Porous Heat Diffuser for Uniform Aerosol Substrate Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol-generating systems face challenges in evenly heating aerosol-forming substrates, leading to inconsistent aerosol characteristics due to localized overheating or underheating, particularly when using liquid aerosol-forming substrates.
Innovation Solution
A heat diffuser with a non-combustible, thermally conductive porous body that absorbs heat from an electric heating element and transfers it to air, providing more even heating by convection, thereby reducing hot spots and preventing overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If direct heating with electric heater is used, then heating efficiency is improved, but heating uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A heat diffuser is introduced as an intermediary component between the electric heater and the aerosol-forming substrate. The diffuser has a porous structure that allows it to absorb heat from the heater and redistribute it uniformly across its surface, preventing localized overheating while maintaining efficient heat transfer to the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat diffuser is constructed from porous material with controlled porosity (e.g., 60-90% void volume). This porous structure provides high surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling efficient heat absorption from the heater while the interconnected pores allow uniform heat distribution across the diffuser surface, solving the heating uniformity problem.
2Speed
If high power heating is used, then heating speed is improved, but temperature control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat diffuser changes the thermal parameters of the heating system by introducing a component with specific thermal conductivity (e.g., 0.05-0.5 W/m·K for porous materials) and heat capacity. This allows the system to use high power heating while the diffuser's thermal properties buffer and distribute the heat, preventing temperature spikes and improving temperature control.
3Use of energy by moving object
If heating element contacts substrate directly, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but substrate damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat diffuser serves as a protective intermediary layer between the heating element and the aerosol-forming substrate. It maintains thermal contact for efficient heat transfer while its porous structure and thermal mass prevent direct thermal shock and localized overheating that could damage the substrate.
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 heat diffuser ensures more uniform heating of aerosol-forming substrates, improving aerosol characteristics and preventing overheating, especially when used with liquid substrates, by efficiently transferring thermal energy through a high surface area-to-volume ratio and high thermal conductivity material.
Implementation Method 1
the porous body being thermally conductive such that, in use, air drawn through the porous body is heated by the heat absorbed by the porous body
Implementation Method 2
air drawn through the porous body is heated by the heat absorbed by the porous body
Data Source
AI summary
A heat diffuser for use with an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device is configured to be removably coupled to the aerosol-generating device. The heat diffuser includes a non-combustible porous body for absorbing heat from an electric heating element. The porous body is thermally conductive such that, in use, air drawn through the porous body is heated by the heat absorbed by the porous body. Example embodiments also provide a heated aerosol-generating article and an aerosol-generating system, both comprising the heat diffuser.