Heat and moisture exchange apparatus for architectural applications

An apparatus comprising:

• a rigid frame;
• a pair of panels attached to the frame, at least one of the panels formed of a light transmitting material, the rigid frame and panels collectively forming an exterior wall defining an interior channel through which a gas stream may pass;
• and
• a water vapor permeable barrier disposed within the interior channel and partitioning the interior channel into a plurality of separate subchannels, the subchannels capable of simultaneously receiving separate gas streams,
• a first of the subchannels connectable to a first gas stream so that the first gas stream flows through the first subchannel in a direction opposite to a direction in which a second gas stream flows through a second of the subchannels.

A method for exchanging heat and moisture between a first gas stream and a second gas stream comprising:

• (a) providing an exchanger apparatus comprising an exterior wall defining an interior channel through which a gas stream may pass, at least a portion of the exterior wall comprising a light transmitting material;
• (b) separating, with a water vapor permeable barrier, the interior channel into first and second subchannels through which first and second gas streams, respectively, may simultaneously pass;
• (c) controlling the pressure of the first gas stream and the second gas stream to enable the exchange of heat and moisture between the streams through the water vapor permeable barrier;
• and
• (d) exposing at least one of the gas streams in the interior channel to a source of light energy.

An apparatus for enabling heat and moisture exchange comprising:

• an exchanger housing comprising an exterior wall defining an interior channel through which a gas stream may pass, at least a portion of the exterior wall comprising a light transmitting material;
• a water vapor permeable barrier disposed within the interior channel and partitioning the interior channel into a plurality of separate subchannels;
• a first of the subchannels adapted to receive a first gas stream at the same time
• a second of the subchannels is adapted to receive a second gas stream,
• the water vapor permeable barrier allowing simultaneous exchange of heat and moisture between the first gas stream and the second gas stream through the water vapor permeable barrier.