Liquid Cooling via Volatile Vaporization and Gas Mediator Bubble Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cooling liquids containing surfactants and volatile components face challenges such as foaming and viscosity issues, leading to decreased density and flowability, and often require defoamers that are not suitable for all applications, especially in surfactant and food-related solutions.
Innovation Solution
A liquid cooling method involving the supply of the liquid to a cooling zone with a pressure equal to or below the saturated vapor pressure of the volatile component, where a gas other than the volatile component is introduced to contact the liquid, enhancing bubble removal and density without the need for defoamers, allowing for continuous, batch, or semibatch operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the liquid is supplied to a cooling zone with pressure equal to or below the saturated vapor pressure of the volatile component, then the liquid is cooled by vaporization, but bubbles are retained or entrained in the liquid to form foam, resulting in decreased density and flowability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gas other than the volatile component as an intermediary substance in the cooling zone. This gas acts as a mediator that facilitates bubble removal by providing a medium for vapor escape while preventing foam formation. The introduced gas interacts with the vaporized volatile component and bubbles to enable efficient separation without requiring defoamers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the cooling zone to be equal to or below the saturated vapor pressure of the volatile component. This parameter change enables vaporization cooling while controlling bubble behavior. By precisely controlling the pressure parameter, the system achieves cooling effectiveness while preventing harmful foam accumulation.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If defoamers are used to remove foam and bubbles from the liquid, then foam formation is reduced, but the method cannot be used in fields such as surfactants, sugars, thickener aqueous solutions, foods, etc.
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces defoamers with an introduced gas as a mediator for bubble removal. This gas intermediary achieves the same harmful factor reduction (foam removal) without the limitations of defoamers. The introduced gas is universally applicable across different liquid types including surfactants, sugars, thickener aqueous solutions, and foods, thereby expanding adaptability while maintaining effectiveness in reducing foam formation.
3Quantity of substance
If bubbles are retained or entrained in the liquid to form foam, then the liquid density and flowability decrease, but removing bubbles requires additional defoaming steps and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function with the bubble removal function into a single integrated process. By introducing a gas into the cooling zone, the system simultaneously achieves vaporization cooling and bubble/foam removal. This merging eliminates the need for separate defoaming steps and equipment, reducing device complexity while maintaining high liquid density through effective bubble removal.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the liquid is viscous or foaming, then bubbles do not easily burst at the gas-liquid interface, but this leads to foam formation like shaving cream or meringue, resulting in decreased flowability
Solution Approach 1:
The introduced gas acts as a mediator that interacts with stable bubbles in viscous or foaming liquids. This gas intermediary provides a pathway for bubble escape and coalescence, enabling even stable bubbles in high-viscosity or surfactant-containing liquids to be effectively removed. The result is improved liquid flowability while maintaining the inherent stability characteristics of the liquid composition.
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 method effectively increases the density and flowability of the cooled liquid, reduces contamination, and decreases the volume and cost of cooling equipment, while being applicable to viscous and foaming liquids without additional defoaming steps.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a liquid containing a volatile component and a surfactant to a cooling zone of an atmosphere having a pressure which is lower than or equal to the saturated vapor pressure of the volatile component so that at least a portion of the volatile component is vaporized, whereby the liquid is cooled
Implementation Method 2
A gas other than the volatile component is introduced into the cooling zone so that the gas contacts the liquid
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for cooling a liquid containing a volatile component and a surfactant by supplying the liquid to an atmosphere having a pressure which is lower than or equal to the saturated vapor pressure of the volatile component and thereby vaporizing at least a portion of the volatile component, wherein a flying time of the liquid defined as a value obtained by dividing a flying distance of the liquid by an initial speed of the liquid represented by: the liquid initial speed = a volume flow rate of the liquid during supply/a supply area of the liquid is 0.030 sec or more (I).