Removable Fluid Barrier Using Embedded Magnets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid containment systems, such as rail tank cars and static fluid containers, face challenges in quickly and effectively sealing ruptures, leading to significant leakage and contamination of hazardous fluids during accidents or spills.
Innovation Solution
A removable fluid barrier composed of a flexible body made from resilient materials encapsulating rare earth permanent magnets, which can be magnetically fastened to ferrous vessels to create a strong seal, reducing fluid leakage and allowing for easy removal and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a wooden peg is used to plug the rupture, then the rupture can be plugged, but the fluid flow through the plugged rupture is not completely stopped
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid barrier uses a composite structure combining a flexible body made of resilient material with multiple permanent magnets embedded within it. This composite design allows the barrier to be both easily applied and highly effective at sealing ruptures, resolving the contradiction between ease of application and sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The permanent magnets are pre-embedded in the flexible body during manufacturing, so that when the barrier is applied to a rupture, the magnets are already in position to provide immediate magnetic attraction to the ferrous vessel walls, creating an effective seal without requiring additional assembly steps.
2Reliability
If permanent magnets are bonded to an aluminum backing plate with a sponge rubber layer, then the sponge rubber can be compressed against the rupture, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible body and permanent magnets are merged into a single integrated unit where the magnets are embedded within the resilient material matrix. This eliminates the need for separate backing plates, adhesive bonding layers, and complex assembly procedures, reducing device complexity while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible body is formed as a composite material structure where permanent magnets are distributed within the resilient material, creating a unified component that combines magnetic attraction and sealing functions in a single element, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
3Reliability
If multiple layers and components are used in the fluid barrier, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the ease of manufacture decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple permanent magnets are pre-embedded in the flexible body during the initial manufacturing process rather than being assembled separately later. This preliminary action reduces the number of manufacturing steps required while ensuring proper positioning and integration of all sealing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The manufacturing process merges the formation of the flexible body with the embedding of permanent magnets into a single integrated operation, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps for attaching magnets and reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining effective sealing structure.
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 prevents or reduces fluid leakage from ruptured vessels by providing a strong magnetic seal, is easily applied and removed, and can be reused, making it particularly beneficial for emergency situations involving hazardous materials.
Implementation Method 1
a removable fluid barrier, comprising: a generally planar flexible body fabricated of at least one resilient material and encapsulating a plurality of permanent magnets
Data Source
AI summary
A removable fluid barrier comprises a generally planar flexible body fabricated of at least one resilient material and encapsulating a plurality of permanent magnets. The flexible body has an outer face defining a sealing surface of the removable fluid barrier.