Closed Electric Heating Control Using Temperature Jumps for Gas Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for monitoring and controlling electric heating devices in closed environments, such as ovens and steam cookers, lack efficient means to determine the composition of gases and humidity levels without requiring additional sensors, limiting their operational efficiency and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

The method employs a heater and temperature detector in the boiler room, recording the time course of temperature signals and heat output to identify gas components and control the heating device, utilizing existing equipment like temperature sensors to determine thermal conductivity and humidity, allowing for cyclic operation and temperature jumps to generate consistent sensor signals for analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If gas sensors or moisture sensors are installed to determine gas composition and humidity levels, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas composition detection accuracyVSAvoidsensor system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature sensor is made to serve multiple functions: its primary function of temperature detection is combined with a secondary function of determining gas composition and humidity levels. By evaluating the temperature sensor's reaction (transit time and amplitude) to temperature jumps, the system extracts additional information about the atmospheric composition without requiring separate dedicated sensors for each measurement type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature sensor serves itself by providing information beyond its designated function. The sensor's inherent response characteristics to temperature changes contain embedded information about the surrounding gas composition and humidity, allowing the system to utilize the sensor's own signals for multiple measurement purposes without external assistance or additional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If additional sensors are added to monitor gas composition and humidity, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveatmosphere composition measurement accuracyVSAvoidsystem operation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The existing temperature sensor and heater are made multi-functional. The temperature sensor not only detects temperature but also determines gas composition and humidity through analysis of its transient response to temperature jumps. The heater not only provides heating but also generates controlled temperature jumps for measurement purposes. This eliminates the need for operators to manage additional sensors while maintaining measurement capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If temperature jumps are generated by cyclic heater operation, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to operational disruptions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor signal evaluation accuracyVSAvoidheating device operational efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The heater operates in periodic cycles, alternating between heating phases that generate temperature jumps for measurement and normal heating phases for cooking. These periodic temperature jumps create consistent, reproducible sensor signals that enable accurate determination of gas composition and humidity, while the cyclic nature allows the system to maintain measurement capability without continuous disruption of the heating function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

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 approach enables effective monitoring and control of electric heating devices by identifying gas types and concentrations, eliminating the need for additional sensors and allowing for efficient operation with existing functional units, while providing insights into thermal conductivity and humidity levels, thus enhancing operational efficiency and accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

the reaction of the temperature sensor to a temperature jump in the heating chamber is detected in the temperature detection. From this reaction or the corresponding information, the thermal conductivity and/or the humidity of the atmosphere in the boiler room can be determined via the temperature sensor signals

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP1837600B1Method for controlling or monitoring or regulating a closed electric heating device
Publication Date: 2009.09.09 E G O ELEKTRO GERAETEBAU GMBH
  • EP1837600B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP1837600B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP1837600B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The method involves timely processing of signals of temperature acquisition, and processing an amount of heat to be detected in a control device (23). Conditions at a central heating room (15) and/or gases contained in components of the room are determined. Received information is used for monitoring of sensors e.g. temperature sensor (21), provided at an electric heating appliance e.g. baking oven (11), or for controlling and/or regulation of operation of the electric heating appliance.