Dishwasher Turbidity Sensor Control Under Scale Buildup
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automatic dishwashers face issues with turbidity sensors becoming unreliable due to buildup, leading to inaccurate measurements and the need for default settings when sensors become too dirty, limiting their ability to effectively monitor wash liquid clarity.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic control system that uses a sensor to measure turbidity and calculates a correction value to account for buildup, allowing the dishwasher to adjust its operation, such as modifying wash cycles or performing a de-scaling cycle, to maintain accurate measurements and extend sensor reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the turbidity sensor is used to measure wash liquid clarity, then the dishwasher can dynamically adjust wash cycles for improved efficiency, but the sensor becomes unreliable due to buildup on optical surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors turbidity measurements and compares them against expected values. When deviations indicate sensor buildup, the system automatically initiates compensation procedures or de-scaling cycles, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that maintains sensor reliability while enabling dynamic wash cycle adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The dishwasher system performs self-diagnosis and self-maintenance by detecting sensor degradation through measurement anomalies and automatically initiating de-scaling cycles without user intervention, allowing the sensor to restore its own functionality
2Duration of action of stationary object
If compensation techniques are applied to lessen the effect of buildup on optical surfaces, then the turbidity sensor can continue measuring, but the sensor eventually becomes too dirty to generate reliable data
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on sensor condition: initially using compensation techniques to extend operational duration, then transitioning to de-scaling cycles when measurement precision degrades below acceptable thresholds, creating a dynamic balance between duration and accuracy
3Ease of operation
If the sensor is turned off and default settings are used when the sensor gets too dirty, then the system maintains operation, but the ability to dynamically adjust wash cycles is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary de-scaling actions when measurement precision degrades, preventing complete sensor failure and maintaining dynamic wash cycle adjustment capability throughout extended operational periods
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 ensures reliable turbidity measurements by continuously adjusting operations based on sensor output, reducing the need for default settings and maintaining effective wash performance even as sensors become dirty, thereby improving dishwasher efficiency and cleanliness.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor 42 provides an output signal indicative of the degree of turbidity of liquid within the dishwasher 10
Data Source
AI summary
A method of controlling the operation of an automatic dishwasher having at least one cycle of operation and a sensor that indicates a degree of turbidity of liquid in the dishwasher includes repeatedly determining a correction value for the sensor related to the scaling of the sensor and executing a de-scaling cycle of operation based thereon.