Nanofiber Vent Device for Urea Water Tank
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urea water tanks in SCR systems for diesel engines face contamination issues due to external dust, foreign substances, and moisture entering through their venting systems, which can pollute the stored urea water.
Innovation Solution
A nanofiber vent device with a filter unit manufactured using electrospinning, featuring a porous nanofiber web with diameters between 0.1 μm and 1.5 μm, and treated for oil- or water-repellency, is installed in the urea water tank to discharge gases while preventing contaminants from entering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional pipe vent device is used, then gas discharge function is provided, but pollutants such as external dust, foreign substances, and moisture are introduced into the urea water tank
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous nanofiber web filter unit with controlled pore sizes (0.1-1.5 μm) that allows gas molecules to pass through while blocking larger pollutant particles such as dust, foreign substances, and moisture droplets. This porous structure resolves the contradiction by providing both gas discharge functionality and pollutant filtration capability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent device combines multiple materials with different properties: the porous nanofiber web for filtration, hydrophobic coating materials for water repellency, and oleophobic coating materials for oil repellency. This composite material approach enables the single filter unit to block multiple types of pollutants (water, oil, dust) while maintaining gas permeability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the vent device uses a porous nanofiber web filter unit, then pollutant filtration is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple filtration functions (water repellency, oil repellency, particulate filtration) into a single integrated porous nanofiber web filter unit. By combining hydrophobic, oleophobic, and porous filtration properties in one component rather than using separate filters for each function, the device achieves comprehensive pollutant blocking while minimizing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous nanofiber web exhibits local quality variations at different scales: macroscopically it provides structural support and filtration, while microscopically the nanofiber pores provide molecular-level filtration. The surface is treated with different coatings (hydrophobic and oleophobic) at different locations to repel different types of contaminants, achieving multifunctionality without increasing overall device complexity.
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 nanofiber vent device effectively discharges gases from the urea water tank while preventing external dust, foreign matter, and moisture from entering, ensuring the purity of the stored urea water.
Implementation Method 1
a porous nanofiber web filter unit having a plurality of pores with an average pore size of 0.1 μm to 1.5 μm
Implementation Method 2
producing nanofibers by electrospinning a polymer material
Implementation Method 3
The surfaces of the filter member may be subjected to an oil-repellent refining treatment or a water-repellent coating treatment
Implementation Method 4
an oil-repellent refining treatment or a water-repellent coating treatment
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a nanofiber vent device for a urea water tank including a filter unit for discharging gas generated in the tank main body and preventing external dust, foreign matter, and moisture from flowing into the tank main body, as a vent device that is installed in a tank main body storing urea water and discharging gas inside the tank main body to the outside.