External-Heated Respiratory Humidifier With Disposable HME Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing humidifier systems for mechanical ventilation either suffer from inefficiencies, safety concerns, or inadequate heating and humidifying capabilities, particularly in passive heat moisture exchangers, and combined designs are complex and costly, posing risks of cross-infection and overheating.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier system combining a passive heat moisture exchanger with an active heated element, where the heating element is externally mounted and separate from the housing, using a water permeable element to enhance humidification and reduce risks of overheating and contamination, allowing for disposable housing and reusable heating components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an internal heating element is used within the housing, then heating and humidifying capability is improved, but safety risks (overheating, fire hazards) and cross-infection risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is extracted from the internal housing and relocated to an external position. The housing now contains only the HME material and water permeable element, while the heating element operates externally to warm the housing and its contents, thereby eliminating direct exposure to patient gases and reducing both safety and infection risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing acts as an intermediary between the external heating element and the patient. The heating element heats the housing, which then indirectly heats the respiratory gases through the HME material and water permeable element, providing thermal coupling while maintaining physical separation and safety barriers.
2Ease of operation
If a passive HME is used, then convenience and safety are improved, but heating and humidifying capability becomes inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the passive HME (heat moisture exchanger) with an active external heating element into a unified system. The HME provides the passive heat and moisture retention functions while the external heating element supplements active heating capability, combining the advantages of both approaches without their respective disadvantages.
3Temperature
If a combination of HME material, heating element, and water evaporating element is enclosed within a housing, then heating and humidifying capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is extracted from the housing to simplify the internal structure. The housing now contains only the disposable HME material and water permeable element, reducing internal complexity and enabling disposable design, while the reusable heating element is maintained separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into disposable and reusable components. The housing with HME material and water permeable element forms a disposable unit that can be discarded after single use, while the heating element is a reusable external component, simplifying manufacturing and reducing cross-infection risks.
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 effectively heats and humidifies respiratory gases while minimizing electrical and fire hazards, reducing the risk of cross-infection and overheating, and is cost-effective for single-use disposable units with a reusable heating element, improving patient safety and reducing the risk of hypercapnia and acidosis.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element outside the housing for heating the housing and maintaining the housing at a predetermined temperature
Implementation Method 2
a water permeable element, the housing having a water refill inlet communicating with the water permeable element
Implementation Method 3
The HME material is usually made of hygroscopic foam or paper that may also be treated with salts. When the HME is placed at the out end of the artificial airway, it will retain the heat and moisture from the exhaled gases
Implementation Method 4
The HME material is usually made of hygroscopic foam or paper that may also be treated with salts
Data Source
AI summary
A humidifier system for heating and humidifying respiratory gases has a housing with an inner chamber, a first port at the first end for connection to a ventilator breathing circuit and a second port at the second end for connection to a patient to supply respiratory gases to the patient and to receive exhaled gases from the patient. A body of heat moisture exchange (HME) material is located within the chamber, and a water permeable device is also located within the chamber. The housing has a water refill inlet communicating with the water permeable device. A water supply outside the housing is connected to the water refill inlet to supply water to the water permeable device. A heater mounted outside the housing supplies heat to the housing and maintains the housing at a selected temperature.