Patent ID: 7260945
Filing Date: 2007-08-28
Classification: F24F,F25B

Abstract:
1. A desiccant-assisted air conditioning and dehumidification/humidification system, comprising: a refrigeration circuit including a refrigerant compressor, an evaporator coil, and a condenser coil connected in series in a refrigerant flow path, a condenser fan that draws outdoor air through the condenser coil and exhausts it back to the outdoors, and a process fan that draws process air through the evaporator coil and discharges it as supply air into a space to be conditioned; a supplemental dehumidification/humidification system including a first desiccant coil and a second desiccant coil in said refrigerant flow path, each having desiccant material thereon, first valve means disposed in the refrigerant flow path for controlling flow of refrigerant between said desiccant coils and said compressor and said condenser coil, second valve means disposed in the refrigerant flow path for controlling flow of refrigerant between said desiccant coils and said evaporator coil, and refrigerant metering means disposed in the refrigerant flow path between said second valve means and said evaporator coil for reducing the temperature and pressure of refrigerant flowing therethrough; and air conveyance means for directing a regeneration air stream through said first desiccant coil and exhausting it, and directing a portion of the supply air discharged by said process fan in a desiccant process air stream through said second desiccant coil and exhausting it back into the supply air which is discharged into the space to be conditioned; wherein in a first mode of operation, said first desiccant coil receives condensed refrigerant from said condenser coil and the regeneration air stream passing therethrough further cools and condenses the refrigerant with the rejected heat of said condensation concurrently drying the desiccant material on the first desiccant coil and the thus cooled and condensed refrigerant passes through said refrigerant metering means which further reduces the temperature and pressure of refrigerant flowing therethrough and the evaporator coil receives the lower temperature and pressure refrigerant which absorbs heat from the process air stream passing therethrough and the heated refrigerant passing therethrough; and said second desiccant coil receives heated refrigerant from said evaporator coil and the desiccant material on the second desiccant coil concurrently absorbs moisture from the desiccant process air stream passing therethrough and further heats the refrigerant passing therethrough with the thus dryer desiccant process air stream discharged back into the supply air and the further heated refrigerant is suctioned to said compressor and discharged into the condenser coil; in a second mode of operation, said first and second valve means and said air conveyance means are positioned such that said regeneration air stream is directed through said second desiccant coil and exhausted, and said desiccant process air stream is directed through said first desiccant coil and exhausted it back into the supply air; said previously moistened second desiccant coil receives condensed refrigerant from said condenser coil and the regeneration air stream passing therethrough further cools and condenses the refrigerant with the rejected heat of said condensation concurrently drying said desiccant material and the thus cooled and condensed refrigerant passes through said refrigerant metering means which further reduces the temperature and pressure of refrigerant flowing therethrough and the evaporator coil receives the lower temperature and pressure refrigerant which absorbs heat from the process air stream passing therethrough and the heated refrigerant; and said previously dried first desiccant coil receives heated refrigerant from said evaporator coil and the desiccant material on the first coil concurrently absorbs moisture from the desiccant process air stream passing therethrough and further heats the refrigerant passing therethrough with the thus dryer desiccant process air stream discharged back into the supply air and the further heated refrigerant is suctioned to said compressor and discharged into the condenser coil.