Hybrid humidity controller and air purifier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118801-B2
Application number	US-201916454660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A hybrid humidity control and air purification device and method for hybrid humidity control and air purification. The hybrid device is a single unit capable of humidifying dry environmental air, dehumidifying humid environmental air and removing particulates and contaminants from the air. The device controls the outgoing air to a relative humidity setpoint between 35-50% with negligible particulate matter content. Particulate matter is transferred to water, which may be supplied and flushed by an automatic water pumping system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A hybrid humidity control and air purification device, comprising:
an enclosure which includes an environmental air intake port including a first controllable fan, wherein the environmental air intake port includes a first particulate matter sensor, a first relative humidity sensor and a first temperature sensor; an environmental air outlet vent having a second controllable fan, a second temperature sensor, a second relative humidity sensor and a second particulate matter sensor; wherein the enclosure further includes:
a cyclonic vessel which has a cyclonic vessel air intake port connected to the environmental air intake port; a cyclonic vessel air outlet port including a third controllable fan, the cyclonic vessel air outlet port connected to the first end of a cyclonic vessel air outlet tube; a first water level sensor; and a controllable cyclonic vessel motor;
a cold water bath, wherein the cold water bath includes a cold water bath air intake port to receive the second end of the cyclonic vessel air outlet tube; a volume of water; a cooling coil located in the volume of water; a second water level sensor, a third temperature sensor and a first water quality sensor located within the volume of water; a microbubbling filter connected to the second end of the first air outlet tube; a volume of air located above the volume of water; a cold water bath air outlet port located above the volume of air, the cold water bath air outlet port including a fourth controllable fan; the cold water bath air outlet port connected to the first end of a cold water bath air outlet tube;
a heating chamber which includes a heating chamber air intake port for receiving the second end of the cold water bath air outlet tube; a support, wherein the support is connected to the second end of the second air outlet tube; a heating coil; wherein the heating chamber is connected to the environmental air outlet vent;
a heat pump which comprises a compressor having a controllable compressor motor,

wherein the compressor is connected to the cooling coil, a variable expansion valve, and the heating coil, wherein the variable expansion valve is connected between the cooling coil and the heating coil;
a controller having circuitry connected to and configured to control the cyclonic vessel motor; the controllable fans; the compressor motor and the variable expansion valve;
wherein the controller is further connected to and has circuitry configured to receive signals from the particulate matter sensors, the relative humidity sensors, the temperature sensors, the water quality sensor, and the water level sensors;
wherein the controller circuitry is configured to control temperature of the cold water bath, the relative humidity and air quality of the air expelled through the environmental air outlet vent, based on the signals received from the sensors.

2. The hybrid humidity control and air purification device of claim 1 , wherein the cold water bath further comprises:
a first cold water bath and a second cold water bath,
wherein the first cold water bath includes a first cold water bath air intake port configured to receive the second end of the cyclonic vessel air outlet tube; a first volume of water; a first cooling coil located in the first volume of water; the second water level sensor, the third temperature sensor and a first water quality sensor located within the first volume of water; a first microbubbling filter connected to the second end of the cyclonic vessel air outlet tube; a first volume of air located above the first volume of water; a first cold water bath air outlet port located above the first volume of air, the first cold water bath air outlet port including a fourth controllable fan; the first cold water bath air outlet port connected to the first end of a first cold water bath air outlet tube;
wherein the second cold water bath includes a first chamber which has a second cold water bath air intake port configured to receive the second end of the first cold water bath air outlet tube; a volume of phase change material, wherein the phase change material is selected from the group of a phase change material with phase changing temperature of 5 degrees Celsius and a phase changing material with phase changing temperature of 4-10 degrees; a fourth temperature sensor, a second cooling coil and a cooling loop having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the first cold water bath air outlet tube is connected to the first end of the cooling loop; a second chamber, wherein the second chamber contains a second volume of water, a second water quality sensor, a third water level sensor, a second microbubbling filter fluidly connected to the second end of the cooling loop; a second volume of air located above the second volume of water, and a second cold water bath air outlet port including a fifth controllable fan, wherein the second cold water bath air outlet port is connected to the first end of a second cold water bath air outlet tube.

3. The hybrid humidity control and air purification device of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further includes an optional controllable ultraviolet light, and the controller actuates the optional controllable ultraviolet light based on the measurements of the first water quality sensor.

4. The hybrid humidity control and air purification device of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further includes a water pumping system, comprising:
a plurality of water inlet ports and a plurality of water outlet ports, each water inlet port having a first end connected to a first end of a controllable water inlet valve of a plurality of water inlet valves; wherein the second end of each controllable water inlet valve is connected to a water source; wherein each water outlet port is connected to the first end of a controllable water outlet valve of a plurality of controllable water outlet valves;
wherein the cyclonic vessel includes a first water inlet port connected to a second end of a first water inlet valve of the plurality of controllable water inlet valves; a first water outlet port connected to the second end of a first water outlet valve of the plurality of controllable water outlet valves;
wherein the cold water bath includes a second water inlet port connected to a second water inlet valve of the plurality of controllable water inlet valves; a second water outlet port connected to a second water outlet valve of the plurality of controllable water outlet valves; wherein the controller includes circuitry connected to and configured to control the water inlet valves and the water outlet valves.

5. The hybrid humidity control and air purification device of claim 4 , wherein the water pumping system further comprises:
a water pump having an optional lint grinder, wherein the second end of each of the plurality of controllable water outlet valves is connected to the first end of the water pump and the second end of the water pump is connected to a water disposal;
wherein the water source is a water bottle and the water disposal is a water collection bottle; or
wherein the water source is a water pipe and the water disposal is a sewer line;
and wherein the controller has circuitry connected to and configured to control the water pump to flush the water into the water disposal.

6. The hybrid humidity control and air purification device of claim 2 , wherein the enclosure further includes a water pumping system, comprising:
a plurality of water inlet ports and a plurality of water outlet ports, each water inlet port having a first end connected to a first end of a controllable water inlet valve of a plurality of water inlet valves; wherein the second end of each controllable water inlet valve is connected to a water source; wherein each water outlet

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Alsadah Jihad Hassan

Classifications

• F24F8/183 Primary

  by centrifugal separation, e.g. using vortices · CPC title

• F24F8/10 Primary

  by separation, e.g. by filtering · CPC title

• F24F2203/02

  System or Device comprising a heat pump as a subsystem, e.g. combined with humidification/dehumidification, heating, natural energy or with hybrid system · CPC title

• Y02A50/20

  Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters · CPC title

• F24F2203/12

  Dehumidifying or humidifying belt type · CPC title