Combustion Heater Porous Barrier for Refrigerant Leak Flame Arrest
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Combustion heaters adjacent to refrigerant circuits filled with combustible refrigerants pose a risk due to potential leaks and flame propagation, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed for improved safety.
Innovation Solution
The combustion heater is configured with a porous body having holes of diameters equal to or less than the extinction diameter of the refrigerant, covering the combustion unit and its periphery, and a flow path forming member that increases gas flow speed beyond the combustion speed of the refrigerant, along with a heat insulator to cover members in contact with leaking refrigerant, thereby preventing flame propagation and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a combustion heater is disposed adjacent to a refrigerant circuit filled with combustible refrigerant, then heating efficiency is improved, but safety deteriorates due to risk of flame propagation from refrigerant leaks
Solution Approach 1:
A porous body is introduced as an intermediary component between the combustion heater and the refrigerant circuit. This porous body allows heat transfer while blocking flame propagation, enabling the combustion heater to operate efficiently near the refrigerant circuit without compromising safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a porous body with specific pore size characteristics that permit thermal energy transfer while preventing the passage of flame and combustible refrigerant. The porous structure creates a physical barrier that maintains safety while preserving heating functionality.
2Reliability
If a porous body with holes equal to or less than extinction diameter is introduced to prevent flame propagation, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous body that inherently provides flame blocking functionality through its material structure. This single component simultaneously achieves safety without requiring additional complex systems, as the porous structure itself creates the necessary barrier while allowing heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous body serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal conductor, a flame barrier, and a structural support element. By combining these functions into a single component, the patent avoids increasing device complexity while achieving improved safety.
3Reliability
If gas flow speed is increased beyond combustion speed of the refrigerant, then flame propagation is prevented, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The porous body acts as a passive intermediary that prevents flame propagation through its physical structure rather than requiring active energy input. This eliminates the need to increase gas flow speed for safety purposes, thereby avoiding additional energy consumption while maintaining the combustion heater's heating efficiency.
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 configuration effectively prevents the propagation of flames from combustible refrigerant leaks, enhancing the safety and security of combustion heaters disposed near refrigerant circuits by restraining flame spread and ensuring the combustion heater operates safely even when adjacent to a refrigerant circuit.
Implementation Method 1
The porous body has a plurality of holes. The holes each have a diameter equal to or less than an extinction diameter of the combustible refrigerant.
Implementation Method 2
a heat insulator to cover members in contact with leaking refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
a flow path forming member that increases gas flow speed beyond the combustion speed of the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A combustion heater generates heat by means of flame. The combustion heater is disposed adjacent to a refrigerant circuit filled with a combustible refrigerant. The combustion heater includes a combustion unit and a porous body. The combustion unit causes generation of flame. The porous body covers the combustion unit or a periphery of the combustion unit. The porous body at least partially covers both or one of a combustion space receiving combustible refrigerant leaking from the refrigerant circuit and a member in contact with the combustible refrigerant leaking from the refrigerant circuit. The porous body has a plurality of holes. The holes have a diameter d1 equal to or less than an extinction diameter d of the combustible refrigerant.