Systems and methods for managing moisture for medical devices

A method for managing moisture for a medical device having a supply connection for receiving gas and a patient connection for supplying the gas to a patient, the method comprising:

• fluidly coupling a water trap to the primary conduct, the water trap having a water trap inlet, an outlet, a first reservoir, and a drain, the water trap inlet receiving the gas from the supply connection and the outlet returning the gas to the patient connection, wherein the water trap is configured to remove moisture from the gas flowing from the water trap inlet to the outlet, and wherein the moisture removed is held in the first reservoir;
• fluidly coupling an evaporation chamber to the drain of the water trap, the evaporation chamber having an evaporation inlet, an exhaust, and a second reservoir, wherein the evaporation inlet is fluidly coupled to the drain of the water trap to receive the moisture from the first reservoir, wherein the moisture is subsequently held in the second reservoir, and wherein the evaporation chamber is configured such that the moisture evaporates within the second reservoir and exits as vapor via the exhaust;
• and
• positioning an evaporator in proximity to the second reservoir such that the evaporator acts on the moisture within the second reservoir to increase a rate at which the moisture evaporates therefrom via the exhaust.

A moisture management system for a medical device having a supply connection for receiving gas and a patient connection for supplying the gas to a patient, the system comprising:

• a water trap having a water trap inlet, an outlet, a first reservoir, and a drain, the water trap inlet being coupled via a first water trap valve to the supply connection for receiving the gas therefrom, the outlet being coupled via a second water trap valve to the patient connection for supplying the gas thereto, wherein the first and second water trap valves are normally open, wherein the water trap is configured to remove moisture from the gas flowing from the water trap inlet to the outlet, and wherein the moisture removed is held in the first reservoir;
• an evaporation chamber having an evaporation inlet, an exhaust, and a second reservoir, wherein the evaporation inlet is fluidly coupled via a drain valve to the drain of the water trap to receive the moisture from the first reservoir, wherein the drain valve is normally closed, wherein the moisture is subsequently held in the second reservoir, and wherein the evaporation chamber is configured such that the moisture evaporates from the second reservoir and exits as vapor via the exhaust;
• a bypass valve that bypasses the water trap to fluidly couple the supply connection and the patient connection, wherein the bypass valve is normally closed;
• first and second level sensors positioned to detect when the moisture in the first and second reservoirs exceeds first and second thresholds, respectively;
• a fan that blows air across the moisture in the second reservoir to increase a rate of evaporation of the moisture from the evaporation chamber;
• a heater positioned in the second reservoir such that the heater warms the moisture therein to increase the rate of evaporation from the evaporation chamber;
• and
• a control system coupled to the first and second level sensors, the bypass valve, the first and second water trap valves, and the drain valve, wherein the control system causes the bypass valve to open, the first and second water trap valves to close, and the drain valve to open while the first level sensor detects that the moisture in the first reservoir exceeds the first threshold, and wherein the control system increases the power to the evaporator while the second level sensor detects that the moisture in the second reservoir exceeds the second threshold.