Air conditioning apparatus utilizing solar energy and method

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising, in combination, a dehumidifier, means for circulating air to be conditioned through said dehumidifier in contact with a regenerated hygroscopic material whereby the air is dehumidified and, as a consequence, there is heat of sorption, a regenerator for the hygroscopic material, means for circulating air through said regenerator in contact with hygroscopic material therein, a solar collector, and means for transferring heat of sorption and heat from said solar collector to the hygroscopic material in said regenerator, said last-named means including a thermally energized refrigeration unit operatively associated with said solar collector to receive energizing heat transferred therefrom, said refrigeration unit including an evaporator and a condenser, said evaporator being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption and to transfer such heat to said condenser and said condenser being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption from said evaporator and energizing heat transferred from said solar collector to said refrigeration unit and to transfer such heat to hygroscopic material in said regenerator, whereby moisture is removed from the hygroscopic material by the air circulated in contact therewith.

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising, in combination, a dehumidifier, means for circulating air to be conditioned through said dehumidifier in contact with a regenerated hygroscopic material whereby the air is dehumidified and, as a consequence, there is heat of sorption, a regenerator for the hygroscopic material, means for circulating air through said regenerator in contact with hygroscopic material therein, a solar collector, and means for transferring heat of sorption and heat from the solar collector to the hygroscopic material in said regenerator, said last-named means including a thermally energized refrigeration unit having a energy input section operatively associated with said solar collector to receive energizing heat therefrom, said refrigeration unit also including a heat absorbing section and a heat rejection section, said heat absorbing section being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption and to transfer such heat to said heat rejecting section and said heat rejecting section being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption from said heat absorbing section and energizing heat transferred from said solar collector to said refrigeration unit and to transfer such heat as regenerating heat to hygroscopic material in said regenerator whereby moisture is removed from the hygroscopic material by the air circulated in contact therewith.

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising, in combination, a dehumidifier, means for circulating air to be conditioned through said dehumidifier, refrigeration means for transferring heat from dehumidified air circulated through said dehumidifier, power means for driving said refrigeration means, said power means producing waste heat, a regenerator, means for circulating air through said regenerator, means for circulating a concentrated aqueous hygroscopic solution from said regenerator through said dehumidifier whereby the air is dehumidified and, as a consequence, there is heat of sorption, means for circulating a dilute aqueous hygroscopic solution from said dehumidifier to said regenerator and into direct contact with air circulated therethrough, means for removing heat of sorption from air circulated through said dehumidifier, a solar energy collector, and means for transferring heat to the hygroscopic solution in said regenerator including means for transferring heat from said solar energy collector to the hygroscopic solution, and means for transferring waste heat from said power means to the hygroscopic solution.

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising, in combination, a contactor, means for circulating air to be conditioned to said contactor in contact with a regenerated hygroscopic material, a regenerator for the hygroscopic material, means for circulating air to and through said regenerator in contact with hygroscopic material therein and then from said regenerator, an absorption refrigerator including a generator and an evaporator, a solar collector, means for transferring heat from said solar collector to said generator and to regenerate hygroscopic material in said regenerator whereby moisture from the spent hygroscopic material is removed by air circulated in contact therewith, and means for transferring heat of sorption developed in said contactor to the evaporator of said absorption refrigerator, and from thence to a heat sink.

Apparatus for conditioning air comprising, in combination, a dehumidifier, means for circulating air to be conditioned through said dehumidifier in contact with a regenerated hygroscopic material whereby the air is dehumidified and, as a consequence, there is heat of sorption, a regenerator for the hygroscopic material, means for circulating air through said regenerator in contact with hygroscopic material, a solar collector, means for transferring heat of sorption and heat from said solar collector to the hygroscopic material in said regenerator, said last-named means including refrigeration apparatus having an evaporator and a condenser, said evaporator being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption and to transfer such heat to said condenser and said condenser being operatively associated to receive heat of sorption from said evaporator and to transfer such heat into regenerating relationship with hygroscopic material in said regenerator, means operable to drive said refrigeration apparatus and to generate heat, and means operatively associated to transfer heat generated by said last-named means into regenerating relationship with hygroscopic material in said regenerator, whereby moisture from the spent hygroscopic material is removed by the air circulated in contact therewith.