Method for Extracting Water from Air, and Device Therefor

Abstract

A method by which water may be extracted from the air even without a supply of electricity from a power source or even without a supply of fuel, as well as an apparatus therefor, is disclosed. The apparatus used for the method for extracting water from the air comprises at least a rotatably mounted hygroscopic moisture-absorbing rotor having at least one region through which air can pass in the direction of thickness thereof; a passage for regeneration through which air for regeneration is circulated, of which both ends are opened at the opposing two surfaces of a regeneration region, respectively, the regeneration region being a part of the moisture-absorbing rotor, at which the moisture-absorbing rotor that absorbed moisture is regenerated; and a drain hole for taking out condensed water from the passage for regeneration.

1 . A method for extracting water from air using an apparatus comprising at least a rotatably mounted hygroscopic moisture-absorbing rotor having at least one region through which air can pass in the direction of thickness thereof; a passage for regeneration through which air for regeneration is circulated, of which both ends are opened at the opposing two surfaces of a regeneration region, respectively, said regeneration region being a part of said moisture-absorbing rotor, at which said moisture-absorbing rotor that absorbed moisture is regenerated; and a drain hole for taking out condensed water from said passage for regeneration, which is formed at a lower portion of said passage for regeneration; said method comprising the steps of: 
 directly and/or indirectly heating, with sunlight, said air for regeneration to be supplied to said regeneration region of said moisture-absorbing rotor, thereby circulating said air for regeneration through said passage for regeneration and regenerating said moisture-absorbing rotor;    cooling the air for regeneration after regenerating said moisture-absorbing rotor to condense moisture therein; and    collecting the generated condensed water from said drain hole;    said moisture-absorbing rotor being rotated thereby changing said part of said moisture-absorbing rotor, which serves as said regeneration region.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus for carrying out said method according to  claim 1 , comprising at least: 
 a rotatably mounted hygroscopic moisture-absorbing rotor having at least one region through which air can pass in the direction of thickness thereof;    a passage for regeneration through which air for regeneration is circulated, of which both ends are opened at the opposing two surfaces of a regeneration region, respectively, said regeneration region being a part of said moisture-absorbing rotor, at which said moisture-absorbing rotor that absorbed moisture is regenerated; and    a drain hole for taking out condensed water from said passage for regeneration, which is formed at a lower portion of said passage for regeneration.    
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a heater for heating said air for regeneration, said heater comprising: 
 a heat accumulator section having a light-receiving surface which receives sunlight;    a heat medium which accumulates and transmits heat from sunlight; and    a heat-supplying section which supplies the heat of said heat medium to said air for regeneration;    said heat medium being heated by sunlight at said heat accumulator section, being cooled at said heat-supplying section by supplying heat to said air for regeneration, and circulating said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section;    said air for regeneration heated by said heater passing through said regeneration region to regenerate it.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section are connected through two ducts, said heat medium circulating a circuit constituted by said two ducts, said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3  or  4 , wherein the rotating shaft mounting said moisture-absorbing rotor is arranged in a direction other than vertical direction, said moisture-absorbing rotor being spontaneously rotated due to the difference in weight between said regeneration region and the region other than said regeneration region.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 3  to  5 , further comprising: 
 a passage for supplying air for moisture absorption, whose one end opens at an air for moisture absorption-supplying surface of a moisture absorption region which is a part or the entire of the region other than said regeneration region in said moisture-absorbing rotor; and    a passage for discharging air for moisture absorption, whose one end opens at an air for moisture absorption-discharging surface from which the dehumidified air after passing through said moisture absorption region is discharged.    
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a heater for heating said air for moisture absorption, said heater comprising: 
 a heat accumulator section having a light-receiving surface which receives sunlight;    a heat medium which accumulates and transmits heat from sunlight; and    a heat-supplying section which supplies the heat of said heat medium to said air for regeneration;    said heat medium being heated by sunlight at said heat accumulator section, being cooled at said heat-supplying section by supplying heat to said air for regeneration, and circulating said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section.    
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section are connected through two ducts, said heat medium circulating a circuit constituted by said two ducts, said heat accumulator section and said heat-supplying section.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 3  to  8 , further comprising a heat exchanger which exchanges heat between said air for regeneration and said air for moisture absorption or ambient air other than said air for moisture absorption.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 3  to  9 , further comprising means for collecting said condensed water through said drain hole without allowing air flow.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 2  to  10 , wherein the entire of said moisture-absorbing rotor is formed of a hygroscopic material through which air can pass through in the direction of thickness thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 2  to  10 , wherein said moisture-absorbing rotor comprises a plurality of hygroscopic material regions through which air can pass through.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of hygroscopic material regions have the same shape and size and are arranged equidistantly on a circumference of a circle whose center is coincident with said rotating shaft, both surfaces of one of said plurality of hygroscopic material regions being connected air-tightly to said passage for regeneration.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a sealing means is connected to each end of said passage for regeneration through a flexible member, which end is to be connected to each surface of said hygroscopic material region, said sealing means and said hygroscopic material region being directly or indirectly connected air-tightly; said sealing means being movable in the direction perpendicular to the surface of said hygroscopic material region by virtue of a cam mechanism using a rotating force of said moisture-absorbing rotor.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a cylindrical inner cam wall whose center is coincident with said rotating shaft of said moisture-absorbing rotor, said inner cam wall being formed on said moisture-absorbing rotor; and    an outer cam wall whose center is coincident with said rotating shaft of said moisture-absorbing rotor, said outer cam wall being formed on outer periphery of said moisture-absorbing rotor or the vicinity thereof;    two pins formed on said sealing means sliding along cam grooves formed in said inner cam wall and in said outer cam wall, respectively.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a cylindrical inner cam wall whose center is coincident with said rotating shaft of said moisture-absorbing rotor, said inner cam wall being formed on said moisture-absorbing rotor; and    an outer cam wall whose center is coincident with said rotating shaft of said moisture-absorbing rotor, said outer cam wall being formed on outer periphery of said moisture-absorbing rotor or the vicinity thereof;    said sealing means being provided with a flange;    two pins among four pins formed on said flange sliding along a cam groove formed in said inner cam wall, and other two pins among said four pins sliding along a cam groove formed in said outer cam wall.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 2  to  16 , further comprising a heat exchanger for heat recovery, which exchanges heat between said air for regeneration immediately after passing through said moisture-absorbing rotor and said air for regeneration after condensation.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 2  to  17 , further comprising, in said passage for regeneration, a heating means utilizing ambient air as a heat source, the air for regeneration heated by this heating means passing through said regeneration region to regenerate said regeneration region.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein said heating means comprises: 
 a heat-absorbing panel;    a warm water bath located at a position upper than said heat-absorbing panel, which communicates with said heat-absorbing panel; and    a heat radiator located at a position upper than said warm water bath, which communicates with said warm water bath;    a heat medium being capable of circulating through said heat-absorbing panel, said warm water bath and said heat radiator.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 2  to  19 , further comprising, in said passage for regeneration, a cooling means utilizing ambient air as a cooling source, said air for regeneration being cooled with this cooling means thereby condensation of moisture is accelerated.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein said cooling means comprises: 
 a heat-radiating panel;    a cold water bath located at a position lower than said heat-radiating panel, which communicates with said heat-radiating panel; and    a heat-absorber located at a position lower than said cold water bath, which communicates with said heat-absorber.