Fluidized Bed Glass Delustring via Abrasive Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surface treatment methods, such as chemical etching and abrasive particle flow in a fluidized bed, are environmentally detrimental, energy-intensive, and fail to achieve uniform and homogeneous roughening, with chemical etching causing defects and high energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A physical surface treatment process using a two-phase or three-phase fluidized bed technique with compressed air and water, employing composite particles with a ferromagnetic core and silicon carbide or tungsten carbide coating, which allows for controlled surface roughening at ambient temperature, avoiding pollution and defects, and enabling particle recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If chemical etching is used to roughen the surface, then a frosted appearance is obtained, but the method is detrimental to the environment and causes defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical etching process with a physical abrasion process using fluidized abrasive particles. Instead of using hydrofluoric acid to chemically etch the glass surface, the invention uses mechanically propelled abrasive particles (such as aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, or diamond particles) to physically abrade and roughen the surface, achieving the desired frosted appearance without environmental pollution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a fluidized bed system where abrasive particles are suspended and propelled by a fluidizing agent (gas or liquid) to treat the glass surface. The pneumatic or hydraulic fluidization mechanism allows uniform distribution of abrasive particles and consistent surface treatment, replacing chemical methods with a controllable physical process
2Manufacturing precision
If abrasive particles in a fluidized bed are used, then surface roughening is achieved, but large particles and high temperature require high electrical energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the fluidized bed system, including particle size distribution (using a mix of fine and coarse particles), fluidizing agent temperature (operating at or near ambient temperature), and particle concentration. These parameter changes allow effective surface roughening without requiring high temperatures or excessive energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite abrasive particles or combines different types of abrasive materials with complementary properties. This allows the use of smaller, more efficient particles that require less kinetic energy while maintaining effective surface roughening, reducing the energy demand of the fluidization system
3Manufacturing precision
If high temperature is used to reduce roughness, then surface uniformity is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal processing with mechanical abrasion using fluidized particles. The surface uniformity previously achieved through high-temperature thermal processes is now obtained through controlled mechanical impact and abrasion by abrasive particles, eliminating the need for high temperatures and associated energy consumption
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 method achieves a surface quality comparable to chemical etching without pollution, reduces energy consumption, and allows for partial polishing and mask removal, providing a cost-effective and automatable process for uniform surface treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a flow of fluidized particles is brought onto the surface of an article to be treated in order to roughen said surface
Implementation Method 2
The particles are metal oxide granules... subjecting the surface of a glass article to a flow of abrasive particles
Implementation Method 3
The core preferably comprises a ferromagnetic material, and for example iron and/or at least one iron oxide
Implementation Method 4
A physical surface treatment process using a two-phase or three-phase fluidized bed technique with compressed air and water
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The method involves fluidizing particles in gas e.g. air, and liquid e.g. water, by a fluidized bed technique using a fluidizing chamber (1). A surface of articles (6) e.g. glass articles, is treated by subjecting the articles to a flow of the fluidized particles, where the particles have an average size that is equal to one micrometer. The speed of the flow of the particles ranges between 5 and 20 meters per second. The fluidized particles are collected during treating operation and/or post-treatment washing operation, and are recycled during fluidizing operation. An independent claim is also included for an installation for implementing a surface treating method.