Gas supply device, device for controlling inside air, and refrigeration device for container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas supply devices and container refrigeration systems face issues with filter lifespan due to deliquescence phenomena caused by sea salt particles, leading to increased pressure loss and potential water ingress, which can damage the air pump and affect the freshness of stored plants by altering oxygen concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply device with a filter unit featuring a membrane filter coated with a fibrous layer that absorbs moisture by capillarity, preventing water film formation and reducing pressure loss, and a pleated filter design that directs water away from the air pump, extending filter life and preventing water ingress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a conventional filter is used in a marine environment, then the filter can initially filter air, but the filter life is shortened due to deliquescence phenomenon caused by sea salt particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a hydrophobic coating to the filter that utilizes the deliquescence phenomenon beneficially. When sea salt particles absorb moisture and form a water film, the hydrophobic coating causes this water to bead up and roll off rather than penetrating the filter, thereby converting the harmful deliquescence effect into a self-cleaning mechanism that actually protects the filter
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrophobic coating acts as an intermediary layer between the sea salt particles and the filter substrate. This intermediate layer prevents direct interaction between the deliquesced water and the filter material, blocking the harmful effects while allowing the filter to maintain its functionality
2Reliability
If sea salt particles attach to the filter, then a water film forms on the membrane filter surface, but this increases pressure loss
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic coating transforms the harmful water film formation into a beneficial effect. The coating causes absorbed moisture to form discrete droplets that roll off the surface, preventing continuous water film formation and maintaining low pressure loss while utilizing the deliquescence phenomenon
3Reliability
If pressure loss becomes too large, then water flows from upstream space to downstream space, but this may reach and damage the air pump
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic coating provides beforehand cushioning by preventing water film formation in the first place. This protective layer acts as a barrier that stops the chain reaction leading to water ingress and air pump damage before it can occur
Solution Approach 2:
By converting the deliquescence phenomenon into a self-cleaning effect where water droplets roll off, the system prevents the pressure loss from becoming excessive and eliminates the risk of water reaching the air pump
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 effectively suppresses pressure loss and water ingress, extending the life of the filter and protecting the air pump and stored plants by maintaining optimal oxygen concentrations within the container.
Implementation Method 1
a fibrous coating layer (78a, 78b) covering a surface of the filter substrate (77a, 77b) through which air is sucked
Data Source
AI summary
In a gas supply device that supplies gas to a target space through a filter unit, the filter unit is composed of a filter box and an air filter housed in the filter box, and the air filter is a filter having a filter substrate made of a membrane filter and a fibrous coating layer covering a surface of the filter substrate through which air is sucked.