Processing Member With Minute Ducts For Temperature Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional processing devices face challenges in rapidly and precisely controlling the temperature of material fluids during chemical processes like extraction, separation, and reaction, due to limited heat transfer areas and potential for thermal decomposition or fluid segmentation, especially when using heat exchangers or temperature-regulating jackets.

Innovation Solution

A processing device with a processing member featuring isolated minute flow passages for the material fluid and heat medium flow passages, allowing for efficient heat exchange and precise temperature control, even in large heat capacity systems, without the need for external agitation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a heat exchanger or temperature-regulating jacket is used for temperature control, then temperature regulation capability is improved, but temperature uniformity deteriorates due to localized heating/cooling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature regulation capabilityVSAvoidtemperature uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The processing member is divided into multiple independent processing units, each with its own minute flow passage and heat medium flow passage. This segmentation allows distributed temperature control throughout the processing bath, preventing localized overheating or cooling while maintaining overall temperature uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Speed

If agitation is strengthened to speed up heating and cooling, then temperature control speed is improved, but material fluid segmentation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control speedVSAvoidfluid homogeneity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The processing member is divided into multiple independent processing units, each with its own minute flow passage and heat medium flow passage. This segmentation allows distributed temperature control throughout the processing bath, preventing localized overheating or cooling while maintaining overall temperature uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Speed

If temperature difference between material fluid and heat medium is increased to speed up heating/cooling, then temperature control speed is improved, but thermal decomposition risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control speedVSAvoidthermal decomposition

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs multiple processing units with individual temperature control, allowing different regions to operate at optimally different temperature differences. This local differentiation enables faster overall temperature control while preventing excessive temperature differences that could cause thermal decomposition in any single location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Speed

If heat transmission area is increased to speed up heating and cooling, then temperature control speed is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature control speedVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processing member is divided into multiple independent processing units, each with its own minute flow passage and heat medium flow passage. This segmentation allows distributed temperature control throughout the processing bath, preventing localized overheating or cooling while maintaining overall temperature uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heat medium flow passages are arranged concentrically around the minute flow passages within each processing unit, creating a nested structure that maximizes heat transmission area within a compact volume without significantly increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 rapid and precise temperature control of material fluids during chemical processes, reducing the risk of thermal decomposition and fluid segmentation, while maintaining uniform temperature conditions within the processing bath.

Implementation Method 1

heat exchange is capable of being performed between the material fluid flowing through the minute flow passage and the heat medium flowing through the heat medium flow passage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS9744516B2Processing device and processing method

Publication Date: 2017.08.29 KOBE STEEL LTD

AI summary

A processing device and processing method that can perform processing of a starting material fluid while favorably controlling the processing temperature of same. The processing device includes: a processing member that leads in the starting material fluid and processes same therewithin; and a processing tank that houses the processing member and retains the processed processing products. The processing member includes: a minute duct provided therewithin and causes the flow-through of the starting material fluid; and a heat medium duct that causes the flow-through of a heat medium having a different temperature from that of the starting material fluid flowing through the minute duct. The minute duct and the heat medium duct are separated from each other so that heat exchange is possible between the starting material fluid and heat medium flowing through.