Method and apparatus for latent heat extraction

An apparatus comprising the combination of:

• a water cooled air conditioning system including:
• a cooling coil means for selectively absorbing thermal energy from a return airstream as a cooled airstream;
• and,
• a water cooled condenser unit having an integral compressor and condenser, the condenser and compressor being cooled by a working fluid;
• and,
• a humidity control apparatus including:
• precooling coil means disposed upstream of said cooling coil means for precooling said return airstream;
• reheat coil means disposed downstream of said cooling coil means for reheating the cooled airstream flowing from said cooling coil means;
• sensing means disposed downstream of said reheat coil means for sensing the relative humidity of the reheated airstream flowing from said reheat coil means and generating a humidity signal reflective of said sensed relative humidity;
• conduit means connecting said precooling and reheat coil means for communicating said working fluid flow through a closed loop circuit comprising said precooling coil means and said reheat coil means;
• pump means for controlledely motivating the working fluid flow through said closed loop circuit at a controlled flow rate responsive to said humidity signal;
• and,
• means for selectively introducing thermal energy into said working fluid flow responsive to i) said humidity signal.

A moisture control apparatus in a water cooled air conditioning system of the type having a condenser, a compressor for compressing a compressible fluid, a cooling fluid in a first conduit for cooling the condenser through a heat exchanger, and a cooling coil where the compressible fluid absorbs thermal energy from a return air flow as a cooled supply air flow, the moisture control apparatus comprising:

• a precooling coil in said return air flow for exchanging thermal energy between the return air flow and the cooling fluid;
• a reheat coil in said supply air flow for exchanging thermal energy between the cooling fluid and the supply air flow;
• a pump for motivating a flow of the cooling fluid through said precooling coil, said reheat coil, and said heat exchanger;
• and,
• a second fluid conduit for directing the cooling fluid through a series arrangement of said precooling coil, said heat exchanger, and said first conduit.