Patent ID: 7938888
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: F24F

Abstract:
1. A dehumidification method, comprising: providing a desiccant/air heat exchanger having a first desiccant inlet and a desiccant reservoir; said reservoir having a first desiccant outlet for conducting concentrated liquid desiccant, a second desiccant outlet for conducting concentrated liquid desiccant and a second desiccant inlet for receiving diluted desiccant; said first desiccant inlet and said first desiccant outlet being connectable to means for applying heat to said concentrated liquid desiccant, and said second desiccant inlet conducting diluted desiccant to said desiccant reservoir and said second desiccant outlet conducting concentrated liquid desiccant from said desiccant reservoir, said second desiccant inlet and said desiccant outlet being connected to a desiccant/desiccant heat exchanger for applying heat to the diluted desiccant flowing into said reservoir, and conveying the concentrated desiccant at a rate higher than the evaporation rate of water from the desiccant; said method further including: pumping concentrated liquid desiccant from the desiccant reservoir to the heater and returning heated concentrated liquid desiccant from the heater to the first desiccant inlet at a rate such that the mass flow rate of the desiccant flow into the regenerator is at least twice the mass flow rate of the condensed water; and exposing the desiccant/air heat exchanger and the desiccant reservoir to air; whereby: the desiccant regenerator exchanges diluted desiccant flowing into the regenerator via the inlet with concentrated desiccant discharging from the regenerator via the first desiccant outlet, the temperature of the concentrated desiccant is higher than the temperature of the diluted desiccant, so as to introduce heat from the regenerator to a vapor condenser, and the heat elevates the temperature of the diluted desiccant, which functions as a vapor sink.