Temperature modulated desiccant evaporative cooler and indirect and direct evaporative air conditioning systems, methods, and apparatus

• US 10,253,993 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Williams
• Original Assignee: Mcogen Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Len
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oswald, Kirstin
• Application Number:
  US14/461,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20150128625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 62 93- 94, 165 6- 8, 165 4, 165 10
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2203/104 Heat exchanger wheel
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1423 with a moving bed of solid desiccants, e.g. a rotary wheel supporting solid desiccants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/147 with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0035 using evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/54 Free-cooling systems

Abstract

A method is provided for supplying air conditioned air to a residence or building interior. The method entails positioning a heat and mass exchanger to discharge conditioned air into the residence or building interior. Further, a rotatable desiccant wheel dehumidifier in positioned in fluid communication with the heat and mass exchanger. Supply air is received and treated in the dehumidifier, thereby supplying dry air to the heat and mass exchanger and exhausting hot humid air. The heat and mass exchanger is positioned and configured to receive dry air from the dehumidifier and supply cooler dry air to the residence or building interior, or other target environment. A system is also provided for operating the air supplying or air conditioning method.

Claims

1. A system for supplying cooling air to a residence or building interior comprising:

an indirect-direct evaporative air conditioner module in the form of a heat and mass exchanger positioned to discharge conditioned air into the residence or building interior; and

a rotatable desiccant wheel dehumidifier;

wherein the desiccant wheel dehumidifier is positioned and configured to receive supply air for treatment, exhaust hot, humid air, and supply dry air to the heat and mass exchanger; and

wherein the heat and mass exchanger is positioned and configured to receive dry air from the dehumidifier and supply cooler dry air to the residence or building interior; and

wherein said module includes an enclosure and a heat exchanger core supported therein separating wet and dry air streams, the enclosure being equipped with a plurality of inlets for supplying air to the heat exchanger core, a plurality of outlets for discharging air, wherein a plurality of air flow channels is configured between said inlets and outlets and defines air flow paths through the heat exchanger core, each flow path exiting through one of said outlets, including an air flow path supplied by a hot air inlet and discharging cold dry air through a cold dry air outlet into the residence or building interior, an air flow path discharging exhaust air through an exhaust outlet, and an air flow path supplied by a hot air inlet and discharging cold wet air though a cold wet air outlet into the residence or building interior, such that said module is operable in an indirect\direct evaporative cooling mode, such that the hot air inlets receive hot dry air and hot outside air, the exhaust outlet discharges wet cool exhaust air, the cold dry air outlet discharges the cold dry air into the residence or building interior, and the cold wet air outlet discharges the cold wet air into the residence or building interior.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the dehumidifier is positioned and configured to receive dry recycled air from the residence or building interior, or wherein the dehumidifier is positioned and configured to receive outdoor air for treatment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the dehumidifier is positioned and configured to receive less than 80 to 85 deg. F. dry recycled air and deliver above 100 deg. F. dry air to the heat and mass exchanger and the heat and mass exchanger is positioned to supply dry air below 78 deg. F. to the residence or building interior.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heat and mass exchanger module positioned upstream of the dehumidifier to deliver pre-conditioned cooled air supply air to the dehumidifier and configured to receive both return conditioned air from the residence or building interior and outdoor air for treatment and passes cooler pre-conditioned, cooler air to the dehumidifier and the dehumidifier receives said pre-conditioned cooler air and outdoor air and outputs hotter drier air for supply downstream to said air conditioner module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat and mass exchanger includes a vacuum chamber positioned on a discharge side from which said cool supply air discharged to the residence or building interior travels.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat and mass exchanger includes a vacuum chamber positioned on an exhaust side through which exhaust air exits.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat and mass exchanger is configurable in direct evaporative cooling mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat and mass exchanger is configurable and operable in enthalpy mode, such that the hot air inlets receive hot outside air, the exhaust discharges wet cool exhaust, the cold air outlet discharges cool dry air, and an auxiliary port is selectively positionable and operable to receive stale indoor air from within the residence or building interior into the heat and mass exchanger.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said enclosure has an air supply side including a vertical surface equipped with said inlets, a discharge side including a vertical surface equipped with at least two of said out lets and disposed on a side opposite of said supply side, said exhaust outlet being located on a side extending between the supply side having a surface and discharge side and equipped with an exhaust outlet.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second of said indirect-direct evaporative air conditioner module positioned upstream of the dehumidifier to deliver pre-conditioned cooled air supply air to the dehumidifier, exhaust hot humid air, said heat and exchanger module being configured to receive both return conditioned air from the residence or building interior and outdoor air for treatment and pass pre-conditioned, cooler air to the dehumidifier and said dehumidifier or building interior receive said pre-conditioned cooler air and outdoor air and output hotter drier air for supply downstream to said first air conditioner module.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said residence or building interior includes a hot water heater, said system further including a hot water line from the water heater to the dehumidifier to supply heat thereto.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum chamber cooler positioned on a discharge side of said module from which cool supply air is discharged to the residence or building interior, and a liquid desiccant absorber disposed adjacent and upstream of said cooler having an inlet to receive mixed hot humid outside air and return indoor air, and an inlet to receive outside air, and wherein said heat module is configured deliver dessicant concentrate to said absorber and receive cooler desiccant dilute therefrom.

13. A system for supplying cooling air to a residence or building interior comprising:

an air conditioning module including a heat and mass exchanger module, for discharging conditioned air into the residence or building interior; and

a desiccant dehumidifier;

wherein the desiccant dehumidifier is positioned and configured to receive supply air for treatment, exhaust hot, humid air, and supply dry air to the heat and mass exchanger; and

wherein the air conditioning module is positioned and configured to receive dry air from the dehumidifier and discharge cooler dry air to the residence or building interior; and

wherein said heat and mass exchanger module is a direct-indirect air conditioning module including an enclosure equipped with inlets and outlets, and defining a heat exchanger core space therein, such that a plurality of air flow channels is configurable between said inlets and outlets and spaced apart panels of a heat exchanger core supported in said heat exchanger space including flow channels for two or more of the following heat exchanger operating modes;

an air pass-through mode, including a dry fresh outside air inlet for receipt of dry fresh outside air in fluid communication with a cool fresh air outlet for discharging cool fresh air into the residence or building interior;

a direct evaporative cooling mode, including a hot air inlet for receipt of hot air in fluid communication with a humid air outlet for discharge of humid air into the residence or building interior;

an indirect evaporative cooling mode, including a hot dry air inlet for receipt of hot dry air in fluid communication with a cool dry air outlet for discharge of cool dry air into the residence or building interior, and a hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air in fluid communication with a wet cool exhaust outlet for discharge of wet cool exhaust; and

an indirect-direct cooling mode, including a first hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air in fluid communication with a cold dry air outlet for discharge of cold dry air into the residence or building interior, a second hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air in fluid communication with both a cold wet air outlet for discharge of cold wet air into the residence or building interior and a cool wet exhaust outlet for discharge of cool wet exhaust.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a heat and mass exchanger module positioned upstream of the dehumidifier to deliver pre-conditioned cooled air supply air to the dehumidifier and configured to receive both return conditioned air from the residence or building interior and outdoor air for treatment and pass pre-conditioned, cooler air to the dehumidifier and said dehumidifier is configured to receive said pre-conditioned cooler air and outdoor air and output hotter drier air for supply downstream to said first air conditioner module.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the heat and mass exchanger is configurable and operable in enthalpy mode, including inlet ports to receive hot outside air, an exhaust to discharge wet cool exhaust, an outlet to discharge cool dry air into the residence or building interior, and an auxiliary port selectively positionable and operable to receive stale indoor air from within the residence or building interior into the heat and mass exchanger.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said heat exchanger module includes a plurality of outlets for discharging air from the heat exchanger, wherein a plurality of air flow channels is configured between said inlets and outlets and defining air flow paths through a heat exchanger core supported by the enclosure, each flow path exiting through one of said outlets, including an air flow path supplied by a hot humid air inlet and discharging cold dry air into the residence or building interior through a cold dry air outlet, an air flow path discharging air through an exhaust outlet, and an air flow path supplied by a hot humid air inlet and discharging cold wet air into the residence or building interior though a cold wet air outlet, such that said module is operable in indirect\direct evaporative cooling mode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said heat exchanger module is configurable and operable, with said dehumidifier, in natural non-evaporative cooling mode, simultaneous direct/indirect cooling mode, indirect cooling mode, and direct cooling mode.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a vacuum chamber cooler positioned on a discharge side from which cool supply air discharged to the residence or building interior travels;

and

a liquid desiccant absorber adjacent and upstream of said cooler having an inlet to receive mixed hot humid outside air and return indoor air, and an inlet to receive outside air, and wherein said heat module is configured deliver desiccant concentrate to said absorber and receive cooler desiccant dilute therefrom.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of air flow channels are configurable between said inlets and outlets and spaced apart panels of the heat exchanger core supported in said heat exchanger space including flow channels for each of the following heat exchanger operating modes:

the air pass-through mode;

the direct evaporative cooling mode;

the indirect evaporative cooling mode; and

the indirect-direct cooling mode.

20. A system for supplying air to a residence or building interior comprising:

an evaporative air conditioner module including a heat and mass exchanger positioned to discharge conditioned air into the residence or building interior;

a dehumidifier positioned and configured to receive supply air for treatment, to exhaust hot humid air, and to supply dry air to the heat and mass exchanger, wherein the heat and mass exchanger is positioned and configured to receive the dry air from the dehumidifier and supply air to the residence or building interior;

wherein said heat and mass exchanger includes an enclosure equipped with inlets and outlets, a heat exchanger core within the enclosure, and a plurality of air flow channels between said inlets and outlets and between spaced apart panels of the heat exchanger core, including air flow channels for each the following heat and mass exchanger operating modes;

an air pass-through mode, including a dry fresh outside air inlet for receipt of dry fresh outside air into the heat and mass exchanger, the dry fresh outside air inlet in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with a cool fresh air outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharging cool fresh air into the residence or building interior;

a direct evaporative cooling mode, including a hot air inlet for receipt of hot air into the heat and mass exchanger, the hot air inlet in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with a humid air outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of humid air into the residence or building interior;

an indirect evaporative cooling mode, including a hot dry air inlet for receipt of hot dry air into the heat and mass exchanger, the hot dry air inlet in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with a cool dry air outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of cool dry air into the residence or building interior, and a hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air into the heat and mass exchanger, the hot outside air inlet in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with a wet cool exhaust outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of wet cool exhaust;

an indirect-direct cooling mode, including a first hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air into the heat and mass exchanger, the first hot outside air inlet in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with a cold dry air outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of cold dry air into the residence or building interior, a second hot outside air inlet for receipt of hot outside air into the heat and mass exchanger in fluid communication via one of the air flow channels with both a cold wet air outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of cold wet air into the residence or building interior and a cool wet exhaust outlet of the heat and mass exchanger for discharge of cool wet exhaust; and

an enthalpy mode, including inlets to receive hot outside air into the heat and mass exchanger, an outlet to discharge cool dry air from the heat and mass exchanger into the residence or building interior, an auxiliary port selectively positionable and operable to receive stale indoor air from within the residence or building interior into the heat and mass exchanger, and an exhaust to discharge the relieved stale indoor air as wet cool exhaust from the heat and mass exchanger.