Determination device

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Solution Overview

Problem

In absorption refrigerators, it is challenging to determine the cause of gas generation without discharging the stored gas, as conventional methods rely on burning the gas to differentiate between hydrogen and atmospheric air, which is inefficient and inaccurate.

Innovation Solution

A determination device comprising a pressure detecting unit, a hydrogen detecting unit, and a determining unit that analyzes the pressure and hydrogen levels to identify the cause of gas generation, allowing for accurate identification before discharging the gas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the discharged gas is burned to determine whether it is hydrogen or not, then the gas type can be identified, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming requiring vacuum pump discharge first

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas type identification accuracyVSAvoiddetermination process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrogen detecting unit performs preliminary detection of hydrogen in the gas storage chamber before any gas discharge or burning operations. This preliminary action provides advance information about the gas composition, allowing the system to determine the appropriate discharge method (palladium tube for hydrogen, vacuum pump for air) without needing to burn the gas for identification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts the hydrogen detection function from the gas discharge process. Instead of requiring gas discharge and burning to identify hydrogen, a dedicated hydrogen detecting unit is introduced that can detect hydrogen presence directly in the storage chamber, separating the identification step from the discharge step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If the gas in the gas storage chamber is discharged using the vacuum pump, then the gas can be collected for analysis, but the stored gas cannot be identified before discharge and excessive corrosion inhibitor charging may occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas composition informationVSAvoidcorrosion inhibitor charge amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The hydrogen detecting unit performs preliminary detection of hydrogen concentration in the gas storage chamber before any discharge operations. This allows the system to identify the gas composition in advance and make informed decisions about subsequent actions, preventing unnecessary corrosion inhibitor charging when the gas is not hydrogen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The determining unit receives feedback from the hydrogen detecting unit about the gas composition and automatically determines the appropriate discharge method and subsequent maintenance actions. This feedback mechanism eliminates the need for manual gas burning and enables precise, automated decision-making about corrosion inhibitor charging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If hydrogen burning is used to identify gas type, then the cause of pressure rise can be determined, but the process is inefficient and requires significant energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecause determination reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption for gas analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces the chemical burning process with a physical detection method using the hydrogen detecting unit. Instead of consuming energy to burn hydrogen for identification, a sensor-based detection system is used that consumes minimal energy while providing reliable hydrogen identification and cause determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

Enables precise determination of gas cause without burning the gas, preventing excessive corrosion inhibitor charging and facilitating correct maintenance decisions.

Implementation Method 1

a pressure detecting unit configured to detect pressure in a storage that stores gas discharged from inside an absorption refrigerator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure detection:

Implementation Method 2

a hydrogen detecting unit configured to detect an amount of hydrogen discharged from the storage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrogen detection:

Implementation Method 3

Palladium, when it is heated and kept above about 300° C. or higher, has a property of allowing only hydrogen to pass therethrough

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPalladium hydrogen permeation: Permeation

Data Source

PatentUS11808501B2Determination device

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 YAZAKI ENERGY SYSTEM CORP

AI summary

A determination device able to determine a cause of generation of gas with a simple configuration is provided. The determination device includes a pressure gauge that detects pressure in a gas storage chamber that stores non-condensable gas generated in an absorber of an absorption refrigerator, and a hydrogen sensor that detects an amount of hydrogen discharged from the gas storage chamber. Further, a determining unit determines a cause of generation of the non-condensable gas stored in the gas storage chamber based on a detection result of the hydrogen sensor and a detection result of the pressure gauge.