Ventilator Humidifier Control Using Atomization and Vaporization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical ventilator humidifiers often over- or under-humidify breathing gases, leading to rainout in the patient circuit, which can cause infections and other complications, and lack separate control over the amount of water and heat introduced into the patient circuit.
Innovation Solution
The system separately controls the amount of water and heat added into the patient circuit based on the patient's actual temperature, using a hollow cone atomizer and heating system to vaporize water droplets, and monitors exhaled gases to adjust humidity and temperature settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a traditional humidifier is used to humidify breathing gases, then the patient's comfort is improved, but rainout in the patient circuit occurs causing infections and complications
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters of water delivery by atomizing water into fine droplets (1-100 microns) and controlling the amount delivered based on measured patient temperature and exhaled gas humidity, preventing over-humidification that causes rainout while maintaining patient comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition by vaporizing atomized water droplets through contact with a heated tube, transforming liquid water into water vapor that can be safely delivered to the patient without causing condensation and rainout in the patient circuit
2Quantity of substance
If more water is added to humidify the breathing gases, then the humidity is improved, but unintentional patient heating or cooling occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback by continuously measuring patient temperature and exhaled gas humidity, then adjusting the amount of atomized water delivered and the heating tube temperature to maintain patient temperature stability while achieving target humidity levels
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces traditional mechanical humidification with a controlled atomization and vaporization process, using an atomizer to create fine droplets and a heating tube to vaporize them, providing precise control over water delivery and thermal effects on the patient
3Manufacturing precision
If separate control over water and heat is implemented, then the precision of humidification is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the water delivery control and heat control into an integrated humidification system with a single atomizer and heating tube, achieving separate control precision through coordinated operation of combined components rather than separate systems
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
Reduces the likelihood of rainout, minimizes unintentional patient heating or cooling, and allows for therapeutic temperature adjustments, while reducing water and filter saturation.
Implementation Method 1
delivering, via a humidifier, the amount of water in one or more bursts of atomized water directly into a flow path of the breathing gases
Implementation Method 2
vaporizing the atomized water upon contact of the water with a heating tube in the flow path downstream of the atomizer to form humidified breathing gases
Implementation Method 3
based on the target inhalation gas temperature, controlling a temperature of at least one of a heating tube or a heating circuit
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A humidifier, for a ventilation system, that includes an atomizer configured to deliver water droplets into a flow of breathing gases and a heating element configured to vaporize the water droplets emitted from the atomizer. The humidifier may be configured to set a target inhalation gas temperature based on internal temperature of a patient. Further, based on inspiratory flow and humidity data about breathing gases upstream of the atomizer of the humidifier, the humidifier may calculate and deliver an amount of water in one or more bursts of atomized water. Based on the target inhalation gas temperature, the humidifier may control a temperature of the heating element.