A method of conditioning air and an air-conditioner module

Abstract

The heat and mass exchange module comprises a plurality of sheets in a spaced-apart arrangement with a plurality of air channels for air flow and a plurality of liquid channels for flow of liquid desiccant material. A liquid channel has a layer of wicking material on a sheet and is arranged adjacent to an air channel with a mutual exchange surface, which liquid channel is provided with an entry and an exit and which air channel is provided with an inlet and an outlet. In the cross-flow module the plurality of air channels extend in a first flow direction from inlet to outlet and the plurality of liquid channels extend in a second flow direction from entry to exit, which second flow direction is different from the first flow direction. The exchange surface is substantially planar along the first flow direction, but is non-planar along the second flow direction.

1 . A heat and mass exchange module and provided with a plurality of air channels for air flow and a plurality of liquid channels for flow of a liquid, wherein a liquid channel is arranged adjacent to an air channel with a mutual exchange surface, which liquid channel is provided with an entry and an exit and which air channel is provided with an inlet and an outlet, wherein
 the heat and mass exchange module is a cross-flow module in that the plurality of air channel extend in a first flow direction from inlet to outlet and the plurality of liquid channels extend in a second flow direction from entry to exit, which second flow direction is different from the first flow direction,   the exchange surface is substantially planar when seen along the first flow direction, but is non-planar when seen along the second flow direction,   the module comprises a plurality of corrugated sheets in a spaced-apart arrangement, wherein a first and a second air channel are mutually separated by means of a sheet being a laminate of a carrier between two layers of wicking material, wherein a liquid channel is embodied by such layer of wicking material and has a width defined by its entry, wherein the mutual exchange surface is defined by the interface of the liquid channel and the air channel, and wherein the sheet comprises a pattern of ridges and valleys, when seen along the second flow direction.   
     
     
         2 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first and a second adjacent sheet are arranged such that a tip of a ridge of the first sheet extends substantially to or into a valley of the second sheet. 
     
     
         3 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the exchange surface is limited by a width of the liquid channel, said width being smaller than an extension of the air channel from its inlet to its outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet comprises at least one stiffening protrusion extending substantially parallel to the liquid channel and outside its width. 
     
     
         5 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the entry and exit of the liquid channel and the inlet and the outlet of the air channel are substantially planar. 
     
     
         6 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sheets are kept at a uniform distance from each other by means of distance holders arranged outside the liquid channel. 
     
     
         7 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the module has an exchange surface area of at least 300 m 2 /m 3 . 
     
     
         8 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a first distance holder between a first and a second sheet is arranged at the entry of the liquid channel. 
     
     
         9 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein said first distance holder extends along the first flow direction between said first and second sheet is configured for defining entry regions and closed regions, which entry regions define entry point for the liquid desiccant into and onto the layer of wicking material, in which closed regions the distance holder extends from the first sheet to the second sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the distance holder has an interface with the layer of wicking material, which layer of wicking material is locally compressed by means of the distance holder under formation of the closed regions. 
     
     
         11 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the distance holder has a varying height over a width of the liquid channel. 
     
     
         12 . The heat and mass exchange module as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured for controlling the air flow in a laminar flow regime. 
     
     
         13 . Use of the heat and mass exchange module according to  claim 1  for air conditioning, such as dehumidifying. 
     
     
         14 . A method of conditioning air using a heat and mass exchange module comprising a plurality of air channels for air flow and a plurality of liquid channels, wherein a liquid channel is embodied as a layer of wicking material on a sheet and is arranged adjacent to an air channel with a mutual exchange surface, which method comprises the steps of:
 Providing flow of a liquid into the liquid channels, and   Providing air flow into the air channels,   Wherein   the module is provided with a laminar flow design in that it is provided with an air inlet and outlet and with a liquid entry and exit, arranged such that the air flow and the liquid flow are in a cross-flow configuration, and that the liquid channel has a width smaller than a length of the air channel and is corrugated along its length, and that the air channel is along its length over the width of the liquid channel substantially planar, and   the air flow is controlled in a laminar flow regime.   
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the air flow is controlled in an air flow rate and the liquid flow is controlled in a liquid flow rate, and wherein the mass flow ratio of the liquid flow rate and the air flow rate is in the range of 0.5-3.0. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the liquid is a liquid desiccant. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the module is a dehumidifier module and the exchange of the air and the liquid at the mutual exchange surface results in dehumidification of the air. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the module is a regeneration module and the exchange of the air and the liquid at the mutual exchange surface results in regeneration of the liquid desiccant. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the liquid is water, and wherein the module is an evaporative cooler module and the exchange of the air and the liquid at the mutual exchange surface results in evaporation of liquid and concomitant cooling of the air. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the mass flow ratio of the liquid flow rate and the air flow rate is in the range of 1.0-2.5.