Ultraviolet Sterilizer Plate Breakage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ultraviolet sterilizers face challenges in accurately detecting breakage of quartz glass ultraviolet transmitting plates while minimizing attenuation of ultraviolet light and avoiding excessive costs and structural complexity.
Innovation Solution
The design forms an enclosed space at the outer peripheral part of a single ultraviolet transmitting plate, using a sealing mechanism and air flow detecting means with a flowmeter to detect air flow changes upon breakage, maintaining gauge pressure and reducing light attenuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two ultraviolet transmitting plates are arranged to form an enclosed space, then breakage detection is enabled, but ultraviolet light attenuation increases to approximately twice that of a single plate
Solution Approach 1:
The detection function is segmented from the light transmission path. Instead of using two plates in series, a single plate is used for light transmission while a separate enclosed space with air pressure adjustment and flow sensor provides the detection function, eliminating the need for a second plate in the optical path
Solution Approach 2:
Air pressure adjustment and flow sensing serve as intermediaries to detect plate breakage. The system uses air flow changes through the enclosed space as a mediator to indicate plate integrity, rather than directly measuring plate conditions
2Productivity
If high-pressure mercury lamps are used to compensate for increased attenuation, then sterilization effectiveness is maintained, but device cost increases to 2 to 2.5 times that of low-pressure lamps
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables use of inexpensive low-pressure mercury lamps by optimizing the optical path to use only one ultraviolet transmitting plate, accepting that the lamp may need replacement at standard intervals rather than extending lamp life through reduced attenuation
3Reliability
If medium pressure is maintained in the housing using cooling gas, then breakage detection is enabled, but small cracks cannot be detected and leakage sources cannot be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic principles with air flow sensing instead of pressure sensing. By maintaining the enclosed space at atmospheric pressure and detecting air flow changes through the space, the system achieves high sensitivity for detecting even small cracks while avoiding the limitations of pressure-based methods
Solution Approach 2:
The detection method changes from pressure-based to flow-based parameter measurement. By measuring air flow rate rather than pressure, the system achieves higher sensitivity for detecting small cracks and can identify leakage sources more effectively
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
This approach allows for high-accuracy detection of fine cracks in the ultraviolet transmitting plate, reduces ultraviolet light attenuation, and lowers manufacturing costs, making it applicable to various ultraviolet sterilizers.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow detecting means comprising an air pressure-adjusting means for adjusting an air pressure inside the enclosed space, and a flowmeter, to detect a flow of air inside the enclosed space
Implementation Method 2
an air pressure-adjusting means for adjusting an air pressure inside the enclosed space
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide an ultraviolet sterilizer capable of detecting breakage of an ultraviolet transmitting plate of, e.g., quartz glass with high accuracy while suppressing attenuation of ultraviolet light by the ultraviolet transmitting plate. Provided is an ultraviolet sterilizer comprising: an ultraviolet lamp; a housing surrounding the ultraviolet lamp; an ultraviolet transmitting section provided at an opening portion on a lower side of the housing, the ultraviolet transmitting section including an ultraviolet transmitting plate and an ultraviolet transmitting plate-holding means; and an air flow detecting means, wherein the ultraviolet transmitting section-holding means comprises a sealing means for forming an enclosed space which one end is in communication with the air flow detecting means, cooperating with an outer peripheral part of the ultraviolet transmitting plate, the air flow detecting means comprises an air pressure adjusting-means for adjusting an air pressure inside the enclosed space, and a flowmeter, and wherein a flow of air inside the enclosed space generated when the enclosed space is released from a sealed state due to breakage of the ultraviolet transmitting plate, is detected by the flowmeter.