Humidity Management Device, Potable Water Generation System And Method

• US 20190329147A1
• Filed: 06/20/2017
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthias Enzenhofer
• Original Assignee: Matthias Enzenhofer
• Inventors: Enzenhofer, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 11,331,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01B 1/005 Evaporation for physical or chemical purposes; Evaporation apparatus therefor, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/048 Purification of waste water by evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/10 as part of a potable water dispenser, e.g. for use in homes or offices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/144 by dehumidification only
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/1411 by absorbing or adsorbing water, e.g. using an hygroscopic desiccant

Abstract

A humidity management device and a potable water generation system and method using such a device are provided. The humidity management device includes a chamber having an air inlet disposed adjacent a first end and an air outlet disposed adjacent a second end, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a moisture-regulating substance into a space between the first and second ends. The dispensing mechanism includes a liquid inlet disposed adjacent the second end for supplying a flow of the moisture-regulating substance into the chamber toward the first end and a conveyor configured to transport a portion of the moisture-regulating substance collected adjacent the first end and re-distribute said moisture-regulating substance into the space between the first and second ends. The conveyor includes an Archimedes'"'"' screw at least partially enclosed in an elongated sleeve.

Claims

1. A humidity management device comprising:

a chamber having an air inlet disposed adjacent a first end and an air outlet disposed adjacent a second end; and

a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a moisture-regulating substance into a space between the first and second ends, the dispensing mechanism comprising;

a liquid inlet disposed adjacent the second end for supplying a flow of the moisture-regulating substance into the chamber toward the first end; and

a conveyor configured to transport a portion of the moisture-regulating substance collected adjacent the first end and re-distribute said moisture-regulating substance into the space between the first and second ends, the conveyor comprising an Archimedes'"'"' screw at least partially enclosed in an elongated sleeve;

wherein the air inlet is configured to receive a flow of input air having a first humidity level; and

wherein the air outlet is configured to draw said input air to contact the moisture-regulating substance to thereby change a moisture content of said input air such that output air exiting the chamber has a second humidity level different from the first humidity level.

2. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elongated sleeve has a cylindrical radial surface, said radial surface defining a plurality of holes.

3. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of hollow tubes, each tube being attached to a corresponding hole such that the tubes are in fluid communication with the sleeve.

4. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the tubes comprises a porous surface capable of carrying the moisture-regulating substance.

5. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to re-distribute the moisture-regulating substance as a liquid film on the porous surface.

6. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism is configured to re-distribute the moisture-regulating substance as a mist in a space between the first and second ends.

7. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to the conveyor to drive the conveyor.

8. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the actuator is further coupled to the sleeve to rotate the sleeve.

9. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 1, operable as a dehumidifier unit, wherein the moisture-regulating substance is configured to remove moisture from the input air such that the second humidity level is lower than the first humidity level.

10. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a temperature of the input air is higher than a temperature of the moisture-regulating substance.

11. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 1, operable as a humidifier unit, wherein the moisture-regulating substance is configured to release moisture into the input air such that the second humidity level is higher than the first humidity level.

12. The humidity management device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a temperature of the input air is lower than a temperature of the moisture-regulating substance.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the condenser comprises a fixed-bed condenser.

15. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the condenser comprises a pressurized chamber.

20. A method for generating potable water from raw water, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying a flow of the raw water into an evaporator unit, the evaporator unit comprising a device as claimed in claim 1;

supplying a flow of input air having a first humidity level into the evaporator unit;

directing the flow of input air to contact the raw water to thereby moisten said input air such that output air exiting the evaporator unit has a second humidity level higher than the first humidity level; and

directing the output air from the evaporator unit to a condenser unit to condense water molecules from said output air, to thereby generate potable water.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein supplying the flow of the raw water into the evaporator unit comprises pre-heating the raw water through heat exchange at the condenser unit with the output air from the evaporator unit and/or at a heat exchanger with warm raw water from the evaporator unit.

13. A potable water generation system comprising:

an evaporator unit; and

a condenser unit in fluid communication with the evaporator unit,

wherein the evaporator unit comprises a chamber having an air inlet disposed adjacent a first end and an air outlet disposed adjacent a second end, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense raw water into a space between the first and second ends, the dispensing mechanism comprising;

a liquid inlet disposed adjacent the second end for supplying a flow of the raw water into the chamber toward the first end; and

a conveyor configured to transport a portion of the raw water collected adjacent the first end and re-distribute said raw water into the space between the first and second ends, the conveyor comprising an Archimedes'"'"' screw at least partially enclosed in an elongated sleeve;

wherein the air inlet is configured to receive a flow of input air having a first humidity level;

wherein the air outlet is configured to draw said input air to contact the raw water to thereby moisten said input air such that output air exiting the chamber has a second humidity level higher than the first humidity level; and

wherein the condenser unit is configured to receive the output air from the evaporator unit and condense water molecules from said output air, to thereby generate potable water.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the condenser unit is further configured to pre-heat cool incoming raw water using the output air from the evaporator unit.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a heat exchanger configured to receive the incoming raw water from the condenser unit and to further pre-heat the incoming raw water using warm raw water from the evaporator.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a heater disposed downstream of the heat exchanger and configured to further heat the incoming raw water to a predetermined working temperature prior to the raw water entering the chamber of the evaporator unit.

19. The system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the working temperature is in the range of between 50°

C. and 70°

C.