Digital fluid heating system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid heating systems for thermal pasteurization are often expensive to operate, require significant energy to maintain temperature, and lack efficient mechanisms for pathogen inactivation, especially in remote or off-grid settings.
Innovation Solution
A digital fluid heating system incorporating a solar collection system with a parabolic mirror to focus sunlight, a thermally actuated valve for controlled fluid flow, and a tracking system for precise solar alignment, ensuring maximized energy use and pathogen inactivation at a maximized flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fluid heating systems are used for thermal pasteurization, then pathogen inactivation is achieved, but operational costs and energy consumption are high
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses solar energy to heat the fluid, making the system self-sufficient and eliminating the need for external energy sources. The solar collector automatically captures sunlight and converts it to thermal energy for pasteurization, requiring no fuel input or electrical power
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical heating systems (burners, electric heaters) with a solar thermal system. The solar collector uses optical concentration and natural convection to achieve the required heating, substituting mechanical energy conversion with direct solar thermal conversion
2Ease of manufacture
If batch heating process is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but operating cost increases due to repeated heating cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous fluid flow through the solar collector, ensuring uninterrupted heating and pasteurization. The constant circulation allows the fluid to be continuously exposed to solar heating, eliminating the need to stop and restart heating cycles for each batch
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-heats the fluid continuously as it flows through the solar collector before it reaches the pasteurization zone. This preliminary heating reduces the additional energy required to reach pasteurization temperatures, improving overall system efficiency
3Productivity
If flow rate is increased to maximize productivity, then treatment capacity improves, but pathogen inactivation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the fluid flow rate based on solar irradiance conditions. Flow control valves or pumps modulate the flow to optimize the balance between treatment capacity and pasteurization effectiveness, ensuring pathogens are inactivated while maximizing productivity under varying solar conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates temperature sensors and flow meters that provide feedback to a control system. This feedback loop monitors the fluid temperature and flow rate, automatically adjusting parameters to maintain optimal pasteurization conditions while maximizing treatment capacity
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 system effectively pasteurizes water with reduced operational costs and energy consumption, providing a reliable and efficient method for pathogen inactivation in remote areas with minimal human intervention and no reliance on public utilities.
Implementation Method 1
a solar collection system configured for focusing sunlight on a focal axis
Implementation Method 2
solar collection system configured for focusing sunlight on a focal axis
Implementation Method 3
a thermally actuated valve for controlled fluid flow
Data Source
AI summary
A digital fluid heating system may include a solar collection system configured for focusing sunlight on a focal axis, an elongated flow element arranged and configured for transporting fluid along the solar collection system at the focal axis, and a flow-control assembly comprising a digitally controlled valve configured to control the flow of the fluid in the elongated flow element such that pathogens present in the fluid are substantially inactivated before the fluid exits the fluid heating system and at a maximized flow rate under the given energy providing conditions. The system may also include one or more digital controls and communication systems for remote and/or automatic control.