# US 2016/0123955 A1 · Systems and methods for an equilibrium wet bath

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2016/0123955 A1
- Document ID: US20160123955A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/932,637
- Filed: 2015-11-04
- Published: 2016-05-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-04
- Assignees: Alcotek, Inc.
- Applicants: Alcotek, Inc.
- Inventors: Karl R. Wolf, JR.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160123955A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/4972: {Determining alcohol content (for vehicle safety devices B60K28/06)}
- G01N 33/0006: {Calibrating gas analysers}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A wet standard calibration system which utilizes a heat conducting foam with the liquid therein to serve as a primary heating device to avoid the need to include mechanical agitation. The system is particularly useful for generating a vapor comprising water and ethanol which can be used for the calibration of breath alcohol testers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wet calibration system comprising:
a vessel;
a thermally conductive foam placed within said vessel so as to take up a portion of an internal volume of said vessel, a remaining portion of said volume not taken up by said foam comprising a headspace, said headspace including a gas;
a liquid mixture:
said liquid mixture including a solvent and a solute; and
said liquid mixture being in thermal contact with said thermally conductive foam; and
a heating element;
wherein, said heating element heats said thermally conductive foam;
wherein said thermally conductive foam heats said liquid mixture to a temperature; and
wherein heating of said liquid mixture generates a vapor in said headspace, said vapor having a concentration of solute relative to said temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a reticulated foam.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a metal foam.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive foam is an aluminum foam.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a copper foam.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said liquid is not within said headspace.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said liquid occupies less volume in said headspace than said foam occupies in said vessel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein all said liquid is within one half (½) the distance of the size of an interstitial opening in said foam from a surface of said foam.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said solute is ethanol and said solvent is water.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said gas is air.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The wet calibration system of claim 1 wherein said wet calibration system includes an exhaust vent.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The wet calibration system of claim 11 wherein said exhaust vent is used to provide a vapor sample to a breath alcohol tester.

### Claim 13

A wet calibration system comprising:
a vessel;
a thermally conductive foam placed within said vessel;
a liquid mixture:
said liquid mixture including a solvent and a solute having a known ratio; and
said liquid mixture being in thermal contact with said thermally conductive foam;
a heating element configured to heat said liquid mixture to a known temperature;
a gas; and
a vapor, said vapor also comprising said solvent and said solute;
wherein, said vapor has a known concentration of said solute at equilibrium given said known temperature and;
wherein said liquid and said vapor are in equilibrium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The wet calibration system of claim 13 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a reticulated foam.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The wet calibration system of claim 13 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a metal foam.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The wet calibration system of claim 13 wherein said thermally conductive foam is an aluminum foam.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The wet calibration system of claim 13 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a copper foam.

### Claim 18

A method of generating a vapor comprising:
providing a vessel having a thermally conductive foam placed therein;
placing a liquid mixture of a solvent and a solute in said vessel so as to at least partially submerge said foam in said liquid;
heating said foam to generate a vapor from said liquid, said vapor also including said solvent and said solute and said vapor and said liquid being in equilibrium.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein said thermally conductive foam is a metal foam.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein said solvent is water and said solute is ethanol.