Apparatus and method for dehumidification systems

• US 4,428,205 A
• Filed: 04/27/1981
• Issued: 01/31/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trinity University
• Original Assignee: Trinity University
• Inventors: Doderer, Earl S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Favors, Edward G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BENNETT, HENRY A
• Application Number:
  US06/257,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 62/271, 62/93, 165/66, 165/DIG. 12, 165/59, 165/29, 237/2 B
• US Class Current: 62/93
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/006 using an air-to-air heat exchanger F24F12/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/153 with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the atmosphere in a controlled environment including passing air into a cooling means to remove humidity and back into the environment and exchanging heat from the air entering the cooling means to the air exiting the cooling means, to increase dehumidification by a cooling recovery process.

Claims

1. A method for efficiently producing dry air, comprising the steps of:

flowing incoming air from an enclosure through the inbound portion of an air-to-air heat exchanger where it is precooled by outgoing air flowing though the outbound portion of said heat exchanger into the enclosure;

flowing the air that has been precooled from the inbound portion to a cooling means for reducing the dew point temperature where it is further cooled and dehumidified to provide cold dry air to the outgoing portion;

flowing the cold dry air from the cooling means through said outbound portion of said air-to-air heat exchanger to recover cooling provided by the cooling means and to provide said precooling of the incoming air;

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the dry outgoing air is flowed out of the heat exchanger at substantially the temperature outside the heat exchanger in the enclosure.

2. flowing the dry outgoing air out of the outbound section of the air-to-air heat exchanger into the enclosure;

and

varying the amount of cooling recovered from the cold dry air flowing through the outbound portion of the heat exchanger to vary the temperature and humidity of the air exiting the outbound portion.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

the air-to-air heat exchanger has a labyrinth heat exchange surface.

3. An apparatus for efficiently producing dry air comprising:

an air cooling means for reducing the dew point temperature of air flowing across the cooling means to provide cold dry air;

an air-to-air heat exchanger having an inbound section and an outbound section;

said inbound section being connected with the cooling means to provide the air flowing across the cooling means;

said outbound section being connected with the cooling means to receive the cold dry air from the cooling means;

said inbound and outbound sections being thermally connected with each other to transfer cooling from outbound air to inbound air to provide precooling of the air flowing through the inbound section from an enclosure and flowing the outbound dry air out of the outbound section of the heat exchanger into the enclosure; and

the air-to-air heat exchanger includes means to selectively vary the amount of cooling transferred from the outbound air to the inbound air.