US 4,700,550 A · Enthalpic heat pump desiccant air conditioning system

Abstract

An improved desiccant air conditioning system includes at least one heat exchanging desiccant bed having desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the desiccant bed. The desiccant material surfaces adsorb moisture from building air during an adsorption phase and desorb moisture into exhaust air during a desorption phase. The heat exchanging desiccant bed is formed with refrigerant circulating channels or tubes in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant material surfaces. A heat pump system is also provided including an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and metering device operatively coupled by a refrigerant circulating line for evaporation of refrigerant and transfer of heat to the refrigerant from air in the evaporator air passageways during a coincident adsorption/evaporation phase and for condensation of refrigerant and transfer of heat from the refrigerant to air in the condenser air passageways during a coincident desorption/condensation phase. The refrigerant circulating channels are operatively coupled in the refrigerant circulating line of the heat pump system so that the heat exchanging desiccant bed comprises either the evaporator or the condenser or a component element of the evaporator or condenser. Various combinations of desiccant bed elements and heat pump elements are described. A heat pump desiccant bed air conditioning system is also provided by operatively coupling a heat pump between sources of relatively hot and cold heat transfer liquid of a non-change of phase heat transfer liquid circulating heat exchanging desiccant bed.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An improved desiccant bed air conditioning system comprising:

at least one heat exchanging desiccant bed comprising desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the bed and heat transfer liquid circulating channels in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant bed;
a first storage tank for relatively hot heat transfer liquid;
a second storage tank for relatively cold heat transfer liquid;
means for alternately coupling the first storage tank for relatively hot heat transfer liquid and the second storage tank for relatively cold heat transfer liquid to the heat transfer liquid circulating channels of the heat exchanging desiccant bed for alternate operation of the desiccant bed respectively in a desorption mode and an adsorption mode;
and a heat pump comprising a compressor, an evaporator heat exchanger, and a condenser heat exchanger, said evaporator heat exchanger being operatively coupled in heat exchange relationship with the storage tank for relatively cold heat transfer liquid and said condenser heat exchanger being operatively coupled in heat exchange relationship with the storage tank for relatively hot heat transfer liquid.

2 more elements

An improved desiccant air conditioning system having at least one desiccant bed comprising desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the desiccant bed for contacting air passing through the desiccant bed, said desiccant material surfaces adsorbing moisture from building air during an adsorption phase and desorbing moisture into exhaust air during a desorption phase, the improvement comprising:

said at least one desiccant bed comprising a heat exchanging desiccant bed having heat transfer liquid circulatng channels in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant material surfaces of the desiccant bed, said heat transfer liquid circulating channels being operatively coupled to sources of relatively cool liquid and relatively hot liquid for alternatively circulating cooling liquid and heating liquid respectively in the circulating channels during the adsorption and desorption phases;
and
a bypass air duct bypassing said heat exchanging desiccant bed air passageways, and damper means operatively arranged for controlling the proportion of building air passing through the desiccant bed air passageways and the bypass air duct for controlling building air humidity.

An improved desiccant air conditioner having at least one desiccant bed comprising desiccant material surfaces defining air passageways through the desiccant bed for contacting air passing through the desiccant bed, said desiccant material surfaces adsorbing moisture from building air during an adsorption phase and desorbing moisture into exhaust air during a desorption phase, the improvement comprising:

a heat pump system comprising an evaporator heat exchanger, compressor, condenser heat exchanger and metering device, said evaporator and condenser heat exchangers each comprising air passageways through the respective evaporator and condenser heat exchangers, and a refrigerant circulating line operatively coupling the evaporator heat exchanger, compressor, condenser heat exchanger, and metering device for evaporation of refrigerant to transfer heat to the refrigerant from air in the evaporator heat exchanger air passageways during an evaporation phase and for condensation of refrigerant for transfer of heat from the refrigerant to air in the condenser heat exchanger air passageways during a condensation phase;
said at least one desiccant bed comprising a first heat exchanging desiccant bed having heat transfer liquid circulating channels in heat exchange relationship with the desiccant material surfaces of the desiccant bed for transferring heat energy from the desiccant bed during the adsorption phase and for transferring heat energy to the desiccant bed during the desorption phase;
and first air duct means operatively coupling the air passageways of said evaporator heat exchanger and the desiccant bed air passageways for passage of building air respectively through the air passageways of the evaporator heat exchanger and desiccant bed for cooling and drying the air during the adsorption phase.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Enthalpic heat pump desiccant air conditioning system

Life of this patent

Enthalpic heat pump desiccant air conditioning system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13