Portable Atomizer Rotor Regulates Two-Phase Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable fire extinguishers based on two-phase flow experience variable mixture content and rapid pressure and flow rate decline during discharge, leading to flow perturbations and deteriorated performance.
Innovation Solution
A portable atomizer apparatus with a mixing chamber and a cylindrical packing chamber containing a rotor with vanes, which intermittently closes and alternates the inlet channels for the liquid and gaseous phases, ensuring a stable and pulsating discharge through a singular flow conduit to the spray nozzle, maintaining effective extinguishing performance across varying pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If both phases are forced through the flow tube to the nozzle assembly with continuous flow, then the two-phase mixture is transported to the spray nozzle, but the relative amount of phase mixture content becomes variable and pressure and flow rate fall rapidly during discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor with vanes creates periodic opening and closing of inlet channels for liquid and gaseous phases, generating pulsating two-phase flow instead of continuous flow. This periodic action maintains stable phase mixture content and pressure throughout the discharge cycle, preventing rapid pressure and flow rate decline while ensuring reliable fire extinguishing performance.
2Ease of operation
If the gaseous phase is introduced via a gas tube immersed in the liquid phase vessel, then both phases are forced through the flow tube, but flow perturbations occur and performance deteriorates gradually
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor with vanes dynamically alternates the opening and closing of inlet channels for liquid and gaseous phases in a systematic sequence. This dynamic control ensures stable phase mixture content and prevents flow perturbations, maintaining reliable fire extinguishing performance throughout the discharge cycle.
3Duration of action of moving object
If a rotor with vanes is used to intermittently close inlet channels of both phases, then stable pulsating discharge is generated and operating time is prolonged, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor with vanes is driven automatically by the pressure differential between the liquid and gaseous phases themselves, without requiring external power sources or control systems. The phases' own pressure energy drives the rotor to create the pulsating flow pattern, extending operating time while avoiding additional complexity from external actuators.
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 solution prolongs the operating time of the atomizer, generates a stable spray of dispersed liquid phase, and maintains excellent extinguishing qualities throughout the pressure drop, from initial pressures down to atmospheric levels, enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of fire extinguishing agents.
Implementation Method 1
both phases begin to flow through the unit's head or some other intermediate element to the discharge nozzle
Implementation Method 2
generates a stable spray of dispersed liquid phase throughout the entire cycle of gaseous phase expansion
Implementation Method 3
Following an increase of pressure inside the vessel containing the liquid phase both phases are forced through the flow tube to the nozzle assembly
Implementation Method 4
both phases are transported via a flow conduit executed in the unit's head to the spray nozzle, where the fire-suppression agent undergoes expansion
Data Source
AI summary
A mixing chamber formed in a chassis outfitted with separate inlet channels for conveying pressurized liquid phase and gaseous phase and an outlet channel linking the mixing chamber with a spray nozzle via a flow tube. A separate cylindrical packing chamber is formed in the chassis, within which packing chamber a rotor with vanes is set, the vanes of which rotor intermittently close the inlet channels of the two phases formed in separate sectors of said packing chamber as demarcated by the rotor vanes, wherein the gaseous phase inlet channel is closed alternately with at least one liquid phase inlet channel conveying liquid phase into the mixing chamber via open inter-vane channels, wherein also the sector of the packing chamber containing the gaseous phase inlet channel is separated from the mixing chamber by a continuous section of a partition that closes off the rotor's inter-vane channels within this sector.