Nebulisation Head Attachment With Feedback Temperature Stabilisation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inhaler solutions fail to monitor and control the temperature of the nebulisation process, leading to disruptions due to ambient and device temperature fluctuations, which affect aerosol droplet size and can cause bronchospasm, without providing direct heating to the nebulisation vessel to avoid active substance degradation.
Innovation Solution
A nebulisation head attachment with integrated temperature sensors and heating elements, controlled by a decision-making block, stabilizes the temperature of the aerosol by adjusting heating power based on sensor readings to maintain optimal droplet size and prevent bronchospasm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heater is placed in the nebulisation vessel to heat the liquid, then the temperature of the aerosol can be increased, but the active substance may degrade due to direct heating
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is divided into separate heating zones (first heating zone and second heating zone) with distinct functions: one zone heats the liquid to generate aerosol, while the other zone heats the aerosol after generation but before delivery to the patient. This segmentation allows temperature control that prevents active substance degradation while ensuring therapeutic effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A temperature sensor is introduced as an intermediary element to monitor and control the heating process. The sensor detects temperature in real-time and provides feedback to the control system, which adjusts heating element operation to maintain optimal temperature ranges, preventing both underheating and overheating that could degrade the active substance.
2Device complexity
If no temperature control is implemented, then the device complexity is reduced, but the aerosol temperature fluctuates due to ambient temperature and patient inhalation rate
Solution Approach 1:
A feedback control system is implemented using temperature sensors that continuously monitor aerosol temperature and liquid temperature. The control system processes this feedback information and adjusts the heating elements accordingly to maintain stable temperatures despite variations in ambient conditions or patient inhalation rate, ensuring consistent droplet diameter and therapeutic efficacy.
3Temperature
If heating power is increased to compensate for temperature drop during expansion, then aerosol temperature can be maintained, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary heating of the liquid to a temperature higher than the final desired aerosol temperature before nebulisation. This pre-heating compensates for the temperature drop that occurs during expansion, allowing the aerosol to reach the target temperature without requiring excessive heating power during the actual nebulisation process, thus reducing overall energy consumption.
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 consistent aerosol droplet size and temperature stabilization, minimizing disruptions and potential respiratory issues, while avoiding direct heating that could degrade the active substance.
Implementation Method 1
a first temperature sensor (T1) located in the mixing adapter (AM), which analyses the final mist temperature read from the first sensor (T1)
Implementation Method 2
The heating element assembly (G2 and G1) comprises heaters, in particular of different wattages, placed in series or parallel in the air flow entering through the control adapter (PN)
Implementation Method 3
The main disturbance to the process is the drop in aerosol temperature when the gas is expanded in the nebulisation (pneumatic) head
Data Source
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Figure 2
AI summary
The object of the present invention is a nebulization head attachment for temperature stabilization comprising: a control adapter in the form of a sealed container equipped with an air inlet opening of any shape, an air outlet opening of any shape, advantageously circular, allowing direct or indirect connection to the nebulizer air inlet, at least two heating elements, a mixing adapter made in the form of a solid, advantageously in the form of a sleeve containing three openings, which connects through: an opening (O) connecting to the control adapter, an opening (SI) connecting to the nebulizer head, preferably made in the form of a circle, to connect to any nebulizer head, an opening (SO) connecting to an application element, preferably in the form of a mask, a nasal kit, a spray port, a control and measurement system of the control adaptor having a first temperature analysis block connected by a first data line to a first temperature sensor, located in the mixing adaptor, analysing the final temperature of the mist read from the first temperature sensor against a set target and critical temperature by the decision block via the data line, a second temperature analysis block connected by a second data line to a second temperature sensor located upstream of the air outlet of the control adapter analysing the difference between the inlet temperature read by the third temperature sensor and the temperature value at the outlet of the control adapter read by the second temperature sensor, a third temperature analysis block connected by a third data line to the third temperature sensor analysing the system inlet temperature and the outlet temperature, the control and measurement system further comprising actuators assemblies and a decision block, advantageously made with microprocessor technology; the temperature analysis blocks via data lines PT1, PT2 and PT3 transmit data to the decision block, which then communicates with the actuators via the data lines; the actuators are responsible for allocating thermal power to the heating elements by applying supply voltage to the heating elements via the data lines.