Low-cost water production system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11459737-B2
Application number	US-202016845798-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2020
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

A water production system including a radiative cooling/heating unit comprising an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat spreader. The radiative cooling/heating unit lowers the temperature of the OHP heat spreader below the temperature of the ambient environment. The system additionally including a first OHP heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the first OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, a second OHP heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the second OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, and a rotatable OHP water absorption bed disposed in thermal contact with the radiative cooling/heating unit such that the OHP absorption bed will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water production system, said system comprising:
a radiative cooling/heating unit comprising an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat spreader, the radiative cooling/heating unit operable to lower the temperature of the OHP heat spreader to a temperature below the temperature of the ambient environment in which the water production system is disposed;
a first oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the first OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, the first OHP heat exchanger operable to remove moisture from a first air flow flowing through the first OHP heat exchanger;
a second oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the second OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, the second OHP heat exchanger operable to remove moisture from a second air flow flowing through the first OHP heat exchanger; and
a rotatable oscillating heat pipe (OHP) water absorption bed disposed in thermal contact with the radiative cooling/heating unit such that the OHP absorption bed will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader,
wherein the system is operable to collect the moisture removed from the first and second air flows in the form of water.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an exchanger fan disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first OHP heat exchanger, the exchanger fan operable to generate the first air flow and blow the first air flow through the first OHP heat exchanger.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first OHP heat exchanger comprises a plurality of first oscillating heat pipe (OHP) panels having a plurality of first capillary structures disposed on the surfaces of the first OHP panels, the first capillary structures operable to remove moisture from the first air flow via capillary condensation.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a first water collection tray operable to receive condensation removed from the first air flow by the first OHP heat exchanger.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the OHP water absorption bed comprises a body including a Zeolite material and having a plurality of oscillating heat pipes disposed therein, wherein the OHP water absorption bed is disposed adjacent an exit end of the first OHP heat exchanger such that the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger will pass through the OHP water absorption bed, the OHP water absorption bed operable to extract and collect moisture from the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a bed fan disposed adjacent to, and in fluid communication with, the OHP water absorption bed, the bed fan operable to generate the second air flow and blow the second air flow through the OHP water absorption bed such that the moisture extracted and collected from the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger is released from OHP water absorption bed into the second air flow, whereby the relative humidity of the second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed is higher than the relative humidity of the second air flow entering the OHP water absorption bed.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the bed fan is further operable to blow the second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed through the second OHP heat exchanger.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second OHP heat exchanger comprises a plurality of second oscillating heat pipe (OHP) panels having a plurality of second capillary structures disposed on the surfaces of the second OHP panels, the second capillary structures and operable to remove moisture from the second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed via capillary condensation.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a second water collection tray operable to receive condensation removed from second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed by the second OHP heat exchanger.

10. A water production system, said system comprising:
a radiative cooling/heating unit comprising an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat spreader, the radiative cooling/heating unit operable to lower the temperature of the OHP heat spreader to a temperature below the temperature of the ambient environment in which the water production system is disposed;
a first oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the first OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, first OHP heat exchanger comprising a plurality of first oscillating heat pipe (OHP) panels having a plurality of first capillary structures disposed on the surfaces of the first OHP panels, the first capillary structures operable to remove moisture from a first air flow blown through the first OHP heat exchanger via capillary condensation;
a rotatable oscillating heat pipe (OHP) water absorption bed disposed in thermal contact with the radiative cooling/heating unit such that the OHP absorption bed will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, the OHP water absorption bed comprising a body including a Zeolite material and having a plurality of oscillating heat pipes disposed therein, wherein the OHP water absorption bed is disposed adjacent an exit end of the first OHP heat exchanger such that the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger will pass through the OHP water absorption bed, the OHP water absorption bed operable to extract and collect moisture from the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger; and
a second oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat exchanger thermally connected to the OHP heat spreader such that the second OHP heat exchanger will acquire substantially the same temperature as the OHP heat spreader, the second OHP heat exchanger comprising a plurality of second oscillating heat pipe (OHP) panels having a plurality of second capillary structures disposed on the surfaces of the second OHP panels, the second capillary structures operable to remove moisture from a second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed and blown through the second OHP heat exchanger via capillary condensation,
wherein the system is operable to collect the moisture removed from the first and second air flows in the form of water.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising an exchanger fan disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first OHP heat exchanger, the exchanger fan operable to generate the first air flow and blow the first air flow through the first OHP heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a bed fan disposed adjacent to, and in fluid communication with, the OHP water absorption bed, the bed fan operable to generate the second air flow and blow the second air flow through the OHP water absorption bed such that the moisture extracted and collected from the first air flow exiting the first OHP heat exchanger is released from OHP water absorption bed into the second air flow, whereby the relative humidity of the second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed is higher than the relative humidity of the second air flow entering the OHP water absorption bed.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the bed fan is further operable to blow the second air flow exiting the OHP water absorption bed through the second OHP heat exchanger.

14. A method for producing water, said method comprising:
lowering the temperature of an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) heat spreader of a radiative coolin

Assignees

• Ma Hongbin
• Univ Missouri

Inventors

• Ma Hongbin

Classifications

• B01D5/0075

  with heat exchanging (B01D5/0039 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E03B1/048

  Systems for collecting not used fresh water · CPC title

• B01D5/009

  Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate · CPC title

• E03B3/28 Primary

  from humid air (condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14) · CPC title

• B01D5/0027

  by direct contact between vapours or gases and the cooling medium · CPC title