Self-Cleaning Filter for Liquefied Gas Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional filters in pressure vessels, such as liquefied gas containers, experience progressive clogging due to impurities, leading to reduced filtering efficiency and flow rate, requiring frequent maintenance by specialized personnel.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning filter design featuring a cylindrical filter element with a pre-filter and permanent magnets that automatically flushes impurities during the filling cycle, maintaining optimal flow rate and efficiency by retaining ferromagnetic particles and using centrifugal force to deposit residues, thereby minimizing maintenance needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional filters are used in pressure vessels, then filtering function is provided, but filtering capacity decreases progressively due to clogging by impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system performs self-cleaning automatically during normal operation. The filter element is regenerated in place by backwashing with clean liquid from the storage tank, eliminating the need for manual maintenance and keeping the filter consistently efficient without flow rate degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter element undergoes periodic backwashing cycles during the filling operation. When the tank is being filled, clean liquid flows backward through the filter element to flush accumulated impurities into the tank, restoring filtering capacity before the next delivery cycle.
2Reliability
If conventional filters are used in pressure vessels, then impurities are removed from the fluid, but maintenance operations are required frequently by specialist personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The filter system is completely self-regenerating without requiring specialist personnel for maintenance. The automatic backwashing mechanism uses the system's own clean liquid to clean the filter element during filling operations, making the filter maintenance-free for ordinary users.
3Reliability
If filter surfaces are replaced periodically to maintain efficiency, then filtering capacity is restored, but system complexity and operational burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring filter element replacement, the system automatically regenerates the filter element in place. The backwashing mechanism reverses flow through the filter during filling, flushing impurities off the filter surface and eliminating the need for complex maintenance procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter element is designed to be dynamically regenerated rather than statically replaced. The backwashing process dynamically restores filtering capacity by reversing flow direction and flushing impurities, converting a static replacement operation into a dynamic self-cleaning process.
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 filter maintains consistent filtering efficiency and flow rate over time with reduced maintenance requirements, eliminating the need for frequent specialist intervention and preventing clogging, thus enhancing operational efficiency and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
One or more sets of permanent magnets 15, alternating with spacers 16 if necessary, are positioned behind the chamber 4 and outside it, to act as retaining means for temporarily retaining against the walls of the chamber 4 impurities having ferromagnetic properties
Implementation Method 2
residues are deposited on the walls by centrifugal force
Implementation Method 3
A spring 14 acts between the pre-filter 13 and the filter element 7 to press the plug 9 against the seat 10 in order to shut the latter off
Data Source
AI summary
A self-cleaning filter (2) for pressure vessels, particularly for liquefied gas containers (1), comprises a filter chamber (4) into which a pipe (3) for the passage of the liquefied gas leads, a first filter surface (11) positioned in the chamber, valve means (9) for by-passing the first filter surface for bringing liquefied gas into the container during the filling of the latter without passing the gas through the first filter surface, the valve means being opened in the chamber in such a way that the liquefied gas brought in to fill the container causes a flushing of the chamber and of the first filter surface, and means (15) for temporarily retaining suspended impurities in the liquefied gas against the walls of the said chamber (4) during delivery and for releasing them when flushing takes place during the filling of the container.