Honeycomb Structure Bonding Strength and Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Honeycomb structures face issues with clogging due to trapped particulate matter and detachment of segments from the bonding member during repeated combustion and regeneration, especially when using silicon carbide as the framework, which also complicates the manufacturing process with multiple steps and materials.

Innovation Solution

A honeycomb structure design featuring protruding and depressed portions on the outer peripheral walls of segments, connected by filler layers and plate-shaped connecting members, allowing for increased bonding strength and preventing detachment, while also optimizing cell sizes to reduce clogging on the inflow side.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If honeycomb segments are bonded together at side faces using a bonding material, then a large-sized honeycomb structure can be obtained, but detachment of segments from the bonding member occurs during repeated heating and cooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesize of honeycomb structureVSAvoidbonding strength between segments
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies bonding material to the entire outer peripheral surface of honeycomb segments before assembly, ensuring complete coverage and pre-establishing strong bonding zones at potential detachment points (corner portions and intermediate portions), which prevents segment detachment during subsequent thermal cycling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from bonding only at linear side face interfaces to bonding across the entire two-dimensional outer peripheral surface, including corner portions and intermediate portions, thereby creating multiple bonding zones that collectively prevent segment detachment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If multiple small honeycomb segments are manufactured and bonded together, then thermal shock resistance is improved, but the manufacturing process becomes complex with many steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal shock resistanceVSAvoidmanufacturing process steps
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines multiple small honeycomb segments into a single large-sized structure with integrated outer peripheral surfaces, maintaining thermal shock resistance while simplifying the manufacturing process by enabling formation, drying, and firing as unitary operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-generated harmful factors

If cells on the inflow side are used for trapping particulate matter, then filtration is achieved, but clogging of these cells occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticulate matter trappingVSAvoidcell clogging
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention inverts the conventional arrangement by plugging cells at the exhaust gas inflow end instead of the outflow end, allowing trapped particulate matter to be contained within the honeycomb structure and preventing clogging of the inflow side cells

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2233453B1Honeycomb structure
Publication Date: 2015.07.01 NGK INSULATORS LTD
  • EP2233453B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2233453B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2233453B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

There is provided a honeycomb structure 100 comprising a plurality of honeycomb segments 4 where second cells 1b plugged only in the end portion 13 on one side and first cells 1a each plugged only in the other end portion on the other side are alternately disposed, with the first cells 1a having a cross-sectional area larger than that of the second cells 1b; the honeycomb segments 4 are disposed with a gap between side faces 5 facing each other, two or more plate-shaped connecting members 7 for connecting the side faces 5 facing each other are provided for each pair of side faces 5 facing each other, and a filler layer 11 disposed in the gap is provided; and an outer peripheral wall 3 constituting a side face 5 in contact with the filler layer 11 in the honeycomb segment 4 has protruding portions along an external shape of the first cells 1a and depressed portions along an external shape of the second cells 1b.