Pressure-Driven Ceramic Oxygen Generator with Integrated Manifold
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceramic oxygen generating systems are complex and costly due to the need for conductive coatings and electrical connections in electrically driven systems, which limits their efficiency and scalability, particularly in pressure-driven systems where tight design tolerances and thermal management are required.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-driven ceramic oxygen generator using a mixed conducting ceramic material with a metallic oxide composition, integrated manifold, and modular tube design that eliminates the need for conductive coatings and electrical connections, allowing for a simpler and more cost-effective production of high-purity oxygen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If electrically driven COGS systems use conductive coatings and electrical connections, then oxygen generation performance is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the conductive coatings and electrical connections from the COGS system by switching from electrical driving to pressure-driven operation. This extraction of unnecessary components directly reduces device complexity while maintaining oxygen generation capability through the pressure differential method
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electrical driving mechanism with a pressure-driven mechanical system. Instead of using voltage to drive oxygen ion migration, the system uses pressure differential across the membrane, substituting an electrical system with a simpler mechanical pressure-based system
2Reliability
If electrically driven systems use additional conductive coatings, then electrical current conduction is enabled, but manufacturing time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for conductive coatings by removing the electrical driving component entirely. The pressure-driven system requires no such coatings, directly reducing manufacturing steps and time while maintaining system reliability through the alternative pressure-based mechanism
3Power
If surface area is coated with conductive material, then electrical driving is achieved, but ceramic membrane utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the electrical driving method with pressure-driven operation, eliminating the need for conductive coatings on the ceramic membrane. This allows the entire surface area of the membrane to be utilized for oxygen generation, maximizing membrane utilization efficiency
4Manufacturing precision
If tight design tolerances are applied to tube size and thickness, then uniform voltage distribution is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical system requiring uniform voltage distribution with a pressure-driven system. This substitution eliminates the stringent tolerance requirements for tube dimensions, as pressure distribution is less sensitive to minor dimensional variations compared to electrical voltage distribution
5Productivity
If large electrical current passes through IMAT, then oxygen generation performance is improved, but thermal management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrical current-driven system with a pressure-driven system, eliminating the large electrical currents that generate significant heat. This substitution removes the need for complex thermal management systems while maintaining oxygen generation performance through pressure differential
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 solution enables efficient and cost-effective production of high-purity oxygen by leveraging the properties of mixed conducting ceramic materials, reducing complexity and increasing the utilization potential of ceramic membrane materials, while providing a modular and scalable oxygen generation system.
Implementation Method 1
the ceramic is comprised of a mixed conductor composition which can conduct both oxygen ions and electrons
Implementation Method 2
An inlet compressed air source and/or a vacuum outlet at the product side generate a pressure differential across the ceramic membrane
Implementation Method 3
Under elevated temperature, the ceramic membrane ionizes oxygen molecules on the membrane surface exposed to gases with higher oxygen partial pressure
Implementation Method 4
Oxygen ions then diffuse across the ceramic membrane and recombine into oxygen molecules at the opposite surface
Data Source
AI summary
A mixed conducting ceramic element comprises a plurality of tubes each having interior and exterior surfaces, a closed end and an open end. A tube support member receives the open ends of the tubes. The ceramic element has a general composition of AxA′x′A″x″ByB′y′B″y″O3-z, where A, A′ and A″ are selected from Group II elements or the Lanthanoids, and B, B′ and B″ are selected from the d-block transition metals, and wherein 0<x≦1, 0<x′≦1, 0<x″≦1, 0<y≦1, 0<y′≦1, 0<y″≦1, x+x′+x″≈1, y+y′+y″≈1, and z is selected so that the resultant composition is charge neutral. The ceramic element can be a composite consisting of two or more component materials, wherein one component is predominantly an electronic conductor and another is predominantly an ionic conductor. The ceramic element may also be a composite material containing at least one component material having a chemical composition of AxA′x′A″x″ByB′y′B″y″O3-z.