Washing Chamber Sensor Placement for Disinfection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disinfection devices in laboratories, hospitals, and nursing homes fail to ensure consistent temperature distribution, leading to inadequate disinfection of all surfaces, as temperature sensors are typically placed inside the washing chamber, resulting in suboptimal Ao values on items being washed.
Innovation Solution
A device with a temperature sensor positioned in the lower region of the chamber, specifically at the coolest point, which includes the pump sump, to accurately detect process parameters and ensure the required hygiene effect is achieved, featuring a controller and computing unit to regulate the disinfection process based on real-time data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is placed inside the washing chamber, then the temperature measurement is convenient and accessible, but the measured temperature does not reflect the actual temperature on the items being washed, resulting in insufficient disinfection effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional sensor placement location by positioning the temperature sensor in the lower region of the chamber rather than inside the washing chamber. This inversion allows the sensor to measure the temperature of the water that actually contacts the items, ensuring the measured temperature reflects the real thermal conditions experienced by the items during disinfection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the water in the lower chamber as an intermediary to transfer thermal information from the heating process to the sensor. The sensor measures the water temperature, which serves as a mediator that accurately represents the temperature being transferred to the items, thereby ensuring reliable disinfection without direct sensor placement on the items.
2Temperature
If the temperature sensor is positioned to measure the highest temperature in the chamber, then the temperature reading is maximized, but this does not guarantee that all surfaces reach the required disinfection temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the temperature sensor specifically in the lower region where the water that contacts the items is located. This localized measurement ensures that the temperature reading reflects the actual thermal conditions at the critical interface between water and items, rather than measuring the highest temperature in the chamber which may not be representative of all surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary temperature measurement of the water in the lower chamber before the water contacts the items. This preliminary measurement allows the control system to adjust the heating process in advance to ensure that when the water contacts the items, the required temperature is achieved, thereby guaranteeing uniform temperature distribution across all surfaces.
3Reliability
If the disinfection process is extended to ensure all areas reach required temperature, then the disinfection effectiveness is improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the temperature sensor in the lower region to continuously monitor the water temperature that contacts the items. This real-time feedback allows the control system to adjust the heating process dynamically, extending the disinfection time only as long as necessary to achieve the required temperature, thereby optimizing the balance between disinfection effectiveness and processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the disinfection process adaptive rather than static. The control system dynamically adjusts the heating duration and intensity based on real-time temperature measurements from the sensor, allowing the process to be extended or shortened according to the actual thermal conditions, thus achieving effective disinfection with minimal processing time.
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 arrangement ensures that the desired temperature is consistently reached across the washing chamber, guaranteeing the required Ao values and full disinfection effect on items, while also reducing energy consumption and resource usage by optimizing the disinfection process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the wash liquid
Implementation Method 2
at least one heating device for heating the wash liquid
Implementation Method 3
The controller is configured to control a process of the device... determining the hygienic effect of the device based on the recorded value
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for the thermal disinfection and cleaning of items being washed. A device 1 is described, comprising a chamber 2 with at least one sensor 4 for detecting process parameters, a drain funnel 3 connected to the chamber 2, and a control system comprising at least one control unit for controlling a process of the device 1, at least one detection unit for detecting the values of the sensor 4, and at least one processing unit for determining the hygienic effect of the device 1 based on the detected value, characterized in that the sensor 4 is located in the lower region of the chamber 2. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for cleaning and disinfecting items being washed using a device according to the invention.A method is described which uses at least one sensor 4 and at least one control unit to detect the temperature or humidity acting on the items being washed and determines the corresponding hygienic effect from this.