Candle Dispenser Heat Transfer Fin Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing candle-based devices for dispensing air treatment chemicals face challenges such as heat spikes, uneven heat distribution, and pyrolysis when the substrate is directly exposed to the flame, leading to inefficient release and potential consumer safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A candle dispenser design featuring a heat transfer fin adjacent the wick, which widens downward to increase heat exposure, and a substrate positioned under the candle flame, using a heat transfer radial extension to drive air treatment chemicals off the substrate, while minimizing direct heat exposure and incorporating a porous substrate like sand coated with a binder for efficient release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the substrate is positioned directly over the candle flame, then the air treatment chemical can be dispensed efficiently, but heat spikes and pyrolysis occur causing uneven heating and chemical degradation
Solution Approach 1:
A heat transfer fin made of thermally conductive material (e.g., aluminum) is introduced as an intermediary between the candle flame and the substrate. The fin absorbs heat from the flame and conducts it to the substrate, enabling efficient heat transfer while preventing direct flame contact and associated heat spikes that cause pyrolysis
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate is extracted from direct exposure to the flame by positioning it adjacent to the heat transfer fin rather than directly over the flame. This separation removes the harmful direct thermal exposure while maintaining the beneficial heating effect through the fin's heat conduction
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the substrate is positioned adjacent to the candle flame, then pyrolysis is reduced, but heat distribution becomes uneven with insufficient heat at the periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer fin is designed with multiple segments including a vertical portion adjacent to the flame and a radial extension that reaches toward the substrate periphery. This segmentation distributes heat across different zones, ensuring uniform temperature distribution across the entire substrate surface
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer fin extends in multiple spatial dimensions - vertically to capture heat from the flame and radially to distribute it across the substrate. This multi-dimensional heat transfer geometry ensures uniform heating across the substrate surface while maintaining safe distances from direct flame exposure
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a heat transfer fin is added to improve heat distribution, then pyrolysis is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer fin serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a heat conductor from the flame, a structural support for the substrate, and a heat distribution element that prevents hot spots. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
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 design effectively reduces pyrolysis and maintains a consistent dispensing rate by insulating the substrate from heat spikes, ensuring efficient release of air treatment chemicals and enhancing consumer safety by avoiding direct flame contact.
Implementation Method 1
The heat transfer fin transfers heat from the candle flame to a heat transfer radial extension that extends under the candle
Implementation Method 2
The candle has a wick that can be lit to create a flame fueled by the candle
Data Source
AI summary
Devices dispenser air treatment chemicals in response to heat generated by a candle. Heat transfer elements carry flame heat to an impregnated substrate that is positioned mostly or entirely below the candle. The air treatment chemical vapors are kept away from prolonged direct exposure to flame heat, thereby reducing heat degradation of the active. The candle automatically adjusts heat transfer rates to correct for decreasing amounts of active on the substrate as the substrate sears being used up.