Temperature control device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hot water systems often deliver water at temperatures higher than required, necessitating the addition of cold water to temper it, which can result in inconsistent temperature control due to dominant water streams influencing the combined temperature, leading to either excessively hot or cold outcomes.
Innovation Solution
A temperature control device with a diffuser to disrupt hot water flow, a chamber for mixing with cold water, and a piston controlled by a temperature-sensitive mechanism to maintain a preset temperature, allowing for pre- and post-installation adjustment of the desired output temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If hot and cold water are combined using conventional mixing valves, then tempered water is produced, but one stream becomes dominant and inhibits ingress of the other stream resulting in inconsistent temperature control
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing chamber is segmented into multiple zones with different flow patterns. The diffuser creates a segmented flow structure that breaks up the dominant stream into smaller channels, allowing both hot and cold water to mix more uniformly throughout the chamber rather than one stream overwhelming the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser acts as an intermediary element between the hot water inlet and the mixing chamber. It disrupts the hot water flow into a more distributed pattern before entry into the chamber, mediating the interaction between hot and cold streams to prevent dominance of either stream and ensure consistent temperature control.
2Temperature
If the dominant stream has excessive influence on the combined water temperature, then temperature control is compromised, but reducing the influence requires complex flow control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser introduces local quality changes to the hot water flow by creating regions of different flow velocities and directions within the mixing chamber. This local variation in flow characteristics ensures that no single region dominates the mixing process, achieving balanced temperature control through simple geometric features rather than complex control mechanisms.
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
Ensures consistent delivery of tempered water at a predetermined temperature, eliminating the need for manual adjustment and enhancing energy efficiency by maintaining the desired temperature without over-heating or over-cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensitive device responsive to changes in the ambient temperature
Implementation Method 2
a diffuser to disrupt the flow of hot water after it enters the body via the first inlet
Data Source
AI summary
Temperature control device (1) has a hot water inlet (12), a cold water inlet (14) and an outlet (16) for tempered water. A diffuser (18) is provided in the device (1) to disrupt the flow of hot water after it enters the device (1). The disrupted hot water emerges from the diffuser (18) into a chamber (20) in which it is melded with cold water that is able to enter the chamber (20) from the inlet (14) when a piston (22) is spaced from a seat (24). The melded hot and cold water result in tempered water that is discharged from the outlet (16). A temperature sensitive device (26) is provided, which is responsive to changes in ambient temperature. A temperature setting mechanism (52) is provided which is operatively associated with the temperature sensitive device (26) and permits the maximum temperature of the discharged tempered water to be adjusted.