Open Bottom Gas Delivery Device for Membrane Fouling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas spargers for filtering membranes face issues with uneven bubble distribution due to misalignment or blockages, leading to poor fouling inhibition and membrane clogging, especially when solids accumulate or the gas supply pipe is not level.
Innovation Solution
A gas delivery device with a manifold and multiple channels, where ports are smaller than channels and closer together, ensuring equal gas distribution and preventing blockages by allowing solids to easily exit through an open-bottomed design, and optionally integrating with an intermittent gas sparger to produce uniform bubble pulses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gas supply pipes with holes are used to deliver air to sparger units, then gas distribution is achieved, but uneven bubble distribution occurs due to misalignment or blockages
Solution Approach 1:
The gas delivery device is segmented into multiple independent channels, each with its own open-bottomed structure. This segmentation allows each channel to function independently, preventing blockages in one channel from affecting others, and ensures uniform gas distribution to multiple sparger units through dedicated pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The conventional closed-bottom pipe structure is inverted to create an open-bottomed channel design. This inversion allows solids to naturally exit through the open bottom rather than accumulating, preventing blockages and fouling while maintaining reliable gas delivery to the sparger units.
2Manufacturing precision
If ports are made smaller to improve gas flow control, then gas distribution precision improves, but blockage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using small closed ports that are prone to blockage, the invention uses open-bottomed channels where the opening is at the bottom rather than the top. This inverted configuration allows solids to naturally drain out through gravity, maintaining precise gas flow control through the channel structure while eliminating blockage risks associated with small enclosed ports.
3Ease of operation
If the gas supply pipe is not level during installation, then installation ease improves, but bubble distribution uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into multiple independent channels with individual gas delivery pathways. This segmentation means that slight installation angle variations affect each channel independently rather than causing systematic distribution errors across the entire system, maintaining bubble distribution uniformity even when the overall assembly is not perfectly level.
Solution Approach 2:
The open-bottomed inverted channel design allows gas to be delivered from the top while solids exit from the bottom. This configuration makes the system less sensitive to installation angle variations because the gas flow path and solid drainage path are separated, allowing the structure to function effectively even when mounted at slight angles.
4Device complexity
If solids accumulate in the gas delivery system, then system simplicity is maintained, but fouling inhibition effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The open-bottomed channel design inverts the conventional approach by placing the opening at the bottom rather than the top. This allows solids to naturally drain out through gravity through the open bottom, preventing accumulation and maintaining fouling inhibition effectiveness without adding complex cleaning mechanisms or increasing system 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 device achieves uniform bubble distribution and prevents fouling by ensuring equal airflow to all channels, even when mounted slightly out of level, and facilitates easy removal of accumulated solids, enhancing membrane cleaning and fouling inhibition.
Implementation Method 1
A gas delivery device has a manifold adapted to receive pressurized gas and discharging the gas into a plurality of open bottomed channels
Implementation Method 2
Each port discharges into a conduit that extends horizontally out from the inlet. The area of the ports is less than the area of the conduits
Implementation Method 3
prevents blockages by allowing solids to easily exit through an open-bottomed design
Data Source
AI summary
A gas delivery device includes a manifold and a plurality of channels. The manifold is adapted to be connected to a source of a pressurized gas. Each of the plurality of channels is in fluid communication with the manifold through a distinct associated port. Each of the plurality of channels has a generally open bottom.