The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing dehumidifiers.
Air conditioning systems generally provide some amount of dehumidification of air as part of the cooling process. These systems can be used to cool air already within an enclosed, conditioned space. Alternatively, such systems can be used to cool external air prior to introducing it to a conditioned space. However, such systems generally are inefficient and as a result, when external air is introduced into a conditioned room, the external air can introduce significant amounts of moisture that the air conditioning system may be unable to quickly or fully address. This introduction of external, humid air increases the perceived temperature of the conditioned space and decreases the comfort of individuals therein.
These problems are typically mitigated by using a separate dehumidification process (beyond the cooling system) on the external air prior to introducing the air to a conditioned room. However, such dehumidification processes are generally inefficient and require the expenditure of significant amounts of additional energy.
Thus, there exists a long-felt and currently unmet need for a system which allows for the more efficient dehumidification of external air prior to introducing it to a conditioned space.
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of controlling the temperature and humidity of a defined space. More specifically, the present disclosure is directed to systems and methods employing a two-phase process for pre-cooling air prior to dehumidification. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, external air is passed through a dry channel of a heat exchanger for pre-cooling prior to undergoing dehumidification. Any additional energy requirements for the heat exchanger are reduced or eliminated by simultaneously passing conditioned air through a wet channel of the heat exchanger prior to venting the conditioned air to the environment. Liquid in the wet channel evaporates into the exhausted, conditioned air, cooling the channel. The wet channel is thermally coupled to the dry channel, thereby cooling the dry channel and initially cooling and dehumidifying the external air before it enters the dehumidifier for additional dehumidification.
The following detailed description, given by way of example, but not intended to limit the disclosure solely to the specific embodiments described, may best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For the purposes of promoting and understanding the principles disclosed herein, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language is used to describe the same. It is nevertheless understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is hereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated devices and such further applications of the principles disclosed and illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one of skill in the art to which this disclosure relates.
The inventors of the present disclosure have created a new method for controlling the air temperature, air flow, and humidity of a space which comprises an air conditioning system 100.
As shown, the heat exchanger 102 receives and pre-cools outdoor air 124. During pre-cooling, the temperature of the air 124 is reduced, thereby causing water vapor in the air to condense into liquid form and removing water vapor from the air 124.
In an embodiment, the heat exchanger operates as both a passive heat exchanger 102 (as further described herein) while also including an active cooling system to further cool the air during the pre-cooling step.
After exiting the heat exchanger 102, the pre-cooled and partially dehumidified air is then passed through the dehumidifier 104, which further dehumidifies the pre-cooled air. The dehumidifier 104 may comprise a membrane dehumidifier, desiccant dehumidifier, mechanical compression dehumidifier, or such other form of dehumidification system that is known in the art. After further dehumidification, the air is passed from the dehumidifier 104 to the conditioned room 106.
In an alternative embodiment, the dehumidifier 104 may be omitted and the pre-cooled air may be passed directly from the heat exchanger 102 to the conditioned room 106. In a second alternative embodiment, the dehumidifier 104 may be combined with the heat exchanger 102 such that a single device performs the functions of both as described herein.
In the embodiment shown in
In alternative embodiments, an additional cooling system may be employed to further cool the air prior to introduction into the conditioned space 106 and/or to cool air within the conditioned space. In one such alternative embodiment, a separate air conditioning system (such as a central air conditioner) cools air within the conditioned space. In another such alternative embodiment, a further air conditioning system is employed to further cool the pre-cooled air before it is introduced into the conditioned space.
As shown, air from the conditioned room 106 is expelled from the conditioned room 106 as exhaust 120. The exhaust 120 is passed through the heat exchanger 102 before being released into another environment. In embodiments, fresh external air is continuously brought into the conditioned space while a corresponding volume of exhaust 120 is expelled, such that the pressure in the conditioned room 106 is maintained substantially unchanged while constantly ventilating the conditioned space.
In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The dry channel 208 and wet channel 210 may be arranged in multiple configurations. As will be clear to one of skill in the art, combinations of these embodiments and other passive transport techniques may be used to effectuate the transfer of moisture from the dry channel 208 to the wet channel 210 while preventing backflow of moisture from the wet channel 210 to the dry channel 208. In an embodiment, the dry channel 208 is located above the wet channel 210 such that gravity effectuates the transfer of moisture from the dry channel 208 to the wet channel 210. In an alternative embodiment, the fluid connection is structured such that capillary action effectuates the transfer of moisture from the dry channel 208 to the wet channel 210. Regardless of the arrangement of the dry channel 208 and wet channel 210, the walls 214a, 214b of the dry channel 208 may be coated with a hydrophobic substance, such that water collecting thereon is driven through the fluid connection to the wet channel 210.
In an alternative embodiment, an active source is used, such as a pump or like means, to effectuate the transfer of moisture from the dry channel 208 to the wet channel 210. Alternatively, both active and passive mechanisms are combined to ensure continuous and efficient movement of water from the dry channel 208 to the wet channel 210.
In another embodiment of the disclosure shown in
In an embodiment, the heat exchanger 202 comprises a plurality of dry channels 208 and a plurality of wet channels 210. In an embodiment, each dry channel 208 is thermally coupled to a single wet channel 210. In an alternative embodiment, multiple dry channels 208 are thermally coupled to one or more wet channels. In a further embodiment, an alternating series of wet channels 210 and dry channels 208 are interspaced, such that the walls of each are thermally coupled together. In each of the embodiments described above, a channel plate may act as a wall of the heat exchanger 202 and serve to thermally couple the dry and wet channels 208, 210 together. In other embodiments, the channels 208, 210 are set in alternative arrangements that permit heat transfer between the channels.
Although the foregoing discussion refers to the dry channel 208 and wet channel 210 as having “walls” 214, it will be understood that any three-dimensional arrangement could be used. In an embodiment, the channels 208, 210 each comprise a cylinder. Substantially all of the wall of the wet channel 210 may be coated in water. Alternatively, the channels 208, 210 may comprise rectangular prisms. In such embodiment, only the “floor” of the wet channel may be coated in water. As will be clear to one of skill in the art, the cooling capacity of the system 200 may be selected by adjusting the number of channels 208, 210 and/or the area of contact between the walls 214 of the channels 208, 210 and the air passing through the channels 208, 210. Greater contact area will increase the amount of evaporation and/or condensation, thereby enabling both the degree of pre-cooling and the amount of dehumidification to be adjusted based on the desired capacity of the system.
In the preferred embodiment, the liquid 216 used in the wet working channel 210 is water. In alternative embodiments, any liquid may be used to facilitate heat transfer between the channels.
In the preferred embodiment of
The placement of the two-phase heat exchanger 202 before the dehumidifier 104 dramatically reduces the required capacity of the dehumidifier 104 because the bulk of the cooling and dehumidification process can occur during the pre-cooling process 226 before the air reaches the dehumidifier 104. In embodiments, the degree of pre-cooling provided by the heat exchanger 202 entirely eliminates the need for subsequent dehumidification 204.
In an embodiment of the heat exchanger 202, the plates and walls 214 are comprised of a non-woven fabric, such as a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) non-woven fabric. In other embodiments, the plates and walls 214 are comprised of materials suitable for heat exchange which include but are not limited to metals and metal alloys, such as aluminum, copper, carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel alloys, and titanium. In another embodiment, the plates and walls 214 are comprised of ceramic material.
In an additional embodiment, the heat exchanger 202 may further comprise plates and walls 214 which provide an extended surface so as to increase the contact area between the air and water. In order to reduce a thickness of the liquid on the surface of the walls, the walls 214 may be coated with a hydrophilic surface.
In the embodiment of
In an embodiment of
In the present disclosure, the heat exchanger 102, 202, 302, 402 acts passively on the exhaust and outside air. No energy is required for the cooling and dehumidification that occurs during the heat exchange process. In alternative embodiments, active cooling and dehumidification may also occur in the heat exchanger in addition to the passive cooling and dehumidification discussed above, thereby improving on the efficiency of traditional active cooling systems while still ensuring the desired degree of cooling is consistently provided.
Having thus described in detail preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the disclosure defined by the above paragraphs is not to be limited to particular details set forth in the above description as many apparent variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.
This Application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/279,528 filed Nov. 15, 2021, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63279528 | Nov 2021 | US |