Patent ID: 8641806

Claim:
A dehumidification system for removing water vapor from an airstream, comprising: at least one cooling unit configured to cool air; a plurality of dehumidification units fluidly coupled to the cooling unit, each dehumidification unit comprising a first and second channel separated by a membrane, wherein the membrane is configured to facilitate removal of water vapor from an airstream flowing through the first channel by facilitating passage of H 2 O from the first channel to the second channel through permeable volumes of the membrane while substantially blocking all other components of the airstream from passing through the membrane; at least one pressure increasing device configured to create a lower partial pressure of water vapor within the second channels than in the first channels, such that the H 2 O moves through the membranes to the second channels, wherein the at least one pressure increasing device is also configured to increase the pressure of water vapor at an outlet of the at least one pressure increasing device to a partial pressure of water vapor in a range suitable for subsequent condensing into liquid water; at least one condensation device configured to receive the water vapor from the at least one pressure increasing device and condense the water vapor into liquid water; and at least one water transport device configured to transport the liquid water from the at least one condensation device.