Apparatus for heating or cooling a material contained therein
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating and cooling technologies for materials, such as food and aerosol generating products, lack efficient and reliable methods to activate phase change materials for consistent heating or cooling without combustion or pyrolysis.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a first compartment for the material to be heated or cooled, a second compartment with phase change material, and an activating arrangement that includes a phase change activating agent and a self-sealing barrier to initiate and re-seal the phase change, allowing for controlled heat generation or absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a phase change material is used for heating or cooling, then consistent temperature control is achieved, but reliable activation and reusability are difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate compartments: a first compartment for the material to be heated/cooled, a second compartment for the phase change material, and an activating arrangement. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component and enables reliable activation through the barrier rupture mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase change material is pre-prepared in the second compartment with a barrier separating it from the activating agent. The barrier is designed to rupture under specific activation conditions, initiating the phase change only when needed. This preliminary arrangement ensures reliable and repeatable activation while maintaining temperature control consistency.
2Temperature
If combustion methods are used for heating, then high temperature is achieved quickly, but harmful combustion products are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses phase change material that undergoes phase transition (e.g., solid-liquid, liquid-gas) to generate heat without combustion. The phase change process releases or absorbs latent heat, providing efficient temperature control without producing harmful combustion byproducts. This resolves the contradiction between achieving high temperature quickly and avoiding harmful emissions.
3Ease of operation
If a barrier is used to separate the activating agent from phase change material, then controlled activation is achieved, but the barrier must be reliably ruptured and re-sealed
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is designed with dynamic properties that allow it to rupture under specific activation conditions and subsequently re-seal. This dynamic behavior enables controlled activation when needed while automatically restoring the separation barrier for reuse. The barrier's ability to transition between sealed and ruptured states simplifies the overall system operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier automatically re-seals after rupture without requiring external intervention or complex mechanical components. This self-service capability reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for additional actuation mechanisms while maintaining controlled activation functionality.
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 apparatus effectively heats or cools the material without combustion, enabling reliable and repeatable use by initiating a phase change in the phase change material, ensuring consistent performance and reusability.
Implementation Method 1
a phase change material, wherein the phase change material is either for generating heat to heat the first compartment or absorbing heat to cool the first compartment when undergoing a phase change
Implementation Method 2
an activating arrangement comprising a phase change activating agent and a barrier that separates the phase change activating agent from the phase change material
Implementation Method 3
operating the activating arrangement causes the barrier to rupture so that the phase change activating agent can contact the phase change material
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
There is described an apparatus for heating or cooling a material to be heated or to be cooled. The apparatus comprises: a first compartment for containing the material to be heated or to be cooled; a second compartment containing a phase change material, wherein the phase change material is either for generating heat to heat the first compartment or absorbing heat to cool the first compartment when undergoing a phase change. There are further described various different activating arrangements for activating a change of phase of the phase change material.