Humidifier Device Venturi Nebulizer Pneumatic Humidity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing humidifier devices for self-contained breathing apparatuses are prone to malfunctions, especially in critical situations, and lack the ability to adjust humidity levels, posing health risks and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A humidifier device with a body divided into two chambers, featuring a nebulizer with injectors and a Venturi tube design that allows for adjustable humidity by using the Venturi principle to mix air and liquid, eliminating the need for complex electronic or mechanical components and allowing for easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If complex electronic or mechanical components are used in humidifier devices, then the degree of humidity can be controlled and adjusted, but the device becomes more susceptible to malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electronic or mechanical humidity control systems with a purely pneumatic system based on the Venturi effect. The mixing chamber and adjustable orifice create variable humidity levels through fluid dynamics alone, eliminating electronic components that could malfunction while maintaining full adjustability of humidity output.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses pneumatic principles throughout - the Venturi tube creates pressure differential to draw liquid into the gas stream, the mixing chamber combines phases through fluid dynamics, and the adjustable orifice controls flow rates. This entirely pneumatic approach provides reliable, maintenance-free operation while enabling humidity adjustment without electronic or mechanical moving parts.
2Reliability
If a simple humidifier design is used to avoid malfunctions, then reliability improves, but the ability to adjust humidity levels is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an adjustable orifice that allows dynamic control of the liquid-to-gas ratio, enabling the system to adapt humidity output to different operational requirements. This simple mechanical adjustment provides versatility and adaptability without adding complex electronics or reducing reliability, as the adjustment mechanism is passive and failure-resistant.
3Ease of operation
If complex devices are used to provide humidity control, then humidity adjustment is enabled, but the device complexity increases leading to more malfunctions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single integrated chamber: the mixing chamber simultaneously performs liquid injection, phase mixing, humidity generation, and flow regulation. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining full humidity control capability and minimizing potential failure points.
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 device reduces the risk of malfunctions, allows for adjustable humidity, and is suitable for various applications, including medical and industrial uses, ensuring safe and controlled air humidification without the risk of electronic or mechanical failures.
Implementation Method 1
a nebulizer (26) arranged in a respective seat (28) made on the separator (20), and connected via a duct (30) to the inlet connection (16), so as to provide a fluid connection between the inlet connection (16) and the outlet connection (18), via a through hole (32) thereof, which has a Venturi tube shape comprising a narrowed section (36)
Data Source
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AI summary
A humidifier device (12) of dry gaseous fluid comprises a body (14) provided with an inlet connection (16) and an outlet connection (18). Inside the body (14) a separator (20) is provided which is adapted to divide the inner volume of the body into two chambers (22, 24): a first compensation chamber (22), adapted to contain a liquid, provided near the inlet connection (16); and a second expansion and nebulization chamber (24) provided near the outlet connection (18). The device (12) further comprises a nebulizer (26), arranged in a respective seat (28) made on said separator (20), and connected via a duct (30) to the inlet connection (16), so as to provide a fluid connection between the inlet connection (16) and the outlet connection (18), via a through hole (32) thereof. The first chamber (22) is in fluid connection with the second chamber (24) via at least one injector (34) provided on the nebulizer (26). The through hole (32) of the nebulizer (26) has a Venturi tube shape comprising a narrowed section (36). The at least one injector is provided at the narrowed section (36) and/or in a portion of the through hole (32) downstream of the narrowed section (36).