Method of and apparatus for humidifying air

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF WATER EVAPORTION ON A LARGE ENOUGH SCALE SUITABLE FOR AIR HUMIDIFICATION IN BUILDINGS, UTILIZING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL OPEN TOP PAN OF APPRECIABLE DEPTH WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL INFRA-RED HEATING ELEMENT SUPPORTED IN CLOSELY SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER IN THE PAN, WHEREBY THE DIRECT ACTION OF THE INFRA-RED HEATING RAYS ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER EVAPORATES THE WATER WHILE ANY SOLIDS OR IMPURITIES THEREIN ARE SHIELDED BY THE WATER FROM THE RAYS AND SEPARATED OUT AS A PRECIPITATE THAT DROPS BY GRAVITY IN A LOOSE FORM TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN, THE METHOD COMPRISING CONTINUOUSLY ADDING WATER TO THE PAN, MAINTAINING A PREDETERMINED LEVEL IN A PREDETERMINED SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE INFRA-RED HEATING ELEMENT, CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULATING AIR HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN THE SURFACE OF THE WATER AND THE INFRA-RED HEATING ELEMENT TO BE THEREBY HUMIDIFIED, AND AT INTERVALS DRAINING OFF THE LOOSE PRECIPITATE COLLECTED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.