Aerosol-Cooling Element With Twisted Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heated aerosol-generating articles often cause discomfort due to high temperatures at the mouthpiece, especially in hot and humid conditions, as sensitive tissues come into contact with surfaces exceeding 45 degrees Celsius, triggering thermoreceptors and nociceptors.
Innovation Solution
An aerosol-cooling element with a hollow tubular segment and elongated protrusions is integrated into the article, enhancing heat transfer and turbulence to lower aerosol temperature and prevent overheating of mouthpiece surfaces, made from materials like cellulose-based compounds or polylactic acid, facilitating efficient manufacturing without major equipment modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a cooling element is added to reduce mouthpiece temperature, then user comfort is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling element is integrated into the existing rod structure by positioning it downstream of the aerosol-generating substrate within the same rod, merging the cooling function with the existing article structure rather than adding a separate component
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling element comprises a thin-walled tubular structure with wall thickness between 0.05mm and 0.5mm, allowing efficient heat transfer while maintaining structural integrity and minimizing material usage
2Temperature
If elongated protrusions are added to the cooling element to enhance cooling, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions create a structured surface geometry that enhances heat transfer efficiency by increasing surface area and promoting turbulence, while being manufacturable through standard extrusion or molding processes
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions have specific dimensional parameters (length 1-10mm, positioned at 0-50% of tubular length from upstream end) that optimize heat transfer while maintaining compatibility with existing manufacturing capabilities
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 aerosol-cooling element effectively reduces the temperature of the aerosol and mouthpiece surfaces below discomfort thresholds, ensuring a comfortable user experience even in extreme weather conditions while maintaining production efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
heat may be transferred from the aerosol to the sheet of PLA
Implementation Method 2
enhancing heat transfer and turbulence to lower aerosol temperature
Implementation Method 3
enhancing heat transfer and turbulence to lower aerosol temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosol-generating article is provided, including a rod of aerosol-generating substrate; an aerosol-cooling element downstream of the rod and including a hollow tubular segment including a peripheral wall, the segment extending along a longitudinal axis and having a downstream end in fluid communication with an upstream end, the segment further including at least one elongated protrusion extending from the peripheral wall into an interior of the segment, the protrusion extending longitudinally from an upstream position on the wall to a downstream position on the wall; and a wrapper circumscribing the rod and the aerosol-cooling element, the protrusion being a deflecting fin configured to change a direction of flow of an aerosol flowing from the upstream to the downstream end the segment, and the fin being twisted along a length of the segment.