Solar Mirror E-Coating Using Contactless Conductive Liquid Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrodepositable coating processes for solar mirrors require mechanical contact to establish an electrical circuit, leading to uncoated contact areas that are susceptible to chemical attack and affect the uniformity and durability of the coating.
Innovation Solution
A method involving multiple electrically conductive liquid streams is used to deposit an electrodepositable protective coating on solar mirrors, eliminating the need for mechanical contact by creating a current path through spaced liquid streams to coat the reflective surface uniformly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mechanical contact is used to establish an electrical circuit for electrodepositable coating, then the coating process can be completed, but the contact area remains uncoated and susceptible to chemical attack
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mechanical contact element from the coating system entirely. Instead of using a mechanical contact to establish the electrical circuit, the invention uses a suspended conductive liquid stream that makes no physical contact with the substrate, thereby eliminating the uncoated contact area problem while maintaining the electrodepositable coating process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a conductive liquid stream as an intermediary between the electrical circuit and the substrate. This liquid stream carries the electrical current to deposit the coating without requiring mechanical contact, thus preventing the creation of vulnerable uncoated areas while still enabling the electrochemical deposition process
2Ease of manufacture
If a mechanical contact is used to establish an electrical circuit, then the coating process can proceed, but the contact area creates a coating void that affects visual appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the mechanical contact component from the system, replacing it with a contactless electrical circuit establishment method using conductive liquid streams. This eliminates the coating void at the contact area and achieves uniform coating coverage across the entire substrate surface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact system with an electrical field-based system using conductive liquid streams. This substitution eliminates the need for physical contact to establish the electrical circuit, thereby preventing coating voids and achieving uniform coating appearance
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 approach ensures a uniform and durable protective coating on solar mirrors, preventing chemical and mechanical damage while maintaining the visual appearance, as the coating is applied without contact points that could be vulnerable to environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
an electrodepositable coating, which is also referred to as an 'e-coat' or electrodeposition coating composition, is deposited onto a conductive surface of a substrate using an electrical process
Implementation Method 2
maintaining the first and the second electrically conductive liquid materials spaced from one another to provide a third area of the first surface between the first and the second areas to establish a current path through the first liquid material, the third area of the conductive surface and through the second liquid material
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrically conductive protective coating or film is provided over the surface of a reflective coating of a solar mirror by flowing or directing a cation containing liquid and an anion containing liquid onto the conductive surface. The cation and the anion containing liquids are spaced from, and preferably out of contact with one another on the surface of the reflective coating as an electric current is moved through the anion containing liquid, the conductive surface between the liquids and the cation containing liquid to coat the conductive surface with the electrically conductive coating.