Moisture separation system

Abstract

A moisture separating system includes a first heat pump, a liquid source in thermal communication with a heat absorption section of the heat pump, and a source of a gas to be treated. The system also includes a hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprising a first side that receives a flow of gas from the gas source and a second side that receives a flow of liquid from the liquid source.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A moisture removal system, comprising
 a first heat pump;   a liquid source in thermal communication with a heat absorption section of the first heat pump;   a source of gas; and   a hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprising a first side that receives a flow of gas from the gas source and a second side that receives a flow of liquid from the liquid source.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat pump includes a heat rejection section that rejects to heat ambient air. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat pump includes a heat rejection section that rejects heat to a water flow path in communication with a cooling tower. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat pump is a vapor compression refrigerant heat transfer circuit, a single phase refrigerant heat transfer circuit, an electrocaloric heat pump, a thermoelastic heat pump, or a magnetocaloric heat pump. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat pump comprises a vapor compression refrigerant heat transfer circuit that includes a refrigerant evaporator including a heat rejection side that receives a flow of liquid from the liquid source. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger that comprises a heat rejection side that receives a flow of the gas, and a heat absorption side in thermal communication with the heat absorption section of the first heat pump. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a controller configured to operate the heat exchanger in a sensible heat mode in which sensible heat is absorbed from the gas by the heat exchanger, and to operate the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane in a latent heat mode in which latent heat from the condensation of water is absorbed by the liquid flowing on the second side of the membrane. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid source comprises a chilled water circulation system that includes said first heat pump, wherein said water circulation system is in thermal communication with one or more heat sinks. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further including a second heat pump comprising a heat absorption section in thermal communication with a flow of the gas. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured to operate the second heat pump in a sensible heat mode in which sensible heat is absorbed from the gas by the second heat pump, and to operate the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane in a latent heat mode in which latent heat from the condensation of water is absorbed by the liquid flowing on the second side of the membrane. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises pores configured to promote capillary condensation of water vapor from the gas on the first side of the membrane and transport of condensed water to the second side of the membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises pores of less than or equal to 100 nm. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises an organic polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises a plurality of hollow fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises a membrane sheet spiral wound together with a feed spacer sheet and a filtrate spacer sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane comprises a plurality of membrane sheets in a stack alternately separated by a feed spacer sheet or a filtrate spacer sheet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises water. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a desiccant. 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating the moisture removal system of  claim 1 , comprising flowing from the liquid source on the first side of the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane and flowing gas from the gas source along the second side of the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the system further comprises a heat exchanger that comprises a heat rejection side that receives a flow of the gas, and a heat absorption side in thermal communication with the heat absorption section of the first heat pump, or the system further comprises a second heat pump comprising a heat absorption section in thermal communication with a flow of the gas, and wherein the method further comprises operating the heat exchanger or the second heat pump in a sensible heat mode in which sensible heat is absorbed from the gas by the heat exchanger or the second heat pump, and operating the hydrophilic nanoporous membrane in a latent heat mode in which latent heat from the condensation of water is absorbed by the liquid flowing on the second side of the membrane.