Abstract:
A process and apparatus for the dehumidification and VOC odor remediation of an air stream withdrawn from the passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle is disclosed which employs a continuously rotating wheel support and adsorbent selective for the adsorption of water and VOCs. The wheel is coated with a zeolite adsorbent selected from the low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-84, a rare earth exchanged zeolite LZ-210, a low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-64, and mixtures thereof. It was discovered that faujasites which have a zeolite structure including .beta.-cages within which are located tri-valent cations exhibit a Type 1M adsorption isotherm for water which provides a good driving force for adsorption at low partial pressures and a heat of adsorption which is slightly greater than the heat of vaporization/condensation of water. A surprisingly significant increase in the thermal efficiency is possible as a result of the lower regeneration temperature of the adsorbent and the use of novel process steps.
Abstract:
A desiccant cooling apparatus and process using a solid adsorbent and refrigerant wherein the solid adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of zeolite Y-45 zeolite Y-85, a low cerium rare earth exchanged Y-84 and a rare earth exchanged LZ-210, and the adsorbent is bonded directly to the heat exchange tubes within the device by a novel slip coating process resulted in significant improvements in thermal efficiency and overall performance.
Abstract:
A carousel heat exchanger is provided for air conditioning or waste heat recovery applications. The carousel heat exchanger includes a plurality of heater tubes disposed radially about a rotational axis. Each of the heater tubes is sealed and has a hollow bore which is uniformly lined with a solid adsorbent and contains a refrigerant. A baffle is disposed about the rotational axis such that to the heater tubes extend transversely therethrough. The baffle defines an outer zone to the outside of the baffle and an inner zone to the inside of the baffle and divides the heater tubes into a first internal zone of the heater tubes located in the outer zone and a second internal zone of the heater tubes located in the inner zone. A plurality of vanes is disposed radially along the rotational axis. The vanes extend transversely from both sides of the baffle, defining a plurality of axial flow segments that subdivide the inner and outer zones. A manifold moving a flow of a heat carrier into a portion of the axial flow segments in the outer and the inner zones is provided. Using the carousel heat exchanger of the present invention, particularly with an adsorbent selected from the group consisting of zeolite Y-54, zeolite Y-85, calcined low cerium rare earth exchanged zeolite Y-84 and calcined rare earth exchanged LZ-210, can result in significant improvements in cooling and waste heat recovery system power per unit-mass of sorbent, and can simplify the manufacture of sorption cooling systems.
Abstract:
A resistor, such as a resistor wire, is contained in a sheet, preferably a low density sheet consisting mainly of inorganic fiber. Adsorbent or absorbent (hereinafter "sorbent" collectively) is fixed to the sheet to obtain sorbing characteristics, such that desorption and reactivation can be accomplished by applying an electric current to the resistor to heat the sheet. A sorbing laminate with many channels may be used by laminating the sorbing sheets. The sorbing sheet can therefore be heated directly from the inner side by the resistor contained in the sheet desorbing the sheets rapidly while the time for reactivating the sorbing sheet is reduced and the reactivation efficiency increased.
Abstract:
A method for treating a contact body for the exchange of heat or moisture comprises impregnating a contact body with waterglass and treating the impregnated body in acidic and basic environments to form a controlled pore structure.
Abstract:
A high performance, low cost, regenerator/heat exchanger matrix or bed. The bed consists of numerous stretched elastomer sheets separated by spacers and stacked. The resulting matrix is of the parallel plate type with high porosity, and narrow, uniform, unobstructed channels. The bed is ideal for near room temperature regenerator applications. The bed may also be used to pump heat or refrigerate, when fitted with a mechanism which allows the stretch of the elastomer sheets to be rapidly increased and decreased periodically.
Abstract:
An apparatus for heating and/or cooling a cab, for example a motor vehicle passenger compartment, communicating with a supply duct for supplying air to the compartment and an exhaust air duct for exhausting air from the compartment. The apparatus includes at least two sorbent reactors provided with a sorbent such as zeolite or the like, each reactor having a reaction chamber. First and second air streams alternately flow through each of the reaction chambers such that while the first air stream is flowing through the first reactor and undergoing adsorption in the selected reaction chamber, the second air stream is simultaneously flowing through the other reactor where desorption takes place, thereby allowing for continuous heating or cooling of the cab.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for conditioning air in deep, underground mines. The apparatus includes an air passageway connecting an air inlet for ambient air and an air outlet for conveying dried air to the mine's working level. The air passageway provides for dehumidification of the air by passing it through activated adsorbent particles, preferably zeolite, and for reactivating the particles by reverse heating cycles, or revolving the adsorbent beds through separate air flows, one for dehumidification of the air, and the other for regeneration of the adsorbent particles. The dehumidification unit contained within the air passageway is sufficiently efficient to reduce the moisture content of the air to less than 0.001 kilograms of water per kilogram of air. A humidifier at the mines's working level receives the dried air at an increased pressure and temperature due to the mine's depth, and by evaporative cooling reduces the air temperature so that it is cooled to 25.degree. C. dry bulb/20.degree. C. wet bulb, or less. The humidified air is exhausted to the mine's surface carrying moisture with it.
Abstract:
A dehumidifier element is produced by alternately laminating corrugated paper and flat liner paper, both papers being of low density and composed of inorganic fiber such as ceramic fiber, to form a honeycomb matrix having many small channels penetrating through opposite surfaces. The formed matrix is fired with hot air to remove organic substances contained in the sheets, or the sheets may be fired before the lamination. The matrix is impregnated with water glass after the laminating process, or the sheets are impregnated before the laminating process. In either case, the formed matrix is soaked in an aqueous solution of aluminum sulphate or magnesium sulphate to form a silicate hydrogel on the papers and in the apertures between fibers of the papers. The shaped matrix and the metal silicate hydrogel are washed and dried to obtain a dehumidifying element having physical strength. The metal sulphate solution is cooled to precipitate and remove sodium sulphate from the solution. Additional sulphate is added to the metal sulphate solution for repeating the manufacturing process for another dehumidifier element. The main constituent of the element is metal silicate aerogel deposited in the apertures between the fibers of the inorganic fiber paper and on the inorganic fiber paper, which acts as an adsorbent.
Abstract:
A temperature and humidity control system including a heat pump including a compressor, an evaporator and a condenser; vaporizable refrigerant contained in a closed circuit communicating with the compressor, evaporator and condenser, a regeneratable dessicant material, valve and conduit apparatus for selectably directing air into and communicating with the condenser, evaporator and dessicant material and including first apparatus operable in a cooling/dehumidifying mode for supplying air first to the evaporator and from the evaporator to the dessicant material, and from the dessicant material to a volume sought to be conditioned and second apparatus operable in a heating/humidifying mode for supplying air first to the condenser for heating of the air and from the condenser to the dessicant material for humidifying of the air to a volume sought to be conditioned.