning of conductivity meters is performed, then contaminates are removed from the meter, but operational time is lost and labor costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeter functionalityVSAvoidoperational time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device automatically cleans the conductivity meter using the waste water flow itself as the driving force. The propeller rotates with the water flow to drive the cleaning blade, eliminating the need for manual intervention and continuous operational stops for cleaning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning device performs cleaning action continuously during waste water flow, preventing contaminate buildup before it affects meter functionality. This preliminary cleaning action avoids the need for subsequent manual cleaning interruptions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If large quantities of water are used for washing, then emulsions and latexes are removed from apparatuses, but water consumption increases and environmental pollution occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidwater consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device utilizes the hydraulic energy of the waste water flow itself to drive the propeller and cleaning mechanism. This eliminates the need for additional water for cleaning, as the existing waste water flow provides both the driving force and the cleaning medium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the waste water flow to clean the meter, making the waste water serve dual purposes: as the fluid to be treated and as the power source for cleaning. This self-service approach eliminates additional water consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If inorganic coagulants are added to waste water, then solids are removed from the water, but flocks form on aluminum or iron ions and separation becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolid removalVSAvoidseparation difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the chemical parameters by adding organic polymer coagulants with specific charge characteristics that are oppositely charged to the emulsion or latex particles. This parameter change enables effective coagulation and flocculation without forming difficult-to-separate aluminum or iron ion flocks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Quantity of substance

If polymer coagulants are added to decompose emulsion or latex, then resin components are separated, but sedimentation is slow and purification takes excessive time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresin separationVSAvoidpurification speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses composite coagulation by combining inorganic coagulants (alum or ferric salts) with organic polymer coagulants. This composite approach creates stronger, faster-settling flocks that improve both separation efficiency and sedimentation speed, resolving the contradiction between effective resin separation and purification speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 system effectively automates the removal of contaminants, reducing manual cleaning needs, ensuring continuous operation, and achieving high purification efficiency while adhering to environmental standards, with up to 100% contaminant removal and accurate meter readings.

Implementation Method 1

a cleaning device with propellers and cleaning blades or brushes that mechanically scrub contaminants from water conductivity meters

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical scrubbing: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

using chemicals like aluminum halides and pH additives to agglomerate solids

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAgglomeration: Flocculation

Implementation Method 3

followed by microfiltration for purification

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMicrofiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS9884348B2Cleaning systems devices and processes

Publication Date: 2018.02.06 XEROX CORP

AI summary

A cleaning system that includes a meter operatively connected to a cleaning device, and where the flow of waste water activates the cleaning device, and which device removes contaminates from the meter.