Gas Reuse Test Fixture for Hazardous Gas Detector Bump Tests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable gas detector test systems waste test gas by exhausting it after use, leading to high operational costs and resource inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
A portable gas detector test fixture that recycles test gas by flowing it over the detector, determining the response, and then returning the gas to a container for reuse, potentially achieving a 10× reuse factor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If test gas is exhausted after use, then the testing process is simple, but operational costs increase and resource efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a test gas recovery system where exhaust gas from the bump test chamber is captured via an exhaust line and returned to the test gas cylinder through a return line with a flow meter. This allows the test gas to be reused multiple times (potentially 10x reuse factor) instead of being discarded after a single use, directly addressing the contradiction between process simplicity and gas waste.
2Loss of substance
If test gas is recycled through a container, then resource efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary recovery system consisting of an exhaust line connected to the bump test chamber, a return line leading back to the test gas cylinder, and a flow meter to monitor gas movement. This intermediary infrastructure enables test gas recycling without fundamentally redesigning the entire testing apparatus, thus managing the trade-off between resource efficiency and device complexity.
3Loss of substance
If test gas is reused multiple times, then operational costs decrease, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a flow meter in the return line that provides feedback on the amount of test gas being recycled. This feedback mechanism allows operators to monitor and control the recycling process, ensuring that test gas is reused within acceptable parameters that maintain detection accuracy while reducing overall gas consumption.
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 recycling of test gas significantly reduces operational costs by extending the life of the test gas, allowing for up to 10 times more bump tests per quantity of gas, and minimizing environmental risks associated with gas waste.
Implementation Method 1
flowing test gas over the gas detection sensors of the portable gas detector in a concentration and for a time duration suited to activate the alarm functions
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate generally to a gas detector test fixture that recycles test gas. A portable gas detector test fixture, comprises a test chamber, a processor, a docking connector communicatively coupled to the processor, an output device communicatively coupled to the processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, is configured to conduct a bump test on a portable gas detector plugged into the docking connector and to output the bump test result to the output device. The test fixture further comprises an inflow line configured to connect to a test gas supply line of a test gas container, where the inflow line is coupled to the test chamber, and an outflow line configured to connect to a test gas return line of the test gas container, where the outflow line is coupled to the test chamber.