Membrane Roof With Variable Fluid Compensating Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Membrane roofs in existing technologies are too inflexible to adapt to varying pressures and volumes, which can occur due to different gas production rates or solar radiation, limiting their effectiveness in applications like biomass reactors.
Innovation Solution
A membrane roof with a gas-impermeable sealing film connected to the container edge, featuring a compensating element with a fluid-impermeable wall that encloses a variable fluid volume, allowing the effective covering surface to adjust in response to changing pressures by varying the fluid volume through a filling opening, and equipped with sensors for pressure regulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a membrane roof with fixed volume compensating element is used, then the structure is simple and stable, but it cannot adapt to varying gas production rates and pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating element is designed with a variable fluid volume that can be dynamically adjusted through a filling opening. The fluid volume can be changed in response to varying gas production rates and pressure conditions, allowing the membrane roof to adapt its shape and coverage area while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameter of fluid volume within the compensating element to achieve adaptability. By varying the amount of fluid in the compensating element, the membrane roof can adjust its effective covering surface area and respond to different pressure conditions without requiring a completely different structure.
2Reliability
If the sealing film is made non-stretchable to define enclosed volume, then gas containment is improved, but the system loses flexibility in adapting to pressure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into the non-stretchable sealing film for gas containment and the flexible compensating element with variable fluid volume for pressure adaptation. This segmentation allows each component to fulfill its specific function: the sealing film ensures gas tightness while the compensating element provides the necessary flexibility through fluid volume adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid within the compensating element acts as an intermediary that transfers and regulates pressure changes. The fluid volume can be adjusted to mediate between the internal gas pressure and the external environment, allowing the non-stretchable sealing film to maintain gas containment while the system as a whole remains adaptable to pressure variations.
3Quantity of substance
If the compensating element uses a circular cross-section to enclose maximum fluid volume, then pressure compensation efficiency is improved, but the effective covering surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The compensating element can dynamically change its cross-sectional shape by adjusting the fluid volume. When maximum fluid volume is needed for pressure compensation, it adopts a circular cross-section. When larger covering surface area is required, the fluid volume is reduced, allowing the element to flatten and expand its coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes parameter changes in the fluid volume of the compensating element to balance between pressure compensation efficiency and effective covering surface area. By controlling the amount of fluid, the system can optimize the cross-sectional geometry to meet different operational requirements.
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 membrane roof effectively adapts to different operating conditions by varying the sealing and effective covering areas, ensuring gas containment and efficient use of produced biogas while being easy to implement and recycle, with the ability to maintain predetermined pressures.
Implementation Method 1
the wall encloses a variable fluid volume in a fluid-impermeable manner. The fluid volume can be varied via a filling opening in the compensating element, and the compensating element has an effective covering surface that is continuously connected to the sealing surface
Data Source
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Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a membrane roof for covering a container, such as the reaction chamber of a biomass reactor, a basin, or a lagoon. The membrane roof comprises a gas-impermeable sealing film which is gas-impermeable to the edge of the container. The sealing film includes at least one compensating element.