Humidity adjusting apparatus using desiccant

Abstract

A humidity adjusting apparatus includes a fan for forcedly generating airflow, a heater for heating introduced air to a predetermined temperature, a driving unit for generating driving force; and a desiccant unit having a rotational shaft driven by the driving unit and a plurality of desiccant plates supported on the rotational shaft in a radial direction. An orientation of each desiccant plate and airflow direction are periodically varied.

1 . A humidity adjusting apparatus comprising: 
 a fan for forcedly generating airflow;    a heater for heating introduced air to a predetermined temperature;    a driving unit for generating driving force; and    a desiccant unit having a rotational shaft driven by the driving unit and a plurality of desiccant plates supported on the rotational shaft in a radial direction, an orientation of each desiccant plate and airflow direction being periodically varied.    
   
   
       2 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the desiccant plate extends in a normal direction of the rotational shaft.  
   
   
       3 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the desiccant plates are symmetrically disposed with reference to the rotational shaft.  
   
   
       4 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each desiccant plate has a surface having a predetermined area.  
   
   
       5 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a projected surface of each desiccant plate with respect to a normal direction of the desiccant plate is a rectangular shape.  
   
   
       6 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a projected surface of each desiccant plate with respect to a normal direction of the desiccant plate is a linear shape.  
   
   
       7 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the desiccant plate is non-planar.  
   
   
       8 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the desiccant plate has at least one bent portion or at least one wave.  
   
   
       9 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan is selected from the group consisting of a Sirocco fan, a turbo fan, an axial fan, and a cross flow fan.  
   
   
       10 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fan is spaced away from a front and/or rear surfaces of the desiccant plate by a predetermined distance.  
   
   
       11 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the heater is disposed on an airflow passage along which air passes through the desiccant plate containing moisture.  
   
   
       12 . A humidity adjusting apparatus comprising: 
 a driving unit for generating driving force;    a rotational shaft driven by the driving unit and inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to an airflow direction in the apparatus; and    at least one desiccant plate supported on the rotational shaft in a radial direction.    
   
   
       13 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the predetermined angle is 90°.  
   
   
       14 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the desiccant plate has a rotational motion.  
   
   
       15 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the desiccant plate is continuously driven.  
   
   
       16 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the desiccant plate rotates against an airflow direction in the apparatus.  
   
   
       17 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the desiccant plate is disposed perpendicular to an airflow direction in the apparatus.  
   
   
       18 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein an airflow passage is defined in the apparatus such that air flows against a rotational direction of the desiccant plate.  
   
   
       19 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein dehumidifying is performed for air passing the desiccant plate and humidifying is performed for air passing another desiccant plate.  
   
   
       20 . A humidity adjusting apparatus comprising: 
 a rotational shaft inclined with respect to an airflow direction; and    at least one desiccant plate extending from the rotational shaft in a radial direction, an angle between the desiccant plate and the airflow direction being periodically varied.    
   
   
       21 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the desiccant plates are spaced away from each other by a predetermined rotational angle.  
   
   
       22 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein a thickness of the desiccant plate is not uniform.  
   
   
       23 . The humidity adjusting apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the desiccant plates are symmetrically disposed, having an identical thickness to each other.