Magnesium Oxide Production via Aqueous Spray Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing magnesium oxide as a heat dissipating filler face challenges due to the hydration reaction with water, which makes aqueous spray drying processes impractical, and the need for expensive explosion-proof equipment and high-purity organic solvents in non-aqueous processes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that involve mixing distilled water with a magnesium oxide precursor powder and additives, followed by spray drying and heat treatment to produce dense, spherical magnesium oxide particles with high thermal conductivity, avoiding the use of organic solvents and expensive equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If aqueous spray drying is used to produce magnesium oxide particles, then production cost is reduced and safety is improved, but the process cannot be performed because magnesium oxide reacts with water to form magnesium hydroxide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using magnesium hydroxide powder as a precursor that has already reacted with water during mixing, then heating it to completion during the spray drying process. This allows the water-reactive magnesium oxide to be handled in an aqueous environment during mixing without immediate unwanted reactions, while still achieving the desired magnesium oxide product after heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter during the spray drying process, heating from ambient temperature to 100-200°C to drive the decomposition of magnesium hydroxide to magnesium oxide. This temperature parameter change enables the process to proceed in an aqueous environment while still producing the desired anhydrous magnesium oxide product.
2Reliability
If non-aqueous spray drying with organic solvents is used, then magnesium oxide particles can be produced without hydration reaction, but explosion-proof equipment and high-purity solvents are required increasing cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water, the cheapest and safest solvent, instead of expensive high-purity organic solvents. The water is consumed during the spray drying process and evaporated, leaving no costly solvent recovery requirements. This approach eliminates the need for expensive explosion-proof equipment while maintaining process feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful hydration reaction of magnesium oxide with water into a beneficial process step. Instead of viewing the water reaction as a problem to be avoided, the patent uses the water reaction to form magnesium hydroxide intermediate, then uses heating to convert it to the desired magnesium oxide product. This turns the previously harmful aqueous environment into a safe and economical process condition.
3Manufacturing precision
If spherical particles with diameter of 150 μm or less are produced, then dense filling into polymer resin is achieved, but conventional spray drying requires non-aqueous processes due to hydration reaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter during spray drying to 100-200°C, which enables the water-based process to produce spherical particles with diameter of 150 μm or less. This temperature parameter change allows the magnesium hydroxide to decompose to magnesium oxide during the drying process, achieving the desired particle size and shape while using safe aqueous conditions.
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 method achieves the production of magnesium oxide with high thermal conductivity, a spherical shape, and dense structure at a lower cost, suitable for use as a heat dissipating filler, while eliminating the need for expensive explosion-proof equipment and hazardous organic solvents.
Implementation Method 1
blowing high-temperature gas into the container where the droplets are sprayed and causing evaporation of the liquid components from the droplets
Implementation Method 2
a heat treatment part that produces magnesium oxide by heat treating granules produced in the spray drying part
Implementation Method 3
a mixing part that prepares a suspension by mixing distilled water, a magnesium oxide precursor powder, and an additive
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to an apparatus for producing magnesium oxide, a method for producing magnesium oxide by using same, magnesium oxide produced thereby, and use of the magnesium oxide. According to the apparatus for producing magnesium oxide, the method for producing magnesium oxide by using same and the magnesium oxide produced thereby of the present application, the magnesium oxide may have high thermal conductivity at low costs, a small spherical particle size, and a dense structure. Such magnesium oxide can be used as a heat-dissipating filler.