Aerosol Heater Temperature Profiling for Consistent Vapor Output
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerosol-generating devices face challenges in maintaining consistent aerosol formation across multiple user experiences without intermediate recharging, particularly due to variations in aerosol-forming substrate water content.
Innovation Solution
The device includes a controller that determines the rate of increase in temperature of the electrical heater during an initial time period, allowing it to adjust the power supply during a subsequent time period based on the initial temperature and the determined rate of increase, thereby selecting an appropriate heating profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the controller uses only the rate of increase in temperature to determine water content, then the detection is simple, but the determination reliability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs a preliminary heating phase before the actual aerosol generation, during which it measures the temperature increase rate. This preliminary action allows the system to characterize the substrate's water content before committing to a heating profile, thereby improving determination reliability without adding complex hardware
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the rate of temperature increase as a parameter to infer water content. By monitoring how quickly the temperature rises during the preliminary phase, the controller can determine the thermal characteristics of the substrate and adjust subsequent heating parameters accordingly, achieving accurate water content determination through parameter analysis
2Productivity
If the device provides multiple user experiences without intermediate recharge, then the productivity increases, but the consistency of aerosol formation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Before each user experience, the controller performs a preliminary heating phase to assess the substrate's water content. Based on this assessment, it selects an appropriate heating profile that ensures consistent aerosol formation. This preliminary characterization allows the system to maintain aerosol consistency across multiple experiences without requiring recharging
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the heating profile based on real-time temperature monitoring and water content determination. By making the heating parameters adaptive rather than fixed, the system can accommodate variations in substrate properties across multiple user experiences, thereby maintaining aerosol formation consistency while extending operational capacity
3Speed
If the heater operates at high power continuously, then the heating speed increases, but the temperature control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic temperature monitoring during the heating process, measuring the temperature at regular intervals to calculate the rate of increase. This periodic feedback allows the system to maintain high heating power when needed while ensuring accurate temperature control through continuous monitoring and adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a preliminary heating phase at controlled power levels to characterize the substrate's thermal properties before transitioning to higher power operation. This preliminary action establishes a baseline that enables more aggressive heating while maintaining overall temperature control precision through the characterized thermal model
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
This approach enables more reliable determination of aerosol-forming substrate water content, allowing for optimal heating profiles to be selected, which enhances user experience and maintains consistent aerosol formation across multiple uses.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical heater arranged to heat an aerosol-forming substrate when the aerosol-forming substrate is received within the cavity
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosol-generating device is provided, including: a cavity configured to receive an aerosol-forming substrate; an electrical heater to heat the substrate when received within the cavity; a power supply; and a controller to control a supply of power to the heater during a first time period and a subsequent second time period, determine an initial temperature of the heater, and to determine a rate of increase in temperature of the heater during the first time period by determining a time taken for a temperature of the heater to increase from a first to a second predetermined temperature during the first time period, and adjust the supply of power to the heater during the second time period based on the initial temperature of the heater and based on the determined rate of increase in temperature of the heater during the first time period.