Vapor-Phase Heating Uniformity via Condensation Latent Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vapor-phase heating methods face challenges in achieving uniform temperature distribution and controlled temperature rise for three-dimensional heating target objects, particularly those with complex shapes, due to variations in vapor concentration and heat transfer efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vapor-phase type heating method and apparatus that involves a vapor tank, heating furnace, circulation pathway, and control system to adjust vapor concentration and supply heated gas with latent heat, ensuring even vapor distribution and controlled temperature rise by collecting and resupplying heat transfer liquid, allowing for precise adjustment of heating performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If hot air collision method is used to heat objects with large heat capacity, then temperature rise rate increases, but components may fall away from the board due to high collision speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transition of water (liquid to vapor to liquid) as the heating medium. Water is heated to generate vapor, which then contacts the heating target object and condenses back to liquid, releasing latent heat of vaporization. This phase transition mechanism provides high heat transfer coefficient while avoiding mechanical collision forces that cause component detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical collision of hot air with a phase-change-based thermal field. Instead of relying on high-speed air flow to transfer heat, the system uses vapor condensation to transfer latent heat, eliminating the mechanical impact that causes soldered components to fall off the board.
2Speed
If vapor-phase heating is used to achieve high heat transfer coefficient, then temperature rise rate increases, but uniform temperature distribution becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs phase transition of water vapor to liquid on the surface of the heating target object. This phase change occurs uniformly across the object surface, ensuring even heat distribution. The latent heat release during condensation provides consistent thermal energy transfer to all exposed surfaces simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces water vapor as an intermediary heating medium between the heat source and the heating target object. The vapor acts as a thermal mediator that can uniformly distribute heat across complex three-dimensional shapes, then condenses to release latent heat, ensuring uniform temperature distribution while maintaining high heating efficiency.
3Manufacturing precision
If heating is performed to ensure all portions reach desired temperature, then slowest portions are adequately heated, but fastest portions are exposed to excessive heat
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses phase transition control to regulate heat transfer. By controlling the vapor generation and condensation rates, the system provides heat at a controlled pace that matches the thermal requirements of the slowest-heating portions without overwhelming faster-heating areas, preventing localized overheating while ensuring uniform temperature achievement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of the heating process by adjusting vapor generation rates and circulation conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to varying thermal requirements of different object portions, providing sufficient heat to slower-heating areas while preventing excessive heat exposure to faster-heating areas.
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 enables uniform heating of three-dimensional objects with controlled temperature rise, preventing overheating and ensuring consistent heating performance across all positions and times, effectively addressing the limitations of previous methods.
Implementation Method 1
heating device that heats the heat transfer liquid to a temperature equal to or higher than a boiling point of the heat transfer liquid
Implementation Method 2
vapor formed in the vapor tank by heating a heat transfer liquid
Implementation Method 3
heating the heating target object by using latent heat of vaporization of the supplied vapor
Implementation Method 4
heating a heating target object by using latent heat of vaporization of the supplied vapor
Implementation Method 5
circulation pathway for resupplying, to the heating furnace, the heated gas including the vapor
Data Source
AI summary
A vapor-phase type heating method includes: collecting, in the vapor tank, the heat transfer liquid which has come into contact with a heating target object, has cooled to liquefy, and has fallen down as droplets from a front surface of the heating target object to a lower portion of a heating furnace; resupplying, to the heating furnace, heated gas to which the vapor has been supplied and which has been formed by supplying the vapor from the vapor tank to heated gas obtained from heating the heating target object discharged from the heating furnace to a circulation pathway; and heating the heating target object, at a predetermined rate of temperature rise in a state of an even distribution of the vapor of the heat transfer liquid by maintaining the vapor of the heat transfer liquid in a predetermined amount in the heating furnace by the collection and the supply.