Liquid Dispense Control Apparatus Profile Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current liquid dispensing systems in water purification and distribution require user presence and are prone to variability and inaccuracies due to factors like user dependence, equipment fluctuations, and limitations in precise volume control, especially when dispensing specific amounts into partially filled containers.
Innovation Solution
A method that records and stores dispense profiles using a microprocessor and memory device, allowing for repeatable and reproducible liquid dispensing by varying flow rates and parameters, enabling automatic operation based on pre-recorded settings, which can be selected and adapted for different applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual valve operation is used to control liquid dispense, then user control over flow rate and total amount is improved, but user presence is required at all times and repeat accuracy is user dependent
Solution Approach 1:
The system records dispense profiles during manual operation and enables automatic repetition of these profiles without user presence. The control apparatus captures flow rate, time, and volume data during initial manual dispense, then autonomously reproduces identical dispense patterns subsequently, eliminating the need for continuous user supervision while maintaining precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary recording of dispense profiles during initial manual operation. These recorded profiles contain all necessary control parameters (flow rates, timing, volumes) that are stored and automatically retrieved for subsequent dispense operations, preparing the system in advance to operate autonomously without user presence.
2Measurement precision
If flow meters are used to measure dispensed volume, then volume measurement accuracy is improved, but system cost increases and water re-contamination risk is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary approach by recording multiple parameters (flow rate, time, pressure, temperature) during dispense operations and processing these data collectively to determine dispensed volume. This indirect measurement method through the control apparatus avoids direct flow meter placement in the water stream, eliminating contamination risk while maintaining measurement accuracy through computational calculation rather than direct physical measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical flow meters with an electronic control and data processing approach. The control apparatus uses electronic sensors to monitor flow rate, time, and other parameters, then calculates dispensed volume through software algorithms. This substitution eliminates mechanical components that would require water contact, reducing system complexity and contamination risk while maintaining or improving measurement precision.
3Device complexity
If timers are used to dispense water for a known period, then system simplicity is improved, but accuracy is reduced due to susceptibility to feed pressure fluctuations and equipment changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring actual flow rate, pressure, and temperature during dispense operations. The control apparatus compares real-time measurements against the recorded profile and dynamically adjusts dispensing parameters to compensate for pressure fluctuations and equipment changes, ensuring accurate volume delivery despite varying conditions. This feedback loop maintains precision without significantly increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static timer-based control to dynamic profile-based control. Instead of fixed time intervals, the system uses recorded dispense profiles that contain variable flow rates and timing parameters adjusted in real-time based on actual system conditions. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to pressure fluctuations and equipment changes while maintaining accuracy, with the added complexity being manageable through software implementation.
4Ease of operation
If discreet volume values are dispensed, then system operation is simplified, but flexibility is reduced when filling partially filled containers requiring specific amounts
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording of custom dispense profiles during initial manual operation. Users can record specific volume requirements and flow rate patterns for different applications, including filling partially filled containers. These customized profiles are stored in the control apparatus and automatically reproduced subsequently, providing flexibility for specific volume requirements while maintaining operational simplicity through automatic execution without requiring user calculations or guesswork.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control apparatus for a liquid dispense system having at least one liquid outlet and at least one flow control device for controlling the dispense of liquid from said outlet(s) during a dispense operation, said control apparatus comprising:-operating means for controlling the operation of the at least one flow control device to permit dispense of a desired volume of liquid from said outlet(s) during a dispense operation; recording means for recording one or more parameters of the liquid dispense system and/or the operating means during said dispense operation to create a dispense profile for said dispense operation, at least one of said recorded parameters being indicative of the flow rate of liquid at the outlet(s); and control means for controlling the operation of the operating means during a subsequent dispense operation based upon the recorded dispense profile. By recording the dispense profile of a first dispense operation, such dispense profile can be repeated, if desired, for subsequent dispense operations to dispense the same volume of liquid in a repeatable manner.