Heat-Not-Burn Tobacco Testing System With Sequential Puff Simulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current testing systems for tobacco products do not effectively simulate the sequential or serial testing of heat-not-burn tobacco products, which is necessary for optimizing the heating temperature and location of the heater in these products.
Innovation Solution
A lightability and temperature profile testing system that includes a system body with a tobacco product placement region, a heater carrier, a puffing simulator, a thermocouple placement rig, and a drill, all controlled by a controller to simulate puffs and generate temperature profiles for heat-not-burn tobacco products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a testing system uses a thermocouple inserted into the tobacco product to measure temperature, then temperature measurement is achieved, but the system cannot sequentially or serially test multiple tobacco products for optimizing heat-not-burn configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system is divided into separate functional modules: a puffing simulator module that can be fluidically coupled to different tobacco product ends, a heater carrier module for heating, and a thermocouple placement rig module for temperature measurement. This segmentation allows each module to be independently configured and reused across multiple testing scenarios, enabling sequential and serial testing of different tobacco product configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The puffing simulator is designed with universal fluidic coupling capabilities that allow it to connect to different tobacco product configurations (first end or second end). The heater carrier can be positioned at various locations and the thermocouple placement rig can measure temperatures at multiple positions. This multi-functionality enables the same testing system to evaluate multiple heater arrangements and tobacco product configurations sequentially.
2Measurement precision
If the testing system measures only ignition temperature, then simple measurement is achieved, but optimization of heating temperature and heater location for heat-not-burn products cannot be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures multiple thermocouple positions along the tobacco product using the thermocouple placement rig before heating begins. The controller is programmed with predetermined heating sequences and temperature measurement points. This preliminary setup allows the system to capture comprehensive temperature profiles at multiple locations without requiring complex real-time adjustments during testing, achieving precise measurement while managing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermocouples provide real-time temperature feedback to the controller during the heating process. The controller uses this feedback to monitor temperature profiles at multiple positions and adjust heating parameters accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables precise optimization of heating temperature and duration to achieve heat-not-burn conditions (heating without ignition), while the automated control keeps the system relatively simple.
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 enables efficient simulation of heat-not-burn tobacco products, allowing for the optimization of heating temperature and heater placement, thereby improving the performance and safety of these products.
Implementation Method 1
a heater carrier movable with respect to the tobacco product placement region and configured to heat a first end of a tobacco product
Implementation Method 2
The puffing simulator is configured to draw air through the tobacco product thereby simulating a puff of the tobacco product
Implementation Method 3
a thermocouple placement rig configured to selectively position one or more thermocouples in or along the tobacco product located within the tobacco product placement region
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided herein are systems and methods for testing a heat-not-bum tobacco product. A heater carrier may be movable with respect to a tobacco product placement region and configured to heat a first end of a tobacco product located in the tobacco product placement region. A puffing simulator is configured to fluidically couple to a second end of the tobacco product. The puffing simulator is configured to draw air through the tobacco product thereby simulating a puff of the tobacco product. A thermocouple placement right is configured to selectively position one or more thermocouples in or along the tobacco product. A drill is configured to selectively drill one or more holes at positions within the tobacco product. The thermocouple(s) are positioned on or within the tobacco product and generate data corresponding to detected temperatures of the tobacco product as the puffing simulator simulates one or more puffs.