Patent ID: 8141379
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: F24F,F24S,Y02B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A hybrid solar air-conditioning system, comprising: a plurality of solar collectors arranged for concentrating thermal solar energy; a tubular conduit circulating a fluid-phase working medium in proximity to the plurality of solar collectors, the thermal solar energy concentrated by the plurality of solar collectors being transferred to heat the fluid phase working medium flowing through the tubular conduit; a liquid desiccant regenerator having a heated fluid inlet allowing for entry of the tubular conduit into the desiccant regenerator and a heated fluid outlet for allowing exit of the tubular conduit from the desiccant regenerator; a plurality of trays disposed in the desiccant regenerator for receiving a liquid desiccant, the tubular conduit being embedded within each of said plurality of trays, transferring heat from the fluid-phase working medium flowing through the tubular conduit to the plurality of trays, wherein heat transfer from the fluid-phase working medium to the plurality of trays evaporates moisture within the liquid desiccant received therein to form a regenerated liquid desiccant, the liquid desiccant being a separate and distinct fluid from the fluid-phase working medium; an air drying chamber having means for accepting the regenerated liquid desiccant from the desiccant regenerator; means for accepting air from an ambient environment to come in contact with the regenerated liquid desiccant, wherein the regenerated liquid desiccant is weakened and the ambient air is dried; means for recirculating the weakened fluid desiccant into the desiccant regenerator; a plurality of fin-shaped channels mounted adjacent the desiccant regenerator for collecting water vapor released from the liquid desiccant during regeneration thereof for dispensing as distilled water; an indirect evaporative cooler having a dry air intake, a sensibly cooled air outlet, and a water input, the water input accepting the distilled water distributed from the desiccant regenerator; means for distributing the dried ambient air into the dry air intake of the indirect evaporative cooler, wherein the water accepted by the indirect evaporative cooler sensibly cools the dried ambient air within the indirect evaporative cooler; means for distributing the sensibly cooled air from the indirect evaporative cooler to an environmental space requiring sensibly cooled air; and a microprocessor-based control circuit connected to the desiccant regenerator, the air drying chamber and the indirect evaporative cooler, for providing thermostatic control over the sensibly cooled environmental space.