Vaporizer Secondary Flow Path Reduces Power Consumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for decontaminating regions using vaporized hydrogen peroxide are inefficient due to excessive heat waste and high power requirements, as they often need to heat large volumes of air, which can cool the system and require large heaters, and may lead to dangerous liquid hydrogen peroxide films due to inadequate injection control.
Innovation Solution
A vaporizer design with a primary and secondary flow path, where the liquid hydrogen peroxide is injected into the secondary flow path upstream of a heating element, allowing vaporization at ambient air temperature without heating the carrier gas, reducing power consumption and preventing liquid films by controlled vaporization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If large volumes of air are heated to vaporize hydrogen peroxide, then vaporization effectiveness is improved, but power consumption increases and heat waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is segmented into a primary path for carrier gas and a secondary path for vaporization, allowing independent optimization of each function. The secondary path processes only the necessary air volume for vaporization rather than heating all carrier gas, reducing energy consumption while maintaining vaporization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
A secondary flow path acts as an intermediary between the carrier gas source and the decontamination region. This intermediary path allows selective heating and vaporization of hydrogen peroxide without requiring the entire carrier gas stream to be heated, thereby reducing power consumption and heat waste.
2Productivity
If large flow rates of air are used, then vaporization capacity is improved, but system cooling occurs making vaporization ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The air flow is segmented into a primary carrier gas stream and a secondary vaporization stream. The secondary path handles the vaporization function with controlled flow rates that maintain effective temperature, while the primary path provides the carrier gas without being subject to the same thermal constraints.
3Productivity
If hydrogen peroxide is injected into heated air, then vaporization is achieved, but liquid droplets contact walls and coalesce into films
Solution Approach 1:
The secondary flow path serves as an intermediary chamber where hydrogen peroxide is injected and vaporized under controlled conditions before mixing with the main carrier gas stream. This intermediary environment allows for complete vaporization and proper mixing, preventing liquid droplets from contacting external walls and forming harmful films.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the air stream by creating a dedicated secondary path with specific temperature and flow rate conditions optimized for vaporization. This controlled parameter environment ensures complete vaporization of hydrogen peroxide before it enters the main carrier gas flow, preventing liquid film formation.
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 system effectively vaporizes hydrogen peroxide at ambient air temperature, reducing power requirements and preventing liquid films, thus providing efficient and safe decontamination with lower energy consumption compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The heating element vaporizes the liquid chemical decontaminating agent to form the vaporized chemical decontaminating agent
Implementation Method 2
a blower for conveying a carrier gas along the primary flow path
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
A vaporizer for generating a vaporized chemical decontaminating agent. The vaporizer includes a primary flow path and a blower for conveying a carrier gas along the primary flow path. A secondary flow path has a first end fluidly connected to the primary flow path at a location upstream of the blower and a second end fluidly connected to the primary flow path at a location downstream of the blower. A heating element is disposed along the secondary flow path. A liquid flow path has a first end fluidly connected to a source of liquid chemical decontaminating agent and a second end fluidly connected to the secondary flow path. The liquid flow path injects the liquid chemical decontaminating agent into the secondary flow path at a location upstream of the heating element. The heating element vaporizes the liquid chemical decontaminating agent to form the vaporized chemical decontaminating agent.