Combustible Heat Source Using Polyhydric Alcohol

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional combustible heat sources, primarily using charcoal, face challenges with ignitability and combustion persistency, often requiring binders and combustion inhibitors that lead to insufficient ignitability and excessive smoke generation.

Innovation Solution

A combustible heat source composition without binders or combustion inhibitors, utilizing polyhydric alcohols like glycerin or propylene glycol to enhance ignitability and combustion persistency, with a formulation that includes charcoal, graphite, potassium nitrate, sugar, and aluminum, allowing for rapid ignition and sustained combustion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If charcoal is used as the main component for combustible heat source, then combustion persistency is improved, but ignitability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion persistencyVSAvoidignitability

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A polyhydric alcohol-based liquid is introduced as an intermediary substance that facilitates ignition of the charcoal heat source. This liquid acts as a mediator between the ignition source and the charcoal, enabling reliable ignition while maintaining the combustion persistency provided by the charcoal composition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical state of the heat source is changed by incorporating a liquid component (polyhydric alcohol-based) into the solid charcoal composition. This parameter change from purely solid to liquid-solid composite enables improved ignitability while preserving combustion persistency through the charcoal matrix.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Duration of action of stationary object

If binders and combustion inhibitors are added to improve combustion persistency, then combustion stability is improved, but smoke generation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidsmoke generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful binders (such as carboxymethylcellulose, ammonium alginate, pectin, carrageenan, guar gum) and combustion inhibitors (such as calcium carbonate) are extracted and removed from the heat source composition. The invention achieves combustion stability through the polyhydric alcohol-based liquid and charcoal composition alone, eliminating the need for these harmful additives that cause excessive smoke generation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional charcoal composition is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but ignitability and combustion persistency are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidignitability and combustion persistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A composite material system is created by combining charcoal particles with a polyhydric alcohol-based liquid. This composite structure provides both the combustion persistency of charcoal and the ignitability enhancement from the liquid component, achieving reliable performance without complicating the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 composition achieves improved ignitability and combustion persistency, with ignition within 30 seconds and sustained combustion for 140 seconds or more, reducing smoke generation and maintaining the heat source's shape and density.

Implementation Method 1

a combustible heat source composition for a smoking article, that does not contain a binder and a combustion inhibitor, wherein the composition comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyhydric alcohol based on 100 parts by weight of the solid content

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 2

A smoking article to which the carbon heat source is applied generates an aerosol by heat transfer from the carbon heat source to a smoking article medium located downstream of the carbon heat source

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS20240373908A1Combustible heat source for smoking article and smoking article comprising same

Publication Date: 2024.11.14 KT&G CO LTD

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a combustible heat source composition for a smoking article, that does not contain a binder and a combustion inhibitor, wherein the composition comprises 1 to 5 parts by weight of a polyhydric alcohol based on 100 parts by weight of the solid content. A smoking article to which a combustible heat source composed of the composition is applied is characterized by having excellent ignitability and combustibility.