Resilient Precoat Filter Element for Beverage Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Precoat filters with rigid filter elements are prone to permanent deformation and loss of functionality due to uneven stress from excessive filter aid dosage, leading to increased material and labor costs, as well as production losses, when filter cakes grow together and cause irreversible changes in filter openings or gaps.

Innovation Solution

Designing filter elements with a resilient, finned tube or bellows-like intermediate piece that allows lateral deflection without deforming, maintaining original filter opening sizes and preventing irreversible changes, ensuring the filter elements return to their original position after load removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If rigid filter elements are used to maintain structural stability, then the filter elements provide strong support for the filter cake, but they are prone to permanent deformation and irreversible changes in filter openings when subjected to uneven stress from excessive filter aid dosage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural support strengthVSAvoidresistance to permanent deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element is divided into distinct functional sections: a rigid support section (head piece and closure piece) that provides structural strength, and a flexible filter section (slotted tube with filter openings) that can deflect elastically. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The filter section is designed with flexible characteristics, allowing it to deflect laterally under uneven load without permanent deformation. The flexible slotted tube can move radially outward when subjected to excessive filter aid dosage, then return to its original position, preventing irreversible changes in filter openings while the rigid head piece maintains overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Manufacturing precision

If rigid filter elements are used to maintain filter opening precision, then the filter openings maintain their original size under normal conditions, but they undergo irreversible enlargement when the filter element is permanently deformed by unilateral stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter opening size precisionVSAvoidirreversible deformation from excessive filter aid dosage
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filter section is designed with flexible characteristics, allowing it to deflect laterally under uneven load without permanent deformation. The flexible slotted tube can move radially outward when subjected to excessive filter aid dosage, then return to its original position, preventing irreversible changes in filter openings while the rigid head piece maintains overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element design anticipates potential excessive filter aid dosage and incorporates a flexible filter section that can absorb the shock of unilateral stress through elastic deflection. This beforehand cushioning prevents the transmission of damaging forces to the filter openings, protecting them from irreversible enlargement before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Reliability

If the filter elements are made resilient to allow lateral deflection, then the filter elements can yield under load and return to their original position, but the structural stability and support strength may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to permanent deformationVSAvoidstructural support strength
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element is divided into distinct functional sections: a rigid support section (head piece and closure piece) that provides structural strength, and a flexible filter section (slotted tube with filter openings) that can deflect elastically. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specialized function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the filter element have different mechanical properties tailored to their specific functions. The head piece and closure piece are made rigid for structural support, while the filter section is made flexible for elastic deflection. This local differentiation of material properties allows the element to simultaneously achieve both strength and resilience where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Prevents permanent deformation and maintains filter effectiveness by allowing elastic deformation in non-filter areas, ensuring filter elements remain functional throughout their service life without irreversible changes in filter openings or gaps, reducing material and labor costs, and minimizing production losses.

Implementation Method 1

The filter elements or filter candles or their deformable sections without filter openings or filter gaps are preferably designed to be resilient such that a filter or sieve section moved to the side due to increased one-sided loading is moved back to its original position once this loading has been removed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2451552B1Precoat filter for use in a filter of this type
Publication Date: 2015.01.14 KHS GMBH
  • EP2451552B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2451552B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A precoat filter for filtering liquid media or products, in particular for filtering beverages, with at least one partition separating an unfiltered material space and a filtered material space, and with a plurality of filtering elements or candle filters which are arranged on the partition and each project into the unfiltered material space by means of at least one filtering or sieving section having a filtering or sieving structure.