US 5,667,560 A · Process and apparatus for dehumidification and VOC odor remediation

Abstract

A process and apparatus for the dehumidification and VOC odor remediation of an air stream withdrawn from the passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle is disclosed which employs a continuously rotating wheel support and adsorbent selective for the adsorption of water and VOCs. The wheel is coated with a zeolite adsorbent selected from the low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-84, a rare earth exchanged zeolite LZ-210, a low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-64, and mixtures thereof. It was discovered that faujasites which have a zeolite structure including .beta.-cages within which are located tri-valent cations exhibit a Type 1M adsorption isotherm for water which provides a good driving force for adsorption at low partial pressures and a heat of adsorption which is slightly greater than the heat of vaporization/condensation of water. A surprisingly significant increase in the thermal efficiency is possible as a result of the lower regeneration temperature of the adsorbent and the use of novel process steps.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A process for dehumidification and VOC odor remediation of a cabin air stream withdrawn from a passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle comprising the following steps:

(a) continuously passing the cabin air stream to a first portion of a face area of an adsorbent wheel, said wheel supporting a solid adsorbent comprises a faujasite having a zeolite structure including .beta.-cages with tri-valent cations located within the .beta.-cages of said solid adsorbent being selective for the adsorption of water and VOCs to adsorb water and VOCs at an adsorption temperature and permitting the passage of said cabin air stream therethrough to provide a conditioned air stream;
(b) passing at least a portion of said conditioned air stream to a second portion of said adsorbent wheel in a direction countercurrent to the passing of said cabin air stream in step (a) to cool said second portion of said adsorbent wheel and provide an intermediate air stream;
(c) heating said intermediate air stream to a regeneration temperature to provide a heated intermediate air stream;
(d) passing said heated intermediate stream in a direction cocurrent to said air stream in step (a) to a third portion of said adsorbent wheel to desorb said water and VOCs, to form an exhaust stream, and exhausting said stream;
and
(e) returning at least a portion of said conditioned air stream to the passenger compartment.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and apparatus for dehumidification and VOC odor remediation

Life of this patent

Process and apparatus for dehumidification and VOC odor remediation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23