Segmented Honeycomb Ceramic Block for PM Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional honeycomb structured bodies for capturing particulate matters (PMs) in exhaust gases face challenges of low productivity and high production costs, especially when manufacturing large-sized units, due to the need for cutting ceramic blocks which increases waste and processing time.

Innovation Solution

The honeycomb structured body is designed with a ceramic block composed of quadrangular and triangular-cross-section units, where the triangular units are fitted into concave portions on the peripheral face of the quadrangular units, eliminating the need for cutting and allowing a sealing material layer with varying thickness, resulting in a shape similar to a round pillar or race track, enhancing PM-capturing efficiency and reducing thermal stress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional rectangular ceramic blocks are used and then cut to achieve round shapes, then the PM-capturing capacity can be increased for large-scale engines, but productivity decreases and production cost increases due to cutting waste and processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePM-capturing capacityVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The ceramic block is divided into multiple honeycomb fired bodies, each with a specific cross-sectional shape (e.g., one-quarter or one-sixth of a circle). These segmented units are then assembled together to form the complete round-shaped ceramic block, eliminating the need to cut a large rectangular block and significantly reducing material waste and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The honeycomb fired bodies are pre-formed with the desired cross-sectional shape (quarter-circle, sixth-circle, etc.) before assembly. This preliminary shaping allows the final round ceramic block to be constructed without requiring cutting operations, thereby improving productivity and reducing waste while achieving the required PM-capturing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If conventional rectangular ceramic blocks are cut to round shapes, then large-scale PM capture is achieved, but production cost increases due to material waste and processing time

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovePM-capturing capacityVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The ceramic block is divided into multiple honeycomb fired bodies, each with a specific cross-sectional shape (e.g., one-quarter or one-sixth of a circle). These segmented units are then assembled together to form the complete round-shaped ceramic block, eliminating the need to cut a large rectangular block and significantly reducing material waste and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The honeycomb fired bodies are pre-formed with the desired cross-sectional shape (quarter-circle, sixth-circle, etc.) before assembly. This preliminary shaping allows the final round ceramic block to be constructed without requiring cutting operations, thereby improving productivity and reducing waste while achieving the required PM-capturing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If uniform sealing material layer thickness is used on rectangular blocks, then manufacturing is simple, but thermal stress during regeneration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidthermal stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing material layer is applied with varying thicknesses at different locations on the ceramic block surface. Thinner sealing layers are applied on the outer peripheral surfaces where thermal expansion occurs, while thicker layers are applied in inner regions. This localized variation in sealing material thickness accommodates differential thermal expansion and reduces thermal stress during the regeneration process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Manufacturing precision

If round-shaped ceramic blocks are manufactured by cutting, then PM-capturing efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape precisionVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ceramic block is divided into multiple honeycomb fired bodies, each with a specific cross-sectional shape (e.g., one-quarter or one-sixth of a circle). These segmented units are then assembled together to form the complete round-shaped ceramic block, eliminating the need to cut a large rectangular block and significantly reducing material waste and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The honeycomb fired bodies are pre-formed with the desired cross-sectional shape (quarter-circle, sixth-circle, etc.) before assembly. This preliminary shaping allows the final round ceramic block to be constructed without requiring cutting operations, thereby improving productivity and reducing waste while achieving the required PM-capturing capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This design reduces production costs by eliminating cutting processes, increases PM-capturing efficiency, and minimizes thermal stress during regeneration, while maintaining effective PM capture and handling in large-scale diesel engines.

Implementation Method 1

a ceramic block in which a plurality of honeycomb fired bodies are combined with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

a sealing material layer formed on the peripheral face of the ceramic block

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical containment: Physical Containment

Implementation Method 3

exhaust gas flows into cells that open on the exhaust gas inlet side and passes through a cell wall separating adjacent cells and then flows out through cells that open on the exhaust gas outlet side. As a result, PMs in the exhaust gas are captured in the cell wall.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 4

the honeycomb structured body is heated for regenerating process. As a result, the accumulated PMs are burned so that the PM capturing ability of the honeycomb structured body is recovered.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Data Source

PatentEP2392554B1Honeycomb structured body
Publication Date: 2016.02.24 IBIDEN CO LTD
  • EP2392554B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2392554B1 patent drawingFigure 2(a)~2(b)
  • EP2392554B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A honeycomb structured body including: a ceramic block formed by a plurality of honeycomb fired bodies combined with one another with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween, each of the honeycomb fired bodies having a large number of cell placed in parallel with one another in a longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween; and a sealing material layer formed on a peripheral face of the ceramic block, wherein the ceramic block comprises: an assembly of quadrangular-cross-section units in which a plurality of the quadrangular-cross-section units each having a quadrangular shape in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are combined with one another with the adhesive layer interposed therebetween; and a triangular-cross-section unit having a triangle shape in the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and having an outer wall on the periphery portion thereof, a peripheral face of the assembly of quadrangular-cross-section units has a concave portion and a convex portion formed in a steplike pattern, the convex portion is fit in the triangular-cross-section unit with the adhesive layer interposed therebetween, and the sealing material layer has partially different thickness.