Passive vapor deposition system and method

A method for depositing an air/vapor mixture onto a reimageable surface of a rotating imaging member useful for printing with an ink-based digital image forming apparatus, comprising:

• delivering air from an air source towards the reimageable surface of an imaging member via an air supply channel, the air supply channel defining an air supply channel interior in communication with the air source, the air supply channel descending towards the imaging member;
• providing an air supply channel outlet adjacent the reimageable surface to enable fluid communication between the air supply channel interior and the reimageable surface of the imaging member;
• generating dampening fluid vapor by a vapor generation system adjacent the air supply channel and in fluid communication with a dampening fluid supply, the vapor generation system including a vapor channel having a vapor channel outlet, the vapor channel defining a vapor channel interior in communication with the air in the air supply channel interior from the air source, the vapor generation system configured to receive dampening fluid from the dampening fluid supply and produce dampening fluid vapor from the received dampening fluid;
• mixing the dampening fluid vapor with the air from the air source to form an air/vapor mix;
• and
• confining the air/vapor mix to a condensation region adjacent the reimageable surface with a vapor flow restriction border attached to the vapor channel, the confined air/vapor mix condensing to a layer of liquid dampening fluid on the reimageable surface at the condensation region.

A dampening fluid deposition system useful for printing with an ink-based digital image forming apparatus having a rotating imaging member with a reimageable surface, the system comprising:

• an air supply channel defining an air supply channel interior in communication with an air source, the air supply channel descending towards the imaging member, the air supply channel being configured to deliver air from the air source towards the reimageable surface of the imaging member;
• an air supply channel outlet configured to enable the air supply channel interior to communicate with the reimageable surface of the imaging member;
• an air flow restriction border defining an air flow channel with the reimageable surface of the imaging member, the air flow restriction border configured to confine the air provided from the air supply channel outlet to an air flow channel over the reimageable surface;
• a vapor generation system adjacent the air supply channel and in fluid communication with a dampening fluid supply, the vapor generation system including a vapor channel having a vapor channel outlet, the vapor channel coupled to the air flow restriction border downstream the air supply channel in a rotating direction of the imaging member, the vapor channel defining a vapor channel interior in communication with the air in the air supply channel interior from the air source, the vapor generation system configured to receive dampening fluid from the dampening fluid supply and produce dampening fluid vapor from the received dampening fluid;
• a vapor flow restriction border attached to the vapor channel and defining a condensation region with the reimageable surface of the imaging member;
• and
• a low pressure region defined by the vapor channel, the air flow restriction border, the vapor flow restriction boarder and the imaging member,
• wherein the dampening fluid vapor is mixed with the air from the air source to form an air/vapor mix, and the vapor flow restriction border is configured to confine the air/vapor mix to the condensation region to support forming the layer of dampening fluid on the reimageable surface via condensation of the air/vapor mix over the reimageable surface.