U.S. patent application number 12/665181 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-30 for electrode humidifier.
Invention is credited to Stanley Clemens Deutschmann.
Application Number | 20100247083 12/665181 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40156984 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100247083 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Deutschmann; Stanley
Clemens |
September 30, 2010 |
ELECTRODE HUMIDIFIER
Abstract
An electrode humidifier has the key characteristic that its
electrodes are continuously wiped during operation of the
humidifier generating steam by wiper blades. The wiper blades may
rotate continuously, mounted on a shaft, wiping electrodes in the
form of circular discs so as to wipe the whole surfaces of the
electrodes or the blades may reciprocate angularly wiping on the
electrodes. A linear actuator for linear reciprocation may be used
for a boiler bottle type of humidifier.
Inventors: |
Deutschmann; Stanley Clemens;
(Brummeria, ZA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Family ID: |
40156984 |
Appl. No.: |
12/665181 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
June 5, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/ZA2008/000045 |
371 Date: |
June 3, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
392/386 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F22B 1/306 20130101;
F24F 6/18 20130101; F22B 1/285 20130101; F24F 6/025 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
392/386 |
International
Class: |
F24F 6/02 20060101
F24F006/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 18, 2007 |
ZA |
P2007/4597 |
Sep 5, 2007 |
ZA |
P2007/7632 |
Claims
1. An electrode humidifier characterized in that the electrodes are
engaged by wiper means and a relative motion between the electrodes
and the wiper means is continuously or continually applied during
operation of the humidifier, and in which the wiper means, in the
form of blades, are moved in a rotational movement, mounted on a
shaft which is driven rotationally.
2. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, in which the
electrodes are stationary and the wiper means is moved, with
electrical connections provided to the electrodes which are located
in the steam tank in which water is contained for production of
steam.
3. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, in which the
wiper means operates also on other scale collecting surfaces.
4. (canceled)
5. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, in which the
electrodes are in a form of a circular disc dimensioned so that the
wiper blades move rotationally over the whole electrode
surface.
6. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, which includes a
rectangular tank with electrodes depending from the roof of the
tank, a horizontal shaft extending across the tank and carrying
wiper blades arranged to wipe the operative surfaces of the
electrodes, the shaft passing through the tank wall at one end to
be driven by a suitably geared electric motor.
7. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, which is made
with provision of four electrodes and adapted to be powered as a
single phase device or a three phase device by arranging the
electrical connections to the electrodes accordingly.
8. (canceled)
9. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, which is applied
to a steamer bottle which has a generally hollow upright
cylindrical shape with linear electrodes depending from the top of
the bottle.
10. (canceled)
11. An electrode humidifier as claimed in claim 1, which includes a
rectangular tank with electrodes depending from the roof of the
tank, a horizontal shaft extending across the tank and carrying
wiper blades arranged to wipe the operative surfaces of the
electrodes, the shaft passing through the tank wall at one end to
be driven by a suitably geared electric motor.
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention lies in the field of electrode humidifiers or
"electrode boilers", at the heart of which is the "boiler",
"bottle" or "steam tank", the purpose of which is to supply steam
to a space and which find many applications. For example,
application to computer rooms (to control static electricity build
up), operating theatres, offices, shops, product processing plant,
holding containers, storage facilities, and other environments and
for humans where health considerations apply. The invention also
applies to any other equipment where scale is deposited on a
process surface, for example industrial electrode boilers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Electrode humidifiers may be both single phase and three
phase with electrodes immersed in water and generally operate by
controlling the level of water into which electrodes are partially
or fully immersed in order to control the rate of steam production.
A problem inherent in humidifiers is scale build up and other
deposits of solids due to the boiling away as steam and a purging
cycle is commonly resorted to. Periodic shut down and scraping and
cleaning off of scale is generally required despite purging.
Attempts at solving these problems have included chemical
treatment, e.g. to convert sodium chloride ions to sodium sulphate,
magnetic treatments of the water and electronic pulsing at selected
frequencies. However, all of these efforts have not fully solved
the problems mentioned above with resulting cost and inefficiency
consequences.
THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention provides an electrode humidifier
characterized in that the electrodes are engaged by wiper means and
a relative motion between the electrodes and the wiper means is
continuously or continually applied during operation of the
humidifier. The continuous action continues without interruption
and the continual action is very frequent without cessation.
[0004] With the electrodes stationary and the wiper means moved,
this simplifies the electrical connections to the electrodes which
are located in the steam tank in which water is contained for
production of steam.
[0005] The wiper means may further operate on other scale
collecting surfaces.
[0006] The wiper means, which may be in the form of blades, are
preferably moved in a rotational movement, as this allows them to
be mounted on a shaft which can easily be driven rotationally. The
electrodes are preferably in a form of a circular disc so that the
wiper blades move rotationally over the whole electrode surface
with a suitable rotational speed.
[0007] If it is the electrodes that are moved, they would again
preferably be in a form of circular discs with the stationary wiper
blades acting against them. The wiper blades are fixed on an
insulating mounting between the electrodes.
[0008] A preferred general construction of a humidifier according
to this preferred embodiment of the invention is a rectangular tank
with electrodes depending from the roof of the tank, a horizontal
shaft extending across the tank and carrying wiper blades arranged
to wipe the operative surfaces of the electrodes, the shaft passing
through the tank wall at one end to be driven by a suitable means,
for example a suitably geared electric motor. A side water inlet,
upper steam outlet and a bottom drain are provided. Two, three or
four electrodes are provided for single phase electrical supply and
four electrodes for three phase supply. A humidifier made with
provision of four electrodes can conveniently be powered as a
single phase device or a three phase device by arranging the
electrical connections to the electrodes accordingly. It is found
convenient to make at least part of the tank with transparent walls
and/or roof to allow observing the operation and the conditions in
the humidifier, as an optional feature.
[0009] The relative motion between the electrodes and the wiper
means may in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the
invention be continuously applied during operation of the
humidifier by a linear actuator means. The linear actuator means
must preferably provide an axial movement that oscillates back and
forth.
[0010] The embodiment of the invention that uses reciprocating
linear movement allows application to a steamer bottle which has a
generally hollow upright cylindrical shape with linear electrodes
depending from the top of the bottle.
[0011] The water level may be controlled to rise no higher than
just below the shaft in order to avoid scale and other deposits
building up on the shaft, however, although this was adopted in a
prototype it will not be followed in further models.
[0012] It is found that continuously wiping the electrode surfaces
removes deposits before they become hardened and strongly attached
to the electrode surfaces, as occurs with present humidifiers.
[0013] An inlet, outlet and a bottom water drain are provided.
Means to prevent back siphoning are preferably added and are
mandatory in some jurisdictions. Three electrodes are provided for
three phase electrical supply.
[0014] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention the
electrodes are in a form of discs describing an arc of a circle and
the wiper blades reciprocate angularly over the electrodes, in a
motion much like a motor car windscreen wiper. This could be
provided in a humidifier having the further characteristics
described above with reference to the continuously rotating wiper
blades.
THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The invention is more fully described byway of example with
reference to the drawings, in which:--
[0016] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the humidifier in simplified
illustration,
[0017] FIG. 2 is an end view of the humidifier steam generating
tank,
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tank,
[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the top lid of the tank,
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the lid,
[0021] FIG. 6 is a plan view on the lid,
[0022] FIG. 7 is a series of views in orthogonal projection of the
bracket,
[0023] FIG. 8 is a series of views showing the motor shaft and
clip,
[0024] FIG. 9 is a series of views of the shaft bearing
bracket,
[0025] FIG. 10 is an isometric "exploded" view of a humidifier
bottle,
[0026] FIG. 11 is a plan view of the humidifier bottle electrodes
and wipers.
THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the electrode humidifier 1 has four
electrodes 2, 3, 4 and 5, which are engaged by wiper blades 6, 7
and 8, which are continuously rotated during steam production. The
wiper blades are mounted for this purpose on a shaft 9 which is
turned by a motor 10. The tank has an outlet 11 for steam, an inlet
12 for water and a drain 13. The electrodes are connected to a
three phase supply at connection points 14, 15, 16 and 17, points
14 and 17 connected to phase #1, point 15 to phase #2 and point 16
to phase #3.
[0028] Having the electrodes stationary and the wiper means rotated
simplifies the electrical connections to the electrodes as shown,
the steam tank contains the water for production of steam and the
water level 18 controlled, for example kept above the water inlet
and below the shaft. A triac can be used to vary the voltage
applied to the electrodes, the water level may be kept constant and
may be a lot higher than shown in this example.
[0029] The wiper blades are made of selected material, for example
silicon rubber, which endures the temperature in the tank and wipe
the deposits continuously off the electrodes, which may be made of
stainless steel, for example.
[0030] The humidifier has a rectangular tank having a base 19,
sides 20, 21, 22 and 23 and a roof or lid 24, with the electrodes
depending from the roof of the tank. The horizontal shaft extends
across the tank carrying the wiper blades, the shaft passing
through a sealed hole 25 that incorporates seals in the tank wall
at one end to be driven by the suitably geared electric motor, the
other end of the shaft may be journalled in a bracket inside the
tank (not shown). The boiler tank can be made of transparent
material, for example at least the roof of the tank is made with
transparent material, e.g. polycarbonate to allow observing the
operation and conditions in the humidifier.
[0031] These are the main features of the humidifier, shown in this
simplified isometric drawing, it will be apparent to those skilled
in this art that various dimensional and other modifications can be
made within the scope of the invention.
[0032] FIGS. 2 to 9 show various components of a particular design
for implementing the invention, as a guide the same reference
numerals are used as were used in FIG. 1 to indicate the
corresponding parts. In FIG. 4 slots and holes 26, 27, 28 and 29
are indicated for the electrodes and connection points 2, 3, 4 and
5 and 14, 15, 16 and 17 respectively.
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the electrode humidifier bottle
30 has three electrodes 31, 32 and 33, which are engaged by wipers
34, 35 and 36, which are continuously reciprocated linearly during
steam production. The wipers are mounted for this purpose on a
shaft 37 which is reciprocated by a linear actuator (not
shown).
[0034] The tank has an outlet for steam, an inlet for water and a
drain and other connections. The electrodes are connected to a
three phase supply.
[0035] Having the electrodes stationary and the wiper means
oscillated simplifies the electrical connections to the electrodes,
the steam tank contains the water for production of steam.
[0036] The wiper blades are made of selected material, for example
silicon rubber or a rather more abrasive material, which endures
the temperature in the tank and wipes the deposits continuously off
the electrodes, which may be made of stainless steel, for
example.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0037] 1 HUMIDIFIER [0038] 2 ELECTRODE [0039] 3 ELECTRODE [0040] 4
ELECTRODE [0041] 5 ELECTRODE [0042] 6 WIPER BLADE [0043] 7 WIPER
BLADE [0044] 8 WIPER BLADE [0045] 9 SHAFT [0046] 10 GEARED ELECTRIC
MOTOR [0047] 11 STEAM OUTLET [0048] 12 WATER INLET [0049] 13 DRAIN
[0050] 14 CONNECTION POINT [0051] 15 CONNECTION POINT [0052] 16
CONNECTION POINT [0053] 17 CONNECTION POINT [0054] 18 WATER LEVEL
IN USE [0055] 19 BASE [0056] 20 SIDE WALL [0057] 21 SIDE WALL
[0058] 22 SIDE WALL [0059] 23 SIDE WALL [0060] 24 LID [0061] 25
HOLE FOR SHAFT [0062] 26 SLOT AND HOLE [0063] 27 SLOT AND HOLE
[0064] 28 SLOT AND HOLE [0065] 29 SLOT AND HOLE [0066] 30
HUMIDIFIER [0067] 31 ELECTRODE [0068] 32 ELECTRODE [0069] 33
ELECTRODE [0070] 34 WIPER [0071] 35 WIPER [0072] 36 WIPER [0073] 37
SHAFT
* * * * *