Pressure Vessel Closure With Sliding Lid for Clean High-Pressure Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure vessels for high-pressure fluid processing, such as critical point dryers, face challenges with slow operation, contamination, and difficulty in changing chamber sizes, due to manual bolt closure systems that require significant strength and counter space, and are prone to contaminating clean room environments.
Innovation Solution
A pressure vessel design with a lid that slides onto a surface, allowing horizontal movement and vertical actuation using low surface area rods, eliminating the need for bolts and providing a sealed closure system that can accommodate different sizes without vertical lid movement, and featuring actuator mechanisms sealed from the clean room environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual bolt closure systems are used, then the pressure vessel can be sealed, but the operation becomes slow and requires significant strength and counter space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual bolt closure system with an automated actuator mechanism that uses mechanical advantage through a linkage system. The actuator converts rotational motion into linear motion to drive the closure, eliminating the need for manual bolt tightening while maintaining reliable sealing through consistent mechanical force application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator to provide the force needed for closure. The actuator uses compressed gas or fluid pressure to generate sufficient closing force quickly, replacing the slow manual bolt operation with a rapid automated process that requires minimal counter space.
2Reliability
If manual bolt closure systems are used, then the pressure vessel can be sealed, but particulate matter is shed contaminating clean environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the bolt system with an actuator-driven closure mechanism that eliminates hex cap screws and their associated particle shedding. The new system uses smooth-surfaced components and sealed actuators that do not generate particulate contamination, maintaining cleanroom standards while achieving reliable sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates flexible sealing elements such as O-rings or elastomeric seals that conform to the closure surfaces. These flexible films provide reliable sealing without requiring rigid bolted connections, thereby preventing particulate generation while maintaining the seal integrity required for pressure containment.
3Device complexity
If fixed chamber size is used, then the closure system is simpler, but changing chamber sizes becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the closure system with adjustable components that can adapt to different chamber sizes. The actuator linkage and sealing elements are configured to accommodate variable dimensions, allowing the same closure mechanism to work with multiple chamber sizes while maintaining simplicity through a standardized automated actuation system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal closure system where the actuator and linkage mechanism can serve multiple chamber configurations. By designing the sealing interface and actuator mounting to be adaptable, the system achieves multi-functionality across different chamber sizes without requiring complex specialized mechanisms for each size.
4Reliability
If vertical lid movement is used, then the seal can be formed, but the workspace requires more counter space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from vertical lid movement to horizontal insertion movement. The closure system is designed so that the lid or closure plate moves horizontally into position and then is actuated vertically by a compact actuator mechanism. This dimensional change reduces the counter space requirement while maintaining effective sealing through the horizontal positioning approach.
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 enhances the speed and safety of pressure vessel closure, minimizes contamination, and allows for efficient operation in clean room environments by eliminating particulate generation and reducing the need for manual strength, while accommodating various chamber sizes and pressures.
Implementation Method 1
a sealing element positionable against the high pressure vessel cover to form a seal between the high pressure region and the surrounding low pressure region
Implementation Method 2
an actuator operable to move the pressure vessel lid against or away from sealing element to open and close pressure vessel
Implementation Method 3
the transition fluid is operated near or above the critical pressure and temperature to reduce or eliminate surface tension in the dense fluid elimination process
Implementation Method 4
carbon dioxide (CO2) is most often used to form a solution with the intermediate fluid (acetone, alcohols, etc.) to replace with mostly CO2 (transition fluid) that can be decompressed around the critical point or a very low surface tension path to atmospheric pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is disclosed for improved high pressure processing of parts and materials with fast cycle time, clean operation, and easy to change pressure vessels. Applications include but are not limited to pressure vessels for critical point drying of MEMS or SEM samples, parts cleaning, supercritical fluid extraction, and aerogel processing. In a specific embodiment, the pressure vessel can operate near or above the critical pressure and temperature of a fluid in the pressure vessel for parts processing. This includes critical point drying of MEMS or SEM samples in an easy to use processing pressure chamber system.