Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
  • F24F6/12—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification by forming water dispersions in the air
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
  • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
  • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
  • B01F23/21—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing liquids into gaseous media
  • B01F23/213—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing liquids into gaseous media by spraying or atomising of the liquids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J19/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J19/32—Packing elements in the form of grids or built-up elements for forming a unit or module inside the apparatus for mass or heat transfer
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
  • F24F11/0008—Control or safety arrangements for air-humidification
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
  • G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
  • G01F23/26—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water by measuring variations of capacity or inductance of capacitors or inductors arising from the presence of liquid or fluent solid material in the electric or electromagnetic fields
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
  • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
  • B01J2219/32—Details relating to packing elements in the form of grids or built-up elements for forming a unit of module inside the apparatus for mass or heat transfer
  • B01J2219/322—Basic shape of the elements
  • B01J2219/32286—Grids or lattices
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
  • F24F2006/008—Air-humidifier with water reservoir
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F6/00—Air-humidification, e.g. cooling by humidification
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
  • Y02B30/54—Free-cooling systems
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
  • Y02B30/00—Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
  • Y02B30/70—Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for producing water droplets, to a method of operating such a de ⁇ vice and to a system for the humidification of compart ⁇ ments using such devices .
• This humidifier uses a piezoceramic vibra ⁇ tor at the bottom of a reservoir and provides for atom ⁇ ized water rising from the reservoir and being discharged above the reservoir. For preventing germs when the humid ⁇ ifier stops and a predetermined amount of water remains in the reservoir, a drier is suggested for removing water in the reservoir.
• WO 2010/015124 Al shows another humidifier with a reservoir, an ultrasonic transducer at the bottom of the reservoir and a mist guiding duct extending upwardly from the reservoir .
• US 2002/0163090 Al and JP 2006292249 A show humidifiers as well. Disclosure of the Invention
• the problem to be solved by the present invention is therefore to provide an improved humidifier and in particular to provide a cost and energy efficient and hygienically nonhazardous humidification of rooms or other compartments with very small droplets of water which is adapted for permanent installation in cabinets, such as rooms and other compartments, and which is suita- ble for every-day use with a long life-cycle of the installation .
• the device comprises a through duct with an inflow connector and an outflow connector for connection to a water conduit, a valve arrangement with water lines connecting to said duct and to a reservoir of the device, said valve arrangement being provided for filling the reservoir up to a predetermined fill-level, the reservoir being closed on one side by a perforated membrane or mesh, respectively, of a droplet generator of the device, the mesh being arranged to be covered on one side of the mesh by water being present in said reservoir and the mesh forming the water droplet outlet of the device re- leasing droplets from the other side of the mesh when the mesh of the droplet generator is vibrated, the device further comprising a control unit for controlling the valve arrangement and the droplet generator.
• such a device with the mesh droplet generator in combination with the through duct with inlet and outlet to the reservoir and with the controlled valve arrangement results in a device that can securely avoid the leaking of water when such devices are installed on a wall or roof of a compartment, in particu- 1ar a room, and can securely avoid residual water in an amount that may pose hygienic problems .
• a device that can securely avoid the leaking of water when such devices are installed on a wall or roof of a compartment, in particu- 1ar a room, and can securely avoid residual water in an amount that may pose hygienic problems .
• When used in the system for humidification or adiabatic cooling of several compartments, such as rooms or cabinets or terrariums, comprising a closed ring water conduit leading to the several compartments such devices allow the controlled, safe humidification of the compartments.
• the devices are connected in series into the water line and are arranged to release droplets into the respective compartment.
• the reservoir is provided with a pressure equalizing opening at a point away from the mesh and above the fill-level of the reservoir.
• a pressure equalizing opening at a point away from the mesh and above the fill-level of the reservoir.
• Such an opening allows to passively avoid an overpressure on the mesh and thus performs this function very securely and independently of the valve control.
• a mesh overpressure might lead to water dropping out of the mesh by drops so large that they may be visually detected as such or may be harmful to furniture or goods in the compartment.
• the mesh itself may be harmed by over- pressure and its lifetime may be reduced.
• the device and system is improved in this respect by the preferred embodiment .
• the device allows to flush the water lines and comprises to this end a throttle within the duct and the valve arrangement is provided with a first line connecting with the duct at an upstream point of the duct ahead of the throttle and a second line connecting with the duct at a downstream point of the duct after the throttle, and with a third line leading to the reservoir, the valve arrangement being controllable by the control unit to connect in one position of the valve arrangement the first line and the second line within the valve arrangement while the third line is disconnected from the first and second line and to connect in a second position of the valve arrangement the third line with the duct . Flushing of water lines of the valve arrangement assures that no hygienic hazards may be posed by the device and system at all time.
• the device and in particular its valve arrangement comprises a level de- tector arranged to detect the predetermined fill-level of water within the reservoir.
• the level detector works with a first fill-level electrode and a second fill-level electrode to provide for a measurement of electrical conductivity of water in said reservoir.
• An additional fill-level in particular in between empty level and full level may be provided by a third electrode which is provided and arranged for detecting a further fill-level.
• a preferred embodiment uses the me ⁇ tallic or metalized mesh as the second fill-level electrode.
• a low-level sensor is provided to detect a zero-level of water in said reservoir by a sensor signal and in particular wherein the low-level detector comprises the mesh.
• such opening is provided with an air- permeable particle-tight closure, in particular a hydrophobic membrane.
• the water line providing water from the valve arrangement to the reservoir opens to the reservoir at a position that allows the mesh to be flushed by the water entering the reservoir. This allows to remove air bubbles that may be present on the mesh this flushing water stream when the reservoir is filled.
• a further aspect of the invention is a method for operating the device according to claim 12. Accordingly, upon a humidification request or a request for ad- iabatic cooling by water droplets, for example by a sensor signal that signals to the controller that the air in the compartment is below a humidity threshold, the reservoir is filled with water from the duct up to the fill- level by controlling the valve arrangement. After the fill-level has been reached the valve arrangement stops further water supply to the reservoir and the valve arrangement is continuously or regularly purged with water from the duct passing from the duct through the water lines leading from the duct to the valve arrangement and from there back to the duct, and that water droplets are generated from the water contained in the reservoir by vibratingly driving the mesh.
• Figure 1 shows schematically several compartments that are humidified or cooled by the device, system and method according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows schematically an embodiment of the device according to the invention . Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
• Figure 1 shows four compartments.
• Such compartments may be rooms of a building, such as office rooms or living rooms.
• the compartments may as well be display cabinets for food, terrariums, refrigerators or any other compartments that shall be humidified and/or cooled by adiabatic cooling which can be effected with a very fine mist of water droplets or in other words nebu- lized or atomized water as well.
• a water conduit 20 is shown that comes from a water source and leads to all rooms that shall be hu ⁇ midified.
• the water can be tap water or can preferably be demineralized water that may have been additionally treated by ozonisation or with UV light and/or may have been treated with silver ions.
• the water flows in the conduit 20 in direction of the arrow W.
• Humidification devices 1 are arranged in this conduit and are connected in series with the conduit as will be explained with regard to Figure 2 which shows an example for such a device. Accordingly, each device 1 has for series connection with the conduit an inlet connec ⁇ tion for water entering from the conduit and an outlet connection for water flowing out of the device back into the conduit.
• An electrical supply is as well connected to each device.
• the supply may be individual for each device or may be provided, as shown, by an electrical supply cable 22 that leads trough the compartments as well.
• the supply voltage for the devices is a low volt- age, so that the cable may in most countries be combined with the water supply line, since this low voltage is not dangerous.
• such a cable 22 may comprise electrical control lines that are connected to the controller of each device.
• a sensor 35 for humidity is preferably present in each compartment.
• the sensor 35 may be connected to the controller of each device 1 wirelessly, as shown in one of the compartments by an arrow directed from the sensor 35 to the device 1.
• the connection may be a Bluetooth connection.
• the sensor may be electrically con ⁇ nected to the cable 22 and may thus be in connection by wire with the controller of the corresponding device 1.
• the sensor 35 may as well be part of the device 1 as shown as an example in Figure 2.
• each compartment has a sensor 35 which is connected to the device 1 in the same compartment. It may as well be provided that one sensor is provided for two or more devices 1 which then are reacting to the same sensor signal or humidifi- cation request, respectively.
• Each device 1 has an outlet 12 for the nebulized water.
• nebulized the term “atomized” is used as well.
• droplets is here used for the very fine water drops that are generated by a vibrating mesh or membrane, respectively, with micro- holes. This technique is in particular known from medical nebulizers for inhalation purposes.
• a mesh with a large number of very fine holes is provided.
• On the one side of the mesh there is a liquid - in the present invention just water - and the holes are so fine that water will not pass the static mesh.
• tiny water droplets pass the mesh and exit on the other side of the mesh as a mist with a very small size of water droplets.
• FIG. 2 shows one of the devices 1 schematically in more detail.
• a duct 2 for letting water passing through the device 1 from an inlet connector 3 of the duct or device, respectively, to an outlet connector 4 of the duct or device is shown.
• the connectors for connecting the device 1 and thus the duct 2 to the water conduit 20 are just depicted schematically and with reference nu- merals 3 and 4. This can be standard water line connectors. Water will thus enter from conduit 20 under the pressure present in this conduit in direction W through connector 3 into duct 2 and the water will leave the duct into conduit 20 by connector 4. From the duct 2 a water line 6 connected to the duct 2 at an opening 16 thereof and leads to a valve arrangement 5 that is schematically shown only by a box.
• valve arrangement 5 is controlled by a control circuit of the device 1 which will be called con- troller 25.
• This can be a control circuit based on a micro-computer well known to the skilled person.
• the controller 25 as well as the other components of device 1 which need electrical supply energy are supplied by electrical lines 22 already mentioned. If outside control signals are to be processed which enter via control lines 22' this will be done by controller 25 as well.
• the controller may thus receive signals from sensor 35 or may receive such sensors wirelessly as mentioned above.
• the controller 25 is connected to a wireless receiver of device 1 not shown in this embodiment.
• the controller controls as well the activation and deactivation of the droplet generator 10 which includes mesh 11 that provides the droplet outlet 12 of the device 1.
• the mesh 11 forms a part of the reservoir 9 such that water contained in the reservoir will be nebulized and will leave the device 1 at the outlet side 12 of the mesh.
• Reservoir 9 is filled by controlling valve arrangement 5 via controller 25 such that the valve ar- rangement 5 connects water line 6 with water line 8 while the valve arrangement blocks water line 7.
• Water from duct 2 supplied from conduit 20 is thus filled into reservoir 9.
• line 8 leads into reservoir 9 near the mesh 11 so that the mesh surface is flushed by water entering the reservoir via line 8.
• Filling is only allowed up to an upper fill-level F which is shown with a dotted line in the drawing.
• at least one fill sensor is provided that may preferably comprise a lower electrode and an upper electrode such that reaching the upper fill-level can be detected by a resistance measurement. When water is present between lower and upper fill-level electrodes the resistance measurement will give a lower value than without water connecting the electrodes.
• the lower electrode is provided by the mesh 11 itself which is at least partly electrically conductive so that it may serve as a fill-level electrode.
• the upper electrode 15 is a metal part within reservoir 9. Both electrodes 11, 15 are connected to controller 25 which effects the re- sistance measurement and can thus detect when the maximum fill-level has been reached.
• An intermediary electrode 18 may be provided as well. This electrode 18 is as well used by controller 25 to measure resistance between lower electrode 11 and electrode 18.
• controller 25 When the water has reached the maximum fill- level F in reservoir 9 controller 25 will control valve arrangement 5 to disconnect water line 8 from water line 6 and thus no further water will enter the reservoir.
• Controller 25 will then activate the droplet generator 10 which will vibrate mesh 11 so that a mist of water will leave device 1 at outlet 12.
• the air in the respec- tive compartment will be provided with extremely fine water droplets that will evaporate in the air of the compartment.
• the compartment will be humidified and cooled.
• controller 25 still receives a message by sensor 35 that the controller interprets as a signal that even more humidification is needed.
• the filled up reser ⁇ voir will then be emptied by nebulizing its content as well.
• reservoir 9 When the reservoir has been emptied and there is no need for further humidification, the reservoir will be left empty of water until a new request for humidifi- cation is recognised by controller 25. In this case the reservoir will be filled and nebulizing will start again. It is a preferred mode of operation of the device 1 that reservoir 9 is kept empty when no actual humidification is needed. In this way there is no or almost no residual water in the reservoir 9 and thus there are no concerns over the hygienic properties of the water.
• the controller 25 controls valve arrangement 5 such that water line 6 - which is no longer connected to water line 8 and the reservoir, respectively - is then connected to water line 7 so that water entering water line 6, the valve arrangement 5 and then water line 7 exits the device via duct 2 and flows to conduit 20 connected to outflow connector .
• the lines 6 and 7 and the valve arrangement are cleaned all the time - ex- cept when the reservoir 9 is filled - with fresh water from the conduit 20 entering at inflow connector 3. This as well removes any concerns about residual water standing in lines 6 and 7 and in the valve arrangement.
• a main controller not shown may trigger a filling of reservoir 9 and nebulization as well for example over signal lines 22' connected to each device. This may be the case if the whole system with all devices 1 shall be activated for a functional control.
• Reservoir 9 is preferably provided with a pressure equalization opening 19 that is provided at the reservoir away from the mesh 11 and above the maximum fill-level. This opening 19 will protect the mesh 11 from overpressure during filling and will avoid at any time that water pressure in the reservoir becomes too high.
• the opening 19 may be closed by an air-permeable parti- cle-tight closure, in particular a hydrophobic membrane to avoid any contamination of the reservoir.
• the duct 2 preferably comprises a throttle 23 to make sure that there will always be a flow through lines 6, 7 and the valve arrangement when and while this valve arrangement connects lines 6 and 7 bypassing the duct 2.
• the throttle can be formed by any throttling means known to the skilled person, for example by a section of said duct 2 with a lesser diameter.
• Reservoir 9 is shaped such that all the water contained therein will be nebulized. Depending on the mounting of the device on a wall or on a ceiling of the compartment the reservoir may have a different shape so make sure that the reservoir can be emptied totally.
• a humidification device wherein water is nebulized by a vibrating mesh with very small holes.
• the mesh is part of a reservoir which is fed by a valve arrangement which allows to direct water from a conduit over several water lines within the device either back to the conduit or into the reservoir.
• the device and a system with such devices allow to humidify and/or cool compartments such as rooms with a very fine mist of water which is hardly visually detectable.
• the system and device is adapted to be part of a permanent installation with low maintenance.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Air Humidification (AREA)

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Citations (4)

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• 2014
  • 2014-10-01 EP EP14003395.2A patent/EP3002524B1/en active Active
• 2015
  • 2015-09-28 WO PCT/CH2015/000143 patent/WO2016049785A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2015-09-28 RU RU2017114970A patent/RU2688297C2/ru active
  • 2015-09-28 US US15/506,148 patent/US10508820B2/en active Active
  • 2015-09-28 CN CN201580051011.5A patent/CN107076442A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-09-28 JP JP2017517720A patent/JP6649374B2/ja active Active
  • 2015-09-28 CA CA2963317A patent/CA2963317C/en active Active
  • 2015-09-28 CN CN202310581832.6A patent/CN116592443A/zh active Pending
  • 2015-09-28 KR KR1020177008633A patent/KR102165109B1/ko active Active

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