Dual Oxygen Sensor Metabolism Control for Refrigerated Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for controlling fruit metabolism in refrigerated storage cells are either too expensive or unreliable, particularly in detecting anaerobic metabolism shifts, which can lead to fermentation and fruit destruction, as they often require representative sampling and are not continuous or automatic.
Innovation Solution
A device with two oxygen sensors, one resistant and one influenced by gases produced during anaerobic metabolism, connected to air extraction and processing means to compare measurements and adjust oxygen levels, enabling precise and automatic detection of metabolism shifts across all fruits in a cell.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If representative sampling methods are used to detect metabolism changes, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision and reliability deteriorate because samples may not represent all fruits in the cell
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses electronic sensors to create an electronic copy of the oxygen concentration data from all fruits in the storage cell, replacing physical sampling with digital representation. This allows continuous monitoring of the entire population without selecting representative samples, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sampling process (physical extraction and analysis of fruit samples) with an electronic sensing system that continuously measures oxygen concentration. This substitution eliminates the need for manual sampling and analysis, providing continuous automatic detection across all fruits without the limitations of representative sampling.
2Reliability
If continuous automatic detection of all fruits is implemented, then the measurement precision and reliability improve, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a single oxygen sensor that serves multiple functions: it continuously monitors oxygen concentration, detects metabolism changes in all fruits simultaneously, and provides data for both aerobic and anaerobic metabolism detection. This multi-functional approach achieves reliable detection across all fruits without requiring complex arrays of specialized sensors for each individual fruit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous automatic detection using the oxygen sensor, which continuously measures oxygen concentration without interruption. This continuous monitoring provides reliable detection of metabolism changes across all fruits in the storage cell, eliminating the need for periodic manual sampling and ensuring no metabolism shifts are missed.
3Measurement precision
If oxygen sensors influenced by anaerobic metabolism gases are used, then the detection precision of anaerobic metabolism improves, but the measurement reliability deteriorates due to interference from other gases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the oxygen sensor's response to anaerobic metabolism gases as feedback information. By monitoring changes in oxygen measurement caused by these gases, the system detects the onset of anaerobic metabolism. The control system then responds by adjusting oxygen levels to prevent further anaerobic metabolism, converting the interference into a useful detection mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful interference from anaerobic metabolism gases into a beneficial detection signal. Instead of treating the sensor interference as noise to be eliminated, the system uses the measurement changes caused by these gases as the primary indicator for detecting anaerobic metabolism, thereby transforming a reliability problem into a precision detection opportunity.
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 device provides a cost-effective, automatic, and precise method to detect aerobic to anaerobic metabolism changes in all fruits, preventing fermentation by adjusting oxygen levels, thus enhancing preservation efficiency and reducing economic and reliability drawbacks.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor (2) and a second sensor (3) which are adapted to measure the percentage of oxygen that is present in a refrigerated storage cell (10), wherein the first sensor (2) cannot be influenced, in its measurement, by the presence of gases
Implementation Method 2
the second sensor (3) instead can be influenced, in its measurement, by the presence of gases (in the specific case, halogenated compounds, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, sulfur compounds, etc.) produced by the fruits and/or vegetables
Implementation Method 3
there are also processing means, designated by the reference numeral 4 in the figure, which are adapted to compare the measurements made by the first sensor 2 and by the second sensor 3
Implementation Method 4
the controlling apparatus increases the percentage of oxygen (typically in a range comprised between 0.7% and 1%) if the first sensor 2 and the second sensor 3 measure different oxygen percentages
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) for controlling the metabolism of fruits and/or vegetables contained in refrigerated storage cells, comprising a first sensor (2) and a second sensor (3), which are adapted to measure the percentage of oxygen that is present in a refrigerated storage cell (10), the first sensor (2) not being influenceable in its measurement by the presence of gases generated by the fruits and/or vegetables contained in the refrigerated storage cell (10) during the preservation process, the second sensor (3) being influenceable in its measurement by the presence of gases generated by the fruits and/or vegetables contained in the refrigerated storage cell during the preservation process; the device is further provided with means (4) which are adapted to compare the measurements made by the first sensor (2) and by the second sensor (3).