Water boiler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water boilers with open inner tanks face issues of steam leakage and energy wastage, and while closed tanks address these, they increase manufacturing costs due to material and thickness requirements.
Innovation Solution
A water boiler design featuring a barrel-shaped inner tank with a lower cover, inlet, and outlet pipes, a diaphragm-separated cavity, and a controller for precise temperature control, which prevents steam and high-temperature water overflow by directing them into an upper chamber, reducing pressure and allowing for less expensive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closed inner tank is used to prevent steam leakage, then safety and energy efficiency are improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to higher pressure resistance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The closed tank is segmented into an inner tank and an outer tank, with the cavity between them serving as a pressure relief chamber. This segmentation allows the inner tank to operate at lower pressure requirements while still achieving the safety benefits of a closed system, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity between the inner tank and outer tank acts as an intermediary pressure relief chamber. When pressure inside the inner tank exceeds a predetermined value, the diaphragm ruptures and releases pressure into this intermediate cavity, preventing the need for the inner tank itself to withstand high pressures, thus reducing material requirements and cost.
2Loss of energy
If a closed inner tank is used to prevent steam leakage, then energy efficiency is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to material and thickness requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented tank structure with an intermediate cavity allows the inner tank to be made of thinner, less expensive materials since it doesn't need to withstand high pressures directly, while still maintaining energy efficiency through the closed system design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavity serves as a pressure buffer that protects the inner tank from high pressure, enabling the use of cheaper materials while maintaining the energy efficiency benefits of a closed tank system.
3Ease of manufacture
If an open inner tank is used to reduce manufacturing cost, then production cost is reduced, but steam leakage and energy wastage occur
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tank into inner and outer components with a pressure relief cavity, the system achieves closed-tank energy efficiency while using simpler, cheaper materials for the inner tank, thus avoiding the energy wastage of open tanks without incurring the high costs of pressure-resistant materials.
4Ease of manufacture
If an open inner tank is used to reduce production cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but safety is compromised due to steam and hot water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design with inner tank, outer tank, and intermediate cavity provides safety benefits of a closed system while allowing cost-effective materials, thus improving safety without significantly increasing production cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediate cavity acts as a safety mechanism that prevents dangerous pressure buildup in the inner tank, providing safety protection while allowing the use of simpler, more cost-effective materials for the inner tank construction.
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 solution enhances safety, reduces energy loss, and lowers production costs by containing steam and high-temperature water within the boiler, while maintaining efficient heating control.
Implementation Method 1
A cavity is formed between the lower cover and the upper cover. The cavity is partitioned into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a diaphragm. The lower chamber is in communication with the outer space.
Implementation Method 2
The electric heating pipe is located at an outer bottom of the inner tank or is located within the inner tank. The controller controls the work of the electric heating pipe.
Implementation Method 3
Steam is generated and thermal expansion occurs when water is boiled.
Implementation Method 4
A separator is formed within an inner hole of the upper part of the inlet pipe. A through hole is arranged on the center of the separator. The inlet pipe under the through hole comprises a radial communication hole. The radial communication hole is in communication between the upper chamber and the inner hole of the inlet pipe.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A water boiler comprises an inner tank, an electric heating pipe, and a controller. A lower cover is attached to a mouth of the inner tank. The lower cover comprises an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, wherein an outlet port at a lower part of the inlet pipe is in communication with lower part within the inner tank. An inlet port of a lower part of the outlet pipe is in communication with an upper part of the inner tank. The lower cover is arranged beneath the upper cover. An upper part of the inlet pipe passes through the upper cover. A cavity is formed between the lower cover and the upper cover. The cavity is partitioned into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by adiaphragm. The lower chamber is in communication with an outer space.