Stackable Air Filter Module With Segmented Service Life
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air filtration systems in clean room environments require frequent replacement of air filter modules, leading to high costs and labor expenses due to the need for replacing both effective and ineffective filter units as a whole, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A stackable air filter module design featuring a base gas filter unit with longer-lasting filter materials and additional gas filter units with shorter service life, allowing for vertical stacking without adhesives and enabling selective replacement of only the additional units with shorter service life, thereby reducing the overall replacement frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional air filter modules with uniform service life are used, then the system maintains simplicity in design, but the replacement frequency increases leading to higher costs and labor expenses
Solution Approach 1:
The air filter module is divided into a base gas filter unit with long-service-life filter material and multiple additional gas filter units with short-service-life filter material. This segmentation allows selective replacement of only the additional units when their filter material becomes ineffective, rather than replacing the entire module, thereby reducing replacement frequency and associated costs while maintaining design feasibility.
2Productivity
If the base gas filter unit with long-service-life filter material is designed, then the overall replacement frequency is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to stackable modular structure
Solution Approach 1:
The modular segmentation into base and additional gas filter units creates a stackable structure where each unit is independently replaceable. While this increases structural complexity, it enables the base unit with long-service-life material to remain in place while only the additional units are replaced, achieving reduced overall replacement frequency that outweighs the moderate increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The additional gas filter units are designed to be detachably superposed on the base gas filter unit, creating a nested stackable configuration. This nesting approach allows compact arrangement while maintaining independent replaceability, balancing device complexity with the benefit of reduced replacement frequency.
3Ease of repair
If detachable superposed structure is used, then selective replacement of additional units is enabled, but the airtightness between stacked units becomes challenging to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The detachable superposed structure segments the air filter module into independently replaceable base and additional gas filter units. Each unit maintains its structural integrity and airtight sealing capabilities, allowing the additional units to be selectively replaced without compromising the airtightness of the overall module or the base unit.
Data Source
AI summary
A stackable air filter module includes a base gas filter unit and at least one additional gas filter unit. The base filter unit includes a metal frame and at least one first filter body located in the filter passage of the metal frame. At least one additional filter unit is detachably superposed on the base filter unit, and the additional filter unit includes a filter frame and a second filter body located in the filter passage of the filter frame. The service life of the filter material contained in the first filter body is greater than the service life of the filter material contained in the second filter body.