Rotating Screen Debris Filtration for Continuous Cooling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional debris filtration apparatuses in power plants can be disabled by excessive debris deposition, leading to interruptions in cooling water supply to heat exchangers or condensers, which can halt power generation operations.

Innovation Solution

A debris filtration apparatus with a bypass unit that rotates screens when excessive debris is detected, allowing cooling water to flow through even when the screen unit is overloaded, ensuring continuous operation by breaking connectors or using motor-driven mechanisms to redirect water flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a debris filtration apparatus uses screen units to filter cooling water, then debris removal efficiency is improved, but when excessive debris is deposited on the screens, the apparatus becomes disabled and cooling water supply is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling water supply reliabilityVSAvoidfiltration system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The screen unit is divided into multiple segments that can rotate independently around the rotor axis. Each segment can be selectively rotated to bypass debris deposition problems, allowing the system to maintain cooling water supply reliability without complete system shutdown.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The screen unit is designed with rotational capability around the rotor axis, transforming from a static filtration structure to a dynamic one. This allows the screens to be rotated when debris accumulation occurs, preventing system disablement and maintaining continuous cooling water supply.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the screen unit rotates to bypass debris, then cooling water supply continuity is maintained, but the structural complexity of the bypass mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling water flow rateVSAvoidbypass mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass function is merged with the rotational movement of the screen unit itself. The same rotating structure that filters debris also serves as the bypass mechanism when rotated to a specific position, eliminating the need for separate bypass components and reducing overall structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The screen unit serves dual functions: filtration when in the filtering position and bypass when rotated to the bypass position. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated bypass mechanisms, simplifying the overall system structure while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Extent of automation

If connectors are designed to break under excessive load, then automatic bypass activation is achieved, but the precision of load threshold control decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic bypass activationVSAvoidload threshold precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The connector is designed to automatically break when excessive debris load is applied, triggering the bypass mechanism without external intervention. This self-service approach achieves automatic bypass activation, though the break point is determined by material properties rather than precise controllable thresholds.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3041001B1Debris filtration apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.05.06 DOOSAN HEAVY IND & CONSTR CO LTD
  • EP3041001B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3041001B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3041001B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A debris filtration apparatus for removing debris from cooling water, comprising: a support unit (100) including first to n-th unit supports (100a-100n) arranged to form a radial form, in a circumferential direction around a support housing (102) disposed on an upper portion of a rotor unit (3), the rotor unit (3) being configured to rotate at a predetermined speed in a chamber housing (2); a screen unit (200) including first to n-th unit screens (200a-200n) disposed between the first to n-th unit supports (200a-200n) and configured to filter out debris from the cooling water; and a bypass unit (300) configured, when a load applied to the screen unit (200) is increased to a predetermined level by deposition of debris on the screen unit (200), to selectively rotate each of the first to n-th unit screens (200a-200n) relative to the support unit (100) and allow flow of the cooling water.