Transparent SAN Well Filter Discs for Clogging and Inspection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing well filters, particularly those used in lignite mining, face challenges with durability and ease of maintenance due to wire-wound designs getting caught in transport systems, and traditional plastic filters like PVC do not meet all performance demands.

Innovation Solution

The use of transparent styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) filter discs with optional glass fiber additives, which are injection molded to provide high strength and a smooth surface, allowing for improved durability and maintenance capabilities such as internal inspection and reduced clogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If wire-wound filters are used, then the filter structure is compact and easy to manufacture, but the filter gets caught in conveyor belts and transport units causing malfunctions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter manufacturingVSAvoidtransport reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The filter is divided into multiple separate filter discs that can be individually manufactured and then assembled onto tie rods. This segmentation allows each disc to be manufactured independently with smooth edges, preventing entanglement in transport systems while maintaining the compact filter structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional plastic filter discs (PVC) are used, then the filter is easy to manufacture, but the strength is insufficient and cannot meet diverse performance demands

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter disc manufacturingVSAvoidfilter disc strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The filter discs are made from styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) plastic, which provides superior strength and resilience compared to traditional PVC. The SAN material maintains ease of manufacture through injection molding while delivering the enhanced mechanical properties required for high-performance well filters in diverse application conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If opaque plastic filter discs are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but internal inspection and monitoring of gravel distribution are not possible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter disc manufacturingVSAvoidinternal monitoring capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The filter discs are manufactured from transparent styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) plastic, which allows visual inspection and monitoring of the internal gravel distribution and well filter positioning from the outside. This transparency enables camera-based inspection while maintaining the simplicity of the injection molding manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

4Object-generated harmful factors

If filter discs with smooth surfaces are manufactured, then clogging is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecloggingVSAvoidsurface smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The injection molding process parameters are optimized to produce filter discs with extremely smooth surfaces that minimize turbulence and prevent clogging. By controlling molding conditions and material flow, the process achieves high surface quality without requiring excessively complex manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2033701B1Fountain filter
Publication Date: 2012.03.21 STUWA KONRAD STUKERJURGEN
  • EP2033701B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2033701B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2033701B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The well filter (1) has multiple annular filter discs (3) of plastic material placed on tie rods (2) running in axial direction to the well filter. The filter discs are made of styrene acrylonitrile. A portion of a glass fiber amounts to 20 to 40 percentages. The filter discs are made by process of injection molding.