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US 7,581,408 B2Granted
Hybrid dehumidification system for applications with high internally-generated moisture loads
OwnerWalter Starkinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid dehumidification system uses both mechanical cooling and ventilation to control humidity under control of a system which selects the best mode of operation under a given set of conditions. A purge mode using 100% outside air and exhaust is also supported to decontaminate a space. Either a single large plate heat exchanger or multiple small plate heat exchangers may be employed in the system.
Claims17
A hybrid dehumidification system capable of operating in either mechanical or ventilation modes comprising:
- at least one heat exchanger assembly for cooling and dehumidifying return air from an enclosed space in a first pass, entering at a first air flow inlet and leaving at a first air flow outlet, of said return air through said heat exchanger assembly;
- a cooling coil for receiving the cooled and dehumidified air from said first pass of said heat exchanger assembly for final cooling and dehumidification, the heat exchanger assembly having a second pass entering at a second air flow inlet and leaving at a second air flow outlet to receive the finally cooled and dehumidified air from said cooling coil for cooling the return air in the first pass;
- a heater/cooler for receiving and treating by heating or cooling the air leaving the second pass through said heat exchanger assembly;
- at least one supply fan for delivering the treated air to said enclosed space;
- means for diverting a portion of said return air before entering the first pass of said at least one heat exchanger assembly;
- at least one variable volume fan for exhausting said diverted portion of said return air;
- a minimum outside air damper for adding outside air to said return air before said return air entering the first pass of said at least one heat exchanger assembly;
- at least one modulating outside air damper, when open, for diverting a portion of said outside air into return air entering said second pass of said at least one heat exchanger assembly, and a modulating exhaust damper, when open, for diverting a portion of outside air leaving said first pass inlet of said heat exchanger assembly to said exhaust fan during a ventilation mode of operation of said system, said at least one modulating outside air damper and said modulating damper being closed during mechanical dehumidification modes of operation of said system, and,
- said at least one variable volume fan achieving fully modulated dehumidification of air within said enclosed space during ventilation dehumidification mode of operation.
6 more elements
A Method For a Hybrid Dehumidification System for enclosed indoor space applications with high internally-generated moisture loads comprising the steps of:
- a) Mechanically lowering the dew-point of air;
- b) Using a mechanical cooling based system, to achieve a predetermined temperature and humidity level that removes a desired amount of moisture or by using outdoor air that is at the predetermined temperature and humidity level or lower;
- c) Providing at least one heat exchanger;
- d) Using a control system to decide whether cooling or ventilation is best to control humidity under a given set of conditions;
- e) Furnishing required outside air and exhaust air for ventilation by using a minimum outside air and minimum exhaust air damper that introduces sufficient outside air to ventilate an enclosed space and to exhaust air sufficient to maintain negative pressure within said enclosed space as may be required to avoid pushing humid air into adjacent spaces or into cold wall cavities;
- f) Providing an air bypass with a regulating orifice to provide additional airflow to meet total airflow requirements of the system.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.