Quick-Connect Fluid Connector Temperature Feedback for Fast Gas Filling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Quick connect fluid connectors face limitations when processing oxidizing gases like oxygen due to adiabatic compression, which can lead to dangerous temperature rises, potentially igniting materials or contaminants, restricting the filling speed of gas cylinders.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating one or more temperature sensors within the fluid connector to monitor gas temperature, alerting operators or automatically shutting off the process if temperatures become too high, ensuring safer and faster gas cylinder processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas is filled rapidly into the cylinder using a quick connect fluid connector, then productivity is improved, but temperature rises due to adiabatic compression which can ignite materials or contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates temperature sensors that continuously monitor the gas temperature during filling operations and provide feedback to the control system. When the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system automatically responds by shutting off the filling process or adjusting flow parameters, thereby preventing dangerous temperature rises while allowing rapid filling within safe limits
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts filling parameters such as flow rate and pressure based on real-time temperature measurements. By changing these parameters in response to temperature conditions, the system optimizes the balance between filling speed and temperature control, enabling faster filling when temperatures are safe and reducing flow when temperatures approach hazardous levels
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the operator exercises caution and fills the cylinder slower, then temperature rise is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature monitoring and control system operates autonomously without requiring continuous operator intervention. The sensors automatically detect temperature conditions and the control system independently adjusts filling parameters or shuts off the process when necessary, eliminating the need for operators to manually slow down filling as a precaution while maintaining safety
3Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is placed in intimate contact with the gas, then temperature sensing accuracy is improved, but the sensor is exposed to harsh conditions including high temperature and gas contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin-walled sensing element that acts as an intermediary between the hot gas and the temperature sensor. This sensing element is in direct contact with the gas to accurately sense temperature while the thin walls provide thermal isolation that protects the sensor from direct exposure to extreme temperatures and corrosive gas environments, thus maintaining both measurement accuracy and sensor reliability
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
Enables safer and more efficient gas cylinder processing by preventing dangerous temperature rises, allowing for quicker filling operations without risking material ignition.
Implementation Method 1
the temperature sensor is in intimate contact with gas in the gas flow path to sense the temperature of the gas
Implementation Method 2
The temperature sensor includes a temperature sensing element or mechanism and a sheath that separates the temperature sensing element from the gas in the gas flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A quick connect fluid connector that is detachably connectable to a fluid system to process a gas into or from the fluid system through the quick connect fluid connector. The quick connect fluid connector includes one or more temperature sensors that can sense the temperature of the gas within the fluid connector during processing. Based on the sensed temperature(s), an alert can be generated to alert a human operator conducting the processing and/or automatically shut-off the processing if the sensed temperature becomes too high. The operator will therefore be alerted if the cylinders are being processed too quickly or if the processing duration could be shortened.