Compact desiccant cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696048-B2
Application number	US-201314649475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2013
Priority date	Dec 5, 2012
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

A solid desiccant cooling system comprising a common intake delivering air ( 19 ) to a first pathway ( 21 ) for air to be conditioned, and a second pathway ( 31 ) for regeneration air and structure ( 24 ) retaining a mass of solid desiccant for cyclic movement between a first location ( 24 a ), in which the solid desiccant lies in the first pathway ( 21 ) for dehumidifying the air to be cooled by adsorption of moisture to the desiccant, and a second location ( 24 b ) in which the solid desiccant lies in the second pathway ( 31 ) for the regeneration air to take up moisture therein as water vapor. The second pathway has an air heater arrangement ( 35 ) upstream of the second location ( 24 b ) for heating the regeneration air and the first pathway ( 21 ) has an air cooler arrangement ( 25 ) independent of the air heater arrangement ( 35 ) downstream of the first location ( 24 a ). An air delivery device ( 40 ) is coupled to both of the first and second pathways ( 21, 31 ) and adapted or configured to deliver pressurized air along both the first and second pathways ( 21, 31 ). A control strategy is also provided to change the flow path of air from the common intake based on the need to satisfy alternative heating or cooling needs at different times of the day and season.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A desiccant cooling system, comprising:
first air transport means defining a first pathway for first air;
second air transport means defining a second pathway for second air;
an air delivery device coupled to said first and second air pathways, said air delivery device being configured to deliver ambient input air from a common air intake to said first and second air pathways, wherein a first pressure drop is exhibited in said first air pathway and a second pressure drop is exhibited in said second pathway, said first pressure drop and said second pressure drop having the same magnitude, and wherein no pressure reduction dampers are provided for air flow control between said first and second air pathways;
a desiccant structure configured to retain solid desiccant therein, said desiccant structure being further configured to provide cyclic movement between a first desiccant structure location, wherein said first air pathway is in communication with said solid desiccant, wherein said first air is dehumidfied by adsorption of moisture by said desiccant and forms dehumidified air, and a second desiccant structure location, wherein said second air pathway is in communication with said solid desiccant, and wherein said second air absorbs moisture in said solid desiccant and forms regeneration air;
an air heater in communication with said second air pathway, said air heater being configured to heat said regeneration air;
an air cooler in communication with said first air pathway, said air cooler being configured to cool said dehumidified air.

2. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein said air delivery device comprises a flow divider that is configured to deliver a first fraction of said ambient input air to said first air pathway and a second fraction of said ambient input air to said second air pathway.

3. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein said cooling system further comprises at least a first diverter configured to provide at least a first air diversion mode selected from the group consisting of first air diversion of said first air in said first air pathway, wherein said first air bypasses said solid desiccant in the first pathway, and a second air diversion mode comprising diversion of said second air in said second air pathway away from said solid desiccant, and a controller in communication with said first diverter that is programmed and configured to control said air diversion mode.

4. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein airflow of said first air through said first air pathway and airflow of said second air through said second air pathway exhibit a first airflow to second airflow ratio in the range 0.3:1 to 6:1.

5. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein said air cooler comprises an indirect evaporative cooler.

6. The cooling system of claim 5 , wherein said air cooler further comprises a second evaporative cooler stage comprising a direct evaporative cooler stage and a refrigerative cooling stage.

7. The cooling system of claim 1 , wherein said air cooler further comprises a refrigerative cooling stage.

8. The cooling system of claim 1 , said air heater is configured to provide heat energy from a heat source selected from the group consisting of a solar collector system, a solar hot water system, a heat pump, and an engine jacket coolant.

9. A method of operating a solid desiccant cooling cycle, comprising the steps of:
delivering first and second air pathways to a desiccant structure, said first air pathway comprising a first pressure drop and said second air pathway comprising a second pressure drop, said first pressure drop and said second pressure drop having the same magnitude,
said desiccant structure being configured to retain solid desiccant therein, said desiccant structure being further configured to provide cyclic movement between a first desiccant structure location, wherein said first air pathway is in communication with said solid desiccant, and a second desiccant structure location, wherein said second air pathway is in communication with said solid desiccant, and a second desiccant structure location, wherein said second air pathway is in communication with said solid desiccant; and
cyclically moving said desiccant structure between said first desiccant structure location, wherein first air in said first air pathway is dehumidified by adsorption of moisture by said desiccant, and said second desiccant structure location, wherein second air in said second air pathway absorbs moisture in said solid desiccant and forms regeneration air.

Assignees

• Commw Scient Ind Res Org

Inventors

• Goldsworthy Mark Jared
• White Stephen David

Classifications

• F24F2003/1464

  using rotating regenerators · CPC title

• F24F5/0035

  using evaporation · CPC title

• F24F5/0014

  using absorption or desorption · CPC title

• B01D53/261

  by adsorption · CPC title

• B01D53/06

  with moving adsorbents, e.g. rotating beds {(B01D53/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title