Pressure-Equalized Vibrating Plates for Submerged Sensor Antifouling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antifouling systems for submerged sensors are vulnerable to high liquid pressures, leading to plate fragility and ineffective biofouling prevention due to pressure differences across vibrating plates.
Innovation Solution
A closed cavity filled with fluid at equalized pressure and a fluid compressor modulate the cavity pressure to maintain a minimal pressure difference across the plate, ensuring consistent vibration and effective biofouling prevention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vibrating plate is used to prevent biofouling, then biofouling prevention is effective, but the plate becomes fragile under high liquid pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the plate into multiple smaller vibrating elements or segments. This segmentation reduces the overall stress on each individual element while maintaining the antifouling effect through distributed vibration, thereby improving resistance to high liquid pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the plate, such as its thickness, material composition, or vibrational frequency, to optimize the balance between maintaining effective vibration for antifouling and withstanding high liquid pressures without breaking.
2Reliability
If the plate is made flexible to achieve high vibration amplitudes, then antifouling effectiveness improves, but the plate cannot withstand high pressures from deep immersion
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic pressure equalization where the flexible plate is coupled with a pressure compensation mechanism that adjusts the internal pressure to match external liquid pressure during deep immersion, allowing the plate to maintain flexibility for vibration while withstanding high external pressures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible membrane or thin film structure that can withstand pressure differential through its elastic properties while maintaining sufficient flexibility to generate effective vibrations for preventing biofouling when properly tensioned and supported.
3Stress or pressure
If a closed cavity with pressure equalization is added, then pressure resistance improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the pressure equalization cavity and the vibrating plate into a unified structure where the cavity serves dual purposes: pressure compensation and structural support for the plate, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining pressure resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed cavity is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: equalizing pressure across the plate, providing structural reinforcement, and potentially serving as a mounting structure for the actuator, thereby justifying the added complexity through multifunctionality.
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 system withstands high liquid pressures and maintains antifouling efficacy by equalizing pressures on both sides of the vibrating plate, preventing biofouling without compromising structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one actuator, located on one of the main faces of the plate, capable of setting the plate into vibration, so as to at least limit the attachment of microorganisms to the plate
Implementation Method 2
a fluid compressor, in fluid communication with the closed cavity, capable of modulating the pressure Pcavity of fluid in the cavity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6a
AI summary
System (1) intended to be placed on a measuring device intended to be immersed in a liquid at a pressure Pliquid and which includes a surface sensitive to biological fouling; it is configured to cover the sensitive surface and includes: - a plate (110) capable of vibrating, having a front face and a rear face, one of which is intended to be in contact with the liquid; - an actuator (22), located on one of the faces, capable of vibrating the plate, to limit the attachment of microorganisms to the plate; - a closed cavity (2), delimited at least in part by the rear face, and which is filled with a fluid at a pressure Pcavity; - a fluid compressor (3), in fluidic communication with the closed cavity, capable of modulating the pressure Pcavity in the cavity, so that the difference between the pressures on the front and rear faces is less than 2 bar.