Supersonic Dehydration System for Heat-Free Material Disinfection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying and disinfection technologies for organic materials are inefficient, costly, and often compromise the quality of the final product due to high temperatures and fossil fuel usage, while waste materials are bulky and difficult to process, and there is a need for effective on-site dehydration and disinfection methods.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an acceleration channel with a constriction to accelerate materials to supersonic speeds, inducing acoustic shock waves for dehydration and disinfection, without heat or chemicals, using a vacuum and cyclone separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high temperature drying is used to dehydrate organic materials, then dehydration efficiency is improved, but product quality and nutritional content deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the drying parameter from thermal energy to mechanical energy (supersonic air stream). The supersonic air stream creates negative pressure and acoustic shock waves that physically remove water molecules from organic materials without thermal damage, achieving both high dehydration efficiency and product quality preservation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal drying system with a mechanical supersonic air stream system. The air mover generates supersonic air streams that create acoustic shock waves and negative pressure fields to dehydrate materials mechanically, eliminating the need for high temperature thermal processing
2Use of energy by moving object
If fossil fuel-based heating is used for drying, then energy availability is improved, but environmental pollution and operational cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fossil fuel-based thermal heating with an electrically-driven supersonic air stream system. The air mover uses electrical energy to generate supersonic air streams that mechanically dehydrate materials, eliminating combustion emissions and improving environmental performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the energy source from chemical energy (fossil fuels) to electrical energy. The electric air mover converts electrical energy directly into supersonic kinetic energy, bypassing thermal conversion and eliminating associated pollution
3Quantity of substance
If batch-operated industrial driers are used, then dehydration capability is improved, but processing time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous processing where the air mover continuously generates supersonic air streams that pass through the organic material on an endless conveyor. This eliminates batch operation cycles, reducing processing time and simplifying operation while maintaining high dehydration capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-accelerating air to supersonic speeds before it contacts the organic material. This ensures immediate and efficient dehydration upon contact, reducing overall processing time compared to gradual thermal drying
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
Achieves rapid dehydration and disinfection of materials, reducing weight and volume, preserving product quality, and enabling efficient processing of waste materials.
Implementation Method 1
accelerate materials to supersonic speeds, inducing acoustic shock waves for dehydration and disinfection
Implementation Method 2
the velocity of the air stream and material moving through the constriction is equal to or greater than the speed of sound
Implementation Method 3
a cyclone in communication with the outlet of the acceleration channel for receiving said discharged air stream and dehydrated, disinfected material, and separating said dehydrated, disinfected material from said air stream
Data Source
AI summary
The partial or full dehydration of organic or inorganic matter containing water by induction of matter into a vacuum and processing matter through a specially designed acceleration channel is disclosed. The inducted matter accelerates in air from zero speed to sub-sonic speed to reach supersonic speed. As the material transitions the sound barrier, it is subject to acoustic shock waves and an instant negative pressure drop occurs. The sound waves disintegrate, disinfect the material and extract part or all moisture from any organic or inorganic material.