Water producing apparatus

A water producing apparatus for extracting water from moisture-laden ambient air including a plurality of circumferentially spaced chambers packed with an adsorbent for adsorbing moisture in the air, a driving mechanism for bringing one or more of the chambers into and out of communication with a first and second desorbing section, a mechanism for passing ambient air through the chambers not in communication with the desorbing section, whereby moisture from the ambient air is adsorbed on the adsorbent and subsequently removed from the adsorbent in each chamber as that chamber is brought into communication with the desorbing sections, a recycling duct connecting the post-desorbing section to the predesorbing section to complete a desorption circuit, a mechanism for circulating air through the circuit to remove water from the adsorbent, a mechanism for heating the air in the circuit, and a mechanism for removing water from the circuit. The ratio of the number of chambers in communication with the desorbing sections to the number of chambers receiving moisture-laden air can be varied according to the temperature and moisture content of the ambient air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a water producing apparatus for producing 
liquid water from moisture in air. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A water producing apparatus for producing a desalted water from sea water 
has been well-known as an apparatus for converting sea water into a 
desalted water. A water treating apparatus for treating a waste water such 
as a drainage a high degree to obtain water having high clarity has been 
proposed. This is one of the water producing apparatus classified in the 
apparatus for converting sea water into a desalted water. These 
apparatuses require a solution containing liquid water as a main component 
for producing water. Thus, these water producing apparatus could not be 
used to produce water in a place where no liquid water is found such as 
desert since the liquid water is used as the source. 
It has been required to provide a water producing apparatus for producing 
water even in a place where no liquid water is found. Such novel water 
producing apparatus has been developed. 
The novel water producing apparatus is an apparatus for producing water 
from moisture in the air and is a novel water producing apparatus which 
can produce water in any place as far as the air is present. Of course, it 
is impossible to produce water if no moisture is present in the air. 
According to the static data for weather and the results of inventor's 
studies, even in the air in a large desert at the central part of Arabian 
land, 3 to 4 g. of water is included in 1 m.sup.3 of the air, and 
accordingly, water can be produced. Thus, water can be obtained in a 
sterile land to live and to work and water can be used for irrigation to 
culture plants. The water producing apparatus contributes to expand living 
zones for human-beings and is quite important. 
The principle of the water producing apparatus is to produce water by 
absorbing moisture in the air in an adsorbent as the first step and then, 
desorbing water adsorbed as steam by heating the water-adsorbed adsorbent 
and condensing the steam in a condenser as the second step. The adsorbent 
is dehydrated to recover the adsorbing function whereby the adsorbent can 
be repeatedly used for adsorbing moisture in air. Thus, liquid water can 
be repeatedly obtained from air. 
FIG. 1 is a front view of the conventional apparatus for producing liquid 
water in the principle, which has not any opening and closing means such 
as a valve nor a pipe system. 
FIG. 2 is a left side view thereof; FIG. 3 is a right side view thereof and 
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 1. 
In the Figures, the reference numeral (1) designates a column for holding a 
solid adsorbent for adsorbing moisture which has a cylindrical body having 
a circular sectional view; (2) designates a rotary shaft for the adsorbent 
column (1); (3) designates partitions placed around the rotary shaft (2) 
with equal circumferential spacing of 45 degree for partitioning the 
column (1) into 8 parts of small chambers (1a); (4) designates a solid 
adsorbent packed in each of the small chambers (1a) of the adsorbent 
column (1); (5) and (6) respectively represent first and second 
cylindrical bodies having the sectional view of the adsorbent column (1) 
which are placed at both ends of the adsorbent column (1) in coaxial 
state; (7) designates first partitions for dividing the inner part of the 
first cylindrical body (5), placed on the inner wall of the first 
cylindrical body (5) at both the end surfaces; (8) designates a second 
partition for dividing the inner part of the second cylindrical body (6), 
placed on the inner wall of the second cylindrical body (6) to be along 
the plane of the first partition (7); (9) designates a first bearing for 
rotatably supporting one end of the rotary shaft (2) for the adsorbent 
column (1) which is placed at the end of the first partition (7) in the 
adsorbent column (1); (10) designates a second bearing for rotatably 
supporting the other end of the rotary shaft (2) for the adsorbent column 
(1) which is placed at the end of the second partition (8) in the 
adsorbent column (1); (11) designates a belt for rotating the adsorbent 
column (1); (12) designates a pulley for driving the belt (11); (13) 
designates a motor for rotating the pulley (12); (14) designates a first 
closing plate for closing an opening of the lower section partitioned by 
the first partition (7) at the reverse side to the adsorbent column (1); 
(15) designates a second closing plate for closing an opening of the lower 
section partitioned by the second partition (8) of the second cylindrical 
body (6) at the reverse side to the adsorbent column (1); (16) designates 
a blower for adsorption which is placed at the opening of the first 
cylindrical body (5) at the reverse side of the adsorbent column (1) and 
which feeds the ambient air for adsorbing moisture by sucking it through 
the upper section partitioned by the first partition (7) into the 
adsorbent column (1); (17) designates a fitting plate for mounting the 
blower (16); (18) designates a duct for connecting to the lower section 
partitioned by the first partition (7) in the first cylindrical body (5) 
and the lower section partitioned by the second partition (8) in the 
second cylindrical body (6); (19) designates a blower for recycling the 
gas for desorption through the recycling passage consisting of the lower 
section of the first cylindrical body (5), the adsorbent column (1), the 
lower section of the second cylindrical body (6) and the duct (18) and the 
blower is placed in the duct (18); (20) designates a heater placed in the 
duct (18); (21) designates an AC power source for heating the heater (20); 
(22) designates a condenser equipped to connect a part of the duct (18); 
(23) designates the pre-adsorbing section (except the lower section) of 
the first cylindrical body (5) for passing the air for adsorption sucked 
by the blower (16) into the adsorbent column (1); (24) designates the 
post-adsorbing section as the upper section adjacent to the lower section 
in the second cylindrical body, for passing the air behind the adsorbent 
column (1); (25) designates a pre-desorbing section as the lower section 
of the first cylindrical body (5) for passing the gas for desorption 
recycled by the blower (19) to the adsorbent column (1); and (26) 
designates a post-desorbing section as the lower section of the second 
cylindrical body (6) for passing the gas for desorption through the 
adsorbent column (1). 
The operation of the conventional water producing apparatus will be 
illustrated. 
The operation will be discussed for the feature that the partition (3) of 
the adsorbent column (1) is stopped to be in the same plane as those of 
the first and second partitions (7), (8) and the adsorbent (4) in the 
column (1) is in dry condition without adsorbing the moisture. (The 
desorbed condition.) 
The blower for adsorption (16) is driven to suck the air for adsorption 
into the pre-adsorbing section (23) and to feed it into the half of the 
adsorbent column (1) connected to the pre-adsorbing section so as to 
contact with the adsorbent (4) packed in this part, and is passed through 
the post-adsorbing section (24) to be discharged. To begin adsorbing the 
moisture into the adsorbent (4) packed in the upper half part of the 
adsorbent column (1), the column (1) is turned a half rotation by driving 
with the motor (13) and the blower for recycling (19) is driven and the 
heater (20) is actuated, whereby the dry adsorbent (4) in the column (1) 
connecting to the pre-desorbing section (25) and the post-desorbing 
section (26) is changed to connect to the pre-adsorbing section (23) and 
the post-adsorbing section (24), and to contact with the air for 
adsorption fed by the blower for adsorption (16) and the adsorbing step is 
started. On the other hand, the adsorbent (4) adsorbing water in the 
adsorbent column (1) which is connected to the pre-adsorbing section (23) 
and the post-adsorbing section (24) is changed to connect to the 
pre-desorbing section (25) and the post-desorbing section (26). The air 
remained in the recycling passage consisting of the pre-desorbing section 
(25), the adsorbent column (1) connected to the pre-desorbing section 
(25), the post-desorbing section (26) and the duct (18) is recycled by the 
blower for recycling (19) and is heated to a desired temperature by the 
heater (20). The desorbing step is started. In the desorbing step, the 
adsorbent (4) adsorbing water is heated by the air heated to the desired 
temperature by the heater (20), whereby water is desorbed to form steam. 
When a water storage tank (not shown) is an open type, a part of the air 
remained in the recycling passage is fed through the condenser (22) 
connected to the duct (18) and the water storage tank out of the system 
because of the volumetric expansion caused by the rising of the 
temperature of the air in the recycling passage after the initiation of 
the desorbing step. When the generation of steam is started, the remaining 
air is gradually substituted with steam whereby partial pressures of steam 
in the pre-desorbing section (25), the post-desorbing section (26) and the 
duct (18) are gradually increased to reach to 1 atm. pressure. The steam 
generated is passed through the same passage to reach the condenser (22). 
When the condenser (22) is cooled so as to be lower than 100.degree. C., 
100% of the steam is condensed into water and water is stored in the water 
storage tank. After a predetermined time, the adsorbent column (1) is 
turned a half rotation and the above-mentioned adsorbing step and 
desorbing step can be continuously performed. 
In accordance with the conventional water producing apparatus, any opening 
and closing means such as a valve and a pipe system need not be used. This 
is an excellent system in view of the energy saving and operability. There 
is, however, a certain problem in view of a selection of the optimum 
condition for the operation to produce water in high efficiency depending 
upon the weather condition such as the humidity and temperature in the 
ambient air. 
For example, in Arabia, in summer, it is relatively high temperature 
(35.degree. to 50.degree. C.) and low humidity (3 to 6 g. of a water 
content per 1 kg. of air) in the inner land such as Riyadh and it is 
relatively low temperature (25.degree. to 45.degree. C.) and relatively 
high humidity (11 to 15 g. of a water content per 1 kg. of air) near sea 
such as Dhahran. Even though they are the lands of water shortage, the 
weather conditions are remarkably different. 
In order to produce water from the ambient air in high efficiency, it is 
necessary to prolong the adsorbing period over the desorbing period in the 
land at relatively high temperature and low humidity. It is, however, 
difficult to vary the ratio of the adsorbing period to the desorbing 
period depending upon weather conditions in the conventional water 
producing apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above difficulty 
and to provide a water producing apparatus for continuously producing 
water from air in high efficiency in any weather conditions. The foregoing 
and other objects of the present invention have been attained by providing 
the water producing apparatus wherein a ratio of number of the chambers 
for the adsorbing to the number of chambers for the desorbing in an 
adsorbent column, can be varied depending upon the weather condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, one embodiment of the water producing apparatus 
of the present invention will be illustrated. 
The structure of the water producing apparatus of the present invention, is 
the same as that of the conventional water producing apparatus shown in 
FIG. 1 except that the ratio of the number of small chambers (1a) 
connecting to the pre-adsorbing section (23) and the post-adsorbing 
section (24) to the number of small chambers (1a) connecting to the 
pre-desorbing section (25) and the post-desorbing section (26), in the 
adsorbent column (1) can be varied. 
In the drawings, the reference numeral (27) designates a first rotary rod 
which is placed along the axis in a part of the first cylindrical body (5) 
at the side of the adsorbent column (1) and is rotatably held by the first 
bearing (9) at one end thereof; (28) designates a second rotary rod which 
is placed along the axis in a part of the second cylindrical body (6) and 
is rotatably held by the second bearing (10) at one end; (9a) designates a 
third bearing which rotatably supports the other end of the first rotary 
rod (27); (10a) designates a fourth bearing which rotatably supports the 
other end of the second rotary rod (28); (7a) designates a third partition 
which is mounted on the inner surface of the first cylindrical body (5) at 
one side surface and slidably contacts with the peripheral surface of the 
first rotary rod (27) at the other side surface and is placed in the plane 
including the axis of the first cylindrical body (5). The first bearing 
(9) and a third bearing (9a) are mounted on the third partition (7a). The 
reference numeral (8a) designates a fourth partition which is placed in 
the plane including the axis of the second cylindrical body (6) and in the 
same plane as that of the third partition (7a) and which is mounted on the 
inner surface of the second cylindrical body (6) at one side surface and 
slidably contacts with the peripheral surface of the second rotary rod 
(28) at the other surface. The second bearing (10) and the fourth bearing 
(10a) are mounted on the fourth partition (8a). The reference numeral (7b) 
designates a fifth partition which has one side surface slidably 
contacting with the first and third bearings (9), (9a) and is mounted on 
the peripheral surface of the first rotary rod (27) and has the other side 
surface slidably contacting with the inner wall of the first cylindrical 
body (5); (8b) designates a sixth partition which has one side surface 
slidably contacting with the second and fourth bearings (10) (10a) at each 
end and is mounted on the peripheral surface of the second rotary rod (28) 
and has the other side surface slidably contacting with the inner surface 
of the second cylindrical body (6); (14a) designates a third closing plate 
which is a fan-shaped plate having a central angle of 90 l degrees 
(corresponding to two of the small chambers (1a) of the column (1) ) and 
has one side surface mounted on the end surface of the third partition 
(7a) in the reverse side to the column (1) and has a peripheral part 
mounted on the inner wall of the first cylindrical body (5) and has the 
central part mounted on the peripheral part of the third bearing (9a); 
(15a) designates a fourth closing plate which is a fan-shaped plate having 
a central angle of 90 degrees and has one side surface mounted on the end 
surface of the fourth partition in the reverse side to the adsorbent 
column (1) and has a peripheral part mounted on the inner surface of the 
second cylindrical body (6) and has the central part mounted on the 
peripheral surface of the fourth bearing (10a); (14b) designates a fifth 
closing plate which is a fan-shaped plate having a central angle of 135 
degrees (corresponding to three of the small chambers (1a) of the 
adsorbent column (1)) and has one side surface mounted on the end surface 
of the fifth partition (7b) so as to slidably contact with the surface of 
the third closing plate (14a) and to slidably contact with the inner wall 
of the first cylindrical body (5) at the peripheral surface and to 
slidably contact with the peripheral surface of the third bearing (9a) at 
the center. In the condition of the fifth closing plate (14b) shown in the 
drawings, the other side surface of the fifth closing plate (14b) contacts 
with the surface of the third partition (7a). Each of the above-noted 
closing plates is oriented substantially transverse to the longitudinal 
axis of the adsorption column as shown for example in FIG. 8. The 
reference numeral (15b) designates a sixth closing plate which is a 
fan-shaped plate having a central angle of 135 degrees and has one side 
surface mounted on the end surface of the sixth partition (8b) so as to 
slidably contact with the surface of the fourth closing plate (15a) and to 
slidably contact with the inner wall of the second cylindrical body (6) at 
the peripheral surface and to slidably contact with the peripheral surface 
of the fourth bearing (10a) at the center. In the condition of the sixth 
closing plate (15b) shown in the drawings, the other side surface of the 
sixth closing plate (15b) contacts with the surface of the fourth 
partition (8a). In this embodiment, the pre-desorbing section (25) is 
surrounded by the third and fifth partitions (7a), (7b) in the first 
cylindrical body (5), the third and fifth closing plates (14a), (14b) and 
the adsorbent column (1). The post-desorbing section (26) is surrounded by 
the fourth and sixth partitions (8a), (8b) in the second cylindrical body 
(6), the fourth and sixth closing plates (15a), (15b) and the column (1). 
In this embodiment, the fifth and sixth partitions (7b), (8b) are 
respectively turned around the rotary shafts of the first and second 
rotary rods (27), (28) whereby the number of small chambers (1a) in the 
adsorbent column (1) connecting the pre-desorbing section (25) to the 
post-desorbing section (26) can be varied from 3 to 5 and the ratio of the 
number of the small chambers (1a) connecting the preadsorbing section (23) 
and the post-adsorbing section (24) in the column (1) to the number of the 
small chambers connecting the predesorbing section (25) and the 
post-desorbing section (26) can be varied as desired from 5/3, 1 or 3/5. 
The operation of the embodiment of the water producing apparatus can be 
easily understood from the operation of the conventional water producing 
apparatus. The detailed description is not repeated. 
When the water producing apparatus of this embodiment is operated in the 
weather condition in the place of relatively high temperature and low 
humidity, it is the optimum condition for producing water from the ambient 
air at high efficiency to give the adsorbing period of 5 hours and the 
desorbing period of 3 hours. The ratio of the adsorbing period to the 
desorbing period is preferably 5/3. The ratio of the number of the small 
chambers (1a) connecting to the pre-adsorbing section (23) and the 
post-adsorbing section (24) to the number of the small chambers (1a) 
connecting the pre-desorbing section (25) and the post-desorbing section 
(26) is set to be 5/3. The adsorbent column (1) is intermittently turned 
by 1/8 turn for each one hour. If the operation is started in the dry 
condition for the adsorbent (4) in the adsorbent column (1), the normal 
operation for the adsorbing period of 5 hours and the desorbing period of 
3 hours is provided after the operation for 8 hours, whereby water can be 
continuously produced from the ambient air at high efficiency in the 
optimum condition depending upon the weather condition. 
On the contrary, when it is operated in a place of relatively low 
temperature and high humidity, the ratio of the numbers of the small 
chambers (1a) is set to be 3/5 and the adsorbent column (1) is 
intermittently turned each 1/8 turn for each one hour, whereby water can 
be continuously produced from the ambient air in high efficiency in the 
optimum condition depending upon the weather condition. 
In this embodiment, in order to prevent the mixing of the air in the 
pre-adsorbing section and post-adsorbing section (23), (24) with the steam 
in the pre-desorbing section and post-desorbing section (25), (26), the 
adsorbent column (1) is intermittently turned for each 1/8 turn. It is not 
necessary to be each 1/8 turn, but it is possible to be each 1/4 turn or 
3/8 turn in the intermittent turns. The time interval for intermittently 
turning the adsorbent column (1) can be set as desired depending upon the 
kind of the solid adsorbent, the temperature and the humidity of the 
ambient air for adsorption, the required amount of water and the rate of 
the ambient air fed into the adsorbent column (1) per hour etc. and it is 
not critical and it is preferably one turn per 30 minutes to 24 hours. 
In the embodiment, the column for adsorbent (1) is divided into 8 parts by 
the partitions (3). This is not critical and the column (1) can be divided 
into n parts (n is an integer of 2 or more) preferably 3 to 32 parts. When 
the adsorbent column (1) is divided into 2 parts (n=2), the ratio of the 
adsorbing period to the desorbing period for the adsorbent is fixed to 
1:1. The present invention is not attained. When the adsorbent column (1) 
is divided into more than 32 parts, the manufacture of the apparatus is 
not easy and is not suitable for the practical purpose. When the adsorbent 
column (1) is divided into n small chambers (equal), and the number of the 
small chambers connecting to the pre-adsorbing section and the 
post-adsorbing section is m, the number of the small chambers connecting 
to the pre-desorbing section and the post-desorbing section is n-m. In a 
place at relatively high temperature and low humidity such as a desert, it 
is preferably that the adsorbing period is longer than the desorbing 
period for the adsorbent, in view of the production of water in high 
efficiency. The movable parts of the pre-desorbing section and the 
post-desorbing section (the fifth and sixth partitions (7b), (8b) in this 
embodiment) can be preferably controlled so as to give m&gt;(n-m) that is, 
m&gt;n/2. On the contrary, in a place at relatively low temperature and high 
humidity, the movable parts of the pre-desorbing section and the 
post-desorbing section can be preferably controlled so as to give m&gt;n/2. 
In usual, the adsorbent column (1) is intermittently turned each 1/n turn 
(each one small chamber). Thus, it is possible to intermittently turn each 
2/n, 3/n . . . or (n-m)/n turn, if desired. 
The structure of the water producing apparatus of the present invention is 
not limited to the structure of the embodiment and can be modified in the 
spirit of the present invention. For example, only one of the 
pre-adsorbing section and the post-adsorbing section can be formed instead 
of both sections. When only the pre-adsorbing section is formed, a 
compressing type blower for adsorption is equipped. When only the 
post-adsorbing section is formed, a suction type blower for adsorption is 
equipped. It is possible to equip a filter and/or a flow controlling plate 
in the pre-adsorbing section or the post-adsorbing section. It is also 
possible to equip a flow control plate in the pre-desorbing section or the 
post-desorbing section. 
In this embodiment, the electric heater is used as the heater. It is not 
necessary to be the electric heater, but it can be the other heater by 
using a combustion waste gas, a superheated steam, a Dowtherm gas etc. The 
condenser can be the other system besides the air cooling system. In this 
embodiment, the adsorbent column is turned by means of the belt. It is not 
necessary to use the belt but it is possible to use gears. 
The adsorbent used in the column can be solid adsorbents such as zeolite 
such as molecular sieve 3A, 4A, 5A, 10X and 13X; silica gel, alumina gel, 
silica-alumina, activated alumina, activated carbon, activated bauxite and 
activated clay. The absorbent used in a form of an aqueous solution such 
as lithium bromide and lithium chloride can be used by supporting them on 
a suitable carrier such as alumina and asbestos to form the adsorbent. The 
adsorbent can be in a form of grains, beads, pellets, and tablets. It is 
also possible to form parallel passage type bed using a honeycomb type 
adsorbent. The adsorbent can be selected depending upon the adsorbing 
characteristics, the temperature and the humidity. 
The condition for the operation of the adsorption and desorption of the 
adsorbent can be selected as desired depending upon the adsorbent and is 
not critical. 
In this embodiment, the water storage tank is the open type. However, it 
can be a closed type tank or a tank which is initially opened and closed 
after purging air from the recycling system with the desorbed steam or 
modifications thereof, in the present invention. 
As described in detail, in the water producing apparatus of the present 
invention, the ratio of the number of the small chambers for the 
adsorption to the number of the small chambers for the desorption can be 
varied, whereby water can be continuously produced in high efficiency in 
any weather condition. 
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are 
possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood 
that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be 
practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.