Mass transfer humidity generator

Abstract

A humidity generator having a cooling pipe that includes a cooling pipe inlet, a liquid chamber, and a cooling pipe outlet. An airflow path is defined between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet, such that during operation, air enters through the cooling pipe inlet, passes over water disposed in the liquid chamber, flows through the cooling pipe, and exits through the cooling pipe outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A humidity generator comprising:
 a cooling pipe that includes a cooling pipe inlet, a liquid chamber, and a cooling pipe outlet,   wherein an airflow path is defined between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet, such that air enters through the cooling pipe inlet, passes over water disposed in the liquid chamber, flows through the cooling pipe, and exits through the cooling pipe outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The humidity generator of  claim 1  wherein the cooling pipe inlet is defined in a sidewall of the cooling pipe at a location between the liquid chamber and the cooling pipe outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The humidity generator of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet tube that includes an air inlet and an inlet tube outflow opening, and
 an outlet tube that includes an outlet tube inflow opening and an air outlet, 
 wherein the inlet tube and the outlet tube extend from the cooling pipe, and 
 wherein the airflow path is defined between the air inlet and the air outlet, such that air enters through the air inlet, passes through the inlet tube outflow opening and the cooling pipe inlet, passes over water disposed in the liquid chamber, passes through the cooling pipe outlet and outlet tube inflow opening, and exits through the air outlet. 
 
     
     
         4 . The humidity generator of  claim 3  wherein the inlet and outlet tubes generally extend from the cooling pipe perpendicularly. 
     
     
         5 . The humidity generator of  claim 1  wherein the cooling pipe includes an interior surface, and
 wherein the humidity generator further comprises a cooling apparatus configured to cool the interior surface. 
 
     
     
         6 . The humidity generator of  claim 5  wherein the cooling pipe includes an exterior surface, and wherein the cooling apparatus is a cooling tube in contact with the exterior surface. 
     
     
         7 . The humidity generator of  claim 1  further comprising an air pressure generator for creating an air pressure differential between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The humidity generator of  claim 7  wherein the air pressure generator is a heat exchanger unit in fluid connection with the air inlet. 
     
     
         9 . The humidity generator of  claim 1  further comprising a water level controller for maintaining a predetermined volume of water within the liquid chamber. 
     
     
         10 . An environment chamber, the environment chamber comprising:
 a main body, and   a cooling pipe that includes a cooling pipe inlet, a liquid chamber, and a cooling pipe outlet,   wherein an airflow path is defined between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet, such that air enters through the cooling pipe inlet, passes over water disposed in the liquid chamber, flows through the cooling pipe, and exits through the cooling pipe outlet, and   wherein at least a portion of the airflow path is outside of the main body.   
     
     
         11 . The environment chamber of  claim 10  wherein the cooling pipe inlet is defined in a sidewall of the cooling pipe at a location between the liquid chamber and the cooling pipe outlet. 
     
     
         12 . The environment chamber of  claim 10  further comprising an inlet tube that includes an inlet and an inlet tube outflow opening, and
 an outlet tube that includes an outlet tube inflow opening and an air outlet, 
 wherein the inlet tube and the outlet tube extend from the cooling pipe, and 
 wherein the airflow path is defined between the air inlet and the air outlet, such that air enters through the air inlet, passes through the inlet tube outflow opening and the cooling pipe inlet, passes over water disposed in the liquid chamber, passes through the cooling pipe outlet and outlet tube inflow opening, and exits through the air outlet. 
 
     
     
         13 . The environment chamber of  claim 10  wherein the cooling pipe includes an interior surface, and
 wherein the environment chamber further comprises a cooling apparatus configured to cool the interior surface. 
 
     
     
         14 . The environment chamber of  claim 13  wherein the cooling pipe includes an exterior surface, and wherein the cooling apparatus is a cooling tube in contact with the exterior surface. 
     
     
         15 . The environment chamber of  claim 10  further comprising an air pressure generator for creating an air pressure differential between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The environment chamber of  claim 15  wherein the air pressure generator is a heat exchanger unit in fluid connection with the air inlet. 
     
     
         17 . A method for humidifying a first volume of air enclosed within a main body of an environment chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a volume of water into a cooling pipe having a cooling pipe inlet, a liquid chamber, and a cooling pipe outlet,   moving a portion of the first volume of air into the cooling pipe inlet and across the surface of the water, thereby generating a volume of humidified air, and   expelling the volume of humidified air through the cooling pipe outlet and into the main body of the environment chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of moving a portion of the first volume of air comprises moving the portion of the first volume of air through an air inlet of an air inlet tube, through an inlet tube outflow opening of the air inlet tube, through the cooling pipe inlet, and across the surface of the water, thereby generating a volume of humidified air, and
 wherein the step of expelling the volume of humidified air comprises expelling the volume of humidified air through the cooling pipe outlet, through the outlet tube inflow opening, out of the air outlet, and into the main body of the environment chamber. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of cooling an interior surface of the cooling pipe. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the step of cooling the interior surface comprises using a cooling tube in contact with an exterior surface of the cooling pipe. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the step of moving a portion of the first volume of air comprises applying air pressure to create an air pressure differential between the cooling pipe inlet and the cooling pipe outlet. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the step of moving a portion of the first volume of air comprises using a fan to push air through the cooling pipe inlet. 
     
     
         23 . The humidity generator of  claim 5  wherein the cooling pipe wherein the cooling apparatus is a cooling tube that extends through an interior of the cooling tube.