Spray Nozzle Chamber Sealing for Fluid Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spraying arrangements for materials like textiles, paper, and wood fail to effectively control the application and containment of fluids, leading to the creation of toxic fog that exposes operators to hazardous substances.
Innovation Solution
A chamber with inlet and outlet passage devices featuring flexible sealing lips and a drain system that collects and directs residual fluid, preventing its escape and ensuring a tight seal around the material, even with varying thicknesses and edges, while allowing for efficient fluid application and collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a spray station is used to apply fluid to material, then the material can be treated with desired qualities, but toxic fog escapes and exposes operators to hazardous substances
Solution Approach 1:
The spray station is divided into a sealed chamber that isolates the fluid application process from the operator environment. The chamber creates a distinct boundary between the treatment zone and the safe zone, allowing fluid application while containing the toxic fog within the chamber space.
Solution Approach 2:
A sealed chamber acts as an intermediary structure between the fluid applicator and the operator. This intermediate enclosure allows the harmful fluid application process to occur while protecting the operator from direct exposure to toxic substances through proper sealing and isolation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If sealing devices are added at inlet and outlet to contain fluid, then operator safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Flexible sealing lips are used at the inlet and outlet passage devices to create effective seals. These flexible elements can adapt to the material being processed while maintaining fluid containment, providing a simpler solution than rigid sealing mechanisms would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system is designed to be dynamic rather than static, with flexible lips that can move and adapt to accommodate different material thicknesses and positions. This dynamic sealing approach maintains containment effectiveness while reducing the complexity of fixed sealing structures.
3Reliability
If flexible sealing lips are used to adapt to different material thicknesses, then sealing reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing lips are constructed from flexible materials that can deform and adapt to various material thicknesses and shapes. This flexibility compensates for variations in material dimensions without requiring the passage devices to be manufactured with extremely tight tolerances for every possible material variation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system utilizes changes in the physical parameters of the flexible lip material (such as elasticity and flexibility) to adapt to different sealing conditions. This allows the same passage device design to maintain reliable sealing across a range of material thicknesses without requiring precision manufacturing for each specific case.
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 chamber effectively contains fluids and prevents fog from escaping, reducing operator exposure to toxic substances and enabling safe handling and re-use of residual fluids, while maintaining sealing integrity across different material widths and shapes.
Implementation Method 1
the outlet and inlet passage devices may comprise at least one elongated sealing lip which preferably is flexible and which is configured to abut against the material in order to form a fluid sealing between the material and the chamber
Implementation Method 2
The inlet passage device is shaped to lead or direct residual fluid along at least one inner surface of the chamber towards the at least one drain. the at least one inner surface has an inclination between 20° and 85° in relation to an axis perpendicular to the direction in which the material runs through the chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A chamber for fluid application to a piece of material (M), such as a web or strip arranged to run in the chamber (10), has a fluid applicator (2) for fluid application to the material. It further includes an inlet (11a) through which the material is fed into the chamber (10), an outlet (11b) through which the material exits the chamber (10), an outlet passage device (15) arranged at the outlet (11b) and configured to form an outlet fluid sealing of the chamber, and an inlet passage device (16) arranged at the inlet (11a) and configured to form an inlet fluid sealing of the chamber.