Dehumidifier, cross-flow heat exchanger and method of making a cross-flow heat exchanger

A dehumidifier comprising:

• a cabinet having an inlet for receiving moist air and an outlet for discharging dry air;
• a cross-flow heat exchanger in the cabinet, the cross-flow heat exchanger comprising an axial flow path extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area receiving the moist air to an outlet having a surface area, and a transverse flow path oriented transversely to the axial flow path and extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area to an outlet having a surface area discharging the dry air, the transverse flow path being adjacent to and separate from the axial flow path;
• wherein the surface area of the inlet of the axial flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the axial flow path;
• and the surface area of the inlet of the transverse flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• an evaporator positioned adjacent to the outlet of the axial flow path;
• a condenser positioned adjacent the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• a fan moving air from the evaporator to the inlet of the transverse flow path;
• and wherein the cross-flow heat exchanger has a cross-sectional area that is a right trapezoid and is positioned such that the smallest angle of the right trapezoid is adjacent to both the evaporator and the condenser.

A cross-flow heat exchanger comprising:

• an axial flow path extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area to an outlet having a surface area;
• a transverse flow path oriented transversely to the axial flow path and extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area to an outlet having a surface area, the transverse flow path being adjacent to and separate from the axial flow path;
• wherein the surface area of the inlet of the axial flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the axial flow path;
• wherein the surface area of the inlet of the transverse flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• wherein the outlet of the transverse flow path forms a 72-degree angle with respect to the outlet of the axial flow path;
• an evaporator positioned adjacent to the outlet of the axial flow path;
• a condenser positioned adjacent the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• and a fan moving air from the evaporator to the inlet of the transverse flow path;
• the said evaporator forms a 72-degree angle with respect to the said condenser;
• and wherein the cross-flow heat exchanger has a cross-sectional area that is a right trapezoid and is positioned such that the smallest angle of the right trapezoid is adjacent to both the evaporator and the condenser.

A dehumidifier comprising:

• a cabinet having an inlet for receiving moist air and an outlet for discharging dry air;
• a cross-flow heat exchanger in the cabinet, the cross-flow heat exchanger comprising an axial flow path extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area receiving the moist air to an outlet having a surface area, and a transverse flow path oriented transversely to the axial flow path and extending through the heat exchanger from an inlet having a surface area to an outlet having a surface area discharging the dry air, the transverse flow path being adjacent to and separate from the axial flow path;
• wherein the surface area of the inlet of the axial flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the axial flow path;
• and the surface area of the inlet of the transverse flow path is less than the surface area of the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• wherein the outlet of the transverse flow path forms a 72-degree angle with respect to the outlet of the axial flow path;
• an evaporator positioned adjacent to the outlet of the axial flow path;
• a condenser positioned adjacent the outlet of the transverse flow path;
• and a fan moving air from the evaporator to the inlet of the transverse flow path;
• the said evaporator forms a 72-degree angle with respect to the said condenser;
• and wherein the cross-flow heat exchanger has a cross-sectional area that is a right trapezoid and is positioned such that the smallest angle of the right trapezoid is adjacent to both the evaporator and the condenser.