Air-Permeable Protective Bag With Photocatalytic Ethylene Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective bags for agricultural products fail to effectively prevent ethylene gas accumulation, leading to premature ripening and rotting, especially at the bottom surface due to inadequate light irradiation of photocatalysts and hermetic sealing, which also does not prevent fruit drop before harvesting.
Innovation Solution
A protective bag with an air-permeable design, coated with a photoreflecting material and photocatalytic titanium apatite on its outer surface, allowing for ethylene gas decomposition and improved light reflection to prevent ripening and rotting, while maintaining gas permeability to prevent fruit drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If a multilayer-structure plastic film with photocatalyst is used to remove ethylene gas, then ethylene gas removal is improved, but the bottom surface side of the agricultural product is difficult to be irradiated with light, causing accelerated maturing and rotting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an air-permeable bag made of porous material instead of a hermetic plastic film. This allows air circulation and light penetration through the bag structure, enabling the photocatalyst to receive sufficient light irradiation while maintaining ethylene gas removal functionality. The porous structure resolves the contradiction by allowing both gas removal and light transmission simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple materials with different functions: an air-permeable base material for breathability and light transmission, photocatalytic material for ethylene decomposition, and photoreflecting material for enhanced light utilization. This composite structure allows the system to simultaneously achieve ethylene gas removal and adequate light irradiation to all surfaces of the agricultural product.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a hermetic plastic film is used to seal the agricultural product, then ethylene gas removal is improved, but the ethylene gas fills the space near the fruit, enhancing maturing
Solution Approach 1:
The air-permeable porous bag allows continuous air circulation and ethylene gas dissipation. The porous structure enables ethylene gas to escape through the bag material rather than accumulating in the sealed space, thereby maintaining low ethylene gas concentration near the fruit while still providing protective coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the permeability parameter of the packaging material from hermetic (zero permeability) to air-permeable (high permeability). This parameter change transforms the system from one that traps ethylene gas to one that allows continuous gas exchange, preventing ethylene accumulation while maintaining protective functionality.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a hermetic plastic film is used to protect the agricultural product, then protection from external factors is improved, but the bottom surface side is difficult to be irradiated with light for activating the photocatalyst
Solution Approach 1:
The air-permeable porous bag provides physical protection from insects and birds through its durable porous structure while simultaneously allowing light to pass through to activate the photocatalyst. The porous structure maintains protective functionality without blocking light transmission, resolving the contradiction between protection and light irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies photoreflecting material to the outer surface of the bag, creating a multi-layer functional structure. This additional dimension (outer surface coating) enhances light utilization by reflecting and redirecting light toward the photocatalyst layers, ensuring adequate light irradiation while maintaining external protection functionality.
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 effectively reduces ethylene gas concentration, preventing premature ripening and rotting, and maintains fruit freshness by decomposing ethylene gas and allowing air circulation, thus addressing the limitations of previous technologies.
Implementation Method 1
a photocatalytic material, wherein the photoreflecting material and the photocatalytic material are provided on an outer surface of the air-permeable bag
Implementation Method 2
a photoreflecting material, wherein the photoreflecting material and the photocatalytic material are provided on an outer surface of the air-permeable bag
Implementation Method 3
an air-permeable bag, wherein the photoreflecting material and the photocatalytic material are provided on an outer surface of the air-permeable bag
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed protective bag contains an air-permeable bag, a photoreflecting material, and a photocatalytic material, where the photoreflecting material and the photocatalytic material are provided on an outer surface of the air-permeable bag. For example, an embodiment where the air-permeable bag has concave parts formed on the outer surface thereof, an embodiment where the photoreflecting material is colored fibers, and an embodiment where photoreflecting material contains first photoreflecting particles having a volume average particle size of 100 μm to 200 μm, and second photoreflecting particles having a volume average particle size of 1 μm to 5 μm are preferable.