Spray Nozzle Removable Insert Reduces Build-up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray nozzles in the dairy industry are prone to accumulation of semi-dried liquid on the nozzle surfaces, leading to contamination, fire risks, and reduced productivity due to premature shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
A spray nozzle design featuring a removable insert with a base member and a protruding member, where the protruding member projects outwardly from the nozzle cap, creating a distance between the nozzle orifice and the spray opening, thereby reducing build-up and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the nozzle cap is made thicker and stronger to increase pressure strength, then pressure integrity is improved, but the nozzle cap intrudes further into the spray plume and worsens build-up and product contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle is divided into separate components: a nozzle cap and a removable insert (orifice disc). This segmentation allows the nozzle cap to maintain structural strength while the insert is positioned to minimize intrusion into the spray plume, resolving the contradiction between pressure integrity and build-up reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The orifice is extracted from the nozzle cap body and placed on a separate removable insert. This allows the nozzle cap to be optimized for pressure strength without the orifice intruding into the spray plume, while the insert can be precisely positioned to minimize build-up and contamination.
2Productivity
If the nozzle operates at higher pressures to increase flow and productivity, then productivity is improved, but the risk of build-up and fire hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The orifice is extracted to a separate removable insert that can be precisely positioned. This allows the nozzle to operate at higher pressures for increased productivity while the insert design minimizes build-up accumulation, thereby reducing fire risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is designed with specific local features (positioning, orientation, surface properties) that optimize spray pattern and minimize build-up in critical areas, allowing higher operating pressures without proportionally increasing fire risk.
3Strength
If the nozzle cap intrudes into the spray zone to maintain pressure integrity, then pressure strength is improved, but spray product build-up upon the nozzle cap increases
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle system is segmented into a nozzle cap and a removable insert. The nozzle cap maintains pressure strength without intruding into the spray zone, while the insert is positioned to minimize build-up and can be removed for cleaning, resolving the contradiction between strength and build-up prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The removable insert can be easily detached and cleaned or replaced when build-up occurs. This allows the system to maintain pressure integrity with a stronger nozzle cap while periodically removing and cleaning the insert to eliminate build-up and contamination.
Data Source
AI summary
A removable insert and a spray nozzle which includes the removable insert and a nozzle cap. The removable insert has a base member and a protruding member. The nozzle cap has an annular flange which delimits an interior locating surface for the insert. The flange extends radially and ends with an internal extremity which defines a planar spray opening. When in use, the base member is housed within the nozzle cap whilst the protruding member projects outwardly and stands proud of the planar spray opening.