Permeability Measurement Cell for Bottle Stoppers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring the permeability of thick stoppers, such as cork or synthetic materials, are inadequate as they require expensive and fragile oxygen detectors, and are not suitable for representative gas pressure conditions, leading to high costs and labor-intensive handling.
Innovation Solution
A device with a measurement cell that allows for the mounting of stoppers to create chambers for gas exchange, using a pressure sensor and a control unit to evaluate the actual volume of the downstream chamber, enabling reliable and reproducible permeability measurements with widely available sensors, reducing handling costs and experimental artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional oxygen detectors are used to measure permeability of thick stoppers, then measurement precision is improved, but device cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrochemical oxygen detector system with a pressure-based measurement system using a pressure sensor, vacuum pump, and controlled gas flow. This mechanical/physical approach substitutes the complex electrochemical detection method, achieving permeability measurement through pressure differential and gas flow rate monitoring instead of electronic exchanges with oxygen molecules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified measurement model using a dummy bottle neck and stopper assembly that replicates the essential permeability measurement function without requiring the complex coulometric detection system. The measurement cell with upstream and downstream chambers copies the necessary measurement environment using readily available components.
2Measurement precision
If traditional oxygen detectors are used, then measurement precision is improved, but operational ease deteriorates due to frequent detector replacement and handling
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor-based system requires no periodic replacement or special handling like the coulometric detectors. The system continuously monitors pressure differential and gas flow automatically, eliminating the need for operator intervention to replace detection elements. The measurement process is self-contained with automated gas flow control and data recording.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous measurement operation without interruption for detector replacement. The pressure sensor and vacuum pump system maintains continuous monitoring of gas permeability, allowing uninterrupted measurement campaigns compared to the discontinuous operation required by traditional detectors with limited reactive sites.
3Reliability
If measurement pressure is increased to represent real-world conditions, then measurement reliability is improved, but gas quantity available for detection decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a vacuum pump to create a pressure differential between upstream and downstream chambers, establishing controlled gas flow through the stopper at atmospheric pressure conditions. This pneumatic system enables measurement at representative pressure levels while maintaining sufficient gas quantity for detection by continuously pumping gas through the system and measuring flow rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts gas flow rate and pressure differential to maintain optimal measurement conditions. The vacuum pump continuously removes gas from the downstream chamber, creating a dynamic pressure gradient that drives gas through the stopper at controlled rates, ensuring both representative pressure conditions and sufficient detectable gas quantity.
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 device provides accurate and cost-effective permeability measurements for stoppers by using standard sensors and minimizing handling costs, allowing for efficient evaluation of gas permeability under realistic pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
gas exchange being possible between the upstream chamber and the downstream chamber only by passing through the plugs
Implementation Method 2
measuring the permeability of a gas through membranes of various materials
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The device has a gas supply (2) for imposing in an upstream chamber (76), and a pump device (3) for imposing downstream in a downstream chamber (16). The downstream chamber is configured such that the volume of the chamber remains constant when the interior pressure of the chamber varies between the applied pressure and the initial depression. The downstream chamber is connected with a proportioning chamber (17) by a valve (11), where the downstream chamber is connected to the gas supply and/or isolated from an atmosphere (18) when the valve is closed. An independent claim is also included for a method for measuring gas permeability of a stopper of a bottle.