Fluid feed ring and associated apparatus and method

Abstract

A substrate coating apparatus is disclosed. The substrate coating apparatus comprises a substrate holder for holding a substrate vertically; a piston for introducing, by pushing or injecting, a liquid comprising a catalyst component into the substrate via or through open ends of the plurality of channels at a lower end of the substrate; a vacuum generator for applying a vacuum to open ends of the plurality of channels at an upper end of the substrate; and a fluid feed ring for supplying the liquid onto a face of the piston. The fluid feed ring comprises an annular body comprising an inner face bounding a central bore of the fluid feed ring; a fluid feed port for receiving the liquid; a plurality of outlet apertures on the inner face of the annular body for discharging the liquid onto the piston face; and a distribution channel extending at least part-way around the annular body which provides fluid communication between the fluid feed port and the plurality of outlet apertures.

1 . A substrate coating apparatus comprising:
 a substrate holder for holding a substrate vertically, the substrate comprising a plurality of channels;   a piston for introducing, by pushing or injecting, a liquid comprising a catalyst component into the substrate via or through open ends of the plurality of channels at a lower end of the substrate;   a vacuum generator for applying a vacuum to open ends of the plurality of channels at an upper end of the substrate; and   a fluid feed ring for supplying the liquid onto a face of the piston;   wherein the fluid feed ring comprises:   an annular body comprising an inner face bounding a central bore of the fluid feed ring;   a fluid feed port for receiving the liquid;   a plurality of outlet apertures on the inner face of the annular body for discharging the liquid onto the piston face; and   a distribution channel extending at least part-way around the annular body which provides fluid communication between the fluid feed port and the plurality of outlet apertures.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outlet apertures are provided in at least two quadrants of the inner face; optionally wherein the plurality of outlet apertures are provided in at least three quadrants of the inner face; optionally wherein the plurality of outlet apertures are provided in all four quadrants of the inner face; and optionally wherein the plurality of outlet apertures are arranged around a full extent of the inner face; and optionally wherein the plurality of apertures are equi-spaced around a full extent of the inner face. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid feed ring further comprises a plurality of outlet channels that provide fluid communication from the distribution channel to the plurality of outlet apertures; and optionally wherein at least a portion of, and optionally all of, the plurality of outlet channels are directed downwards at their respective outlet apertures of the plurality of outlet apertures such that the liquid discharged from said plurality of outlet channels through said plurality of outlet apertures is directed downwards towards the piston face; and optionally wherein a first portion of said plurality of outlet channels are directed downwards at a first angle and a second portion of said plurality of outlet channels are directed downwards at a second angle, and optionally a third portion of said plurality of outlet channels are directed downwards at a third angle. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of outlet channels are all either directed clockwise or all directed anti-clockwise at their respective outlet apertures of the plurality of outlet apertures such that the liquid discharged from said plurality of outlet channels through said plurality of outlet apertures is all directed initially clockwise or all directed initially anti-clockwise onto the piston face. 
     
     
         5 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a first portion of said plurality of outlet channels are directed clockwise or anti-clockwise at a first angle to a radial direction and a second portion of said plurality of outlet channels are directed clockwise or anti-clockwise at a second angle to the radial direction. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a first subset of the plurality of outlet channels are directed clockwise at their respective outlet apertures of the plurality of outlet apertures such that the liquid discharged from said first subset of the plurality of outlet channels through said plurality of outlet apertures is directed initially clockwise onto the piston face. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein a second subset of the plurality of outlet channels are directed anti-clockwise at their respective outlet apertures of the plurality of outlet apertures such that the liquid discharged from said second subset of the plurality of outlet channels through said plurality of outlet apertures is directed initially anti-clockwise onto the piston face. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a third subset of the plurality of outlet channels are directed at an angle from 0° to 10° to a radial direction at their respective outlet apertures of the plurality of outlet apertures such that the liquid discharged from said third subset of the plurality of outlet channels through said plurality of outlet apertures is directed initially radially onto the piston face. 
     
     
         9 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the first and/or second subsets of the plurality of outlet channels that are directed clockwise or anti-clockwise are directed to swirl initially in a peripheral zone of the piston face. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the third subset of the plurality of outlet channels that are directed at the angle from 0° to 10° to the radial direction comprises a first portion of said third subset of the plurality of outlet channels which are directed downwards at a first angle to target a central zone of the piston face and a second portion of said third subset of the plurality of outlet channels which are directed downwards at a second angle, the second angle being greater than the first angle, to target an intermediate zone of the piston face. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate coating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid feed port is located at a periphery of the fluid feed ring; and wherein the fluid feed port comprises a feed channel that extends through an outer face of the annular body into communication with the distribution channel; and optionally wherein the distribution channel at the location of intersection with the feed channel comprises a non-apertured section to thereby deflect sideways all of the liquid entering the distribution channel from the feed channel.