An apparatus and a method for humidifying a gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas humidifiers face limitations in maximizing absolute humidity due to cooling effects from liquid evaporation, which restricts the humidification process and reduces the maximum possible humidification rate.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus combines humidification and heat compensation on wetted surfaces of a heat exchange structure within the gas flow passage, allowing for increased temperature and homogeneous liquid distribution, thereby enhancing the humidification process and maintaining a higher gas temperature to prevent condensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If liquid evaporation is used for humidification, then the concentration of water vapor in the gas increases, but the gas temperature decreases due to cooling effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the humidification process and heat compensation functions into a single integrated heat exchange structure. The wetted surfaces of the heat exchange structure simultaneously enable liquid evaporation for humidification and heat transfer from the gas to compensate for cooling, resolving the contradiction between increasing water vapor concentration and maintaining gas temperature.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the heat exchange structure by wetting its surfaces, which modifies its thermal and mass transfer properties. This allows the structure to function both as a heat exchanger and as a humidification surface, enabling simultaneous temperature maintenance and vapor concentration increase.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional humidifiers are used, then humidification occurs, but the gas temperature drops to the dew point which stops further humidification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the humidification function with heat compensation in a single heat exchange structure. This integration prevents the gas temperature from dropping to the dew point by continuously compensating for evaporative cooling, thereby maintaining the driving force for humidification and increasing the overall humidification rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful cooling effect of evaporation into a beneficial process by using the heat exchange structure to capture and utilize the temperature difference. The structure allows heat to transfer from the warmer gas to the cooler wetted surfaces, compensating for evaporative cooling and preventing temperature drop to the dew point.
3Quantity of substance
If liquid is poured onto heat exchange surfaces, then evaporation and humidification occur, but non-homogeneous liquid distribution reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs gravity as a uniform distributing mechanism, allowing liquid to flow downward over the heat exchange surfaces under gravitational force. This gravitational flow ensures relatively homogeneous liquid distribution across the surfaces, improving evaporation uniformity and humidification efficiency compared to other distribution methods.
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 approach increases the maximum possible humidification rate by maintaining a higher gas temperature, optimizing heat exchange and liquid evaporation homogeneity, and reducing power consumption while maintaining a compact and cost-effective design.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger (30) comprising a heat exchange structure (34) arranged within the gas flow passage (20) between the gas inlet (22) and gas outlet (24)
Implementation Method 2
transferring heat from the heat exchange structure (34) to the gas and liquid
Implementation Method 3
Evaporation of the water into said air flow leads to lowering the temperature thereof
Implementation Method 4
The phase change enthalpy of water vapor to liquid/solid can thus be used for heat generation
Implementation Method 5
the top-to-bottom orientation of the gas and liquid flows within the gas passage enables the poured liquid to flow by gravity on the surfaces of the heat exchange structure
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
An apparatus (10) for humidifying a gas comprises a gas flow passage (20) along a top-to-bottom direction (D), with a gas inlet (22) opening towards a gas outlet (24), a heat exchange structure (34) between the gas inlet and outlet, a heat source (32) configured for heating the heat exchange structure (34), a liquid pouring device (50) within the gas flow passage between the gas inlet and the heat exchange structure for pouring a liquid downwards onto an upper end (52) of the heat exchange structure (34) such that said liquid wets the heat exchange structure where the latter delimits portions (36) of the gas flow passage, and a liquid inlet (54) for supplying the liquid pouring device with said liquid. The apparatus enables evaporation of at least part of the liquid into said gas within the portions of the gas flow passage delimited by the heat exchange structure.