Patent ID: 8631661

Claim:
A method for supplying conditioned air to an enclosure comprising the steps of: a) conditioning an ambient air stream by: i) first cooling the ambient supply air stream to a first reduced temperature in an energy recovery device; ii) then passing the cooled ambient supply air stream through a refrigeration system cooling coil to reduce the temperature of the ambient air supply stream to a second reduced temperature; iii) thereafter dehumidifying the thus cooled ambient supply air stream in a desiccant dehumidification device; and iv) delivering the thus cooled and dried air to an enclosure; while b) conditioning and using an exhaust air stream from an enclosure by: i) first increasing the temperature of the exhaust air stream by passing it through said energy recovery device, ii) then passing the exhaust air stream at said increased temperature over a condenser coil of the refrigeration system to raise its temperature and decrease its relative humidity; iii) thereafter passing the heated exhaust air stream through a regeneration portion of the desiccant dehumidification device to regenerate the desiccant device, and lower the temperature and increase the moisture content of the exhaust air stream; and iv) then exhausting the exhaust air stream to the atmosphere.