Vapor compression dehumidifier

1. A dehumidification apparatus, comprising:

an air inlet configured to receive an inlet airflow from within a structure, the inlet airflow being separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow;

an evaporator unit operable to:

receive a flow of refrigerant from an expansion device;

cool the process airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the process airflow to the flow of refrigerant as the process airflow passes through the evaporator unit;

a condenser unit operable to:

receive the flow of refrigerant from a compressor unit;

reheat the process airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the process airflow as the process airflow passes through a first portion of the condenser unit; and

heat the bypass airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the bypass airflow as the bypass airflow passes through a second portion of the condenser unit;

a process airflow outlet operable to discharge the process airflow into the structure; and

a bypass airflow outlet operable to discharge the bypass airflow into the structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a supply fan positioned adjacent to the air inlet, the supply fan operable to draw the inlet airflow into the air inlet such that the inlet airflow is separated into the process airflow and the bypass airflow.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the supply fan comprises a backward inclined impeller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the compressor unit is positioned between the condenser unit and the process airflow outlet such that the process airflow passes over the compressor unit after exiting the first portion of the condenser unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the process airflow outlet is oriented such that the process airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bypass airflow outlet is oriented such that the bypass airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bypass airflow exiting the second portion of the condenser unit is routed adjacent the process airflow exiting the first portion of the condenser unit such that heat is transferred from the bypass airflow to the process airflow through a wall separating the bypass airflow from the process airflow.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bypass airflow comprises between ten and thirty percent of the inlet airflow.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a humidistat operable to measure the humidity of the inlet airflow;

a bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow; and

a controller operable to modulate the bypass damper according the measured humidity of the inlet airflow.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a temperature probe operable to measure the temperature of the flow of refrigerant;

a bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow; and

a controller operable to modulate the bypass damper according the measured temperature of the flow of refrigerant.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the evaporator unit operated in a flooded state.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flow of refrigerant passes through the second portion of the condenser unit before the first portion of the condenser unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a storage pocket configured to store one or both of a drainage hose and a power cord.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a one or more indentions configured to receive at least a portion of an additional dehumidification apparatus such that the additional dehumidification apparatus may be stacked on top of the dehumidification apparatus.

15. A dehumidification apparatus, comprising:

an air inlet configured to receive an inlet airflow from within a structure;

a supply fan positioned adjacent to the air inlet, the supply fan operable to draw the inlet airflow into the air inlet such that the inlet airflow is separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow;

an evaporator unit operable to:

receive a flow of refrigerant from an expansion device;

cool the process airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the process airflow to the flow of refrigerant as the process airflow passes through the evaporator unit;

a condenser unit operable to:

receive the flow of refrigerant from a compressor unit;

reheat the process airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the process airflow as the process airflow passes through a first portion of the condenser unit; and

heat the bypass airflow by facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the bypass airflow as the bypass airflow passes through a second portion of the condenser unit;

a process airflow outlet operable to discharge the process airflow into the structure; and

a bypass airflow outlet operable to discharge the bypass airflow into the structure;

wherein:

the compressor unit is positioned between the condenser unit and the process airflow outlet such that the process airflow passes over the compressor unit after exiting the first portion of the condenser unit; and

the bypass airflow exiting the second portion of the condenser unit is routed adjacent the process airflow exiting the first portion of the condenser unit such that heat is transferred from the bypass airflow to the process airflow through a wall separating the bypass airflow from the process airflow.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the supply fan comprises a backward inclined impeller.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the process airflow outlet is oriented such that the process airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the bypass airflow outlet is oriented such that the bypass airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the bypass airflow comprises between ten and thirty percent of the inlet airflow.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a humidistat operable to measure the humidity of the inlet airflow;

a bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow; and

a controller operable to modulate a bypass damper according the measured humidity of the inlet airflow.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:

a temperature probe operable to measure the temperature of the flow of refrigerant;

a bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow; and

a controller operable to modulate the bypass damper according the measured temperature of the flow of refrigerant.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the evaporator unit operated in a flooded state.

23. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the flow of refrigerant passes through the second portion of the condenser unit before the first portion of the condenser unit.

24. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a storage pocket configured to store one or both of a drainage hose and a power cord.

25. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising a one or more indentions configured to receive at least a portion of an additional dehumidification apparatus such that the additional dehumidification apparatus may be stacked on top of the dehumidification apparatus.

26. A dehumidification method, comprising:

receiving, at an air inlet, an inlet airflow from within a structure, the inlet airflow being separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow;

cooling the process airflow as it passes through an evaporator unit, the evaporator unit facilitating heat transfer from the process airflow to a flow of refrigerant as the process airflow passes through the evaporator unit;

reheating the process airflow as it passes through a first portion of a condenser unit, the first portion condenser unit facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the process airflow as the process airflow passes through the first portion of the condenser unit;

heating the bypass airflow as it passes through a second portion of the condenser unit; the second portion of the condenser unit facilitating heat transfer from the flow of refrigerant to the bypass airflow as the bypass airflow passes through a the second portion of the condenser unit;

exhausting the process airflow into the structure via a process airflow outlet; and

exhausting the bypass airflow into the structure via a bypass airflow outlet.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the inlet airflow received at the air inlet is drawn into the air inlet by a supply fan positioned adjacent to the air inlet.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the supply fan comprises a backward inclined impeller.

29. The method of claim 26 , further comprising passing the process airflow over a compressor unit positioned between the condenser unit and the process airflow outlet.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the process airflow outlet is oriented such that the process airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

31. The method of claim 26 , wherein the bypass airflow outlet is oriented such that the bypass airflow is directed toward the floor of the structure.

32. The method of claim 26 , further comprising routing the bypass airflow exiting the second portion of the condenser adjacent the process airflow exiting the first portion of the condenser unit such that heat is transferred from the bypass airflow to the process airflow through a wall separating the bypass airflow from the process airflow.

33. The method of claim 26 , wherein the bypass airflow comprises between ten and thirty percent of the inlet airflow.

34. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

measuring the humidity of the inlet airflow; and

modulating a bypass damper according the measured humidity of the inlet airflow, the bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow.

35. The method of claim 26 , further comprising:

measuring the temperature of the flow of refrigerant; and

modulating a bypass damper according the measured temperature of the flow of refrigerant, the bypass damper operable to control the proportions of the inlet airflow that are separated into a process airflow and a bypass airflow.

36. The method of claim 26 , wherein the evaporator unit operated in a flooded state.

37. The method of claim 26 , wherein the flow of refrigerant passes through the second portion of the condenser unit before the first portion of the condenser unit.