Supercritical Drying Salt Removal via Line Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing supercritical drying methods for silica aerogel blankets face inefficiencies due to salt accumulation inside facilities, which can lead to safety threats and operational disruptions, and current methods to address this require additional facilities or longer processing times.
Innovation Solution
A supercritical drying method that involves placing a silica wet gel blanket in a supercritical extractor, discharging residual materials, and injecting them into a line filter between the extractor and pressure control valve to filter out salts generated by reactions, preventing accumulation and facilitating efficient solvent reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate facility and additional washing process are used to remove salt, then salt removal effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the salt removal function with the existing supercritical drying facility by installing a filter in the residual material discharge line. This integrates multiple functions (drying and salt removal) into a single facility, eliminating the need for separate salt removal facilities while maintaining effective salt removal through the filter system.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter acts as an intermediary component in the residual material discharge line, intercepting and removing salts before they accumulate in the facility. This intermediary device enables salt removal without requiring fundamental changes to the overall facility structure or adding complex separate treatment systems.
2Reliability
If air stripping or reduced pressure distillation is used to remove ammonia, then salt generation is prevented, but processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is installed in advance in the residual material discharge line to intercept salts before they accumulate in the facility. This preliminary action prevents salt accumulation issues from arising during subsequent operations, eliminating the need for time-consuming air stripping or distillation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent skips the time-consuming steps of air stripping or reduced pressure distillation by using a filter that passively removes salts during the existing supercritical drying process. This direct filtration approach rushes through the salt removal function without requiring the extended processing time needed for alternative methods.
3Device complexity
If salt accumulation is allowed in the supercritical extractor, then device complexity is minimized, but safety and operational reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the residual material discharge path by installing a filter in the discharge line, separating the salt removal function from the main supercritical extractor. This segmentation allows the extractor to maintain its simplicity while the filter handles salt accumulation, preserving operational safety without complicating the core drying device.
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
This method improves the stability and efficiency of the supercritical drying process by reducing salt accumulation, minimizing washing time and ammonia wastewater, and enabling the reuse of solvents, while ensuring uniform physical properties of the silica aerogel blankets.
Implementation Method 1
injecting the residual materials into a line filter installed between the supercritical extractor and a pressure control valve and then discharging the same, wherein the step c) is filtering a salt generated by a reaction among the residual materials inside the line filter
Implementation Method 2
subjecting the silica wet gel blanket to supercritical drying and discharging residual materials
Implementation Method 3
the ammonia is reacted with carbon dioxide used as a supercritical fluid in a high-pressure supercritical drying step performed after preparing silica wet gel, resulting in the generation of an ammonium salt, such as ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate
Data Source
AI summary
A supercritical drying device for preparing a silica wet gel blanket, in which the accumulation of salts inside equipment during supercritical drying is prevented. The accumulation of salts inside equipment is prevented by cooling the line filter to have an outer surface temperature in a range of 0° C.-50° C. resulting in improved operational stability of the supercritical drying process. In addition, because a line filter can be separated and easily cleaned, the time required for cleaning and the total amount of ammonia wastewater from the cleaning can be reduced, thereby resulting in the effects of improved efficiency and reduced costs.