Hanging Desiccant Container That Traps Liquid Water in Transit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Moisture absorbing products in shipping containers face challenges in maintaining controlled humidity levels without releasing liquid water, which can damage goods and the container, due to limited space and the need to prevent condensation.
Innovation Solution
A moisture absorbing product with a quilt-shaped desiccant container, a permeable sheeting material to vapor but impermeable to liquid, and a strap for hanging, utilizing a mixture of calcium chloride and starches to minimize liquid water production, ensuring controlled humidity absorption and retention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If moisture absorbing products are used to control humidity in shipping containers, then humidity control is improved, but liquid water may be released from the product which can damage goods and the container
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging material is specifically chosen to have porous structure that allows water vapor to pass through while blocking liquid water. This selective permeability enables the product to absorb moisture from the container atmosphere while preventing the released liquid water from escaping and damaging goods or the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining a water-absorbing material (such as silica gel, calcium sulfate, or calcium fluoride) enclosed within a specially designed packaging material. The packaging material acts as a filter that permits vapor transmission but prevents liquid water passage, creating a composite system that simultaneously achieves humidity control and liquid water containment.
2Reliability
If more moisture absorbing products are placed in containers to improve humidity control, then humidity control is improved, but space availability in the container is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging material is designed as a thin, flexible film or sheet that encapsulates the water-absorbing material. This thin-film construction minimizes the volume occupied by each moisture-absorbing product, allowing more units to be placed in the container without significantly reducing the space available for goods, while still providing effective humidity control.
3Quantity of substance
If packaging material allows liquid water to pass through to contact the water absorbing material, then water absorption capacity is improved, but the packaging material dissolves when contacted with liquid water
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging material is designed with a porous structure that is selective in its permeability - allowing water vapor molecules to pass through to reach the absorbing material while blocking liquid water. This prevents the packaging material from being exposed to and dissolved by liquid water, maintaining its structural integrity while still enabling effective moisture absorption from the vapor phase.
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
Effectively absorbs moisture without releasing liquid water, maintaining controlled humidity levels and preventing damage to goods and the container, while optimizing space usage in shipping containers.
Implementation Method 1
the desiccant material (40) absorbs water vapor
Implementation Method 2
said sheeting material (60) is permeable to gaseous water, by composition or design, but substantially impermeable to liquid water
Data Source
AI summary
A moisture absorbing product, particularly for use in containers or railcars, includes a desiccant container including a plurality of separate desiccant holding compartments, each containing a quantity of desiccant material, a support over which the desiccant material is placed, a sheeting material, which substantially covers the desiccant container and which is permeable to gaseous water vapor but substantially impermeable to liquid water, and a strap with hook, secured to or within the support or desiccant container, which strap and hook are useful for hanging the moisture absorbing product within the container or railcar.