Melt Blowing Nozzle Duct System for Tube Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing melt blowing nozzle apparatuses face significant assembly challenges due to the complexity of connecting an air distribution plate with numerous precisely fitted passages to the tubes, limiting the number of tubes that can be assembled on a nozzle plate to a relatively small number.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a duct system within a common distribution installation for connecting and distributing the melt inlet to the capillaries of the tubes and the process air inlet to the extrusion openings of the extrusion plate, allowing for centralized air feeding and separate guidance of polymer melt and process air, thereby simplifying assembly and reducing installation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If an air distribution plate with numerous precisely fitted passages is used to distribute process air to multiple tubes, then air distribution is enabled, but assembly complexity increases significantly and the number of tubes is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The air distribution function is extracted from the traditional air distribution plate and integrated into the nozzle plate itself through air passage openings. This eliminates the separate air distribution plate component and its complex precisely fitted passages, significantly simplifying the assembly process while maintaining the ability to distribute process air to numerous tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The air distribution functionality is merged with the nozzle plate structure. The nozzle plate now serves dual purposes: supporting the tube array and distributing process air through integrated air passage openings. This consolidation reduces the number of components and assembly steps required.
2Ease of manufacture
If tubes protrude far outward from the nozzle plate to enable process air supply below the plate, then air distribution is enabled, but the installation space below the nozzle plate increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of supplying process air from below the nozzle plate through long protruding tubes, the air supply direction is inverted. Process air is now supplied from above the nozzle plate through air passage openings that penetrate the plate, allowing tubes to remain short while maintaining air distribution capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The air distribution approach transitions from a vertical dimension (below the plate) to a horizontal dimension (through the plate). Air passage openings penetrate the nozzle plate horizontally, enabling process air to reach tubes without requiring them to protrude far outward, thus reducing installation space requirements.
3Productivity
If a massive number of tubes (>10,000) are assembled on one nozzle plate to achieve large working widths, then productivity increases, but assembly complexity and difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The complex air distribution plate component is removed entirely, eliminating the need to align and assemble precisely fitted passages for each tube. The simplified nozzle plate with integrated air passage openings can accommodate >10,000 tubes without proportionally increasing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube arrangement parameters are optimized with uniform spacing and standardized dimensions. The air passage openings are configured in a regular pattern that matches the tube array, enabling systematic assembly of large numbers of tubes while maintaining manufacturing precision and reducing complexity.
4Reliability
If tubes have critical length requirements for capillary bores to function properly, then extrusion performance is maintained, but installation flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air supply approach is inverted from bottom-up through long tubes to top-down through short tubes. This allows tubes to have optimized critical lengths for capillary bore function while reducing installation space requirements and improving installation flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Air distribution transitions to a horizontal flow pattern through the nozzle plate, perpendicular to the tube length direction. This dimensional change allows tubes to maintain their critical length for proper capillary function while the overall installation footprint is reduced, enhancing installation flexibility.
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 solution enables the assembly of nozzle plates with over 10,000 tubes and working widths greater than 2 meters, while minimizing installation space and facilitating easier assembly by reducing the complexity of air distribution and tube length requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a duct system of a common distribution installation is provided for the connection and distribution of the melt inlet to the capillaries of the tubes, and for the connection and distribution of the process air inlet to the extrusion openings of the extrusion plate
Implementation Method 2
The distribution plates here are preferably formed from very thin metals, the surface grooves and passages thereof being produced by an etching method
Implementation Method 3
the extrusion plate by way of an air distribution chamber penetrated by the tubes bears in a pressure-tight manner on a lower side of the nozzle plate, the air passage openings of the nozzle plate opening into said air distribution chamber
Implementation Method 4
the distribution installation bears in a pressure-tight manner on an upper side of the nozzle plate
Data Source
AI summary
A melt blowing nozzle apparatus for producing a plurality of fiber strands from a polymer melt has at least one melt inlet and at least one process air inlet. The apparatus further has a nozzle plate having a plurality of small tubes, each having a capillary bore for extruding the fiber strands, and an extrusion plate arranged underneath the nozzle plate, which extrusion plate has a plurality of extrusion openings for blowing out the fiber strands, corresponding to the small tubes. Each extrusion opening encloses one of the small tubes with an air gap. To ensure mountability in case of a large number of small tubes, a channel system of a common distribution device is provided for connection and distribution of the melt inlet to the capillaries of the small tubes and for connection and distribution of the process air inlet to the extrusion openings of the extrusion plate.