Solenoid Pump Power Profile for Humidifier Water Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current humidifiers in airway pressure support systems for treating sleep disordered breathing, such as sleep apnea, often fail to provide optimal humidity control, leading to discomfort and potential complications due to inadequate water delivery and evaporation mechanisms, especially when using non-distilled water which can contain contaminants.
Innovation Solution
A drip-feed humidifier system with a solenoid-actuated pump and a unique power profile for the solenoid, combined with a filtration system to remove dissolved solids from water, and a separator feature to prevent water from entering the gas stream, ensuring efficient water delivery and evaporation, thereby maintaining effective humidity levels and minimizing the risk of water contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pump is used to deliver water to the humidifier, then water delivery control is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is integrated within the humidifier assembly, merging the water delivery function with the humidification system. This consolidation improves water delivery control while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by combining functions into a single unit rather than adding separate independent components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates a controller that receives input from a user interface and adjusts pump operation accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables precise water delivery control by monitoring humidity levels and adjusting pump output in real-time, maintaining optimal humidification while managing system complexity through intelligent control.
2Reliability
If a solenoid is actuated with constant power, then the pump operates reliably, but energy consumption increases and control precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The solenoid is actuated with a dynamic power profile rather than constant power. The controller applies different power levels at different stages of the solenoid actuation cycle, with higher power during initial activation to ensure reliable pump engagement, and reduced power during sustained operation. This dynamic approach maintains pump reliability while significantly reducing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The solenoid operates in periodic cycles with distinct power phases: an initial high-power phase for reliable activation, followed by a lower-power sustained phase. This periodic action pattern ensures the pump starts reliably each cycle while minimizing energy consumption during the majority of the operation time when full power is not needed.
3Ease of operation
If non-distilled water is used in the humidifier, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors increase due to contaminants and dissolved solids
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes dissolved solids and contaminants from the non-distilled water using a filtration mechanism before the water reaches the humidification elements. This extraction process allows the use of easier-to-obtain non-distilled water while eliminating the harmful contaminants that would otherwise affect patient safety and system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
A filtration system acts as an intermediary between the water reservoir and the humidification process. This intermediary component processes the non-distilled water, removing contaminants and dissolved solids, thereby enabling the use of convenient non-distilled water sources while protecting the system and patient from harmful effects.
4Productivity
If water is delivered at high rate to the heater, then humidity output is improved, but water contamination risk increases due to potential water entry into gas stream
Solution Approach 1:
The water delivery and gas flow paths are segmented into separate channels with distinct control mechanisms. The water is delivered through a controlled drip system that separates liquid water delivery from the gas stream pathway. This segmentation allows high-rate water delivery for optimal humidity output while preventing water from entering the gas stream through physical separation of the two fluid paths.
Solution Approach 2:
A separator component acts as an intermediary between the water delivery system and the gas stream. This mediator ensures that water is delivered at high rates for effective humidification while preventing water droplets or contamination from entering the breathable gas stream, maintaining both humidity output and patient safety.
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 provides improved comfort and effectiveness in humidifying the airway pressure support system by ensuring consistent and controlled water delivery, reducing the risk of water contamination, and maintaining optimal humidity levels, even with non-distilled water, thus enhancing treatment efficacy for sleep disordered breathing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A pump arrangement for powering a pump in providing a controlled volume of water to a drip nozzle in a drip-feed humidifier. The pump arrangement comprises: a pump having a solenoid
Implementation Method 2
a pump having a solenoid; a processing unit; and a power supply electrically connected to the solenoid via a switch which is controlled by the processing unit
Implementation Method 3
drip-feed humidifier system with a solenoid-actuated pump and a unique power profile for the solenoid, combined with a filtration system to remove dissolved solids from water, and a separator feature to prevent water from entering the gas stream, ensuring efficient water delivery and evaporation
Data Source
AI summary
A pump arrangement for powering a pump in providing a controlled volume of water to a drip nozzle in a drip-feed humidifier. The pump arrangement includes: a pump having a solenoid; a processing unit; and a power supply electrically connected to the solenoid via a switch which is controlled by the processing unit. The power supply is structured to supply power to the solenoid via the switch. The processing unit is programmed to modulate the power provided to the solenoid via the switch such that the power is supplied to the solenoid according to a power profile for each actuation of the solenoid. The power profile includes: an initial portion which increases at a first overall rate, an intermediate portion which increases at a second overall rate different than the first overall rate, and a final portion which decreases at a third overall rate.