Liquid-desiccant stack with integrated fluid distribution

Abstract

The disclosure relates to mass transfer assemblies for heating ventilation and cooling systems. In some examples, a mass transfer apparatus includes a stack of plates defining alternating conditioning channels and exhaust channels. The mass transfer apparatus also includes a fluid distribution system that includes a conditioning supply line defined in part by a first hole in an upper portion of each of the plates, and a working supply line defined in part by a second hole in the upper portion of each of the plates. The conditioning supply line supplies a conditioning fluid to the conditioning channels and the working supply line supplies a working fluid to the exhaust channels. The fluid distribution system also includes a conditioning return line that collects the conditioning fluid, and a working return line that collects the working fluid, each collection at a lower portion of each of the plates.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mass transfer apparatus, comprising:
 a stack comprising a plurality of plates;   the stack defining alternating conditioning channels and exhaust channels; and   a fluid distribution system adapted to distribute a conditioning fluid to the conditioning channels and a working fluid to the exhaust channels, the fluid distribution system comprising:
 a conditioning supply line defined in part by a first hole in an upper portion of each of the plurality of plates, 
 a working supply line defined in part by a second hole in the upper portion of each of the plurality of plates, 
 the conditioning supply line adapted for supplying the conditioning fluid to the conditioning channels and the working supply line adapted for supplying the working fluid to the exhaust channels, 
 a conditioning return line passing through a first hole in a lower portion of each of the plurality of plates and adapted for collecting the conditioning fluid, and 
 a working return line passing through a second hole in the lower portion of each of the plurality of plates and adapted for collecting the working fluid, wherein the fluid distribution system is adapted to prevent mixing of the conditioning fluid and the exhaust fluid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the conditioning fluid is liquid desiccant and the working fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         3 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one plate of the plurality of plates defines a side of a conditioning channel of the alternating conditioning channels, and the fluid distribution system further comprises a conditioning distribution reservoir extending longitudinally away from the conditioning supply line, and a conditioning collection reservoir extending longitudinally away from the conditioning return line,
 wherein the conditioning distribution reservoir is adapted for distributing the conditioning fluid longitudinally along the at least one plate, and the conditioning collection reservoir is adapted for directing the conditioning fluid into the conditioning return line.   
     
     
         4 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conditioning distribution reservoir and the conditioning collection reservoir are on the same side of the at least one plate. 
     
     
         5 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conditioning channel comprises a conditioning fluid wick and the conditioning distribution reservoir feeds the conditioning fluid to an upper portion of the conditioning fluid wick and the conditioning collection reservoir receives the conditioning fluid from a bottom portion of the conditioning fluid wick. 
     
     
         6 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the conditioning distribution reservoir is in fluid communication with a conditioning distribution slot and the conditioning fluid wick is positioned within the conditioning distribution slot. 
     
     
         7 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conditioning distribution reservoir and the conditioning collection reservoir are on opposite sides of the at least one plate. 
     
     
         8 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the conditioning distribution reservoir is on a side of the at least one plate that is opposite the conditioning channel and feeds at least one conditioning feed opening that passes through the at least one plate to the conditioning channel. 
     
     
         9 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the conditioning channel comprises a conditioning fluid wick and an upper portion of the conditioning fluid wick is fed by the at least one conditioning feed opening, and the conditioning collection reservoir receives conditioning fluid from a bottom portion of the conditioning fluid wick. 
     
     
         10 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one plate of the plurality of plates defines a side of an exhaust channel of the alternating exhaust channels, and the fluid distribution system further comprises a working distribution reservoir extending longitudinally away from the working supply line, and a working collection reservoir extending longitudinally away from the working return line,
 wherein the working distribution reservoir is adapted for distributing the working fluid longitudinally along the at least one plate, and the working collection reservoir is adapted for directing the working fluid into the working return line.   
     
     
         11 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the working distribution reservoir and the working collection reservoir are on the same side of the at least one plate. 
     
     
         12 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the exhaust channel comprises a working fluid wick and the working distribution reservoir feeds the working fluid to an upper portion of the working fluid wick and the working collection reservoir receives the working fluid from a bottom portion of the working fluid wick. 
     
     
         13 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the working distribution reservoir is in fluid communication with a working distribution slot and the working fluid wick is positioned within the working distribution slot. 
     
     
         14 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the working distribution reservoir and the working collection reservoir are on opposite sides of the at least one plate. 
     
     
         15 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the working distribution reservoir is on a side of the at least one plate that is opposite the exhaust channel and feeds at least one working feed opening that passes through the at least one plate to the exhaust channel. 
     
     
         16 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the exhaust channel comprises a working fluid wick and an upper portion of the working fluid wick is fed by the at least one working feed opening, and the working collection reservoir receives the working fluid from a bottom portion of the working fluid wick. 
     
     
         17 . A mass transfer apparatus, comprising:
 a first plate and a second plate opposite the first plate;   a first header coupled to the first plate and the second plate, wherein the first header comprises a first entry aperture, a first exit aperture, and a first passageway, wherein the first passageway is adapted to receive a first fluid from the first entry aperture and provide the first fluid to the first exit aperture; and   a second header coupled to the first plate and the second plate, wherein the second header comprises a second entry aperture, a second exit aperture, and a second passageway, wherein the second passageway is adapted to receive a second fluid from the second entry aperture and provide the second fluid to the second exit aperture.   
     
     
         18 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first plate and the second plate form a supply channel. 
     
     
         19 . The mass transfer apparatus of  claim 18  comprising a third plate, wherein the second plate and the third plate form an exhaust channel. 
     
     
         20 . A method to distribute fluids within a mass transfer apparatus, comprising:
 receiving a conditioning fluid within a conditioning supply line;   providing the conditioning fluid from the conditioning supply line to conditioning channels of a stack defining alternating conditioning channels and exhaust channels;   receiving a working fluid within a working supply line;   providing the working fluid from the working supply line to the exhaust channels;   providing the conditioning fluid from the conditioning channels to first wicking material;   collecting at least portions of the conditioning fluid from the from the first wicking material within a conditioning return line;   providing the working fluid from the exhaust channels to second wicking material; and   collecting at least portions of the working fluid from the second wicking material within a working return line.