Incremental Water Receptacle Filling for Cold Dispensing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid storage receptacles in refrigerators are typically filled from ambient temperature sources, leading to warmer water being stored and potentially distributed, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A system that incrementally fills liquid storage receptacles to predetermined thresholds or time intervals, allowing the liquid to cool before adding more, using a valve, temperature sensor, and controller to manage the filling process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If liquid storage receptacles are filled completely from ambient temperature sources, then the receptacle is full and ready for distribution, but warmer water is stored and potentially distributed to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The filling process is segmented into multiple incremental fills rather than a single complete fill. The controller divides the total fill volume into portions, allowing cooling periods between each fill operation. This segmentation enables the liquid to cool down progressively while still achieving the desired total volume in the receptacle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cooling action before each subsequent fill operation. By cooling the liquid in the receptacle before adding more ambient temperature liquid, the system ensures that the base liquid remains cool, which then cools the newly added liquid more effectively than if the receptacle were already full.
2Temperature
If liquid storage receptacles are filled incrementally with cooling intervals, then cooled liquid is maintained for distribution, but the filling process takes more time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the filling and cooling cycle parameters based on real-time conditions. The controller monitors temperature, fill level, and timing to optimize the incremental fill process, making the system adaptable to varying conditions while maintaining cool liquid quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from temperature sensors and fill level detection to control the incremental filling process. The controller receives feedback on the current state of the receptacle and adjusts the timing and amount of each subsequent fill to achieve optimal cooling while minimizing total time.
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
Ensures that cooled liquid is maintained within the receptacle before distribution, preventing warmer water from being dispensed.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor embedded within the liquid storage receptacle
Implementation Method 2
cooling the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle until the liquid reaches a predetermined temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A method for incrementally filling a water receptacle may include the steps of determining a fill-level of the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle and incrementally filling the liquid storage receptacle in response, wherein: if the fill-level of the of the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle is below the first predetermined threshold, filling the liquid storage receptacle until the volume of liquid is equal to a first predetermined threshold, then cooling the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle until the liquid reaches a predetermined temperature, then, if the fill-level of the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle is equal to or above the first predetermined threshold but below the second predetermined threshold, filling the liquid storage receptacle until the volume of liquid is equal to the second predetermined threshold, and then cooling the liquid within the liquid storage receptacle until the liquid reaches the predetermined temperature.