US 5,579,647 A · Desiccant assisted dehumidification and cooling system

Abstract

A desiccant assisted system for dehumidification and cooling of an enclosed space comprising a rotatable desiccant wheel and a rotatable heat exchange wheel. A first path for process air extends from an exit of the enclosed space to be conditioned in series through a first zone of the rotatable desiccant wheel, a first zone of the rotatable heat exchange wheel and an entrance to the enclosed space. A second path for regenerative air extends from an entrance to ambient air outside the enclosed space in series through a second zone of the rotatable heat exchange wheel, a second zone of the rotatable desiccant wheel and an exit back to ambient air outside the enclosed space. Condenser coil(s) are provided along the second, regeneration air path between the rotatable wheels. A compressor is provided and a first process evaporator is coupled with the compressor and located along the first path. A second process evaporator located in series along the first path between the first process evaporator and the entrance to the enclosed space. A condenser is coupled with the compressor and located along the second path between the rotatable wheels. A recovery evaporator is also coupled with the compressor and located in series along the second path.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A desiccant assisted system for dehumidification and cooling of an enclosed space from ambient air comprising:

a rotatable desiccant wheel;
a rotatable heat exchange wheel;
a first path for process air extending from an exit of the enclosed space to be conditioned in series through a first zone of the rotatable desiccant wheel, a first zone of the rotatable heat exchange wheel and an entrance to the enclosed space;
a second path separate from the first path for regenerative air and extending from an entrance to an ambient space outside the enclosed space in series through a second zone of the rotatable heat exchange wheel, through a second zone of the rotatable desiccant wheel and through an exit back to ambient space outside the enclosed space;
a compressor;
a first process evaporator coupled with the compressor and located along the first path between the rotatable heat exchange wheel and the entrance to the enclosed space;
a second process evaporator located along the first path between the rotatable heat exchange wheel and the entrance to the enclosed space proximate the first process evaporator;
a condenser coupled with the compressor and located along the second air path between the rotatable wheels;
and
a recovery evaporator coupled with the compressor and located in series along the second path between the rotatable desiccant wheel and the exit to ambient air.

7 more elements

A method of operating a desiccant assisted dehumidification and cooling system comprising the steps of:

(a) activating the desiccant assisted dehumidification and cooling system when the level of moisture of air in an enclosed space is above a desired level;
(b) drawing process air from the enclosed space into the system;
(c) passing process air through a first zone of a moisture transfer wheel to reduce the moisture level of the air passing therethrough;
(d) passing the process air leaving the first zone of the moisture transfer wheel through a first zone of a heat transfer wheel to lower the dry bulb temperature of the process air passing therethrough;
(e) passing the process air leaving the first zone of the heat exchange wheel through first and second process evaporators to further lower the dry bulb temperature of the process air passing therethrough;
(f) passing regeneration air through a second zone of the heat exchange wheel to raise the dry bulb temperature of the regeneration air passing therethrough and regenerate the heat exchange wheel;
(g) heating the regeneration air leaving the second zone of the heat exchange wheel to further raise the dry bulb temperature of the regeneration air leaving the second zone of the heat exchange wheel;
(h) passing the heated regeneration air in step (f) through a second zone of the moisture transfer wheel to lower the dry bulb temperature and regenerate the moisture transfer wheel;
(i) passing the air leaving the second zone of the moisture wheel through a recovery evaporator;
(j) compressing a refrigerant to a vapor phase at a first temperature and pressure;
(k) condensing the vapor phase refrigerant with the flow of regeneration air from step (g) to create a saturated liquid phase refrigerant;
(l) passing the saturated liquid phase refrigerant through a flow restriction to create a mixed liquid and vapor phase refrigerant at a lower temperature and pressure than the first temperature and pressure;
and
(m) heating the mixed liquid and vapor phase refrigerant in at least two of the first and second process evaporators and the recovery evaporator with at least one of the process air from step (e) and the regenerative air from step (i) to create a vapor phase refrigerant to be used in step (j) which has a lower temperature and pressure than the first temperature and pressure of the compressed refrigerant of step (j).

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Desiccant assisted dehumidification and cooling system

Life of this patent

Desiccant assisted dehumidification and cooling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16