Perforated Plate Electrostatic Droplet Control in Aerosol Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol-generating systems face challenges in delivering a consistent adult vaper experience due to large aerosol droplet sizes, which can affect the quality and consistency of the aerosol produced.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a perforated plate with a grid of apertures between the aerosol generator and the airflow outlet, along with an electrode to electrostatically charge and accelerate aerosol droplets, ensuring only smaller droplets pass through, thus controlling the maximum droplet size and enhancing consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a standard aerosol generator is used without additional components, then the device structure remains simple, but the aerosol droplet size becomes large and inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
A perforated plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the aerosol generator and the outlet. This plate with multiple apertures acts as a mediator that breaks up large aerosol droplets into smaller, more consistent droplets without requiring complex internal modifications to the aerosol generator itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The perforated plate segments the aerosol flow into multiple smaller streams through its array of apertures. This segmentation physically divides large droplets into smaller droplets, achieving consistent droplet size distribution while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure.
2Productivity
If larger aerosol droplets are produced, then more liquid substrate can be delivered per unit time, but the aerosol quality and consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The perforated plate serves as an intermediary that maintains high productivity by allowing sufficient liquid substrate delivery while simultaneously improving aerosol quality. The plate's apertures enable continuous flow of aerosol while breaking up large droplets, thus achieving both high delivery rate and consistent droplet size.
3Device complexity
If no droplet size control mechanism is used, then the device complexity remains low, but larger droplets require more frequent cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The perforated plate performs preliminary action by breaking up large droplets before they can deposit on internal surfaces. This pre-processing of the aerosol flow prevents the formation of large droplet deposits that would require frequent cleaning, thereby reducing maintenance frequency while keeping the device structure relatively simple.
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 effectively limits the maximum droplet size, providing a consistent aerosol delivery and reducing the need for cleaning by blocking larger droplets, thereby improving the adult vaper experience and system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode disposed between the aerosol generator and the perforated plate, wherein the perforated plate is electrically conductive, and wherein the electrode and the perforated plate is configured to generate an electrical potential
Implementation Method 2
the electrode and the perforated plate is configured to generate an electrical potential... effectively limits the maximum droplet size, providing a consistent aerosol delivery and reducing the need for cleaning by blocking larger droplets
Data Source
AI summary
An aerosol generating system including a housing defining an airflow outlet; a liquid aerosol-forming substrate; an aerosol generator, configured to generate an aerosol from the liquid aerosol-forming substrate; a perforated plate disposed between the aerosol generator and the airflow outlet, the perforated plate defining a plurality of apertures extending through the perforated plate; and an electrode disposed between the aerosol generator and the perforated plate, wherein the perforated plate is electrically conductive, and wherein the electrode and the perforated plate are configured to generate an electrical potential.