US1970234A - Means for and method of humidifying air - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 14, 1934. Q U 1,970,234

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF HUMIDIFYING AIR Filed May 29, 1930 5 25 o o t Patented Aug. 14, I934 MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF HUMIDIF'YING AIR Lyman C. Hufi, Winnetka, Ill.

Application May 29, 1930, Serial No. 457,070

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a means and method of humidifying the air within a room and refers specifically to a means and method of circulating air in contact with the passage of a thin film of liquid over a surface to secure the evaporation of a substantial por- .tion of said liquid, which evaporated liquid is carried away in entrainment by the circulating air.

The utility, objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the accompanying drawing and following detailed description.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the humidifying apparatus utilized in my invention. i

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating a slight modification of the controlling-means utilized in connection with my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 indicates a housing which may, if desired, be rectangular in cross-section or may take any suitable form. The housing 1 may be provided with end walls 2 26 and side walls 3. The walls 3 may be perforated 'or apertured at their lower portions as shown at 4, said apertures taking ornamental forms or shapes if desired. The upper portions of the walls 3 may also be apertured as shown at 5. The $0 purpose of apertures 4 and 5 will be hereinafter more fully described. The housing 1 may be provided with a removable closure 6 which, if desired, may also be provided with openings 7. An element 8 may be disposed within housing 1 and may be of hollow construction. The side walls 9 of element 8 may be corrugated or extended to provide a maximum outer surface. The element 8 may be provided with a base 10 of suitable construction and in vertical section said element may taper upwardly more or less in the form of a cone. Said element may be provided with an inlet pipe 11 for hot liquid, the flow of said liquid being controlled by a valve 12, the element 8 being connected, if desired, in series with a conventional hot water system, the

return from said element being shown at 13.

A tank 14 may be mounted upon the upper portion of element 8 and may be connected there to in any suitable manner, for instance by a supporting bracket 15. A water pipe 16 controlled by valve 17 may connect into tank 14 and may be provided within said tank with a float-actuated valve 18. The tank 14 is adapted to contain a constant quantity of liquid, the level of said liquid being controlled by a float 19, which in turn is connected to valve 18 by lever arm 20. If desired, a quantity of liquid may be withdrawn from the interior of element 8 through pipe 21 which connects thereinto. The opposite end of pipe 21 may be connected to pipe 16, and by the suitable manipulation of valve '22 interposed in pipe 21 and valve 17 in pipe 16, the temperature of the liquid introduced to tank 14. may be readily controlled. If cold water is found desirable in tank 14, valve 22 may be closed and valve 17 opened, and if hot water is desired in tank 14 the position of the valves may be reversed, or the -water introduced to tank 14 may comprise a suitable controlled mixture of hot and cold water taken respectively through pipes 21 and 16'. 7

Tank 14 may be provided with outlet pipes 23 which may-connect into valves 24, which valves are adapted to control the flow of liquid through pipes 25 which may be disposed immediately above the upper surface of element 8. In this manner a controllable stream of water or other liquid may be passed to the upper surface of element 8 and may flow in the form of a film downwardly along each corrugated side 9 of said element. 0

The base 10 of element 8 may be disposed within a pan 26 which may be adapted-to collect that portion of the liquid which passes over the surface 9 of element 8 and which has not evaporated. The accumulation of liquid in the pan 26 may be withdrawn through outlet pipe 27.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, a slight modification of the method of humidity control is shown and may comprise a housing 1 provided with a removable closure 6' adapted to enclose an element 8 similar in construction to element 8. Element 8 maybe provided with inlet pipe 11 controlled by a valve 12 and also with an outlet 13. Element 8 may be disposed within pan 26', similar in construction to pan 26. I

A pipe, 28 may be positioned within housing 1' and may be provided with outlets 29 and 30, between which may be interposed valve 31. Pipe 28 may be connected exteriorly of housing 1 to branch pipe 32, which in turn may be provided with a valve 33. Valve 33 may comprise a suitable housing 34, the upper portion of which may be provided with an outwardly extending lug 35. A bar 36 may be pivotally mounted at one end to the end of lug 35 and may carry intermediate its 1 length a plunger 37, the vertical motion of which is adapted to control the flow of liquid through pipe32. The opposite end of bar 36 may be connected to the cord 38 which may be anchored in any suitable manner, for instance as shown at weight 40.

39. The cord 38 may be constructed of a material which is sensitive to changes in humidity, such as raw hide, catgut, or the like. It can readily be seen that by this construction, changes in 5 humidity in the room in which valve 33 is disposed will change the efiective length of cord 38, and hence move plunger 37 upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be. If raw hide or catgut is used, as the humidity of the room inl creases, the cord 38 will be elongated and hence will permit bar 36 to descend, thereby depressing plunger 37, decreasing the quantity of water permitted to pass through pipe 32- and hence decreasing the quantity of water which may be per-.

mitted to pass over element 8". When the humidity of the room decreases, the effective length of cord 38 will be shortened and plunger 37 will be drawn upwardly, thereby permitting a greater quantity of liquid to pass through pipe 32 and hence pass over element 8'. .To control the operation of valve 33,v the bar 36 may be provided with alongitudinally slidable counter- In carrying out my invention a suitable quantity of liquid may be introduced to tank 14, said quantity being controlled by the position of float l9 operatively connected to valve 18. Valves 24 may be manipulated to permit the discharge of a desirable quantity of liquid from tank 14 to the upper surface of element 8. As the liquidpasses from discharge pipes 25 and passes downwardly over the surfaces 9 of element 8, it takes the form of a thin film, which when passing downwardly over said surfaces contacts an ascending stream '35 of air which may be introduced into ho ing 1 4 through the openings 4, the air being caused to ascend due to the same coming into contact with the hot surfaces of element 8., In so doing a portion 'of the liquid film passing downwardly 40 over the surfaces 9 may, be evaporated and the evaporated liquid will be carried upwardly in entrainment with the ascending air and will be dis-' charged through the openings 5 in theupper por tion of walls 3 and through openings '7 in 010- sure6. I l i It will be readily seen that my invention provides a very efiective means and method of evaporating water. The thin film of water descending over the corrugated sides of the els a .50 ment 8 is continually broken up, exposing fresh parts to the rising columns of-air as itfiows over said surfaces. In this manner, evaporation of the water readily takes placeleven when the surface of element 8 is not hot. It therefore humidiresisting oxidation,-or if desired,. can be con-' 69 structed entirely of cast iron, chrome fiickel steel,

or other suitable material.

It is to beunderstood, ofcourse, thatI do not wish to be limited to the particular type of heating system with which my invention may be utilized, since it can be used as effectively with steam, vapor, or hot air heat, it can with a hot water heating system.

I am aware that many modifications, both in 70 details of construction and in method of opera- Prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A method of humidifying air, which comprises passing a quantity of air countercurrent to the fiow of an unconfined continuous thin film of liquidthereby evaporating a substantial portion of said liquid and carrying said evaporated liquid in entrainment in said air.

2. A method of humidifying the air of a room, which comprises passing a quantity of,li'quid over a relatively hot surface of extended area, in the form of a continuous thin film without substantial body, controlling the quantity of liquid so passed by the humidity of said room, passing a quantity of air countercurrent to said liquid film and evaporating a substantial portion of said liquid, said evaporated liquid being carried in entrainment in said air, and passing said humidified air into said room.

3. A method of humidifying the air of a room, which comprises passing a quantity of liquid over a surface of extended'area, in the form of a continuous unconfined thin film, maintaining said in a continuous state during portions of its travel by cohesion, controlling the quantity of liquid so passed by the humidity of said room, 0 passing a quantity of air countercurrent to said liquid film and evaporating a substantial portion of said liquid, said evaporated liquid being carried in entrainment in said air, and passing said humidified air into said room.

4. A method of humidiiying air, which comprises, passing a quantity ofair countercurrent to the flow of a thin, surface contacting continuousfilm of liquid, restricting the passage of the air adjacent the thin film of liquid thereby evaporating asubstantial portion of said liquid and carrying said evaporated liquid in entrainment in said air. q

5. A humidifier comprising in combination, an element having extended surfaces, means for pass- 115. ing anunconfined continuous thin film of liquid over said element, means for passing a quantity of-air countercurrent to the flow of said film and means forregulating the -fiow pf liquid. 7

- 6. A humidifier comprising in combination, an

element having corrugated surfaces, means for passing a, continuous thin film of liquid of extended area in contact with said element, means for passing a quantity of'air copntercurrent to said film and contiguous with said film and means .1

for regulating the flow of liquid.

7. A humidifier comprising in combination, an

element having curvilinear downwardly extending surfaces, means for passing a controlled quantity of liquid in the form of a continuous film in contact with said surfaces, means for passing a quantity of air countercurrent to said passage of 1 liquid, means at the lower end of said element for collecting a portion of the liquid which has passed over said surfaces, and means for removing said collected liquid. r

8. A method of humidifying air which comprises, passing a controlled quantity of liquid downwardly over a surface, maintaining the liquid 1 in the form of a continuous film in contact with said surface by cohesion during its passage, passing a quantity of air countercurrent to said liquid and evaporating a substantial portion of said liquid, said evaporated liquid being carried in entrainment in said air.

9. A method of -humidifyingeair, which comprises passing a controlled quantity of liquidover' a surface of extended mam the'form of a 'continuous thin unconfined film, passing a quantity of air countercurrent to said liquid film and evaporating a substantial portion thereof, said evaporated liquid being carried in entrainment in said air.

10. A method of humiditying air, which comprises passing a controlled quantity of liquid over a relatively hot surface, in the form of a con- LYMAN C. HUFF.

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