Laundry Neutralization pH Feedback Control to Reduce Agent Overdose

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for neutralizing laundry after washing, which involves removing acidic or basic treatment liquids, often result in overdosing of neutralizing agents, leading to incomplete neutralization, environmental pollution, and unnecessary costs.

Innovation Solution

A method involving continuous sampling and filtration of the rinsing liquid after washing, with pH measurements used to gradually add small amounts of neutralizing agents until a neutral pH is achieved, ensuring complete or almost complete neutralization without overdosing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If neutralizing agents are added in estimated amounts or based on empirical values, then the neutralization process can be initiated, but the pH value changes from acidic to basic or vice versa, resulting in incomplete neutralization and environmental pollution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneutralization completenessVSAvoidneutralizing agent overdose

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback control system where the pH value of the rinsing liquid is continuously measured during the neutralization process. Based on the measured pH value, the control unit automatically regulates the addition of neutralizing agent, adjusting the dosage in real-time to achieve complete neutralization without overdose. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates the need for empirical estimations and prevents pH value overshooting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If neutralizing agents are added in larger amounts to ensure complete neutralization, then the pH value can be adjusted, but environmental pollution increases and costs rise unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneutralization completenessVSAvoidenvironmental pollution

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control system continuously monitors the pH value of the rinsing liquid and automatically adjusts the neutralizing agent dosage based on real-time measurements. This feedback control ensures that the minimum necessary amount of neutralizing agent is added to achieve complete neutralization, preventing environmental pollution and reducing costs by eliminating unnecessary overdose.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If samples are taken from the washing liquid for pH measurement, then the pH value can be determined, but the measurement may be affected by components in the liquid and require filtration

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepH measurement accuracyVSAvoidfiltration requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates a filtration device that filters the rinsing liquid sample before it reaches the pH measurement sensor. This preliminary filtration action removes interfering components from the liquid, ensuring accurate pH measurements without allowing particles or other substances to affect the sensor or measurement process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If the pH value is measured without filtration, then the measurement process is simpler, but accompanying substances in the samples may negatively affect the measurement technology and falsify the measurement result

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement process simplicityVSAvoidpH measurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration device is integrated into the measurement system to automatically filter samples before they reach the pH sensor. This preliminary filtration step ensures measurement accuracy by removing interfering substances, while the automated nature of the filtration process maintains operational simplicity and does not significantly complicate the overall system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 approach allows for precise and controlled neutralization of the laundry liquid, reducing environmental impact and costs by minimizing the amount of neutralizing agents used, ensuring a neutral pH is reached effectively.

Implementation Method 1

a pH sensor (31) for measuring a pH value of the rinsing liquid (2)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectpH measurement:

Implementation Method 2

a filter (29) for filtering the sample liquid (26)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2789723B1Method for wet treatment, in particular for washing, of laundry

Publication Date: 2017.10.25 HERBERT KANNEGIESSER GMBH & CO

AI summary

Washed laundry still contains bound acidic or alkaline rinsing liquid after rinsing. This must be neutralized many times. So far, this has been based on empirical values, which usually only leads to partial neutralization. According to the invention, sample liquid is continuously removed from the neutralization chamber (18) and, after it has been finely filtered, the pH value of the sample liquid is continuously measured by a pH value measuring device (31). In this way, a pH value control is possible, which ensures automatic complete neutralization of the rinsing liquid still bound in the laundry after rinsing.