Porous Ceramic Substrate for Linear Volatile Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing volatile dispensing devices face issues with clogging, uneven release rates, and high residual volatile materials due to the use of conventional wicks and mats, particularly when dealing with insecticidal formulations containing non-volatile components, and heaters that cause thermal degradation or uneven heating.
Innovation Solution
A substrate made of granular particles adhered together to form a network of pores and passages, with non-reactive and non-absorptive interior surfaces, allowing for efficient and linear release of volatile materials, such as insect control active ingredients, without the need for solvents and with reduced residual material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional wicks made of felt, fabric, ceramics, or compressed sawdust are used to deliver volatile liquid, then the device can operate with simple structure, but the wick experiences clogging by high boiling point materials and non-volatile components, leading to non-linear release and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous ceramic wick material with controlled pore size and distribution to deliver volatile liquid. The porous structure allows consistent capillary action and volatile transport while preventing clogging by maintaining appropriate pore dimensions that resist blockage from non-volatile components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite wick structure combining ceramic particles bound with a binder material to create a porous matrix. This composite approach provides both the structural integrity needed for device operation and the porous characteristics required for consistent volatile delivery without clogging.
2Reliability
If a stiff porous mat is used for volatile material vaporization, then the device structure can be simplified, but the mat experiences uneven heating and thermal degradation, causing non-linear release rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a porous ceramic mat material that provides uniform thermal distribution through its interconnected pore structure. The porosity allows heat to penetrate evenly throughout the mat while maintaining structural stability, preventing thermal degradation and ensuring linear volatile release rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the mat material by controlling pore size, porosity percentage, and particle size distribution to optimize thermal conductivity and heat distribution uniformity, thereby achieving consistent linear release rates across the entire mat surface.
3Reliability
If conventional wicks and mats are used with insecticidal formulations containing non-volatile components, then the device can be manufactured simply, but clogging occurs and residual volatile materials remain high, reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous ceramic substrate with controlled pore size distribution that resists clogging from non-volatile insecticidal components. The pore structure is designed to maintain open pathways for volatile transport while filtering out particulate matter, and the substrate can be manufactured using conventional ceramic processing techniques.
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 substrate ensures a stable and linear release of volatile materials at an insect controlling rate, minimizing residual material and clogging, while being cost-effective and compatible with existing dispensing devices, and offering improved thermal conductivity for uniform heating.
Implementation Method 1
a heat source is used to promote the wicking action and release of a volatile material from a wick... The generated heat raises the temperature of a material contained in the wick and volatilizes the material
Implementation Method 2
a heat source is used to promote the wicking action and release of a volatile material from a wick... wicking materials limit the performance of the wick
Implementation Method 3
offering improved thermal conductivity for uniform heating
Implementation Method 4
Convection air currents dispense the volatilized material into the room
Data Source
AI summary
Volatile impregnated substrates, such as wicks and mats, that can be used in a dispensing device that uses a heat source or otherwise uses active means to promote the release of the volatile material from the substrate are disclosed. The preferred substrate has a structure including sand particles adhered together by a binder to form a network of pores and passages. The binder is selected from thermoset polymeric materials and mixtures thereof. A volatile material is disposed in the pores before the substrate is installed in the dispensing device. The impregnated substrate is positioned in the dispensing device on or near the heat source of the dispensing device. The heat source is activated thereby elevating the temperature of the substrate such that volatile material is released from the pores. In one embodiment, the sand particles comprise silica sand and the binder is a cured novolac resin.