Vacuum Degassing Chamber Bubble Sensing for Gas Content Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring and reducing gas content in liquids, such as in fuel cell cooling systems, are complex and require separate monitoring devices, which increase costs and space requirements, and do not accurately account for all types of dissolved gases.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum degassing device that uses a sensor to detect gas bubbles formed during the degassing process, allowing for the simultaneous reduction and monitoring of gas content based on the proportion of bubbles, pressure, and temperature, utilizing Henry's law to determine gas saturation state, and can be integrated with existing vacuum degassing equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate monitoring device is used to detect gas content in liquid, then measurement capability is provided, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the gas content measurement function with the existing vacuum degassing device by integrating a sensor into the degassing chamber. The sensor detects gas bubbles formed during the vacuum degassing process, allowing simultaneous degassing and monitoring without requiring a separate monitoring device. This merging approach eliminates the need for additional standalone measurement equipment while maintaining accurate gas content detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum degassing device is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to remove dissolved gases from the liquid while simultaneously monitoring gas content through an integrated sensor. The sensor detects bubble formation during degassing, enabling the single device to serve both treatment and measurement purposes, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If separate monitoring devices are added to detect gas bubbles, then gas content can be measured, but space requirements and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement function is merged into the existing vacuum degassing chamber structure. The sensor is installed within the degassing chamber to detect bubbles formed during the vacuum process, eliminating the need for separate monitoring equipment and reducing overall space requirements while maintaining accurate gas saturation state determination.
3Quantity of substance
If vacuum degassing is performed to remove dissolved gases, then gas content is reduced, but dissolved gases that do not bubble out remain in the coolant
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated sensor provides real-time feedback on gas bubble formation during vacuum degassing. By monitoring the proportion of gas bubbles in the liquid, the system can determine when gas saturation state is reached and assess the effectiveness of gas removal. This feedback mechanism allows for optimized degassing operation and better assessment of remaining dissolved gas content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes changes in pressure and temperature parameters during vacuum degassing to influence gas bubble formation and release. By controlling these parameters and monitoring their effect on bubble formation via the sensor, the system optimizes the degassing process to maximize removal of dissolved gases while accounting for gases that may not bubble out under given conditions.
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 simplifies the monitoring and determination of gas content, reduces apparatus and cost requirements, and accurately measures gas concentration across various pressure and temperature ranges, enabling continuous and cyclic monitoring with minimal additional equipment.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum generating device for generating a pressure below an operating pressure of a liquid to be degassed, in particular a vacuum, in the negative pressure degassing chamber
Implementation Method 2
Since with the influx of Liquid also increases the pressure in the degassing chamber, initially a large amount of gas bubbles is formed. As the pressure in the room increases, the quantity and size of the gas bubbles smaller until a pressure is exceeded at which no more bubbles form. This pressure is related to the dissolved amount of gas via Henry's law.
Implementation Method 3
The gas bubble portion can be detected particularly easily and inexpensively if the sensor includes a transmitter for irradiating the liquid with a wave-shaped signal, in particular an ultrasonic signal, and a detector for measuring the wave-shaped signal after contact with the liquid.
Implementation Method 4
a sensor for detecting a gas bubble content in the introduced liquid. The invention is based on the consideration that in a vacuum degassing device a liquid to be degassed is expanded anyway and as a result dissolved gas precipitates in the form of small bubbles.
Implementation Method 5
a pump for maintaining the negative pressure in the degassing chamber
Implementation Method 6
the pump is preferably either a feed pump for degassed liquid, which is arranged in a discharge line for degassed liquid, or a vacuum pump (especially a vacuum pump) which is connected to the degassing space
Data Source
AI summary
A reduced-pressure degassing device (13) for a liquid, having a reduced-pressure degassing chamber (26) and a pressure reduction device (30) for generating a pressure below an operating pressure of the liquid that is to be degassed, in particular a vacuum, in the degassing chamber (26) has, according to the invention, a sensor (33), arranged in the reduced-pressure degassing chamber (26), for detecting a gas bubble fraction in the liquid that is to be degassed. The invention intelligently uses the degassing process in a reduced-pressure degassing device (13) to monitor and/or determine, using a sensor (33) integrated therein, the gas content or gas saturation state of a liquid. This results in a substantially reduced apparatus and cost burden as well as the space requirement in comparison to a monitoring and/or measuring device for the gas content that is separate from the degassing device.