Composite Flow Reactor Plug for Chemical and Thermal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow reactors with glass or ceramic modules face challenges in using fluid fittings made of hard glass or ceramic materials due to scratching or chipping, and existing solutions lack adequate thermal and chemical resistance to protect these surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A plug design featuring a metal guide with a screw-closed cylindrical interior, utilizing a chemically resistant polymer for the first face and a thermally resistant polymer for the side and back faces, along with a gasket recess and central post to minimize contact with reactive fluids and provide mechanical support, while being designed for easy installation and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard glass or ceramic materials are used for fluid fittings including plugs, then thermal and chemical resistance is improved, but the glass or ceramic surface of the flow reactor module is damaged by scratching or chipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a soft polymer plug body as an intermediary material between the user's need for thermal/chemical resistance and the requirement to protect the glass/ceramic surface. The polymer plug acts as a mediator that provides adequate resistance properties without the hardness that causes damage to the reactor module surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining a polymer base material with metal guide components and sealing elements. This composite approach allows the plug to achieve both thermal and chemical resistance while maintaining softness to protect the glass/ceramic surfaces, resolving the contradiction between durability and surface protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If soft polymer materials are used for plugs, then damage to glass or ceramic surfaces is prevented, but thermal and chemical resistance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by using composite materials - specifically, selecting polymer materials with high thermal and chemical resistance properties (such as PTFE, PEEK, or PVDF) while maintaining the softness needed to protect glass/ceramic surfaces. The composite construction combines the protective softness of polymers with enhanced resistance properties through material selection and structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully selecting polymer materials with specific thermal and chemical resistance parameters while maintaining appropriate hardness and softness characteristics. By adjusting material parameters such as glass transition temperature, chemical inertness, and mechanical hardness, the plug achieves both surface protection and adequate thermal/chemical resistance.
3Ease of operation
If metal guide with screw mechanism is used for plug installation, then ease of installation and removal is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the plug assembly into distinct functional components: a metal guide portion with screw mechanism for installation/removal, a polymer plug body for sealing and protection, and separate sealing elements. This segmentation allows the complex screw mechanism to be isolated to only the metal guide portion, making installation easy while containing the complexity to specific components rather than the entire assembly.
Data Source
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AI summary
A plug (10) for plugging a port (P) in a flow reactor comprises a metal guide (12) having first and second ends (14,16) and a wall (18) surrounding a cylindrical interior volume (20) having an opening (22) at the first end (14); a plug body (40) having a first face (42) and an opposing second face (44) and a side surface (46) and positioned partially within the interior volume (20) with the first face (42) protruding from the opening (22); wherein the plug body (40) comprises a chemically resistant first polymer constituting at least the first face (42) and a thermally resistant second polymer constituting at least the second face (44) and at least a portion of the side surface (46).