Gas Sampling Probe Air Cooling Dew Point Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas sampling probes face challenges in ensuring sufficient cooling of the front end while preventing the gas sample from falling below the dew point temperature, with issues such as condensation and deposit formation due to water cooling, and safety concerns with oil-cooled systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of air cooling between the gas sampling tube and an outer jacket, where the cooling air is supplied and discharged at the rear end, creating a closed circuit with an air heater to maintain a temperature gradient that prevents dew point condensation and minimizes heat loss, allowing the gas sampling probe to radiate heat outward and maintain a temperature above the dew point.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water cooling is used to cool the gas sampling probe, then the cooling effect is strong and the probe temperature is reduced, but the probe tip becomes excessively cold and prone to deposit formation and condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the cooling parameter from water to air, which has lower heat transfer efficiency but allows for better temperature control. By adjusting the air flow rate and using preheated air from the discharge end, the system achieves sufficient cooling without excessive temperature reduction that would cause condensation and deposits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the cooling air is discharged, preheated by the air heater, and then reused as supply cooling air. This closed-loop system allows the temperature of the cooling air to be adjusted based on the actual thermal conditions, preventing the probe tip from becoming too cold while maintaining effective cooling.
2Temperature
If the gas sampling probe is strongly cooled to prevent overheating, then the probe temperature is reduced, but the extracted gas is cooled below the dew point temperature causing condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces preheated air as an intermediary between the hot probe and the cooling system. The air heater heats the discharged cooling air before it is reused, creating a thermal buffer that allows cooling to occur without dropping the gas temperature below the dew point. This intermediary air layer mediates the heat transfer process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the cooling air dynamically. By preheating the cooling air before it contacts the probe, the temperature differential is reduced, allowing cooling to occur at a controlled rate that maintains the gas temperature above the dew point while still preventing probe overheating.
3Temperature
If the outer part of the gas sampling probe is strongly cooled, then the probe temperature is reduced, but the cooling is unnecessary and energy is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by directing cooling air specifically to the probe region that requires cooling, rather than cooling the entire probe uniformly. The cooling air flows through the probe structure and is discharged at the rear end, creating a localized cooling effect where needed while minimizing energy waste on already-cooled sections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous useful action by recirculating and preheating the cooling air. The discharged cooling air is not discarded but is instead heated and reused as supply cooling air, creating a continuous cycle that maximizes the utility of the cooling energy and reduces overall energy consumption.
4Temperature
If water cooling is used to cool the gas sampling probe, then the cooling efficiency is high, but the operating temperature is limited to approximately 90°C due to water boiling point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces water with air as the cooling medium. Air has no boiling point limitation like water (which is constrained to approximately 90°C due to boiling), allowing the system to operate at higher temperatures. While air has lower heat capacity and thermal conductivity than water, the system compensates through increased air flow and preheating mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and properties of the cooling medium from liquid water to gaseous air. This parameter change removes the boiling point constraint, enabling operation at temperatures above 90°C. The lower thermal efficiency of air cooling is compensated by adjusting flow rates and using heat recovery from the discharged air.
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 solution effectively cools the gas sample from the front to the rear end of the probe, preventing condensation and minimizing deposit formation, while allowing higher operating temperatures to reduce caking risks and maintain a stable temperature profile along the probe.
Implementation Method 1
cooled by guiding cooling air between the gas sampling tube and at least one outer jacket surrounding the gas sampling tube
Implementation Method 2
the gas sampling probe radiates outwards
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a gas-sampling probe (1), wherein a gas to be analyzed is removed from a process chamber (17) in the region of a front end (1a) of a gas-sampling tube (2) and is conducted in the gas-sampling tube up to a rear end (1b) while being cooled at the same time, in that cooling air (14) is conducted between the gas-sampling tube and at least one outer jacket (3) surrounding the gas-sampling tube, wherein the cooling air is supplied and discharged at the rear end of the gas-sampling tube and the temperature of the gas to be analyzed in the region of the front end of the gas-sampling tube is higher than the temperature of the supplied cooling air, and the gas-sampling tube radiates outwardly, wherein the temperature of the supplied cooling air is higher than the temperature of the discharged cooling air.