Inflatable Aeraulic Register With Intermediate Particle Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing air dampers for aeration pipes suffer from imperfect sealing, high pressure drop, and the inability to prevent particle passage when opened, which is particularly problematic in gas treatment systems operating in both open and closed loop modes.

Innovation Solution

An air damper with an inflatable shutter and a radially deformable filter medium that transitions through three states: a deflated state for low pressure and free gas flow, an intermediate filtering state, and a fully inflated state for sealing, ensuring no gas passage, using a double-walled 3D textile filter with electrostatic capabilities for enhanced particle capture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a filter is placed downstream of the air register, then particles are captured, but a permanent pressure drop is induced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparticle passageVSAvoidpressure drop
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The filter's state is made dynamic through the inflatable shutter mechanism. The filter can be compressed radially by inflating the shutter to prevent particle passage, or relaxed to allow free flow when particles are not present. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction between capturing particles and maintaining low pressure drop during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state of the filter is changed by varying the radial compression parameter. When the inflatable shutter is deflated, the filter is in a relaxed state with low resistance to flow. When inflated, the filter is compressed into a dense state that captures particles while maintaining acceptable pressure drop. This parameter change allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a sash damper with sliding plate is used, then tight sealing is achieved, but the plate protrudes with respect to the aeration duct making it cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesealingVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The inflatable shutter is nested within the filter structure, with the shutter contained inside the cylindrical filter medium. This nested arrangement allows the sealing mechanism to be integrated within the duct profile without protruding externally, eliminating the cumbersome appearance of traditional sash dampers while maintaining tight sealing capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 provides a low-pressure drop when open, effective sealing when closed, and captures particles within the filter when transitioning states, preventing their release into the environment, thus addressing the sealing and particle passage issues of existing dampers.

Implementation Method 1

a filter medium which is elastically deformable radially with respect to the axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

double-walled 3D textile filter with electrostatic capabilities for enhanced particle capture

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic attraction: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentEP3884186B1Aeraulic register assuming an intermediate filtering state between pass and non-pass states
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 GUARD IND
  • EP3884186B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3884186B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3884186B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

An aeraulic register (20) for a pipe comprises an internal passage (22) having an axis (24), a filter (25) which externally delimits the internal passage and comprises a radially and resiliently deformable filtering medium (26), and an inflatable stopper (42) which is capable of assuming a deflated state, in which free circulation of gas is possible through the internal passage without substantial head loss, an inflated state at a first pressure, in which the inflatable stopper obstructs the internal passage and circulation of gas is possible through the filter, which thereby recovers any particles which may be present in the pipe, and an inflated state at a second pressure greater than the first pressure, in which the inflatable stopper obstructs the internal passage and radially compresses the filter to the extent of preventing any passage of gas through the filter, thereby closing the pipe in a fluid-tight manner.