Particle Flame Arrester With Gap Replenishment After Detonation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing corrugated plate flame arresters are susceptible to blockage, difficult to clean, and may be impacted apart during detonations, leading to loss of flame-retardant and explosion-proof functions in storage tank systems.

Innovation Solution

A flame arrester with a fire arresting section containing fire arresting particles and a replenishment structure that automatically refills gaps caused by detonation impacts, ensuring continuous flame-retardant and explosion-proof performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If corrugated plate flame arresters are installed at the top of storage tanks close to burning equipment, then flame-retardant and explosion-proof protection is provided, but it becomes inconvenient to remove and install the flame arresters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflame-retardant and explosion-proof protectionVSAvoidconvenience of removal and installation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flame arrester is divided into a fire arresting section and a replenishment section that can be independently operated. The fire arresting section containing the particles can be focused on for replacement while the replenishment section remains in place, enabling segmented maintenance that improves operational convenience while maintaining protection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If existing corrugated plate flame arresters are used, then flame-retardant function is provided, but they are susceptible to blockage and difficult to clean

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflame-retardant functionVSAvoiddifficulty of cleaning and maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The fire arresting particles are extracted from a fixed corrugated plate structure and placed in a removable fire arresting section. This allows the particles to be easily removed and replaced by simply detaching the fire arresting section, eliminating the difficulty of cleaning associated with traditional corrugated plate designs while maintaining the flame-retardant function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If large-size corrugated plate flame arresters are used, then adequate fire arresting capacity is provided, but the fire arresting plates may be impacted apart and defected under detonation impacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire arresting capacityVSAvoidresistance to detonation impact
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The flame arrester design incorporates a dynamic replenishment mechanism where particles can automatically refill gaps created by detonation impacts. The fire arresting section is designed to accommodate particle movement and redistribution, allowing the system to dynamically recover from impact damage without requiring replacement of the entire structure, thus maintaining fire arresting capacity while improving impact resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of repair

If fire arresting particles are used instead of corrugated plates, then blockage is eliminated and cleaning becomes easy, but gaps may form in the fire arresting cavity under detonation impacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of cleaning and resistance to blockageVSAvoidintegrity of fire arresting cavity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The replenishment structure is designed to automatically detect and refill gaps in the fire arresting cavity without external intervention. When detonation impacts create gaps, the spring-driven piston mechanism self-activates to push particles into the cavity, enabling the system to self-repair and maintain reliability while preserving the cleaning advantages of particle-based design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 flame arrester maintains effective flame arrestment by automatically refilling gaps, preventing blockages and ensuring consistent function despite deformation, with a simple structure and easy cleaning.

Implementation Method 1

a spring arranged in the replenishment cavity, wherein the spring elastically abuts against the piston portion in a direction toward the fire arresting cavity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the fire arresting cavity is filled with fire arresting particles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

fire arresting particles; the fire arresting section further comprises a fire arresting particle replenishment structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadical quenching: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4406621B1Flame arrester capable of automatically eliminating defects of fire arresting portion
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 CHINA PETROLEUM & CHEMICAL CORP
  • EP4406621B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4406621B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4406621B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A flame arrester capable of automatically eliminating defects of a fire arresting portion. The flame arrester comprises a fire arresting section (4), wherein the fire arresting section (4) is provided with a fire arresting section housing (19), the fire arresting section housing (19) is hollow and fire arresting section openings are respectively formed at two ends of the fire arresting section housing, blocking portions are respectively arranged at the fire arresting section openings so as to define a fire arresting cavity (5) between the two blocking portions, a plurality of openings are formed in the blocking portion, the fire arresting cavity (5) is filled with fire arresting particles, the fire arresting section (4) further comprises a fire arresting particle replenishment structure, and the fire arresting particle replenishment structure is configured to automatically fill the fire arresting cavity (5) with the fire arresting particles when a gap is generated in the fire arresting cavity (5). The flame arrester can automatically eliminate the defects of a fire arresting portion when the fire arresting portion is deformed to a certain extent due to a detonation impact, thereby continuing to normally achieve flame-retardant and explosion-proof effects.