Teat Cup Cleaning Device Superheated Liquid Phase Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teat cup cleaning devices have limited cleaning and disinfecting power, often insufficient for reliable cleaning and disinfection.
Innovation Solution
A teat cup cleaning device with a heating chamber that fills with a sufficient amount of cleaning liquid to remain in a liquid state above its boiling point, allowing for the release of a vapour-liquid mixture when the valve opens, increasing the cleaning and disinfecting action through enhanced heat content and pressure difference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a steam jet is released from the heating chamber, then the cleaning device can operate with simple structure, but the cleaning and disinfecting power is limited and insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cleaning medium by introducing a vapour-liquid mixture instead of pure steam. The heating chamber is filled with cleaning liquid to a level that ensures liquid remains after heating to temperature T above the boiling point Tk, creating a two-phase mixture that provides both thermal energy and mechanical cleaning action through the density difference between vapour and liquid phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of the cleaning liquid from liquid to vapour state during heating, and then to a two-phase vapour-liquid mixture upon discharge. The heating means heat the cleaning liquid to temperature T higher than the boiling point Tk, causing partial vaporization while maintaining liquid phase, and the sudden pressure drop upon valve opening triggers rapid phase transition and expansion of the vapour-liquid mixture for enhanced cleaning effect.
2Reliability
If the heating chamber is filled with sufficient cleaning liquid to remain in liquid state above boiling point, then the cleaning and disinfecting action is enhanced, but the energy required to heat the liquid increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits the phase transition from liquid to vapour to amplify the cleaning effect. By heating the cleaning liquid to temperature T above the boiling point Tk, partial vaporization occurs, and upon discharge the pressure drop triggers rapid phase transition and expansion. This phase transition mechanism converts thermal energy into mechanical expansion work, enhancing the cleaning action while utilizing the latent heat of vaporization efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning process operates in periodic cycles: the heating chamber is filled with cleaning liquid, heated to temperature T, the valve opens to discharge the vapour-liquid mixture, and then the chamber is refilled. This periodic operation allows controlled energy input and efficient heat utilization, where the heating energy is applied during the filling-heating phase and then amplified during the discharge phase through phase transition.
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 a more reliable and effective cleaning and disinfecting action by utilizing a vapour-liquid mixture with higher heat content, ensuring thorough cleaning and disinfection of teat cups.
Implementation Method 1
heating the cleaning liquid in the heating chamber to a condition with a temperature T that is higher than a boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure
Implementation Method 2
the cleaning liquid is a superheated liquid at that lower pressure. It will then start to boil suddenly and with great force. The vapour bubbles which are then formed will carry at least a part of the liquid outside.
Implementation Method 3
when the valve opens and pressure drops to ambient pressure, the superheated cleaning liquid boils suddenly and forms vapour bubbles
Implementation Method 4
heating the contents of the heating chamber to a temperature above the normal boiling point Tk of that liquid, in which case also vapour will be formed
Data Source
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AI summary
Teat cup cleaning device comprising: - a heating chamber (2), provided with a discharge (3) that is closable by means of a valve (4), and arranged for connection to a teat cup, - a filling device (20) for filling the heating chamber (2) with an amount of cleaning liquid, and - heating means which are arranged to heat the contents of the heating chamber (2), wherein the filling device (20) is arranged to fill the heating chamber (2) with such an amount of cleaning liquid (11) that, in a situation in which the heating chamber (2) has been closed by means of the valve (4) and the cleaning liquid (11) has been heated to a temperature T higher than the boiling point Tk of the cleaning liquid at ambient pressure, the valve (4) being arranged to open in this situation, there will be cleaning liquid (11) in the liquid state present in the heating chamber (2).