An improved desiccant rotor is provided that uses a three-dimensional printed joule heating structure to heat the desiccant directly, thereby improving its efficiency. The heating structure is printed as the substrate itself using additive manufacturing techniques, allowing for unique rotor configurations and better performance in a smaller size. The desiccant is coated on and within the porous heating structure and is in direct contact with it. The heating structure generates heat that is transferred directly to the desiccant, resulting in better moisture removal. The porosity and configuration of the heating structure can be varied to achieve different heating levels and rotor designs. In one embodiment, the desiccant is mixed directly into the conductive ink used to print the heating structure for even greater heat flux. The desiccant rotor may also include sensors and controllers to monitor humidity and adjust heating levels accordingly to maintain consistent dehumidification.
1 . A desiccant rotor apparatus comprising:
a three-dimensional printed joule heating structure acting as a substrate, wherein the heating structure comprises a porous configuration with integrated heating elements; and
a desiccant coated on and within the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure, wherein the desiccant is in direct contact with the heating structure;
wherein the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure is configured to generate heat that is transferred directly to the desiccant, thereby improving moisture removal efficiency of the desiccant rotor and enabling unique rotor configurations; and wherein the desiccant is mixed into a conductive ink used to print the three-dimensional joule heating structure.
2 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure comprises a conductive material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, and aluminum.
3 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant is selected from the group consisting of silica gel, molecular sieve, metal-organic framework material, and metal-organic/inorganic framework sorbent material.
4 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a
sensor configured to monitor a humidity level of air passing over the desiccant rotor; and
a controller in communication with the sensor and the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure, the controller configured to adjust a heating level of the heating structure based on the monitored humidity level to maintain a consistent level of moisture removal.
5 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the porosity and configuration of the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure is selected to achieve different heating levels and rotor designs.
6 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure is configured to reduce a need for a cool down section between a regeneration air supply and a process air supply.
7 . A method of using a desiccant rotor apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a desiccant rotor apparatus comprising:
a three-dimensional printed joule heating structure acting as a substrate, wherein the heating structure comprises a porous configuration with integrated heating elements; and
a desiccant coated on and within the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure, wherein the desiccant is in direct contact with the heating structure;
passing a first airstream over the desiccant rotor apparatus, wherein the desiccant absorbs moisture from the first airstream;
rotating the desiccant rotor apparatus to expose the desiccant to a second airstream;
activating the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure to generate heat that is transferred directly to the desiccant, causing the desiccant to release the absorbed moisture into the second airstream; and
deactivating the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure to allow the desiccant to cool and reabsorb moisture from the first airstream; wherein the desiccant is mixed into a conductive ink used to print the three-dimensional joule heating structure.
8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
monitoring a humidity level of the first airstream using a sensor; and
adjusting the heating level of the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure based on the monitored humidity level to maintain a consistent level of moisture removal.
9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first airstream is a process air supply, and the second airstream is a regeneration air supply.
10 . A method of improving moisture removal efficiency of a desiccant rotor, the method comprising:
providing a desiccant rotor substrate;
printing a three-dimensional joule heating structure on the substrate using an additive manufacturing technique, wherein the heating structure comprises a porous configuration with integrated heating elements;
coating a desiccant on and within the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure, wherein the desiccant is in direct contact with the heating structure; and
generating heat from the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure that is transferred directly to the desiccant, thereby improving moisture removal efficiency of the desiccant rotor and reducing a need for a cool down section between a regeneration air supply and a process air supply; wherein the desiccant is missed into a conductive ink used to print the three-dimensional joule heating structure.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein printing the three-dimensional joule heating structure comprises using a conductive material selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, and aluminum.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein coating the desiccant comprises using a material selected from the group consisting of silica gel, molecular sieve, metal-organic framework material, and metal-organic/inorganic framework sorbent material.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
monitoring a humidity level of air passing over the desiccant rotor using a sensor; and
adjusting the heating level of the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure based on the monitored humidity level to maintain a consistent level of moisture removal.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising selecting the porosity and configuration of the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure to achieve different heating levels and rotor designs.
15 . The desiccant rotor apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure is printed using an additive manufacturing technique.
16 . The method of claim 7 , wherein activating and deactivating the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure allows for faster and more precise control of the desiccant rotor apparatus compared to using hot air alone.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the additive manufacturing technique used to print the three-dimensional joule heating structure is selected from the group consisting of fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, and direct metal laser sintering.
18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the three-dimensional printed joule heating structure enables unique rotor configurations and improved performance in a smaller size compared to conventional desiccant rotors.