Process Sensor Housing Condensation Trap for Moisture Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Process measurement technology sensors face challenges with condensation issues due to environmental conditions, which can lead to moisture penetration and damage to sensitive electronic components, despite sealing and desiccant measures, and existing solutions are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
A process measurement technology sensor with a condensation trap designed as a region of reduced wall thickness in the sensor housing, where condensation occurs, and a structured surface to trap condensed water, along with optional heating and humidity sensors to manage moisture, ensuring critical areas remain dry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seals and encapsulation are used to prevent moisture penetration, then sensor reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful condensation effect into a beneficial trap mechanism by creating a specific geometric structure (condensation trap) that captures moisture before it reaches sensitive components. The trap uses the natural condensation process that would otherwise damage the sensor and redirects it into a harmless collection area, thereby maintaining reliability without complex seals or encapsulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the condensation problem from the sensitive areas by creating a separate condensation trap region isolated from the sensor elements and electronic measuring equipment. This separation allows the trap to collect all moisture that condenses in the housing, preventing it from reaching critical components while avoiding the need for complex sealing around each component.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If complex sealing measures are implemented, then moisture protection is improved, but manufacturing cost and design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specific geometric feature (the condensation trap with reduced wall thickness) at a particular location in the housing rather than implementing uniform complex sealing throughout. This localized structural modification provides effective moisture protection only where condensation occurs, simplifying manufacturing compared to comprehensive sealing solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the wall thickness parameter locally to create the condensation trap, transitioning from a uniform wall structure to one with variable thickness. This parameter change creates a thermal bridge that promotes condensation at the trap location, providing passive moisture management without additional sealing components or increased manufacturing complexity.
3Device complexity
If condensation is allowed to occur freely, then device simplicity is maintained, but sensor reliability deteriorates due to moisture damage
Solution Approach 1:
The condensation trap acts as an intermediary element between the condensation source (cold housing walls) and the sensitive components (sensor elements and electronic measuring equipment). It intercepts condensation droplets and contains them in a dedicated space, preventing direct contact with critical components while maintaining the overall simplicity of the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by providing a pre-designed condensation trap structure that is ready to capture moisture before it can migrate to sensitive areas. This proactive approach ensures that condensation is contained at its source location, preventing subsequent damage to sensor elements and electronic components without requiring complex active monitoring or control systems.
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 solution effectively prevents condensation in sensitive areas, ensuring stable and prolonged sensor functionality by directing condensation to a controlled region where it can evaporate, maintaining the integrity of electronic and optical components.
Implementation Method 1
If a hot sensor is cooled rapidly, water vapor condenses at the coldest point. This is usually the inner housing wall of the sensor housing. The thinner the wall thickness, the faster that the inside of the sensor housing may cool there. Condensation will thus always take place at the housing region with the smallest wall thickness.
Implementation Method 2
The thinner the wall thickness, the faster that the inside of the sensor housing may cool there
Implementation Method 3
The corrugated surface thereby ensures an increase in the wall thickness in the region of the condensation trap, so that a precipitation of condensed water along the corrugated surface when the housing is cooled is rather unlikely.
Data Source
AI summary
Process measurement technology sensor, comprising a sensor housing having a sensor head, wherein the sensor head has at least one sensor element for determining a measurand of a measured medium which is arranged inside the sensor housing, and wherein the sensor has electronic measuring equipment which is arranged inside the sensor housing, wherein the sensor housing has, at a distance from the electronic measuring equipment and from the sensor element, a condensation trap in the form of a local region of a wall of the sensor housing with reduced wall thickness.