Differential Heating Aerosol System for Nicotine Salt Reaction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerosol-generating systems for nicotine salt particles face inefficiencies due to differences in vapor concentrations of volatile delivery enhancing compounds and nicotine, leading to unreacted delivery enhancing compound vapors and inconsistent nicotine salt particle delivery.

Innovation Solution

An aerosol-generating system with a dual compartment design, where one compartment is heated to a lower temperature than the other, using external heaters and heat transfer elements to control vapor concentrations and ensure efficient reaction stoichiometry, minimizing unreacted vapors and enhancing consistency of nicotine salt particle delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a single heating element is used to heat both compartments, then the device structure is simple, but the vapor concentration control is insufficient leading to unreacted delivery enhancing compound

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereaction efficiencyVSAvoidheating system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system is segmented into two separate heating elements, each independently controlling the temperature of the volatile delivery enhancing compound source and the nicotine source compartments. This segmentation allows precise control of vapor concentrations to achieve optimal reaction stoichiometry and minimize unreacted vapors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each compartment is equipped with its own heating element to provide localized temperature control. The volatile delivery enhancing compound source is heated to a lower temperature than the nicotine source, creating different local thermal conditions that optimize the vapor pressure and concentration of each reactant for efficient gas-phase reaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Quantity of substance

If uniform heating is applied to both compartments, then the heating control is simple, but the vapor concentration balance is poor leading to inconsistent nicotine salt particle delivery

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenicotine salt particle consistencyVSAvoidtemperature control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The heating system dynamically adjusts the temperature of each compartment independently based on the different thermal requirements of the volatile delivery enhancing compound and nicotine. The controller modulates the power supplied to each heating element to maintain optimal vapor concentrations throughout the reaction process, ensuring consistent nicotine salt particle formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If the volatile delivery enhancing compound is heated to high temperature, then the vapor concentration is high, but unreacted delivery enhancing compound vapor is delivered to the user

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery enhancing compound vapor concentrationVSAvoidunreacted vapor delivery

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature parameter of the volatile delivery enhancing compound source is optimized to a lower range than the nicotine source, balancing the vapor pressure to achieve sufficient vapor concentration for reaction while preventing excessive vapor generation that would lead to unreacted compound delivery to the user.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 approach allows for precise control of vapor concentrations, reducing unreacted delivery enhancing compound and nicotine vapors, thereby improving the efficiency and consistency of nicotine salt particle formation and delivery.

Implementation Method 1

The aerosol-generating device is configured to heat the first compartment and the second compartment of the aerosol-generating article so that first compartment of the aerosol-generating article has a lower temperature than the second compartment of the aerosol-generating article

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDifferential heating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

At room temperature pyruvic acid and nicotine are both sufficiently volatile to form respective vapours that react with one another in the gas phase

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 3

The volatile delivery enhancing compound is reacted with nicotine in the gas phase to form an aerosol of nicotine salt particles

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas phase reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS11246998B2Aerosol-generating system with differential heating

Publication Date: 2022.02.15 PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS SA

AI summary

An aerosol-generating system is provided, including an aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating device. The aerosol-generating article includes a first compartment having a first one of a volatile delivery enhancing compound source and a medicament source; and a second compartment having a second one of the volatile delivery enhancing compound source and the medicament source. The aerosol-generating device includes a cavity configured to receive the first compartment and the second compartment; and an external heater positioned about a perimeter of the cavity. The aerosol-generating device is configured to heat the first compartment and the second compartment so that the first compartment has a lower temperature than the second compartment.