Humidifier Dual Flow Path Design for Clean Air and Reduced Energy Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional humidifiers face issues with cleanliness due to stagnant water, contamination from fine dust, and inefficient air mixing, leading to poor quality humidified air and excessive energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier design that separates and combines humidification and cleaning flow paths, optimizes air and water flow, and incorporates a heating chamber to improve air heating and humidification efficiency, while minimizing flow resistance and guiding air in a specific direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single flow path is used for humidified air, then the device structure is simple, but the cleanliness of humidified air deteriorates due to poor air mixing and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single flow path into two separate flow paths: a first flow path for clean air intake and a second flow path for water vapor generation. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each path's function, preventing contamination while maintaining structural clarity. The separation enables the clean air path to remain free from water reservoir contact while the humidification path handles water processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mixing chamber as an intermediary component where air from the first flow path and vapor from the second flow path combine. This intermediary space ensures proper mixing and temperature equalization before the combined flow enters the discharge path, preventing direct contamination while achieving thorough air-vapor integration.
2Temperature
If the heater operates continuously, then humidified air temperature is maintained, but energy consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic heating control where the heater operates intermittently rather than continuously. A controller monitors temperature and activates the heater only when the temperature drops below a predetermined threshold, creating a periodic on-off cycle that maintains adequate temperature while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a feedback control system where a temperature sensor continuously monitors the humidified air temperature and provides feedback to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller adjusts heater operation to maintain temperature within acceptable ranges, preventing both overheating and excessive energy consumption from continuous heating.
3Productivity
If separate humidification and heating flow paths are used, then heating and humidification efficiency are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate humidification and heating flow paths into a unified discharge path where both streams combine before exiting. This merging approach maintains the efficiency benefits of separate processing paths while consolidating the discharge mechanism, thereby reducing overall device complexity compared to having completely independent discharge systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent structures the flow paths in a nested arrangement where the first flow path (clean air) and second flow path (vapor) are positioned concentrically or adjacently, allowing compact integration. The mixing chamber is nested within the overall housing structure, and the discharge path encompasses both flow streams, achieving space-efficient design that reduces complexity.
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 solution provides clean, efficiently humidified air with improved cleanliness and reduced energy consumption by separating flow paths, optimizing air and water flow, and enhancing heating and humidification efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an air flow path through which air blown by the fan flows
Implementation Method 2
Ultrasonic humidifiers are equipped with a vibrator to create vibrations from ultrasonic waves, and convert water into fine particles using the vibrations from the vibrator and spray them
Implementation Method 3
a humidification flow path through which humidified air sprayed from the humidification assembly flows
Implementation Method 4
The air in the air flow path and the humidified air in the humidification flow path may combine at the discharge opening
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a humidifier. A humidifier according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: a case with an intake opening; a fan disposed inside the case; a discharge opening that is open toward the outside of the fan; a humidification assembly that sprays supplied water; a air flow path through which air blown by the fan flows, and that extends toward the discharge opening; and a humidification flow path through which humidified air sprayed from the humidification assembly flows, that is separated from the air flow path at a downstream side of the discharge opening and extends toward the discharge opening and communicates with the discharge opening.