IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,371,732
Granted Patent B1
US 11,371,732 · App. 17/145,222 · Granted Jun 28, 2022

Humidor heat exchanger system and method for using thereof to control temperature and relative humidity

Inventors: Marcelo Rodrigues (Piracicaba-SP, BR); Luigino Rigitano Netto (Piracicaba-SP, BR); Thomas Andreas Behlau Ziemer (São Paulo-SP, BR)
F24F11/0008F24F11/86
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,371,732
App. No.
17/145,222
Granted
Jun 28, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

A humidor heat exchanger system and method for using thereof to control temperature and relative humidity are disclosed. The humidor heat exchanger system comprises two or more processors coupled to one or more memories, one or more communication interfaces, one or more thermoelectric modules, one or more compressors, one or more heaters, two or more LEDs, one or more fans, one or more sensors, one or more displays, one or more water collectors, one or more doors, one or more water reservoirs, and one or more evaporators. The two or more processors are communicatively connected to the one or more thermoelectric modules, one or more compressors, one or more heaters, two or more LEDs, one or more fans, one or more sensors, one or more displays, one or more water collectors, one or more doors, and one or more water reservoirs, and one or more evaporators. The two or more processors of the humidor heat exchanger system are configured to control temperature and relative humidity of a humidor by: detecting temperature in the one or more thermoelectric modules; detecting temperature in the one or more evaporators; checking temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators; calculating average temperature value in the one or more thermoelectric modules as to not force the one or more compressors to operate outside a safety region and not be powered on before the necessary period of time to balance cooling circuit pressure; activating the one or more compressors depending on the temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators; dynamically adjusting temperature control parameters as a function of adjusted temperature variation conditions; initiating relative humidity control; checking output of the one or more thermoelectric modules; adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value; and stabilizing relative humidity exactly to the value adjustment made without oscillating about 1%.

Claims (51)

1. A humidor heat exchanger system, comprising:

two or more processors coupled to one or more memories and communicatively connected by one or more communication interfaces;

one or more thermoelectric modules;

one or more compressors;

one or more heaters;

one or more evaporators;

two or more LEDs;

one or more fans;

one or more sensors;

one or more displays;

one or more water collectors;

one or more doors; and

one or more water reservoirs;

wherein the two or more processors are communicatively connected to the one or more thermoelectric modules, one or more compressors, one or more heaters, two or more LEDs, one or more fans, one or more sensors, one or more displays, one or more water collectors, one or more doors, one or more water reservoirs and one or more evaporators; and

wherein the two or more processors are configured to control temperature and relative humidity of a humidor by:

detecting temperature in the one or more thermoelectric modules;

detecting temperature in the one or more evaporators;

checking temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators;

calculating average temperature value in the one or more thermoelectric modules as to not force the one or more compressors to operate outside a safety region and not be powered on before a necessary period of time to balance cooling circuit pressure;

activating the one or more compressors depending on the temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators;

dynamically adjusting temperature control parameters as a function of adjusted temperature variation conditions;

initiating relative humidity control;

checking a PID control output of the one or more thermoelectric modules;

adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value; and

stabilizing relative humidity exactly to a value adjustment made without the relative humidity oscillating about 1%.

2. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more processors is a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) controller and at least one of the other of the two or more processors is a Single Board Computer (SBC), and wherein the two or more LEDs comprise one or more UVC LEDs and one or more lighting LEDs.

3. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more water collectors, the one or more evaporators and the one or more water reservoirs do not discard process water, and wherein the one or more water reservoirs and the one or more evaporators comprise a germicidal system that keeps the water sterilized and free of fungi and bacteria by means of one or more UVC LEDs which ensures clean water and eliminates internal air odors.

4. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors may be fitted in a hot side of the one or more thermoelectric modules, and wherein the one or more sensors may detect one or more of the following parameters: evaporator temperature, thermoelectric module temperature, relative humidity, water level, and door opening.

5. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more communications interfaces comprise an UART-type communications port, and wherein the UART-type communications port operates in an appropriate ASCII-based protocol.

6. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the one or more displays comprise any sized LCD display screen.

7. The humidor heat exchanger system is accordance with claim 1 , wherein the two or more processors adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprise the two or more processors averaging dynamically an actual relative humidity once there is a PID control output stability of the relative humidity detected by a timer activated when PID control output is within a threshold.

8. The humidor heat exchanger system is accordance with claim 1 , wherein the two or more processors adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprise the two or more processors determining that, if the PID control output remains within a threshold for more than two minutes, then it is an indication that the stabilization point has been reached.

9. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the two or more processors adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprise the two or more processors initiating comparison between set point value and actual value which leads to a correction of the set point value if there is any deviation, if PID control output remains within threshold.

10. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the two or more processors are further configured to customize the control of the temperature and relative humidity variables as a function of usage profile and local conditions through machine learning.

11. The humidor heat exchanger system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the SBC sends data to a cloud server, organizes data displayed in a screen of the one or more displays, and sends user-adjusted data to the PCB controller.

12. A method for controlling temperature and relative humidity in a humidor heat exchanger system including two or more processors coupled to one or more memories, one or more communication interfaces, one or more thermoelectric modules, one or more compressors, one or more heaters, one or more evaporators, two or more LEDs, one or more fans, one or more sensors, one or more displays, one or more water collectors, one or more doors, and one or more water reservoirs, the method comprising the following steps:

detecting temperature in the one or more evaporators;

checking temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators;

calculating average temperature value in the one or more thermoelectric modules as to not force the one or more compressors to operate outside a safety region and not be powered on before a necessary period of time to balance cooling circuit pressure;

activating the one or more compressors depending on the temperature difference between the one or more thermoelectric modules and the one or more evaporators;

dynamically adjusting temperature control parameters as a function of adjusted temperature variation conditions;

initiating relative humidity control;

checking a PID control output of the one or more thermoelectric modules;

adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value; and

stabilizing relative humidity exactly to a value adjustment made without the relative humidity oscillating about 1%.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprises averaging dynamically an actual relative humidity once there is PID control output stability of the relative humidity detected by a timer activated when PID control output is within a threshold.

14. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprises determining that, if the PID control output remains within a threshold for more than two minutes, then it is an indication that the stabilization point has been reached.

15. The method in accordance with claim 12 , wherein adjusting power output of the one or more thermoelectric modules to attain desired relative humidity value comprises initiating comparison between set point value and actual value which leads to a correction of the set point value if there is any deviation, if PID control output remains within threshold.

16. The method in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising customizing the control of the temperature and relative humidity variables as a function of usage profile and local conditions through machine learning.

17. The method in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising sending data to a cloud server by one of the at least two or more processors, organizing data displayed in the one or more displays by one of the at least two or more processors, and sending user-adjusted data by one of the two or more processors to the other one of the two or more processors.

18. The method in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising not discarding process water, and keeping the process water sterilized and free of fungi and bacteria by means of one or more UVC LEDs which ensures clean water and eliminates internal air odors.

Cited By (1)
US 12,532,913