Heated Positive-Displacement Pump With Thin-Film Cylinder Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid pumps for hot drink dispensers are inefficient in heating a precise volume of liquid quickly and consistently, leading to energy wastage and long preparation times, due to high thermal inertia and thermal resistance in heating systems, which affects the quality of the beverage.
Innovation Solution
A compact liquid pump design featuring a sliding piston within a cylindrical heating element with electrically conductive ink tracks on its surface, allowing for precise control of liquid volume and temperature through adjustable heating branches and feedback loops, enabling rapid and controlled heating and dispensing of liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a resistive wire wrapped around the cylinder is used for heating, then the liquid can be heated inside the pump, but the thermal resistance between the wire and the cylinder is high causing heat loss to the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element (resistive wire) is extracted from its traditional wrapped-around configuration and replaced with electrically conductive ink tracks directly deposited on the cylinder surface. This eliminates the thermal resistance interface between the wire and cylinder, ensuring heat is generated directly at the heating surface without loss to the environment.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrically conductive ink serves as an intermediary material that directly contacts the cylinder surface. This ink layer acts as both the heating element and the thermal coupling medium, eliminating the need for wrapped wires and reducing thermal resistance at the heating interface.
2Temperature
If the cylinder is heated using a resistive wire, then the liquid can be heated, but the thermal inertia of the heating wire and cylinder increases the time required to heat the liquid
Solution Approach 1:
The thick-wired heating element with high thermal inertia is extracted and replaced with thin-film electrically conductive ink tracks. This dramatically reduces the thermal mass of the heating system, allowing the cylinder and liquid to heat up much faster while maintaining precise temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system transitions from using thick resistive wires with high thermal mass to thin-film conductive ink with minimal thermal inertia. This parameter change in the heating element's physical properties directly reduces heating time while maintaining heating effectiveness.
3Temperature
If the resistive wire is wrapped around the entire cylinder, then heating can be provided, but heat is transmitted to the environment in the empty zone above the piston causing energy wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is localized to only the necessary region. Electrically conductive ink tracks are deposited only on the portion of the cylinder surface that is in contact with or adjacent to the liquid volume to be heated. This eliminates heat waste in the empty zone above the piston while maintaining effective heating of the liquid.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system is segmented into discrete electrically conductive ink tracks that can be selectively activated. Only the heating zones corresponding to the liquid volume are energized, while the empty zone above the piston remains unheated, preventing energy wastage.
4Quantity of substance
If a piston pump with hollow piston is used, then liquid can be pumped, but the hollow piston is difficult to clean and does not displace a constant volume of water
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow piston design is extracted and replaced with a solid piston structure. This eliminates the cleaning difficulty associated with hollow pistons while maintaining the pump's ability to displace precise volumes of liquid through controlled piston strokes.
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 solution enables rapid and precise heating of liquids to a consistent temperature, improving beverage quality and reducing energy consumption, suitable for both mains and autonomous power sources.
Implementation Method 1
The outer surface of the cylinder is at least partially covered with electric tracks forming part of an electric heating circuit
Implementation Method 2
Only part of the heat emitted by the wire is transmitted to the cylinder and then to the liquid; the rest is dissipated into the air. The thermal resistance between the wire and the cylinder is in fact high
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a liquid pump that comprises: a cylinder (2); an inlet valve (4) for feeding the liquid into the cylinder; a discharge valve (5) for discharging the liquid out of the cylinder; a piston (2) sliding in said cylinder so as to draw said liquid into said cylinder and to expel the same outside the cylinder; an electric circuit (7) for heating the cylinder, with at least one resistor (70, 71) for electrically heating the liquid in the cylinder. The resistor (70, 71) is made in the form of an electrically conducting thin track deposited on or in the wall (20) of the cylinder (2). The heating is initiated before the introduction of the liquid into the cylinder, and interrupted before the full discharge of the liquid out of the cylinder.