Waste Separation System for Automatic Analysis Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current automatic analysis devices lack an efficient system for separating and managing waste, particularly hazardous components like microplastic particles, which can contaminate laboratory wastewater systems and pose environmental risks.

Innovation Solution

A waste separation system that includes two separate waste containers and a control device to manage the separation of waste classes, specifically directing contaminated waste with microplastic particles into a dedicated container for environmentally friendly disposal, while minimizing the volume of contaminated wastewater.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If all wastewater is discharged into a single waste container or laboratory wastewater system, then the disposal process is simple, but microplastic particles and other hazardous substances contaminate the wastewater system and cause environmental damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of waste disposal systemVSAvoidenvironmental contamination from microplastic particles
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The waste disposal system is segmented into multiple waste containers (first waste container for microplastic-containing waste, second waste container for other liquid waste) instead of using a single container. This segmentation allows hazardous microplastic particles to be isolated from the general wastewater stream, preventing environmental contamination while maintaining manageable complexity through structured separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If waste is separated into different waste classes using a waste separation system, then environmental pollution is minimized and hazardous substances are isolated, but the device complexity increases due to multiple containers and control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental pollution from wastewaterVSAvoidcomplexity of waste separation system
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides waste into distinct classes using multiple containers and a waste transfer device with selective transfer capabilities. This segmentation achieves effective separation of hazardous microplastic-containing waste from other liquid waste, minimizing environmental pollution while managing complexity through automated control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control device changes the operational parameters of the waste transfer device based on the waste class being disposed. By detecting the type of waste and adjusting transfer parameters accordingly, the system achieves intelligent separation without requiring overly complex manual intervention or excessive infrastructure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the entire wastewater volume is treated as contaminated, then all waste is handled with environmental precautions, but the volume of contaminated wastewater is maximized and disposal costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental safety of waste disposalVSAvoidvolume of contaminated wastewater
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and isolates only the portions of wastewater containing microplastic particles and hazardous substances into a separate first waste container. By taking out only the contaminated portions rather than treating all wastewater as contaminated, the system minimizes the volume of waste requiring special environmental disposal while maintaining safety through targeted separation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4027147B1Waste separation system
Publication Date: 2025.05.14 SIEMENS HEALTHCARE DIAGNOSTICS PRODS
  • EP4027147B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4027147B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a waste separation system (1) for separating waste for an automatic analysis device, the waste separation system (1) comprising a first waste container (2) and a second waste container (3), a waste transfer device (4) for transferring waste into the first (2) or the second waste container (3) and a control device (5) for controlling the waste transfer device (4), wherein the control device (5) is configured such that the waste transfer device (4) transfers waste of a first waste class into the first waste container (2) and transfers waste of a second waste class into the second waste container (3).