Dew Point Climate Generator for Precise Humidity Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional climate conditioning systems have modest energy efficiency and control accuracy, with components often working in opposition, leading to instability and inefficiency, and passive systems used in display cabinets lack temperature control and require frequent maintenance.

Innovation Solution

A climate generator that controls temperature and humidity by bringing air to its dew point and heating it to target conditions, eliminating the need for relative humidity sensors and condensers, using a bubbler with controlled water temperature and a heat exchanger to achieve precise climatic parameters through latent and sensitive thermodynamic transformations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional air cooling and condensing batteries with adiabatic saturators are used, then temperature and humidity conditioning can be achieved, but the system complexity increases and control accuracy remains modest

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the adiabatic saturator component from the traditional system. Instead of using a separate saturator, the invention uses a single heat exchanger that directly conditions air to the desired temperature and humidity by controlling the temperature of the liquid evaporating within it, thereby simplifying the system while maintaining or improving control accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The single heat exchanger in the invention performs multiple functions that were previously distributed across multiple components: it acts as both the cooling/condensing battery and the saturator. By having the liquid evaporate directly within the heat exchanger, it simultaneously achieves heat exchange and humidity saturation in one device, reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Use of energy by moving object

If traditional systems with multiple batteries and adiabatic saturator are used, then conditioning function is achieved, but energy efficiency is modest and components work in opposition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidsystem stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of the cooling battery, condensing battery, and saturator into a single heat exchanger. This eliminates the opposition between components that processed air sequentially through multiple stages, allowing all conditioning functions to occur simultaneously in one device, thereby improving energy efficiency and system stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes the phase transition of liquid to vapor directly within the heat exchanger. The liquid evaporates inside the heat exchanger, providing both cooling through evaporation and humidity addition through vapor release, thereby eliminating the need for separate cooling and humidifying components that might work in opposition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

3Ease of operation

If passive control systems with hygroscopic substances are used in display cabinets, then simplicity and affordability are achieved, but temperature control is impossible and frequent maintenance is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidoperational reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces passive mechanical systems (hygroscopic substances that require manual reconditioning) with an active thermodynamic system. The heat exchanger with controlled liquid evaporation provides automatic, continuous temperature and humidity control without requiring manual intervention or maintenance, thereby improving reliability while maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-regulating temperature and humidity control through the controlled evaporation of liquid in the heat exchanger. The process automatically maintains desired conditions without requiring external monitoring or maintenance, unlike passive hygroscopic systems that need frequent reconditioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Device complexity

If simplified active systems with single cooling battery are used, then device complexity is reduced, but efficiency is very low and temperature control is poor or non-existent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidsystem efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses phase transition (evaporation) of liquid directly within the single heat exchanger to achieve both cooling and humidification simultaneously. This thermodynamic approach allows the single device to perform multiple functions efficiently, overcoming the limitations of simple cooling batteries that can only cool and dehumidify.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #36Phase transitions

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 simplifies the system, enhances reliability, reduces maintenance, and allows for rapid humidity variations under isothermal conditions, achieving stable and accurate temperature and humidity control with reduced complexity and production costs.

Implementation Method 1

bubbler means adapted to receive a flow of air to be conditioned and comprising a predetermined volume of water at a controlled temperature... to perform a latent transformation of the flow of air to be conditioned up to its dew point

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 2

to perform a latent transformation of the flow of air to be conditioned up to its dew point corresponding to a predetermined controlled temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLatent heat transformation: Latent Heat

Implementation Method 3

to perform a sensitive transformation of the transformed flow of air from the dew point temperature to a target temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSensible heat transformation: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3631310B1Dew point climate generator and corresponding climate conditioning method
Publication Date: 2021.07.14 CONSIGLIO NAT DELLE RICERCHE
  • EP3631310B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3631310B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3631310B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A climate generator adapted to produce a flow of air at controlled temperature and at relative humidity values (tc, ic) is described, which includes a bubbler (100) which receives a flow of air to be conditioned (Ga), heat exchangers (120) associated with the bubbler (100) to adjust the temperature of the water volume (W) of the bubbler and/or to provide an amount of latent heat of evaporation to the aforesaid volume of water (W); and heaters (180) for heating the flow of air at the dew point (Gb) exiting from the bubbler (100) to the controlled temperature value of the flow of air, wherein the temperature of the volume of water (W) is established as a function of the controlled temperature and relative humidity values (tc, ic), so that the heating of the flow of air at the dew point (Gb) from the temperature of the water volume (W) to the controlled temperature value determines a decrease in the relative humidity (ic) of the flow of air to the controlled relative humidity value.