Process for humidifying the useful space in an incubator and in a controlled atmosphere incubator
For humidifying a work space in a gas-fed incubator, water in a heatable pan in the floor area of an inner container surrounding the work space is evaporated with temperature-controlled heating of the interior until a predetermined temperature is reached, whereby a dynamic equilibrium state between condensation and evaporation in the inner container is achieved as long as there are no disturbances. If a door for access to the inner container is opened, the open time until it is closed is detected and a period, during which the pan containing water is heated, is determined depending on the open time of the inner container. Here, the period features only a heating phase with a running time if the open time is within a predetermined time interval. The period further includes a secondary heating phase with a second running time if the open time exceeds the time interval. A gas-fed incubator operating according to the method has a work space in the inner container that can be closed by means of a door with temperature control of the interior, wherein in a floor area of the inner container there is a humidifier with at least one controllable heating element for an atmosphere of the inner container in the form of a pan holding a water bath. The door for closing the inner container has a door switch that is electrically connected to an input of a control unit for operation of the humidifier.
1. A gas-fed incubator with a work space comprising:
an inner container
a heat-insulating outer housing that surrounds the inner container;
a humidifier with at least one controllable heating element for an atmosphere of the inner container in the form of a pan holding a water bath, positioned in the floor area of the inner container; and
a door with temperature control that is configured to close the inner container;
a door switch positioned with the gas fed incubator such that it detects the opening of the door,
a control device electrically connected to the door switch, wherein the control device is configured to control a power supply for the at least one controllable heating element, the control device is configured to increase a duration of heat radiating from the controllable heating element based on a time period that the door is open and a time period between at least the last two door openings, to rapidly increase the humidity.
2. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is arranged in a region of the floor area outside of an interior of the inner container.
3. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , wherein the control device has at least one time element adapted to evaluate the time function of the door switch.
4. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , wherein the control device has at least one time element adapted to evaluate the time function of the door switch.
5. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , wherein there is an outer door for closing the outer housing and an inner door that tightly seals the inner container, and wherein the door switch is associated with the inner door.
6. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , wherein there is an outer door for closing the outer housing and an inner door that tightly seals the inner container, and wherein the door switch is associated with the inner door.
7. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 3 , wherein there is an outer door for closing the outer housing and an inner door that tightly seals the inner container, and wherein the door switch is associated with the inner door.
8. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 4 , wherein there is an outer door for closing the outer housing and an inner door that tightly seals the inner container, and wherein the door switch is associated with the inner door.
9. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply for the at least one heating element of the humidifier can be controlled by means of the control device such that the at least one heating element can also be used for temperature control in the inner container.
10. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply for the at least one heating element of the humidifier can be controlled by means of the control device such that the at least one heating element can also be used for temperature control in the inner container.
11. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 3 , wherein the power supply for the at least one heating element of the humidifier can be controlled by means of the control device such that the at least one heating element can also be used for temperature control in the inner container.
12. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 5 , wherein the power supply for the at least one heating element of the humidifier can be controlled by means of the control device such that the at least one heating element can also be used for temperature control in the inner container.
13. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , also comprising at least one additional heating element which is provided in a region of at least one of a side wall and a rear wall of the inner container for temperature control of the inner container.
14. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , also comprising at least one additional heating element which is provided in a region of at least one of a side wall and a rear wall of the inner container for temperature control of the inner container.
15. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 3 , also comprising at least one additional heating element which is provided in a region of at least one of a side wall and a rear wall of the inner container for temperature control of the inner container.
16. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 5 , also comprising at least one additional heating element which is provided in a region of at least one of a side wall and a rear wall of the inner container for temperature control of the inner container.
17. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 9 , also comprising at least one additional heating element which is provided in a region of at least one of a side wall and a rear wall of the inner container for temperature control of the inner container.
18. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
19. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
20. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 3 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
21. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 5 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
22. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 9 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
23. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 13 , comprising a digital computer wherein a function of the control device and a function of a regulator for control of an interior atmosphere of the inner container are programmed.
24. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 1 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
25. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 2 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
26. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 3 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
27. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 5 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
28. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 9 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
29. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 13 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.
30. The gas-fed incubator according to claim 18 , wherein the inner door is a heatable glass door.