Portable Gas Meter Shock Absorption Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable gas meters, especially those with cylindrical catalytic heat tone gas sensors, face challenges in maintaining explosion-proof quality under shock loads, as traditional damping methods result in bulkiness and heaviness due to the need for thick damping materials.
Innovation Solution
A gas meter design featuring a housing with a shock-absorbing measuring cell mounted using elastomer holding elements and intermediate foamed polymer or foam rubber elements, allowing for efficient shock absorption while maintaining the measuring cell's properties, and incorporating a semipermeable membrane for waterproofing and electrochemical sensors for diverse gas measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional damping materials are used to protect the measuring cell from shock loads, then the explosion-proof quality is preserved, but the gas meter becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible membrane diaphragm as a thin film structure to absorb shock loads. This diaphragm replaces the need for thick damping materials while providing sufficient protection for the measuring cell, thereby reducing the overall weight and size of the gas meter while maintaining explosion-proof quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the damping material by using a flexible membrane diaphragm that can deform under shock loads. This parameter change allows the damping function to be achieved with minimal material thickness, resolving the contradiction between protection and weight.
2Reliability
If traditional damping materials are used to protect the measuring cell from shock loads, then the explosion-proof quality is preserved, but the gas meter becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane diaphragm serves as a thin film structure that provides shock absorption without requiring thick damping materials. This enables the gas meter to maintain a compact size while preserving explosion-proof quality through the diaphragm's ability to absorb shock loads.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the approach to damping from bulk material to thin film with flexible deformation capability, the patent achieves sufficient shock protection with minimal volume, resolving the contradiction between explosion-proof quality and compact size.
3Strength
If the measuring cell is rigidly mounted in the housing, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the shock loads compromise the measuring properties
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane diaphragm acts as a buffer between the measuring cell and external shock loads. This flexible connection allows the measuring cell to maintain its structural integrity while the diaphragm absorbs shock loads, preventing compromise of measuring properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane diaphragm serves as an intermediary element between the measuring cell and the housing. It transmits necessary mechanical support while filtering out shock loads, thus protecting the measuring cell's properties without compromising structural integrity.
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 design achieves effective shock absorption, reducing the mass of the measuring cell and maintaining its functionality, resulting in a more compact and reliable gas meter that is both explosion-proof and capable of measuring various gases.
Implementation Method 1
The measuring cell may be mounted by holding elements. These may be located at a spaced location in the longitudinal direction of the measuring cell and are connected to the housing. These may consist of an elastomer.
Implementation Method 2
Additional, shock-absorbing, especially ring-shaped or disk-shaped intermediate elements may be arranged between the measuring cell and the holding elements in the longitudinal direction of the measuring cell. The intermediate elements may be made of a foamed polymer or a foam rubber
Implementation Method 3
The measuring cell may be covered toward the environment by a semipermeable membrane, so that the gas meter is water-proof and permeable to gases on the measuring side of the measuring cell toward the environment through the openings.
Implementation Method 4
A detector element, a pellistor, which comprises a thin, coiled platinum wire, which is surrounded by a small ceramic bead with a catalytically active surface, especially one consisting of precious metals, is located in the measuring cell. The explosive gases are burned catalytically in a controlled manner at the heated detector element.
Implementation Method 5
The explosive gases are burned catalytically in a controlled manner at the heated detector element. The oxygen needed for the combustion is taken from the ambient air. The detector element is additionally heated by the heat of combustion, which is generated during the combustion and is characteristic of the burning gas or gases.
Implementation Method 6
This heating leads to a change in the resistance of the detector element, which is proportional to the concentration of the explosive gases.
Implementation Method 7
The sintered metal disk prevents inflammation of the ambient air from the measuring cell.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable, preferably explosion-proof gas meter is improved in respect to shock loads and has a cylindrical measuring cell (5) and an evaluating circuit on a printed circuit board (6). The measuring cell (5) is connected to the printed circuit board (6) and is mounted in the housing in a shock-absorbing manner in the radial and longitudinal directions and is in gas flow connection with the environment through openings (40) in the housing.