Method for producing a humidifier block for a humidifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9847539-B2
Application number	US-201515516380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A humidifier block and a method for producing a humidifier block are disclosed. The humidifier block may include a plurality of membranes each having a cavity for passing a through-flow and a jacket surrounding the cavity in a circumferential direction. The jacket may be moisture-permeable. At least one strip-shaped carrier may be fitted with the plurality of membranes, and the plurality of membranes may arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel to one another and adjacent to one another on the at least one carrier. The at least one carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes may be shaped into the humidifier block such that the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent to one another in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and adjacent in a height direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and transversely to the transverse direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a humidifier block for a humidifier, comprising:
providing a plurality of membranes, the plurality of membranes each having a cavity for passing a through-flow and a jacket surrounding the cavity in a circumferential direction, wherein the jacket is moisture-permeable;
fitting at least one strip-shaped carrier with the plurality of membranes;
arranging the plurality of membranes in a longitudinal direction parallel to one another and adjacent to one another on the at least one carrier;
shaping the at least one carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes into a block such that the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent to one another in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and adjacent in a height direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and transversely to the transverse direction;
folding the at least one carrier with the plurality of membranes transversely to the longitudinal direction;
wherein the at least one carrier has a first region in the transverse direction fitted with the plurality of membranes and an adjacent second region running in the transverse direction free of membranes, and wherein the at least one carrier is folded with a later fold arranged in the adjacent second region.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising fixing the plurality of membranes on the at least one carrier.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of membranes are arranged in an adjacent manner in the transverse direction on a carrier side of the at least one carrier.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one carrier is fitted with at least one membrane on a first carrier side and at least one membrane on a second carrier side facing away from the first carrier side.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one carrier includes at least two carriers fitted with the plurality of membranes and arranged spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising arranging at least one further carrier on the plurality of membranes after fitting the at least one carrier with the plurality of membranes.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising separating the at least one carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes after shaping the at least one carrier into the block.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein at least two of the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent in the transverse direction on a carrier side.

9. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one carrier is fitted with at least one membrane on a first carrier side and at least one other membrane on a second side facing away from the first side.

10. A humidifier block for a humidifier, comprising:
a plurality of membranes each having a cavity for passing a through-flow and a jacket surrounding the cavity in a circumferential direction, wherein the jacket is moisture-permeable;
at least one strip-shaped carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes, the plurality of membranes arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel to one another and adjacent to one another on the at least one carrier;
the at least one carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes is shaped as a block such that the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent to one another in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and adjacent in a height direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and transversely to the transverse direction;
the at least one carrier with the plurality of membranes is folded transversely to the longitudinal direction; and
wherein the at least one carrier has a first region in the transverse direction fitted with the plurality of membranes and an adjacent second region running in the transverse direction free of membranes, and wherein the at least one carrier a fold arranged in the adjacent second region.

11. The humidifier block according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one carrier includes an adhesive for fastening the plurality of membranes.

12. The humidifier block according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of membranes define a first channel system for communicating a flow of a first gas, and wherein an intermediate space between the plurality of membranes define a second channel system for communicating a flow of a second gas, the second channel system separated from the first channel system.

13. The humidifier block according to claim 10 , wherein at least two of the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent in the transverse direction on a carrier side of the at least one carrier.

14. The humidifier block according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one carrier includes at least two carriers fitted with the plurality of membranes.

15. A humidifier for humidifying a gas, comprising:
a humidifier block, the humidifier block including:
a plurality of membranes each having a cavity for passing a through-flow and a jacket surrounding the cavity in a circumferential direction, wherein the jacket is moisture-permeable;
at least one strip-shaped carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes, the plurality of membranes arranged in a longitudinal direction parallel to one another and adjacent to one another on the at least one carrier;
the at least one carrier fitted with the plurality of membranes is shaped as a block such that the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent to one another in a transverse direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and adjacent in a height direction running transversely to the longitudinal direction and transversely to the transverse direction;
the at least one carrier with the plurality of membranes is folded transversely to the longitudinal direction; and
wherein the at least one carrier has a first region in the transverse direction fitted with the plurality of membranes and an adjacent second region running in the transverse direction free of membranes, and wherein the at least one carrier a fold arranged in the adjacent second region.

16. The humidifier according to claim 15 , the at least one carrier includes an adhesive for fastening the plurality of membranes.

17. The humidifier according to claim 15 , further comprising a holder for holding the humidifier block, wherein the holder at least partially encompasses the humidifier block.

18. The humidifier according to claim 17 , wherein the holder is arranged at least partially adjacent to the at least one carrier.

19. The humidifier according to claim 15 , wherein:
the plurality of membranes define a first channel system for communicating a flow of a first gas; and
an intermediate space between the plurality of membranes define a second channel system separated from the first channel system in a gas-tight manner for communicating a flow of a second gas.

20. The humidifier according to claim 15 , wherein at least two of the plurality of membranes are arranged adjacent in the transverse direction on a carrier side of the at least one carrier.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Bauer Swen-Juri
• Knauss Ruediger
• Martinez Samuel
• Radlovic Aleksandar

Classifications

• B01D63/02

  Hollow fibre modules · CPC title

• H01M8/04141 Primary

  by water containing exhaust gases · CPC title

• H01M8/04149

  by diffusion, e.g. making use of membranes · CPC title

• B01D53/22

  by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00) · CPC title

• B01D63/021

  Manufacturing thereof · CPC title