Fog System with Battery-Powered Serpentine for Anti-Theft Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fog-generating systems for anti-theft applications face high energy consumption due to thermal insulation, limiting their operational time without electricity and increasing costs, and risk self-ignition in case of failure, necessitating a more efficient energy storage and heat transfer solution.
Innovation Solution
A fog-generating system that uses an electro-chemical accumulator to store energy and a serpentine heating element made of conducting material, with passive or basic electronic control, minimizing thermal mass and employing inert materials and discrete electronics for safety, to regulate flow-rate and prevent self-ignition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the heat exchanger is dimensioned with high thermal mass and thermal insulation to extend operational time without electric supply, then the operational duration is improved, but the energy consumption during stand-by increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-mass-based energy storage system with an electrochemical battery system. Instead of heating a large thermal mass that requires continuous insulation to maintain temperature, the system uses batteries to store electrical energy, which is then converted to thermal energy only when needed for fog generation. This substitution eliminates continuous thermal losses while maintaining the ability to operate for extended periods without electric supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from continuous heating (required by thermal mass systems to maintain operational readiness) to periodic heating. The battery-powered system allows the heat exchanger to be heated only when fog generation is required, rather than maintaining constant high temperature through continuous energy input. This periodic action dramatically reduces stand-by energy consumption.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the thermal mass of the heat exchanger is increased to store more thermal energy, then the operational duration is extended, but the time constant for heating increases, slowing down the system response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thermal energy storage with electrochemical energy storage. The battery system stores energy in a form that does not require maintaining a large thermal mass. When fog generation is needed, the batteries rapidly discharge electrical energy to heat the compact heat exchanger, achieving both fast response and extended operational duration without the trade-off inherent in thermal mass systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by charging the electrochemical batteries in advance during periods when electric supply is available. This stored electrical energy is then rapidly converted to thermal energy when needed, eliminating the need to maintain a large thermal mass in ready state. The preliminary charging action separates the energy storage function from the thermal management function.
3Productivity
If the heat exchanger is designed with large exchange surface area to emit sufficient fog, then the fog emission capability is improved, but the thermal mass increases, requiring more energy for heating and insulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-mass-dependent approach with an electrochemical energy storage system. This allows the heat exchanger to be optimized for fog emission efficiency (large surface area relative to volume) without being constrained by the need for large thermal mass. The battery system provides the necessary energy input on demand, decoupling the productivity optimization from thermal mass requirements.
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 reduces energy consumption, extends operational time without electricity, and ensures safety by minimizing thermal mass, efficiently controlling temperature and flow-rate, while preventing self-ignition through passive or active protection methods.
Implementation Method 1
stores energy in an electro-chemical accumulator (preferably made of acid lead) and by quickly extracting it upon use
Implementation Method 2
at least one serpentine made of conducting (resistive) material, in which electric current from at least one battery is made pass
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchanger designed to take to its vapour phase the fog-generating liquid contained in the tank
Implementation Method 4
designed to take to its vapour phase the fog-generating liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A fog-generating system (1) is described, comprising: a tank (5) containing fog-generating fluid; a pump (3) connected to the tank (5) to withdraw the fog-generating fluid therefrom; a serpentine (2) connected to the pump (3) to receive the fog-generating fluid pumped by the pump (3), the serpentine (2) being divided into a first section (A) connected to the pump (3) and a second section (B) connected to the first section (A) and designed to emit dry fog (7) as output; a battery (6) connected to the serpentine (2) to pass electric current inside the serpentine (2) and to supply the pump (3); a differential amplifier (11) connected to the second section (B); and a threshold comparator (13) which, upon exceeding a certain voltage, a stop index of the serpentine (2) in the second section (B), breaks the supply to the pump (3).