Capillary Vaporization for Stable Gas Detector Calibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gas detector calibration methods face challenges in providing a stable concentration of calibration substances, as heating processes can lead to inaccurate readings and safety hazards, while grinding or milling methods are inefficient and cumbersome, especially for unstable or flammable substances like hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a constant temperature chamber and a capillary component, where a syringe assembly injects a liquid substance into the capillary component, expanding its surface area and facilitating vaporization with a controlled flow of gas, allowing for precise determination of the vaporized substance's concentration based on injection and flow rates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If heating processes are used to vaporize liquid substances for gas detector calibration, then vaporization can be achieved, but inaccurate readings and safety hazards occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalibration accuracyVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the vaporization approach from thermal heating to mechanical dispersion by injecting liquid substance into a capillary component, where the liquid is vaporized through controlled gas flow and surface area expansion rather than heat application, eliminating safety hazards while maintaining calibration accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The capillary component serves as an intermediary medium that facilitates controlled vaporization by expanding the liquid substance's surface area and enabling gradual vaporization through gas flow, preventing direct heating while ensuring accurate vapor production for calibration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If grinding or milling methods are used to vaporize substances, then vaporization can be achieved, but the process is inefficient and cumbersome

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevaporization stabilityVSAvoidcalibration efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical grinding or milling process with a fluid dynamics-based vaporization method, where liquid substance is injected into a capillary component and vaporized through controlled gas flow, eliminating the need for mechanical processing while improving efficiency and stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The capillary component utilizes its porous structure to expand the liquid substance's surface area, enabling efficient vaporization through gas flow without requiring mechanical grinding or milling, thus improving both reliability and productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

3Quantity of substance

If conventional vaporization methods are used, then substance vaporization can be achieved, but stable concentration control is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevapor concentrationVSAvoidconcentration level accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the vaporization process through the capillary component's gas flow characteristics and adjusting the liquid injection rate accordingly, ensuring stable and accurate concentration levels in the vaporized substance for reliable calibration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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 method provides a stable and efficient vaporization of substances, reducing the time and cost of producing calibrated gas detectors with accurate concentration levels, avoiding the safety risks associated with heating processes and improving the reliability of gas detector calibration.

Implementation Method 1

a capillary component, where a syringe assembly injects a liquid substance into the capillary component, expanding its surface area and facilitating vaporization

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Data Source

PatentUS11821822B2Methods, apparatuses and systems for liquid substance vaporization and concentration level determination

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

Example methods and apparatuses for liquid substance vaporization and concentration level determination are provided. An example apparatus may include a constant temperature chamber having a vaporization housing that includes a capillary component disposed within and a syringe assembly configured to inject a liquid substance to the capillary component. An example method may include determining an injection rate for injecting the liquid substance to the capillary component, determining a flow rate of the gaseous substance in the vaporization housing, and calculating a concentration level of a vaporized substance based on the injection rate and the flow rate.