US 5,469,707 A · Apparatus for, and method of, providing an atmosphere of predetermined humidity

Abstract

An apparatus for providing an atmosphere of predetermined humidity comprises a chamber 10, a source 22 of dry air, leading to the chamber 10 directly via a valve V3 and a saturator 20 having an inlet connected with the source 22 and an outlet connected with the chamber 10 via a valve V1. An outlet from chamber 10 is connected via a valve V2 with an extractor, whereby with valves V2 and V1 open and valve V3 closed, saturated air can be drawn into chamber 10 whilst with valves V2 and V3 open and valve V1 closed dry air can be drawn into chamber 10, to adjust the humidity in the chamber 10 in either case. A relative humidity sensing probe 12 and a temperature sensing probe 14 within chamber 10 pass signals to a computer 24 which controls valves V1, V2 and V3, whereby feed-back regulation of the humidity in chamber 10 can be achieved.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An apparatus for providing an atmosphere of predetermined humidity, comprising:

a chamber for containing the atmosphere;
means for supplying dry air and moist air to said chamber;
means for drawing air from said chamber;
control means for controlling the amounts of dry air and moist air supplied to the chamber to afford a course adjustment of humidity;
fine control means including moisture removal means for removing moisture from the atmosphere in said chamber, said moisture removal means including a cooled surface within said chamber upon which condensation of moisture from said atmosphere can take place to remove such moisture from said atmosphere, and means for controlling the temperature of said surface to control moisture removal by said moisture removal means;
a control facility controlling said dry and moist air supplying means, and said means for drawing air from the chamber, and/or controlling said moisture removal means;
and
humidity sensing means with said chamber providing an output signal to said control facility.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for, and method of, providing an atmosphere of predetermined humidity

Life of this patent

Apparatus for, and method of, providing an atmosphere of predetermined humidity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7