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US 11,117,090 B2Granted
Electrodialytic liquid desiccant dehumidifying system
AssigneePalo Alto Research Center Incorporated
InventorsMichael Benedict, Eugene S. Beh, Elif Karatay
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Abstract
Air flows across an air-liquid interface such that liquid desiccant flowing through the interface absorbs water from the air and is thereby diluted to form an output stream. The output stream is circulated through an electrodialytic stack having a central ionic exchange membrane and first and second outer ionic exchange membranes. A redox shuttle loop circulates around the first and second outer ionic exchange membranes. A voltage is applied across the electrodialytic stack, which regenerates the liquid desiccant.
Claims25
A liquid desiccant system, comprising:
- an electrodialytic stack comprising:
- a liquid desiccant loop with a diluted stream and a concentrated stream of liquid desiccant separated by a central ionic exchange membrane;
- a redox shuttle loop with first and second redox streams separated from the diluted stream and the concentrated stream of the liquid desiccant loop by respective first and second outer ionic exchange membranes of a different type than the central ionic exchange membrane;
- and
- first and second electrodes that are operable to apply a voltage across the electrodialytic stack;
- and
- an air-liquid interface in fluid communication with the concentrated stream of the liquid desiccant, the air-liquid interface exposing the concentrated stream of the liquid desiccant to air flowing across the air-liquid interface, the concentrated stream being diluted via absorption of water from the air to form an output stream, the output stream being circulated back into the liquid desiccant loop of the electrodialytic stack.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- circulating a liquid desiccant through an air-liquid interface;
- flowing air across the air-liquid interface such that the liquid desiccant absorbs water from the air, the liquid desiccant being diluted via the absorption of the water to form an output stream;
- splitting the output stream to a diluted stream and a concentrated stream at an input to an electrodialytic stack, the electrodialytic stack having a central ionic exchange membrane and first and second outer ionic exchange membrane of a different type than the central ionic exchange membrane;
- flowing the diluted stream between the central ionic exchange membrane and the first outer ionic exchange membrane;
- flowing the concentrated stream between the central ionic exchange membrane and the second outer ionic exchange membrane;
- and
- circulating a redox shuttle loop around the first and second outer ionic exchange membranes;
- and
- applying a voltage across the electrodialytic stack.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.