Helical Hot Gas Generator for Compact Low-Loss Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing workpiece coating machines with hot gas generating devices suffer from high pressure loss and poor temperature regulation due to the use of sintered materials, requiring high volume flow and pressure, which results in an inefficient and bulky system.

Innovation Solution

A compact hot gas generating device with a helically guided gas flow path that minimizes pressure loss, allowing for efficient heating of the gas to 300-400°C, and includes a rotating body with an insulating tube and integrated energy source, enabling precise temperature control and activation of coating materials.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If sintered material is used in the heating device, then heating capability is improved, but pressure loss increases and system size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating capabilityVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses sintered material with specific pore structure in the heating device to achieve effective heating while managing pressure loss characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from linear heating paths to three-dimensional helical gas flow paths, utilizing spatial dimensions to increase heating efficiency without proportionally increasing pressure loss or device size

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Temperature

If sintered material is used in the heating device, then heating capability is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating capabilityVSAvoiddevice size
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The gas flow path is arranged in a helical configuration that nests within the housing space, maximizing the use of available volume to achieve compact device design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The helical path utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently, allowing the gas to traverse a longer heating path within a compact device footprint

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Temperature

If high volume flow and pressure are used, then heating performance is improved, but temperature regulation responsiveness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating performanceVSAvoidtemperature regulation responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables dynamic control of gas flow parameters, allowing rapid adjustment of volume flow and pressure to achieve fast temperature regulation responsiveness while maintaining effective heating performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Temperature

If gas flow path is extended to improve heating, then heating efficiency is improved, but pressure loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheating efficiencyVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The gas flow path is configured in a helical pattern that extends in three dimensions rather than linearly, allowing longer heating path length within compact spatial dimensions while managing pressure loss characteristics

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 achieves efficient gas heating with low pressure loss, allowing for precise temperature control and activation of coating materials, resulting in a compact and energy-efficient system that maintains consistent flow rates while activating edge bands for adhesion to workpieces.

Implementation Method 1

A heating device is in fluid communication with the outlet and brings the hot air or gas to the required activation temperature for the heat-activatable layer of the edge strip

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

Heat exchanger elements are provided in the heating device, e.g. parallel tube bundles or sintered material with a heating element embedded therein

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchanger: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 3

the gas flow path runs around an axis in the housing... the gas flow path is preferably helically guided in the housing, for example as a fine thread with a very flat pitch, resulting in a large gas flow path length

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure loss reduction through helical flow:

Implementation Method 4

Since the gas in the gas flow path is heated and thus expands along the flow direction, it is the case according to the invention that the cross section of the gas flow path increases along the flow direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2799793B1Workpiece coating machine with hot gas generating device
Publication Date: 2017.09.20 HOMAG GMBH
  • EP2799793B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2799793B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2799793B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a hot gas generating device with which a gas flow, for example an air flow, is heated. This is preferably used to heat an edge band or another coating material, in particular an adhesive layer provided on this coating material. In this way, the coating material is prepared for application to a panel-shaped (wooden) workpiece, for example.