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US 9,283,518 B2Granted
Fluid treatment systems and methods using selective transfer membranes
AssigneeDais Analytic Corporation
InventorsScott G. Ehrenberg, Brian Johnson, Hung Huynh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for cooling and/or separating a component from a fluid are disclosed herein. Such systems and methods can include one or more of a separator (e.g., a dehumidifier), a chiller, and/or an expirator, each of which can include a selective transfer membrane. Such systems and methods can be used for a wide variety of applications including, for example, cooling and/or dehumidifying air.
Claims23
A method for independently cooling and dehumidifying air, the method comprising:
- providing a flow of humid air through a dehumidifier to provide separated water vapor and a flow of dehumidified air, wherein the dehumidifier comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the humid air adjacent a first surface of the first membrane under conditions sufficient to allow water vapor to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated water vapor adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of the dehumidified air adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- providing a flow of uncooled air through a cooler to provide a flow of cooled air, wherein the cooler comprises a heat exchanger for cooling using a cooled aqueous liquid and configured for an inflow of uncooled air flowing through the exchanger, resulting in warmed liquid and an outflow of the cooled air, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured for flowing the warmed liquid to a chiller, wherein the chiller comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the warmed liquid adjacent a first surface of the second membrane under conditions sufficient to allow water vapor to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane to provide the separated water vapor adjacent the second surface of the second membrane and an outflow of cooled liquid adjacent the first surface of the second membrane;
- and
- pressurizing the separated water vapor for removal through an expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a third selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated water vapor adjacent a first surface of the third membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the water vapor to be transported through the third membrane to a second surface of the third membrane.
1 more element
A system for independently cooling and dehumidifying air, the system comprising:
- a dehumidifier configured to provide a flow of humid air through the dehumidifier to provide separated water vapor and a flow of the dehumidified air, wherein the dehumidifier comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the humid air adjacent a first surface of the first membrane to allow water vapor to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated water vapor adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of the dehumidified air adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- a cooler configured to provide a flow of uncooled air through the cooler to provide a flow of cooled air, wherein the cooler comprises a heat exchanger for cooling using a cooled aqueous liquid and configured for an inflow of uncooled air flowing through the exchanger, resulting in warmed liquid and an outflow of the cooled air, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured for flowing the warmed liquid to a chiller, wherein the chiller comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the warmed liquid adjacent a first surface of the second membrane to allow water vapor to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane to provide the separated water vapor adjacent the second surface of the second membrane and an outflow of cooled liquid adjacent the first surface of the second membrane;
- and
- an expirator configured to pressurize and move the separated water vapor through the expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a third selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated water vapor adjacent a first surface of the third membrane to allow at least a portion of the water vapor to be transported through the third membrane to a second surface of the third membrane.
1 more element
A method for independently cooling and separating a component from a fluid, the method comprising:
- providing a flow of a fluid having a first component through a separator to provide the separated first component and a flow of the fluid having at least a portion of the first component removed, wherein the separator comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the fluid having the first component adjacent a first surface of the first membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the first component to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated first component adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of the fluid having at least a portion of the first component removed adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- providing a flow of uncooled fluid through a cooler to provide a flow of cooled fluid, wherein the cooler comprises a heat exchanger for cooling using a cooled liquid having a second component and configured for an inflow of uncooled fluid flowing through the exchanger, resulting in warmed liquid and an outflow of the cooled fluid, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured for flowing the warmed liquid to a chiller, wherein the chiller comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the warmed liquid having the second component adjacent a first surface of the second membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the second component to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane to provide the separated second component adjacent the second surface of the second membrane and an outflow of cooled liquid adjacent the first surface of the second membrane;
- and
- pressurizing and moving the separated first and/or second components through an expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a third selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated components adjacent a first surface of the third membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the first and/or second components to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane.
1 more element
A system for independently cooling and separating a component from a fluid, the system comprising:
- a separator configured to provide a flow of a fluid having a first component through the separator to provide the separated first component and a flow of the fluid having at least a portion of the first component removed, wherein the separator comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the fluid having the first component adjacent a first surface of the first membrane to allow at least a portion of the first component to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated first component adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of the fluid having at least a portion of the first component removed adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- a cooler configured to provide a flow of uncooled fluid through the cooler to provide a flow of cooled fluid, wherein the cooler comprises a heat exchanger for cooling using a cooled liquid having a second component and configured for an inflow of uncooled fluid flowing through the exchanger, resulting in warmed liquid and an outflow of the cooled fluid, and wherein the heat exchanger is configured for flowing the warmed liquid to a chiller, wherein the chiller comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the warmed liquid having the second component adjacent a first surface of the second membrane to allow at least a portion of the second component to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane to provide the separated second component adjacent the second surface of the second membrane and an outflow of cooled liquid adjacent the first surface of the second membrane;
- and
- an expirator configured to pressurize and move the separated first and/or second components through the expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a third selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated components adjacent a first surface of the third membrane to allow at least a portion of the first and/or second components to be transported through the third membrane to a second surface of the third membrane.
1 more element
A method for cooling a fluid, the method comprising:
- providing a flow of uncooled fluid having a component through a chiller to provide a flow of cooled fluid, wherein the chiller comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the uncooled fluid having the component adjacent a first surface of the first membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the component to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated component adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of cooled fluid adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- and
- pressurizing and moving the separated component through an expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated component adjacent a first surface of the second membrane under conditions sufficient to allow at least a portion of the component to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane.
A system for cooling a fluid, the system comprising:
- a chiller configured to provide a flow of uncooled fluid having a component through the chiller to provide a flow of cooled fluid, wherein the chiller comprises a first selective transfer membrane configured for an inflow of the uncooled fluid having the component adjacent a first surface of the first membrane to allow at least a portion of the component to be transported through the first membrane to a second surface of the first membrane to provide the separated component adjacent the second surface of the first membrane and an outflow of cooled fluid adjacent the first surface of the first membrane;
- and
- an expirator configured to pressurize and move the separated component through the expirator, wherein the expirator comprises a second selective transfer membrane configured for flowing the separated component adjacent a first surface of the second membrane to allow at least a portion of the component to be transported through the second membrane to a second surface of the second membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.