FILTER ELEMENT FOR A FILTER MODULE FOR FILTERING PROCESS AIR FOR A TREATMENT STATION

Abstract

A filter element for a filter module for filtering process air for a treatment station, the filter element being equipped with an RFID tag.

Claims

1. A filter element for a filter module for filtering process air for a treatment facility comprising: a communication device, which has an information carrier and a transmitter, and is designed to transmit items of information of the information carrier.

2. The filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device is designed as an RFID transponder.

3. The filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to transmit items of information via a WLAN and/or according to the Bluetooth standard.

4. The filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a sensor for acquiring filter-element-specific data.

5. The filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to transmit filter-element-specific data during a read-out procedure.

6. The filter element as claimed in claim 5, wherein the filter-element-specific data include a time curve of the pressure drop of the filter element.

7. The filter element as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filter-element-specific data are configured for an identification and/or an authentication of the filter element.

8. The filter element as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication unit (142) is configured to store data during a write procedure.

9. The filter element as claimed in claim 8, wherein the data are filter-element-specific data and/or the data are data characterizing the process.

10. The filter element as claimed in claim 9, wherein the filter-element-specific data and/or the data characterizing the process depict a time curve of a parameter.

11. A device for transmitting data to a filter element as claimed in claim 1, comprising: an RFID write/read device.

12. A device for filtering process air of a treatment facility, comprising: an air guiding system for discharging exhaust air charged with particles from the treatment facility, a separation system for separating the particles located in the exhaust air, and a control unit, wherein the separation system has at least one filter module having at least one replaceable filter element for accommodating the separated particles as claimed in claim 1.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to store a curve of one or more process parameters on the RFID transponder.

14. The filter element as claimed in claim 6, wherein the filter-element-specific data are configured for an identification and/or an authentication of the filter element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Exemplary embodiments will be explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of the drawings. In the figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a filter element according to the invention; and

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a second alternative embodiment of a filter element according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

1. First Exemplary Embodiment

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a very schematic illustration of a coating facility 10. Objects to be coated, for example, vehicle bodies, vehicle body components, or wheels, can be conveyed through the coating facility 10 and can be processed or treated at various processing and coating stations 12, 14, 16, 18. The coating facility 10 has a control unit 11 for controlling and regulating the treatment processes taking place in the coating facility 10.

[0028] The present exemplary embodiment specifically relates to a painting facility, however, the invention can also be used in other treatment facilities or treatment modules, which require a filtering of process air, for example, drying facilities, cooling facilities, or the like.

[0029] A pretreatment takes place at a first treatment station 12. This can be, for example, cleaning, tempering, or the like. After the pretreatment, the object to be coated passes through a first coating station 14, a second coating station 16, and a third coating station 18. An application of a primer takes place at the first coating station. An application of a base paint (basecoat) takes place at the second coating station 16, the application of a cover paint (clearcoat) is provided at the third coating station 18. The objects to be treated are conveyed by means of a conveyor system between the individual treatment or coating stations 12-18.

[0030] The individual coating procedures mentioned here at the coating stations 14-18 require different purification of the process air loaded with particles, for example, overspray, by means of filter modules containing filter elements. For this purpose, for example, different air guiding and separation systems having the corresponding filter modules, which are not described in detail here, can be provided for each coating station 14-18.

[0031] In the present embodiment, the filter elements are designed as paint separation units. These can be arranged, for example, as paint mist separation systems below spray booths. The exhaust air arising during a coating procedure is guided through the paint separation units, in which the paint particles are separated. For this purpose, the paint separation units can be designed as surface filters, as depth filters, or as a combination of surface filters and depth filters, for example, can have compartment and/or chamber structures in the form of a flow labyrinth and can be constructed at least partially from a recycling material, for example. The filter elements are cuboid here, for example, and fit on a standard Europallet in the assembled state.

[0032] Specifically, the present embodiment provides a different filter element type for each paint separation device of the coating stations 14-18. A first filter element 141 of a first filter element type is provided for the first coating station 14, a second filter element 161 of a second filter element type is provided for the second coating station 16, and a third filter element 181 of a third filter element type is provided for the third coating station 18.

[0033] The individual filter elements 141, 161, 181 of the respective filter element type are each provided with an RFID transponder 142, 162, 182. In an alternative embodiment, the filter elements 141, 161, 181 can comprise actively transmitting WLAN or Bluetooth modules instead of a passive RFID transponder. In the present exemplary embodiment, the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 are shown by a different symbol for each filter element for better differentiation in FIG. 1: the RFID transponder 142 of the first filter element type 141 is symbolized by a triangle, the RFID transponder 162 of the second filter element type 161 is symbolized by a rectangle, and the RFID transponder 182 of the third filter element type 181 is symbolized by an ellipse.

[0034] The individual coating stations 14, 16, 18 have corresponding RFID write/read devices 143, 163, 183 for reading out and writing the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 of the filter elements 141, 161, 181. In an alternative embodiment, the write/read devices 143, 163, 183 could be designed as WLAN base stations or as Bluetooth remote stations.

[0035] The individual filter elements 141, 161, 181 are permanently connected to the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 during the production by the supplier of the filter elements 141, 161, 181. The RFID transponders fulfill multiple functions in this case.

[0036] The respective RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 is in the range of the respective RFID write/read device 143, 163, 183 in operation of the coating station 14, 16, 18. The RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 does not have to have visual contact for a data transmission to or from the RFID write/read device 143, 163, 183, whereby this data transmission is substantially less sensitive with respect to soiling.

[0037] If no RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 meeting the required criteria are in range of the RFID write/read device, the control unit 11 can establish the absence of a filter element 141, 161, 181 and possibly stop the operation of the respective treatment station 14, 16, 18.

[0038] The respective RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 is written with a dataset defined for the associated filter module before an operation. This dataset can comprise multiple parameters, which are suitable for the optimum monitoring of the filter element 141, 161, 181. For example, the increase of the pressure drop at the filter element 141, 161, 181 as a result of the increasing flow resistance with increasing filling of the filter element can be saved. This can be stored, for example, as a third-order polynomial in the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 and read out by the RFID write/read device 143, 163, 183. With this specification, the control unit 11 of the treatment facility 10 can compute the initial pressure loss of the paint separation device as a function of the volume flow conveyed through the paint separation unit or the filter element 141, 161, 181.

[0039] Therefore, corresponding data of the control unit 11 do not have to be made accessible by the operator of the treatment facility 10. This is advantageous in particular if the producer and/or supplier of the filter elements 141, 161, 181 supplies an optimized filter element type, which has a changed (optimized) flow behavior. The corresponding data can be communicated via the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 via the RFID write/read device 143, 163, 183 to the control unit 11 already with the insertion of the filter element 141, 161, 181 into the treatment station 14, 16, 18.

[0040] The RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 can have the filter module type or paint separator type matching with the filter element 141, 161, 181 stored as a further parameter. This enables a check of the correct association of the filter element 141, 161, 181 with the associated filter module or paint separator type. It can thus be ensured that the inserted filter element 141, 161, 181 is also suitable for the filter module type or paint separator type.

[0041] The RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 can furthermore have an identifier for the type of the provided coating station, for example, the painting booth. Thus, if the filter element 141, 161, 181 is to be used in a treatment station other than that provided, this can be detected and possibly prevented by the control unit.

[0042] In one special embodiment of a filter element 141, 161, 181, a so-called experimental identifier can be coded in the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182. This means that in the case of an insertion of a filter element 141, 161, 181, which has an RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 coded with an experimental identifier, the control unit 11 accepts this filter element type in any case, but puts the respective treatment station 14, 16, 18 or the entire treatment facility 10 into an experimental state. This can include, for example, a corresponding control visualization and analysis and thus enable the testing and/or optimization of specific filter elements.

[0043] The RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 can have a verification key in the form of a number, a text, or other symbols, to enable an authentication of the filter element 141, 161, 181. The verification key can be generated individually by an encryption algorithm for each RFID transponder 142, 162, 182. A correct verification key can enable the check of the authenticity of the dataset coded by the producer and/or supplier of the filter element 141, 161, 181 in the RFID transponder. In the case of a permanent and non-detachable connection of the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 to the filter element 141, 161, 181, the authenticity of the filter element 141, 161, 181 can thus moreover be established. If the check of the verification key after a read-out of the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 by the RFID read device 143, 163, 183 fails, the control unit 11 can suspend the operation of the coating station 14, 16, 18 or the operation of the entire treatment facility 10, since an incorrect filter element 141, 162, 181 can cause unpredictable damage to the facility. For example, the AES algorithm can be used as an encryption algorithm for generating the verification key.

[0044] If a correct filter element to be verified is inserted, the control unit 11 of the treatment facility 10 can permit filling of the filter element up to the maximum possible fill level. In contrast, if a verification is absent or if the RFID transponder is entirely absent, a certain safety margin, i.e., incomplete filling of the filter element can be provided. For this purpose, for example, the maximum pressure drop to be reached at the filter element can be set lower than in the case of verification, for example, only at most 300 Pa.

[0045] Individual or all RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 can alternatively or additionally be equipped with a sensor (not shown). Such a sensor can determine, for example, a fill level or similar physical measured variables. The sensor can have the energy required for determining the measured variable provided, for example, by the RFID transponder from the electrical request field. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor can be supplied with a separate power source, for example, a battery or a rechargeable battery.

[0046] In operation of the individual coating or treatment stations, process parameters are stored continuously or intermittently on the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182. The data thus stored on the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 can comprise, for example, the designation of the treatment facility 10, the coating station or the painting booth 14, 16, 18 in which the filter element 141, 161, 181 is used, the position inside the coating station 14, 16, 18, the volume flow conveyed through the filter element 141, 161, 181 at a certain point in time, and the pressure drop taking place at the filter element 141, 161, 181 at a certain point in time.

[0047] The pressure drop can also be written on the RFID transponders in specific pressure drop steps and in the case of a fixed volume flow instead of at specific points in time. This enables the production of a filling curve, i.e., a chronological development of the filling of the filter element 141, 161, 181. This permits the operator of the treatment facility and the producer of the filter element 141, 161, 181 analysis options for optimizing the coating process and the production process of the filter element. For example, the service life of the filter elements 141, 161, 181 can be determined and optimum filter element replacement intervals can thus be ascertained. This enables a particularly simple scheduling of delivery cycles for new filter elements and of retrieval cycles for the used filter elements.

[0048] Furthermore, optimizations can be carried out within the treatment facility by means of the recordings on the RFID transponder. For example, in painting booths, overspray optimization can be carried out with respect to the location of the filter element, i.e., every running meter of the painting booth. Furthermore, a separation optimization can be carried out in each case. The objects to be treated generally have a certain extension along the conveyance direction and are at different positions within the treatment facility at different points in time during the overall coating procedure. In general one coating element 141, 161, 181 can be associated with each determined position within the treatment facility. It can be ascertained by means of a recording of the overspray quantity separated in a specific filter element 141, 161, 181 whether an excessively large quantity of overspray possibly forms at a specific position and corresponding correction measures can be taken.

[0049] If the pressure drop taking place at the filter element reaches, for example, a maximum value predefined in the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182, the filter element 141, 161, 181 is blocked for further operation by the control unit 11. A further use of this filter element 141, 161, 181 in another filter module is no longer possible after this blocking. This substantially enhances the process reliability.

[0050] For the disposal of the filter element, the items of information stored in the transponder 142, 162, 182 can be read out and used for the disposal process, for example, with respect to a treatment of certain embedded materials. Subsequently or alternatively, the transponder 142, 162, 182 can be irreversibly erased and thus made unusable.

2. Second Embodiment

[0051] FIG. 2 shows, also in a very schematic illustration, an alternative coating facility 10. Identical or comparable features are identified by identical reference signs in FIG. 2. In contrast to the coating facility 10 of FIG. 1, in the coating facility 10 of FIG. 2, a physical separation is provided between RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 and the filter element 141, 161, 181. This means that the operator of the coating facility 10 is not dependent on purchasing a filter element provided with an RFID transponder from a producer. Rather, the RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 can be acquired separately with a dataset stored thereon and can be coupled to a filter element 141, 161, 181 acquired from another producer. To avoid confusion here, the RFID transponders and the associated filter elements can have an identification recognizable to operating personnel, for example, a color coding or a symbol coding. As soon as the facility controller 11 has identified an RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 coupled to such a filter element 141, 161, 181, the data transmission can be performed as already described above. If the process parameters are stored on the RFID transponders 142, 162, 182 in the course of the filling of a filter element 141, 161, 181 as already described above, a further use of an RFID transponder 142, 162, 182 of a partially-filled filter element 141, 161, 181 cannot be carried out with an unused filter element 141, 161, 181. The pressure drop at an unused filter element would not correspond to the pressure drop of a partially filled filter element. The control unit could initiate the stop of the filling procedure in such a case. Furthermore, the recording of the process parameters on an RFID transponder could also enable a change of a filter element in the meantime and the subsequent reuse of the same filter element.