Desiccant air conditioning methods and systems

1. A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, the desiccant air conditioning system being switchable between operating in a warm weather operation mode and in a cold weather operation mode, comprising:

a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode, the conditioner including a plurality of plate structures arranged in a parallel orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures, each plate structure including a passage through which a heat transfer fluid flows, each plate structure also having at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant flows, each plate structure further comprising a membrane positioned proximate the at least one surface of the plate structure between the liquid desiccant and the air stream;

a fan positioned at the conditioner for moving the air stream through the conditioner;

a regenerator connected to the conditioner for receiving the liquid desiccant from the conditioner, said regenerator causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream;

a liquid desiccant loop for circulating the liquid desiccant between the conditioner and the regenerator;

a reservoir coupled to the liquid desiccant loop for collecting liquid desiccant flowing from the conditioner;

a vertical tube proximate a desiccant entry port at one of the plate structures in the conditioner, said vertical tube being coupled to the liquid desiccant loop to detect flow of liquid desiccant to the conditioner based on a height of the liquid desiccant in the vertical tube;

an overflow tube coupling an upper end of the vertical tube to the reservoir to inhibit application of excessive pressure by the liquid desiccant on the membranes in the conditioner;

a heat source or cold source system for transferring heat to the heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner in the cold weather operation mode, for receiving heat from the heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner in the warm weather operation mode, for transferring heat to the heat transfer fluid used in the regenerator in the warm weather operation mode, or for receiving heat from the heat transfer fluid used in the regenerator in the cold weather operation mode;

a conditioner heat transfer fluid loop for circulating heat transfer fluid through the conditioner and exchanging heat with the heat source or cold source system; and

a regenerator heat transfer fluid loop for circulating heat transfer fluid through the regenerator and exchanging heat with the heat source or cold source system.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conditioner further comprises a sloped surface beneath the plurality of plate structures and a conductivity sensor mounted at a low point on the sloped surface to detect any liquid desiccant fallen from the plurality of plate structures.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fan is positioned at an outlet of the conditioner for applying negative pressure to the conditioner to draw the air stream through the conditioner.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a tube connecting a low pressure area in the outlet of the conditioner to an upper portion of the reservoir to maintain a pressure balance above the liquid desiccant in the reservoir.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plate structures are arranged in a vertical orientation.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the conditioner further comprises a sloped surface beneath the plurality of plate structures and a conductivity sensor mounted at a low point on the sloped surface to detect any liquid desiccant fallen from the plurality of plate structures.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fan is positioned at an inlet of the conditioner for applying positive pressure to the conditioner to push the air stream through the conditioner.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a tube connecting a low pressure area in the inlet of the conditioner to an upper portion of the reservoir to maintain a pressure balance above the liquid desiccant in the reservoir.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the conditioner further comprises a sloped surface beneath the plurality of plate structures and a conductivity sensor mounted at a low point on the sloped surface to detect any liquid desiccant fallen from the plurality of plate structures.

10. A desiccant air conditioning system for treating an air stream entering a building space, the desiccant air conditioning system being operable in a warm weather operation mode and/or in a cold weather operation mode, comprising:

a conditioner configured to expose the air stream to a liquid desiccant such that the liquid desiccant dehumidifies the air stream in the warm weather operation mode and humidifies the air stream in the cold weather operation mode, the conditioner including a plurality of plate structures arranged in a parallel orientation and spaced apart to permit the air stream to flow between the plate structures, each plate structure including a passage through which a heat transfer fluid flows, each plate structure also having at least one surface across which the liquid desiccant flows, each plate structure further comprising a membrane positioned proximate the at least one surface of the plate structure between the liquid desiccant and the air stream;

a fan positioned at the conditioner for moving the air stream through the conditioner;

a regenerator connected to the conditioner for receiving the liquid desiccant from the conditioner, said regenerator causing the liquid desiccant to desorb water in the warm weather operation mode and to absorb water in the cold weather operation mode from a return air stream;

a liquid desiccant loop for circulating the liquid desiccant between the conditioner and the regenerator;

a reservoir coupled to the liquid desiccant loop for collecting liquid desiccant flowing from the conditioner;

a vertical tube proximate a desiccant entry port at one of the plate structures in the conditioner, said vertical tube being coupled to the liquid desiccant loop to detect flow of liquid desiccant to the conditioner based on a height of the liquid desiccant in the vertical tube;

an overflow tube coupling an upper end of the vertical tube to the reservoir to inhibit application of excessive pressure by the liquid desiccant on the membranes in the conditioner;

a heat source or cold source system for transferring heat to the heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner in the cold weather operation mode, for receiving heat from the heat transfer fluid used in the conditioner in the warm weather operation mode, for transferring heat to the heat transfer fluid used in the regenerator in the warm weather operation mode, or for receiving heat from the heat transfer fluid used in the regenerator in the cold weather operation mode;

a conditioner heat transfer fluid loop for circulating heat transfer fluid through the conditioner and exchanging heat with the heat source or cold source system; and

a regenerator heat transfer fluid loop for circulating heat transfer fluid through the regenerator and exchanging heat with the heat source or cold source system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fan is positioned at an outlet of the conditioner for applying negative pressure to the conditioner to draw the air stream through the conditioner.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a tube connecting a low pressure area in the outlet of the conditioner to an upper portion of the reservoir to maintain a pressure balance above the liquid desiccant in the reservoir.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of plate structures are arranged in a vertical orientation.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the conditioner further comprises a sloped surface beneath the plurality of plate structures and a conductivity sensor mounted at a low point on the sloped surface to detect any liquid desiccant fallen from the plurality of plate structures.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fan is positioned at an inlet of the conditioner for applying positive pressure to the conditioner to push the air stream through the conditioner.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a tube connecting a low pressure area in the inlet of the conditioner to an upper portion of the reservoir to maintain a pressure balance above the liquid desiccant in the reservoir.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the conditioner further comprises a sloped surface beneath the plurality of plate structures and a conductivity sensor mounted at a low point on the sloped surface to detect any liquid desiccant fallen from the plurality of plate structures.