Nano-protrusion Filter Mat for Liquid Aerosol Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current depth filters face challenges in efficiently removing nanometric liquid droplets from fluid streams due to high flow resistance and adhesion issues, which affect filtration efficiency and the need for frequent filter replacement.
Innovation Solution
The development of composite filtering structures featuring nanofibers with nano-protrusions oriented at specific angles, which reduce the surface affinity of liquid droplets, allowing for effective drainage and improved filtration efficiency by creating a palisade of nano-protrusions on the fiber surface, enhancing droplet coalescence and flow-off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If smaller fibre diameters are used in the filter, then filtration efficiency is improved, but flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter structure employs local quality by creating nano-protrusions specifically on the fiber surfaces that interact with liquid droplets, while maintaining the overall fibrous matrix structure. These localized nano-protrusions (with specific dimensions of 10-50 nm height and 2-10 nm diameter) provide enhanced hydrophobicity and droplet coalescence functionality without requiring the entire filter to use ultrafine fibers that would increase flow resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by combining conventional microfibers with nano-protrusions formed through chemical etching or electrospinning. This composite structure integrates the mechanical strength and flow characteristics of microfibers with the enhanced droplet repulsion and coalescence properties of nano-protrusions, achieving both low flow resistance and high filtration efficiency for liquid aerosols.
2Measurement precision
If higher fibre density is used to increase filtration efficiency, then particle capture improves, but flow resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter structure employs local quality by creating nano-protrusions specifically on the fiber surfaces that interact with liquid droplets, while maintaining the overall fibrous matrix structure. These localized nano-protrusions (with specific dimensions of 10-50 nm height and 2-10 nm diameter) provide enhanced hydrophobicity and droplet coalescence functionality without requiring the entire filter to use ultrafine fibers that would increase flow resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes porous materials by maintaining a highly porous fibrous matrix with controlled porosity (30-80%) while adding nano-protrusions to the fiber surfaces. This porous structure allows adequate fluid flow through the filter while the nano-protrusions provide the necessary surface properties for droplet capture and coalescence, resolving the contradiction between particle capture capability and flow resistance.
3Loss of energy
If filter porosity is increased to reduce flow resistance, then energy expenditure decreases, but filtration efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The filter structure employs local quality by creating nano-protrusions specifically on the fiber surfaces that interact with liquid droplets, while maintaining the overall fibrous matrix structure. These localized nano-protrusions (with specific dimensions of 10-50 nm height and 2-10 nm diameter) provide enhanced hydrophobicity and droplet coalescence functionality without requiring the entire filter to use ultrafine fibers that would increase flow resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite materials by combining conventional microfibers with nano-protrusions formed through chemical etching or electrospinning. This composite structure integrates the mechanical strength and flow characteristics of microfibers with the enhanced droplet repulsion and coalescence properties of nano-protrusions, achieving both low flow resistance and high filtration efficiency for liquid aerosols.
4Measurement precision
If fibre diameter is reduced to capture smaller particles, then filtration efficiency improves, but fibre curvature increases causing turbulent flow
Solution Approach 1:
The filter structure employs local quality by creating nano-protrusions specifically on the fiber surfaces that interact with liquid droplets, while maintaining the overall fibrous matrix structure. These localized nano-protrusions (with specific dimensions of 10-50 nm height and 2-10 nm diameter) provide enhanced hydrophobicity and droplet coalescence functionality without requiring the entire filter to use ultrafine fibers that would increase flow resistance.
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 modified fiber structure achieves lower adhesiveness and increased filtration efficiency, reducing flow resistance and extending filter lifespan while maintaining high porosity and particle capture capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
the formed fibres being still in the molten phase are stretched to a smaller diameter by a stream of hot air flowing tangentially to the fibres... to form a mat of packed fibres... nanometric-sized fibres... spatially distributed among fibres of micrometer-size... palisade of protrusions in the form of nano-protrusions... oriented with respect to the said fibre surface... lower adhesiveness
Implementation Method 2
blowing technique of a molten polymer i.e. melt-blown polymer formation technique... thermoplastic polymer material is fed from an extruder to a fibre formation die... formed fibres being still in the molten phase are stretched to a smaller diameter by a stream of hot air flowing tangentially to the fibres
Implementation Method 3
filtration of liquid aerosols in the form of two-phase systems... depth filtration... removal of nanometric liquid droplets from a fluid stream... filtration efficiency... flow resistance... dust capacity
Data Source
AI summary
Composite filtering structures comprising nanofibers spatially distributed between microfibers, wherein on the nanofibers and on the microfibers a palisade of protrusions of nanometric sizes in the form of nano-protrusions is produced, which palisade comprises nano-protrusions oriented with respect to the fiber surface at an angle ranging from about 70° to about 120°. A method of obtaining such composite filtering structures by a method that includes feeding a thermoplastic material from an extruder to at least one fiber formation die, stretching formed fibers coming out from the die, which fibers being still in a molten phase, to smaller sizes by a stream of hot air flowing tangentially to the fibers, collecting the fibers after their solidification and thus forming a mat of packed fibers providing a filtering structure, and subjecting the filtering structure to chemical etching.