Liquid Treatment Apparatus Membrane Immersion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid treatment systems face challenges in reliably preventing the drying of filtration membranes, which can reduce treatment efficiency due to fluctuations in liquid levels and flow rates, and lack effective methods for maintaining consistent immersion of membranes in the liquid mixture.
Innovation Solution
The system involves performing photocatalytic reactions and filtration in separate tanks, with a circulation pump controlling the flow rate to ensure that the liquid level in the filtration tank remains higher than the photocatalytic reaction tank, and using overflow passages to maintain membrane immersion, thereby preventing exposure to air and ensuring continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a circulation pump is used to control liquid flow rate in the filtration tank, then the liquid level can be maintained higher to prevent membrane drying, but the device complexity increases due to additional pumping equipment and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
An overflow passage is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the photocatalytic reaction tank and filtration tank. This passive hydraulic structure automatically maintains the liquid level difference and ensures continuous membrane immersion without requiring active pump control, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the natural flow of liquid from the photocatalytic reaction tank to the filtration tank through the overflow passage. The liquid flow self-regulates to maintain the required liquid level in the filtration tank, eliminating the need for complex external control systems while ensuring reliable membrane immersion
2Productivity
If separate tanks are used for photocatalytic reaction and filtration, then the treatment process can be optimized independently in each stage, but the device complexity increases due to additional tanks and connection channels
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow passage serves a dual function: it acts as both the liquid level control mechanism and the connection channel between tanks. By merging these functions into a single structural element, the system achieves independent optimization of photocatalytic reaction and filtration while minimizing the increase in device complexity
3Reliability
If the liquid level in the filtration tank is maintained higher than the photocatalytic reaction tank, then membrane drying is prevented, but energy consumption increases due to the need for pumping against gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow passage creates a hydraulic equipotential connection between the two tanks, allowing liquid to flow from the higher photocatalytic reaction tank to the filtration tank without requiring additional pumping energy. The liquid level difference is maintained passively through the overflow mechanism, eliminating the need for energy-consuming pumps to maintain the elevation difference
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 effectively prevents membrane drying by maintaining a stable liquid level and flow rate, ensuring consistent membrane immersion and enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
a light source for emitting ultraviolet light with which the photocatalyst particles are irradiated; irradiating the photocatalyst particles contained in the liquid mixture stored in the internal space of the first tank with light emitted from the light source to convert the liquid mixture into a treated liquid
Implementation Method 2
a circulation pump; sucking the treated liquid into the second chamber of the second tank from the internal space of the first tank through the communication channel with the circulation pump
Implementation Method 3
a second tank comprising a filtration membrane therein; filtering the treated liquid with the filtration membrane in the second tank to discharge a filtrate provided in the first chamber of the second tank
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a liquid treatment apparatus of the present disclosure includes: (i) providing the liquid treatment apparatus; (ii) treating a polluted liquid in a photocatalytic reaction tank by a photocatalytic reaction to produce a treated liquid; (iii) introducing a liquid mixture into a separation tank from the photocatalytic reaction tank through a feed passage by a circulation pump; (iv) introducing a filtrate to an outside of the separation tank through an extraction passage while filtering the liquid mixture introduced into the separation tank by a filtration membrane, and feeding the liquid mixture to the photocatalytic reaction tank through an overflow passage; and (v) making a flow rate of the liquid mixture measured by a liquid mixture flow meter higher than a flow rate of the filtrate measured by a filtrate flow meter by controlling the circulation pump by a controller.