dehumidification system for removing water vapor from an air stream and method

专利摘要:
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AIR DEHUMIDIFYING AND SENSITIVE COOLING USING A MULTI-STAGE PUMP. The present invention relates to systems and methods for dehumidifying air by establishing a moisture gradient across a selective water permeable membrane in a dehumidification unit. Water vapor from relatively moist atmospheric air entering the dehumidification unit is extracted by the dehumidification unit without substantial condensation into a low-pressure water chamber vapor that operates at a water vapor partial pressure lower than the partial pressure of water vapor in relatively humid atmospheric air. For example, water vapor is extracted through a water-permeable membrane of the dehumidification unit into the low-pressure vapor of the water chamber. As such, the air leaving the dehumidification unit is less humid than the air entering the dehumidification unit. Low pressure water vapor extracted from the air is subsequently condensed and removed from the system under ambient conditions.
公开号:BR112013011866B1
申请号:R112013011866-0
申请日:2011-11-11
公开日:2021-05-11
发明作者:Charles H. Culp；David E. Claridge
申请人:The Texas A & M University System；
IPC主号:

专利说明:

[0001] The present application is United States Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 61/413,327 entitled "Systems and Methods for Dehumidification and Air Cooling", filed November 12, 2010, which is incorporated by reference herein at its entirety. BACKGROUND
[0002] Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems often have dehumidification systems integrated into the cooling apparatus to dehumidify the air being conditioned by such systems. When cooling is required in hot heated environments, the air being cooled and dehumidified will usually have a moisture ratio above approximately 0.009 (pounds of H2O per pounds of dry air). In these environments, HVAC systems traditionally use refrigerant compressors for sensitive air cooling and removal of latent energy (ie, moisture). The air is typically cooled to about 12.8°C (55°F), which condenses H2O out of the air until the air is about 100% saturated (ie, relative humidity at about 100%). A temperature of 12.8°C (55°F) lowers the moisture ratio to about 4 g (0.009 pounds) of H2O per pound of dry air, which is the saturation point of water vapor at 12.8° C (55°F), resulting in a relative humidity of almost 100%. When this air heats up to about 23.9°C (75°F), the humidity ratio remains approximately the same, and the relative humidity drops to approximately 50%. This traditional method of dehumidification requires the air to be cooled to 12.8°C (55°F), and can usually achieve a coefficient of performance (COP) of approximately 3-5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] These and other features, aspects and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters represent similar parts throughout the drawings, in which :
[0004] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having a dehumidification unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0005] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the dehumidification unit of Figure 1 having multiple parallel air channels and water vapor channels according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0006] Figure 2B is a perspective view of the dehumidification unit of Figure 1 having a single air channel located within a single water vapor channel according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] Figure 3 is a plan view of an air channel and adjacent water vapor channels of the dehumidification unit of Figures 1,2A, and 2B according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0008] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a separation module formed using a membrane that can be used as a water vapor channel of the dehumidification unit of Figures 1-3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0009] Figure 5 is a psychometric graph of the ratio of temperature and humidity of the humid air flowing through the dehumidification unit of Figures 1-3, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00010] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC system and the dehumidification unit of Figure 1 having a vacuum pump for removing non-condensable components from the water vapor in the steam extraction chamber of the water vapor unit. dehumidifying, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[00011] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC system and the dehumidification unit of Figure 6 having a control system for controlling various operating conditions of the HVAC system and the dehumidification unit, according to an embodiment of present invention;
[00012] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC System having a plurality of dehumidification units arranged in series, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00013] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having a plurality of dehumidification units arranged in parallel, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00014] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having a first plurality of dehumidification units arranged in series, and a second plurality of dehumidification units also arranged in series, with the first and second plurality of dehumidification units arranged in parallel, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[00015] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having an evaporative cooling unit disposed upstream of the dehumidification unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00016] Figure 12A is a psychometric graph of the temperature and humidity ratio of the air flowing through a direct evaporative cooling unit and the dehumidification unit of Figure 11, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00017] Figure 12B is a psychometric graph of the ratio of temperature and humidity of the air flowing through an indirect evaporative cooling unit and the dehumidification unit of Figure 11, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00018] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having the evaporative cooling unit disposed downstream of the dehumidification unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00019] Figure 14A is a psychometric graph of the ratio of temperature and humidity of the air flowing through the dehumidification unit and a direct evaporative cooling unit of Figure 13, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00020] Figure 14B is a psychometric graph of the ratio of temperature and humidity of the air flowing through the dehumidification unit and an indirect evaporative cooling unit of Figure 13, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00021] Figure 15A is a psychometric graph of the temperature and humidity ratio of the air flowing through the plurality of dehumidification units and a plurality of direct evaporative cooling units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00022] Figure 15B is a psychometric graph of the temperature and humidity ratio of the air flowing through the plurality of dehumidification units and a plurality of direct evaporative cooling units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00023] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having a mechanical cooling unit disposed downstream of the dehumidification unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00024] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system having the mechanical cooling unit of Figure 16 disposed upstream of the dehumidification unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00025] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using mini dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00026] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple stages of cooling and dehumidification arranged in series, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00027] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC system of Figure 19, including a control system;
[00028] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple stages of cooling and dehumidification arranged in parallel and in series, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00029] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple dehumidification units arranged in series and fluidly coupled to a cooling system disposed downstream of the multiple dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00030] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple dehumidification units arranged in series and fluidly coupled to a cooling system disposed upstream of the multiple dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00031] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple dehumidification units arranged in parallel and fluidly coupled to a cooling system disposed downstream of the multiple dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[00032] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple dehumidification units arranged in parallel and fluidly coupled to a cooling system disposed upstream of the multiple dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and
[00033] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system using multiple dehumidification units arranged in parallel and in series and fluidly coupled to a cooling system disposed downstream of the multiple dehumidification units, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS
[00034] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described herein. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of a current implementation cannot be described in the descriptive report. It should be appreciated that in developing any current implementation, as with any engineering project or design, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve specific developer goals, such as complying with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Furthermore, it would be appreciated that such development effort can be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine compromising design, fabrication and manufacturing for those skilled in the art having the benefit of this invention.
[00035] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present invention, the articles "a", "an", "the", and "referred to" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are intended to be inclusive, and mean that there may be additional elements other than the elements listed.
[00036] The purpose of the present invention relates to dehumidification systems and, more specifically, to systems and methods capable of dehumidifying air without initial condensation by establishing a moisture gradient in a dehumidification unit. In one embodiment, a water vapor permeable material (i.e., a water vapor permeable membrane) is used along at least one boundary that separates an air channel from a secondary channel or chamber, to facilitate the removal of water vapor from the air that passes through the air channel. The secondary channel or chamber separated from the air channel by the water vapor permeable material can receive water vapor extracted from the air channel via the water vapor permeable material.
[00037] In operation, the water vapor permeable material allows the flow of H2O (which can refer to H2O as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, absorbed/water molecules desorbed, or combinations thereof) through the water vapor permeable material from the air channel to the secondary channel or chamber, while substantially blocking the flow of other air components flowing through the air channel from passing through the material. permeable to water vapor. As such, the water vapor permeable material reduces moisture from the air flowing through the air channel by primarily removing only water vapor from the air. Correspondingly, the secondary channel or chamber is mainly filled with water vapor. It would be noted that the passage of H2O through the water vapor permeable material can be facilitated by a pressure differential. In fact, a lower partial pressure of water vapor (i.e. a partial pressure less than the partial pressure of water vapor in the air channel) can be created in the secondary channel or chamber to further facilitate the passage of H2O through the material permeable to water vapor. Consequently, the side of the water vapor permeable material opposite the air channel can be referred to as the suction side of the water vapor permeable material.
[00038] Once the H2O has been passed through the water vapor permeable material, a vacuum pump is used to increase the partial pressure of the water vapor on the suction side of the water vapor permeable material at a pressure of minimum saturation used to enable the condensation of water vapor by a condenser. That is, the vacuum pump compresses the water vapor to a pressure in a range suitable for condensing the water vapor into liquid water (eg a range of approximately 1.77.6kPa, ie, (0.25- 1.1 pounds per square inch absolute, psia, with the highest value applying to embodiments using multiple dehumidification units in series), depending on the conditions desired for condensation. The condenser then condenses the water vapor into a liquid state, and the resulting liquid water is then pressurized to approximately atmospheric pressure, such that the liquid water can be rejected at ambient atmospheric conditions. By condensing the water vapor to a liquid state before expelling it, certain efficiencies are provided. Pressurizing liquid water at atmospheric pressure uses less energy than pressurizing water vapor at atmospheric pressure. Alternatively, water vapor can be rejected at ambient conditions through a unit of membrane water vapor rejection. It should also be noted that the dehumidification unit described here generally uses significantly less energy than conventional systems.
[00039] While embodiments described herein are primarily presented as enabling the removal of water vapor from the air, other embodiments may enable the removal of other H2O components from the air. For example, in certain embodiments, instead of a material permeable to water vapor, a material permeable to H2O can be used. As such, the H2O permeable material can allow the flow of one, all, or any combination of H2O components (ie, water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules absorbed/desorbed, and so on) through the material permeable to H2O from the air channel to the secondary channel or chamber, while substantially blocking the flow of other air components flowing through the air channel from passing through the material permeable to H2O. In other words, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to removing water vapor from the air, but rather to removing H2O (i.e., in any of its states) from the air. However, for accuracy, the embodiments described herein are primarily focused on used in removing water vapor from the air.
[00040] In certain embodiments, as described in greater detail below with respect to Figures 19-26, one or more of the aforementioned dehumidification units may be combined with one or more cooling systems, such as evaporative cooler systems. In one example, multiple stages, each stage including an evaporative or mechanical cooler, and a dehumidification unit, can be combined in series and/or in parallel. Outside air can enter a first stage of the multi-stage, and subsequently be directed through the multi-stage, exiting in a final stage as dry air from the cooler. That is, each subsequent stage can cool and dry the air from the previous stage. In one embodiment, a multistage vacuum pump can be used to create a low pressure side, providing an adequate partial pressure differential to enable outside air to move through the multiple stages. In other embodiments, multiple pumps can be used as alternatives or in addition to the multistage pump. The low pressure side may also include a purge unit useful in removing certain components from the air, such as non-condensable components (eg, oxygen, nitrogen, and other atmospheric gas components). A condenser can also be provided, suitable for condensing water vapor, which can then be directed into a liquid receiver. A pump can then discharge the liquid from the receiver. Control systems can be communicatively coupled to the various components of multiple stages (eg pumps, valves, condensers, evaporative coolers), and used to more efficiently control the drying and cooling of air.
[00041] By providing the aforementioned multiple stages, each stage including an evaporator or mechanical cooler and a dehumidification system, a dryer, cooler air can be produced in a more efficient manner, when compared to using a single stage. Additionally, the inclusion of multiple stages can enhance trust and provide redundancy. For example, bypass valves can be used to bypass certain stages in the event of an unexpected maintenance event. In fact, maintenance, including the complete removal of one or more stages, can be carried out, for example, by the use of bypass valves, while remaining stages can continue drying and/or cooling operations. Furthermore, each stage can be provided at different production capacities (eg drying, cooling capacity), thus enabling an HVAC system suitable for use in a variety of conditions.
[00042] With the foregoing in mind, it may be useful to describe certain systems and methods, such as an HVAC system 10 depicted in Figure 1. More specifically, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 10 having a unit of dehumidification 12, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the dehumidification unit 12 can receive inlet air 14A having a relatively high humidity and expel exhaust air 14B having a relatively low humidity. In particular, dehumidification unit 12 may include one or more air channels 16 through which air 14 (i.e., intake air 14A and exhaust air 14B) flows. In addition, dehumidification unit 12 may include one or more steam channels 18 adjacent to one or more air channels 16. As illustrated in Figure 1, air 14 does not flow through steam channels 18. Preferably , the embodiments described herein enable the passage of water vapor from the air 14 in the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18, thereby dehumidifying the air 14 and accumulating water vapor in the water vapor channels 18. In particular, water vapor from air 14 in air channels 16 may be allowed to flow through an interface 20 (i.e. a barrier or membrane) between adjacent air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18, while other components (eg, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and so on) of the air 14 are blocked from flowing through an interface 20. In general, the water vapor channels 18 are sealed to create the low pressure that pushes the water vapor from air 14 in air channels 16 through interfaces 20 as H2O (ie, as water molecules, gaseous water vapour, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, absorbed/desorbed water molecules, and so on, through interfaces 20).
[00043] As such, a moisture gradient is established between air channels 16 and adjacent water vapor channels 18. The moisture gradient is generated by a pressure gradient between air channels 16 and water vapor channels adjacents 18. In particular, the water vapor partial pressure in the water vapor channels 18 is kept at a lower level than the water vapor partial pressure in the air channels 16, such that the water vapor in the air 14 flowing through the air channels 16 tends towards the suction side (i.e. the water vapor channels 18 having a lower partial pressure of water vapor) of the interfaces 20.
[00044] Air components other than H2O can be substantially blocked from passing through the interfaces 20 according to the present embodiments. In other words, in certain embodiments, approximately 95% or more, approximately 96% or more, approximately 97% or more, approximately 98% or more, or approximately 99% or more, of the components of air 14 other than H2O (by eg nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and so on) can be blocked from passing through interfaces 20. When compared to an ideal interface 20 that blocks 100% of components other than H2O, an interface 20 that blocks 99 .5% of components other than H2O will experience a reduction in efficiency of approximately 2-4%. As such, components other than H2O can be periodically purged to minimize these adverse effects on efficiency.
[00045] Figure 2A is a perspective view of the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 1 having multiple parallel air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2A, air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18 are generally straight channels, which provide a substantial amount of surface area for interfaces 20 between adjacent air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18. Additionally, the generally straight channels 16, 18 enable the water vapor 26A to be removed along the path of the air channels 16 before the air 14 exits the air channels 16. In other words, the relatively moist intake air 14A ( for example, air with a dew point of 12.8°C (55°F) or higher, such that the air is suitable for air conditioning) passes straight through air channels 16, and exits as discharge air relatively dry 14B, because moisture has been removed as air 14 crosses along the atmospheric pressure side of interfaces 20 (i.e., the side of interfaces 20 in air channels 16). In an embodiment where a single unit is dehumidifying at a saturation pressure of 60°F or below, the suction side of interfaces 20 (i.e., side of interfaces 20 in steam channels 18) will generally be kept at a partial pressure of water vapor, i.e. lower than the partial pressure of water vapor on the atmospheric pressure side of the interfaces 20.
[00046] As illustrated in Figure 2A, each of the water vapor channels 18 is connected with a water vapor channel discharge 22 through which the water vapor in the water vapor channels 18 is removed. As illustrated in Figure 2A, in certain embodiments, the discharge of the steam channels 22 may be connected, via a steam discharge pipe 24, in which water vapor 26A from all of the steam channels 18 it is combined in a single water vapor vacuum volume 28, such as a tube or a chamber. Other configurations of air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18 can also be implemented. As another example, Figure 2B is a perspective view of the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 1 having a single air channel 16 located within a single steam channel 18, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, air channel 16 may be a cylindrical air channel located within a larger concentric cylindrical water vapor channel 18. The embodiments illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B are merely exemplary, and are not intended to be limiting.
[00047] Figure 3 is a plan view of an air channel 16 and adjacent water vapor channels 18 of the dehumidification unit 12 of Figures 1, 2A, and 2B, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 3, a representation of the water vapor 26 is exaggerated for purposes of illustration. In particular, water vapor 26 from air 14 is shown flowing through interfaces 20 between air channel 16 and adjacent water vapor channels 18 as H2O (i.e., as water molecules, gaseous water vapor , liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, absorbed/desorbed water molecules, and so on, through interfaces 20). Conversely, other components 30 (e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and so on) of air 14 are illustrated as being blocked from flowing through interfaces 20 between air channel 16 and adjacent water vapor channels. 18.
[00048] In certain embodiments, the interfaces 20 may include membranes that are permeable to water vapor and allow the flow of H2O through permeable volumes of the membranes, while blocking the flow of the other components 30. Again, it would be noted that when the H2O passes through the interfaces 20, it can actually pass as one, all, or any combination of water states (for example, as water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, absorbed/desorbed water molecules, and so on) through interfaces 20. For example, in one embodiment, interfaces 20 can adsorb/desorb water molecules. In another example, interfaces 20 can adsorb/desorb water molecules and enable passage of water vapor. In other embodiments, interfaces 20 can facilitate the passage of water in other combinations of states. Interfaces 20 extend along the air flow path 14. As such, water vapor 26 is continuously removed from one side of interface 20 as relatively moist intake air 14A flows through air channel 16. Therefore, the dehumidification of the air 14 flowing through the air channel 16 is accompanied by the separation of the water vapor 26 from the other components 30 of the air 14 incrementally as it progresses along the flow path of the air channel 16, and continuously contact interfaces 20 adjacent to air channel 16 from inlet location 14A to discharge air location 14B.
[00049] In certain embodiments, the steam channels 18 are evacuated prior to use of the dehumidification unit 12, such that a lower partial pressure of the steam 26 (i.e., a partial pressure less than the partial pressure of water vapor in the air channels 16) is created in the steam channels 18. For example, the partial pressure of the water vapor 26 in the steam channels 18 can be in the range of approximately 0.7-1.7 kPa (0.10-0.25 psia) during normal operation, which corresponds to dehumidification at a saturation pressure of 60°F or below. In this example, an initial pressure of approximately 0.07 kPa (0.01 psia) can be used to remove other air components (eg, non-condensables such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide), so the pressure partial water vapor in air channels 16 can be in the range of approximately 1.4 - 6.9 kPa (0.2-1.0 psia). However, at certain times, the pressure differential between the partial pressure of water vapor in the steam channels 18 and the air channels 16 may be as low (or lower than) approximately 0.07 kPa (0 .01 psia). The lower partial pressure of water vapor in the water vapor channels 18 further facilitates the flow of water vapor 26 from the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18, because the air 14 that flows through the air channels 16 is the local atmospheric pressure (ie, approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia) at sea level). Since the partial pressure of water vapor in the air 14 in the air channels 16 is greater than the partial pressure of the water vapor 26 in the water vapor channels 18, a pressure gradient is created from the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18. As previously described, the interfaces 20 between adjacent air channels 16 and water vapor channels 18 provide a barrier, and allow substantially only water vapor 26 to flow from the air 14 into the air channels 16 in the water vapor channels 18. As such, the air 14 flowing through the air channels 16 will generally decrease in moisture from the intake air 14A to the exhaust air 14B.
[00050] The use of water vapor permeable membranes as the interfaces 20 between the air channels 16 and the water vapor channels 18 has many advantages. In particular, in some embodiments, no additional energy is used to generate the moisture gradient from the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18. In addition, in some embodiments, no regeneration is involved, and no environmental emissions (eg, solids, liquids, or gases) is generated. Indeed, according to one embodiment, the separation of water vapor 26 from other components 30 of the air 14, via water-permeable membranes (i.e., interfaces 20), can be accomplished at much higher energy efficiencies than than the compressor technology used to condense water directly from the air stream.
[00051] Because the water vapor permeable membranes are highly permeable to water vapor, the operating costs of the dehumidification unit 12 can be minimized because the air 14 flowing through the air channels 16 does not have to be significantly pressurized to facilitate the passage of H2O through the interfaces 20. The water vapor permeable membranes are also highly selective to the permeation of water vapor from the air 14. In other words, the water vapor permeable membranes are very efficient in blocking the components 30 of air 14 other than water vapor entering water vapor channels 18. This is advantageous because H2O passes through interfaces 20 due to a pressure gradient (i.e., due to lower partial pressures of vapor of water in the steam channels 18), and any permeation or leakage of air 14 in the steam channels 18 will increase the energy consumption of the vacuum pump used to evacuate the steam channels of water 18. In addition, water vapor permeable membranes are rugged enough to be resistant to air contamination, biological degradation, and mechanical erosion of air channels 16, and water vapor channels 18. Membranes permeable to water Water vapor may also be resistant to bacterial attachment and growth in heat, humid air environments according to one embodiment.
[00052] An example of a material used for water vapor permeable membranes (ie the interfaces 20) is zeolite supported on thin porous metal sheets. In particular, in certain embodiments, an ultra-thin (e.g., less than approximately 2 µm) zeolite membrane film may be deposited on a porous sheet metal of approximately 50 µm thick. The resulting membrane sheets can be packaged in a membrane separation module to be used in dehumidification unit 12. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a separation module 32 formed using a membrane that can be used as a water channel. steam 18 from the dehumidification unit 12 of Figures 1-3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Two sheets of membrane 34, 36 can be folded and secured together in a generally rectangular shape with a water vapor channel having a width Wmsm of approximately 5mm. The separation module 32 can be positioned within the dehumidifying unit 12 such that a membrane coating surface is exposed to air 14. The thinness of the metal backing sheet reduces the weight and cost of the raw material material, and also minimizes resistance to H2O diffusion through the water vapor permeable membrane film deposited on membrane sheets 34, 36. The metallic nature of sheets 34, 36 provides mechanical strength and flexibility for packaging such that the separation module 32 can withstand a pressure gradient of more than approximately *60 psi (ie, approximately 4 times atmospheric pressure).
[00053] The separation of water vapor from other components 30 of the air 14 can create a water vapor permeation flux of approximately 1.0 kg/m2/h (for example, in a range of approximately 0.5 -2.0 kg/m2/h), and a water vapor to air selectivity range of approximately 5-200+. As such, the efficiency of the dehumidification unit 12 is relatively high compared to other additional dehumidification techniques with a relatively low production cost. As an example, approximately 7-10 m2 of membrane area of the interfaces 20 can be used to dehumidify 1 ton of air cooling charge under ambient conditions. In order to handle such an air-cooling load, in certain embodiments, 17-20 separation modules 32 having a hmsm height of approximately 450mm, a length lmsm of approximately 450mm, and a width Wmsm of approximately 5mm, may be used. These separation modules 32 can be mounted side by side in the dehumidifying unit 12, leaving approximately 2 mm gaps between the separation modules 32. These gaps define the air channels 16 through which the air 14 flows. The measurements described in this example are merely exemplary, and are not intended to be limiting.
[00054] Figure 5 is a psychometric graph 38 of the ratio of temperature and a humidity of the humid air 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 of Figures 1-3, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, the x-axis 40 of the psychometric chart 38 corresponds to the temperature of the air 14 flowing through the air channels 16 of Figure 1, the y-axis 42 of the psychometric chart 38 corresponds to the moisture ratio of the air 14 flowing through the channels. of air 16, and curve 44 represents the water vapor saturation curve of air 14 flowing through air channels 16. As illustrated by line 46, because water vapor is removed from air 14 flowing through of the air channels 16, the humidity ratio of the discharge air 14B (ie, point 48) from the dehumidifying unit 12 of Figures 1-3 is lower than the humidity ratio of the intake air 14A (ie. is, point 50) in the dehumidification unit 12 of Figures 1-3, while the temperatures of the exhaust air 14B and the intake air 14A are substantially the same.
[00055] Returning now to Figure 1, as described above, a lower partial pressure of water vapor 26 (i.e. a partial pressure less than the partial pressure of water vapor in the air channels 16) is created in the air channels. steam 18 from dehumidification unit 12 to further facilitate the passage of H2O through interfaces 20 from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18. In certain embodiments, water vapor channels 18 may initially be evacuated using a vacuum pump 52. In particular, the vacuum pump 52 can evacuate the water vapor channels 18 and the water vapor vacuum volume 28, as well as the water vapor discharges 22 and the steam piping of water 24 of Figure 2A. However, in other embodiments, a pump separate from the vacuum pump 52 can be used to evacuate the steam channels 18, steam vacuum volume 28, steam discharges 22, and steam piping. water 24. As illustrated in Figure 1, the water vapor 26 removed from the air 14 in the dehumidification unit 12 can be distinguished between the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 (i.e., the side of suction of vacuum pump 52) and water vapor 26B expelled from an exhaust side (i.e., an outlet) of vacuum pump 52 (i.e., water vapor 26B delivered to a condensing unit). In general, water vapor 26B expelled from vacuum pump 52 will have a slightly higher pressure and a higher temperature than water vapor 26A in water vapor vacuum volume 28. Vacuum pump 52 can be a compressor or any other suitable pressure-increasing device capable of maintaining a lower pressure on the suction side of the vacuum pump 52 than the partial pressure of water vapor in moist air 14.
[00056] For example, the lower partial pressure of water vapor 26A maintained at the water vapor vacuum volume 28 may be in the range of approximately 1.0-1.7 kPa (0.15-0.25 psia), which corresponds to saturation temperatures of approximately 7.2°C to 15.5°C (45°F to 60°F), with 26A water vapor in the range of approximately *18.3-23.9°C ( 65-75°F). However, in other embodiments, the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be maintained at a partial pressure of water vapor in the range of approximately 0.071.7kPa (0.01-0.25 psia), and a temperature in the range of approximately 12.8°C (55°F) to the highest ambient air temperature. A specific embodiment may be designed to lower the partial pressure in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to the range of 0.07 kPa (0.01 psia) to increase the ability to remove water vapor from the air 14 to enable an evaporative cooler processing the full air conditioning load when atmospheric conditions permit this mode of operation.
[00057] In certain embodiments, the vacuum pump 52 is a low pressure pump configured to decrease the water vapor pressure 26A in the steam vacuum volume 28 at a partial pressure lower than the vapor partial pressure of water on the atmospheric side of the interfaces 20 (i.e. the partial pressure of the air 14 in the air channels 16). On the exhaust side of the vacuum pump 52, the partial pressure of the water vapor 26B has been increased just high enough to facilitate condensation of the water vapor (ie, in a condensing unit 54). In fact, the vacuum pump 52 is configured to increase the pressure such that the water vapor 26B in the condensing unit 54 is at a pressure close to a minimum saturation pressure in the condensing unit 54. Alternatively, the condensing unit 54 and subsequent components can be replaced by a membrane water vapor rejection unit.
[00058] As an example operation of the HVAC system 10, air 14 can enter the system at a water vapor partial pressure of 2.2 kPa (0.32 psia), which corresponds to a humidity ratio of approximately 6 .35 g (0.014 pounds) of H2O per pounds of dry air. The system can be adjusted to remove approximately 2.27 g (0.005 lb) of H2O per pounds of dry air from air 14. Pressure differentials across interfaces 20 can be used to create a flow of H2O through interfaces 20 For example, the water vapor partial pressure in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be adjusted to approximately 0.7 kPa (0.1 psia). The pressure of the water vapor 26B is increased by the vacuum pump 52 in a mainly adiabatic process, and as the pressure of the water vapor 26B increases, the temperature also increases (in contrast to the relatively negligible temperature differential across the interfaces 20). As such, if, for example, the water vapor pressure 26B is increased in the vacuum pump 52 by approximately 2.1 kPa gauge (0.3 psi), (i.e., to approximately 2.8 kPa, i.e. 0.4 psia), the condensing unit 54 is then capable of condensing the water vapor 26B at a temperature of approximately *22.2-22.8°C (72-73°F), and the steam temperature of 26B water rises to a temperature substantially higher than the condenser temperature. The system can continuously monitor the pressure and temperature conditions of both the upstream water vapor 26A and downstream water vapor 26B to ensure that the water vapor 26B expelled from the vacuum pump 52 has a partial vapor pressure of water just high enough to facilitate condensation in the condensing unit 54. It should be noted that the pressure and temperature values presented in this scenario are merely exemplary, and are not intended to be limiting.
[00059] As the pressure difference from the water vapor 26A entering the vacuum pump 52 to the water vapor 26B leaving a vacuum pump 52 increases, the efficiency of the dehumidifying unit 12 decreases. For example, in one embodiment, the vacuum pump 52 can be adjusted to adjust the water vapor pressure 26B in the condensing unit 54 slightly above the saturation pressure at the lowest ambient temperature of the cooling medium (i.e., air or water) used by condensing unit 54 to condense water vapor 26B. In another embodiment, the temperature of the water vapor 26B can be used to control the pressure in the condensing unit 54. The temperature of the water vapor 26B expelled from the vacuum pump 52 can be substantially hotter than the humid air 14A (For example, this temperature can reach approximately 93.3°C (200°F) or above, depending on a variety of factors). Because the vacuum pump 52 can only increase the pressure of the water vapor 26B to a point where condensation of the water vapor 26B is facilitated (i.e., approximately the saturation pressure), the energy requirements of the vacuum pump 52 are relatively small, thus obtaining a high efficiency from the dehumidification unit 12.
[00060] Once the water vapor 26B has been slightly pressurized (i.e., compressed) by the vacuum pump 52, the water vapor 26B is directed into the condensing unit 54, in which the water vapor 26B is condensed in a liquid state. In certain embodiments, the condenser unit 54 may include a condenser coil 56, a pipe/tube condenser, a flat plate condenser, or any other system suitable for reaching a temperature below the dew point of water vapor 26B. The condensing unit 54 can either be air cooled or water cooled. For example, in certain embodiments, the condensing unit 54 can be cooled by ambient air or water from a cooling tower. As such, the operating costs of the condensing unit 54 can be relatively low, as both ambient air and cooling tower water are in relatively unlimited supply.
[00061] Once water vapor 26B has been condensed into a liquid state, in certain embodiments, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed into a reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, in other embodiments, no reservoir 58 can be used. In any case, liquid water from the condensing unit 54 can be directed into a liquid pump 60 (i.e. a water transport device), within which the pressure of liquid water from the condensing unit 54 is increased at approximately atmospheric pressure (ie, approximately 101 kPa, (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected at ambient conditions. As such, liquid pump 60 can be sized just large enough to increase the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 to approximately atmospheric pressure. Therefore, the operating costs of the liquid pump 60 can be relatively low. In addition, the liquid water from the liquid pump 60 may be at a slightly elevated temperature due to the increase in liquid water pressure. As such, in certain embodiments, the heated liquid water can be transported for use as domestic hot water for use at home, further increasing the efficiency of the system by recapturing the heat transferred in the liquid water.
[00062] Although the interfaces 20 between the air channels 16 and the water vapor channels 18, as described previously, generally allow only H2O to pass from the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18, in certain In embodiments, very minimal amounts (eg, less than 1% of oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), or other non-condensable components) of the other components 30 of the air 14 may be allowed to pass through the interfaces 20 from the channels of air 16 to the steam channels 18. Over time, the amount of the other components 30 can remain in the steam channels 18 (as well as in the steam vacuum volume 28, the steam discharges 22, and steam piping 24 of Figure 2A). In general, these other components 30 are non-condensable in the condenser temperature ranges used in condensing unit 54. As such, components 30 can adversely affect the performance of vacuum pump 52 and all other equipment downstream of vacuum pump 52 (in particular, the condensing unit 54).
[00063] Consequently, in certain embodiments, a second vacuum pump, such as a pump 62 shown in Figure 6, can be used to periodically purge the other components 30 from the vacuum volume of water vapor 28. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC system 10 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 1 having the vacuum pump 62 for removing the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 of the unit. dehumidification 12, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vacuum pump 62 may, in certain embodiments, be the same pump used to evacuate the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 (as well as the water vapor channels 18, the water vapor discharges 22, and the water vapor piping. steam 24) to create the previously described lower water vapor partial pressure that facilitates the passage of H2O through interfaces 20 from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18. However, in other embodiments, the vacuum pump 62 may be different from the pump used to evacuate the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 to create the lower partial pressure of water vapor.
[00064] The dehumidification unit 12 described here can also be controlled between various operating states, and modulated based on the operating conditions of the dehumidification unit 12. For example, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the HVAC system 10 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 6 having a control system 64 for controlling various operating conditions of the HVAC system 10 and the dehumidification unit 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Control system 64 may include one or more processors 66, for example, one or more "general purpose" processors, one or more special purpose microprocessors and/or ASICS (application specific integrated circuits), or some combination of such processing components. Processors 66 may use input/output (I/O) devices 68 to, for example, receive signals from and issue control signals to components of dehumidification unit 12 (i.e., vacuum pumps 52, 62, unit condenser 54, reservoir 58, liquid pump 60, other equipment such as a fan that blows intake air 14A through dehumidification unit 12, sensors configured to generate signals related to discharge air and exhaust air characteristics. admission 14A, 14B, and so on). Processors 66 can take these signals as inputs, and calculate how to control the functionality of these components of dehumidification unit 12 to more efficiently remove water vapor 26 from the air 14 flowing through dehumidification unit 12. The control system 64 may also include a non-transient computer readable medium (i.e., a memory 70) which, for example, may store instructions or data to be processed by the one or more processors 66 of control system 64.
[00065] For example, the control system 64 can be configured to control the removal rate of the non-condensable components 30 of the water vapor 26A from the water vapor vacuum volume 28 of the dehumidification unit 12 by rotating the pump The vacuum pump 62 turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which the vacuum pump 62 removes the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26A. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from a sensor in the steam vacuum volume 28 that senses when too many non-condensable components 30 are present in the water vapor 26A contained in the steam vacuum volume. of water 28. This non-condensable component removal process can operate in a cyclic manner. In the "normal" operation of removing the water vapor 26 from the air 14, the vacuum pump 62 cannot be in operation. As the non-condensable components 30 remain in the steam vacuum volume 28, the internal pressure in the steam vacuum volume 28 eventually reaches a set point. At this point in time, the vacuum pump 62 turns on and removes all components (i.e., both non-condensable components 30 as well as H2O, including water vapor) until the internal pressure in the vapor vacuum volume de water 28 reach another setpoint (eg, lower than the starting vacuum pressure). Then, vacuum pump 62 closes, and dehumidifying unit 12 returns to normal operating mode. Setpoints can either be pre-set or dynamically determined. One method is to have the vacuum pump 62 only operate in purge mode intermittently.
[00066] Another example of the type of control that can be performed by the control system 64 is modulation of the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 (as well as the water vapor channels 18, the water vapor discharges 22, and water vapor piping 24) to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification unit 12. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors of pressure in the vacuum volume of water vapor 28, in the water vapor channels 18, in the water vapor discharges 22, and/or in the water vapor piping 24, as well as signals generated by sensors related to the characteristics (by example, temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of discharge air and intake air 14A, 14B, among other things. Control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of water vapor 26A (e.g., with respect to the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 flowing through air channels 16) to increase or decreasing the water vapor removal rate 26 from the air channels 16 to the water vapor channels 18 through the interfaces 20.
[00067] For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired , the lower partial pressure of the steam 26A in the vacuum volume of steam 28 can be increased. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification unit 12. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification unit 12 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, dehumidification unit 12 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min ), then remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then remove a maximum amount of water vapor from of air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification unit 12 can be operated at full steam removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. In addition, control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification unit 12.
[00068] The dehumidification unit 12 can be designed and operated in many various modes, and under varying operating conditions. In general, the dehumidification unit 12 operates with the steam vacuum volume 28 (as well as the steam channels 18, the steam discharges 22, and the steam piping 24) at a pressure partial water vapor below the partial water vapor pressure of the air 14 flowing through the air channels 16. In certain embodiments, the dehumidification unit 12 can be optimized for use of the dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) in the which air 14 can have a temperature in the range of approximately 12,837.8°C (55-100°F), and a relative humidity in the range of approximately 55-100%. In other embodiments, dehumidification unit 12 can be optimized for residential use for recirculated air having a temperature in the range of approximately 21,029.4°C (70-85°F), and a relative humidity in the range of approximately 55-65% . Similarly, in certain embodiments, dehumidification unit 12 can be optimized for dehumidifying outdoor air in recirculated air systems in commercial construction, which dehumidify intake air 14A having a temperature in the range of approximately 12.8-37.8° C (55-110°F), and a relative humidity in the range of approximately 55-100%. Exhaust air 14B has less moisture and about the same temperature as inlet air 14A, unless cooling is carried out in exhaust air 14B.
[00069] The dehumidification unit 12 described here uses less operating energy than conventional dehumidification systems due to the relatively low pressures that are used to dehumidify air 14A. This is due at least in part to the ability of interfaces 20 (i.e., water vapor permeable membranes) to remove water vapor 26 from air 14 efficiently without requiring excessive pressures to force water vapor 26 through interfaces 20 For example, in one embodiment, the minimum energy used to operate the dehumidification unit 12 includes only the fan energy used to move the air 14 through the dehumidification unit 12, the compressive energy of the vacuum pump 52 to compress the steam of water 26 at approximately saturation pressure (eg approximately 6.9 kPa (1.0 psia), or a saturation pressure that corresponds to a given condensing temperature, eg approximately 100°F), the pump energy and/or fan energy of the condensing unit 54 (for example, depending on whether cooling tower water or ambient air is used as the cooling medium), the pump energy of the liquid pump 60 pa to reject the liquid water from the condensing unit 54 under ambient conditions, and the energy from the vacuum pump 62 to purge non-condensable components 30 that leak into the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 of the dehumidifying unit 12. As such, the only relatively larger energy component used to operate the dehumidification unit 12 is the compressive energy of the vacuum pump 52 to compress the water vapor 26 to approximately saturation pressure (for example, only to approximately 6.9 kPa (1 ,0 psia), or a saturation pressure that corresponds to a given condensing temperature, eg approximately 100°F). As mentioned earlier, this energy is relatively low, therefore, operating the dehumidification unit 12 is relatively costly as opposed to conventional refrigeration compression dehumidification systems. In addition, calculations for one embodiment indicate that dehumidification unit 12 has a coefficient of performance (COP) at least twice as high (or even up to five times as high, depending on operating conditions) as these dehumidification systems. conventional ones. In addition, the dehumidification unit 12 enables dehumidification of air without reducing the air temperature below the temperature at which air is needed, as is often done in conventional dehumidification systems.
[00070] In certain embodiments, multiple examples of dehumidification unit 12 described above with respect to Figures 1 to 7 can be used in a single HVAC system. For example, Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 72 having a plurality of dehumidification units 12 (i.e., a first dehumidification unit 74, a second dehumidification unit 76, and a third dehumidification unit 78) arranged in series, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although illustrated as having three dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 in series, any number of dehumidification units 12 can, in fact, be used in series in the HVAC system 72. For example, in other embodiments, 2, 4, 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more dehumidification units 12 can be used in series in the HVAC system 72.
[00071] The HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 generally functions the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 8, the HVAC system 72 receives the 14A inlet air having a relatively high humidity. However, the relatively dry air 14B from the first dehumidification unit 74 is not expelled into the atmosphere. Preferably, as illustrated in Figure 8, the air 14B expelled from the first dehumidification unit 74 is directed to the second dehumidification unit 76, via a first duct 80. Similarly, the air 14C expelled from the second dehumidification unit 76 is directed into the third dehumidification unit 78 via a second duct 82. The exhaust air 14D from the third dehumidification unit 78 is then exhausted into the conditioned space. Because the dehumidifying units 74, 76, 78 of the HVAC system 72 are arranged in series, each successive air stream will be relatively drier than the upstream air streams. For example, exhaust air 14D is drier than air 14C, which is drier than air 14B, which is drier than intake air 14A.
[00072] As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. For example, as described above, the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 of the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 can be considered identical to the dehumidification units 12 of Figures 1,6, and 7. In addition, the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 also includes the condensing unit 54 that receives steam of water 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation, as described above. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa, ie 14.7 psia), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions.
[00073] As illustrated in Figure 8, in certain embodiments, each dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78 may be associated with a respective vacuum pump 84, 86, 88, each of which is similar in functionality to the vacuum pump 52 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. However, because water vapor is removed from each successive dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78, the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 can be gradually reduced in each successive dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78. For example, as described above, the partial pressure of water vapor in the 14A inlet air can be in the range of approximately 1.4 - 6.9 kPa (0.2-1.0 psia); the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14B from the first dehumidification unit 74 can be in the range of approximately 0.17-0.75 psia (performing approximately 1/3 of the drop); the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14C from the second dehumidification unit 76 can be in the range of approximately 0.97-3.7 kPa (0.14-0.54 psia) (performing approximately the next 1/3 of the fall); and the partial pressure of water vapor in the 14D discharge air from the third dehumidification unit 78 may be in the range of approximately 0.7-1.7 kPa (0.10-0.25 psia), which is consistent with a saturation temperature of 60°F or lower. Very low values can be used to increase capacity for occasional use.
[00074] As such, in certain embodiments, the partial pressure of water vapor in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 90, 92, 94 (e.g., which are similar in functionality to the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 previously described ) associated with each respective vacuum pump 84, 86, 88, can be modulated to ensure an optimal flow of water vapor 26 from each respective dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78. For example, the partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 described above can be maintained in a range of approximately *1.0-1.7 kPa (0.15-0.25 psia). However, in the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8, the partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the first vacuum volume of water vapor 90 can be maintained in a range of approximately 1.0-4.8 kPa (0.15- 0.7 psia), the 26A water vapor partial pressure in the second water vapor vacuum volume 92 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0.83-3.4 kPa (0.12-0.49 psia) , and the water vapor partial pressure 26A in the third water vapor vacuum volume 94 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0.62-1.65 kPa (0.09-0.24 psia). Regardless, less water vapor 26 can be expected to be removed in each successive dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78, and is generally to be optimized to minimize energy use to operate the system.
[00075] In certain embodiments, each of the vacuum pumps 84, 86, 88 can compress the water vapor 26 and direct it into a common pipe 96 having a substantially constant partial pressure of water vapor (i.e., only high enough to facilitate condensation in condensing unit 54) such that water vapor 26 flows in a direction opposite to the air flow 14. In other embodiments, water vapor 26 is extracted from each successive dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78 can be compressed by its respective vacuum pump 84, 86, 88 and then combined with the water vapor 26 extracted from the next upstream dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78. For example, in other embodiments, the water vapor 26 from the third dehumidification unit 78 can be compressed by the third vacuum pump 88 and then combined with the water vapor 26 from the second dehumidification unit 76 in the second vacuum volume of steam from water 92. similarly In this embodiment, the steam 26 compressed by the second vacuum pump 86 can be combined with the steam 26 from the first dehumidification unit 74 in the first steam vacuum volume 90. In this embodiment, the exhaust side of each successive vacuum pump 84, 86, 88 increases the partial pressure of the water vapor 26 only to the operating pressure of the next upstream vacuum pump 84, 86, 88. For example, the third vacuum pump 88 can only increase the water vapor pressure 26 at approximately 1.4 kPa (0.2 psia) if the water vapor partial pressure in the second water vapor vacuum volume 92 is approximately 1.4 kPa (0.2 psia). Similarly, the second vacuum pump 86 can only increase the water vapor pressure 26 to approximately 2.4 KPa (0.35 psia) if the water vapor partial pressure in the first water vapor vacuum volume 90 is approximately 2.4 KPa (0.35 psia). In this embodiment, the water vapor 26 compressed by the first vacuum pump 84 is directed into the condensing unit 54 at a partial pressure of water vapor just high enough to facilitate condensation.
[00076] It should be noted that the specific embodiment illustrated in Figure 8 having a plurality of dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 arranged in series can be configured in various modes not illustrated in Figure 8. For example, although illustrated as using a respective vacuum pump 84, 86, 88 with each dehumidification unit 74, 76, 78, in certain embodiments, a single vacuum pump 52 may be used with multiple inlet ports connected to the first, second, and third vacuum volumes of steam of water 90, 92, 94. In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60, to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport the liquid water from the HVAC system 72, in other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 and vacuum pumps 84, 86, 88 can be independently operated and associated with its own respective units condenser 54, reservoirs 58, and liquid pumps 60.
[00077] In addition, the control system 64 of Figure 7 can also be used in the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8 to control the operation of the HVAC system 72 in a similar manner as previously described with respect to Figure 7. For example , as described above, the control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26 in the vapor vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94 by rotating the vacuum pumps 84, 86, 88 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to Figures 6 and 7) turn on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pumps 84, 86, 88 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above in connection with Figures 6 and 7) removes the non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 90, 92, 94 that sense When also many non-condensable components 30 are present in the steam 26A contained in the steam vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94.
[00078] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the steam vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94, in the steam channels 18, as well as generated signals by sensors related to the characteristics (eg, temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14, among other things. The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the steam vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94 to increase or decrease the rate of water vapor removal 26 from from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed water molecules/ desorbed, absorbed/desorbed water molecules, and so on, through the interfaces 20).
[00079] For example, if more steam removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the steam vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94 can be reduced and, conversely, if less steam removal of water is desired, the lower partial pressure of the steam 26A in the steam vacuum volumes 90, 92, 94 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification units dehumidification 74, 76, 78 can work more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (e.g. approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approx. 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 can be operated at full dewatering capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. In addition, the control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 74, 76, 78.
[00080] While Figure 8 includes a series arrangement of multiple dehumidification units 12, the present embodiments include another way in which multiple dehumidification units 12 can be arranged in a single HVAC system. For example, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 98 having a plurality of dehumidification units 12 (i.e., a first dehumidification unit 100, a second dehumidification unit 102, and a third dehumidification unit 104) arranged in parallel, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although illustrated as having three dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 in parallel, any number of dehumidification units 12 can, in fact, be used in parallel in the HVAC system 98. For example, in other embodiments, 2, 4, 5 , 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more dehumidification units 12 can be used in parallel in HVAC system 98.
[00081] The HVAC system 98 of Figure 9 generally functions the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, and the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 9, each dehumidification unit 100, 102, 104 of the HVAC system 98 receives the intake air 14A having a relatively high humidity and exhausts the exhaust air 14B having a relatively low humidity. As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC system 98 of Figure 9 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1,6, and 7, and the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8. For example, the HVAC system units dehumidifiers 100, 102, 104 of the HVAC system 98 of Figure 9 can be considered identical to the dehumidification units 12 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, and the dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 of Figure 8. In addition, the The HVAC system 98 of Figure 9 also includes the condensing unit 54 which receives water vapor 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation, as described above. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 98 of Figure 9 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions.
[00082] As illustrated in Figure 9, in certain embodiments, each dehumidification unit 100, 102, 104 may be associated with a respective vacuum pump 106, 108, 110, each of which is similar in functionality to vacuum pump 52 of Figures 1,6, and 7, and the vacuum pumps 84, 86, 88 of Figure 8. However, as opposed to the HVAC system 72 of Figure 8, due to the dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 and vacuum pumps associated 106, 108, 110 are arranged in parallel, the partial pressure of water vapor in the air 14 will be approximately the same in each dehumidification unit 100, 102, 104. As such, in general, the partial pressure of water vapor in the air in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 112, 114, 116 associated with each respective vacuum pump 106, 108, 110 will also be approximately the same. For example, as previously described with respect to the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1,6, and 7, the partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0.7-1.7 kPa (0.10-0.25 psia).
[00083] As illustrated in Figure 9, in certain embodiments, each of the vacuum pumps 106, 108, 110 can compress the water vapor 26 and direct it into a common pipe 118 having a substantially constant water vapor partial pressure (ie, just high enough to facilitate condensation in condensing unit 54). In other embodiments, the water vapor 26 extracted from each successive dehumidification unit 100, 102, 104 (i.e., top to bottom) can be compressed by its respective vacuum pump 106, 108, 110 and then combined with water vapor 26 extracted from the next downstream dehumidification unit (ie, with respect to common piping) 100, 102, 104. For example, in other embodiments, water vapor 26 from the first unit of dehumidification unit 100 can be compressed by the first vacuum pump 106 and then combined with the steam 26 from the second dehumidification unit 102 in the second vacuum volume of steam 114. Similarly, the steam 26 compressed by the second vacuum pump 108 can be combined with water vapor 26 from the third dehumidification unit 104 in the third vacuum volume of water vapor 116. In this embodiment, the exhaust side of each successive vacuum pump 106, 108, 110 to increases the partial pressure of the steam 26 only to the operating pressure of the next downstream vacuum pump 106, 108, 110. For example, the first vacuum pump 106 can only increase the pressure of the steam 26 to approximately 1 .4 kPa (0.2 psia) if the water vapor partial pressure in the second water vapor vacuum volume 114 is approximately 1.4 kPa (0.2 psia). Similarly, the second vacuum pump 108 can only increase the water vapor pressure 26 to approximately 2.4 kPa (0.35 psia) if the water vapor partial pressure in the third water vapor vacuum volume 116 is approximately 2.4 kPa (0.35 psia). In this embodiment, the water vapor 26 compressed by the third vacuum pump 110 will be directed into the condensing unit 54 at a partial pressure of water vapor only high enough to facilitate condensation.
[00084] It should be noted that the specific embodiment illustrated in Figure 9 having a plurality of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 arranged in parallel can be configured in various modes not illustrated in Figure 9. For example, although illustrated as using a respective vacuum pump 106, 108, 110 with each dehumidification unit 100, 102, 104, in certain embodiments, a single vacuum pump 52 may be used with multiple inlet ports connected to the first, second, and third vacuum volumes of steam of water 112, 114, 116. In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60 to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport the water. liquid from HVAC system 98, in other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 and vacuum pumps 106, 108, 110 can be independently operated and associated with two of its own. respective condensing units 54, reservoirs 58, and liquid pumps 60.
[00085] In addition, the control system 64 of Figure 7 can also be used in the HVAC 98 system of Figure 9 to control the operation of the HVAC 98 system in a similar manner as previously described with respect to Figure 7. For example , as described above, the control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26A in the vapor vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 by rotating the vacuum pumps 106, 108, 110 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to Figures 6 and 7) turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pumps 106, 108, 110 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to Figures 6 and 7) remove the non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 112, 114, 116 that hold ect when also many non-condensable components 30 are present in the steam 26A contained in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116.
[00086] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the steam vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification units 100, 102, 104. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116, the steam channels 18, as well as generated signals by sensors related to the characteristics (eg, temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14, among other things. The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 to increase or decrease the rate of water vapor removal 26 from from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 as H2O (i.e. water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed water molecules/ desorbed, absorbed/desorbed water molecules, and so on, through the interfaces 20).
[00087] For example, if more steam removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 can be reduced and, conversely, if less steam removal of water is desired, the lower partial pressure of the steam 26A in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 114, 116 can be increased. In addition, as described above, dehumidification amounts (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification units dehumidification 100, 102, 104 can work more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (e.g. approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approx. 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 can be operated at full water vapor removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. In addition, the control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104.
[00088] In addition to the series arrangement of dehumidification units 12 illustrated in Figure 8, and the parallel arrangement of dehumidification units 12 illustrated in Figure 9, multiple dehumidification units 12 can be used in other modes. In fact, much more complex and costly arrangements can also be used. For example, Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 120 having a first set 122 of dehumidification units 12 (i.e., a first dehumidification unit 124 and a second dehumidification unit 126) arranged in series, and a second set 128 of dehumidification units 12 (i.e. a third dehumidification unit 130 and a fourth dehumidification unit 132) also arranged in series, with the first and second sets 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 arranged in parallel, of according to an embodiment of the present invention. In other words, the first set 122 of first and second dehumidification units 124, 126 in series are arranged in parallel with the second set 128 of third and fourth dehumidification units in series 130, 132.
[00089] Although illustrated as having two sets 122, 128 of series dehumidification units 12 arranged in parallel, any number of parallel pluralities of dehumidification units 12 can, in fact, be used in the HVAC system 120. For example, in other embodiments, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more parallel sets of dehumidification units 12 may be used in the HVAC system 120. Similarly, although illustrated as having two dehumidification units 12 arranged in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12, any number of dehumidification units 12 can, in fact, be used in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 in the HVAC system 120. By For example, in other embodiments, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more dehumidification units 12 may be used in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 in the system. of HVAC 120.
[00090] All of the operating characteristics of the HVAC 120 system of Figure 10 are similar to those previously described with respect to the HVAC system 72, 98 of Figures 8 and 9 (as well as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7). For example, as illustrated, each of the dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, 132 may be associated with its own respective vacuum pump 134, 136, 138, 140 (e.g. similar to vacuum pump 52 of Figures 1, 6, and 7). However, in other embodiments, a vacuum pump 52 may be used for each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 with multiple inlet ports connected to respective steam vacuum volumes 142, 144, 146, 148. , in other embodiments, all of the dehumidifying units 124, 126, 130, 132 may be associated with a single vacuum pump 52 with multiple inlet ports connected to all of the steam vacuum volumes 142, 144, 146, 148 .
[00091] In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60 to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport liquid water from the system of HVAC 120, in other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, 132 and vacuum pumps 134, 136, 138, 140 can be independently operated, and be associated with their own respective condensing units 54, reservoirs 58, and liquid pumps 60. In addition, the control system 64 described above may also be used in the HVAC system 120 of Figure 10 to control the operation of the HVAC system 120 in a similar manner as described above.
[00092] The embodiments described above with respect to Figures 8 to 10 are slightly more complex than the embodiments described above with respect to Figures 1 to 7, as multiple dehumidification units 12 are used in series, parallel, or some combination thereof . As such, controlling system pressures and temperatures from HVACs 72, 98, 120 of Figures 8 to 10 are slightly more complicated than controlling a single dehumidification unit 12. For example, the partial pressures in the vacuum volumes of water vapor may need to be closely monitored and modulated by control system 64 to account for variations in temperature and partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 within respective dehumidification units 12, operating pressures of steam vacuum volumes adjacent water and vacuum pumps (which can be cross-tubed together, as described above, to facilitate control of pressures, flows, and so on), among other things. In certain embodiments, variable or fixed orifices can be used to control pressures and changes in pressures in and between dehumidification units 12. In addition, as described above, each of the respective vacuum pumps can be controlled to adjust the partial pressures of water vapor in the water vapor vacuum volumes to account for variations between dehumidification units 12.
[00093] In certain embodiments, the dehumidification unit 12 described with respect to Figures 1 to 7 may be used in conjunction with one or more evaporative cooling units 12. For example, Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 150 having an evaporative cooling unit 152 disposed upstream of the dehumidifying unit 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The HVAC system 150 of Figure 11 generally functions the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. However, as illustrated in Figure 11, the HVAC system 150 specifically includes the evaporative cooling unit 152 disposed to the upstream of the dehumidification unit 12. In this way, the HVAC system 150 first receives the relatively moist 14A inlet air in the evaporative cooling unit 152 instead of the dehumidifying unit 12. The evaporative cooling unit 152 reduces the air temperature relatively humid inlet 14A and exhausts chiller (but still relatively humid) air 14B, which is routed into dehumidification unit 12 via a duct 154. As previously described, chiller (but still relatively humid) air 14B is in then dehumidified in dehumidification unit 12, and expelled as relatively dry air 14C into the conditioned space.
[00094] Evaporative cooling unit 152 in Figure 11 can either be a direct evaporative cooling unit, or an indirect evaporative cooling unit. In other words, when evaporative cooling unit 152 uses direct evaporative cooling techniques, a relatively cool and wet medium 156 (eg, relatively cooled water) is directly added to the relatively wet 14A inlet air. However, when evaporative cooling unit 152 uses indirect evaporative cooling techniques, the relatively moist air 14A may, for example, flow through one side of a heat exchanger plate, while the relatively cool and moist medium 156 flows through the other side of the heat exchanger plate. In other words, generally speaking, some of the relatively cool moisture from the relatively cool and moist medium 156 is indirectly added to the relatively moist air 14A. Whether direct or indirect evaporative cooling techniques are used in the evaporative cooling unit 152 affects the rate of moisture removal and temperature reduction of the air 14 flowing through the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11. In general, however, the cooling unit evaporative cooling 152 of Figure 11 initially cools the air 14 to as low a temperature as possible for the particular application, and the dehumidification unit 12 lowers the moisture ratio to approximately constant temperature.
[00095] As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. For example, as described above, the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11 includes the condensing unit 54 that receives water vapor 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation, as described above. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions.
[00096] In addition, the control system 64 of Figure 7 can also be used in the HVAC 150 system of Figure 11 to control the operation of the HVAC 150 system in a similar manner, as described earlier with respect to Figure 7. By For example, as described above, the control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 by rotating the vacuum pump 52 (or pump separate vacuum 62) turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pump 52 (or separate vacuum pump 62) removes non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, control system 64 can receive signals of sensors in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 which detects when too many non-condensable components 30 are present in the water vapor 26A contained in the water vapor vacuum volume 28.
[00097] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification unit 12 For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the vacuum volume of water vapor 28, in the water vapor channels 18, as well as signals generated by sensors related to characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure , flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14 in evaporative cooling unit 152, dehumidifying unit 12, or both, among other things.
[00098] The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to increase or decrease the water vapor removal rate 26 from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification unit 12 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules absorbed/desorbed, and so on, through the interfaces 20). For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired, the pressure The lower partial water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification unit 12. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification unit 12 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, dehumidification unit 12 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min ), then to remove relatively no water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification unit 12 can be operated at full water vapor removal capability for alternating periods of time with other periods of time where no water vapor is removed.
[00099] In addition, control system 64 can also be configured to control operation of evaporative cooling unit 152. For example, control system 64 can selectively modulate how much (direct or indirect) evaporative cooling occurs in the evaporative cooling unit 152. As an example, valves can be actuated to control the flow rate of relatively cool and wet medium 156 through evaporative cooling unit 152, thereby directly affecting the amount of evaporative cooling (direct or indirect) in the unit. evaporative cooling unit 152. In addition, the operation of evaporative cooling unit 152 and dehumidifying unit 12 can be controlled simultaneously. In addition, control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of evaporative cooling unit 152 and dehumidification unit 12.
[000100] Figures 12A and 12B are psychometric graphs 158, 160 of the ratio of temperature and humidity of the air 14 flowing through the evaporative cooling unit 152 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11, according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, Figure 12A is the psychometric graph 158 of the temperature and humidity ratio of the air 14 flowing through the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention , and Figure 12B is the psychometric graph 160 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through an indirect evaporative cooling unit 152, and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . In particular, in each graph 158, 160, the x-axis 162 corresponds to the temperature of the air 14 flowing through the evaporative cooling unit 152 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11, the y-axis 164 corresponds to the air humidity ratio 14 that flows through evaporative cooling unit 152 and dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11, and curve 166 represents the water vapor saturation curve for a given relative humidity of air 14 flowing through evaporative cooling unit 152 and the dehumidification unit 12 of Figure 11.
[000101] As illustrated by line 168 in Figure 12A, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 is directly introduced into the air 14 flowing through the direct evaporative cooling unit 152, the moisture ratio of the air 14B (ie, point 170 ) outside the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially higher than the intake air moisture ratio 14A (ie, point 172) in the direct evaporative cooling unit 152. However, the air temperature 14B (i.e., point 170) outside the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially lower than the temperature of the 14A inlet air (ie, point 172) in the evaporative cooling unit 152. As illustrated by line 174 of Figure 12A, due to steam of water 26 is removed from the air 14B flowing through the dehumidification unit 12, the moisture ratio of the discharge air 14C (i.e. point 176) from the dehumidification unit 12 is lower than the ratio of humidity of the air 14B (i.e. point 170) in the dehumidification unit 12, while the temperature of the discharge air 14C and the air 14B are substantially the same. In fact, the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 humidifies and cools the air 14, while the dehumidifying unit 12 subsequently dehumidifies the air 14 at a substantially constant temperature.
[000102] As illustrated by line 178 in Figure 12B, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 indirectly cools the air 14 flowing through the indirect evaporative cooling unit 152, the moisture ratio of the air 14B (i.e., point 180) outside indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially the same as the 14A intake air humidity ratio (ie point 182) in indirect evaporative cooling unit 152. However, the air temperature 14B (ie point 180) outside indirect evaporative cooling unit 152, is substantially lower than the inlet air temperature 14A (ie, point 182) in indirect evaporative cooling unit 152. As illustrated by line 184 of Figure 12B, due to water vapor 26 is removed from air 14B flowing through dehumidification unit 12, the moisture ratio of discharge air 14C (ie point 186) from dehumidification unit 12 is lower than q that the humidity ratio of the air 14B (i.e., point 180) in the dehumidifying unit 12, while the temperature of the exhaust air 14C and the air 14B are substantially the same. In fact, the indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 cools (without substantially humidifying) the air 14, while the dehumidifying unit 12 subsequently dehumidifies the air 14 at substantially constant temperature.
[000103] As described earlier, control system 64 of Figure 11 can be configured to control the operation of evaporative cooling unit 152 and dehumidification unit 12. For example, control system 64 can be configured to adjust where the points 170, 172, 176 and points 180, 182, 186 of air 14 fall in psychometric graphs 158, 160 of Figures 12A and 12B when direct and indirect evaporative cooling techniques, respectively, are used in evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 11 .
[000104] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 188 having the evaporative cooling unit 152 disposed downstream of the dehumidification unit 12, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The HVAC system 188 of Figure 13 generally functions the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, and the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11. However, as illustrated in Figure 13, the HVAC system 188 first receives the relatively moist intake air 14A in dehumidification unit 12. As described above, the relatively humid intake air 14A is first dehumidified in dehumidification unit 12, and expelled as relatively dry air 14B in duct 154. The cooling unit evaporative 152 then reduces the 14B dry air temperature and expels dry air from the 14C cooler into the conditioned space.
[000105] As previously described with respect to Figure 11, the evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13 can either be a direct evaporative cooling unit or an indirect evaporative cooling unit. In other words, when evaporative cooling unit 152 uses direct evaporative cooling techniques, the relatively cool and wet medium 156 (eg, relatively cooled water) is directly added to the relatively dry air 14B in duct 154. Evaporative cooling 152 uses indirect evaporative cooling techniques, the relatively dry air 14B can, for example, flow through one side of a plate of a heat exchanger, while the relatively cool and wet medium 156 flows through the other side of the heat exchanger. heat exchanger plate. In other words, generally speaking, some of the relatively cooled moisture from the relatively cool and moist medium 156 is indirectly added to the relatively dry air 14B in duct 154. Whether direct or indirect evaporative cooling techniques are used, the evaporative cooling unit 152 affects the rate of moisture removal and temperature reduction of the air 14 flowing through the HVAC system 188 of Figure 13. In general, however, the dehumidification unit 12 initially lowers the moisture ratio to approximately constant temperature, and the unit Evaporative Cooling 152 cools the air 14 to as low a temperature as possible for the particular application.
[000106] As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC system 188 of Figure 13 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1,6, and 7 and the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11. For example, as per described above, the HVAC system 188 of Figure 13 includes the condensing unit 54 that receives water vapor 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation, as described above. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 188 of Figure 13 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions.
[000107] In addition, the control system 64 of Figures 7 and 11 can also be used in the HVAC system 188 of Figure 13 to control the operation of the HVAC system 188 in a similar manner as described above with respect to Figures 7 and 11. For example, as described above, the control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the steam 26A in the steam vacuum volume 28 by rotating the vacuum pump 52 (or separate vacuum pump 62) turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pump 52 (or separate vacuum pump 62) removes non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 that detect when too many non-condensable components 30 are present in the water vapor 26A contained in the water vapor vacuum volume 28.
[000108] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification unit 12 For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the water vapor vacuum volume 28, the water vapor channels 18, as well as signals generated by sensors related to characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure , flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14 in the dehumidification unit 12, the evaporative cooling unit 152, or both, among other things.
[000109] The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to increase or decrease the water vapor removal rate 26 from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification unit 12 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules absorbed/desorbed, and so on, through the interfaces 20). For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired, the pressure The lower partial water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification unit 12. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification unit 12 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification unit 12 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min ), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification unit 12 can be operated at full water vapor removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed.
[000110] In addition, control system 64 can also be configured to control the operation of evaporative cooling unit 152. For example, control system 64 can selectively modulate how much evaporative cooling (direct or indirect) occurs in unit evaporation. cooling unit 152. As an example, valves can be actuated to control the flow rate of relatively cool and wet medium 156 through evaporative cooling unit 152, thereby directly affecting the amount of evaporative cooling (direct or indirect) in the evaporative cooling unit 152. In addition, the operation of the dehumidifying unit 12 and the evaporative cooling unit 152 can be controlled simultaneously. In addition, control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification unit 12 and evaporative cooling unit 152.
[000111] Figures 14A and 14B are psychometric graphs 190, 192 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 and evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13, according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, Figure 14A is the psychometric graph 190 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 and the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 14B is the psychometric graph 192 of the temperature and humidity ratio of the air 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 and an indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In particular, as described above with respect to Figures 12A and 12B, the x-axis 162 corresponds to the temperature of the air 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 and the evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13, the y-axis 164 corresponds to the ratio of humidity of the air 14 flowing through the dehumidification unit 12 and the evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13, and the curve 166 represents the water vapor saturation curve for a given relative humidity of the air 14 flowing through the unit. dehumidification unit 12 and evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13.
[000112] As illustrated by line 194 in Figure 14A, because the water vapor 26 is removed from the relatively moist intake air 14A flowing through the dehumidification unit 12, the moisture ratio of the relatively dry air 14B (i.e. , point 196) from dehumidification unit 12, is lower than the humidity ratio of the relatively humid intake air 14A (ie, point 198) in dehumidification unit 12, while the relatively dry air temperature 14B and the relatively moist intake air 14A are substantially the same. As illustrated by line 200 of Figure 14A, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 is directly introduced to the relatively dry air 14B that flows through the direct evaporative cooling unit 152, the moisture ratio of the discharge air 14C (i.e., point 202) from the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially higher than the moisture ratio of the relatively dry air 14B (ie, point 196) in the direct evaporative cooling unit 152. However, the exhaust air temperature 14C (ie, point 202) from direct evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially lower than the relatively dry air temperature 14B (ie, point 196) in direct evaporative cooling unit 152. dehumidification 12 dehumidifies the air 14 at substantially constant temperature, while the direct evaporative cooling unit 152 subsequently humidifies and cools the air 14.
[000113] As illustrated by line 204 in Figure 14B, because the water vapor 26 is removed from the relatively moist intake air 14A that flows through the dehumidification unit 12, the moisture ratio of the relatively dry air 14B (i.e. , point 206) from dehumidification unit 12, is lower than the humidity ratio of the relatively humid intake air 14A (ie, point 208) in dehumidification unit 12, while the relatively dry air temperature 14B and the relatively moist intake air 14A are substantially the same. As illustrated by line 210 of Figure 14B, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 indirectly cools the relatively dry air 14B flowing through indirect evaporative cooling unit 152, the moisture ratio of the discharge air 14C (i.e., point 212 ) from indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially the same as the moisture ratio of the relatively dry air 14B (ie, point 206) in indirect evaporative cooling unit 152. However, the exhaust air temperature 14C (ie. ie, point 212) from indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 is substantially lower than the relatively dry air temperature 14B (ie, point 206) in indirect evaporative cooling unit 152. In fact, dehumidifying unit 12 dehumidifies the air 14 at substantially constant temperature, while the indirect evaporative cooling unit 152 cools (without substantially humidifying) the air 14.
[000114] As previously described, the control system 64 of Figure 13 can be configured to control the operation of the dehumidification unit 12 and the evaporative cooling unit 152. For example, the control system 64 can be configured to adjust where points 196, 198, 202 and points 206, 208, 212 of air 14 fall into psychometric graphs 190, 192 of Figures 14A and 14B when direct and indirect evaporative cooling techniques, respectively, are used in evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 13.
[000115] The system embodiments of HVACs 150, 188 of Figures 11 and 13 are not the only ways in which dehumidification units 12 can be combined with evaporative cooling units 152. More specifically, where Figures 11 and 13 illustrate the use of a single dehumidification unit 12 and a single evaporative cooling unit 152 in series with each other, in other embodiments, any number of dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152 can be used in series with each other. As another example, in one embodiment, a first dehumidification unit 12 may be followed by a first evaporative cooling unit 152, which is, in turn, followed by a second dehumidification unit 12, which is, in turn, followed. by a second evaporative cooling unit 152, and so on. However, any number of dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152 can in fact be used in series with each other, in which the air 14 exiting each unit 12, 152 is directed to the next downstream unit 12, 152 in series (except from the last unit 12, 152 in series, from which the air 14 is expelled into the conditioned space). In other words, the air 14 exiting each dehumidification unit 12 in the series is directed into a downstream evaporative cooling unit 152 (or to the conditioned space if it is the last unit in the series), and the air 14 that exits at each evaporative cooling unit 152 in the series is routed to a downstream dehumidification unit 12 (or to the conditioned space if it is the last unit in the series). As such, the air temperature 14 can be successively lowered in each evaporative cooling unit 152 between dehumidifying units 12 in the series, and the air humidity ratio 14 can be successively lowered in each dehumidifying unit 12 between evaporative cooling units 152 in the series. This process can be continued within any number of dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152 (eg 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more units 12 and/or units 152) until the desired final temperature and humidity ratio that conditions the air 14 is reached. In one embodiment, each dehumidification unit 12 can be combined with a corresponding evaporative cooling unit 152. In another embodiment, more than one dehumidification unit 12 can be combined with a single evaporative cooling unit 152, or vice versa. Combinations can include dehumidification unit 12 upstream of evaporative cooling unit 152 or downstream of evaporative cooling unit 152.
[000116] Figures 15A and 15B are psychometric graphs 214, 216 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through a plurality of dehumidification units 12 and a plurality of evaporative cooling unit 152, according to an embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, Figure 15A is a psychometric graph 214 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through a plurality of dehumidification units 12 and a plurality of direct evaporative cooling units 152, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 15B is a psychometric graph 216 of the ratio of temperature and an air humidity 14 flowing through a plurality of dehumidification units 12 and a plurality of indirect evaporative cooling units 152, according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, in each graph 214, 216, the x-axis 162 corresponds to the temperature of the air 14 flowing through the plurality of dehumidification units 12, and the plurality of evaporative cooling units 152, the y-axis 164 corresponds to the moisture ratio of the air 14 flowing through the plurality of dehumidifying units 12, and the plurality of evaporative cooling units 152, and the curve 166 represents the water vapor saturation curve for a given relative humidity of the air 14 flowing through the plurality. of dehumidification units 12, and of the plurality of evaporative cooling units 152.
[000117] As illustrated by lines 218 in Figure 15A, because water vapor 26 is removed from the relatively moist air 14 flowing through each of the plurality of dehumidification units 12, the moisture ratio of the air 14 substantially decreases, while that the temperature of the air 14 remains substantially the same in each of the plurality of dehumidification units 12. As illustrated by lines 220 in Figure 15A, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 is directly introduced into the relatively dry air 14 flowing through each of the direct evaporative cooling units 152, the air humidity ratio 14 increases, while the air temperature 14 substantially decreases in each of the plurality of direct evaporative cooling units 152. In other words, each of the plurality of dehumidifying units 12 successively dehumidify the air 14 at a substantially constant temperature, while each of the pl. ality of direct evaporative cooling units 152 successively humidifies and cools the air 14 until the desired final conditions of temperature and humidity ratio are reached. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 15A, lines 218, 220 generally form a "step function" progression from the initial intake air temperature and moisture ratio conditions 14 (ie, point 222) to the conditions discharge air temperature and humidity ratio ends 14 (ie, point 224).
[000118] As illustrated by lines 226 in Figure 15B, because water vapor 26 is removed from the relatively moist air 14 flowing through each of the plurality of dehumidification units 12, the moisture ratio of the air 14 substantially decreases, while that the temperature of the air 14 remains substantially the same in each of the plurality of dehumidification units 12. As illustrated by lines 228 in Figure 15B, because the relatively cool and wet medium 156 indirectly interacts with the relatively dry air 14 flowing through each of the indirect evaporative cooling units 152, the air humidity ratio 14 remains substantially the same, while the air temperature 14 substantially decreases in each of the plurality of indirect evaporative cooling units 152. In other words, each of the plurality of dehumidifying units 12 successively dehumidify the air 14 at substantially constant temperature , while each of the plurality of indirect evaporative cooling units 152 successively cools the air 14 at a substantially constant moisture ratio until the final desired conditions of temperature and moisture ratio are reached. More specifically, as illustrated in Figure 15B, lines 226, 228 generally form a “sawtooth” progression from the initial inlet air temperature and moisture ratio conditions 14 (ie, point 230) to the conditions discharge air temperature and humidity ratio ends 14 (ie, point 232).
[000119] Because evaporative cooling units 152 are used between dehumidification units 12, each dehumidification unit 12 receives air 14, i.e. cooler and lower partial pressure of water vapor than upstream dehumidification units 12. As such, each of the dehumidification units 12 operates at substantially different operating conditions. Consequently, the control system 64 can be used to modulate the operating parameters (e.g., the water vapor partial pressures in the water vapor vacuum volumes 28, among other things) of the dehumidification units 12 to take into account variations between dehumidification units 12. Similarly, because dehumidification units 12 are used between evaporative cooling units 152, each evaporative cooling unit 152 also receives air 14, i.e. cooler and at a lower partial pressure of steam of water than upstream evaporative cooling units 152. As such, each of the evaporative cooling units 152 also operates under substantially different operating conditions. Consequently, the control system 64 can also be used to modulate the operating parameters (eg, the relatively cool and wet medium flow rates 156, among other things) of the evaporative cooling units 152 to account for variations between the evaporative cooling units 152. In addition, the control system 64 can also simultaneously coordinate the operation of the plurality of dehumidification units 12 and the plurality of evaporative cooling units 152 to take variations into account.
[000120] The evaporative cooling units 152 of Figures 11 and 13 not only serve to lower the temperature of the air 14, but also serve to clean the air 14 by, for example, passing the air 14 through a moist fibrous mat. In addition, dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 14 can be operated at variable speeds or fixed speeds for optimal operation between different initial temperature and humidity conditions (i.e. operating points 222 and 230 in Figures 15A and 15B , respectively) and the final temperature and humidity conditions (ie, operating points 224 and 232 in Figures 15A and 15B, respectively). In addition, Evaporative Cooling Units 152 are relatively low energy units, thereby minimizing total operating costs.
[000121] In addition to the previously described embodiments, in other embodiments, one or more of the dehumidification unit 12 described herein may be used in conjunction with one or more mechanical cooling units. For example, Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 234 having a mechanical cooling unit 236 disposed downstream of the dehumidification unit 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 238 having the mechanical cooling unit 236 of Figure 16 disposed upstream of the dehumidification unit 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In each of these embodiments, mechanical cooling unit 236 can include components typical for mechanical cooling units 236, such as a compressor 240 (e.g., a variable speed compressor), a condenser 242, and so on. A refrigerant is recycled through the components to cool the air received from the dehumidification unit 12 (ie, Figure 16), or the air delivered to the dehumidification unit (ie, Figure 17), to deliver compression-sensitive cooling. , not latent, to air. Although the embodiments illustrated in Figures 16 and 17 illustrate the use of a dehumidification unit 12 and a mechanical cooling unit 236 in series, in other embodiments, any number of dehumidification units 12 and mechanical cooling units 236 may be used in series. , parallel, or some combination of these (similar to the previously described embodiments). In certain embodiments, one or more dehumidification units 12 can be retrofitted into existing HVAC system that has mechanical cooling units 236.
[000122] In addition, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 12 described herein can be used as distributed dehumidification units 12 which can, for example, be portable, and can be retrofitted into existing HVAC systems. For example, Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 244 using mini dehumidification units 246, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, in which the mini dehumidification units 246 include all of the functionality of the dehumidification units 12 previously described. As illustrated, the mini dehumidification units 246 can be connected to existing ducts 248 of the components 250 of the HVAC system 244 to enhance the dehumidification capabilities of the HVAC system 244. In certain embodiments, fans 252 (eg, variable speed fans) can be used to blow air from the existing HVAC components 250 of the HVAC system 244 into mini dehumidification units 246. Mini dehumidification units 246 can be sized to facilitate coordination with standard components of existing HVAC systems.
[000123] In addition, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 12 described here can be modified slightly to use them as enthalpy recovery fans (ERVs). For example, in a first ERV embodiment, relatively high humidity air and relatively low humidity air may flow in a counter-flow arrangement on opposite sides of an interface 20 (eg, a water vapor permeable membrane) as described previously. Alternatively, in a second ERV embodiment, relatively high humidity air and relatively low humidity air may flow in a parallel flow arrangement on opposite sides of an interface 20, as described above. In both of these embodiments, the vacuum pump 52 described above may not be used. Preferably, both moisture and sensible heat can be recovered through transfer between relatively high humidity air and relatively low humidity air through interface 20. In addition, both of the ERV embodiments can have sections inserted between interface 20 to increase the transfer of heat between relatively high humidity air and relatively low humidity air on opposite sides of the interface 20.
[000124] In addition, the previously described ERV embodiments can be combined with other stages to improve the total system performance. For example, in certain embodiments, a single-section membrane dehumidification unit 12 with associated vacuum pump 52 and condensing unit 54 (e.g., such as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7) may be connected upstream or downstream (or both) of one of the ERV embodiments. In other embodiments, a multistage membrane dehumidification unit 12 with associated vacuum pump 52 and condensing unit 54 (e.g., such as HVAC systems 72, 98, 120 of Figures 8 to 10), may be connected to the upstream or downstream (or both) of one of the ERV embodiments. In other embodiments, a single-stage or multistage dehumidification unit 12 with associated vacuum pump 52, condensing unit 54, and one or more of evaporative cooling units 152 (e.g., such as HVAC systems 150, 188 of Figures 11 and 13), can be connected upstream or downstream (or both) of one of the ERV embodiments. In other embodiments, a single-stage or multi-stage membrane dehumidification unit 12 with sensitive compression cooling (e.g., such as HVAC systems 234, 238 of Figures 16 and 17), may be connected upstream or downstream (or both) of one of the ERV embodiments.
[000125] In addition, in other embodiments, the vacuum pump 52 described above may be a multistage vacuum pump. This 52 multistage vacuum pump will produce the improved efficiency of the multistage HVAC systems 72, 98, 120 of Figures 8 through 10, and the HVAC 150, 188 evaporative cooling systems of Figures 11 and 13 more readily achievable in practice. In certain embodiments, the multistage vacuum pump 52 may be a turbine-type vacuum pump that has multiple inlets, such that the multistage vacuum pump 52 can draw water vapor 26A into the multistage vacuum pump 52 at pressures increased by a continuous flow process. The flow rate increases as the pressure increases, due to additional water vapor 26A being sucked into the multistage vacuum pump 52. The multistage vacuum pump 52 can be combined with the 12 multistage dehumidification units (eg units dehumidification units 74, 76, 78 of Figure 8, dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 of Figure 9, or dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, 132 of Figure 10). The high pressure end of the turbine on the 52 multistage vacuum pump removes moisture from the higher humidity stage, while the higher pressure turbine stage of the 52 multistage vacuum pump is coupled to the higher humidity stage . The controller 64 described above can be used to control the flow at various stages. In addition, in certain embodiments, two or more turbines can operate in parallel so that the turbines can have more pressure difference between inlets than there can be between sequential stages. The multistage vacuum pump 52 can also be combined with the dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152 of Figures 11 and 13. In addition, the multistage vacuum pump 52 can also be combined with a multistage dehumidifier, that is. is followed by a compression cooler to provide sensible cooling (for example, such as HVAC systems 234, 238 of Figures 16 and 17).
[000126] In addition, in certain embodiments, the condensing unit 54 described above may be replaced with a membrane module, which includes one or more interfaces 20 (e.g., water vapor permeable membranes) similar to those used in the units of dehumidification 12 described here. In these embodiments, water vapor 26B from vacuum pump 52 can be directed into the membrane module, where part of the water vapor 26B passes through interfaces 20, and is rejected to the atmosphere, whereby other components in the water 26B are substantially blocked flowing in a water vapor channel of the membrane module. In addition, in other embodiments, this membrane module can be used in combination with the condensing unit 54.
[000127] Returning now to Figure 19, the figure is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 300 including a multistage vacuum pump 302 coupled to multiple stages of cooling and dehumidification 304 and 306. Although illustrated as having two stages 304 and 306 arranged in series, any number of cooling and dehumidifying stages can be used. For example, in other embodiments, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more stages of dehumidification and cooling can be used in series in the HVAC 300 system. As illustrated, each stage 304 and 306 includes evaporative cooling unit 152 disposed upstream of dehumidification unit 12, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The HVAC 300 system of Figure 19 generally functions the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7 and the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11. However, as illustrated in Figure 19, the HVAC system 300 first receives the 14A relatively wet inlet air in the evaporative cooling unit 152. Consequently, the 14A relatively humid inlet air can first be cooled. Evaporative cooling unit 152 then exhausts air from cooler 14B into duct 154. Dehumidification unit 12 then dries the air from cooler, and exhausts dry air from cooler 14C into the conditioned space, near a section 308.
[000128] As illustrated, section 308 of the HVAC system 300 may include one or more stages of cooling and dehumidification, each stage including the evaporative cooling unit 152 arranged upstream of the dehumidification unit 12. In fact, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more stages of cooling and dehumidification can be arranged in section 308 of the HVAC system. The stages found in section 308 can then additionally cool and dehumidify the 14C air, resulting in an air dryer from the 14D cooler. In the depicted embodiment, the air 14D can then be further processed by the final stage 306. That is, the air 14D can first be cooled into an air from the chiller 14E by the final stage, and then the air 14E can be dehumidified, thereby producing low humidity air from the 14F cooler. By providing multiple stages (each subsequent stage additionally cooling and dehumidifying the initial 14A air), a low humidity air from the 14F cooler can be produced in a more efficient manner. For example, the single multistage vacuum pump 302 can be used to drive the conversion between 14A air and 14F air.
[000129] In certain embodiments, the multistage vacuum pump 302 includes a centrifugal pump (e.g., turbine type vacuum pump) that has multiple inlets 310 and 312. While two inlets 310 and 312 are shown, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more admissions can be used. As water vapor passes through turbine pump 302, turbine pump 302 can draw steam at increased pressures in a continuous flow process. The flow rate increases as the pressure increases due to additional steam being sucked into the turbine pump 302. In another embodiment, the multistage vacuum pump can be combined with a multistage dehumidifier, and the high pressure end of the pump Turbine 302 can remove moisture from the higher moisture stage of the multistage dehumidifier, while the lower pressure stage of the turbine is coupled to the lower moisture stage of the dehumidifier. Additionally, while each of stages 304 and 306 are represented as having a single evaporative cooling unit 152 and a single dehumidification unit 12, other stages may have multiple evaporative cooling units 152 and/or multiple dehumidification units 12. Additionally , in other embodiments, evaporative cooling unit 152 can be replaced or added to mechanical cooling unit 236 depicted in Figure 16.
[000130] As previously described with respect to Figure 13, each evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 19 can either be a direct evaporative cooling unit or an indirect evaporative cooling unit. In other words, when evaporative cooling unit 152 uses direct evaporative cooling techniques, the relatively cool and wet medium 156 (eg, relatively cold water) is directly added, for example, to the relatively dry air 14B and 14E. However, when evaporative cooling unit 152 uses indirect evaporative cooling techniques, the relatively dry air 14B and 14E can, for example, flow through one side of a plate of a heat exchanger, while the medium is relatively cool and moist. 156 flows through the other side of the heat exchanger plate. In other words, generally speaking, some of the relatively cool moisture from the relatively cool and wet medium 156 is indirectly added to the relatively dry air 14B and 14E. Whether direct or indirect evaporative cooling techniques are used, evaporative cooling unit 152 affects the rate of moisture removal and temperature reduction of the air 14 flowing through the HVAC system 300 of Figure 19. In general, however, each of the dehumidification units 12 initially lowers the humidity ratio to approximately constant temperature, and each of the evaporative cooling unit 152 cools the air 14 to the lowest possible temperature for the particular stage.
[000131] As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC 300 system of Figure 19 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, the HVAC system 150 of Figure 11, and the HVAC system HVAC 188 of FIG. 13. For example, as described above, the HVAC system 300 of FIG. 19 includes condensing unit 54 that receives water vapor 26A, as described above. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 300 of Figure 19 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions. Additionally, or alternatively, a low pressure side may include vacuum pumps 62 useful in non-condensable purge components.
[000132] In a certain embodiment, the HVAC system 300 can provide increased safety and redundancy through the use of bypass ducts and valves, such as the depicted ducts 314, 316 (for example, bypass ducts) and bypass valve 318. embodiments, bypass conduits 314, 316 and valve 318 can bypass certain stages of cooling and dehumidification. For example, if it is desired to carry out maintenance on the stages arranged in section 308, the bypass valve can be actuated, and air 14C can be directed to enter final stage 306 rather than the stages arranged in section 308. HVAC 300 system can be maintained or replaced without discontinuous cooling and/or dehumidifying operations. The valve can be actuated manually, or by use of a control system, such as the control system embodiment 64 depicted in Figure 20. Additionally, the bypass valve 316 can be used to optimize cooling and drying. For example, the 316 bypass valve can be used to reduce the number of cooling and drying stages in use by the HVAC 300 system when it is desired to lower the cooling and drying capacities of the HVAC 300 system (eg in dry hot weather). Likewise, bypass valve 318 can be actuated open (or partially open) in warmer, wetter weather, to include the use of the cooling and dehumidification stages provided in section 308.
[000133] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC 300 system of Figure 19 including control system 64. Control system 64 can be communicatively coupled to various components of the HVAC 300 system, including pumps 60, 62 , and 302, evaporative cooling units 152, and bypass valve 318. In certain embodiments, control system 64 may be configured to control the rate of removal of non-condensable components 30 from water vapor 26A in the vacuum volume. of water vapor 28 by turning the vacuum pumps 62 on and off, or by modulating the rate at which the multistage vacuum pump 302 removes the non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 may receiving signals from sensors in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 which detects when too many non-condensable components 30 are present in the water vapor 26A contained in the water vapor vacuum volume 28.
[000134] The control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 of each stage 304 and 306 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the units of dehumidification 12. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 28, the water vapor channels 18, as well as signals generated by sensors related to characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14 in dehumidification units 12, evaporative cooling units 152, or both units 12 and 152, among other components.
[000135] The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 to increase or decrease the water vapor removal rate 26 from air channels 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification units 12 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules absorbed/desorbed, and so on, through the interfaces 20). For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired, the pressure The lower partial water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification units 12. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification units 12 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, dehumidification units 12 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min ), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification units 12 can be operated at full steam removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. In one embodiment, modulating the partial pressure of the water vapor 26A may be accompanied by opening and closing (partially or fully) one or more valves (not shown) disposed at each inlet 310 and 312. In fact, each inlet 310 and 312 may include one or more valves suitable for controlling flow through the inlet.
[000136] In addition, control system 64 can also be configured to control the operation of evaporative cooling units 152. For example, control system 64 can selectively modulate how much evaporative cooling (direct or indirect) occurs in the cooling units of evaporative cooling 152. As an example, valves can be actuated to control the flow rate of the relatively cool and wet medium 156 through evaporative cooling units 152, thereby directly affecting the amount of evaporative cooling (direct or indirect) in evaporative cooling units 152. In addition, the operation of dehumidifying units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152 can be controlled simultaneously. In addition, the control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 12 and evaporative cooling units 152. In fact, by controlling the multi-stage cooling and dehumidification 304 and 306, and the HVAC 300 system multistage pump 302, control system 64 can enable a more energy efficient, safe HVAC 300 system suitable for production of 14F cooler lower humidity air.
[000137] It is to be noted that stage 304 and/or stage 306 can be replaced by other dehumidification and/or cooling systems. For example, rather than using an evaporative cooling unit, a mechanical cooling unit can be used. In fact, the HVAC 300 system can include embodiments where a mechanical cooling unit, such as the mechanical cooling unit 236 described above with respect to Figure 16 and 17, can replace each of the evaporative cooling units 152 depicted in Figure 20 In this embodiment, sensitive compression cooling can be provided by mechanical cooling unit 236. Additionally or alternatively, the multistage vacuum pump 302 can be used with cooling and dehumidifying stages 304 and 306 arranged in parallel, as described in larger details below with respect to Figure 21. Additionally, the 302 multistage pump can be replaced by multiple single stage pumps (eg 52 pumps). Additionally, the multiple pumps 52 described in all embodiments herein may be replaced with a single multistage pump 302, each stage of the multistage pump 302 corresponding to one of the pumps 52.
[000138] Figure 21 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an HVAC system 320 using the multistage vacuum pump 302 with the cooling and dehumidification stages 304 and 306 arranged in parallel. Also depicted is a section 322 of the HVAC system 320 which may include one or more cooling and dehumidification stages also arranged in parallel. In fact, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more cooling and dehumidification stages can be arranged in parallel and connected to the 302 multistage vacuum pump having multiple inlets 310 and 312. Additionally, sections 324 and 326 may include additional cooling and dehumidification stages arranged in series. Thus, the HVAC 320 system can include cooling and dehumidifying stages arranged in parallel and in series. In addition, control system 64 can also be used to control the HVAC system 320.
[000139] As illustrated, all of the components, including, but not limited to, components 152, 12, 62, 54, 58, 302, and 60 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC 300 system of Figure 20. For example, as previously described with respect to the HVAC system 300 of Figure 20, each stage 304 and 306 includes evaporative cooling unit 152 of Figure 19 and 20, which can either be a direct evaporative cooling unit, or an indirect evaporative cooling unit , which works as described above. Evaporative cooling unit 152 can be arranged upstream of dehumidifying unit 12. Relatively wet inlet air 14A can be paralleled in evaporative cooling units 152. The relatively humid inlet air 14A is then first cooled in parallel in each of the evaporative cooling units 152, and expelled as air from cooler 14B in ducts 154. Dehumidification units 12 then reduce moisture from air 14B, and expel dry air from cooler 14C into the conditioned space. Sections 324 and 326 can include multiple stages of cooling and dehumidifying suitable for additional cooling and drying of 14C air.
[000140] In the depicted embodiment, each of the dehumidification units 12 is represented as fluidly coupled to the inlets 310 and 312 of the multistage pump 302. In fact, the multistage pump 302 may include a stage and an inlet corresponding to each stage of cooling and dehumidification. Therefore, if 2 stages are used, 2 admissions are included, if 4 stages are used, 4 admissions are included, if 10 stages are used, 10 admissions are included, and so on. In the depicted embodiment, the multistage pump 402 can be used, for example, by control system 64 to modulate the lower partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 of each stage 304 and 306 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the dehumidification units 12. In an example, the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of each of the dehumidification units 12 may be approximately similar. In other examples, the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio can be varied between dehumidifying units 12, for example, to provide warmer or cooler air, and to wetter or drier air. For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired, the pressure The lower partial water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volume 28 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (ie, water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification units 12.
[000141] The condensing unit 54 receives water vapor 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation from a discharge from the multistage pump 302. In certain embodiments, the HVAC system 320 of Figure 21 may also include the reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions. Additionally, or alternatively, a low pressure side may include vacuum pump 62 useful in purging non-condensable components 30.
[000142] Additionally the flexibility of HVAC 320 systems can be provided by turning on or off a certain number of cooling and dehumidification stages. For example, control system 64 may turn on or off in stage 304, or stage 306, to provide different cooling and/or dehumidification capabilities, or for system maintenance. For example, if maintenance at stage 304 is desired, it can be turned off, while stage 306 is allowed to continue operations. Likewise, stage 306 can be turned off while stage 304 is operating. Additionally, each stage 304 and 306 can be arranged in a different base or environment of a building, thereby enabling multi-zone cooling and dehumidification. Additionally, the multistage vacuum pump can be used to modulate cooling and dehumidification of any stage arranged in parallel, in series, or a combination thereof, thereby providing different cooling and dehumidification for various zones.
[000143] Figure 22 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the HVAC system 330 including multiple dehumidification units 74 and 78 arranged in series with the mechanical cooling unit 236 disposed downstream of the dehumidification units 74 and 78. The dehumidification units dehumidification 74 and 78 are equivalent to dehumidification unit 12 described above. Also depicted is a section 332 which may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more dehumidification units arranged in series. Because water vapor is removed from each successive dehumidification unit 74, 78, the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 will be gradually reduced in each successive dehumidification unit 74, 78. For example, as described above, the partial pressure water vapor in the 14A inlet air can be in the range of approximately 1.4 - 6.9 kPa (0.2-1.0 psia); the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14B from the first dehumidification unit 74 can be in the range of approximately 1.2-5.2 kPa (0.17-0.75 psia) (tracking approximately 1/3 of the drop ); the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14C of a second dehumidification unit (not shown) disposed in section 332 may be in the range of approximately 0.96-3.7 kPa (0.14-0.54 psia) (accompanying approximately the next 1/3 of the drop); and the partial pressure of water vapor in the 14D discharge air from the third dehumidification unit 78 may be in the range of approximately 0.7-1.7 kPa (0.10-0.25 psia), which is consistent with a saturation temperature of 60°F or lower. Very low values can be used to increase capacity for occasional use.
[000144] As such, in certain embodiments, the partial pressure of water vapor in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 90, 94 (for example, which are similar in functionality to the vacuum volume of water vapor 28 previously described), associated with each respective vacuum pump 84, 88 can be modulated to ensure an optimal flow of water vapor 26A from each respective dehumidification unit 74, 78. For example, the partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the vapor vacuum volume of water 28 previously described can be maintained in a range of approximately 1.0-1.7 (0.15-0.25 psia). However, in the HVAC system 330 of Figure 22, the partial pressure of water vapor 26A in the first vacuum volume of water vapor 90 can be maintained in a range of approximately 1.0-4.8 kPa (0.15- 0.7 psia), the 26A water vapor partial pressure in a second water vapor vacuum volume of a single dehumidification unit (not shown) disposed in section 332 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0.83- 3.4 kPa (0.12-0.49 psia), and the 26A water vapor partial pressure in the third water vapor vacuum volume 94 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0.62-1.65 kPa (0.09-0.24 psia). Regardless, it can be expected that less water vapor 26 will be removed in each successive dehumidification unit 74, 78, and can generally be optimized to minimize energy usage to operate system 330.
[000145] In certain embodiments, each of the vacuum pumps 84, 88 can compress the water vapor 26 and direct it into a common pipe 96 having a substantially constant partial pressure of water vapor (i.e., just high enough to facilitate condensation in the condensing unit 54), such that the water vapor 26 flows in an opposite direction to the air flow 14. In other embodiments, the water vapor 26 extracted from each successive dehumidification unit 74, 78 can be compressed by its respective vacuum pump 84, 88 and then combined with the water vapor 26 extracted from the dehumidification unit near the upstream 74, 78. For example, in other embodiments, the water vapor 26 from the unit of dehumidification unit 78 can be compressed by the third vacuum pump 88 and then combined with the water vapor 26 from the dehumidification unit 74 in the second water vapor vacuum volume 90. In this embodiment, the exhaust side ofeach successive vacuum pump 84, 88 increases the partial pressure of the water vapor 26 only to the operating pressure of the vacuum pump close to the upstream 84, 88. In this embodiment, the water vapor 26 compressed by the first vacuum pump 84 will be directed in the condensing unit 54 at a partial pressure of water vapor just high enough to facilitate condensation, thereby increasing efficiency.
[000146] It should be noted that the specific embodiment illustrated in Figure 22 having a plurality of dehumidification units 74, 78 arranged in series can be configured in various modes not illustrated in Figure 22. For example, although illustrated as using a respective dehumidifying pump vacuum 84, 88 with each dehumidification unit 74, 78, in certain embodiments, the single multistage vacuum pump 302 described above with respect to Figures 19, 20, and 21 can be used with multiple inlet ports 310 and 312 connected to the first and second water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 94, respectively. In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60 to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport liquid water from HVAC system 330 In other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 74, 78 and vacuum pumps 84, 88 can be independently operated and be associated with their own respective condensing units 54, reservoirs 58, and liquid pump 60.
[000147] Additionally, the 14D low humidity air can then be cooled by mechanical cooling unit 236. As an alternative or additional to mechanical cooling unit 236, evaporative cooling unit 152 described above can be used. In addition, control system 64 can also be used to control the operation of HVAC system 330 in a similar manner as described above with respect to Figures 7 and 8. For example, as described above, control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26 in the water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 94 by rotating the vacuum pumps 84, 88 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to to Figures 7 and 8) turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pumps 84, 88 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to Figures 7 and 8) remove non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 90, 94 that detect when too many non-condensable components 30 are present in the the steam 26A contained in the steam vacuum volumes 90, 94.
[000148] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 94 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the units of dehumidification 74, 78. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the vacuum volumes of steam 90, 94, the steam channels 18, as well as signals generated by sensors related to characteristics ( for example, temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14, among other things. The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 94 to increase or decrease the rate of water vapor removal 26 from channels of air 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification units 74, 78 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules, water absorbed/desorbed, and so on, through the interfaces 20).
[000149] For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of water vapor 26A at water vapor vacuum volumes 90, 94 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal if desired, the lower partial pressure of steam 26A in steam vacuum volumes 90, 94 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of the dehumidification units 74, 78. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, the dehumidification units 74 , 78 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 74, 78 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approx. 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of vapor of water from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification units 74, 78 can be operated at full steam removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. Additionally, control system 64 can be used to control mechanical cooling unit 236, for example, by actuating the compressor to increase or decrease compression and cooling. In addition, control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 74, 78, mechanical cooling unit 236, and HVAC system 330. While Figure 22 includes a unit layout of mechanical cooling 236 downstream of the dehumidification and cooling units 74, 78, other arrangements are contemplated here. For example, Figure 23 represents an upstream arrangement of mechanical cooling unit 236.
[000150] More specifically, Figure 23 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an HVAC system 334 including mechanical cooling 236 arranged in series upstream of dehumidification units 74, 78, and section 332. Because the figure includes elements Similar to Figure 22, similar numbers are used to denote similar elements. In the depicted embodiment, warm moist air 14A enters mechanical cooling unit 236. Mechanical cooling unit 236 can then cool (and slightly dry) the air 14, resulting in cool (and slightly drier) air 14B. Air 14B can then be further dried by cooling units 74, 78, and section 332 as described above, to produce air 14E having a drier state as compared to air 14B. Additionally, control system 64 can also be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 74, 78, mechanical cooling unit 236, and HVAC system 334. Additional or alternative to mechanical cooling unit 236, evaporative cooling unit 152 can be provided, thereby increasing the cooling capabilities of HVAC system 334.
[000151] While Figure 23 includes a series arrangement of multiple dehumidification units 74, 78, the present embodiments include other modes in which multiple dehumidification units 74, 78 can be arranged in a single HVAC system. For example, Figure 24 represents a parallel arrangement of dehumidification units 100 and 104. More specifically, Figure 24 is a schematic view of one embodiment of an HVAC system 336 including dehumidification units 100, 104 arranged in parallel, and the mechanical cooling unit 236 disposed downstream from the dehumidification units 100, 104. Each of the dehumidification units 100, 104 is substantially the same as the dehumidification unit 12. Although illustrated as having two dehumidification units 100, 104 in parallel, any number of dehumidification units can, in fact, be used in parallel on the 336 HVAC system. For example, in other embodiments, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more dehumidification units can be used in parallel in the 336 HVAC system. For example, a section 338 can be used to arrange additional dehumidification units in parallel.
[000152] The HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 generally works the same as the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7 and the HVAC system 98 of Figure 9, but with the addition of a single mechanical cooling unit 236. It is to be understood that, in other embodiments, each of the dehumidification units 100, 104 may include a corresponding mechanical cooling unit 236. As illustrated in Figure 24, each dehumidification unit 100, 104 of the HVAC system 336 receives the intake air 14A having a relatively high humidity and expels the exhaust air 14B having a relatively low humidity. As illustrated, many of the components of the HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 can be considered identical to the components of the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, the HVAC system 98 of Figure 9, and the HVAC system 334 of the Figure 23. For example, dehumidification units 100, 104 of HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 can be considered identical to dehumidification units 12 of Figures 1,6, and 7. In addition, HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 it also includes the condensing unit 54 which receives water vapor 26B having a partial pressure just high enough to facilitate condensation, as described above. In certain embodiments, HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 may also include reservoir 58 for temporary storage of saturated steam and liquid water. However, as described above, in other embodiments, no reservoir can be used. In either case, liquid water from condensing unit 54 can be directed to liquid pump 60, within which the pressure of liquid water from condensing unit 54 is increased to approximately atmospheric pressure (i.e. approximately 101 kPa (14.7 psia)), so that liquid water can be rejected under ambient conditions.
[000153] As illustrated in Figure 24, in certain embodiments, each dehumidification unit 100, 104 may be associated with a respective vacuum pump 106, 110, each of which is similar in functionality to the vacuum pump 52 of Figures 1, 6, and 7. However, as opposed to HVAC system 334 of Figure 23, because the dehumidification units 100, 104 and associated vacuum pumps 106, 110 are arranged in parallel, the partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 will be approximately the same in each dehumidification unit 100, 104. As such, in general, the water vapor partial pressure in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 116 associated with each respective vacuum pump 106, 110 will also be approximately the same. same. For example, as described above with respect to the HVAC system 10 of Figures 1, 6, and 7, the partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 116 can be maintained in a range of approximately 0 .7-1.7 kPa (0.10-0.25 psia).
[000154] As illustrated in Figure 24, in certain embodiments, each of the vacuum pumps 106, 110 can compress the water vapor 26 and direct it into a common pipe 118 having a substantially constant water vapor partial pressure (i.e. is, just high enough to facilitate condensation in the condensing unit 54). In other embodiments, the water vapor 26 extracted from each successive dehumidification unit 100, 104 (i.e., top to bottom) can be compressed by its respective vacuum pump 106, 110 and then combined with the steam of water 26 extracted from the next downstream dehumidification unit 100, 104 (ie with respect to common piping). For example, in other embodiments, water vapor 26 from first dehumidification unit 100 may be compressed by first vacuum pump 106 and then combined with water vapor 26 from second dehumidification unit 104 at second vacuum volume of water vapor 116. In this embodiment, the exhaust side of each successive vacuum pump 106, 110 increases the partial pressure of the water vapor 26 only to the operating pressure of the near downstream vacuum pump 106, 110 For example, the first vacuum pump 106 can only increase the water vapor pressure 26 to approximately 1.4 kPa (0.2 psia) if the water vapor partial pressure in the second water vapor vacuum volume 116 is approximately 1.4 kPa (0.2 psia). In this embodiment, the water vapor 26 compressed by the vacuum pump 110 will be directed into the condensing unit 54 at a partial pressure of water vapor just high enough to facilitate condensation.
[000155] It should be noted that the specific embodiment illustrated in Figure 24 having a plurality of dehumidification units 100, 104 arranged in parallel can be configured in various modes not illustrated in Figure 24. For example, although illustrated as using a respective pump vacuum 106, 110 with each dehumidification unit 100, 104, in certain embodiments, the single multistage vacuum pump 302 can be used with multiple inlet ports 310, 312 connected to the first and second vacuum volumes of steam 112, 116. In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60 to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport liquid water from the system. HVAC 336, in other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 100, 104 and vacuum pumps 106, 110 can be operated independently and be associated with its own respective spec. active condensing units 54, reservoirs 58, and liquid pump 60.
[000156] In addition, the control system 64 can also be used in the HVAC system 336 of Figure 24 to control the operation of the HVAC system 336 in a similar manner as described above with respect to Figure 9. For example, as described above, the control system 64 can be configured to control the rate of removal of the non-condensable components 30 from the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 116 by rotating the vacuum pumps 106, 110 (or pumps). separate vacuum 62, as described above with respect to Figures 7 and 9) turns on or off, or by modulating the rate at which vacuum pumps 106, 110 (or separate vacuum pumps 62, as described above with respect to Figures 7 and 9) remove the non-condensable components 30. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the control system 64 can receive signals from sensors in the vacuum volumes of water vapor 112, 116 that detect when too many c. non-condensable components 30 are present in the steam 26A contained in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 116.
[000157] In addition, the control system 64 can modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A at the steam vacuum volumes 112, 116 to modify the water vapor removal capacity and efficiency ratio of the units. dehumidification 100, 104. For example, the control system 64 can receive signals from pressure sensors in the vacuum volumes of steam 112, 116, the steam channels 18, as well as signals generated by sensors related to characteristics ( for example, temperature, pressure, flow rate, relative humidity, and so on) of the air 14, among other things. The control system 64 can use this information to determine how to modulate the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 116 to increase or decrease the rate of water vapor removal 26 from channels of air 16 to water vapor channels 18 through interfaces 20 of dehumidification units 100, 102, 104 as H2O (i.e. as water molecules, gaseous water vapor, liquid water, adsorbed/desorbed water molecules, water molecules absorbed/desorbed, and so on, through the interfaces 20).
[000158] For example, if more water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the water vapor 26A in the water vapor vacuum volumes 112, 116 can be reduced and, conversely, if less water vapor removal is desired, the lower partial pressure of the steam 26A in the steam vacuum volumes 112, 116 can be increased. In addition, as described above, the amount of dehumidification (i.e., water vapor removal) can be cycled to improve the efficiency of dehumidification units 100, 104. More specifically, under certain operating conditions, dehumidification units 100 , 104 can function more efficiently at higher rates of water vapor removal. As such, in certain embodiments, the dehumidification units 100, 104 can be cycled to remove a maximum amount of water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (e.g., approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove relatively no water vapor from the air 14 for a period of time (eg approx. 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), then to remove a maximum amount of vapor of water from air 14 for a period of time (eg approximately 1 s, 10 s, 100 s, 10 min), and so on. In other words, the dehumidification units 100, 104 can be operated at full steam removal capacity for alternating time periods with other time periods where no water vapor is removed. In addition, control system 64 can be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 100, 104, mechanical cooling unit 236, and HVAC system 336.
[000159] While Figure 24 includes an arrangement of mechanical cooling unit 236 downstream of dehumidification and cooling unit 100, 104, other arrangements are contemplated here. For example, Figure 25 represents an upstream arrangement of mechanical cooling unit 236. More specifically, Figure 25 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an HVAC system 340 including mechanical cooling 236 arranged in series upstream of the HVAC units. dehumidification 100, 104, and section 338. Because the figure includes elements similar to Figure 24, like numbers are used to denote similar elements. In the depicted embodiment, warm moist air 14A enters mechanical cooling unit 236. Mechanical cooling unit 236 can then cool (and slightly dry) the air 14, resulting in cooler (and slightly drier) air 14B . Air 14B can then be further dried by cooling units 100, 104 and section 338, as described above, to produce air 14C having a drier state as compared to air 14B. Additionally, control system 64 can also be configured to control start and stop sequencing of dehumidification units 100, 104, mechanical cooling unit 236, and HVAC system 340. Additional or alternative to mechanical cooling unit 236, evaporative cooling unit 152 can be provided, thereby increasing the cooling capacities of the HVAC system 340.
[000160] In addition to the series arrangement of dehumidification units 74, 78 illustrated in Figures 22 and 23, and the parallel arrangement of dehumidification units 100, 104 illustrated in Figures 24 and 25, multiple dehumidification units can be used in other modes. In fact, much more complex and costly arrangements can also be used. For example, Figure 26 is a schematic diagram of an HVAC system 342 having a first set 122 of dehumidification units (i.e., a first dehumidification unit 124 and a second dehumidification unit 126) arranged in series, and a second set 128 of dehumidification units (i.e., a third dehumidification unit 130 and a fourth dehumidification unit 132) also arranged in series, with the first and second sets 122, 128 of dehumidification units arranged in parallel, according to a embodiment of the present invention. Additionally, a section 344 can be used to arrange additional series and parallel dehumidification units. In other words, the first set 122 of first and second dehumidification units in series 124, 126 are arranged in parallel with the second set 128 of third and fourth dehumidification units in series 130, 132. The dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, and 132 are functionally equivalent to dehumidification unit 12 described above.
[000161] Although illustrated as having two sets 122, 128 of series dehumidification units 12 arranged in parallel, any number of parallel pluralities of dehumidification units 12 can, in fact, be used in the HVAC system 342. For example, in other embodiments, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more parallel sets of dehumidification units can be used in the HVAC system 342. Similarly, although illustrated as having two dehumidification units arranged in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units, any number of dehumidification units can, in fact, be used in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 in the 342 HVAC system. embodiments, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or even more dehumidification units can be used in series within each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units 12 in HVAC system 342, such as units of dehumidification arranged in sections 346 and 348.
[000162] Substantially all of the operating characteristics of the HVAC system 342 of Figure 26 are similar to those previously described with respect to the HVAC systems described in Figures 2225. For example, as illustrated, each of the dehumidification units 124, 126, 130 , 132 can be associated with its own respective vacuum pump 134, 136, 138, 140 (for example, similar to vacuum pump 52 of Figures 1, 6, and 7). However, in other embodiments, a multistage vacuum pump 302 may be used for each set 122, 128 of dehumidification units with multiple inlet ports connected to respective steam vacuum volumes 142, 144, 146, 148. in fact, in other embodiments, all of the dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, 132 can be associated with the single multistage vacuum pump 302 with multiple inlet ports connected to all of the steam vacuum volumes 142, 144, 146, 148.
[000163] In addition, although illustrated as using a single condensing unit 54, reservoir 58, and liquid pump 60 to condense water vapor 26B into a liquid state, and store and/or transport liquid water from the system of HVAC 342, in other embodiments, each set of dehumidification units 124, 126, 130, 132 and vacuum pumps 134, 136, 138, 140 can be independently operated and be associated with its own respective condensing unit 54, reservoirs 58 , and liquid pump 60. In addition, the control system 64 described above may also be used in the HVAC system 342 of Figure 26 to control operation of the HVAC system 342 in a similar manner as described above.
[000164] The embodiments described above with respect to Figures 19 to 26 are slightly more complex than the embodiments described above with respect to Figures 1 to 7, as the multiple dehumidification units are used in series, parallel, or some combination thereof . As such, controlling pressures and temperatures of the HVAC systems of Figures 19 to 26 is slightly more complicated than controlling a single dehumidification unit 12. For example, partial pressures in the vacuum volumes of water vapor may require to be closely monitored and modulated by control system 64 to account for variations in temperature and partial pressure of water vapor in air 14 within respective dehumidification units 12, operating pressures of adjacent water vapor vacuum volumes and pumps vacuum (which can be cross-tubed together as described above to facilitate control of pressures, flows, and so on), among other things. In certain embodiments, variable and fixed orifices can be used to control pressures and changes in pressures in and between dehumidification units 12. In addition, as described above, each of the respective vacuum pumps can be controlled to adjust the partial pressures of water vapor in the water vapor vacuum volumes to count variations between dehumidification units 12.
[000165] This written description uses examples to reveal the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including producing and using any devices or systems, and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

权利要求:
Claims (20)
[0001]
1. Dehumidification system for removing water vapor from an air stream, characterized in that it comprises: a plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages, each dehumidification and cooling stage comprising a cooling unit and a cooling unit dehumidification, the dehumidification unit having a first and second channel separated by a membrane, wherein the membrane is configured to facilitate removal of water vapor from an air stream flowing through the first channel, facilitating the passage of H2O from from the first channel to the second channel through permeable volumes of the membrane, while substantially blocking all other components of the air stream from passing through the membrane; a control system (64) configured to control the operating conditions of the dehumidification units and cooling units; a pressure-increasing device fluidly coupled to the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages, wherein the pressure-increasing device is configured to create a lower partial pressure of water vapor within the second channels than in the first channels, so that H2O moves through the membranes to the second channels, wherein the pressure booster is configured to increase the water vapor pressure in a discharge from the pressure booster device to a partial pressure of water vapor in a suitable range for subsequent condensation in liquid water; at least one condensing device configured to receive water vapor from the pressure-increasing device and condense the water vapor into liquid water; and at least one water transport device configured to transport liquid water from the at least one condensing device, wherein the control system (64) is configured to continuously monitor the pressure and temperature conditions of both the water vapor upstream of the pressure increase device and water vapor downstream of the pressure increase device to ensure that the water vapor expelled from the discharge of the pressure increase device has a partial pressure of water vapor close to a pressure of minimum water vapor saturation in the at least one condensing device, and wherein the control system (64) is configured to control the pressure increase device to increase the water vapor pressure in a discharge of the pressure increase device. pressure for a water vapor partial pressure close to a minimum water vapor saturation pressure in the at least one condensing device suitable for subsequent condensation in liquid water.
[0002]
2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure increase device comprises a turbine pump having a plurality of pump stages, each pump stage having a stage inlet, and in which the plurality Pump stages are fluidly coupled to the plurality of dehumidification units via the stage inlets.
[0003]
3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling unit comprises an evaporative cooling unit, a mechanical cooling unit, or a combination thereof.
[0004]
4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages are arranged in series with each other, such that the air stream flows through the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages in series.
[0005]
5. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages are arranged in parallel with each other such that the air stream flows through the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages in parallel .
[0006]
6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a first set of the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages is arranged in series with each other, a second set of the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages is arranged in series with each other, and the first and second sets of the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages are arranged in parallel with each other.
[0007]
7. System according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a bypass valve, in which the bypass valve is configured to direct air from a first dehumidification and cooling stage to a second dehumidification and cooling stage cooling, bypassing a third stage of dehumidification and cooling.
[0008]
8. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a controller is configured to increase the efficiency of the operation of the dehumidification system by substantially reducing an energy use.
[0009]
9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressure increase device (302) comprises a turbine pump, and in which the controller is configured to substantially reduce energy use by substantially reducing a use pump power to drive the turbine pump.
[0010]
10. System according to claim 8, characterized in that each dehumidification and cooling stage comprises a vacuum pump (62) fluidly coupled to the dehumidification unit of the dehumidification and cooling stage, and configured to purge others air components, and in which the controller is configured to substantially reduce energy use by substantially reducing a pump energy use to drive the vacuum pump (62).
[0011]
11. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the dehumidification system comprises at least one condensing device configured to receive the H2O vapor from the discharge of the at least one pressure increase device, and condense the H2O vapor into liquid H2O.
[0012]
12. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the dehumidification system comprises at least one device configured to adjust a pressure of liquid H2O from at least one condensing device to an ambient pressure.
[0013]
13. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages are arranged in series with each other, such that the air stream flows through the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages in series.
[0014]
14. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages are arranged in parallel with each other, such that the air stream flows through the plurality of dehumidification and cooling stages in parallel.
[0015]
15. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling unit is arranged upstream of the dehumidification unit, or downstream of the dehumidification unit, or a combination of.
[0016]
16. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the permeable barriers to H2O comprise a zeolite.
[0017]
17. A method, characterized in that it comprises: receiving a plurality of air streams including H2O vapor in air channels of a plurality of dehumidification units, wherein the air streams have a first partial pressure of H2O vapor; sucking H2O into the H2O vapor channels of the plurality of dehumidification units through materials permeable to H2O from the plurality of dehumidification units using pressure differentials through the materials permeable to H2O, wherein the H2O vapor channels have a second partial pressure of H2O vapor lower than the first H2O vapor partial pressure of the air streams; receiving H2O steam from the H2O steam channels in a pressure boosting device, the pressure boosting device having a plurality of inlets configured to fluidly couple with the plurality of dehumidification units; increasing the H2O vapor pressure from the pressure booster to a third H2O vapor partial pressure that is higher than the second H2O vapor partial pressure; receiving the H2O vapor from the pressure increase device in a condensing device and condensing the H2O vapor into liquid H2O; continuously monitor the pressure and temperature conditions of both the H2O vapor upstream of the pressure booster and the H2O vapor downstream of the pressure booster to ensure that the third partial pressure of the H2O vapor is close to a pressure of minimum H2O vapor saturation in the condensing device and is suitable for subsequent condensing to liquid H2O; transporting liquid H2O from the condensing device to ambient conditions; and cooling the plurality of air streams upstream of each dehumidification unit, downstream of each dehumidification unit, or a combination thereof.
[0018]
18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises receiving the plurality of air streams including H2O vapor in the air channels of the plurality of dehumidification units arranged in series with each other, such that the air streams flow through the air channels of each series dehumidification unit.
[0019]
19. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises receiving the plurality of air streams including H2O vapor in the air channels of the plurality of dehumidification units arranged in parallel with each other, such that each of the streams of air flow through the air channel of each dehumidifying unit in parallel.
[0020]
20. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the air streams have the first partial pressure of H2O vapor in a range of approximately 1.4 - 6.9 kPa (0.2-1.0 psia), the second partial vapor pressure of H2O is in a range of approximately 0.7-6.9 kPa (0.1-1.0 psia), and the third partial vapor pressure of H2O is in a range of approximately 1.7-7.6 kPa (0.25-1.1 psia).

类似技术:

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公开号 | 公开日 | 专利标题

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BR112013011866B1|2021-05-11|dehumidification system for removing water vapor from an air stream and method

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BR112013011749B1|2020-12-15|DEHUMIDIFYING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING WATER VAPOR FROM AN AIR CHAIN

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US8685145B2|2014-04-01|System and method for efficient multi-stage air dehumidification and liquid recovery

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US9518784B2|2016-12-13|Indirect evaporative cooler using membrane-contained, liquid desiccant for dehumidification

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US8685144B2|2014-04-01|System and method for efficient air dehumidification and liquid recovery

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JP2014500793A5|2015-12-10|

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US20180209670A1|2018-07-26|Moisture separation system

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JP2011177632A|2011-09-15|Method and apparatus for dehumidifying compressed gas

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SE541002C2|2019-02-26|Device for continuous water absorption and an air cooler

同族专利:

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公开号 | 公开日

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BR112013011866A2|2016-08-23|

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CN103282723B|2015-04-01|

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MX2013005224A|2013-07-03|

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US8496732B2|2013-07-30|

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US20140144318A1|2014-05-29|

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EP2638331B1|2018-05-30|

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US10207219B2|2019-02-19|

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ES2676516T3|2018-07-20|

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US20120118148A1|2012-05-17|

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WO2012065138A3|2012-08-16|

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EP2638331A2|2013-09-18|

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EP2638331A4|2014-04-09|

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KR101939416B1|2019-01-16|

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JP2014501898A|2014-01-23|

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US20120118155A1|2012-05-17|

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US8641806B2|2014-02-04|

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US8500848B2|2013-08-06|

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WO2012065134A3|2012-08-16|

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KR20130103574A|2013-09-23|

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US20190176084A1|2019-06-13|

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HK1188280A1|2014-04-25|

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CN103282723A|2013-09-04|

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WO2012065134A2|2012-05-18|

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WO2012065141A2|2012-05-18|

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MX347879B|2017-05-16|

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US20120118147A1|2012-05-17|

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WO2012065141A3|2012-08-23|

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JP5651247B2|2015-01-07|

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WO2012065138A2|2012-05-18|

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法律状态:
2018-12-18| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|

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2019-12-03| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|

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2020-09-29| B07A| Application suspended after technical examination (opinion) [chapter 7.1 patent gazette]|

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2021-03-02| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|

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2021-05-11| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted [chapter 16.1 patent gazette]|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 20 (VINTE) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 11/11/2011, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |

优先权:

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US41332710P| true| 2010-11-12|2010-11-12|

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US61/413,327|2010-11-12|

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US13/294,952|US8496732B2|2010-11-12|2011-11-11|Systems and methods for air dehumidification and sensible cooling using a multiple stage pump|

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