Multi-layer Liquid Purification Element for Urea-Water Filtration

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing liquid purification elements for urea-water solutions used in exhaust-gas purification often become blocked and are not easily exchangeable, leading to issues with impurities causing wear in exhaust-gas treatment devices and inefficient filtration.

Innovation Solution

A multi-layer liquid purification element with a liquid-permeable top layer and a liquid-impermeable base layer, connected by a liquid-impermeable seam, featuring a separate insert such as a filter layer and support layers to ensure effective filtration and prevent blockages, allowing for flexibility and adaptability to the surface of a tank or housing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a liquid purification element is used to filter impurities from urea-water solution, then the reliability of exhaust-gas treatment devices is improved, but the liquid purification element becomes blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of exhaust-gas treatment devicesVSAvoidfiltration efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid purification element is divided into multiple functional layers: a top layer with large pores for initial filtration, a middle layer with smaller pores for fine filtration, and a base layer for structural support. This segmentation allows different layers to handle different size particles, preventing clogging while maintaining filtration effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the purification element have different pore sizes and filtration characteristics. The top layer has larger pores suitable for initial impurity removal, while the middle layer has smaller pores for finer filtration. This local differentiation optimizes filtration at each stage without causing blockage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If a liquid purification element operates for a long period without blockage, then productivity is improved, but the element becomes exchangeable and restorable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating time without blockageVSAvoidexchangeability and restorability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The purification element is designed as a modular structure with distinct layers that can be separately manufactured and assembled. This segmentation enables easy replacement of the entire element or individual layers when blocking occurs, maintaining productivity while ensuring exchangeability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The purification element is designed as an economical, replaceable component rather than a permanent fixture. When blocking occurs after extended use, the entire element can be quickly replaced with a new one at low cost, maintaining system productivity without complex restoration procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If impurities are filtered from liquid additive, then harmful factors are reduced, but the purification element becomes blocked

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear in exhaust-gas treatment devicesVSAvoidfiltration efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-layer structure segments the filtration process into stages: the top layer captures large particles that would cause immediate blockage, while the middle layer with smaller pores handles fine particles that cause wear. This staged approach protects against both blockage and wear simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different layers have locally optimized pore sizes matched to specific particle size ranges. The top layer's larger pores handle coarse impurities, while the middle layer's smaller pores capture fine particles. This local quality matching prevents overload of any single layer, avoiding blockage while effectively reducing wear-causing particles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 solution effectively filters impurities from urea-water solutions, preventing blockages and wear in exhaust-gas treatment devices, while maintaining high permeability for urea-water solutions and low permeability for air, ensuring a reliable and long-lasting filtration process.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid-permeable top layer and having a liquid-impermeable base layer... effectively filters impurities from urea-water solutions

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

maintaining high permeability for urea-water solutions and low permeability for air

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSelective permeability: Semipermeable Membrane

Data Source

PatentUS10392995B2Liquid purification element

Publication Date: 2019.08.27 VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH

AI summary

A multi-layer liquid purification element includes a liquid-permeable top layer and a liquid-impermeable base layer. The base layer has a suction port for drawing-in liquid through the liquid purification element. At least the top layer and the base layer are connected to one another by a liquid-impermeable connection. At least one separate insert is disposed between the top layer and the base layer. A method for producing a liquid purification element, a device for extracting a liquid additive for exhaust-gas purification from a tank and a motor vehicle are also provided.