Membrane Distillation Device with Modular Frame for Easy Repair
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Membrane distillation devices require cumbersome disassembly and reassembly for replacing damaged membranes, leading to inefficiencies in water purification due to leaks of unpurified water into the purified stream.
Innovation Solution
The device features two disc-shaped membranes supported by a common frame with separate inlet and outlet openings, allowing for independent replacement of damaged membranes without affecting the entire system, with chambers designed for efficient water flow and condensation, and frames made of materials with low thermal conductivity to prevent environmental cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If membranes are supported by a common frame in parallel arrangement, then membrane replacement becomes easier and faster, but device complexity increases due to additional frame structures
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple independent membrane units, each supported by its own frame. This segmentation allows individual membranes to be replaced without affecting other units, making maintenance easier while keeping each frame structure relatively simple and modular.
Solution Approach 2:
Adjacent membrane units share common frames, merging structural elements to reduce the total number of frames needed. This combining approach simplifies the overall device structure while still allowing independent access and replacement of individual membranes.
2Ease of repair
If the device is disassembled for membrane replacement, then damaged membranes can be replaced, but productivity decreases due to system downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel arrangement of independent membrane units allows one or more units to be replaced while others continue operating. This segmentation enables maintenance without complete system shutdown, maintaining productivity during membrane replacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Membranes are designed for easy removal and replacement, allowing quick exchange operations. The preliminary design of accessible membrane positions and simple fixation mechanisms enables rapid replacement, minimizing system downtime and maintaining high productivity.
3Reliability
If unpurified water leaks into the purified water stream, then the purification function is compromised, but detecting the leak requires complex monitoring systems
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel arrangement of independent membrane units with separate inlet and outlet openings for purified water creates isolated flow paths. This segmentation prevents cross-contamination between units, ensuring that a leak in one unit does not affect the entire system's purification integrity, simplifying monitoring requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The common frame structure acts as an intermediary barrier between adjacent membrane units, providing physical separation and preventing direct mixing of purified water streams from different units. This intermediary structure maintains purification integrity without requiring complex active monitoring systems.
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
Enables efficient and time-saving membrane replacement, maintaining the integrity of purified water production by allowing for easy removal and replacement of faulty membranes without disrupting the operation of other units, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of membrane distillation.
Implementation Method 1
a membrane 3 through which gaseous water can pass but not liquid water
Implementation Method 2
The temperature difference between the water and the colder disc causes the water to evaporate
Implementation Method 3
to pass the membrane and to condense on the other, colder wall
Implementation Method 4
frames made of materials with low thermal conductivity to prevent environmental cooling
Data Source
AI summary
Device for producing pure water, where the water to be purified is caused to be membrane distilled using one or more units (1), wherein each of the units comprises a space which on its one side comprises a first disc-shaped wall (4,4′) and on its other side a membrane (3,3′) through which gaseous water can pass but not liquid water, and a second disc-shaped wall (5,10), which walls are disposed on different sides of and at a distance from the membrane, wherein water is led in between the first wall (4,4′) and the membrane (3,3′), and wherein the second wall (5,10) is caused to be colder than the water. The invention is characterized in that the first disc-shaped wall (4,4′) is also a membrane through which gaseous water can pass but not liquid water, in that two adjacent membranes (3, 4; 3′ 4′) are supported by a common frame (6), in that the space between the membranes is provided with an inlet opening (7,7′) for water to be purified and an outlet opening (8,8′), in that the second wall (5,10) is a part of a chamber (9) formed by two parallel walls, in that the chamber is provided with an inlet opening (11,11′) for water which is colder than the water to be purified and provided with an outlet opening (12,12′), and in that chambers (9,9′) are arranged in parallel with the membranes at both sides of the frame (6).