Mineral Removal from Conductive Protonic Fluids
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for removing hardness-causing minerals from conductive protonic fluids, such as those used in cooling systems, face inefficiencies due to turbulence and non-uniform pH gradients, leading to reduced thermodynamic efficiency and the need for costly and hazardous maintenance to remove scale formations.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a non-alternating electric field in an electrochemical reaction chamber to selectively precipitate hardness-causing minerals, creating a controlled pH gradient that prevents mineral precipitation and generates oxidizing halogens for bio-treatment, reducing turbulence and eliminating the need for scale inhibitors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mineral removal systems are used, then minerals can be removed from the fluid, but turbulence increases and efficacy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fluid stream into discrete droplets using a piezoelectric transducer, creating numerous small treatment zones rather than treating bulk fluid. This segmentation allows effective mineral removal in each droplet while maintaining overall high flow rate through the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces mechanical mixing and turbulence-based mineral removal systems with an acoustic field generated by a piezoelectric transducer. This non-mechanical approach creates controlled droplet formation and internal mixing without the turbulence that plagues conventional mechanical systems.
2Productivity
If multiple conductive elements are used in vat systems, then treatment capacity increases, but flow interference and turbulence increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the conductive elements from the fluid path entirely, placing them only at the boundaries of the treatment chamber. The fluid passes through as droplets without contacting internal conductive structures, eliminating flow interference while maintaining treatment capacity through acoustic field application.
Solution Approach 2:
The piezoelectric transducer acts as an intermediary that generates acoustic waves to facilitate mineral removal without direct contact between conductive elements and the flowing fluid. This intermediary approach maintains treatment effectiveness while preserving smooth flow.
3Productivity
If flow rate through treatment vessels is increased, then productivity increases, but turbulence increases and mineral removal efficacy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the state of the fluid by creating oscillating droplets through acoustic fields. The droplets undergo dynamic expansion and contraction cycles that enhance internal mixing and mineral precipitation efficiency, allowing effective treatment even at high flow rates where static systems would fail.
4Reliability
If scale formations occur on surfaces, then heat transfer efficiency decreases, but aggressive cleaning is required to remove them
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by removing minerals from the fluid before they can precipitate and form scale on heat transfer surfaces. The acoustic field induces mineral precipitation in controlled droplet environments, preventing scale formation entirely and eliminating the need for aggressive maintenance cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The treatment chamber performs preliminary mineral removal and precipitation before the fluid reaches heat exchanger surfaces. By addressing the scale formation problem upstream, the system prevents the harmful effects of scale accumulation on heat transfer efficiency while avoiding hazardous maintenance 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 system effectively reduces mineral accumulation, maintains thermodynamic equilibrium, and generates oxidizing biocides, enhancing cooling system efficiency and safety by preventing scale formation and reducing chemical usage.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric transducer for generating acoustic waves to oscillate droplets
Implementation Method 2
generating acoustic waves to oscillate droplets
Implementation Method 3
The oscillating droplets also experience enhanced evaporation rates
Implementation Method 4
A system utilizing a non-alternating electric field in an electrochemical reaction chamber to selectively precipitate hardness-causing minerals
Implementation Method 5
A system utilizing a non-alternating electric field in an electrochemical reaction chamber to selectively precipitate hardness-causing minerals, creating a controlled pH gradient that prevents mineral precipitation and generates oxidizing halogens for bio-treatment
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems and methods for removing minerals from a conductive protonic fluid and creating oxidizers therein. A non-alternating flow of electrons in a conductive protonic fluid selectively precipitates hardness causing heavy minerals from the fluid. The decrease in hardness causing minerals leads to the protonic fluid moving towards a thermodynamic equilibrium that prevents precipitation of the noted hardness causing minerals. By-products from the process, like halogens, help oxidize other minerals and treat bio-life within the source. Systems include a vessel containing the conductive protonic fluid, a conductive protonic fluid flow mechanism, a power supply, a control mechanism, and one or more reaction chambers. The reaction chamber has at least one reaction chamber wall having a conductive surface and a conductive element. The power supply provides an electric field to the conductive protonic fluid in the reaction chamber such that the conductive surface and the conductive element have opposing charges which separate the conductive protonic fluid into negative and positive ions creating an ion gradient between the conductive element and conductive surface, resulting in a pH gradient between the conductive surface and the conductive element, thereby enhancing precipitation of the minerals on a positive end of the ion gradient.