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3.3 Chamber water heat balance<br />

In this section, an expression for the water temperature is derived.<br />

Figure 3.5 Humidifier diagram<br />

Figure 3.5 is a diagram of a CPAP humidifier. The humidifier consists of a chamber<br />

with an Aluminium base. The chamber heating system consists of heating element,<br />

ceramic, 3M thermal tape and the heating plate at the top contacting the chamber base to<br />

provide heat to the chamber water. The heating element is printed on one side of a<br />

ceramic substrate (50 x 50 mm) (See Figure 3.6). The heating element transfers<br />

electrical power from the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) power regulator into thermal<br />

energy which flows through the ceramic substrate, the 3M thermal tape and the heating<br />

plate. On the outer surface of the heating plate, part of the thermal energy dissipates into<br />

ambient through the rim of the plate and another part goes upward to the chamber base.<br />

The humidifier chamber has an 806 ml capacity with a maximum water level of 600 ml.<br />

Air flows through the upper part of the chamber over the water surface.<br />

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