Vacuum Freeze-Dryer Moisture Separator for Oil Emulsification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing freeze-dryers face challenges in maintaining high vacuum below the triple point of water due to emulsification of oil with moisture, which affects lubricity and sealability, leading to inefficient freeze-drying.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum freeze-dryer system that includes a first pump for vaporizing water, a storage tank for oil, and an apparatus for separating moisture from oil, using a second pump to generate negative pressure and separate moisture, thereby minimizing emulsification and improving vacuum performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotary vane pump is used to maintain high vacuum below the triple point, then vacuum performance is improved, but moisture emulsification with oil occurs causing deterioration of sealing and lubrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the pump system into separate functional zones: a moisture removal mechanism that extracts moisture from the oil without disrupting the pump's vacuum function. This segmentation allows the oil to be treated for moisture removal while the pump continues to operate, resolving the contradiction between maintaining vacuum performance and preventing emulsification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary moisture removal from the oil before it can emulsify with water vapor during pump operation. By continuously or periodically removing moisture in advance, the system prevents emulsification from occurring, thereby maintaining both vacuum performance and oil lubrication properties.
2Quantity of substance
If a cold trap is used to collect moisture, then moisture collection is improved, but moisture cannot be efficiently removed from oil inside the pump
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts moisture directly from the oil within the pump system using a dedicated removal mechanism. Instead of relying solely on external cold traps, the system takes out moisture from its source (the oil) through methods such as heating, centrifugal separation, or filtration, thereby efficiently removing moisture that cold traps cannot access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary moisture removal mechanism that acts between the oil and the cold trap. This intermediary system (such as a heating element, separator, or filter) processes the oil to remove moisture before it can emulsify, complementing the cold trap's moisture collection function and resolving the contradiction between collection and removal efficiency.
3Reliability
If oil is discharged through a filter to remove moisture, then moisture filtration is improved, but frequent filter replacement is difficult reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service moisture removal system where the pump system itself generates the conditions for moisture separation (through heat, centrifugal force, or pressure differential) without requiring external filter replacement. The system automatically separates and removes moisture from the oil continuously, eliminating the need for manual filter maintenance and preserving freeze-drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters (temperature, pressure, or rotational speed) to enable moisture separation from oil without requiring filtration. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves moisture removal through phase change, centrifugal separation, or other physical mechanisms that do not require filter replacement, thereby maintaining high productivity.
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 efficiently removes moisture from the pump, enhancing lubricity and sealability, thus improving vacuum performance and maximizing freeze-drying efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a second pump connected to the apparatus for separating moisture from oil and generating a negative pressure in the apparatus for separating moisture from oil
Implementation Method 2
a freeze-dryer is used to dry a sample including aqueous solution or water by freezing the sample and sublimating ice in the frozen sample by reducing the pressure to a vacuum state below the pressure of water vapor (triple point) of the freezing temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum freeze-dryer for freeze-drying a sample in a pressure state of below the triple point of water according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a freeze-drying chamber that is sealed and in which the sample is arranged, a first pump comprising an inlet connected to the freeze-drying chamber and configured to suck water vapor vaporized from the sample, an outlet configured to discharge the water vapor sucked, a storage tank having an inlet and an outlet formed therein and accommodating oil for maintaining seal during when the water vapor sucked from the inlet is moved to the outlet, an apparatus for separating moisture from oil connected to the first pump and separating moisture from the oil in the first pump, and a second pump connected to the apparatus for separating moisture from oil and generating a negative pressure in the apparatus for separating moisture from oil.