Spraying Booth Control System for VOC Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Spraying booths often pollute the environment and pose safety risks to personnel due to uncontrolled Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels during operation, and existing systems lack effective monitoring and control mechanisms to manage VOC levels and filter status efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A control system that monitors VOC levels and filter status, stopping spraying operations when VOC levels exceed safety thresholds, uses asynchronous motors to prevent sparks, and employs activated carbon filters with ozone and UV light to reduce VOCs, while managing ventilation and lighting to minimize pollution and ensure safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If spraying operations are continuously performed to maintain productivity, then VOC levels accumulate and exceed safety thresholds, but stopping spraying reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespraying operation continuityVSAvoidVOC level
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful VOC compounds are extracted from the air stream using activated carbon filters. The control system continuously monitors VOC levels and activates filtration when thresholds are exceeded, removing the harmful substance while allowing spraying operations to continue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

VOC detectors continuously monitor the air quality and provide feedback to the control system. When VOC levels exceed predefined thresholds, the system automatically activates ventilation and filtration systems, creating a closed-loop control that maintains safety without interrupting productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Use of energy by moving object

If traditional motors are used in ventilation systems, then power consumption is reduced, but spark generation creates explosion risks in VOC-rich environments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidexplosion risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Traditional electric motors are replaced with asynchronous motors that operate on magnetic induction principles without direct electrical connections to rotating parts. This substitution eliminates spark generation while maintaining efficient power consumption for ventilation operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a safer operating environment by using explosion-proof asynchronous motors that prevent ignition sources in VOC-rich atmospheres, effectively treating the environment as potentially explosive and designing components to be inherently safe

Inventive Principle:
Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Productivity

If heating elements are used during spraying to improve drying efficiency, then productivity increases, but spark generation creates explosion dangers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrying efficiencyVSAvoidexplosion risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Traditional heating elements that may generate sparks are replaced with infrared heating technology. Infrared heaters heat objects directly through radiation without generating open flames or sparks, maintaining drying efficiency while eliminating ignition risks in VOC-rich environments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating method is changed from conventional thermal conduction/convection to infrared radiation. This parameter change in the heating mechanism allows efficient drying performance while fundamentally eliminating the spark generation problem associated with traditional heating elements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Object-generated harmful factors

If activated carbon filters are used to reduce VOCs, then environmental pollution is minimized, but filter replacement frequency increases operational complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveVOC pollutionVSAvoidfilter replacement management
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

VOC detectors provide continuous feedback on air quality, allowing the system to monitor filter performance in real-time. The control system tracks VOC reduction efficiency and can alert operators when filter replacement is needed, transforming a complex maintenance task into a monitored, data-driven process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically monitors and manages filter status through integrated sensors and control logic. Operators receive automated notifications when filters require replacement, reducing the need for manual inspection and simplifying maintenance management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 system effectively reduces VOC levels within the spraying booth, ensuring a safe working environment and minimizing environmental pollution by controlling spraying periods, shutting down non-essential power consumers, and predicting filter replacements, thus preventing VOC leakage.

Implementation Method 1

employs activated carbon filters with ozone and UV light to reduce VOCs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Implementation Method 2

employs activated carbon filters with ozone and UV light to reduce VOCs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 3

employs activated carbon filters with ozone and UV light to reduce VOCs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotolysis: Photodissociation

Implementation Method 4

uses asynchronous motors to prevent sparks

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3697542B1Control system for spraying booth
Publication Date: 2024.10.16 CARHEAL X FZCO
  • EP3697542B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3697542B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3697542B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a control system and a method for one or more spray- ing booths, which control system performs mostly continuous storing of at least data representing VOC level and filter status in a cloud based database. It is the object of the pending patent application to p r o t e c t p e o p l e w o r k i n g i n o r around a spraying booth. This object can be fulfilled if operation of a spraying booth is performed where during preparation the control system is monitoring the VOC level and the filter status and both have to be accepted by the control system before next step of operation, where during spraying the spraying period is monitored, and by a max spraying period the control system stops spraying. Hereby can be achieved that the spraying booth can be operated without polluting the outside surroundings. At the same time operation of the spraying booth for the personal will be performed in a very safe way because the VOC level can be kept at a relative low level in the spraying booth during operation of any personal.