Integrated Heat Treatment and Cooling for High-Pressure Storage Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing high-pressure fluid storage containers face issues with quality variations and safety risks due to the need to move the containers between heat treatment and cooling processes, particularly for large containers, which can lead to accidents during transfer.
Innovation Solution
A continuous heat treatment system that includes a first transfer unit for longitudinal movement within a heat treatment space, a heating unit, a second transfer unit with a lifting part for vertical movement, and a cooling apparatus with a cooling bath, allowing consecutive heat treatment and cooling processes without relocating the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the container is moved from heat treatment furnace to cooling bath using a crane, then the cooling process can be performed, but quality variations occur due to transfer time differences and safety risks arise during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat treatment furnace and cooling bath into a single integrated system where the cooling bath is positioned directly beneath the heat treatment furnace. This allows the container to remain in the same location for both heating and cooling operations, eliminating transfer risks and ensuring consistent heat treatment quality while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the cooling bath underneath the heat treatment furnace. The container is lowered vertically into the cooling bath after heat treatment, avoiding horizontal transfer operations that pose safety risks and quality variations.
2Productivity
If the container is moved to a separate location for cooling, then the cooling process can be completed, but productivity decreases due to transfer time and process discontinuity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous processing by positioning the cooling bath directly beneath the heat treatment furnace, allowing the container to transition seamlessly from heating to cooling without interruption or transfer. This continuous operation eliminates idle transfer time and maximizes manufacturing efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If a crane is used to transfer the heated container, then the cooling process can be initiated, but serious accidents can occur due to the high temperature and large size of the container
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for crane operations by utilizing vertical movement through a lifting device that lowers the container directly into the cooling bath positioned beneath the heat treatment furnace. This approach removes the safety hazards associated with crane handling of hot, large containers while maintaining operational ease.
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
This system reduces process time, improves productivity, minimizes quality variations, and prevents accidents by enabling continuous processing of high-pressure fluid storage containers.
Implementation Method 1
a heating unit which heats an interior of the heat treatment space to a predetermined heat treatment temperature atmosphere
Implementation Method 2
a cooling bath in which a cooling space for accommodating a cooling fluid is formed and which is provided under the second transfer unit to cool the high-pressure fluid storage container located in the cooling space as the lifting part is lowered
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous heat treatment system for a high-pressure fluid storage container includes a heat treatment apparatus including a first transfer unit which transfers a high-pressure fluid storage container, in which a high-pressure fluid is stored, in a longitudinal direction through the heat treatment space and a heating unit which heats an interior of the heat treatment space to a predetermined heat treatment temperature atmosphere and a cooling apparatus including a second transfer unit which continuously transfers the high-pressure fluid storage container transferred from the first transfer unit in the longitudinal direction and in which a lifting part is formed in at least a partial section to be vertically moved in a state in which the high-pressure fluid storage container is held, a lifting driving unit which vertically moves the lifting part, and a cooling bath in which a cooling space for accommodating a cooling fluid is formed.