Process and plant for the recovery of water from humid air
First Claim
1. A plant for carrying out a process for recovering water from humid air, comprising:
- a layer of an air-permeable water adsorbent silica gel capable of adsorbing water from humid night air at a first temperature and desorbing the adsorbed water when exposed to daytime air at a second temperature higher than said first temperature, said layer being oriented for exposure of its principal surface to the sun'"'"'s rays and being dark colored at least on its exposed surface for absorption of solar heat;
means, including a blower, for propelling a stream of ambient daytime air through said water adsorbent silica gel layer to define an upstream and a downstream direction in the ambient daytime air stream;
means, including at least one generally flat component having a colored surface oriented for exposure to the sun'"'"'s rays and being permeable to air and the sun'"'"'s rays, said flat component being positioned above and upstream of said water adsorbent silica gel layer in the stream of daytime air and having a portion which is capable of conducting heat and which projects into said silica gel layer, for heating ambient daytime air to a higher temperature;
a cold-storage type condenser located downstream from said water adsorbent silica gel layer in the stream of daytime air for removing water from the stream of daytime air after it has passed through said water adsorbent silica gel layer; and
means, including a blower, for propelling a stream of ambient humid night air at a temperature lower than said daytime air first through said condenser and thereafter through said layer of silica gel.
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Abstract
Disclosed are a process and plant for the recovery of water from humid air, in which at night cool humid air is passed through an adsorbent medium layer which adsorbs water from the air and in which, by day, air heated by solar energy up to a temperature which is above the ambient temperature is passed first through this layer to absorb water from the layer and then is cooled down so that the water condenses. The daytime air, when entering the adsorbent layer, is heated by solar energy with a radiator which is preferably a black anodized aluminum web in which the adsorbent medium may be embedded and/or by the adsorbent medium layer which is colored black for better absorption of sun rays. By using reflectors, the solarization upon the adsorbent medium layer and/or the radiator may be intensified.
53 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A plant for carrying out a process for recovering water from humid air, comprising:
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a layer of an air-permeable water adsorbent silica gel capable of adsorbing water from humid night air at a first temperature and desorbing the adsorbed water when exposed to daytime air at a second temperature higher than said first temperature, said layer being oriented for exposure of its principal surface to the sun'"'"'s rays and being dark colored at least on its exposed surface for absorption of solar heat; means, including a blower, for propelling a stream of ambient daytime air through said water adsorbent silica gel layer to define an upstream and a downstream direction in the ambient daytime air stream; means, including at least one generally flat component having a colored surface oriented for exposure to the sun'"'"'s rays and being permeable to air and the sun'"'"'s rays, said flat component being positioned above and upstream of said water adsorbent silica gel layer in the stream of daytime air and having a portion which is capable of conducting heat and which projects into said silica gel layer, for heating ambient daytime air to a higher temperature; a cold-storage type condenser located downstream from said water adsorbent silica gel layer in the stream of daytime air for removing water from the stream of daytime air after it has passed through said water adsorbent silica gel layer; and means, including a blower, for propelling a stream of ambient humid night air at a temperature lower than said daytime air first through said condenser and thereafter through said layer of silica gel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29)
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25. A plant for carrying out a process for recovering water from humid air, comprising:
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a layer of an air-permeable water adsorbent medium capable of adsorbing water from humid night air at a first temperature and desorbing the adsorbed water when exposed to daytime air at a second temperature higher than said first temperature; means for propelling a stream of ambient daytime air through said adsorbent medium layer to define an upstream and a downstream direction in the ambient daytime air stream; means, including at least one air-permeable dark colored layer comprising a radiator member and a dark colored surface layer of adsorbent medium layer oriented for exposure to the sun'"'"'s rays and positioned upstream of said adsorbent medium layer in the stream of daytime air, for heating ambient daytime air to a higher temperature, said radiator member comprising a flat structural component permeable to air and light, which is arranged above the adsorbent medium layer to be penetrated by the flow of daytime air entering the adsorbent medium layer, said flat structural component comprising a metal capable of conducting heat and including a portion passing downwardly from the top through the adsorbent medium layer in such a way that the air passes through the structural component within the layer while passing through the adsorbent medium layer, said portion being passed downwardly from the top in a serpentine line and the adsorbent medium being embedded between the individual sections of the serpentine portion, whereby the adsorbent medium together with the metal component forms a pre-fabricated, compact, box-type, flat absorption and adsorption package; a condenser located downstream from said adsorbent medium layer in the stream of daytime air for removing water from the stream of daytime air after it has passed through said adsorbent medium layer; and at least one reflector for reflecting the sun'"'"'s rays onto at least one of said radiator member and said surface layer of said adsorbent medium layer. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification