Humidifier Wicking Fiber and Downstream Gas Monitoring for Dry-Heat Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ventilation-treatment devices face issues with dry heating, leading to product degradation and patient risk due to lack of water in the humidifier tank, causing high-temperature gas delivery.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier with a water-absorbing-fiber device and monitoring system that detects liquid insufficiency by monitoring gas properties downstream, preventing dry heating through timely adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If the humidifier operates without water in the water tank, then the heating function continues to work, but the heating region and sealing components are aged quickly, resulting in water leakage and short circuiting of electric elements
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring device detects water level or heating status in advance before dry heating occurs, and the control device stops the heating element preliminarily to prevent aging of heating region and sealing components, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous operation duration and product reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device continuously monitors the heating status and water level, providing feedback to the control device which adjusts the heating element operation accordingly, preventing dry heating while allowing continuous operation, thus resolving the contradiction between duration and reliability
2Productivity
If the humidifier operates without water in the water tank, then the breathing machine continues to deliver gas, but the patient's respiratory tract is at risk of high-temperature ambustion
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring device provides real-time feedback on heating status and water level to the control device, which adjusts the heating element to stop heating when water is insufficient, preventing high-temperature gas delivery to the patient while maintaining ventilation treatment continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The system takes preliminary action by detecting water level or heating status in advance and stopping the heating element before dry heating occurs, thus preventing patient ambustion risk while maintaining ventilation continuity
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
Prevents component damage and patient injury by ensuring consistent humidification, prolonging product life and enhancing safety and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the water adsorbing filter elements extend in an inclined direction from a top to a bottom of the humidifying chamber to form the first cross section
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A humidifier (4) and a ventilation-treatment device (100). The humidifier (4) includes a housing (41), the housing (41) is provided with a gas inlet (43), a gas outlet (44) and a humidifying chamber (45) for containing a humidifying liquid, and an external gas enters the housing (41) via the gas inlet (43), flows through the humidifying chamber (45), and is discharged via the gas outlet (44). The humidifier (4) further includes: a water-absorbing-fiber device, wherein the water-absorbing-fiber device is provided inside the humidifying chamber (45), and extends in a longitudinal direction of the humidifying chamber (45), the water-absorbing-fiber device includes a first cross section (421), and the first cross section (421) intersects with a gas-flow direction of the external gas after the external gas enters the humidifying chamber (45); and a monitoring device (9), wherein the monitoring device (9) is provided downstream of the water-absorbing-fiber device in the gas-flow direction, and is for monitoring a gas property downstream of the water-absorbing-fiber device. The present disclosure may detect insufficiency of the humidifying liquid inside the humidifier (4) in time, to achieve the purpose of preventing dry heating, which prevents component damage and patient ambustion, thereby prolonging the service life of the product, and improving the safety and the reliability.