Helical Multichannel Tubular Filter Elements for Clogging Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional filter membranes with tubular shapes suffer from clogging issues due to particle adsorption and pore blocking, leading to reduced flow rates and effectiveness in separation processes, which complicates the design and maintenance of filtration systems.
Innovation Solution
The development of multichannel filter elements with a monolithic rigid porous support featuring internal obstacles that promote turbulence and shear stresses, fabricated using an additive technique to create a continuous porous structure that reduces or eliminates clogging, while maintaining mechanical strength and allowing for varied channel shapes and dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional tubular filter membranes with smooth rectilinear channels are used, then the manufacturing process is simple and mechanical strength is maintained, but clogging occurs due to particle adsorption and pore blocking, reducing flow rate and separation effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by replacing straight rectilinear channels with helical channels that follow a curved path around the tubular support. This curvature creates centrifugal forces and turbulent flow patterns that prevent particle deposition and reduce clogging, thereby improving both flow rate and clogging resistance simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic flow characteristics by designing helical channels that induce rotational and turbulent flow movements. This dynamic flow regime prevents stagnant zones and particle accumulation, enhancing the membrane's ability to resist clogging while maintaining high productivity
2Reliability
If turbulence promoters are added to create turbulent flow conditions, then clogging is reduced and flow rate improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support structure and the turbulence-promoting function into a single integrated helical channel design. The helical channels are formed directly within the tubular support, combining structural integrity with flow optimization, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining clogging resistance
Solution Approach 2:
The helical channel structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides structural support, induces turbulent flow, prevents particle deposition, and maintains fluid distribution. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate turbulence-promoting devices, simplifying the overall system
3Productivity
If the channel shape is modified to promote turbulence, then separation efficiency improves, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The helical channel geometry provides a regular, repeating curved pattern that can be manufactured using standardized processes. The consistent curvature radius and pitch of the helix allow for precise replication without requiring complex variable geometry, maintaining manufacturing feasibility while achieving improved separation efficiency
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 reduces or eliminates clogging phenomena, enhancing the flow rate and separation efficiency by creating turbulent conditions within the channels, thereby improving the performance and reliability of filtration systems without compromising mechanical strength.
Implementation Method 1
a porous support that provides the membrane with mechanical strength and that also gives it its shape
Implementation Method 2
The components pass or stop as a result of their size relative to the size of the pores in the membrane, which then behaves as a filter
Implementation Method 3
novel shapes for multichannel porous supports that serve to reduce, or even eliminate, problems of clogging... the support is shaped to have a series of helical channels
Implementation Method 4
the support is initially fabricated with the desired shape by extrusion, and is then sintered at a temperature and for a length of time that suffice to ensure the required strength
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a tangential flow separator element for separating a fluid medium for treatment into a filtrate and a retentate, said separator element comprising a monolithic rigid porous support (2) of rectilinear structure with a plurality of channels (3) formed therein for passing a flow of the fluid medium for treatment between an inlet (6) and an outlet (7) for the retentate, in order to recover a filtrate from the outside surface (5) of the support.According to the invention, the monolithic rigid porous support (2) defines obstacles (9) to the flow of the fluid for treatment, which obstacles extend from the inside walls (31) of said channels, are identical in material and porous texture to the support, and present continuity of material and of porous texture with the support, the obstacles (9) generating variations in the flow sections of the channels.