HumiStat - easy-to-use universal gas mixer

HumiStat mixer is small footprint laboratory gas mixer with large dynamic mixing range and humidification of gas or gas mixture. This mixer is suitable for low-flow laboratory use such as material science and button fuel cell research. Where large dynamic dilution range, accuracy, and automated step-programs are important. Accompanying software is simple and guides the user step-by-step through the mixture design, and describes the mixture in all typical units.

 Comparison of properties:

	Competitor 1	Competitor 2	Competitor 3	HumiStat
Gas mixing	No	No	Yes	Yes
Gas mixing ratio	No	No	0.01 - 1	0.00002 - 1
Gas humidification	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pure steam generator	No	No	No	Yes
Humidification range absolute ppm	0.03 - 0.31 30 000 - 310 000 ppm	0.005 - 0.38 5 000 - 380 000 ppm	0.005 - 0.38 5 000 - 380 000 ppm	0.000 025 - 1 25 - 1 000 000 ppm
Humidification range, relative humidity, RH	5-90% RH @ 70ºC	1-100% RH @ 75ºC	1-100% RH @ 75ºC	0.0025-100% RH @ any temperature
Custom fluids	?	?	?	Any low viscosity fluid Support for partial pressure calculations in software
Heated transfer line length		1.8 meters	1.8 meters	1.2 meters (1.8 m on request)
Heated transfer line temperature	ambient to 100°C			Ambient to 150ºC
Autonomy	> 1000 hours			Infinite
Humidity profiles generation	up to 20 profiles			Infinite automated steps
Accuracy	±1.5% RH	±4.0% RH	±4.0% RH	±0.5% absolute
Dimensions	42 x 35 x 53 cm	47 x 29 x 39 cm	47 x 29 x 39 cm	25 x 27 x 16 cm
Volume required by the instrument	78 liters	53 liters	53 liters	10 liters
Weight	22 kg	10.5 kg	12 kg	7 kg
Suitable gases	Air, He, N2, CO2, Ar			Air, Ar, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H8, C4H6, C4H10, CHClF2, CF4, CH4, CO, CO2, D2, H2, He, Kr, N2, N2O, Ne, O2, SF6, Xe, i-C4H10, CCl2F2, R-134a, NH3, pre mixed gases
Output flow rate	1 - 50 ml/min	0 - 2000 ml/min	0 - 2000 ml/min	User defined range Anything from mln/min to tens of liters/min
Pressure	atmospheric	atmospheric	atmospheric	Up to 5 bar(a)
Cost (2019)	~18 000€	~22 000€	~26 000€	~20 000€

 

Gas-mixer and humidifier marketing is in many cases misleading. Flow range and dilution ratio is often given as 0-100% when it actually is 0% and 1-100%. As result, the minimum dilution ratio is 1:100 or 1e-2. The discontinuity in range results from the fact that the typical mass flow control equipment is not able to measure very low flows. However, HumiStat has solved this problem, and has fully continuous, truly dynamic range, allowing accurate dilutions all the way from 2e-5 to 100%

Concerning humidity the marketing is just as misleading. The range is often given as impressive looking 0-100% RH, but with small print stating dew point of 75ºC etc. In absolute humidity, this range is only 0-38%. Again, HumiStat has true and continuous range of 0-100% also in absolute humidity. If you want pure steam, 95% steam, 50 ppm H₂O or pH₂O of 2e-5, it is all possible with HumiStat.

Furthermore, the HumiStat mixer is not limited only to H₂O as the fluid. Also the operating cycle is perpetual; there is no need to stop producing mixture in order to add more fluid.

HumiStat achieves the huge dynamic range without wasting large amounts of gas either. Flow of the dilutant is < 100 mln/min.

And last but not least, even with the superior specifications, HumiStat has lower price tag than the competition.

 

Example of operation:

Select the gases to mix.
Design the mixture using the sliders or by typing the values.
Review the mixture.
Apply the mixture.

 The made mixture is kept at 150ºC to vaporize the fluid using the included heated gas line.