Humidifier
The humidifier uses an electric heating device and metallic pipe member for efficient heat transfer to prevent freezing, addressing the complexity and cost issues of existing humidifiers, ensuring reliable operation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- KR · KR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MAHLE INT GMBH
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing humidifiers for fuel cell systems and HVAC systems are complex, costly, and prone to freezing due to water accumulation, which affects their functionality.
A humidifier equipped with an electric heating device and a metallic pipe member, where the pipe member is connected to the heating device via a heat transfer method, efficiently preventing freezing by directly transferring heat to the drain and water outlets.
The solution effectively prevents freezing and facilitates efficient thawing of accumulated water, ensuring uninterrupted operation while reducing complexity and cost.
Smart Images
Figure PAT00001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technology Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a humidifier, particularly for a fuel cell system, for humidifying a dry first gas stream by a humid second gas stream according to the superordinate concept of claim 1. Background Technology
[0002] Such a type of humidifier can be used to humidify dry cathode supply air with the help of humid cathode exhaust air, particularly within fuel cell systems. However, in principle, any other application for such a type of humidifier can be considered. For example, humid building exhaust air can be used to humidify dry building supply air within a building HVAC system. This applies correspondingly to climate rooms and climate cabinets where constant moisture is essential along with air exchange. In relation to the present invention, moisture is water that may exist in liquid or gaseous form, or in droplet or vapor form, that is, in gaseous and droplet form. Within the humidifier, water may be generated particularly by condensation, said water may accumulate within the housing and, correspondingly, freeze at lower ambient temperatures. This may adversely affect the functionality of the humidifier.
[0003] A humidifier of this type is known from DE 10 2021 204 250 A1 and has a housing made of plastic, said housing has a recess within the bottom of the housing, and a collection section for collecting water generated within the housing is located within said recess. Additionally, a drain opening is located inside the collection section, while a water outlet for discharging water is located outside the housing and fluidly connected to the drain opening. In this way, water collected within the housing or within the collection section can be discharged from the housing through the drain opening and the water outlet. In the known humidifier, the bottom of the housing is provided with a heating channel within the area of the collection section, said heating channel may be permeated by a heating medium. In this way, freezing of water accumulated within the housing or within the collection section can be prevented. Likewise, frozen water present within the area of the collection section can be thawed with the help of the heating channel. The heating channel has a heating medium inlet for supplying the heating medium to the bottom of the housing and a heating medium outlet for discharging the heating medium, and as a result, it is designed to be relatively complex and configured to be relatively large. The problem to be solved
[0004] The present invention relates to the problem of proposing an improved or at least one other embodiment for the aforementioned type of humidifier, particularly characterized by reduced cost and aiming for a compact configuration at the same time. means of solving the problem
[0005] These problems are solved by the subject matter of the independent claim according to the present invention. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claim.
[0006] The present invention is based on the general concept that a humidifier is equipped with an electric heating device and a metallic pipe member, wherein the pipe member is connected to the heating device via a heat transfer method and a drain opening is connected to a water outlet. The electric heating device requires only a small installation space and can be implemented relatively easily. The use of a metallic pipe member that can be heated with the help of the heating device facilitates the transfer of heat to the water. Therefore, the electric heating device operates particularly efficiently in combination with the pipe member.
[0007] Specifically, it is proposed that the humidifier has a metal pipe member, said pipe member forms a drain opening at one end and a water outlet at the other end, and that the drain opening is fluidically connected to the water outlet. Additionally, the humidifier according to the present invention has an electric heating device, said electric heating device is connected to the pipe member directly or indirectly by a heat transfer method. The pipe member generally has two pipe ends, and according to the present invention, one pipe end is configured to form a drain opening while the other pipe end forms a water outlet. Heat input, which can be achieved with the help of the heating device, reaches into the pipe member, thus directly toward the drain opening and the water outlet, so that heat acts within the pipe member from the drain opening to the water outlet, thereby protecting the essential components of the drain path from the housing from freezing or allowing them to be easily thawed.
[0008] In this context, "configuration" is synonymous with "design" and / or "device," and therefore the phrase "is configured" is synonymous with the phrase "is designed and / or formed."
[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating device may be provided to extend to a drainage area, particularly central, to which a drainage opening is connected, which is placed within a collection area. Thereby, heat is introduced into the pipe member near the drainage opening, thereby protecting the drainage opening from freezing particularly efficiently and allowing it to be thawed particularly efficiently.
[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the humidifier may have a metal heating body, wherein the heating body is connected to a heating device in a heat transfer manner, particularly directly, on one hand, and preferably directly connected to a pipe member in a heat transfer manner on the other hand. In this manner, the heating device can directly transfer heat onto the heating body, and the heating body can directly transfer heat onto the pipe member. Preferably, through a heat transfer method connection that occurs by direct contact, heat conduction is carried out from the heating device through the heating body to the pipe member, thereby allowing the heating device to operate particularly efficiently and require relatively little electrical energy.
[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body may have a metal shell, said shell may form a water collection section, said water collection section may be arranged within a recess and a drainage opening may be located within said water collection section. Water accumulated within the housing is preferably collected within the water collection section. By forming a water collection section within the shell of the heating body, heat supply to the accumulated water within the water collection section is simplified and concentrated. This increases the efficiency of the heating device.
[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, a seal, particularly in the form of a ring, may be provided within the recess between the shell and the housing. In this way, the infiltration of water into the rear space separated from the collection area within the recess can be prevented.
[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body may be manufactured as a single piece with a shell, such that the shell is formed by an integral region of the heating body. For example, the heating body is a cast part that already has a shell. Manufacturing as a single piece can be implemented particularly economically. However, particularly advantageously in this case, improved heat conductivity is achieved within the single-piece heating body.
[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body may have at least one metal rib, said rib extending into a collection section and coming into direct contact with water collected within the collection section. With the help of such a type of rib, freezing of the water within the collection section can be simply prevented or simply thawed. Each rib is also heated through the heating of the heating body, and thereby heat can be easily transferred to the water through the rib.
[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment, each rib may additionally be arranged in the shell mentioned above. Thus, heating of the heating body allows the shell to introduce heat into the water present in the collection chamber from the edge side, while each rib allows heat to be transferred to the water inside the collection chamber. Through this, the heating device operates particularly efficiently.
[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body is manufactured as a single piece with each rib, and each rib can be formed by an integral region of the heating body. For example, the heating body may be a cast part that already has each rib mounted. Through the integral structure, heat conduction to each rib is improved.
[0017] In this case, a configuration in which the heating body is manufactured as a single piece with the shell and each rib, and the shell and each rib are each formed by an integral region of the heating body, is particularly advantageous. For example, the heating body is a cast part that is already equipped with a shell and each rib.
[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body may have at least two ribs of such a type, said ribs arranged and designed to form a free space between each other, said free space fluidly connects a drainage area, which is located within the water collection area and in particular has a central drain opening, to an external area of the housing internal space located outside the water collection area. In the installed state of the humidifier, the external area located outside the water collection area is located above the water collection area within the housing internal space. The free space formed between the two ribs represents a drainage channel, said drainage channel fluidly connects the external area to the drainage area, and a drain opening is located within said drainage area. Through heating of the ribs, water can be protected from freezing within this free space or preferably thawed therein. Thus, in the event of ice formation, the free space or drainage channel can preferably thaw, thereby enabling rapid discharge of water from the housing through the free space or drainage channel.
[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment, the collection area may be provided to be surrounded by the edge of the collection area adjacent to the bottom of the housing. Advantageously, the ribs on both sides may extend to or beyond the edge of the collection area, particularly parallel to each other. Thus, the free space or the aforementioned drainage channel may also extend to or beyond the edge of the collection area, thereby enabling rapid and efficient drainage in the case of a relatively high water level within the housing.
[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body has a metal pipe receiving portion, said pipe receiving portion is open toward a collection portion, and a pipe member is inserted protrudingly into said pipe receiving portion, so that a drainage opening leads into the pipe receiving portion or into the collection portion. Accordingly, heating of the heating body causes heating of the pipe receiving portion, which itself heats the pipe member. Through this, the pipe member can be heated particularly efficiently within the area of the drainage opening.
[0021] According to an advantageous embodiment, the pipe receiving portion has a female thread and the pipe member has a male thread that engages with the female thread, so that the pipe member can be screw-coupled into the pipe receiving portion. This facilitates the assembly of the humidifier. At the same time, this generates good heat conduction from the heating body onto the pipe member.
[0022] In principle, an embodiment may be provided in which the heating body is manufactured as a single piece with the pipe member, and the pipe member is formed by an integral region of the heating body. It is evident that the heating body manufactured as a single piece may optionally also have the aforementioned shell and / or each of the aforementioned ribs. Likewise, the aforementioned pipe receiving portion may be omitted in this case.
[0023] According to another advantageous embodiment, the heating body may be manufactured as a single piece with a pipe receiving portion, so that the pipe receiving portion is formed by an integral region of the heating body. The heating body may be a cast part already equipped with a pipe receiving portion.
[0024] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating body may be manufactured as a single piece with a pipe receiving portion and a shell and / or each rib, so that the pipe receiving portion and the shell and / or each rib are each formed by an integral area of the heating body. For example, the heating body designed as a cast part may be correspondingly equipped with a pipe receiving portion and a shell and / or each rib.
[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment, the heating device may have at least one PTC element, said PTC element is coupled to the heating body in a heat transfer manner. In this case, the PTC generally has a positive temperature coefficient ( Positive Temperature Coefficient It represents ). Such types of PTC devices are characterized by high energy efficiency.
[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment, the bottom of the housing may have a through opening in the recess, and a pipe member may be provided to extend to a collection portion through said through opening. By doing so, the configuration of the humidifier is simplified. Additionally or alternatively, the bottom of the housing may have a connection opening in the recess, and a heating device extends to the recess through said connection opening. Furthermore, such measures simplify the implementation of the humidifier.
[0027] According to another advantageous embodiment, the pipe member may be provided to be sealed against the housing in the recess by an outer seal, particularly in the form of a ring. Additionally or alternatively, the pipe member may be sealed against the heating body in the collection section, particularly within the pipe receiving section, by an inner seal, particularly in the form of a ring. Through these measures, unwanted leakage or leaking of water from the housing can be prevented on the one hand. Likewise, the penetration of contaminants into the housing is prevented.
[0028] Additional important features and advantages of the present invention are derived from the drawings and from the associated description with reference to the drawings.
[0029] It will be understood that the features mentioned above and the features to be further described below may be used not only in the combinations presented, but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope defined by the claims of the present invention. The component parts mentioned above and to be mentioned again below of a higher-level unit, such as a device, apparatus, or array, separately referred to, may also form a separate component or part of such unit or be an integrated area or section of such unit, even when otherwise depicted in the drawings.
[0030] Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and are described in more detail in the following description, and the same reference numerals relate to identical, similar, or functionally identical components. Brief explanation of the drawing
[0031] Roughly speaking, each FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified cross-sectional view of a humidifier in the area of the bottom of the housing, and FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of FIG. 1 within the area of the water collection section together with a heating device, a heating body, and a pipe member, and FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view corresponding to cross-sectional line III of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of the heating body together with the heating device and pipe member, viewed from above, and Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the heating body seen from below, together with the heating device and pipe member. Specific details for implementing the invention
[0032] According to FIG. 1, the humidifier (1), which is only partially illustrated here, comprises a housing (2) made of plastic, and the housing has a housing bottom (3). The humidifier (1) serves to humidify a dry first gas stream (4) by a humid second gas stream (5). To this end, a membrane block (6), which is only simplified here, may be arranged within the housing (2) or within the internal space (40) of the housing surrounded by the housing (2), and the first gas stream (4) and the second gas stream (5) may be permeated through the membrane block in a medium-separated manner, and the transfer of moisture from the second gas stream (5) to the first gas stream (4) occurs with the help of a membrane, which is not illustrated in detail here.
[0033] A concave portion (7) is formed in the bottom of the housing (3), and a water collection portion (8) for collecting water (9) is located within the concave portion, and the water is generated, for example, by condensation within the housing (2) and is shown by an arrow in FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2. A drainage opening (10) is located inside the water collection portion (8). A water outlet (11) is located outside the housing (2), and the water outlet serves to discharge water (9) and is fluidly connected to the drainage opening (10) for this purpose.
[0034] The humidifier (1) illustrated herein also has a metal pipe member (12) and an electric heating device (13). The pipe member (12) is configured in a straight line and has two axially spaced pipe ends (14), namely a first pipe end (14.1) and a second pipe end (14.2). The first pipe end (14.1) is placed inside the housing (2) and forms a drain opening (10). The second pipe end (14.2) is placed outside the housing (2) and forms a water outlet (11). Inside the pipe member (12), there is a pipe internal space (15) that fluidly connects both pipe ends (14) to each other. As a result, the drain opening (10) and the water outlet (11) are fluidly connected to each other through the pipe member (12). The electric heating device (13) is connected to the pipe member (12) directly or indirectly by a heat transfer method. Within the collection section (8), a drainage area (16) is formed, to which the drainage opening (10) follows. The drainage area (16) is preferably arranged centrally within the collection section (8). Additionally or alternatively, the drainage area (16) is located at the lowest point of the collection section (8) or forms the lowest point of the collection section (8). Advantageously, a heating device (13) is configured to extend to the drainage area (16). Thus, the heating device (13) can introduce heat within the drainage area (16) to the pipe member (12), that is, to a location relatively close to the drainage opening (10).
[0035] According to FIGS. 1 to 5, in the preferred embodiment illustrated herein, the humidifier (1) may also have a heating body (17) made of metal. On one hand, the heating body (17) is connected to the heating device (13) directly or indirectly by a heat transfer method. On the other hand, the heating body (17) is connected to the pipe member (12) directly or indirectly by a heat transfer method. In this case, the embodiment illustrated herein is preferred in which the heating body (17) is connected directly by a heat transfer method to both the heating device (13) and the pipe member (12). This means that the heating body (17) is in direct contact with both the heating device (13) and the pipe member (12). The heating body (17) may have a metal shell (18), said shell is molded and positioned to form a water collection area (8). The shell (18) is arranged within a recess (7) for this purpose. Additionally, a drain opening (10) is located within the shell (18). The water collection section (8) is surrounded by a water collection section edge (19), said water collection section edge is adjacent to the bottom of the housing (3) and is likewise formed in the heating body (17). Adjacent to the water collection section edge (19), the heating body (17) has a ring-shaped groove (20) that surrounds the periphery in a closed manner radially outside, and within said ring-shaped groove, a heating body seal (21) advantageously designed in a ring shape is arranged. The heating body seal (21) seals the heating body (17) against the housing (2) within the recess (7).
[0036] The heating body (17) also has at least one rib (22). In the illustrated example, exactly two ribs (22), namely a first rib (22.1) and a second rib (22.2), are formed in the heating body (10) merely as an example and without limiting universality. Each rib (22) extends within the water collection section (8), and more precisely, extends in such a way that the rib (22) comes into contact with the water (9) present within the water collection section (8) in some cases. In the installed state of the illustrated humidifier (1), the water collection section (8) is located below the housing (2). Also, the bottom of the housing (3) is inclined toward the water collection section (8) or toward the concave section (7), so that the water (9) generated within the housing (2) flows by gravity along the bottom of the housing (3) toward the concave section (7) and reaches the water collection section (8) there. Each rib (22) is advantageously configured to be straight and extends vertically in the illustrated example. In this case, each rib (22) can extend from the shell (18) and protrude upward from it.
[0037] According to the preferred embodiment of the humidifier (1) illustrated herein, at least two ribs (22) are provided, and these two ribs (22) are arranged and designed to form a free space (23) between each other, said free space fluidly connecting the drainage area (16) to the outer area (24) of the housing inner space (40), said outer area (24) is located outside the water collection section (8) in the housing inner space (40). In the normal installed state of the humidifier (1), said outer area (24) is located above the water collection section (8) and inside the housing inner space (40). The free space (23) forms a drainage channel (25) that guides from the outer area (24) to the drainage area (16). In the illustrated example, the first rib (22.1) protrudes from the shell (18), while the second rib (22.2) protrudes from the pipe receiving section (26), which is described in detail below. Through this, the drainage area (16) or drainage channel (25) extends to the lower part of the second rib (22.2). When a large amount of water accumulates within the housing (2) and the water level forms above the collection area (8), a corresponding ice block may be formed in the case of a correspondingly low ambient temperature, and said ice block blocks the free space (23) and thus the drainage channel (25) and also the pipe member (12) from the drainage opening (10) to the water outlet (11). With the help of the heating device (13), the heating body (17) is heated, and through it, the rib (22) is also heated. By this, the free space (23) is preferably thawed, and through it, the drainage channel (25) is unblocked. In addition, by direct contact between the heating body (17) and the pipe member (12), the pipe member (12) is also heated, and the ice contained therein is preferably thawed. Therefore, first of all, the area guided from the external area (24) to the drainage area (16) through the free space (23) or drainage channel (25) and the area guided from the drainage opening (10) to the water outlet (11) through the pipe member (12) is thawed and unblocked.Therefore, a large amount of water can be discharged from the housing (2) relatively quickly. In the illustrated example, the ribs (22) on both sides are parallel to each other and extend beyond the edge of the collection area (19), so that a relatively larger ice block can be thawed in the area of the ribs (22) and the drainage channel (25) can be unblocked.
[0038] The heating body (17) may also be made of metal and have a pipe receiving section (26) that is open toward the water collection section (8). A pipe member (12) is inserted protruding into the pipe receiving section (26), and more precisely, the drainage opening (10) is inserted protruding so that it leads into the pipe receiving section (26). In the illustrated example, the drainage area (16) is generally formed within the pipe receiving section (26). In the illustrated example, it is also provided that the pipe receiving section (26) has a female thread (27), while the pipe member (12) has a male thread (28) that engages with it. Correspondingly, the pipe member (12) is screwed into the pipe receiving section (26). In the preferred example illustrated herein, the heating body (17) is manufactured as a single piece with the shell (18), the water collection section edge (19), each rib (22), and the pipe receiving section (26). Accordingly, the shell (18), the edge of the water collection section (19), each rib (22), and the pipe receiving section (26) are each formed by an integral area of the heating body (17). This achieves a high degree of integration for the heating body (17), which facilitates the assembly of the humidifier (1) and reduces manufacturing costs.
[0039] According to FIGS. 3 and 5, the heating device (13) has at least one PTC element (29) coupled to the heating body (17) in a heat transfer manner. To this end, the heating device (13) may have a metal plate (30) that contacts the PTC element (29) through a first contact strip (31). The metal plate (30) is in direct contact with itself and in surface contact with the metal wall (32) of the heating body (17), thereby enabling extensive heat transfer between the heating device (13) and the heating body (17). Electrical contact of the PTC element (29) is made through the aforementioned first contact strip (31) and second contact strip (33). Both contact strips (31 and 33) are guided to an electrical contact portion (34) arranged within a plug (35) that serves as a carrier for the PTC element (29) and the metal plate (30).
[0040] By positioning the heating device (13) near the drain opening (10), a raised step (41) is created in the interior of the water collection section (8) with respect to the height direction, and the step leads stepwise through the metal wall (32) to an area of the water collection section (8) that is lower with respect to the height direction, where the drain area (16) and the drain opening (10) are located. According to FIG. 4, the ribs (22) on both sides are directly adjacent to the metal wall (32), which improves heat transfer to the ribs (22).
[0041] The cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 includes an offset created by the cross-sectional line III according to FIG. 2 extending through the center of the heating device (13) on one side and through the center of the pipe member (12) on the other side, and the heating device (13) is arranged slightly offset in the height direction relative to the pipe member (12). The height direction extends vertically in the installed state of the humidifier.
[0042] According to FIG. 3, the bottom of the housing (3) has a through opening (36) in the concave portion (7), and a pipe member (12) extends through the through opening to the collection portion (8). In this case, according to FIG. 3, the pipe member (12) is advantageously sealed against the housing (2) in the concave portion (7) by a ring-shaped outer seal (37) and also advantageously sealed against the heating body (17) in the collection portion (8), for example, within the pipe receiving portion (26), by a ring-shaped inner seal (38). Also, the bottom of the housing (3) has a connection opening (39) in the concave portion (7), and a heating device (13) extends to the concave portion (7) through the connection opening. The heating device (13) or the plug (35) is advantageously sealed against the housing (2) by a ring-shaped plug seal (42). Explanation of the symbols
[0043] 1 : Humidifier 2 : Housing 3 : Housing Floor 4: First Gas Stream 5: Second Gas Stream 6 : Membrane block 7: Concave part 8 : Catchment area 9 : Water 10: Drainage opening 11: Water outlet 12: Pipe member 13: Heating device 14: Pipe end 15: Internal space of the pipe 16: Drainage area 17: Heating body 18 : Shell 19: Edge of the catchment area 20 : Ring-shaped groove 21: Heating body seal 22 : Liv 23 : Free Space 24 : External area 25 : Drainage channel 26 : Pipe receiving section 27 : Female thread section 28 : Male screw section 29 : PTC element 30: Metal plate 31: First contact strip 32 : Metal wall 33: Second contact strip 34: Electrical contact part 35 : Plug 36: Penetrating opening 37 : External seal 38 : Internal seal 39 : Connection opening 40: Internal space of the housing 41 : Step section 42 : Plug seal
Claims
Claim 1 A humidifier (1) for humidifying a dry first gas stream (4) by a humid second gas stream (5), particularly for a fuel cell system, comprising: - a housing (2) made of plastic, wherein the housing has a recess (7) within the bottom (3) of the housing, wherein a collection part (8) for collecting water (9) generated within the housing (2) is located within the recess, wherein a drain opening (10) is located inside the collection part (8), wherein a water outlet (11) for discharging water (9) is located outside the housing (2), wherein the water outlet is fluidly connected to the drain opening (10), wherein the humidifier (1) comprises a metal pipe member (12), wherein the pipe member forms the drain opening (10) at one end and forms the water outlet (11) at the other end, and wherein the drain opening (10) is connected to the water outlet (11) A humidifier (1) that is fluidly connected, and is characterized in that the humidifier (1) has an electric heating device (13), and the electric heating device is connected to the pipe member (12) in a direct or indirect manner by a heat transfer method. Claim 2 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in claim 1, the heating device (13) is placed within the water collection unit (8) and extends to a drainage area (16) connected to the drainage opening (10). Claim 3 A humidifier (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the humidifier (1) has a metal heating body (17), and the heating body is connected to a heating device (13) on one side and a pipe member (12) on the other side in a heat transfer manner. Claim 4 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in paragraph 3, the heating body (17) has a metal shell (18), the shell forms a water collection section (8), the water collection section is arranged within the concave section (7), and the drainage opening (10) is located within the water collection section. Claim 5 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in paragraph 4, the heating body (17) is manufactured as a single piece with the shell (18), and the shell (18) is formed by an integral area of the heating body (17). Claim 6 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 3 to 5, the heating body (17) has at least one metal rib (22), and the rib extends into the water collection section (8) and comes into direct contact with the water (9) collected in the water collection section (8). Claim 7 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in claim 6 and claim 4 or 5, at least one of the ribs (22) is arranged in the shell (18). Claim 8 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in claim 6 or 7, the heating body (17) is manufactured as a single piece with each of the ribs (22), and each of the ribs (22) is formed by an integral area of the heating body (17). Claim 9 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 6 to 8, the heating body (17) has at least two ribs (22), and the ribs are arranged and designed to form a free space (23) between each other, and the free space fluidly connects a drainage area (16) located within the water collection section (8) and connected to the drainage opening (10) with an external area (24) of a housing internal space (40) located outside the water collection section (8). Claim 10 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in claim 9, the water collection section (8) is surrounded by a water collection section edge (19), the water collection section edge is adjacent to the housing bottom (3), and the ribs (22) on both sides extend to or beyond the water collection section edge (19). Claim 11 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 3 to 10, the heating body (17) has a metal pipe receiving portion (26), the pipe receiving portion is open toward a water collection portion (8), and the pipe member (12) is inserted protrudingly into the pipe receiving portion, so that the drainage opening (10) leads into the pipe receiving portion (26) or into the water collection portion (8). Claim 12 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in claim 11, the pipe receiving portion (26) has a female screw portion (27), the pipe member (12) has a male screw portion (28) that engages with the female screw portion (27), and the pipe member (12) is screw-coupled within the pipe receiving portion (26). Claim 13 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 12, the heating body (17) is manufactured as a single piece with the pipe receiving portion (26), and the pipe receiving portion (26) is formed by an integral area of the heating body (17). Claim 14 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 3 to 13, the heating device (13) has at least one PTC element (29), and the PTC element is coupled to the heating body (17) in a heat transfer manner. Claim 15 A humidifier (1) characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 14, the housing bottom (3) has a through opening (36) in the concave portion (7), and the pipe member (12) extends to the water collection portion (8) through the through opening, and / or the housing bottom (3) has a connecting opening (39) in the concave portion (7), and the heating device (13) extends to the concave portion (7) through the connecting opening.