Process and equipment capable to achieve zero-energy heating, ventilation, air conditioning operation

Abstract

Process and equipment for managing air properties allowing to achieve Zero-Energy HVAC operation allowing 24/7 air recycling capability with up to 100% re-feed capability independent of internal and external factory air conditions with air humidity controller or with dedicated air humidity controllers for both factory air and process air.

1 . A manufacturing set up ( 210 ) for the manufacturing of hygiene products comprising:
 an air property management system ( 200 ) said hygiene products being selected from the group consisting of baby and adult incontinence absorbent articles, feminine hygiene articles, and materials adapted to be used in such articles, selected from the group consisting of nonwoven, films, and composites thereof said manufacturing set up ( 210 ) comprising:   a) a production area ( 215 ) comprising:
 walls ( 217 ) adapted to separate the production area ( 215 ) from an external ambient environment ( 205 ); 
 a manufacturing room comprising space for at least one manufacturing equipment ( 230 ) of said baby and adult incontinence absorbent articles, feminine hygiene articles, and materials adapted to be used in such articles, a multiplicity of said manufacturing equipment, and for operators ( 236 ), said manufacturing room further comprising an aerial environment ( 220 ); 
   b) said at least one manufacturing equipment ( 230 ) of said articles in said manufacturing room,
 said at least one manufacturing equipment comprising:
 a manufacturing equipment housing ( 235 ) separating process air of a manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) from room air of said aerial environment ( 220 ), 
 said manufacturing equipment housing being integral with a sound retarding housing; 
 said baby and adult incontinence absorbent articles, feminine hygiene articles, and materials adapted to be used in such articles forming elements ( 245 ) inside said housing adapted to change at least one process air properties ( 250 ),
 said properties being selected from the group consisting of temperature, moisture content, dust content, and pressure; 
 
 and said baby and adult incontinence absorbent articles, feminine hygiene articles, and materials adapted to be used in such articles forming said elements ( 245 ) being selected from the group consisting of hot melt application systems, ultrasonic systems, separation systems, defiberization systems, separation systems, web handling drive system, and web handling friction systems; 
 
   c) an air treatment system ( 260 ), wherein said air treatment system is a HVAC system; and   d) a duct work ( 270 ) adapted to connect said manufacturing equipment housing ( 235 ) to said air treatment system ( 260 ) in a closed loop system;   
       wherein said air property management system comprises:
 an indirect heat exchange system as said air treatment system ( 260 ) and adapted to transfer energy from said external ambient environment ( 205 ) to said aerial environment ( 220 ) or said process air of said manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) without mixing of the energy transferring air streams, wherein said indirect heat exchange system is an adiabatic heat exchange system. 
 
     
     
         2 . The manufacturing setup of  claim 1 , wherein the air management system further comprises one more elements selected from the group consisting of one or more temperature adjustment element(s) ( 282 ) comprising indirect heat exchange elements, selected from the group consisting of cooling elements cooling water at ambient temperature, heating elements, energy exchange elements between other elements connected via said duct system, and heat pumps;
 closing valves ( 288 ) in said duct work, said duct work adapted to be closed, manually or automatically, in case of an opening of said housing;   a fan element ( 280 );   an air humidity adjustment element ( 286 ) adapted to allow increase or decrease of the absolute humidity (water content) of the air;   a dust reduction system ( 284 ), filter, wherein said dust reduction system is a HEPA filter; and   an automated control system for adjusting process settings according to production processing variables as well as external ambient air conditions.   
     
     
         3 . The manufacturing setup of  claim 1 , wherein the air management system further comprises:
 an air flow distribution system comprising valves ( 288 ), and side ducts, wherein further air treatment systems are adapted to provide predetermined air flows to various parts of the system and to different article forming elements.   
     
     
         4 . The manufacturing setup of  claim 1 , wherein said indirect heat exchange system of said air property management system is a multi-way heat exchanger, comprising multiple layers consisting of a 3D surface structure of materials separating airflows within the heat exchanger, and of a high-surface area honeycomb type. 
     
     
         5 . The manufacturing setup of  claim 1 , wherein said indirect heat exchange system of said air property management system is adapted to match dimensions of a standard ISO 668 container, whereby the housing provides structural integrity to achieve ISO 668 standards and to support material layers of said indirect heat exchange system. 
     
     
         6 . A process for management of air properties in manufacturing of products in a manufacturing set up, said products selected from the group consisting of baby and adult incontinence absorbent articles, feminine hygiene articles, and materials adapted to be used in such articles, selected from the group consisting of nonwoven, films, and composites thereof, said process for management of air properties comprising the steps of:
 providing a manufacturing set up ( 210 ) comprising:
 a) a manufacturing room ( 215 ) comprising:
 walls ( 217 ) adapted to separate the manufacturing room from an external ambient environment ( 205 ), said manufacturing room comprising space for manufacturing equipment ( 230 ) of said articles, 
 a multiplicity of manufacturing lines and for operators ( 236 ) said manufacturing room further comprising an aerial manufacturing environment ( 220 ); 
 
 b) said manufacturing equipment ( 230 ) of said articles in said manufacturing room, said manufacturing equipment comprising:
 a manufacturing equipment housing ( 235 ) separating process air of manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) from room air of said aerial manufacturing environment ( 220 ), 
 said housing being integral with sound retarding housing; 
 a plurality of article forming elements ( 245 ) inside said housing adapted to change at least one air properties ( 250 ) in said manufacturing equipment aerial environment,
 said properties being selected from the group consisting of temperature, moisture content, dust content, and pressure; 
 and said plurality of article forming elements ( 245 ) being selected from the group consisting of hot melt application systems, ultrasonic systems, separation systems, defiberization systems, separation systems, web handling drive system, and web handling friction systems; 
 
 
 c) an indirect heat exchange system ( 260 ); and 
 d) duct work ( 270 ) adapted to connect said manufacturing equipment housing ( 235 ) to an indirect heat exchange system ( 260 ) in a closed loop system;
 changing the properties of said manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) by operating said plurality of article forming elements; 
 transferring said process air from said manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) to said indirect heat exchange system; 
 treating the process air from said manufacturing equipment aerial environment ( 240 ) and said room air of said aerial manufacturing environment ( 220 ), if present, by exchanging energy with ambient air in an indirect heat transfer that is an adiabatic heat transfer, wherein the content of the ambient air in an air stream leaving said indirect heat exchange system is selected from the group consisting of less than 50%, less than 80%, less than 10%, less than 1% and essentially zero; whereby the indirect heat transfer between said ambient air and said processing air is an adiabatic heat exchange. 
 
   
     
     
         7 . The process for management of air properties of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of submitting the process air and room air, if present, to one or more steps selected from the group consisting of further heating or cooling, adjusting water content by adding or removing moisture, reducing dust level, creating a further pressure differential, interrupting said air flow of said processing and said treated air by stop valves upon opening said walls of said manufacturing equipment, collecting air from more than one of said manufacturing equipment, directing more than one air flow to said indirect heat exchange system, by operating a multi-way heat exchanger, and diverting said air flow of treated air towards two or more endpoints.