Inductively Heatable Cartridge with Susceptor Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerosol-generating systems with separate nicotine and acid sources face challenges in rapidly and uniformly heating these components to achieve efficient reaction stoichiometry and reduce 'time to first puff', often resulting in unfavorable reaction conditions and prolonged pre-heating times.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge design with compartments containing nicotine and acid sources, each equipped with a susceptor element in contact with the carrier material, utilizing inductive heating via an inductor coil and oscillating current to rapidly heat the sources to a desired temperature, facilitating efficient heat transfer and consistent vapor release.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional heating methods (electrically resistive heating elements or inductively heatable susceptor elements) are used to heat nicotine and acid sources, then the desired temperature can be achieved for efficient reaction stoichiometry, but the pre-heating time becomes excessively long (up to 30 seconds or longer)
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is divided into multiple compartments, with each compartment containing a separate susceptor element in direct contact with the carrier material. This segmentation allows each compartment to be heated independently and simultaneously, reducing overall pre-heating time compared to heating a single large mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The susceptor elements are pre-positioned in direct contact with the carrier materials during cartridge manufacturing. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when heating is initiated, heat transfer begins immediately without any delay for positioning or setup, reducing the time to reach operating temperature.
2Temperature
If conventional heating methods are used, then heating can be achieved, but the temperature distribution becomes non-uniform resulting in inconsistent vapor release
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple susceptor elements are distributed across different compartments, each providing localized heating to its associated carrier material. This segmentation ensures uniform temperature distribution across all nicotine and acid sources, preventing hot spots and cold zones that would occur with centralized heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The susceptor elements act as intermediary heating elements between the external inductive field and the carrier materials. These intermediaries provide controlled, uniform heat transfer to the carrier materials, ensuring consistent vaporization without direct exposure to the oscillating magnetic field.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate nicotine and acid sources are used, then flexible formulation is achieved, but the reaction stoichiometry becomes difficult to control leading to unfavorable delivery conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The separate compartments allow independent formulation optimization of nicotine and acid sources while maintaining precise control over their interaction. Each compartment can be formulated independently for maximum versatility, while the controlled heating and vaporization ensure proper stoichiometric mixing in the reaction zone.
Solution Approach 2:
By controlling the temperature of each susceptor element and the flow rates through the compartments, the vapor concentrations of nicotine and acid can be precisely adjusted. This allows optimization of reaction stoichiometry while maintaining the formulation flexibility of separate sources.
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 significantly reduces the pre-heating time to less than 5 seconds, ensures consistent nicotine and acid vapor delivery, and maintains desired temperatures during use, improving the efficiency and consistency of nicotine salt particle formation.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing inductive heating via an inductor coil and oscillating current to rapidly heat the sources to a desired temperature
Implementation Method 2
utilizing inductive heating via an inductor coil and oscillating current
Implementation Method 3
ensures consistent nicotine and acid vapor delivery
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge for an aerosol-generating system is provided, the cartridge including: a first compartment having a first air inlet and a first air outlet, and containing a nicotine source including a first carrier material impregnated with nicotine; and a second compartment having a second air inlet and a second air outlet, and containing an acid source including a second carrier material impregnated with an acid, one of the first and the second compartments including a pair of susceptor elements being arranged in contact with the first and the second carrier materials, respectively, within the first and the second compartments, respectively, and the first and the second carrier materials being respectively arranged between the pair of susceptor elements.