Lateral Capture Chamber for Ferric Sludge Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for capturing ferric sludge in hydraulic installations, such as central heating systems, require significant modifications to existing installations and involve tedious cleaning processes, making them impractical for implementation in pre-existing setups.
Innovation Solution
A device with a lateral capture chamber connected in parallel to the main pipe, utilizing a magnetic field to capture ferric sludge, allowing for easy integration without major modifications and facilitating cleaning without interrupting the main flow, using a purge circuit and annular capture zone for efficient particle detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large tank is used to reduce flow speeds and allow capture of ferric particles, then the capture efficiency is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The device divides the flow into two paths: a main flow continuing through the original pipe and a side flow diverted through a collection chamber with reduced cross-section. This segmentation allows the capture chamber to have smaller dimensions while still achieving adequate flow velocity reduction for particle capture.
Solution Approach 2:
A T-shaped connection piece serves as an intermediary element that connects the main pipe to the collection chamber. This intermediary structure enables the integration of the capture device into existing installations without requiring major modifications to the original hydraulic circuit.
2Device complexity
If the tank volume is reduced to simplify installation, then the device complexity decreases, but the flow velocity cannot be reduced enough to capture ferric particles effectively
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the flow into main and side streams, the invention achieves effective flow velocity reduction in a compact collection chamber. The side inlet with smaller cross-section creates the necessary conditions for particle capture without requiring a large tank volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection chamber is designed with specific local characteristics: a reduced cross-section at the side inlet area to slow down flow velocity locally, while maintaining connection to the main pipe. This local modification is sufficient for particle capture without requiring overall tank enlargement.
3Ease of manufacture
If magnetic bars are removed from housings to clean the tank, then the cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the operation complexity and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The magnetic bars are extracted from fixed housings and made removable, allowing them to be taken out during cleaning operations. This extraction enables direct access to the tank interior for thorough cleaning while maintaining the magnetic capture function during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic bar housing system transitions from a fixed to a dynamic configuration, allowing the bars to be moved between their operational position (housed) and cleaning position (removed). This dynamic design balances the competing requirements of capture effectiveness and cleaning accessibility.
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
Enables effective ferric sludge capture and reduction in closed-loop circuits with reduced flow velocities, allowing for small-volume capture chambers and efficient cleaning without stopping the main fluid circulation, thus simplifying installation and operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one magnetic field source adapted to generate in the capture chamber a magnetic field intended to retain ferric sludge
Implementation Method 2
the ferric particles are attracted by the magnetic field of the magnets and accumulate on the internal face of the recesses in the tank
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for capturing ferric sludge from a hydraulic circuit (2) ensuring the circulation of a main flow, comprising: - a main pipe (10) intended to be connected in series to the hydraulic circuit (2) and through which the main flow passes, - a lateral capture chamber (12) which is connected to the main pipe (10) by, on the one hand, at least one lateral inlet (13) whose passage section is substantially parallel to the median axis (Δ) of the main pipe (10) and, on the other hand, a secondary tube (18) which extends partly into the main pipe (10) and whose distal end (19) located in the main pipe (10) has a passage section located at a distance from the lateral inlet (13) and whose proximal end (20) is located in the capture chamber (12),- at least one source (35) of magnetic field adapted to generate in the collection chamber (12) a magnetic field intended to retain ferric sludge in a collection zone on at least part of the chamber wall, - a purge circuit (25) connected to the lateral collection chamber (12) opposite the main pipe (10) and controlled by a purge valve (26).