# US 12,312,777 B2 · Apparatus to harvest atmospheric water vapor

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- Number: US 12,312,777 B2
- Document ID: US12312777B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/755,819
- Filed: 2020-11-09
- Published: 2023-04-13
- Granted: 2025-05-27
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-12
- Assignees: Healixa, Inc
- Applicants: Alfonso Hernández Mayén; Consolidando El Patrimonio, S.A.P.I. De C.V.; Healixa, Inc
- Inventors: Daniel Stewart Lang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12312777B2

## CPC

- E03B 3/28: from humid air (condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14)
- B01D 3/007: {Energy recuperation; Heat pumps}
- B01D 5/0006: {Coils or serpentines}
- B01D 5/0042: {Thermo-electric condensing; using Peltier-effect}
- B01D 53/265: {by refrigeration (condensation)}
- C09K 5/041: {for compression-type refrigeration systems}
- C09K 5/06: the change of state being from liquid to solid or vice versa
- F25B 9/14: characterised by the cycle used, e.g. Stirling cycle
- F25B 39/02: Evaporators
- F25B 39/04: Condensers
- F28D 20/02: using latent heat
- F28D 20/021: {the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container (F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence)}
- B01D 2258/06: Polluted air
- F24F 11/41: Defrosting; Preventing freezing
- F24F 2003/1446: {by condensing}
- F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
- F25B 2339/047: Water-cooled condensers
- F25B 2700/21171: of the fluid cooled by the evaporator
- F28D 1/03: with plate-like or laminated conduits {(stacked plates having one or more openings therein to form tubular heat-exchange passages F28F3/086)}
- F28D 1/0477: {the conduits being bent in a serpentine or zig-zag}
- F28D 2020/0013: {the heat storage material being enclosed in elements attached to or integral with heat exchange conduits}
- F28D 2021/0038: {for drying or dehumidifying gases or vapours}
- F28D 2021/0071: {Evaporators}
- F28F 3/12: Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels {(F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence)}
- Y02A 20/00: Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
- Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage
- E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to devices, systems, and products for attracting, capturing and converting atmospheric water vapor into useful liquid water utilizing thermal dynamic processes such as deposition, phase change states and fusion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for attracting, capturing and converting atmospheric water vapor into useful liquid water comprising:
a compressor;
a capillary tube expansion device with one end embedded in a volume of a Low Temperature Phase Change Material with a phase change temperature below the triple point temperature of water at one atmosphere (LTPCM);
a fan and a condensing coil with one end of the condensing coil connected to a discharge port of the compressor and the other end connected to the capillary tube expansion device;
a frost collection surface and LTPCM tank with an evaporation coil embedded in the volume of LTPCM, with one end of the evaporation coil connected to a suction port of the compressor and the other end connected to the capillary tube expansion device;
a volume of working fluid in the coils' closed-loop;
a temperature-sensing switch connected to the PCM volume to control the on/off state of the compressor;
an automated open/close atmospheric inlet vent;
a cool air outlet vent;
an automatic frost scraping mechanism with ample free space to allow an incoming atmospheric volume to flow freely;
a temperature-sensing switch connected to condensing coil to control the on/off state and speed of the condensing coil fan;
a holding tank for liquid water with a dispensing mechanism;
a scraping and air flow system on/off mechanism based on water tank volume; and
a specialized layering configuration of insulation protecting collection tank area temperatures from higher system temperature or ambient temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein thermal energy is harvested and/or transported from the condensing coils of the system deliverable as useful energy to another system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of any claims 1-2, wherein;
the compressor comprises a Stirling Chiller;
the condensing coil comprises a regenerator; and
the evaporation coil is closed looped and attached to the chilling head of the Stirling Chiller.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of any claims 1-2, wherein;
the compressor comprises thermoelectric module chillers;
the condensing coil comprises a heat sink; and
the evaporation coil is closed looped and attached to the chilling side of the thermoelectric module chillers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of any claims 1-2, wherein;
the compressor comprises an electro-acoustic transducer;
a resonator is added;
the condensing coil comprises a high temperature heat exchanger;
the capillary tube comprises a regenerator;
a low temperature heat exchanger is added; and
the evaporation coil is closed looped and attached the low temperature heat exchanger.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of any claims 1-2, wherein;
the evaporation coil's volume of refrigerant is trapped by closed ball valves when the compressor is “OFF”.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of any claims 1-2, wherein;
the condensing coil and fan comprises a brazed plate heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy to a separate system.