Water vapor transfer assembly

A water vapor transfer assembly comprising:

• at least one water vapor transfer device having a plurality of wet plates configured to receive a wet stream and a plurality of dry plates configured to receive a dry stream, the wet plates and the dry plates alternating in a stack and separated from one another by water transfer membranes, the at least one water vapor transfer device permitting a transfer of water from the wet stream to the dry stream;
• a pair of end plates between which the at least one water vapor transfer device is disposed, the end plates each having a plurality of outwardly extending ribs;
• a housing having a pair of wet stream apertures and a pair of dry stream apertures formed therein, the at least one water vapor transfer device and the end plates disposed within the housing, the wet stream apertures in communication with the wet plates of the at least one water vapor transfer device and the dry stream apertures in communication with the dry plates of the at least one water vapor transfer device, the housing further including a plurality of channels formed adjacent the dry stream apertures and in fluid communication with the wet stream apertures, the outwardly extending ribs of the end plates cooperating with the channels to define a tortuous bypass flow path between the wet stream apertures of the housing;
• and
• a pair of elastomeric seals, one of the elastomeric seals disposed in each of the dry stream apertures of the housing, the elastomer seals abutting the end plates and the at least one water vapor transfer device and militating against a leakage of the dry stream into the wet stream, wherein the end plates include at least one spring element configured to bias the ribs of the end plates to one side of the channels formed in the housing, and wherein a clearance between the ribs and the channels is minimized, and a pressure differential across the tortuous bypass flow path is maximized, to thereby urge the wet stream to flow through the at least one water vapor transfer device.

A water vapor transfer assembly comprising:

• at least one water vapor transfer device having a plurality of wet plates configured to receive a wet stream and a plurality of dry plates configured to receive a dry stream, the wet plates and the dry plates alternating in a stack and separated from one another by water transfer membranes, the at least one water vapor transfer device permitting a transfer of water from the wet stream to the dry stream;
• a pair of end plates between which the at least one water vapor transfer device is disposed, the end plates each having a plurality of outwardly extending ribs;
• and
• a housing having a pair of wet stream apertures and a pair of dry stream apertures formed therein, the at least one water vapor transfer device and the end plates disposed within the housing, the wet stream apertures in communication with the wet plates of the at least one water vapor transfer device and the dry stream apertures in communication with the dry plates of the at least one water vapor transfer device, the housing further including a plurality of channels formed adjacent the dry stream apertures and in fluid communication with the wet stream apertures, the outwardly extending ribs of the end plates cooperating with the channels to define a tortuous bypass flow path between the wet stream apertures of the housing,
• wherein the ribs and the channels have corresponding dovetail shapes that permit each of the ribs to rest upon a surface of each of the channels, and
• wherein a clearance between the ribs and the channels is minimized, and a pressure differential across the tortuous bypass flow path is maximized, to thereby urge the wet stream to flow through the at least one water vapor transfer device.