Evaporation heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evaporators for constant-temperature high-humidity storage systems face high power and water consumption, contamination issues, temperature unevenness, and inadequate humidification, particularly with conventional ice-based and bubble humidifiers, leading to inefficiencies and quality degradation of stored food.
Innovation Solution
An evaporation heater with a water storage tank, temperature regulator, and air blowing mechanism generates controlled water vapor to maintain target humidity and temperature, using a stirring apparatus to prevent freezing and a hydrophilic layer to enhance vapor generation, combined with fine bubble humidification to optimize humidity and reduce noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If crushed ice is used for humidification in the storage, then high humidity can be maintained, but power consumption and water consumption become excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of water from freezing point (ice) to room temperature or slightly cooled liquid water. By using liquid water at temperatures above freezing instead of crushed ice, the system eliminates the need for continuous ice production while maintaining effective evaporation and humidification, thereby dramatically reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the expensive and energy-intensive ice machine with a simple water supply system. Ordinary liquid water, which is cheap and readily available, substitutes for continuously produced crushed ice. The system uses a water tank and supply mechanism instead of complex ice-making equipment, reducing both capital cost and operational expenses.
2Quantity of substance
If crushed ice is used for humidification, then humidity is maintained, but a large portion of ice is discharged waste through drain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a self-sustaining water circulation system where water evaporates into the storage space for humidification, condenses on cold surfaces, and returns to the water tank. This closed-loop system eliminates waste discharge because the water continuously recycles between evaporation and condensation phases without needing external replenishment or disposal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous humidification through uninterrupted evaporation from the water tank. Unlike the intermittent ice production and discharge cycle, the liquid water system provides continuous moisture supply to the storage space, ensuring sustained humidity control without periodic waste discharge events.
3Quantity of substance
If water spray humidification is used, then humidification is achieved, but the storage is contaminated with water droplets
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces mechanical water spray systems with passive evaporation based on thermal principles. Instead of using high-pressure nozzles to atomize water into droplets that may contaminate the storage, the system relies on natural evaporation from a water tank surface, where water molecules transition to vapor phase without forming liquid droplets that could contaminate stored products.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor through evaporation. By controlling evaporation from the water tank surface, the system generates water vapor for humidification without producing liquid droplets. The phase change occurs gently at the liquid-vapor interface, preventing droplet formation and contamination issues associated with spray systems.
4Quantity of substance
If heater steam humidification is used, then humidification is achieved, but temperature unevenness increases and burden on cold air blower increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the humidification source from high-temperature steam (near 100°C) to ambient or slightly cooled liquid water (close to storage temperature). This temperature parameter change ensures that the evaporating water introduces minimal thermal energy into the storage space, avoiding temperature stratification and maintaining uniform temperature distribution without overburdening the cold air blower.
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 system reduces power and water consumption, prevents contamination, stabilizes temperature and humidity, and efficiently maintains high humidity without noise, using tap water and minimizing waste, thus enhancing the quality of stored items.
Implementation Method 1
an air blowing mechanism configured to generate an airflow and cause the airflow to come into contact with water stored in the water storage tank
Implementation Method 2
a stored water temperature regulator configured to control a temperature of at least one of feed water to be fed to the water storage tank and stored water in the water storage tank so that the temperature is within a target stored water temperature range which corresponds to a target inside temperature range of the constant-temperature storage
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporation heater arranged in a constant-temperature high-humidity storage, the evaporation heater includes a water storage tank arranged in a lower part of an enclosure of the evaporation heater; a temperature regulator configured to set water stored in the water storage tank to a target temperature; and an air blowing mechanism which is arranged in front in an air-blowing direction with respect to the water storage tank and which is configured to blow air to water in the water storage tank, set the temperature inside the constant-temperature high-humidity storage to the target temperature, and hold the humidity inside the constant-temperature high-humidity storage at saturated humidity.