Hydrophobic Membrane Disk for Diesel Fuel Water Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing diesel engine fuel filters struggle to completely remove re-entrained water droplets from diesel fuel oil, leading to potential engine damage, and current solutions using hydrophobic materials are costly.
Innovation Solution
A hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk is used to span the outlet passageway of the filter, effectively separating re-entrained water from the fuel before it exits, reducing the need for expensive hydrophobic material and enhancing flow velocity while preventing water from reaching downstream components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If secondary coalescing elements made of hydrophobic material are provided within the interior of the internal support frame, then re-entrained water droplets can be captured, but the cost increases considerably due to the expensive hydrophobic material
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrophobic foraminous membrane is applied locally only at the outlet passageway where water droplet separation is most critical, rather than throughout the entire filter interior. This localized application maintains effective water separation while minimizing the quantity of expensive hydrophobic material required, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential function of water droplet capture from the bulk hydrophobic coalescing elements and concentrates it into a thin foraminous membrane structure at the outlet. This extraction allows the system to maintain water separation capability while dramatically reducing material cost and complexity
2Ease of manufacture
If a hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk is used to span the outlet passageway, then the amount of expensive hydrophobic material needed is reduced, but the filter structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a thin foraminous membrane film to perform the water separation function. This thin-film approach replaces bulky hydrophobic coalescing elements with a delicate but effective membrane structure that spans the outlet passageway, reducing material cost while the membrane's porous structure provides the necessary separation capability without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The foraminous membrane is a porous material that allows fuel to pass through while blocking water droplets. The porous structure provides an inherent flow path that simplifies the overall filter design compared to complex internal support frames with multiple coalescing elements, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining low material cost
3Productivity
If the hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk is made planar, then flow velocity through the membrane is maximized, but water particles may still reach downstream components
Solution Approach 1:
The foraminous membrane's porous structure creates surface tension barriers at the pore openings that prevent water particles from passing through, even when the membrane is planar and flow velocity is high. The pore geometry and hydrophobic surface properties work together to block water while allowing fuel to pass, resolving the contradiction between maintaining high flow velocity and ensuring complete water particle removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical water droplet capture mechanisms (such as internal support frames and gravity-dependent coalescing elements) with a surface tension-based foraminous membrane barrier. This substitution allows planar membrane design that maximizes flow velocity while the surface tension effect at the porous structure provides reliable water particle blocking without complex mechanical features
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 removes re-entrained water droplets, reducing the risk of engine damage and minimizing the use of costly hydrophobic materials, while maintaining high flow velocity and manufacturing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk that spans the inlet opening for separating water from fuel passing through the hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk
Data Source
AI summary
A filter including a ring of filter media circumscribing a central cavity, an exit passageway downstream of the central cavity and that has an inlet opening disposed within the central cavity, and a hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk that spans the inlet opening for separating water from fuel passing through the hydrophobic foraminous membrane disk.