Microwave Resonant Heater Assembly for Low-Loss Aerosol Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol generating devices using microwave heating face challenges with high energy loss due to surface currents on resonators, leading to overheating and inefficiency, requiring a compact design with low cavity Q-factor and minimized power loss.
Innovation Solution
A heater assembly with a resonating unit comprising plates and a coupler to generate microwave resonance, featuring a low cavity Q-factor and dielectric materials to minimize power loss, allowing for efficient heating of aerosol generating articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If microwave heating is used to heat aerosol generating articles, then heating speed is improved, but energy loss increases due to surface currents on resonator
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator is divided into multiple segments (first resonator, second resonator, third resonator) arranged in series. Each segment has its own coupling hole for microwave input, which distributes the microwave energy and reduces surface current concentration on any single segment, thereby reducing energy loss while maintaining heating speed.
Solution Approach 2:
A waveguide is introduced as an intermediary component to transmit microwaves from the oscillation unit to the resonators. The waveguide provides a controlled pathway for microwave transmission, reducing energy loss during transfer and enabling efficient coupling between the microwave source and the segmented resonator structure.
2Device complexity
If conventional resonator design is used, then structure is simple, but cavity Q-factor is high causing power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The resonator structure is segmented into multiple independent resonating units (first, second, and third resonators) with different geometries (cylindrical, conical, spherical). This segmentation lowers the overall cavity Q-factor by distributing the resonant modes across multiple units, reducing power loss from surface currents while maintaining structural simplicity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the resonators (using cylindrical, conical, and spherical shapes with specific dimensions) to optimize the cavity Q-factor. By adjusting the size, shape, and arrangement of the resonator segments, the design achieves lower Q-factor values that minimize power loss while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
3Loss of energy
If resonator surface currents are minimized, then power loss is reduced, but heating efficiency may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented resonator design with multiple coupling holes ensures that microwave energy is distributed across different segments, reducing surface current density and power loss. Simultaneously, each segment contributes to the overall heating effect, maintaining heating efficiency through cumulative thermal energy generation in the aerosol generating article.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments of the resonator have different local geometries (cylindrical, conical, spherical) that are optimized for specific functions. The first resonator (cylindrical) provides stable baseline heating, the second (conical) enhances energy concentration in specific regions, and the third (spherical) provides uniform distribution. This local optimization ensures reduced power loss in each segment while maintaining overall heating efficiency.
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 enables efficient heating of aerosol generating articles with reduced size, uniform heating, and minimized power loss, improving energy efficiency and heating efficiency through triple resonance.
Implementation Method 1
a coupler configured to supply microwaves to at least one of the plurality of plates to generate microwave resonance in the resonating unit
Implementation Method 2
heating an aerosol generating article with a dielectric heating method
Data Source
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AI summary
A heater assembly for heating an aerosol generating article includes a resonating unit including a case that includes an accommodation space configured to accommodate the aerosol generating article and an opening through which the aerosol generating article is inserted, a plurality of plates arranged apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the aerosol generating article accommodated in the accommodation space, and a connecting portion connecting the plurality of plates to the case, and a coupler configured to supply microwaves to at least one of the plurality of plates to generate microwave resonance in the resonating unit to heat the aerosol generating article.