Static Mixing Element with Biocide-Coated Porous Foam for Fluid Decontamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing germ reduction technologies for fluids face inefficiencies due to high pressure drops, instability when exposed to fluids, and excessive use of expensive biocide materials, leading to suboptimal germ reduction and potential biocide leaching.
Innovation Solution
A static mixing element with a biocide-coated surface is used for germ reduction, minimizing biocide usage and maintaining stability, where the biocide is incorporated into a polymer or guanidine derivative, ensuring effective germ reduction without significant pressure loss or leaching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If filtering apparatuses use guanidine copolymer in granulate, powder or gel form packed into filtration columns, then germ reduction effectiveness is improved, but pressure drop increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses porous foam support structures with controlled porosity (30-90%) to hold the guanidine copolymer biocide. The porous architecture provides high surface area for biocide loading while maintaining open channels for fluid flow, thereby achieving effective germ reduction without significant pressure drop. The foam structure allows fluid to penetrate through while the biocide coating on the porous surface contacts the fluid for germ reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines inert foam support material (providing structural stability and flow channels) with guanidine copolymer biocide (providing germ reduction functionality). This composite structure integrates the mechanical stability of foam with the biocidal activity of guanidine copolymer, resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and pressure drop by separating the structural support function from the active germ reduction function.
2Reliability
If water soluble or gel biocide materials are used in filtering apparatuses, then germ reduction activity is achieved, but long-term stability deteriorates due to leaching and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cross-linked gel beads with controlled porosity that are designed to be stable and non-leaching over extended periods. The cross-linking creates a stable three-dimensional network that prevents biocide leaching while maintaining water solubility and germ reduction activity. This resolves the stability issue by creating a permanently stable yet biologically active material structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The biocide is localized on the surface and within the porous structure of the foam support, rather than being uniformly distributed. This localized placement ensures that the biocide remains in contact with the fluid for germ reduction while the cross-linked gel structure prevents bulk leaching. The local concentration of biocide on the porous surface provides sustained activity without compromising long-term stability.
3Reliability
If filter columns use small void fractions to increase biocide contact surface area, then germ reduction effectiveness is improved, but the quantity of expensive biocide material required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional packed bed filtration (one-dimensional flow through granulate) to a foam-based three-dimensional porous structure. This dimensional change provides vastly increased surface area within the same volume, allowing more biocide to be exposed to the fluid without increasing the quantity of biocide material needed. The 3D porous network maximizes the biocide-fluid contact interface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam support structure is segmented into numerous small cells and channels, creating a distributed network of flow paths and biocide contact surfaces. This segmentation increases the effective surface area for germ reduction while maintaining open flow channels, thereby reducing the amount of biocide material required compared to traditional packed beds that require larger quantities to achieve sufficient contact surface area.
Data Source
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AI summary
A static devolatilisation apparatus (1) for germ reduction of a fluid is disclosed. The apparatus (1) comprises a housing (10), an inlet (12), an outlet (14), a fluid-contacting surface (20) comprising a biocide (22) embodied to reduce the germ count of the fluid (2), wherein the fluid-contacting surface (20) is a fluid-contacting surface (20) of a static mixing element (30). The present invention further relates to a process for reducing the germ count of a fluid containing germs (2') using the apparatus (1) and also to the use of the apparatus (1) in the germ reduction of fuel oil, of food products, or water decontamination, preferably decontamination of waste water, industrial process water, or the treatment of drinking water.