Gas Ignition Transformer Core Layout for Higher Electrical Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic gas lighting devices for household appliances, such as cooking ranges, have low electric efficiency, leading to high material usage, large size, and increased costs due to the design of the transformer's ferrite core, which is not easily adaptable for electronic gas lighting applications.
Innovation Solution
The design features a ring-shaped ferromagnetic core formed by two half rings, either U-shaped or L-shaped, with a gap or in contact, to enhance magnetic flux concatenation and efficiency, along with a cup-shaped body filled with insulating resin to house the transformer and windings, allowing for automatic assembly and reduced size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a straight bar ferrite core is used in the transformer, then the structure is simple, but magnetic flux disperses from the ends resulting in low electric efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The ferrite core is divided into two separate half-rings instead of using a single straight bar or traditional C-shaped core. This segmentation allows the core to be inserted through the drum in a straightforward manner while maintaining magnetic flux containment, as the two half-rings face each other with gaps that prevent flux dispersion without requiring complex assembly structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The core structure transitions from a linear straight bar to a ring-shaped configuration with two facing half-rings. This dimensional change allows the core to wrap around the drum in a circular path, containing magnetic flux within the ring structure and preventing end dispersion, while the facing arrangement of half-rings maintains the necessary magnetic coupling between primary and secondary windings.
2Loss of energy
If more electric material is used in the windings to improve efficiency, then electric efficiency increases, but device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented ring-shaped core creates more uniform magnetic flux distribution throughout the winding structure, reducing flux leakage and improving coupling efficiency. This allows achieving higher electric efficiency with optimized winding material usage, avoiding the need for excessive electric material that would increase device size.
Solution Approach 2:
The core geometry is changed from a straight bar to a ring shape with specific dimensional parameters (two facing half-rings with gaps). This parameter change optimizes the magnetic path length and flux density distribution, improving magnetic coupling efficiency and allowing reduced winding material while maintaining or improving electric efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If a C-shaped ferrite core is used to prevent flux dispersion, then electric efficiency improves, but assembly complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The C-shaped core is segmented into two separate half-rings that can be independently manufactured and then simply inserted through the drum. This segmentation transforms a complex assembly operation (attaching C-shaped core to drum) into a simple insertion process, dramatically easing manufacturing while maintaining the flux-containing geometry of the C-shape.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of attaching the core to the outside of the drum as in traditional C-shaped designs, the half-ring core is inserted through the drum from one end to the other. This inversion of the assembly approach simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating complex attachment operations while achieving the same magnetic flux containment effect.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional transformer design is used, then assembly is straightforward, but electric efficiency remains low below 15%
Solution Approach 1:
The ring-shaped core segmented into two half-rings maintains straightforward assembly through simple insertion through the drum, similar to traditional designs. However, the ring geometry fundamentally improves magnetic flux containment and coupling, achieving electric efficiency over 50% compared to the traditional straight bar core's efficiency below 15%, while preserving assembly simplicity.
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
This configuration significantly increases electric efficiency from less than 15% to over 50%, reduces device size and production costs, and simplifies assembly while maintaining the existing layout and assembly systems.
Implementation Method 1
a transformer housed in the body and in turn comprising a primary winding wound around and carried by a core formed by ferromagnetic material, a carrying element formed by an electrically insulating material and designed to contain the primary winding therein, and a secondary winding consisting of a plurality of coils externally carried by the carrying element, electrically insulated from the primary winding and essentially coaxial with the latter
Data Source
AI summary
A gas lighting device including: a body formed by an electrically insulating material carrying a plurality of high-voltage outputs for the connection of spark generating means; a transformer accommodated in the body and including a primary winding wound around and carried by a ferromagnetic material core, a carrying element formed by an electrically insulating material and designed to contain the primary winding therein, and a secondary winding consisting of a plurality of coils externally carried by the carrying element, electrically insulated from the primary winding and essentially coaxial with the latter; the core is ring-shaped on a plane parallel to an axis (A) of the windings and consists of two half rings reciprocally coupled and arranged facing and closely adjacent to each other in the direction of the axis of the windings; a first circumferential portion of the ring-shaped core, formed by one or both of the half rings, is accommodated inside the carrying element so as to be surrounded by the windings, while a second circumferential portion of the core is formed parallel to the first and radially on the outside of the windings so as not to be surrounded by the same.