Ohmic Heating System Galvanic Isolation Leakage Current
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ohmic heating systems face challenges such as leakage currents, fluid alteration, corrosion, and conductivity variations, leading to large and costly designs with high energy intensity, particularly in non-industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a frequency inverter to transform mains voltage to higher frequencies, combined with galvanic separation using reactive components like capacitors and transformers, reduces leakage currents and allows for compact, cost-effective high-power density ohmic heating by decoupling electrodes and regulating heating performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If mains voltage is directly applied to electrodes for sufficient heating energy, then heating performance is improved, but leakage current increases causing safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
A transformer is introduced as an intermediary device between the mains voltage source and the ohmic heating electrodes. The transformer provides galvanic isolation, blocking the path for leakage current to reach grounded objects while still transmitting power to the electrodes for heating. This resolves the contradiction by mediating the power transfer to eliminate the harmful leakage current effect.
2Volume of moving object
If high-power density setup is used for compact device design, then device size is reduced, but fluid alteration and electrode corrosion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the electrical parameters by using high-frequency alternating current instead of direct mains voltage. This parameter change allows the fluid to be heated through ohmic losses without causing significant electrolysis or chemical alteration, enabling compact high-power density design without the harmful effects of fluid degradation and electrode corrosion.
3Power
If high energy is applied to achieve compact high-power density design, then device compactness is improved, but fluid degradation and by-product formation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic alternating current at high frequency to heat the fluid. This periodic action allows the electrical field to reverse direction rapidly, preventing the accumulation of electrochemical reactions that would otherwise cause fluid degradation and dangerous by-product formation, while still delivering high power density for compact design.
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 achieves a compact, cost-effective, and efficient ohmic heating process with reduced electrolysis and corrosion, capable of handling conductivity variations, thereby improving safety and performance.
Implementation Method 1
A system utilizing a frequency inverter to transform mains voltage to higher frequencies
Implementation Method 2
galvanic separation using reactive components like capacitors and transformers
Implementation Method 3
In case of ohmic heating an electrical potential is applied to a liquid by means of two electrodes generating a current flow (electron flow) through the liquid. The electrons flowing through the liquid collide with the atomic nuclei of the liquid and give off their kinetic energy. This increases the kinetic energy (temperature) of the atomic nuclei and thus increases the temperature of the liquid.
Implementation Method 4
reduces electrolysis and corrosion, capable of handling conductivity variations
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a system for ohmic heating of a fluid which includes at least one chamber for receiving the fluid and at least two units each including at least one electrode. Each of the at least one electrode is associated to at least one device for galvanic separation. The electrodes of each of the two units are disposed in the chamber at a distance apart from one another and the device for galvanic separation is disposed outside of the chamber. The system also includes at least one frequency inverter that is electrically connected to the at least two electrode-units for operating the at least two electrode-units.