Enhanced-efficiency energy recovery ventilation core

An energy recovery system having a core unit, said core unit consisting essentially of:

• two or more composite structures, each composite structure consists essentially of:
• a spacer plate having a plurality of channels formed on the surfaces thereof, each channels having a peak and trough;
• a porous frame having a plurality of pores passing from a first surface to a second opposite surface, wherein the frame is in the form of a sheet comprising a material selected from the group consisting of woven or non-woven materials;
• a substrate having a plurality of pores passing from a first surface to a second opposite surface, the substrate comprising a material selected from the group consisting of woven or non-woven materials;
• a polymeric film affixed to entire surface of at least one of the first surface and second opposite surface of the substrate, covering the plurality of pores in the substrate;
• wherein edges of the substrate, the porous frame and the polymeric film are crimped or sealed together for the substrate, the porous frame and the polymeric film to form a multi-layer laminate structure;
• wherein the multi-layer laminate rests across the peaks of the plurality of channels, permitting heat and moisture exchange between air streams passing therethrough;
• wherein the polymeric film is affixed to entire surface of the substrate without application of adhesive between the polymeric film and the substrate for bonding;
• wherein the polymeric film has a thickness of less than 50 μm;
• wherein the polymeric film has an Ion Exchange Capacity of at least at least 1.0 meq/g,
• wherein the polymeric film is selectively permeable, serving as a barrier to passage of air streams but permitting moisture transport through the porous frame;
• wherein the polymeric film consists essentially of a sulfonated block copolymer composition having a general configuration A-B-D-B-A, A-D-B-D-A, (A-D-B)n(A), (A-B-D)n(A), (A-B-D)nX, (A-D-B)nX or mixtures thereof,
• wherein the A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and is one or more segments selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;
• (iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof;
• the B block comprises one or more polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers and contains from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units and comprises segments of one or more polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers;
• the block D comprises a hydrogenated polymer or copolymer of a conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene and mixtures thereof;
• n is an integer from 2 to about 30, and X is coupling agent residue.

A core unit for use in an energy recovery system having a core unit, said core unit having two or more composite structures, each composite structure consists essentially of:

• a porous frame having a plurality of pores passing from a first surface to a second opposite surface, wherein the frame is in the form of a sheet;
• a first polymeric film affixed to entire surface of at least one of said first surface and second opposite surface of said porous frame, covering said plurality of pores in the porous frame;
• wherein the porous frame is shaped into channels, with each channel having a peak and trough;
• wherein the porous frame comprises a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, fiberglass, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinylchloride, a styrene/acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymer, a cellulose, cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon, aramid-based polymeric fibers, a metal, a metal alloy, or a combination thereof;
• and
• wherein the first polymeric film is affixed to entire surface of the porous frame without application of adhesive between the polymeric film and the porous frame for bonding;
• wherein the first polymeric film has a thickness of less than 50 μm;
• wherein the first polymeric film has an Ion Exchange Capacity of at least at least 1.0 meq/g,
• wherein the first polymeric film is selectively permeable, serving as a barrier to passage of air streams but permitting moisture transport through the porous frame;
• wherein the first polymeric film consists essentially of a sulfonated block copolymer composition having a general configuration A-B-D-B-A, A-D-B-D-A, (A-D-B)n(A), (A-B-D)n(A), (A-B-D)nX, (A-D-B)nX or mixtures thereof,
• wherein the A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and is one or more segments selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;
• (iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof;
• the B block comprises one or more polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers and contains from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units and comprises segments of one or more polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers;
• the block D comprises a hydrogenated polymer or copolymer of a conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene and mixtures thereof;
• n is an integer from 2 to about 30, and X is coupling agent residue.