Twill Weave Support Fabric for Corrugated Flat Materials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing corrugated or folded flat materials face challenges with high mechanical load capacity and increased flow resistance due to rigid support layers and complex constructions, which can lead to mechanical impairments and high manufacturing costs.

Innovation Solution

A corrugated or folded flat material with a deformable support fabric featuring a twill weave design, where the weft thread passes under and over warp threads in a diagonal pattern, forming stable microchannels that reduce flow resistance while maintaining mechanical strength.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the support layer is designed as stiff and non-deformable (sintered), then the mechanical load capacity is improved, but the flow resistance increases and the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical load capacityVSAvoidflow resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The support fabric is designed to be deformable rather than rigid, allowing it to dynamically adapt to pressure loads. The fabric can deform under load and recover when load is removed, maintaining mechanical strength while preserving fluid flow pathways and reducing flow resistance compared to rigid sintered structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible support fabric replaces the rigid sintered support layer. The fabric's flexibility allows it to conform to pressure variations while maintaining structural integrity, providing both mechanical support and low flow resistance through its woven structure that accommodates fluid passage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Productivity

If the flat material is folded or corrugated to increase effective area, then the productivity is improved, but the flow resistance increases due to folds lying close together

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveeffective areaVSAvoidflow resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The deformable support fabric allows the folds to dynamically adjust their spacing under fluid pressure. When fluid flows through, the fabric deformstomaintain adequate spacing between adjacent folds, preventing them from lying too close together and thus maintaining lower flow resistance while still providing high effective area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If additional support structures (support beads) are added to prevent packet formation, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket formation preventionVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The additional support beads and complex support structures are removed from the design. Instead, the simple deformable support fabric inherently prevents packet formation through its ability to deform and maintain fold spacing, achieving the same reliability function with much simpler construction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Strength

If thick filaments are used for the support fabric to increase stiffness, then the mechanical load capacity is improved, but the flow resistance increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical load capacityVSAvoidflow resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than using thick filaments to achieve stiffness, the invention uses a flexible fabric structure where the woven pattern and material properties provide the necessary mechanical strength. The flexibility of thin fabric filaments allows them to bend and accommodate fluid flow, reducing flow resistance while maintaining load capacity through the fabric's overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 twill weave design enhances mechanical load capacity and reduces flow resistance by allowing fluid to flow through stable microchannels, preventing damage from pressure fluctuations and maintaining low pressure loss, even under varying loads.

Implementation Method 1

the weft thread of the support fabric passes under at least one warp thread of the support fabric, then passes over at least two warp threads, in order to then be passed under at least one warp thread again. This creates a typical diagonal pattern, which is characterized by diagonal ridges. It has been shown that the flow resistance of the flat material can be reduced by using a twill weave for the supporting fabric.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow through microchannels:

Implementation Method 2

the support fabric is also designed to be deformable. This can reduce the risk of damage in the event of pressure fluctuations.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2180931B1Corrugated or folded flat material
Publication Date: 2015.12.02 FSP FLUID SYST PARTNERS HLDG
  • EP2180931B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2180931B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2180931B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a corrugated or folded flat material comprising a plurality of parallel folds or waves that successively define a fold peak or wave peak and a fold bottom or wave bottom which are interconnected by means of a fold flank or wave flank. A fluid can flow through the flat material that has at least one deformable functional layer which rests on a support layer in the direction of flow of the fluid, said support layer being provided with backing fabric. The functional layer allows foreign matter to be removed from or be delivered to the fluid. In order to develop the flat material in such a way as to provide the same with greater mechanical stability under load and less resistance to flow, the backing fabric is deformable and has a twill weave. Also disclosed is the use of such a backing fabric for supporting a folded or corrugated functional layer at the outlet end.