Process Chamber Gas Curtain for Thermal Separation at Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drying installations for vehicle bodies face challenges in maintaining efficient thermal separation within the process chamber, leading to potential damage from contaminants and heat loss, as well as issues with gaseous fluid escaping and impairing the paint or coating.
Innovation Solution
A process chamber design featuring nozzles or apertures that produce a fluid flow curtain between the opening and the receiving region, utilizing heated or compressed gases to create a temperature differential, with a directing contour that can be pivoted to control the flow and prevent damage to workpieces, and a mixing chamber to minimize fluid loss and maintain thermal separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the interior space is opened for supplying workpieces, then workpieces can be loaded and unloaded, but thermal separation from the surroundings deteriorates and heat escapes
Solution Approach 1:
A fluid flow curtain acts as an intermediary barrier between the interior space and surroundings. Heated or compressed gas flows through nozzles to create a visible and invisible curtain that thermally separates the opening from the receiving region, preventing heat escape while allowing workpiece transfer
Solution Approach 2:
Compressed or heated gas is used to generate the fluid flow curtain. The pneumatic system delivers controlled gas flow through nozzles or apertures, creating a stable barrier that maintains thermal separation during the opening state
2Loss of energy
If gaseous fluid is injected into the interior space, then thermal separation is improved, but fluid may escape and impair paint or coating
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid flow properties are differentiated in space: the curtain is dense and directed toward the opening to prevent heat loss, while the receiving region maintains controlled flow characteristics that prevent coating impairment. Temperature and pressure are locally optimized in different zones
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts fluid flow parameters based on operational conditions. Flow rate, temperature, and pressure are modulated to maintain thermal separation when needed while preventing harmful effects on workpieces during different operational phases
3Loss of energy
If fluid flow curtain is produced with high energy input, then thermal separation is improved, but energy expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes parameter changes in the gas (temperature, pressure, flow rate) to optimize the fluid flow curtain. By adjusting these parameters, the curtain provides effective thermal separation at reduced energy consumption compared to constant high-energy injection
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 thermal separation with reduced energy expenditure, prevents contamination and damage to workpieces, and ensures effective drying by maintaining a controlled temperature and preventing condensate formation, suitable for use in drying and hardening installations.
Implementation Method 1
the arrangement for injecting gaseous fluid includes at least one nozzle or at least one aperture for producing a fluid flow curtain between the opening and the receiving region for workpieces
Implementation Method 2
The nozzles or apertures preferably serve as outlet openings for air heated above ambient temperature or compressed above ambient pressure (or a correspondingly processed inert gas such as CO2 or N2). In particular, the process chamber contains a gaseous fluid that is assigned a temperature level of over 100° C. or a differential temperature in comparison with the surroundings of the process chamber of over 50° K
Implementation Method 3
the gaseous fluid injected into the interior space by way of the at least one nozzle is guided on a directing contour which protrudes into the interior space
Implementation Method 4
If on the side of the directing contour that is facing the opening there is arranged a wall which, with the directing contour, forms a mixing chamber. This mixing chamber is positioned in such a way that fluid from a flow vortex formed on a side of the fluid curtain that is facing the opening (that is, outward from the interior space of the process chamber) is mixed with air from the region of the opening
Data Source
AI summary
A process chamber (5) has an interior space (39). In the interior space (39), there is a receiving region (15) for workplaces (3). The process chamber (5) has an opening (12, 14) for the entry and exit of workplaces (3). The process chamber includes an arrangement (17, 19, 25, 29, 33, 37, 35) for injecting gaseous fluid into the interior space (39). The arrangement for injecting gaseous fluid has at least one nozzle (17, 19) for producing a fluid flow curtain (21, 23) between the opening (12, 14) and the receiving region (15) for workplaces (3).