An incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation and a humidity control method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation and a humidity control method thereof, and relates to the technical field of incubators. The incubator comprises a box system, a water bath constant temperature system, a steam humidification system, an active dehumidification system and a control system; the core of the incubator is that a sandwich space formed by a double-layer box structure is filled with water and heated to build a uniform and stable water bath constant temperature environment; meanwhile, steam generated by an independent heating water tank is used for humidification, and an exhaust fan arranged at the upper part of the box is used for active dehumidification, so that bidirectional accurate regulation of humidity is realized; the application further discloses a corresponding humidity control method; through sensor detection and logical judgment, humidification and dehumidification actions are intelligently controlled; the scheme effectively solves the problems of uneven temperature and poor humidity control precision of traditional incubators, has the advantages of uniform and stable temperature field, rapid humidity response, accurate control and low energy consumption, and significantly improves the hatching rate and the automation level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of poultry farming equipment technology, specifically to an incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation and its humidity control method. Background Technology

[0002] Artificial incubation is a crucial step in poultry farming, its core being the provision of a continuous, stable, and uniform temperature and humidity environment for the eggs. Existing incubation equipment, especially small and medium-sized incubators, still has many shortcomings in achieving precise environmental control: 1. Poor temperature uniformity: Most incubators use indirect heating methods (such as hot air circulation or bottom heating plates) within the chamber. This method easily leads to temperature gradients in different areas of the chamber, posing a risk of localized overheating or undercooling, which seriously affects the synchronization of embryonic development and hatchability. While hot air circulation can improve uniformity, the airflow blows directly onto the eggs, potentially causing the embryos to lose water too quickly.

[0003] 2. Low humidity control precision and crude methods: Humidification is commonly achieved through natural evaporation using an open water tray at the bottom of the incubator. This method is slow, has a delayed response, and the humidity level is greatly affected by ambient temperature and the area of ​​the water tray, making it difficult to accurately stabilize at the set value. More importantly, these devices generally lack effective active dehumidification. When ambient humidity or the eggs' own respiration causes excessive humidity, the only solution is to open the incubator door or use other non-standard methods, resulting in drastic fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which is extremely detrimental to the incubation process.

[0004] 3. High energy consumption: Directly heating the air results in high energy consumption and exacerbates temperature fluctuations because the air has a small heat capacity and poor insulation. The heating element needs to be frequently turned on and off to maintain the temperature.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of incubation equipment that can provide a highly uniform and stable temperature field, has a fast-responding and bidirectionally precisely controllable humidity system, and can effectively reduce energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide an incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation and its humidity control method, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background technology.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, a specific embodiment of the present invention provides an incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation, comprising a chamber system, a water bath temperature control system, a steam humidification system, an active dehumidification system, and a control system. The chamber system includes an outer chamber and an inner chamber disposed within the outer chamber. The inner chamber is used to contain the incubator, and a sealed interlayer space is formed between the inner chamber and the outer chamber. The water bath temperature control system includes a liquid heat-conducting medium injected into the interlayer space and a heating device disposed within the interlayer space for heating the liquid heat-conducting medium. The steam humidification system... The system includes a heating water tank independently disposed on one side inside the outer casing, a heating pad disposed at the bottom of the heating water tank for heating water to generate steam, and a steam duct connecting the air space inside the heating water tank with the internal space of the inner casing; the active dehumidification system includes an exhaust fan disposed on the inner casing wall and an exhaust duct communicating with the exhaust fan; the control system is configured to receive detection signals from a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor disposed inside the inner casing, and control the operating status of the heating device, the heating pad, and the exhaust fan based on the detection signals.

[0008] This application discloses an incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation, and its humidity control method, providing an incubator with a uniform and stable temperature field, precise humidity control, and low energy consumption. Another objective of this invention is to provide a humidity control method for this incubator, which can synergistically utilize water bath temperature control, external steam humidification, and active dehumidification to achieve intelligent and precise regulation of the incubation environment.

[0009] In addition, the incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation proposed in this application may also have the following additional technical features: In one embodiment of this application, the heating device is a heating film, which is attached to the inner wall and bottom of the outer casing and surrounds the inner casing.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the bottom of the inner box is provided with a placement plate for placing an egg tray, and the placement plate has a plurality of evenly distributed ventilation holes.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the outlet end of the steam conduit is located in the upper space inside the inner box.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the exhaust fan is disposed above the side wall of the inner casing, and the exhaust duct leads to the outside of the outer casing, for preferentially exhausting dense, low-temperature, and high-humidity air.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, the liquid heat-conducting medium is water.

[0014] A humidity control method for an incubator, wherein the method provides a uniform and stable base temperature to the inner chamber based on a water bath constant temperature system, and bidirectionally regulates the humidity of the incubation chamber through the coordinated operation of a steam humidification system and an active dehumidification system, including the following steps: Humidity control steps: The humidity sensor installed inside the inner chamber can detect the current humidity value inside the incubation chamber in real time. Compare the current humidity value with the preset target humidity range; If the current humidity value is lower than the lower limit of the target humidity range, the heating pad is activated to humidify the air through the steam humidification system. If the current humidity value is higher than the upper limit of the target humidity range, the exhaust fan is activated to remove humidity through the active dehumidification system.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, the step of dehumidifying through an active dehumidification system specifically includes: The exhaust fan located above the side wall of the inner chamber is activated to preferentially exhaust the low-temperature, high-humidity air that has accumulated in the upper part of the chamber due to its higher density.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, during the humidification step, the heating pad is controlled to maintain the water temperature in the heated water tank within a first preset temperature range.

[0017] In one embodiment of this application, the method further includes a temperature stabilization step: The current temperature value is detected in real time by a temperature sensor installed inside the inner box. Compare the current temperature value with the preset target temperature value; If the current temperature value is lower than the target temperature value, the heating device is activated to heat the liquid heat-conducting medium in the interlayer space. If the current temperature value reaches or exceeds the target temperature value, the heating device is controlled to stop working.

[0018] The advantages of this invention compared to existing technologies are: (1) Water bath heating is used. The huge heat capacity and good thermal conductivity of water make the inner box form a uniform "constant temperature field", which completely eliminates local hot spots and cold spots, providing the best environment for embryo development and significantly improving the hatching rate and chick survival rate.

[0019] (2) It adopts an external controllable steam humidifier, which has a large humidification capacity, fast speed and no water droplets; combined with the active dehumidification fan set on the top of the box, it forms a two-way precise control capability of "humidification and dehumidification", which overcomes the drawback of traditional equipment that can only humidify but cannot effectively dehumidify.

[0020] (3) The excellent heat preservation performance of water medium reduces the start-up and shutdown frequency of heating device and reduces energy consumption; at the same time, the stable temperature base reduces temperature interference to humidity sensor, making humidity measurement and control more accurate.

[0021] (4) Fully automatic feedback control is achieved through sensors and controllers, which reduces manual intervention and lowers management costs.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 ; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a water bath constant temperature and humidity incubator according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 8 This is a system control connection diagram of an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9This is a flowchart of a humidity control method for an incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation, and a humidity control method thereof, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a flowchart of a temperature control method for an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 This is a system collaborative workflow diagram of an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 This is a temperature PID control algorithm flow for an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 This is a humidity PWM control flow of an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation in one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 This is a flowchart illustrating the full incubation cycle stage switching management of an incubator and its humidity control method based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Outer casing; 2. Inner casing; 3. Interlayer space; 4. Heating device; 5. Heating water tank; 6. Heating pad; 7. Steam duct; 8. Exhaust fan; 9. Exhaust duct; 10. Placement plate; 11. Ventilation hole; 21. Temperature sensor; 22. Humidity sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] Example 1: like Figures 1 to 14 As shown, this embodiment provides an incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation. Its core design idea is to provide an extremely uniform and stable temperature field for the incubation process through a water bath constant temperature system as a basis, and then combine it with a two-way humidity regulation mechanism consisting of a steam humidification system and an active dehumidification system, and achieve precise coordinated control through a control system, thereby completely solving the problems of large temperature and humidity fluctuations, poor uniformity and inaccurate control in traditional incubators.

[0028] This incubator consists of five main systems that work closely together through a sophisticated physical structure and control logic: I. Enclosure System The enclosure system forms the physical load-bearing framework and foundation of the entire incubator. It includes an outer enclosure 1 that serves as external support and protection. The outer enclosure 1 is typically made of a material with sufficient mechanical strength and thermal insulation properties.

[0029] Inside the outer casing 1, an inner casing 2 is nested for directly accommodating hatching materials such as eggs. The inner casing 2 is smaller than the outer casing 1, creating a completely sealed, hollow interlayer space 3 between the outer wall of the inner casing 2 and the inner wall of the outer casing 1. This interlayer space 3 is a key component of the water bath temperature control system in this design. The inner casing 2 is preferably made of a material with good thermal conductivity to ensure efficient and uniform heat transfer into the casing.

[0030] At the bottom of the inner chamber 2, there is a placement plate 10 for supporting the egg trays. The placement plate 10 has multiple evenly distributed ventilation holes 11. These ventilation holes 11 allow hot air to convect from bottom to top, promoting uniform temperature inside the chamber; on the other hand, they also facilitate the circulation of water vapor, ensuring the accuracy of humidity sensing and spatial consistency.

[0031] It should be further noted that the interlayer space formed between the inner chamber 2 and the outer chamber 1 must be kept strictly sealed. This is necessary for three main reasons: First, the seal prevents leakage of water, which serves as the heat transfer medium, thereby avoiding short circuits, structural corrosion, or damage to the incubator and ensuring safety. Second, the seal is fundamental to maintaining the heat capacity and uniform heat conduction of the water medium and ensuring a stable constant temperature field within the inner chamber; any leakage will disrupt the integrity of the temperature field. Furthermore, the seal prevents uncontrolled diffusion of water vapor, ensuring that the humidity inside the chamber is precisely controlled only by the steam humidification system, thus avoiding interference.

[0032] II. Water Bath Constant Temperature System The water bath constant temperature system is the core component that ensures a uniform and stable incubation temperature. This system mainly includes a liquid heat-conducting medium filled in the aforementioned interlayer space 3, and a heating device 4 for heating the medium.

[0033] In this embodiment, the liquid heat-conducting medium is preferably water. Water has the advantages of high specific heat capacity, non-toxicity, low cost, and uniform heat transfer. After filling the interlayer space 3 with water, the entire bottom and side walls of the inner box 2 are surrounded by water, forming a "water bath" environment.

[0034] A heating device 4 is disposed within the interlayer space 3 for heating the water. In a preferred embodiment, the heating device 4 is a flexible heating film. This heating film is tightly attached to the inner wall and bottom of the outer casing 1, thus surrounding the inner casing 2 on all sides and below. When the heating film is powered on, the heat it generates is first transferred to the water in the interlayer space 3. After being heated, the water transfers the heat evenly to the entire surface of the inner casing 2 through convection, and then achieves a highly uniform temperature field inside the inner casing 2 through heat conduction. This "water bath" heating method, compared to traditional air heating or local heating rods, fundamentally eliminates the "hot spots" and "cold spots" of local overheating or undercooling, providing an optimal temperature environment for embryonic development.

[0035] III. Steam Humidification System The steam humidification system is responsible for providing clean, controlled humidity to the incubation chamber. The system includes a separately installed heating water tank 5, a heating pad 6 located at the bottom of the heating water tank 5, and a steam conduit 7.

[0036] The heating water tank 5 is independently located on one side inside the outer casing 1, physically isolated from the interlayer space 3, and stores pure water for generating steam. A heating pad 6 is installed at the bottom of the heating water tank 5. When humidification of the inner casing 2 is required, the control system activates the heating pad 6 to heat the water at the bottom of the heating water tank 5 until steam is generated. Due to its low density, the steam naturally rises and accumulates in the air space above the heating water tank 5.

[0037] One end of the steam conduit 7 connects to the air space inside the heating water tank 5, while the other end extends into the interior of the inner chamber 2. Preferably, the outlet end of the steam conduit 7 is located in the upper space inside the inner chamber 2. This design allows the generated dry hot steam to naturally diffuse and sink from the top of the chamber, mixing more evenly with the air inside, and avoiding the risk of localized over-wetting or scalding that may result from steam blowing directly onto the egg tray surface.

[0038] IV. Active Dehumidification System The active dehumidification system is another key component for achieving precise two-way humidity control, and it works in conjunction with the steam humidification system. This system includes an exhaust fan 8 mounted on the wall of the inner chamber 2, and an exhaust duct 9 connected to the exhaust fan 8.

[0039] As an important technical detail, the exhaust fan 8 is preferably located above the side wall of the inner chamber 2. This is because during the incubation process, waste gases (such as carbon dioxide) and excess water vapor produced by the embryo's respiration and metabolism, which are usually cooler and denser air, tend to accumulate at the top of the chamber. The exhaust duct 9 extends from the exhaust fan 8 to the outside of the outer chamber 1.

[0040] When the humidity inside the chamber is too high, the exhaust fan 8 located at the top will be activated to actively and efficiently extract the low-temperature, high-humidity air that has accumulated in the upper part of the chamber. At the same time, since the chamber is not absolutely sealed, fresh and dry air will naturally be introduced into the lower part, thereby achieving rapid and efficient dehumidification.

[0041] V. Control System and Work Process The control system is the "brain" of the entire incubator, responsible for coordinating the orderly operation of all systems. The control system typically uses a microcontroller (MCU) as its core, receiving signals from sensors and executing preset control logic.

[0042] 1. Temperature stabilization control process: The control system receives the current temperature value detected in real time by the temperature sensor 21 installed inside the inner chamber 2. The system compares this current temperature value with the user-preset ideal target incubation temperature value (e.g., 37.8℃).

[0043] If the current temperature is lower than the target temperature, the control system sends a start command to the heating device 4 (such as a heating film) of the water bath constant temperature system. The heating film starts working, heating the water in the interlayer space 3, and the warm water then evenly transfers the heat to the inner chamber 2, causing its internal temperature to rise steadily.

[0044] If the current temperature reaches or exceeds the target temperature, the control system will stop the heating device 4 from working. Due to the large thermal inertia of water, the temperature rises and falls very gradually, avoiding frequent switching and sudden temperature changes, thus maintaining the temperature inside the inner chamber 2 in a stable state with minimal fluctuations.

[0045] 2. Humidity bidirectional control process: Meanwhile, the control system also receives the current humidity value detected in real time by the humidity sensor 22 installed inside the inner chamber 2. The system compares this current humidity value with the user-preset target humidity range (e.g., 50%-60% relative humidity). This control process is based on the stable temperature base provided by the water bath constant temperature system and is completed collaboratively by the steam humidification system and the active dehumidification system.

[0046] When the humidity sensor 22 detects that the current humidity value is below the lower limit of the target humidity range (e.g., below 50%), the control system determines that humidification is needed. It then sends a start command to the heating pad 6 of the steam humidification system. The heating pad 6 begins to heat the water in the water tank 5 to generate steam. The steam is transported through the steam conduit 7 to the upper space of the inner chamber 2, and then diffuses throughout the entire chamber, gradually increasing the humidity. In a preferred temperature control strategy, the control system can control the heating pad 6 to maintain the water temperature in the water tank 5 within a first preset temperature range (e.g., maintaining a slight boil) to generate a stable steam flow rate.

[0047] When the humidity sensor 22 detects that the current humidity value is higher than the upper limit of the target humidity range (e.g., higher than 60%), the control system determines that dehumidification is needed. It then sends a start command to the exhaust fan 8 of the active dehumidification system. The exhaust fan 8 begins to operate; specifically, it prioritizes rapidly expelling the low-temperature, high-humidity air that has accumulated in the upper part of the inner chamber 2 due to its higher density through the exhaust duct 9. As the high-humidity air is expelled, the humidity inside the chamber decreases.

[0048] When the humidity value returns to the target humidity range, both the heating pad 6 and the exhaust fan 8 will stop working.

[0049] Through the above-mentioned temperature stabilization control and humidity bidirectional regulation process, the control system intelligently drives the three actuators: heating device 4, heating pad 6, and exhaust fan 8, so that the inside of the incubator can be stably maintained at the optimal temperature and humidity environment set by the user for a long time, thereby greatly improving the hatching rate and the quality of chicks.

[0050] It should be further noted that, based on the basic control logic described in Embodiment 1, this embodiment further optimizes the control system strategy to improve the accuracy, stability, and adaptability of temperature and humidity control. While basic on / off control can achieve basic functions, it is prone to overshooting or oscillation of temperature and humidity during long-term incubation due to system inertia (such as the thermal inertia of water and delayed steam generation). For example, when placing low-temperature hatching eggs, simply starting and stopping the heating device 4 may cause fluctuations in the interlayer water temperature, thus affecting the stability of the temperature field in the inner chamber 2; similarly, the lag in steam humidification may lead to insufficient humidity control response.

[0051] Therefore, this embodiment introduces the following advanced control strategy to ensure that environmental parameters smoothly converge to the target value through algorithm optimization: 1. Temperature PID Control Algorithm: Addressing the high inertia of the water bath constant temperature system, a Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithm is used to dynamically adjust the power of heating device 4. The proportional term (P) responds to the real-time temperature difference, the integral term (I) accumulates historical deviations to eliminate steady-state error, and the derivative term (D) predicts temperature change trends to suppress overshoot. Parameter tuning example: P range 0.5-2.0, I time constant 20-60 seconds, D time constant 5-15 seconds; specific values ​​need to be experimentally calibrated based on the interlayer water volume and tank volume. The output is calculated in real-time by a microcontroller, replacing simple on / off control.

[0052] 2. Humidity PWM Control Strategy: To avoid humidity oscillation caused by excessive steam humidification, pulse width modulation (PWM) control is adopted for heating pad 6. When the humidity deviation is large (e.g., more than 10% below the target value), a high duty cycle (e.g., 80%) is used for rapid heating; when it is close to the target range (deviation <5%), it switches to a low duty cycle (e.g., 30%) for fine adjustment.

[0053] 3. Dew Point Compensation Mechanism: In the dew point compensation mechanism, the control system calculates the dew point temperature through a built-in module. This is to address the coupling relationship between relative humidity and temperature. The formula is as follows:

[0054] in: A = 17.27 (dimensionless constant). B = 237.7℃ (temperature constant). T represents the current temperature (unit: °C). RH stands for relative humidity (unit: %).

[0055] This formula is used to dynamically adjust the target humidity range: when the internal chamber temperature fluctuates beyond ±0.5℃, the system automatically fine-tunes the humidity setting (for example, when the temperature rises, the upper limit is temporarily adjusted from 60% to 62%), thereby maintaining the stability of the actual water vapor partial pressure. This ensures seamless integration of humidification, dehumidification, and temperature compensation.

[0056] Example 2: Based on the hardware structure provided in Embodiment 1, one of the core innovations of this invention lies in the intelligent and adaptive control method executed by the control system. This control method is not limited to a simple two-position "detection-comparison-switching" control, but incorporates multiple advanced control strategies to ensure that the temperature and humidity environment can dynamically adapt to the needs of embryonic development throughout the long incubation period, and possesses anti-interference and self-optimization capabilities.

[0057] 1. Strategies for Temperature Control Accuracy and Stability The temperature control of the control system is not a simple on / off control. In order to further improve the stability of the temperature field inside the inner tank 2 and avoid excessive fluctuations in the water temperature in the interlayer space 3 due to frequent start-stop of the heating device 4, the control system adopts a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control algorithm to drive the heating device 4.

[0058] Specifically, the control system takes the difference (i.e., deviation) between the current temperature value detected by the temperature sensor 21 and the target temperature value as input. The system not only pays attention to the magnitude of the deviation (proportional P), but also to the accumulation of the deviation over time (integral I, used to eliminate static error), and the rate of change of the deviation (derivative D, used to predict future trends and suppress overshoot in advance).

[0059] Example of operation: When a large number of eggs at room temperature are placed in the early stages of incubation, causing a sudden drop in the temperature of the inner chamber 2, the control system calculates a large negative deviation and its rapid rate of change. Based on the PID algorithm, the control system may control the heating device 4 to start at a higher power for rapid heating; when the temperature approaches the target value, the system will reduce the heating power in advance according to the heating rate, and finally maintain the temperature precisely and stably at the target value through integral fine-tuning, achieving smooth control with no or minimal overshoot. This algorithm-level control, compared to a simple temperature control switch, can effectively avoid temperature overshoot and provide the extremely stable thermal environment required for embryonic development.

[0060] 2. Dynamic synergistic strategy for bidirectional humidity control Humidity control is a significant improvement of this invention compared to existing technologies. Its intelligence is reflected in the coordination of humidification and dehumidification as well as its adaptability to the environment.

[0061] Anti-fluctuation design during humidification: When the steam humidification system needs to be activated, the control system does not simply turn on the heating pad 6 until the humidity reaches the target. To avoid humidity oscillation caused by adding excessive steam, the control system can use pulse width modulation (PWM) to control the power of the heating pad 6. For example, when the humidity deviation is large, a heating pulse with a high duty cycle is given to the heating pad 6 to achieve rapid humidification; when the humidity is close to the target range, the heating power is reduced or it switches to intermittent micro-heating to achieve fine humidification like "slow simmering" and avoid inertial overshoot.

[0062] Interlocking and Coordination of Humidification and Dehumidification: The control logic incorporates an interlocking mechanism between humidification and dehumidification. Under normal circumstances, the heating pad 6 of the steam humidification system and the exhaust fan 8 of the active dehumidification system will not operate simultaneously to prevent energy waste and control conflicts. However, in special circumstances, such as the vigorous metabolism of embryos in the later stages of incubation, which generates a large amount of water vapor and heat, high temperature and high humidity may occur simultaneously inside the chamber. In this case, the control system can activate a coordinated dehumidification mode: while starting the exhaust fan 8 to expel the humidified air, the heating device 4 is briefly activated to compensate for the temperature drop caused by the introduction of cold air, thereby achieving efficient dehumidification while minimizing the cooling effect. This multi-variable coordinated control capability demonstrates the advanced nature of the control logic of this invention.

[0063] Humidity compensation based on temperature changes (dew point management): A feature of the control system of this invention is that it understands the coupling relationship between relative humidity and temperature. The control system monitors the data from temperature sensor 21 in real time. If the temperature of the inner chamber 2 fluctuates slightly due to environmental changes, even if the reading of humidity sensor 22 remains unchanged, the actual water content of the air (i.e., dew point temperature) has changed. Therefore, a target dew point temperature range can be preset within the control system. When the temperature inside the chamber rises, to prevent the relative humidity from decreasing due to the increase in air saturation vapor pressure, the control system will proactively or adaptively raise the upper limit of the target relative humidity range, and vice versa. This feedforward compensation mechanism ensures the stability of the actual water vapor partial pressure in the microenvironment surrounding the embryo, which is impossible with simple humidity control.

[0064] 3. Parameter adaptation and smooth switching between incubation stages The temperature and humidity requirements differ at different stages of the incubation cycle (such as the early, middle, late, and tray-setting stages). The control system of this invention can store multiple sets of temperature and humidity parameter curves.

[0065] Specific process: Users can pre-set the target temperature, target humidity, and duration for each stage. The control system's built-in real-time clock (RTC) module tracks the incubation process. When the predetermined time point is reached, the system does not abruptly switch parameters but executes a smooth transition algorithm. For example, when transitioning from the target temperature of 37.8℃ in stage one to 37.5℃ in stage two, the system will gradually change the target setpoint linearly or curvilinearly over several hours, ensuring a smooth transition of the environment in inner chamber 2 and avoiding temperature or humidity stress on the embryos.

[0066] 4. System status monitoring and fault diagnosis To improve reliability, the control system logic also includes: Heating water tank 5 water level monitoring: The water level in heating water tank 5 can be monitored by a water level sensor. When the water level is too low, the control system can automatically cut off the power to heating pad 6 and issue an alarm to prevent dry burning.

[0067] Sensor fault diagnosis: The control system can periodically check whether the readings of temperature sensor 21 and humidity sensor 22 are within the physically possible range (e.g., humidity cannot be greater than 99% or less than 0%), or whether the readings have not changed for a long time, thereby determining whether the sensors have failed and activating backup strategies or alarms.

[0068] It should be noted that the control method in the embodiments of this application can be automatically controlled by a controller. The control method of the controller can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art, which is common knowledge in the field. Furthermore, this application is mainly used to protect mechanical structures, so the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail here.

[0069] The technical solution described in the above-described embodiments of this application provides an extremely uniform and stable temperature field for the incubation process through a water bath constant temperature system, effectively eliminating local hot and cold spots. Based on this temperature base, high-precision and rapid-response humidity control is achieved through bidirectional synergistic regulation of steam humidification and active dehumidification. This solution overcomes the inherent defects of traditional incubators, such as large temperature and humidity fluctuations and poor uniformity, significantly improving the stability and reliability of the incubation environment, thereby potentially achieving higher hatching rates and chick quality.

[0070] Obviously, the above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. Thus, if these modifications and variations of the present invention fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention and their equivalents, the present invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. An incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation, characterized in that, It includes a cabinet system, a water bath temperature control system, a steam humidification system, an active dehumidification system, and a control system, among which, The enclosure system includes an outer enclosure (1) and an inner enclosure (2) disposed inside the outer enclosure (1). The inner enclosure (2) is used to contain the incubator, and a sealed interlayer space (3) is formed between the inner enclosure (2) and the outer enclosure (1). The water bath constant temperature system includes a liquid heat-conducting medium injected into the interlayer space (3) and a heating device (4) disposed in the interlayer space (3) for heating the liquid heat-conducting medium. The steam humidification system includes a heating water tank (5) independently disposed on one side inside the outer casing (1), a heating pad (6) disposed at the bottom of the heating water tank (5) for heating water to generate steam, and a steam duct (7) connecting the internal air space of the heating water tank (5) with the internal space of the inner casing (2). The active dehumidification system includes an exhaust fan (8) installed on the wall of the inner box (2) and an exhaust duct (9) connected to the exhaust fan (8). The control system is configured to receive detection signals from a temperature sensor (21) and a humidity sensor (22) located in the inner casing (2), and control the working status of the heating device (4), the heating pad (6) and the exhaust fan (8) based on the detection signals.

2. The incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating device (4) is a heating film that is attached to the inner wall and bottom of the outer casing (1) and surrounds the inner casing (2) around and below.

3. The incubator based on water bath constant temperature and steam regulation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the inner box (2) is provided with a placement plate (10) for placing egg trays, and the placement plate (10) has a plurality of evenly distributed ventilation holes (11).

4. An incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet end of the steam duct (7) is located in the upper space inside the inner box (2).

5. An incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exhaust fan (8) is located above the side wall of the inner box (2), and the exhaust duct (9) leads to the outside of the outer box (1) to preferentially exhaust low-temperature and high-humidity air with higher density.

6. An incubator based on water bath temperature control and steam regulation according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid heat-conducting medium is water.

7. A humidity control method for an incubator as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method provides a uniform and stable base temperature for the inner chamber (2) based on a water bath constant temperature system, and regulates the humidity of the incubation chamber bidirectionally through the coordinated operation of a steam humidification system and an active dehumidification system, including the following steps: Humidity control steps: The current humidity value inside the incubation chamber is detected in real time by a humidity sensor (22) installed inside the inner chamber (2); Compare the current humidity value with the preset target humidity range; If the current humidity value is lower than the lower limit of the target humidity range, the heating pad (6) is activated to humidify the air through the steam humidification system. If the current humidity value is higher than the upper limit of the target humidity range, the exhaust fan (8) is controlled to start, and the humidity is removed through the active dehumidification system.

8. The humidity control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The steps of dehumidification via the active dehumidification system specifically include: The exhaust fan (8) located above the side wall of the inner box (2) is activated to preferentially exhaust the low-temperature and high-humidity air that has accumulated in the upper part of the box due to its high density.

9. The humidity control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, In the humidification step, the heating pad (6) is controlled to maintain the water temperature in the heating water tank (5) within a first preset temperature range.

10. The humidity control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes a temperature stabilization step: The current temperature value is detected in real time by a temperature sensor (21) installed inside the inner box (2); Compare the current temperature value with the preset target temperature value; If the current temperature value is lower than the target temperature value, the heating device (4) is controlled to start to heat the liquid heat-conducting medium in the interlayer space (3); If the current temperature value reaches or exceeds the target temperature value, the heating device (4) is controlled to stop working.

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