High-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupling type heat management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of adsorption type atmospheric water intake, and discloses an efficient MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupling type heat management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment, the efficient MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupling type heat management structure comprises an adsorption bed body, the adsorption bed body comprises a plurality of adsorption layers, the number of the adsorption layers is not less than two, the adsorption layers are stacked, and adsorbent particles are arranged in the adsorption layers; the distributed heating unit comprises a plurality of flexible thin film heaters, the flexible thin film heaters are arranged corresponding to the adsorption layers, and the flexible thin film heaters are attached to the corresponding adsorption layers; the interlayer heat-insulating unit and the interlayer heat-insulating power supply comprise a heat-insulating layer arranged between two adjacent adsorption layers; and the heat conduction bridging unit is positioned between the adsorption bed body and the semiconductor refrigeration unit. The efficient thermal management structure can realize rapid and uniform heating / cooling, can effectively decouple thermal interference of the adsorption bed and the condenser, and is of great importance to promoting practicability of an MOF atmospheric water taking technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of adsorption-based atmospheric water collection technology, and in particular to a high-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Adsorption-based atmospheric water extraction technology utilizes porous adsorbent materials (such as MOFs, silica gel, and zeolites) to capture water vapor from ambient air, and then obtains liquid water through heating desorption and condensation collection. Among these, metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, such as MOF-303, exhibit excellent adsorption performance in low-humidity environments due to their ultra-high specific surface area and tunable pore structure, making them a research hotspot for next-generation atmospheric water extraction materials.

[0003] However, MOF materials have the following problems in practical device applications: 1. Adsorption heat problem: The water vapor adsorption process is an exothermic process. The released adsorption heat will raise the temperature of the adsorption bed, thereby reducing the equilibrium adsorption capacity and adsorption rate of the material. The temperature rise effect is significant, especially in the initial stage of adsorption.

[0004] 2. Desorption Heating Issues: The desorption process is an endothermic process, requiring sufficient and uniform external heat. Traditional heating methods (such as externally wrapped heating wires or single-sided heating plates) suffer from long heat conduction paths, high thermal resistance, and uneven temperature distribution. This leads to: a) MOF materials near the heat source may degrade due to localized overheating, shortening their lifespan; b) Incomplete desorption of MOF materials far from the heat source, reducing the amount of water extracted per cycle; c) Low heating efficiency and high energy consumption.

[0005] 3. Thermal coupling problem: The desorbed water vapor needs to be condensed in time. Traditional designs often fix the condenser (cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration chip) directly to the adsorption bed, which leads to: a) During the adsorption stage, ambient heat is conducted to the adsorption bed through the condenser, which is not conducive to adsorption; b) During the desorption stage, the heat of the adsorption bed is also lost to the condenser, reducing the desorption efficiency; c) The equipment is difficult to maintain, and any damaged part requires the entire equipment to be replaced.

[0006] To address this, a high-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment, aiming to solve or improve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a high-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment, comprising: An adsorption bed body, the adsorption bed body comprising a plurality of adsorption layers, the number of adsorption layers being not less than two, the plurality of adsorption layers being stacked, and adsorbent particles being disposed within the adsorption layers; A distributed heating unit includes several flexible thin-film heaters, each of which is correspondingly disposed with an adsorption layer and is bonded to its corresponding adsorption layer. A layered thermal insulation unit, wherein the layered thermal insulation power supply includes a thermal insulation layer disposed between two adjacent adsorption layers; A thermally conductive bridging unit is located between the adsorption bed body and the semiconductor refrigeration unit.

[0009] Preferably, each of the adsorption layers includes a hollowed-out thermally conductive frame, the adsorbent particles are located within the thermally conductive frame, and the upper and lower panels of the thermally conductive frame are respectively provided with vent holes.

[0010] Preferably, the flexible thin-film heater is attached to the outer surface of the heat-conducting frame, and a temperature sensor is embedded in the heat-conducting frame.

[0011] Preferably, the insulation layer is a nanoporous aerogel felt or a vacuum insulation board, and the thermal conductivity of the insulation layer is not higher than 0.02 W / (m×k).

[0012] Preferably, the thermal bridging unit is a thermally conductive block of pure copper or aluminum alloy, one end of the thermal bridging unit is detachably connected to the adsorption bed body, and the other end of the thermal bridging unit is a plane that is in contact with the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration unit.

[0013] Preferably, the adsorbent particles are MOF adsorbent particles.

[0014] Preferably, the temperature sensor is a PT100 platinum resistance thermometer or a K-type thermocouple.

[0015] Preferably, the flexible thin-film heater is attached to at least one of the two outer surfaces of the thermally conductive frame.

[0016] The present invention discloses the following technical effects: 1. Uniform and efficient heating, complete desorption: Employing a distributed heating mode of "one heat source per layer" or even "two heat sources per layer," heat is transferred directly and simultaneously from the wall of the adsorbent container to the internal MOF material. This greatly shortens the heat conduction path, reduces internal thermal resistance, and achieves rapid and uniform heating and desorption of the adsorption bed. It avoids localized overheating and desorption dead zones, significantly improving the water extraction efficiency and energy utilization rate of a single cycle.

[0017] 2. Decoupling of Thermal Management and Optimization of Performance: The introduction of high-performance interlayer insulation materials effectively blocks unnecessary heat exchange between different adsorption layers. This allows for more precise independent control of the state (such as temperature) of different layers, or enables staggered heating to reduce peak power in the future. The design of the thermally conductive bridging unit is a key innovation. During the desorption stage, which requires condensation, it closes as a "thermal switch," efficiently directing heat from the adsorption bed to the condenser. During the adsorption stage, because it is mechanically connected to the adsorption bed rather than fixedly welded, its thermal connection is weaker than that of traditional integrated designs. Furthermore, the thermal resistance can be increased through structural design, thereby reducing backflow heat from the environment through the condenser to the adsorption bed, creating a more favorable low-temperature environment for adsorption. Simultaneously, this design facilitates equipment assembly and maintenance.

[0018] 3. Compact structure and high power density: The multi-layer stacked layout greatly increases the amount of adsorbent per unit volume and the power density of the heating element, making the entire adsorption bed structure very compact, especially suitable for portable or vehicle-mounted devices with strict space requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the multilayer decoupled thermal management structure of the MOF adsorption bed of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the adsorption bed structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a single adsorption layer structure of the present invention; Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Reference Figures 1-3This invention provides a high-efficiency MOF adsorption bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water collection equipment, comprising: The adsorption bed body includes several adsorption layers, with no fewer than two adsorption layers stacked together, and adsorbent particles are disposed within each adsorption layer. A distributed heating unit includes several flexible thin-film heaters, which are correspondingly arranged with the adsorption layer and are bonded to the corresponding adsorption layer. The interlayer heat insulation unit includes an insulation layer disposed between two adjacent adsorption layers; the insulation layer is in the form of a thin sheet.

[0024] A thermally conductive bridging unit is located between the adsorption bed body and the semiconductor refrigeration unit.

[0025] The design was further optimized so that each adsorption layer includes a perforated thermally conductive frame, with adsorbent particles located within the frame. The upper and lower panels of the thermally conductive frame each have ventilation holes. These ventilation holes are arranged in an array, ensuring structural strength while allowing water vapor to circulate fully and come into full contact with the MOF adsorbent particles.

[0026] The design was further optimized by attaching a flexible thin-film heater to the outer surface of a heat-conducting frame, with a temperature sensor embedded within the frame.

[0027] Further optimization of the design involves using a nanoporous aerogel felt or vacuum insulation board as the insulation layer, with a thermal conductivity not exceeding 0.02 W / (m×K). This effectively suppresses radial heat conduction between the adsorption layers, allowing each layer to be controlled at almost independent temperatures.

[0028] The scheme is further optimized by using a heat-conducting bridging unit made of pure copper or aluminum alloy. One end of the heat-conducting bridging unit is detachably connected to the adsorption bed body, and the other end of the heat-conducting bridging unit is a flat surface that is in contact with the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration unit.

[0029] Furthermore, one end of the thermal bridging unit is secured to the outer surface of the adsorption bed body via a quick-release mechanical connection structure, such as a bolt clamp for applying thermally conductive silicone grease or a spring clamp, forming a low thermal resistance contact. The contact surface is precision-machined to ensure a good thermal foundation with the thermally conductive framework of each layer within the adsorption bed body. The other end is designed as a flat mounting surface, allowing for close contact with the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration unit. This design establishes a controllable and efficient thermal path between the adsorption bed body and the condenser with the semiconductor refrigeration unit, achieving physical decoupling between the two.

[0030] The scheme was further optimized by using MOF adsorbent particles.

[0031] The design was further optimized by using a PT100 platinum resistance thermometer or a K-type thermocouple as the temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is located on the side closest to the flexible thin-film heater.

[0032] Further optimization involves attaching a flexible thin-film heater to at least one of the two outer surfaces of the heat-conducting frame. When flexible thin-film heaters are attached to both outer surfaces of the heat-conducting frame, the adsorbent particles in this layer can be heated bidirectionally. Heat is transferred directly and simultaneously from the wall of the adsorbent container to the internal MOF material, significantly shortening the heat conduction path, reducing internal thermal resistance, and achieving rapid and uniform heating and desorption of the adsorption bed. This avoids localized overheating and desorption dead zones, improving the water extraction efficiency and energy utilization rate of a single cycle.

[0033] Figure 1 The layered structure on the left is the adsorption bed body. The distributed heating power supply and the interlayer heat insulation unit are installed inside the adsorption layer structure of the adsorption bed body. The square structure in the middle is the semiconductor condensation unit. The plate-shaped structure on the right is a schematic diagram of the solar power supply unit. The solar power supply unit absorbs solar energy to provide power to the whole system. Then, the adsorption bed body of MOF is used to carry out adsorption-desorption cycle. After the water vapor is released, it is cooled by the semiconductor condensation unit to collect the liquid water.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0035] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high efficiency MOF adsorbent bed multi-layer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus, characterized in that, The application relates to an adsorption bed body, a distributed heating unit, an interlayer heat insulation unit and a heat conduction bridging unit. The adsorption bed body comprises a plurality of adsorption layers, the number of the adsorption layers is not less than two, the adsorption layers are arranged in stacks, and adsorbent particles are arranged in the adsorption layers. The distributed heating unit comprises a plurality of flexible thin-film heaters, the flexible thin-film heaters are arranged in correspondence with the adsorption layers, and the flexible thin-film heaters are attached to the corresponding adsorption layers. The interlayer heat insulation unit comprises a heat insulation layer arranged between two adjacent adsorption layers. The heat conduction bridging unit is located between the adsorption bed body and a semiconductor refrigeration unit.

2. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: Each adsorption layer comprises a hollow heat conduction frame, the adsorbent particles are arranged in the heat conduction frame, and the upper panel and the lower panel of the heat conduction frame are respectively provided with air-permeable holes.

3. The high efficiency MOF adsorbent bed multi-layer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The flexible thin-film heater is attached to the outer surface of the heat conduction frame, and a temperature sensor is embedded in the heat conduction frame.

4. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The heat insulation layer is a nano-porous aerogel felt or a vacuum heat insulation plate, and the heat conduction coefficient of the heat insulation layer is not higher than 0.02 W / (m*k).

5. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multi-layer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The heat conduction bridging unit is a heat conduction block made of pure copper or an aluminum alloy, one end of the heat conduction bridging unit is detachably connected with the adsorption bed body, and the other end of the heat conduction bridging unit is a flat surface attached to the cold end of the semiconductor refrigeration unit.

6. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus of claim 1, wherein: The adsorbent particles are MOF adsorbent particles.

7. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus of claim 3, wherein: The temperature sensor is a PT100 platinum resistance or a K-type thermocouple.

8. The efficient MOF adsorbent bed multilayer decoupled thermal management structure for atmospheric water harvesting apparatus of claim 3, wherein: At least one of the two outer surfaces of the heat conduction frame is attached with the flexible thin-film heater.

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