Method and apparatus for conditioning air

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising:

• a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a first flow of a first fluid, the first chamber containing a first portion of a liquid desiccant for removing water from the first flow moving through the chamber;
• a second chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a first flow of a second fluid, the second chamber containing a second portion of the liquid desiccant for evaporating water from the desiccant to the second fluid, the second chamber in fluid communication with the first chamber such that the desiccant is capable of flowing between the first and second chambers;
• a third chamber having an inlet and an outlet for a second flow of the second fluid, the third chamber in parallel with the second chamber;
• a first heat exchanger associated with the first portion of the liquid desiccant and configured to transfer heat between the first portion of the liquid desiccant and a first medium;
• and
• a second heat exchanger associated with the second portion of the liquid desiccant and configured to transfer heat between the second portion of the liquid desiccant and the first medium, the second heat exchanger being arranged with the first heat exchanger in a fluid loop, the first medium flowing through both the first and second heat exchangers.

A method of conditioning a fluid using a system having a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, the method comprising:

• flowing a first portion of a first fluid through the first chamber, the first portion of the first fluid interacting with a first portion of a desiccant and transferring water between the first portion of the first fluid and the portion of the desiccant;
• flowing a second portion of a first fluid through the second chamber, the second portion of the first fluid bypassing the first chamber;
• flowing a second fluid through the third chamber, the second fluid interacting with a second portion of the desiccant and transferring water between the second fluid and the second portion of the desiccant;
• combining the first and second portions of the first fluid after the first portion of the first fluid exits the first chamber and the second portion of the first fluid exits the second chamber;
• exchanging heat between a medium and the first portion of the desiccant using a first heat exchanger;
• and
• exchanging heat between the medium and the second portion of the first fluid using a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the first heat exchanger being arranged in a cooling loop containing the medium, the medium flowing through both heat exchangers.

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising:

• a quantity of liquid desiccant;
• a first contact volume in which a first portion of a first airflow is received such that it contacts a first portion of the liquid desiccant;
• a second contact volume in parallel with the first contact volume in which a second portion of the first airflow is received;
• a third contact volume in which at least a portion of a second airflow is brought into contact with a second portion of the liquid desiccant;
• a first heat exchanger in contact with the first portion of the liquid desiccant and configured to transfer heat between the first portion of the liquid desiccant and a first medium;
• a second heat exchanger in contact with the second portion of the first airflow and configured to transfer heat between the second portion of the first airflow and the first medium;
• a third heat exchanger in contact with the second portion of the liquid desiccant and configured to transfer heat between the second portion of the liquid desiccant and a second medium;
• and
• a vapor compression system including a compressor, the third heat exchanger, and the second medium.