Liquid-Lock Venting for Heated Gas Overpressure Relief

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas treatment systems face safety issues due to potential overpressure and heat loss when using electrical heating, particularly in closed box configurations, and inefficiencies in open vent systems, especially when dealing with combustible or explosive gases.

Innovation Solution

A gas treatment system with a venting arrangement featuring a liquid lock unit that safely releases overpressure to a safe location while cooling the gas, utilizing a water-cooled dome element and inlet/outlet lines to manage pressure and prevent explosions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a closed box configuration is used with electrical heating, then heat loss is reduced and efficiency is improved, but safety issues arise due to potential overpressure and explosion hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat lossVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A liquid lock unit filled with liquid (typically water) is introduced as an intermediary between the process space and the external environment. This liquid barrier prevents direct communication while allowing controlled pressure relief, thus maintaining safety without compromising the closed-box efficiency. The liquid lock absorbs and dissipates potential ignition sources while preventing explosive atmospheres from forming outside the process vessel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The venting function is extracted from the closed box system and relocated to a safe location through the liquid lock unit. This allows the main process chamber to remain sealed and efficient, while the extracted venting pathway provides safety by directing potential overpressure to a controlled discharge point away from sensitive areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If an open vent system is used, then safety is improved by releasing overpressure, but heat loss increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesafetyVSAvoidheat loss

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid lock unit serves as an intermediary that connects the closed process system to the external environment. It provides a controlled pathway for pressure relief while maintaining thermal isolation, thus enabling safety venting without the continuous heat loss associated with open vent systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the state of the venting mechanism from a continuously open state to a controlled state that only opens when necessary (when pressure exceeds the liquid lock barrier). This parameter change ensures that heat loss occurs only during actual pressure relief events rather than continuously, thereby improving overall thermal efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If electrical heating elements are used in a closed system, then heating efficiency is improved, but explosion hazards increase due to potential gas leakage and accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidexplosion hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid lock unit acts as an intermediary safety barrier between the electrically heated process space and the external environment. It prevents the accumulation of explosive gas atmospheres by providing a controlled release pathway, thus eliminating the explosion hazard while allowing the efficient electrical heating system to continue operating in a predominantly closed configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The potential harmful effect of gas leakage and pressure buildup is converted into a beneficial safety mechanism. The liquid lock unit is designed to fail safely by allowing controlled泄压 (pressure relief) when gas accumulation occurs, thus transforming what could be an explosion hazard into a protective feature that prevents catastrophic failure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 system effectively manages overpressure and heat loss, ensuring safety and efficiency by venting gases to a safe location while cooling them, using a water-cooled liquid lock unit to prevent explosions and maintain system integrity.

Implementation Method 1

The liquid lock unit is configured to cool the headspace using water withdrawn from the water volume

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

a dome element is provided and the second end of the inlet line opens into an interior space of the dome element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP4650043A1Gas treatment system and method for treating a gas

Publication Date: 2025.11.19 SELAS LINDE

Figure 1
Figure 2

AI summary

A gas treatment system (100) for treating a gas as provided herein comprises a housing (1) enclosing heatable tubes (2) and electric heating means (3) configured to heat the heatable tubes (2) and a venting arrangement (110) configured to vent the housing (1) when a pressure of a gas in the housing (1) exceeds a threshold pressure, wherein the venting arrangement (110) comprising a liquid lock unit (4). A method for treating a gas is also provided herein.