Painting Booth Burner Ignition Reliability via Compressed Air Purging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Painting booths face ignition difficulties due to condensation and impurity accumulation in the burner's combustion zone, especially in direct flame burners with funnel-shaped bodies, leading to unreliable ignition, particularly after temperature drops and during morning startup.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a compressed air circuit that directs air to the burner's ignition zone to clear condensation and impurities, integrated with the existing ventilation system and control logic to ensure easy ignition and maintain optimal operating conditions without complex modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the burner is positioned outside the premises to comply with safety standards, then safety requirements are met, but thermal gradient exposure causes condensation accumulation in the burner body

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety complianceVSAvoidcondensation accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary heating of the burner body using trace heating elements before the burner is activated. This preliminary action prevents condensation from forming in the first place by maintaining the burner body temperature above the dew point, thereby eliminating the harmful effect while preserving safety compliance through external positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The trace heating system converts the harmful thermal gradient effect into a beneficial pre-heating function. By deliberately applying heat to the burner body through trace heating elements, the system transforms the condensation problem caused by external positioning into a controlled thermal management solution that actually prevents condensation formation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Power

If the burner body is designed with a funnel shape for direct flame configuration, then combustion efficiency is improved, but condensation and dirt accumulate at the bottom region

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidimpurity accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The trace heating system applies preliminary thermal energy to the funnel-shaped burner body, particularly at the bottom region where condensation and dirt accumulate. This preliminary heating prevents impurities from adhering to the cooler surfaces, maintaining combustion efficiency while preventing accumulation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the temperature parameter of the burner body by applying continuous trace heating. This parameter change ensures the burner body surface temperature remains above the dew point and sufficiently high to prevent condensation formation, thereby eliminating impurity accumulation while preserving the funnel shape's combustion efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If the burner remains extinguished during night-time temperature drops, then energy consumption is reduced, but condensation accumulates making subsequent ignition difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidignition reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The trace heating system performs preliminary maintenance heating during nighttime when the burner is extinguished. This preliminary action consumes minimal energy compared to full operation but sufficient to prevent condensation formation, ensuring reliable ignition in the morning without requiring energy-intensive pre-heating sequences

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic trace heating during nighttime hours when the burner is not in use. This periodic low-energy heating maintains the burner body temperature above condensation points throughout the night, ensuring ignition reliability in the morning while keeping energy consumption minimal during non-operational periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 effectively prevents ignition issues by using compressed air to clean the burner at startup, ensuring reliable ignition and maintaining optimal operating conditions without operator intervention, while utilizing existing booth components for efficiency and safety.

Implementation Method 1

an apparatus (100) with a compressed air circuit (6) that includes a dispensing element (60) arranged in the region of the burner (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCompressed air flow:

Implementation Method 2

a burner (4) for heating the air flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 3

a ventilation group (3) for generating a flow of air between the ceiling (2) and the flooring (1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced convection: Forced Convection

Data Source

PatentEP3288687B1Apparatus for painting and/or processing vehicles and other components in general
Publication Date: 2019.06.19 USI ITALA
  • EP3288687B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3288687B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3288687B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Apparatus (100) for painting and/or processing vehicles and other components in general comprises a flooring (1) which defines a work surface (10), a ceiling (2) which is opposite the work surface, a ventilation group (3) for generating a flow of air between the ceiling (2) and the flooring (1), a burner (4) for heating the flow of air; and a main compressed air circuit (5) to be used during painting and/or processing operations. The apparatus further comprises a secondary compressed air circuit (6) which is or can be connected to the main circuit (5) and which includes a compressed air dispensing element (60) which is arranged in the region of the burner (4).