Protein Shear-Heating Cell With Jacket-Free Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cells for producing anisotropic-structured products using protein starting materials are inflexible and costly when scaled up or used in continuous processes due to the presence of heating jackets and manifolds.
Innovation Solution
A cell design that utilizes external heat exchange through inner and outer longitudinal surfaces, eliminating the need for internal heating jackets and manifolds, allowing for a simpler, more cost-effective and flexible process, especially when multiple cells are used in continuous processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heating jackets and manifolds are used for heating the chamber, then heating function is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from the chamber structure itself. Instead of having heating jackets integrated into the chamber, the chamber is designed with longitudinal surfaces that directly exchange heat with the ambient environment, eliminating the need for separate heating jackets and manifolds.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber's outer surface serves dual purposes: containing the starting material and functioning as a heat exchange surface. The chamber structure itself performs the heating function by allowing ambient heat to penetrate through its longitudinal surfaces, making the system self-heating without requiring external heating components.
2Temperature
If heating jackets and manifolds are used for heating the chamber, then heating function is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The expensive heating jackets and manifolds are removed from the system. The heating capability is achieved through the chamber's inherent structure, which allows ambient heat exchange through its longitudinal surfaces, significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The chamber is designed as a simple structure that can be easily manufactured and potentially replaced. By eliminating complex heating systems, the overall system becomes more cost-effective, especially when multiple cells are used in continuous processes.
3Temperature
If heating jackets and manifolds are used for heating the chamber, then heating function is achieved, but flexibility for scaling up and continuous processes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber design is universal and can be applied to both batch and continuous processes. The longitudinal surfaces that enable ambient heat exchange work effectively in any operational mode, making the cell adaptable for scaling up and continuous production without requiring modifications to the heating system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to be dynamically adaptable. By using ambient heat exchange through the chamber surfaces rather than fixed heating jackets, the system can flexibly adapt to different process conditions, scaling requirements, and operational modes including continuous processing.
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
Enables efficient heating and scaling up of the process by using external heat sources, reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying the design, while maintaining effective heat exchange and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
both inner and outer members are designed to be exposed to the ambient for allowing a heat exchange between both the inner longitudinal surface and the outer longitudinal surface with the ambient to heat the chamber
Implementation Method 2
the inner member and the outer member are rotatable relative each other about the longitudinal axis for providing the shear force to the starting material
Data Source
AI summary
A cell (100) for making an anisotropic-structured product from a protein starting material, the cell (100) comprising an inner member (110) and an outer member (120) arranged concentrically along a longitudinal axis (180) to define together a chamber (150) for holding the starting material, wherein the inner member (110) and the outer member (120) are rotatable relative each other about the longitudinal axis (180) for providing the shear force to the starting material and wherein both the inner member (110) and the outer member (120) further define for the cell an inner longitudinal surface (114) and an outer longitudinal surface (124) facing away the chamber (150) such that a normal of each longitudinal surface is transverse to the longitudinal axis (180) characterized in that both members are designed to be exposed to the ambient for allowing a heat exchange between both the inner longitudinal surface (114) and the outer longitudinal surface (124) with the ambient to heat the chamber (150).