Patent ID: 8268060
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: B01D,F24F

Abstract:
1. A dehumidifier system comprising: a dehumidifier section having an interior and an entrance through which air to be dehumidified is routed into the interior of the dehumidifier section, an exit through which air exits the interior of the dehumidifier section and a sump; a regenerator section having a sump; an amount of liquid desiccant; means for conducting a flow of desiccant of the amount into the interior of the dehumidifier section where the conducted desiccant is permitted to absorb moisture from the air routed through the interior of the dehumidifier section and to subsequently collect within the sump of the dehumidifier section and for delivering desiccant of the amount to the regenerator section where the delivered desiccant releases absorbed moisture in a regenerating process and to subsequently collect within the sump of the regenerator section wherein the flow of desiccant conducted into the interior of the dehumidifier section is separated into a first stream and a second stream; means for treating the first and second streams of conducted desiccant so that upon entry of the first and second streams into the interior of the dehumidifier section, the temperature of the second stream is lower than the temperature of the first stream and of the air which is routed through the interior of the dehumidifier section between the entrance and the exit thereof, the means for treating including means for cooling said second stream of desiccant which is conducted into the interior of the dehumidifier section to thereby lower the temperature of the second stream and so that the desiccant which is subsequently collected within the sump of the dehumidifier section is in a low-temperature condition and means for heating at least a fraction of the desiccant which is delivered to the regenerator section so that the desiccant which is subsequently collected within the sump of the regenerator section is in a high-temperature condition; and a heat exchanger through which desiccant from the dehumidifier section is moved in one stream to the regenerator section and through which desiccant from the regenerator section is moved in another stream to the dehumidifier section so that heat is transferred between the one and another streams and so that the temperature of the desiccant of the one stream when exiting the heat exchanger is within about 5 F.° of the temperature of the desiccant of the another stream when entering the heat exchanger and so that the temperature of the desiccant of the another stream when exiting the heat exchanger is within about 5 F.° of the temperature of the temperature of the desiccant of the one stream when entering the heat exchanger; and the means for conducting includes a conduit network through which the first and second streams are discharged into the interior of the dehumidifier section so that the air which enters the interior of the dehumidifier section is exposed in sequence to the desiccant of the first stream and then to the desiccant of the second stream and to the cooling effects of the second stream before the air exits the dehumidifier section through the exit thereof.