Dehumidifier Control via Load Cell for Oil Expansion Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air dryers for oil expansion vessels in electrical appliances require expensive directional and pressure sensors to detect air flow, leading to reliability issues and high costs, and incomplete regeneration due to preferential air paths.
Innovation Solution
A dryer system with two dehumidifying tanks, absorption means like salts, and a transducer using an electronic load cell to measure dehumidification levels, eliminating the need for air flow sensors and ensuring efficient regeneration of absorption means through thermal regeneration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If directional sensors or pressure sensors are used to detect air flow, then air flow detection accuracy is improved, but device cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air flow detection function from complex directional sensors or pressure sensors and implements it through a simple pressure sensor that detects pressure differences across the oil expansion tank. This eliminates the need for expensive flow direction sensors while maintaining adequate detection capability for the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approach by using pressure sensors to indirectly detect air flow conditions rather than directly measuring flow direction or velocity. The pressure difference across the tank serves as an intermediary parameter that correlates with air flow presence, providing sufficient detection accuracy without complex sensing systems.
2Measurement precision
If pressure sensors with high precision are used to measure air flow, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive pressure sensors rather than expensive high-precision flow sensors. The system accepts that these simpler sensors have limitations but designs the control logic to work effectively with their capabilities, providing a cost-effective solution that meets the application requirements without unnecessary precision.
3Measurement precision
If humidity sensors operate continuously to monitor dry air humidity, then humidity detection accuracy is improved, but resistor reliability decreases due to frequent switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of humidity levels rather than continuous monitoring. The control system checks humidity at defined intervals and maintains the resistor in stable states (on or off) for extended periods, avoiding frequent switching. This periodic approach maintains adequate humidity detection while significantly improving resistor reliability by reducing thermal cycling stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary humidity assessment at the beginning of operation and maintains predetermined resistor states based on initial conditions. By establishing the resistor state in advance based on preliminary humidity measurement, the system avoids continuous switching during operation, thereby improving resistor reliability while still maintaining adequate humidity control.
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 system provides accurate dehumidification measurements, reduces costs, and enhances reliability by operating the heating means only when no air flow is detected, ensuring effective regeneration and simplified construction.
Implementation Method 1
a transducer, operatively connected with the dehumidifying tank and suitable to measure the dehumidification state of the absorption means contained inside the tank
Implementation Method 2
heating means, placed inside the dehumidifying tank and suitable to thermally regenerate the absorption means
Implementation Method 3
absorption means, consisting of a plurality of granules or salts that can be thermally regenerated and suitable to dehumidify air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Process for controlling a dryer (10), suitable of dehumidifying air entering oil expansion vessels used in electrical appliances, in which a protective casing of the dryer (10) surrounds at least two dehumidifying tanks or vessels (S1, S2) containing means suitable to absorb air humidity coming from the outside and which can be thermally regenerated by resistors (R1, R2); the resistors (R1, R2) are connected with a load cell (C1), suitable to determine the state of saturation of the absorption means, so that detecting by the load cell (C1) of a measured mass value (M) greater than a predefined threshold value (MFS) operates the resistors (R1, R2) in order to regenerate the absorption means to the original state.