Heated Pump Thermal Tapping for Boiling Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating systems for household appliances face challenges in providing a compact, cost-effective design with dual safety features to prevent overheating and melting of plastic parts, while avoiding complex sealing and flange bushings, and ensuring reliable temperature monitoring of both the heating unit and the medium being heated.
Innovation Solution
A heat transfer element with two spatially separated temperature tapping sections allows for direct thermal contact with both the heating unit and the medium, enabling the use of a single element to monitor temperatures and trigger safety devices to prevent overheating and boiling, thereby combining safety functionalities in a compact and inexpensive manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heating system uses separate temperature monitoring points for heating unit and medium, then reliable safety protection is achieved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate temperature monitoring functions into a single heat transfer element. The first temperature tapping section monitors the heating unit temperature while the second temperature tapping section monitors the medium temperature, both integrated into one component that attaches to the heating unit. This merging reduces device complexity and space requirements while maintaining reliable dual temperature monitoring for safety protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a thermal conductor from the heating unit, provides two separate temperature tapping sections for dual monitoring purposes, and serves as a mounting structure for both safety devices. This multi-functionality allows one component to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate components, reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If a heating system uses compact design with integrated safety features, then space and cost are reduced, but manufacturing and sealing complexity may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the sealing function directly into the heat transfer element itself rather than using separate flange bushings or sealing components. The heat transfer element includes an integrated sealing structure that creates a fluid-tight connection when attached to the heating unit, eliminating the need for additional sealing parts and simplifying both manufacturing and assembly processes.
3Speed
If temperature monitoring is directly coupled to heating unit, then rapid temperature detection is achieved, but risk of overheating transmission to safety devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer element is segmented into distinct thermal zones: the first temperature tapping section is positioned for direct thermal coupling with the heating unit to enable rapid temperature detection, while the second temperature tapping section is positioned to monitor medium temperature with appropriate thermal isolation. This segmentation allows different parts of the same component to serve different thermal monitoring functions with appropriate coupling characteristics.
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 prevents overheating and boiling by quickly detecting temperature rises in the heating unit and medium, ensuring safe operation and reducing the risk of plastic melting, while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
a first temperature tapping section (48) which is in heat-conducting contact with the heating unit H
Implementation Method 2
a second temperature tapping section (50), spatially separated from the first temperature tapping section (48), which is in heat-conducting contact with the medium to be heated
Data Source
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AI summary
The heating system for flowing media comprises a heat transfer element (W) with a second temperature sensing section which is separated from first temperature sensing section, and is heat conduction contact with the medium to be heated and the second security unit (S2). The heat transfer element (W) is between the first security unit (S1) and the heating element (H). An independent claim is also included for a heat transfer element for the proposed heating system.