Patent ID: 7179320

Claim:
A method to desorb water from a desiccant of an air recharge system, the method comprising the steps of: a) filling a purge reservoir, wherein an air compressor is actuated to produce a quantity of compressed air, said quantity of compressed air is then directed into contact with said desiccant such that a portion of moisture within said quantity of compressed air is retained by said desiccant, to produce a quantity of discharge air, said quantity of discharge air is then directed into a purge reservoir for a purge filling period of time sufficient to fill said purge reservoir to a full purge pressure; b) stopping air compressor prior to intended addition of discharge air to an air storage tank; wherein said actuated air compressor is stopped from producing said compressed air, and a purge vent valve in fluid communication with said desiccant is placed in an open position, to place said desiccant in fluid communication with an external environment through said purge vent valve; c) back purging, wherein said quantity of discharge air is directed from said purge reservoir, through a purge orifice disposed between, and in fluid communication with said desiccant and said purge reservoir, such that said quantity of discharge air is in contact with said desiccant for a purge period of time, to produce a quantity of moisture laden air comprising moisture desorbed from said desiccant, said quantity of moisture laden air is then directed through said open purge vent valve to said external environment; and d) vent resetting, wherein said purge vent valve is placed in a closed position, such that said desiccant is not in fluid communication with said external; and e) repeating steps a) through d) until a desired moisture content of said desiccant is attained, wherein said filling purge reservoir step does not result in an addition of said discharge air to said air storage tank in fluid communication with said purge reservoir, and wherein said air storage tank comprises a quantity of discharge air.