Air-Conditioned Facemask Thermoregulation Unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical masks fail to provide adequate thermal comfort and moisture management, especially in hot and humid environments, leading to discomfort and increased risk of heat-related illnesses, while also being costly and inefficient in cooling the wearer.
Innovation Solution
A facemask with a thermoregulation unit that draws in air, transfers heat using a Peltier heat pump, condenses water vapor, and releases cooled, drier air back into the mask, combined with a heat exchanger and fans for enhanced cooling and humidity control, and optionally includes desiccants and an L-shaped pipe for improved air-conditioning performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical mask is worn to filter viruses and toxins, then protection against infection is improved, but thermal comfort deteriorates due to soaring temperature and thick humid air inside the mask
Solution Approach 1:
The mask is divided into functional layers including an outer layer for filtration, an inner layer for moisture absorption, and a PCM layer for thermal regulation. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function independently, maintaining protection while managing thermal comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
Phase change materials (PCMs) are used to change the thermal parameters inside the mask. The PCMs absorb excess heat through phase transition (solid to liquid), actively regulating the temperature inside the mask and preventing it from rising to uncomfortable levels.
2Reliability
If a surgical mask is worn to prevent virus spread, then infection control is improved, but moisture management deteriorates leading to breathing difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
Different layers of the mask have different moisture management properties. The outer layer is liquid-resistant to prevent external moisture entry, while the inner layer is moisture-absorbent to manage internal humidity, creating localized quality variations that optimize both protection and comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The mask incorporates porous materials with controlled permeability that allow water vapor to pass through while blocking liquid droplets and viruses. This enables moisture management through vapor transmission while maintaining filtration effectiveness.
3Temperature
If PCMs are used to cool the microclimate inside the mask, then thermal comfort is improved, but the duration of cooling function is limited and requires cooling down after each use
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the wearer's own body heat and exhaled breath as a continuous energy source to drive the cooling process. The PCM continuously absorbs heat as long as the wearer is active, and the phase change material can be regenerated by simple external cooling, enabling continuous operation throughout the day.
4Temperature
If a valve is added to release hot exhaled breath, then heat and moisture level inside the mask is reduced, but the risk of directly releasing virus or toxic particles is significantly increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and separates the thermal management function from the filtration function. A dedicated thermal regulation layer with PCM is extracted to handle heat and moisture, while the outer filtration layer maintains virus blocking. This allows heat release without compromising filtration.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCM layer acts as an intermediary between the wearer's breath and the external environment. It absorbs excess heat and moisture through phase change, allowing the mask to release heat indirectly through controlled phase transition rather than direct venting, thus maintaining filtration while managing thermal comfort.
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 facemask effectively cools and dries the air inside, reducing thermal discomfort and humidity, thereby improving wearability and safety in hot environments without increasing the risk of virus transmission, while being reusable and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
transfer heat from the drawn respirable air to an ambient atmosphere outside the frame so as to cool down the drawn respirable air
Implementation Method 2
condense at least part water vapor from the drawn respirable air to form condensed water vapor
Data Source
AI summary
In a facemask (100), atmospheric air is filtered by a disposable surgical mask (180) to form respirable air. The facemask (100) has a frame (150) formed with an interior cavity (151) for storing the respirable air to be breathed by the user. A thermoregulation unit (110) mounted to the frame (150) provides air conditioning to the respirable air by using a fan (421) to draw the respirable air from the cavity (151) to a heat exchanger (425) that contacts a thermoelectric module (410) to thermoelectrically transport heat to outside the frame (150), thereby cooling the drawn respirable air and condensing water vapor therein. The condensed water vapor is trapped by the heat exchanger (425). Cool and dry respirable air is released back to the cavity (151), thus providing thermal comfort to the user during breathing. A heat sink (432) contacted with the thermoelectric module (410) is used with a fan (431) to efficiently dissipate heat from the thermoelectric module (410) to outside the frame (150).