External Water Level Sensor for Simple Tank Mounting Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioners with heat exchangers often accumulate dust and bacteria, leading to harmful air discharge when not regularly cleaned or sterilized, and require complex configurations for water level sensing within storage tanks.
Innovation Solution
A water level sensor with a holder, cap, and spring mechanism for external mounting on a storage tank, combined with a heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus that includes a sterilizing water generation device and spraying system, allows for simple configuration and effective sterilization and humidification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the water level sensor is mounted inside the storage tank, then the sensor can directly sense the water level, but the configuration becomes complex and the sensor is difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the storage tank wall as an intermediary medium to transmit water level information from the interior to the exterior. The sensor is mounted outside the tank and senses water level through the tank wall, eliminating the need for internal mounting while maintaining sensing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of internal sensor mounting with a non-contact sensing method. The sensor detects water level through electromagnetic or capacitive fields penetrating the tank wall, avoiding mechanical intrusion into the tank interior.
2Device complexity
If the water level sensor is mounted outside the storage tank, then the configuration is simplified, but the sensor may not accurately sense the water level
Solution Approach 1:
The storage tank wall serves as an intermediary that allows the external sensor to detect water level accurately. The sensor measures changes in the tank wall properties caused by water level variations, maintaining precision while operating from the exterior.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor detects changes in physical parameters (such as capacitance or electromagnetic properties) of the tank wall that correlate with water level. By monitoring these parameter changes, the sensor accurately determines water level from an external position.
3Reliability
If the air conditioner is not regularly sterilized, then the heat exchanger accumulates dust and bacteria, but the sterilization process requires complex apparatus
Solution Approach 1:
The sterilization system uses the air conditioner's own water supply system to generate sterilizing solutions. The sterilizing water generation device converts regular water into sterilizing water using electrolysis or other chemical processes, eliminating the need for external sterilizing agents or complex delivery systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The sterilization apparatus integrates multiple functions into a single system: water storage, water purification/sterilization, solution generation, and heat exchanger cleaning. This multi-functional integration simplifies the overall apparatus while maintaining effective sterilization capability.
4Reliability
If a sterilizing water generation device is added to the heat exchanger cleaning system, then sterilization effectiveness is improved, but the apparatus configuration becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sterilizing water generation device is integrated with the existing water tank and spraying system. The generation device combines with the water storage function, and the resulting sterilizing water is delivered through the existing spray nozzles, merging multiple functions into unified components rather than adding separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates its own sterilizing agent on-demand using the water supply already available in the air conditioner. The sterilizing water generation device converts regular water into sterilizing solution through electrolysis or chemical reactions, making the system self-sufficient without external chemical supplies.
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 water level sensor ensures accurate water level detection without direct contact, enabling efficient sterilization and humidification of heat exchangers, reducing bacterial growth and corrosion, while simplifying the apparatus configuration.
Implementation Method 1
a spring located between the holder and the cap to allow the cap and the case to reciprocate within the holder
Implementation Method 2
a sensor part attached to the case to sense the water level in the storage tank
Data Source
AI summary
A water level sensor is closely adhered to a storage tank, and a heat exchanger sterilizing and humidifying apparatus allows the water level sensor to be mounted at the outside of the storage tank, thus having a simple configuration. The water level sensor may include a holder, a cap connected to the holder so as to reciprocate within the holder, a case connected to the cap so as to reciprocate within the holder, a sensor part attached to the case to sense the water level in the storage tank, and a spring located between the holder and the cap, wherein the sensor part mounted at the outside of the storage tank and attached to the case by restoring force of the spring when the storage tank contacts the case may be closely adhered to the storage tank and thus may sense a level of water stored in the storage tank.