Apparatus for conditioning air

Abstract

A dehumidification method comprising: providing a liquid desiccant ( 20 ) at a first location ( 18 ); removing moisture from the liquid desiccant at the first location to a first source of air ( 22, 24 ); providing liquid desiccant ( 20 ′) at a second location ( 18 ′), said liquid desiccant at said second location ( 18 ′) being in fluid communication with the liquid desiccant at the first location ( 18 ); absorbing moisture by the liquid desiccant at the second location from a second source of air ( 22′, 24 ′); and transferring moisture from the first location ( 18 ) to the second location ( 18 ′) substantially only by diffusion and gravity.

1 . A system for conditioning air comprising: 
 a dehumidifying section and a regenerating section, at least the dehumidifying section including a moisture transfer element, comprising:    a reservoir containing liquid desiccant;    a housing defining a chamber and having an air inlet and an air outlet, said chamber being situated generally above the reservoir; and    a wicking structure comprising wicking material that that wicks liquid desiccant or components thereof between the reservoir and the chamber, such that air that enters the chamber via the inlet contacts liquid desiccant transported to the chamber from the reservoir, prior to leaving the chamber,    wherein moisture is transported from the air to the reservoir by diffusion, optionally aided by one or both of wicking and gravity only.    
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the regenerating section includes a moisture transfer element, comprising: 
 a reservoir containing liquid desiccant;  
 a housing defining a chamber and having an air inlet and an air outlet, said chamber being situated generally above the reservoir; and  
 a wicking structure comprising wicking material that that wicks liquid desiccant or components thereof between the reservoir and the chamber, such that air that enters the chamber via the inlet contacts liquid desiccant transported to the chamber from the reservoir, prior to leaving the chamber,  
 wherein moisture is transported from the reservoir by diffusion, optionally aided by wicking only.  
 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the wicking material comprises at least one sheet of said wicking material having one end in the liquid desiccant in the reservoir, at least a portion of the wicking material being in the chamber.  
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 1  wherein the wicking structure comprises a heat conducting structure that contacts the liquid desiccant in the reservoir and the wicking material in the chamber.  
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 4  wherein the heat conducting structure blocks air.  
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 5  wherein the heat conducting structure comprises a heat conducting metal.  
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 4  wherein the heat conducting structure is formed with apertures through which air can pass.  
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 7  wherein the heat conducting structure comprises a heat conducting metal.  
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1  in which said wicking structure is oriented such that air passing through the chamber passes along a surface of the wicking material.  
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 1  in which said wicking structure is oriented such that air passing through the chamber passes through the wicking material.  
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 1  in which no pumps are used to transport the liquid desiccant between the reservoir and the chamber.  
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 1  in which the wicking structure is stationary.  
     
     
         13 . A system according to  claim 1  in which liquid desiccant reservoirs in the dehumidifying and regenerating sections are connected by at least one aperture, the size of said aperture being such that, in a steady state condition, no net amount of desiccant ions are transported between the reservoirs.  
     
     
         14 . A system according to  claim 13  in which transport of liquid desiccant or its components between the reservoirs is only via said at least one aperture.  
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 1  in which no pumps are used to transfer liquid desiccant between the dehumidifying and regenerating sections.  
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 1  in which transfer of liquid desiccant or its components between said dehumidifying and regenerating sections is by diffusion or gravity fed flow only.  
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 1  and including a heater that heats liquid desiccant in said regenerator.  
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17  comprising a liquid heat pump that transfers heat from liquid desiccant in the dehumidifying section to liquid desiccant in the regenerating section, said beater comprising a condenser of said heat pump.