Patent ID: 7942011

Claim:
A system for managing water content in a fluid, comprising: a first chamber having an inlet and an outlet for facilitating movement of a first fluid into and out of the first chamber; a desiccant capable of being introduced into the first chamber for removing water from the first fluid moving through the first chamber; a second chamber configured to receive at least a portion of the desiccant after it removes water from the first fluid, the second chamber including an inlet and an outlet for facilitating movement of a second fluid into and out of the second chamber, thereby facilitating evaporation of water from the desiccant in the second chamber into the second fluid and increasing the water content of the second fluid; a system heat exchanger configured to receive a third fluid therethrough, and to receive the second fluid from the second chamber to facilitate a transfer of heat from the second fluid to the third fluid, thereby facilitating removal of water from the second fluid; a valve operable to vary the flow of the third fluid; a sensor configured to sense a parameter of the second fluid after its water content is increased and to output signals related to the sensed parameter to effect control of the valve to control the flow of the third fluid through the system heat exchanger based on the sensed parameter; and a first heat exchanger configured to receive the third fluid therethrough and to cool the desiccant before it is introduced into the first chamber, the first heat exchanger being arranged with the valve such that a reduction in flow of the third fluid through the valve increases the flow of the third fluid through the first heat exchanger, thereby increasing the cooling capacity of the first heat exchanger.