System and method for removal of moisture and other sorbates
Described herein is an apparatus and method for removing moisture and/or sorbates from airstream and/or other fluid. The system comprises a preconditioning desiccant wheel and a main desiccant wheel. The preconditioning desiccant wheel comprises of at least two first sectors for allowing air to pass therethrough, including a first process sector and a first reactivation sector. The main desiccant wheel comprises of at least three second sectors for allowing air to pass therethrough, sequentially including a second outside air sector, a second process sector, and a second reactivation sector. The ambient airstream is sequentially dehumidified in one of the at least two sectors of the preconditioning desiccant wheel and the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, before being at least partially supplied for reactivation to the reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel.
1 . An apparatus, comprising:
a preconditioning section of the apparatus comprising a preconditioning desiccant wheel comprising of two first sectors, namely a first process sector and a first reactivation sector; and
a main section of the apparatus comprising a main desiccant wheel comprising of at least three second sectors, sequentially including an outside air sector, a second reactivation sector, and a second process sector, wherein
an ambient airstream is sequentially dehumidified in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel followed by dehumidification in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, before being at least partially supplied for sequential reactivation with a heating unit at the second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel followed by supplying to the first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, and the second process sector receives and dehumidifies a combination of a recirculated airstream from a cooling space and at least a first portion of a second preconditioned airstream, to output a dehumidified cooled airstream to the cooling space.
2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, receives and dehumidifies the ambient airstream, to output a first preconditioned airstream,
the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, receives and further dehumidifies the first preconditioned airstream from the first process sector, to output the second preconditioned airstream,
the second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel, receives and supplies at least the portion of the second preconditioned airstream for reactivation thereof, and outputs a first reactivation airstream, and
the first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, receives and directly supplies the first reactivation airstream for reactivation thereof, to output a second reactivation airstream.
3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main desiccant wheel is positioned in the main section of the apparatus such that the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space and at least the first portion of the second preconditioned airstream, and a second portion of the second preconditioned airstream, pass through the main desiccant wheel in the same direction, while a first preconditioned airstream and the second portion of the second preconditioned airstream pass through the main desiccant wheel in opposite directions.
4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said main desiccant wheel is positioned in the main section of the apparatus such that the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space and at least the first portion of the second preconditioned airstream, and a second portion of the second preconditioned airstream, pass through the main desiccant wheel in a direction opposite that of the second preconditioned airstream.
5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling unit for precooling the ambient airstream to remove some of a water from the ambient airstream by condensation, and deliver for being dehumidified in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling unit for cooling a first preconditioned airstream before being dehumidified in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel.
7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space and at least the portion of the second preconditioned airstream, before being dehumidified at the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, improving the moisture removal through the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel.
8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning section further comprises a preconditioning wheel drive, and a housing with internal baffles and air seals proximate to a wheel face to create plenums or sectors and prevent air from leaking between adjacent sectors, to create two paths for air to pass through the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the main section further comprises a main wheel drive, and a housing with internal baffles and air seals proximate to a wheel face to create plenums or sectors and prevent air from leaking between adjacent sectors, to create three paths for air to pass through the main desiccant wheel.
10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to remove at least one of moisture or sorbates from an airstream or other fluid wherein the other fluid comprises, but is not limited to, CO 2 and VOC.
11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning desiccant wheel and the main desiccant wheel have desiccant selected from the group consisting of silica gel, molecular sieve, metal-organic framework (MOFs), covalent organic framework (COFs), and zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs).
12 . An apparatus, comprising:
a preconditioning section of the apparatus comprising a preconditioning desiccant wheel comprising of two first sectors, namely a first process sector and a first reactivation sector; and
a main section of the apparatus comprising a main desiccant wheel comprising of at least three second sectors, sequentially including an outside air sector, a second reactivation sector, and a second process sector, and
a supplementary preconditioning section of the apparatus comprising a supplementary pre-conditioning desiccant wheel comprising of two supplementary sectors, namely a supplementary process sector and a supplementary reactivation sector, wherein
an ambient airstream is sequentially dehumidified in the supplementary process sector of the supplementary pre-conditioning desiccant wheel, the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, followed by dehumidification in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, before being at least partially supplied for sequential reactivation with a heating unit at the second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel, followed by supplying to the first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, and a second heating unit at the supplementary reactivation sector of the supplementary pre-conditioning desiccant wheel,
the second process sector receives and dehumidifies a combination of a recirculated airstream from a cooling space and at least a first portion of a second preconditioned airstream, to output a dehumidified cooled airstream to the cooling space.
13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein
the supplementary process sector of the supplementary pre-conditioning desiccant wheel, receives and dehumidifies the ambient airstream, to output a supplementary preconditioned airstream,
the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, receives and dehumidifies the supplementary preconditioned airstream, to output a first preconditioned airstream,
the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, receives and further dehumidify the first preconditioned airstream from the first process sector, to output the second preconditioned airstream,
the second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel, receives and supplies at least the portion of the second preconditioned airstream for reactivation thereof, and outputs a first reactivation airstream, and
the first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, receives and directly supplies the first reactivation airstream for reactivation thereof, and outputs a second reactivation airstream; and
the supplementary reactivation sector of the supplementary pre-conditioning desiccant wheel, receives and supplies the second reactivation airstream for reactivation thereof, and output a supplementary reactivation airstream.
14 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the main desiccant wheel is positioned in the main section of the apparatus such that the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space, and at least the first portion of the second preconditioned airstream, and a second portion of the second preconditioned airstream, pass through the main desiccant wheel in the same direction, while a first preconditioned airstream and the second portion of the second preconditioned airstream, pass through the main desiccant wheel in opposite directions.
15 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the main desiccant wheel is positioned in the main section of the apparatus such that the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space, and at least the first portion of the second preconditioned airstream, and a second portion of the second preconditioned airstream, pass through the main desiccant wheel in a direction opposite that of the second preconditioned airstream.
16 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a supplementary cooling unit for precooling the ambient airstream to remove some of a water from the ambient airstream by condensation, and deliver for being dehumidified in the supplementary process sector of the supplementary desiccant wheel.
17 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the supplementary preconditioned airstream before being dehumidified in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
18 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a cooling unit for cooling a first preconditioned airstream before being dehumidified in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel.
19 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the combination of the recirculated airstream from the cooling space and at least the portion of the second preconditioned airstream, before being dehumidified at the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, improving the moisture removal through the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel.
20 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the preconditioning section further comprises a preconditioning wheel drive, and a housing with internal baffles and air seals proximate to a wheel face to create plenums or sectors and prevent air from leaking between adjacent sectors, to create two paths for air to pass through the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
21 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the main section further comprises a main wheel drive, and a housing with internal baffles and air seals proximate to a wheel face to create plenums or sectors and prevent air from leaking between adjacent sectors, to create three paths for air to pass through the main desiccant wheel.
22 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the supplementary preconditioning section further comprises a supplementary wheel drive, and a housing with internal baffles and air seals proximate to a wheel face to create plenums or sectors and prevent air from leaking between adjacent sectors, to create two paths for air to pass through the wheel.
23 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the other fluid comprises, but is not limited to, CO 2 and VOC.
24 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the preconditioning desiccant wheel and the main desiccant wheel have desiccant selected from the group consisting of silica gel, molecular sieve, metal-organic framework (MOFs), covalent organic framework (COFs), and zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs).
25 . A method, comprising:
sequentially dehumidifying an ambient airstream, in a first process sector of a preconditioning desiccant wheel and an outside air sector of a main desiccant wheel, and
supplying the sequentially dehumidified ambient airstream, to a second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel with a heating unit for reactivation thereof, to output a first reactivation airstream, and
directly supplying the first reactivation airstream, to a first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel for reactivation thereof, to output a second reactivation airstream, and
supplying, a combination of a recirculated airstream from a cooling space and a first portion of a second preconditioned airstream, to a second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, to output a dehumidified cooled airstream to the cooling space.
26 . The method as claimed in claim 25 , wherein the step of sequentially dehumidifying the ambient airstream includes:
dehumidifying the ambient airstream, in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, to output a first preconditioned airstream, and
further dehumidifying the first preconditioned airstream, in an outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, to output a second preconditioned airstream.
27 . The method as claimed in claim 25 , further comprising precooling, using a cooling unit, the ambient airstream to remove some of a water from the ambient airstream by condensation, and deliver for dehumidification in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
28 . The method as claimed in claim 25 , further comprising cooling, using a cooling unit, a first preconditioned airstream, before dehumidification in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel.
29 . The method as claimed in claim 25 , further comprising cooling, using a cooling unit, the combination of the recirculated room airstream from the cooling space and the portion of the second preconditioned airstream, before dehumidification in the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, improving the moisture removal through the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel.
30 . A method, comprising:
sequentially dehumidifying an ambient airstream, in a supplementary process sector of a supplementary desiccant wheel, a first process sector of a preconditioning desiccant wheel, and an outside air sector of a main desiccant wheel,
supplying the sequentially dehumidified ambient airstream, to a second reactivation sector of the main desiccant wheel for reactivation thereof, with a heating unit to output a first reactivation airstream,
directly supplying the first reactivation airstream, to a first reactivation sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel for reactivation thereof, to output a second reactivation airstream, and
supplying the second reactivation airstream, to a supplementary reactivation sector of the supplementary desiccant wheel for reactivation thereof, with a second heating unit to output a final reactivation airstream, and
supplying, a combination of a recirculated room airstream from a cooling space and a first portion of a second preconditioned airstream, to the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, to output a dehumidified cooled airstream to the cooling space.
31 . The method as claimed in claim 30 , wherein
dehumidifying the ambient airstream, in the supplementary process sector of the supplementary desiccant wheel, to output a supplementary preconditioned airstream,
dehumidifying the supplementary preconditioned airstream, in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel, to output a first preconditioned airstream,
dehumidifying the first preconditioned airstream, in an outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel, to output the second preconditioned airstream.
32 . The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising cooling, using a supplementary cooling unit, the ambient airstream to remove some of a water from the ambient airstream by condensation, and deliver for dehumidification in the supplementary process sector of the supplementary desiccant wheel.
33 . The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising cooling, using a cooling unit, a supplementary preconditioned airstream, before dehumidification in the first process sector of the preconditioning desiccant wheel.
34 . The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising cooling, using a cooling unit, a first preconditioned airstream, before dehumidification in the outside air sector of the main desiccant wheel.
35 . The method as claimed in claim 30 , further comprising cooling, using a cooling unit, the combination of the recirculated room airstream from the cooling space and the portion of the second preconditioned airstream, before dehumidification in the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel, improving the moisture removal through the second process sector of the main desiccant wheel.