Probe-Guided Fluid Mixing for Consistent Dispensing Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid dispensing systems fail to account for external factors in achieving a target final temperature of fluids when mixed with dry materials or ingredients, leading to inconsistent results.
Innovation Solution
A fluid dispensing system that includes a hot fluid control valve, a tap fluid control valve, a mixing line, sensors for temperature and flow rate detection, and a probe for ambient and material temperature measurement, with a controller adjusting the valves to achieve a target fluid temperature based on collected data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual or automatic valves are used to control fluid flow without considering external factors, then the system structure remains simple, but the final fluid temperature and material temperature consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs temperature sensors to continuously monitor the temperature of mixed fluid and material, feeding this information back to the controller. The controller adjusts the hot fluid valve and tap fluid valve based on this feedback to maintain consistent target temperatures, resolving the contradiction between temperature consistency and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual valve adjustment with an automated electronic control system that uses sensors and a controller to dynamically adjust fluid flow rates, achieving precise temperature control without manual intervention while maintaining reasonable system complexity
2Reliability
If the system does not account for ambient temperature and material temperature, then the system operation is simple, but the reliability of achieving target temperature deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary temperature measurement of ambient air and material before fluid mixing using probes. This advance information allows the controller to pre-calculate required fluid temperatures and adjust valve positions accordingly, ensuring reliable target temperature achievement while maintaining ease of operation through automated preprocessing
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature probes continuously monitor ambient and material temperatures, providing feedback to the controller that dynamically adjusts hot fluid and tap fluid flow rates, ensuring reliable target temperature achievement regardless of environmental conditions
3Manufacturing precision
If dynamic control of hot fluid and tap fluid flow is implemented based on collected data, then the temperature control precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it receives temperature data from sensors and probes, calculates required fluid flow rates, controls both hot fluid and tap fluid valves, and adapts to varying environmental conditions. This multi-functionality achieves high temperature control precision while minimizing the need for separate dedicated components
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines temperature sensing, data processing, and dual-valve control into a single integrated controller that manages hot fluid and tap fluid flow simultaneously based on real-time temperature feedback, achieving precise temperature control without requiring separate complex control systems for each valve
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 system effectively achieves a target fluid temperature and final material temperature by dynamically controlling the flow of hot and tap fluids, ensuring consistent mixing results.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor detecting a temperature and flow rate of fluid flowing through the mixing line
Implementation Method 2
a sensor detecting a temperature and flow rate of fluid flowing through the mixing line
Implementation Method 3
a probe for detecting a temperature of ambient air and a temperature of material
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid dispensing system includes a hot fluid control valve for controlling a flow of hot fluid through a hot fluid line, a tap fluid control valve for controlling a flow of tap fluid through a tap fluid line, a mixing line in fluid communication with the hot fluid line and the tap fluid line, one or more sensors for detecting a flow rate, a temperature, or both of fluid flowing through the mixing line, one or more probes for detecting a temperature of ambient air, a temperature of material, or both, and a controller configured to adjust the hot fluid control valve and the tap fluid control valve to achieve a target fluid temperature based on data collected by the probe.