Steam Delivery Nozzle With Helical Heating Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steam delivery devices are inefficient for sterilization in medical and dental environments as the steam temperature drops significantly upon striking surfaces, failing to effectively destroy microbial activity.
Innovation Solution
A steam delivery device with a tubular chamber and helical duct design that maintains high steam temperature by expanding steam into a restricted space, using a heating element to superheat the steam and incorporating a disinfectant or aromatic substance, with a cross-sectional area ratio between the chamber and orifice optimized for efficient sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If steam is supplied at high pressure and temperature from a conventional nozzle, then the steam delivery power is high, but the steam temperature drops significantly when striking surfaces, failing to destroy microbial activity
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is segmented into distinct functional zones: a pressurization chamber, a heating chamber with helical ducts, and a delivery nozzle. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each zone - the pressurization chamber builds pressure, the heating chamber maintains temperature through extended heating path, and the nozzle delivers the steam. The separation enables the steam to remain高温 throughout the delivery process.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle is nested within the tubular chamber, with the nozzle outlet positioned at the center of the chamber's open end. The helical ducts are nested within the tubular body, creating a compact multi-functional structure. This nesting allows the heating elements and delivery mechanism to be integrated in a space-efficient manner while maintaining functional independence.
2Temperature
If a tubular chamber with large cross-sectional area is used to maintain steam temperature, then the steam temperature is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular chamber serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a heating chamber, a steam expansion chamber, and a delivery chamber. The helical ducts within the tubular body serve both as structural support and as heating pathways. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The helical ducts introduce a curved, spiral pathway for steam flow within the tubular body, replacing straight-line heating paths. This curvature increases the heating surface area and extends the steam exposure time to heating elements without significantly increasing the overall device length, thereby maintaining temperature efficiency while controlling complexity.
3Temperature
If the cross-sectional area of the chamber is much larger than the orifice area, then the steam temperature is maintained at 94°C, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery device is merged with the tubular chamber assembly, where the nozzle is integrated directly into the chamber structure. The heating elements are merged with the tubular body through the helical duct configuration. This merging reduces the number of separate precision-machined components and interfaces, thereby reducing cumulative manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining the critical cross-sectional area ratio.
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 device achieves effective sterilization by maintaining steam temperature at 94°C, ensuring efficient microbial destruction on surfaces, as demonstrated by experimental tests, with optimal results at specific diameter ratios of the orifice and chamber.
Implementation Method 1
A steam delivery device with a tubular chamber and helical duct design that maintains high steam temperature by expanding steam into a restricted space, using a heating element to superheat the steam
Implementation Method 2
maintains high steam temperature by expanding steam into a restricted space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Steam delivery device comprising a nozzle (21) from the orifice of which the steam supplied from a pressurised steam source (1) is emitted. The delivery device is provided with a tubular chamber (14) positioned around the zone where the orifice of the nozzle (21) emerges, said tubular chamber (14) being closed at its end close to the orifice of the nozzle (21) and open at the opposite end (14b) through which the steam is delivered into the environment towards the objects to be sterilized.