Humidification of ventilator gases

A system for humidifying ventilator air, comprising:

• a chamber, a base, a central cylinder and a helical inclining plane, comprising:
• wherein the chamber comprises an air inlet for receiving air from an air source, an air outlet for releasing humidified air, and an inner wall;
• wherein the base comprises an inner surface, the inner surface and the inner wall forming a sealed space capable of holding water and air;
• wherein the central cylinder comprises a bottom and a side, the bottom attaching to the inner surface of the base;
• wherein the helical inclining plane comprises a helical center, an inner edge and an outer edge, the central cylinder passing through the helical inclining plane at the helical center;
• the inner edge attaching to the side of the central cylinder;
• wherein the outer edge of the helical inclining plane engages with the inner wall of the chamber to form a helical inclining tunnel, a lower end of the tunnel opening towards the air inlet and a upper end of the tunnel opening towards the air outlet;
• and
• a transparent or semi-transparent polymer-based heating sleeve or sheet for the insulation of a tube for delivering heated and humidified gas to a subject, comprising:
• a self-regulated and self-limiting heater,
• wherein the tube is enveloped by the transparent heating sleeve,
• wherein the heating sleeve or sheet is configured to maintain relative humidity, absolute humidity, and gas temperature within the tube,
• wherein the tube comprises inspiratory or expiratory limbs or ports connected to a mechanical ventilator providing gas to the subject, and
• wherein the heating sleeve or sheet comprises two opposing, generally U-shaped and interlocked heating elements with electrical contacts on a same end of the heating sleeve or sheet.

A method for heating and humidifying ventilator air, comprising providing a chamber, a base, a central cylinder, a helical inclining plane, and a tube comprising:

• providing the chamber which comprises an air inlet for receiving air from an air source, an air outlet for releasing humidified air, and an inner wall;
• wherein the base comprises an inner surface, the inner surface and the inner wall forming a sealed space capable of holding water and air, wherein the base is a metal heat plate;
• wherein the central cylinder comprises a bottom and a side, the bottom attaching to the inner surface of the base;
• wherein the helical inclining plane comprises a helical center, an inner edge and an outer edge, the central cylinder passing through the helical inclining plane at the helical center;
• the inner edge attaching to the side of the central cylinder;
• wherein the outer edge of the helical inclining plane engages with the inner wall of the chamber to form a helical inclining tunnel, a lower end of the tunnel opening towards the air inlet and a upper end of the tunnel opening towards the air outlet;
• and
• surrounding at least partially the tube with a transparent or semi-transparent polymer-based heating sleeve or sheet for insulation of the tube for delivering heated and humidified gas to a subject, the heating sleeve or sheet comprising:
• a self-regulated and self-limiting heater;
• wherein the tube is enveloped by the transparent heating sleeve;
• wherein the heating sleeve or sheet is configured to maintain relative humidity, absolute humidity, and gas temperature within the tube;
• wherein the tube comprises inspiratory or expiratory limbs or ports connected to a mechanical ventilator providing gas to the subject;
• and
• wherein the heating sleeve or sheet comprises two opposing, generally U-shaped and interlocked heating elements with electrical contacts on a same end of the heating sleeve or sheet.