Triple Point Water Cell Shipping Protection via Dual Volume Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Triple Point of Water (TPW) cells are prone to breakage during shipping due to the formation of 'water hammer' caused by sudden movements, which is difficult to prevent with existing packaging methods, leading to high breakage rates and challenges in maintaining precision calibration equipment.
Innovation Solution
A compact, coaxial TPW cell design with a dual volume system where the liquid water is sequestered in an upper volume during transport, minimizing the risk of water hammer through a transfer tube that allows vapor movement and condensation for purification, and a carefully designed geometry that prevents liquid movement regardless of orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If TPW cells are shipped using conventional packaging methods, then the cells can be transported, but the liquid water inside creates water hammer during sudden movements resulting in high stress and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the liquid water from the cell body during shipping by inverting the cell and draining the water into an upper storage volume, isolating it from the cell body where it would create water hammer. This separates the harmful liquid movement from the fragile glass envelope during transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-positioning the liquid water in the upper storage volume before shipping begins. The cell is inverted and water is drained into the upper volume in advance, so that during sudden movements or drops, the water is already isolated and cannot create water hammer against the glass envelope.
2Reliability
If the cell is inverted to drain water into the upper volume for shipping protection, then water hammer is prevented, but the cell orientation must be changed which complicates handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the cell orientation dynamic rather than fixed. The cell can be inverted for shipping to protect against water hammer, then returned to upright position for use. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to optimize for different conditions - protection during transport, functionality during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the orientation parameter of the cell between shipping and use conditions. By inverting the cell during shipping, the liquid water is repositioned into the upper volume, changing the system's physical state to one that prevents water hammer while maintaining all functional capabilities for later use.
3Measurement precision
If a long slender cell body with reentrant well is used for precision calibration, then immersion depth for SPRT calibration is achieved, but the cell becomes more susceptible to water hammer and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell into two distinct volumes: a lower cell body containing the reentrant well for calibration, and an upper storage volume for liquid water. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function - the lower volume provides precision calibration geometry while the upper volume isolates the water that would otherwise threaten the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The transfer tube acts as an intermediary connection between the upper storage volume and lower cell body. It allows vapor movement for purification while preventing liquid water from reaching the fragile glass envelope during shipping, mediating between the need for water storage and the need for structural protection.
4Reliability
If the upper volume is used to sequester liquid water during transport, then breakage risk is reduced, but the cell geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the storage function with the existing cell structure by adding an upper volume that is integrated with the lower cell body through a transfer tube. This combining of storage and calibration functions in a single unified structure protects against water hammer while maintaining calibration capability, rather than requiring separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper volume serves multiple functions: it stores liquid water during shipping to prevent water hammer, and also enables water purification through vapor condensation. This multi-functionality justifies the added geometric complexity by providing both protection and purification capabilities within the same structural addition.
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 design significantly reduces the risk of breakage during shipping and allows for effective removal of contaminants, maintaining the integrity and usability of TPW cells for calibration purposes.
Implementation Method 1
a transfer tube that allows vapor movement and condensation for purification
Implementation Method 2
the liquid water is sequestered in an upper volume during transport, minimizing the risk of water hammer
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed invention is an improved TPW cell design that is designed to provide a method of removing contaminants from the TPW cell water, and improved resistance to breakage in shipping. An additional storage volume provides for transferring the liquid water from the cell body into the storage volume by inverting the cell, followed by a series of rotations. Subsequent distillation of the water into the cell body by a sub-boiling process (with vapor moving through a transfer tube and condensing in the cell body) results in removal of contaminants from the water in the cell body. The upper volume and transfer tube are configured so that transport damage is minimized by storing the liquid water in the storage volume during transport, and preventing any liquid water from moving from the storage volume into the lower cell body regardless of orientation of the cell during shipping.