Venturi Effect Aerosol Delivery System
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Solution Overview
Problem
E-cigarette systems face issues with liquid retaining materials drying out, leading to reduced aerosol delivery, charring, and increased complexity and cost, while piezoelectric valves introduce additional complexity, power consumption, and user frustration due to predetermined liquid delivery.
Innovation Solution
An aerosol-generating system utilizing the Venturi effect to create suction for liquid delivery by restricting airflow, eliminating the need for liquid retaining materials and piezoelectric valves, allowing user-controlled aerosol quantity based on puffing intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If liquid retaining material is used to deliver liquid to heater, then liquid delivery is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the liquid retaining material (wicking material) from the system entirely, extracting only the essential function of liquid delivery through the Venturi effect mechanism. This eliminates the complexity and cost associated with wicking materials while maintaining liquid delivery capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs the Venturi effect (a pneumatic principle) to create a pressure differential that drives liquid delivery. By restricting the airflow passage at the liquid outlet, the system generates suction to pull liquid from the storage portion to the heater, replacing mechanical wicking with fluid dynamic control.
2Use of energy by moving object
If liquid retaining material is used, then liquid delivery is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the user's own puffing action (airflow) to generate the pressure differential needed for liquid delivery. The Venturi effect converts the kinetic energy of the user's breath into suction force, eliminating the need for external power sources to drive liquid delivery, thereby reducing overall power consumption.
3Ease of operation
If piezoelectric valve is used to deliver liquid droplets, then liquid delivery control is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the piezoelectric valve (electromechanical component) with a purely pneumatic solution using the Venturi effect. The airflow restriction creates pressure differential that controls liquid delivery, eliminating the need for piezoelectric actuators, control electronics, and associated complexity while maintaining user-responsive liquid delivery.
4Ease of operation
If piezoelectric valve is used, then liquid delivery is controlled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the user's puffing action as the energy source for liquid delivery control. The kinetic energy of the inhaled air creates the pressure differential through the Venturi effect, eliminating the need for powered piezoelectric valves and their associated energy consumption, while still providing responsive liquid delivery control.
5Ease of operation
If piezoelectric valve is used, then liquid delivery is predetermined, but user control over aerosol quantity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic system where liquid delivery is continuously adjustable based on the user's puffing characteristics. The Venturi effect responds in real-time to varying airflow rates, allowing users to control aerosol quantity by adjusting their inhalation depth and duration, rather than being limited to predetermined delivery amounts.
6Ease of manufacture
If liquid retaining material is used, then liquid delivery is achieved, but reliability decreases due to drying out and charring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the liquid retaining material from the system, eliminating the source of reliability problems such as drying out, charring, and contamination. By using direct liquid delivery through the Venturi effect, the system avoids the degradation issues inherent in wicking materials while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
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 efficiently delivers liquid to the heater without liquid retaining materials, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity, while allowing user-controlled aerosol quantity, improving energy efficiency and mechanical robustness compared to prior systems.
Implementation Method 1
The system may be configured to provide a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure at the liquid outlet when air flows from the air inlet to the air outlet through the air flow passage. To provide a pressure drop at the liquid outlet, the airflow passage may have a restricted cross-section at the liquid outlet relative to the air inlet. The restriction of the airflow passage causes an increase in air speed and a drop in air pressure. This is called the Venturi effect.
Implementation Method 2
an aerosol is generated by vapourising a liquid substrate using a heater
Implementation Method 3
heating a liquid aerosol-forming substrate to produce a vapour
Implementation Method 4
The vapour then cools to form an aerosol
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
An aerosol-generating system comprising: an air inlet (18) and an air outlet (24); a liquid storage portion (30) holding a liquid aerosol-forming substrate, the liquid storage portion (30) having a liquid outlet; an air flow passage (22) from the air inlet (18) to the air outlet (24) past the liquid outlet, wherein the air flow passage (22) is shaped so that there is a pressure drop within the air flow passage (22) at the liquid outlet when air flows from the air inlet (18) to the air outlet (24) through the air flow passage (22); and a heating element (26) within the flow path, positioned between the liquid outlet and the air outlet (24). The system is advantageously configured so that when air flows from the air inlet (18) to the air outlet (24) through the air flow passage, the pressure at the liquid outlet is lower than the pressure within the liquid storage portion (30). This draws liquid out of the liquid storage portion (30) into the airflow, which delivers it to the heating element (26) for vapourisation.