Method for treating a substrate made of animal fibers with solid particles and a chemical formulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating animal substrates like skins and leather require large amounts of water, leading to excessive chemical use and environmental pollution, with inefficiencies in water usage and treatment duration, and lack advancements in tanning processes for over 75 years.
Innovation Solution
A method involving agitation of a moistened animal substrate with a treatment formulation and solid particulate material in a sealed apparatus, which can be aqueous or waterless, using tanning agents to chemically modify the substrate, reducing water consumption, and enhancing treatment efficiency and substrate properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional water-based treatment methods are used, then chemical modification and preservation of animal substrate can be achieved, but water consumption is excessively high (30 kg water per kg hide)
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the treatment medium from liquid (water-based) to solid (particles), fundamentally altering how treatment chemicals are delivered to the substrate. Solid particles can be suspended in minimal water or used in waterless conditions, reducing water consumption from 30 kg water/kg hide to near-zero while maintaining treatment effectiveness through mechanical agitation and particle-substrate contact.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If large volumes of water are used for treatment, then chemical modification can proceed effectively, but excessive amounts of polluting effluents are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts water from the treatment system, separating the essential function (chemical treatment) from the harmful medium (large volumes of water that become polluting effluent). By using solid particles as the treatment carrier, the system eliminates the need for large water volumes, thereby removing the source of polluting effluent while retaining the chemical modification capability.
3Duration of action of moving object
If only low levels of mechanical action are used to avoid damaging substrate, then substrate integrity is maintained, but long process times are necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic mechanical agitation using solid particles that move and tumble during treatment. This controlled dynamic action provides sufficient mechanical force to enhance treatment penetration and reduce process time while the brief, intermittent nature of particle-substrate contact prevents cumulative damage to the substrate structure.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional treatment processes are used, then chemical modification can be achieved, but advancements have been stagnant for 75 years
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the traditional liquid-based chemical treatment system with a solid particle-based system. This substitution fundamentally changes the treatment mechanism from diffusion-dominated liquid absorption to mechanical agitation-enhanced particle-substrate contact, dramatically improving treatment efficiency and modernizing a process that has remained unchanged for 75 years.
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 method significantly reduces water usage by up to 75%, decreases chemical requirements, and enhances mechanical action for faster and more uniform treatment, resulting in improved substrate penetration, uniformity, and aesthetic qualities while minimizing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
chemical modification to confer certain properties on the animal substrate. Chemical modification of the substrate can be carried out for the purpose of, inter alia, preserving, waterproofing, colouring
Implementation Method 2
enhances mechanical action for faster and more uniform treatment
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a method for treating an animal substrate comprising: agitating the moistened animal substrate with a treatment formulation and a solid particulate material in a sealed apparatus wherein the treatment formulation comprises a tanning agent or a tannery process agent. The method can comprise applying the tanning agent or tannery process agent to the animal substrate wherein at least some of the agent so applied originates from the treatment formulation. There is also disclosed an animal substrate obtained by the method. The treatment formulation can be aqueous.