Gas Humidification Bypass Path for Rapid Incubator Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for controlling humidity in incubation chambers are either slow, inert, or require opening the chamber, leading to temperature and condensation issues, and are limited in their ability to adjust humidity levels below 60% relative humidity.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a bypass gas path and an enriching element allows for adjustable liquid enrichment of the gas flow, enabling rapid and flexible control of humidity between 0% and 100% by directing a portion of the gas through a liquid-enriched path that can be controlled in open or closed loop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a gas washing bottle is used to humidify the gas by conducting dry gas through a liquid bath, then the humidification happens fast due to large surface area contact, but the system becomes inert and cannot adjust temperature or humidity quickly due to the high heat capacity of the liquid bath
Solution Approach 1:
The gas flow is divided into two separate paths: a first gas path that bypasses the liquid bath and a second gas path that conducts gas through the liquid bath for humidification. This segmentation allows independent control of humidified gas flow, enabling fast adjustment of humidity levels without being constrained by the thermal inertia of the entire liquid bath.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of humidifying the entire gas flow through the liquid bath, only a portion of the gas is directed through the second path for humidification. The degree of humidification can be precisely controlled by adjusting the proportion of gas sent through the liquid bath, allowing flexible humidity control from 0% to 100% relative humidity without requiring temperature changes of the entire bath.
2Ease of operation
If atomizers are used to inject atomized liquid into the gas volume for humidity control, then the gas humidity can be controlled by the amount of injected liquid, but the gas mixture at the nozzle outlet becomes supersaturated leading to condensation and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
A mixing chamber is introduced as an intermediary component where the humidified gas from the second path mixes with the dry gas from the first path. This mixing process ensures that the final gas mixture has controlled humidity levels below saturation, preventing condensation and corrosion while maintaining ease of humidity control.
3Quantity of substance
If the liquid bath temperature is increased to accelerate evaporation and humidification, then the absorption capacity of the gas is increased, but the system becomes more inert and fast temperature adjustment is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the control parameter from liquid bath temperature to gas flow distribution ratio. By adjusting the proportion of gas directed through the liquid bath via the distributing element, the effective humidity control is achieved without requiring temperature changes, thus avoiding the time delay associated with thermal inertia.
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 solution allows for fast and precise control of gas humidity, independent of liquid bath temperature inertia, preventing condensation and enabling operation at minimal gas flow rates, with no exposed liquid surfaces, and the ability to maintain humidity levels between 0% and 100%.
Implementation Method 1
an enriching element arranged in the second gas path for enriching the gas flow with a liquid
Implementation Method 2
dry gas is conducted through a liquid so as to humidify the gas. This humidification happens fast as gas bubbles form a large surface with the water
Data Source
AI summary
The application relates to an apparatus for providing a gas for the introduction thereof into an incubation chamber, comprising an inlet port (1) for introducing a gas, an outlet port (2) for discharging a gas, a first gas path (3) connecting the inlet port (1) to the outlet port (2), a second gas path (4) branching off from the first gas path (3) and running back into the first gas path (3); a distributing element (5), configured to allow a portion of the gas introduced through the inlet port (1) to be conducted via the second gas path (4), and an enriching element (6) arranged in the second gas path for enriching the gas flow with a liquid.