Compressorless air conditioning system

Abstract

According to various aspects, the present disclosure provides an air conditioning system. The air conditioning system may be a compressorless air conditioning system. According to at least one aspect, the air conditioning system may include a thermal mass extractor and a mass heat converter. The thermal mass extractor may be configured to extract moisture from air in the conditioned space without increasing the temperature of the air. The thermal mass extractor may include a liquid desiccant, a collector, and a regenerator. The regenerator and the collector may be fluidly coupled via the liquid desiccant. The mass heat converter may be configured to reduce the temperature of the air in the conditioned space via evaporation of water and may be physically separate from the thermal mass extractor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] <CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS> This application claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 307,391, filed February 7, 2022, and entitled “COMPRESSORLESS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] <Field> SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT APPLICATION In general, in various aspects, the present application discloses an invention related to an air conditioning system. [Background technology]

[0003] <Background> A conventional air conditioning system utilized in a residential home (residential air conditioning system) typically includes a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a metering device, which are connected together via a closed loop of piping / tubing filled with a refrigerant gas. In such a system, the condenser typically includes a coil and a fan located outside the home, and the evaporator typically includes a coil and a fan located inside the home. The condenser coil and fan are often bundled together in a configuration commonly known as a condensing unit. In general, the compressor and condenser are often referred to as the high-pressure side of the air conditioning system, and the metering device and evaporator are often referred to as the low-pressure side of the air conditioning system.

[0004] In operation, in response to demand for cooling, typically signaled by a thermostat located inside the home, the compressor is electrically energized and acts to take low pressure, low temperature refrigerant vapor at the compressor inlet and compress the refrigerant vapor to form high pressure, high temperature refrigerant vapor that exits the compressor outlet. The high pressure, high temperature refrigerant vapor is effectively "pushed" by the compressor from the compressor outlet to the condenser inlet. As the refrigerant vapor passes through the condenser piping / tubing and outside air (which is at a lower temperature) is drawn through the condenser coil by the condenser fan, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the outside air. The heat transfer reduces the temperature of the refrigerant, ultimately resulting in the refrigerant changing to a liquid state, which is still at high pressure. The high pressure liquid refrigerant exits the condenser and travels to a metering device.

[0005] As the high pressure liquid refrigerant passes through the metering device, both the pressure and temperature of the liquid refrigerant are reduced before it leaves the metering device and enters the evaporator. As the liquid refrigerant passes through the evaporator piping and indoor air (which is hotter) is drawn or blown through the evaporator coil by the evaporator fan, heat and moisture are removed from the indoor air, effectively lowering the temperature of the air supplied to the conditioned space. The air supplied to the conditioned space is typically transported from the evaporator to the conditioned space via ductwork. The removed heat is transferred to the liquid refrigerant, raising the temperature of the refrigerant and ultimately converting the refrigerant back to a refrigerant vapor. The refrigerant vapor exiting the evaporator is then "pulled back" to the compressor and the "refrigeration cycle" described above is repeated as many times as necessary to meet the cooling demand.

[0006] Similar to conventional residential air conditioning systems, many conventional air conditioning systems utilized in commercial or industrial buildings (commercial air conditioning systems) also include a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and a metering device, which are connected together via a closed loop of piping / tubing filled with a refrigerant gas. Although the compressors and other components of such commercial air conditioning systems may be more numerous (e.g., multiple compressors) and / or larger in size than those of conventional residential air conditioning systems, the basic principles of operation are essentially the same. For example, a compressor is utilized to increase the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant, heat is transferred to and from the refrigerant as it moves through the air conditioning system, and the heat and moisture removed from the indoor air acts to reduce the temperature of the air supplied to the conditioned space. DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Regardless of whether an air conditioning system is residential or commercial in nature, there are many concerns associated with such systems. For example, conventional air conditioning systems such as those described above are typically one of the largest consumers of electricity in a building, and of all the components of an air conditioning system, the compressor is by far the largest consumer of electricity. In many conventional air conditioning systems, the compressor may consume approximately 90% or more of the electricity consumed by the air conditioning system. Also, based on the type of power source (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas, etc.) utilized to generate the electricity ultimately consumed by the air conditioning system, the air conditioning system is also in turn often the largest emitter of greenhouse gases associated with buildings. Such greenhouse gases generated by the generation of electricity may include, for example, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and / or fluorinated gases.

[0008] Furthermore, while conventional air conditioning systems are widely accepted and do an adequate job of keeping the conditioned space at a desired temperature, they are relatively inefficient in the way they remove moisture from indoor air. It is very common for conventional air conditioning systems to cool the air that crosses their evaporator coil to a temperature much lower than that required to achieve a generally specified level of relative humidity (e.g., 50%-55% relative humidity). Such "over-cooling" causes conventional air conditioning systems to operate at a much lower temperature than would be required to reach the desired temperature at the desired relative humidity in the conditioned space. In general, the lower the target level of relative humidity in the conditioned space (which can vary widely from application to application), the lower the conventional air conditioning system must cool the air that crosses its evaporator coil to in order to meet the target level of relative humidity in the conditioned space.

[0009] Furthermore, in conventional air conditioning systems such as those described above, due to the removal of heat and moisture from the air passing over the evaporator coil, the interior of the evaporator tends to be a cold, damp, space with water droplets often present on the evaporator coil, drain pan, etc. The cold, damp space is highly conducive to the growth of undesirable mold and bacteria, which are often transported by the evaporator fan through the ductwork into the conditioned space. In this process, the undesirable mold and bacteria may also become established on the interior surfaces of the ductwork and grow there, and at least some of the mold and bacteria in the ductwork may then be "dislodged" and carried into the conditioned space by the air flowing from the evaporator to the conditioned space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In view of the above, it is desirable for an air conditioning system to meet target levels of temperature and humidity within the conditioned space while eliminating high power usage, and thus the associated high power costs and high greenhouse gas emissions. It is also desirable to mitigate the transport of undesirable mold and / or bacteria from the evaporator and / or associated ductwork into the conditioned space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] The novel features of the aspects described herein are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, however the aspects, both as to organization and method of operation, may be better understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a compressorless air conditioning system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates a collector of the compressorless air conditioning system of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 illustrates a regenerator of the compressorless air conditioning system of FIG. 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] [Figure 4A] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a fluid coupling between the collector of FIG. 2 and the regenerator of FIG. 3, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] [Figure 4B] FIG. 4 illustrates another example of a fluid coupling between the collector of FIG. 2 and the regenerator of FIG. 3, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 illustrates a mass heat exchanger of the compressorless air conditioning system of FIG. 1 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates a control system for the compressorless air conditioning system of FIG. 1 in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] <Detailed Description> It should be understood that at least some of the drawings and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to show elements relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, but for purposes of clarity, have excluded other elements that one skilled in the art would understand may also form part of the present invention, however, because such elements are well known in the art and do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, descriptions of such elements are not provided herein.

[0020] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, like symbols and reference characters typically identify like components throughout the several views, unless the context dictates otherwise. The illustrative aspects described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other aspects may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the technology described herein.

[0021] The following description of some examples of the present technology should not be used to limit its scope. Other examples, features, aspects, embodiments, and advantages of the present technology will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of one of the best modes contemplated for carrying out the present technology, by way of example. As will be understood, the technology described herein is capable of other different and obvious aspects, all without departing from the present technology. Thus, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not restrictive.

[0022] It is further understood that any one or more of the teachings, expressions, aspects, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein can be combined with any one or more of the other teachings, expressions, aspects, embodiments, examples, etc. described herein. Thus, the teachings, expressions, aspects, embodiments, examples, etc. described below should not be viewed in isolation with respect to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein can be combined will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings herein. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

[0023] Before describing various aspects of the compressorless (or compressor-free) air conditioning system in detail, it should be noted that the various aspects disclosed herein are not limited in their application or use to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and description. Rather, the disclosed aspects may be arranged or incorporated in other aspects, variations and modifications thereof, and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Thus, the aspects of the compressorless air conditioning system disclosed herein are exemplary in nature and are not meant to limit its scope or application. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the terms and expressions used herein are selected to describe the aspects for the convenience of the reader and are not meant to limit its scope. Furthermore, it should be understood that any one or more of the disclosed aspects, aspect expressions, and / or examples thereof can be combined, without limitation, with any one or more of the other disclosed aspects, aspect expressions, and / or examples thereof.

[0024] Also, in the following description, it should be understood that terms such as outward, inward, above, etc. are terms of convenience and should not be construed as limiting terms. The terms used herein are not meant to be limiting insofar as the devices described herein, or portions thereof, may be mounted or utilized in other orientations. Various aspects are described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a compressorless air conditioning system 10 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Generally, the compressorless air conditioning system 10 is configured to control humidity and temperature of a conditioned space 12 without the use of a compressor or a refrigerant. According to various embodiments, the compressorless air conditioning system 10 is further configured to control humidity and temperature of the conditioned space 12 without the use of ductwork. The conditioned space 12 is generally an indoor space within a home, building, or the like. The compressorless air conditioning system 10 includes a heat mass extractor 14, a mass heat converter 16, and a control system 18. The thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 are physically decoupled / separated from each other. In other words, the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 are not physically connected or coupled to each other. A control system 18 is communicatively coupled to the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16. According to various embodiments, the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 are wirelessly coupled to the control system 18, and the control system 18 is configured to control the operation of the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16. The control system 18 is described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 6.

[0026] Although the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 are not physically coupled, according to various embodiments, the control system 18 operates the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 in a coordinated manner to control the humidity and temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12. Only the air in the conditioned space 12, which promotes relatively fast heat and mass transfer in the conditioned space 12, bridges the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 to each other. More specifically, the lower humidity air A2 exiting the thermal mass extractor 14 mixes with the air in the conditioned space 12 and is then drawn into the material heat converter 16 as input air B1. Similarly, the lower humidity air B2 exiting the material heat converter 16 mixes with the air in the conditioned space 12 and is then drawn into the thermal mass extractor 14 as input air A1. In embodiments where the system 10 includes multiple material heat converters 16 (e.g., a material heat converter for each room in a building), the material heat converters 16 are independent and physically separated. Only the air within the conditioned space 12 bridges the material heat converters 16 from one another. In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the air within the conditioned space 12 can be considered to be the medium of the system 10 that links the thermal material extractors 14 and the material heat converters 16 to one another. In contrast to conventional air conditioning systems that utilize ductwork to move humidity and temperature conditioned air in and around the conditioned space 12, in the system 10, the air within the conditioned space 12 acts as the medium for the transfer of heat and material (or mass) to facilitate humidity and temperature control of the air within the conditioned space 12.

[0027] The thermal mass extractor 14 includes a collector 20, a regenerator 22, and a liquid desiccant 24. In general, the thermal mass extractor 14 is configured to dehumidify air from the conditioned space 12 and return the "drier" air to the conditioned space 12 without the use of a compressor or refrigerant. According to various aspects, the thermal mass extractor 14 is further configured to dehumidify air from the conditioned space 12 and return the "drier" air to the conditioned space 12 without the use of ductwork. According to various aspects, the collector 20 is disposed within the conditioned space 12 and the regenerator 22 is disposed outside the conditioned space 12. However, as shown in FIG. 1, according to other aspects, a portion 20a (indicated by dashed lines) of the collector 20 is positioned outside the conditioned space 12. In such a case, collector 20 may be referred to as a split collector. Collector 20 is described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 2, and regenerator 22 is described in more detail below with respect to FIG.

[0028] For clarity, the liquid desiccant 24 is not shown in FIG. 1 (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 4). The liquid desiccant 24 may be any suitable type of liquid desiccant 24. For example, according to various embodiments, the liquid desiccant 24 includes a hygroscopic material, such as, for example, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, calcium chloride, or the like. A first portion of the liquid desiccant 24 (hereinafter referred to as liquid desiccant 24a) is associated with the collector 20, and a second portion of the liquid desiccant 24 (hereinafter referred to as liquid desiccant 24b) is associated with the regenerator 22. As described in more detail below, the liquid desiccant 24a in the collector 20 interacts with air from the conditioned space 12, and the liquid desiccant 24b in the regenerator 22 interacts with air from outside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., atmospheric / outside air, air from an unconditioned space, etc.). As described in more detail herein with respect to Figures 4A and 4B, the liquid desiccant 24a and the liquid desiccant 24b are fluidly coupled to each other. Thus, the collector 20 and the regenerator 22 can be considered to be fluidly coupled to each other by the liquid desiccant moving between them. Due to the fluid coupling between the liquid desiccant 24a and the liquid desiccant 24b, the liquid desiccant 24a and the liquid desiccant 24b attempt to achieve equilibrium with each other. In other words, the liquid desiccant 24 of the heat mass extractor 14 always attempts to achieve equilibrium throughout the liquid desiccant 24.

[0029] 1, it will be understood that the compressorless air conditioning system 10 may include any number of thermal mass extractors 14. For example, according to various embodiments, when a given application requires a relatively large amount of moisture to be extracted from the air of the conditioned space 12, multiple thermal mass extractors 14 may be utilized to collectively extract the moisture. According to other embodiments, when a given application requires a relatively large amount of moisture to be extracted from the air of the conditioned space 12, the size of the thermal mass extractors 14 may be scaled up such that only one thermal mass extractor 14 is utilized to extract the moisture.

[0030] The material heat converter 16 is configured to cool air from the conditioned space 12 without the use of a compressor or a refrigerant. According to various embodiments, the material heat converter 16 is further configured to cool air from the conditioned space 12 and return the cooled air to the conditioned space 12 without the use of ductwork. The material heat converter 16 is described in more detail below with respect to FIG. 5. Although only one material heat converter 16 is shown in FIG. 1, it will be understood that the compressorless air conditioning system 10 can include any number of material heat converters 16. For example, based on the amount of cooling required, the compressorless air conditioning system 10 can include multiple material heat converters 16. The multiple material heat converters 16 can be spaced apart within a space (e.g., within the conditioned space 12). According to various embodiments, different material heat converters 16 can be located, for example, in each room of a home or building, or multiple material heat converters 16 can be located spaced apart within a large open concept space, for example.

[0031] 2 illustrates a collector 20 of thermal mass extractor 14, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Generally, collector 20 is configured to extract moisture from air from conditioned space 12, thereby reducing the humidity of the air from conditioned space 12, and is further configured to transfer the extracted moisture to a liquid desiccant 24a within collector 20. According to various embodiments, collector 20 is further configured to extract moisture from air from conditioned space 12, thereby reducing the humidity of the air from conditioned space 12, and transfer the extracted moisture to liquid desiccant 24a within collector 20, without the use of ductwork.

[0032] According to various aspects, the collector 20 includes a first portion of the liquid desiccant 24a, a sump 26, a pump 28, a media 30, and a fan 32. The sump 26 may be any suitable size and shape and is configured to hold the liquid desiccant 24a. The pump 28 may be any suitable type of pump and is configured to move the liquid desiccant 24a from the sump 26 to the media 30 where the liquid desiccant 24a flows over the media 30, saturating the media 30, and returns to the sump 26. The fan 32 may be any suitable type of fan (e.g., centrifugal, axial, etc.) and is configured to move air from the conditioned space 12 over the media 30 and back to the conditioned space 12. According to various aspects, the fan 32 draws air over the media 30. According to other aspects, the fan 32 blows air over the media 30.

[0033] Air flowing over the media 30 flows in a direction opposite to the direction in which the liquid desiccant 24a flows over the media 30. For example, according to various embodiments, air flows "upward" over the media 30 and the liquid desiccant 24a flows "downward" over the media 30. As the air flowing over the media 30 interacts with the liquid desiccant 24a flowing over the media 30 (or with the liquid desiccant 24a saturating the media 30), moisture is extracted from the air and transferred to the liquid desiccant 24a. Extracting moisture from the air removes latent heat from the air from the conditioned space 12, operates to reduce the humidity of the air being returned to the conditioned space 12 (e.g., the air being exhausted from the collector 20), reduce the concentration of the liquid desiccant 24a, increase the temperature of the liquid desiccant 24a, and increase the vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24a. In general, the vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24a is proportional to the temperature of the liquid desiccant 24a and inversely proportional to the concentration level of the liquid desiccant 24a. That is, when the concentration level of the liquid desiccant 24a decreases or the temperature of the liquid desiccant 24a increases, the vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24a increases.

[0034] The media 30 may be any suitable type of media. For example, the media 30 may include a fiber pad, a membrane, or the like. Generally, the media 30 is configured to have a large surface area that contacts and is saturated by the liquid desiccant 24a. According to various embodiments, the liquid desiccant 24a flows "downward" over the media 30 (e.g., from a mister). According to other embodiments, the liquid desiccant 24a flows into a media bed / bath that supports the media 30. As the air flowing over the media 30 interacts with the liquid desiccant 24a flowing over the media 30 (or with the liquid desiccant 24a saturating the media 30), the inherent biocidal properties of the liquid desiccant 24a act to scrub the air of contaminants, mold, bacteria, viruses, and the like, resulting in purified air being returned to the conditioned space 12. Thus, according to various embodiments, the collector 20, and thus the thermal mass extractor 14 (FIG. 1), is also configured to purify air from the conditioned space 12. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 circulates air within the conditioned space 12 to provide any number of air changes per hour within the conditioned space 12. For example, according to various embodiments, depending on the size of the system 10 and the conditioned space 12, the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 can provide up to 1 air change per hour, up to 2 air changes per hour, up to 5 air changes per hour, up to 10 air changes per hour, up to 20 air changes per hour, etc. The liquid desiccant 24 purifies the air as it contacts the air moving through the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14. Purification of the air can be further facilitated by the material heat converter 16, as further described herein.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 2, according to various embodiments, the media 30 and the fan 32 are disposed within the conditioned space 12, and the pump 28 and the sump 26 are disposed outside the conditioned space 12. In such embodiments, the collector 20 includes two or more fluid conduits or tubes connecting an interior portion of the collector 20 to an exterior portion 20a of the collector 20. For example, the heat mass extractor 14 also includes two tubes 34a, 34b. The tube 34a provides a path for the liquid desiccant 24a to flow from the media 30 to a portion of the sump 26. The tube 34b provides a path for the liquid desiccant 24a to flow from the pump 28 to the media 30. For clarity, only a portion of the tubes 34a, 34b are shown in FIG. 2. The tubes 34a, 34b may be any suitable type of tube. According to various embodiments, the tubes 34a, 34b include a plastic, such as, for example, polyethylene.

[0036] In embodiments in which the pump 28 and sump 26 are located outside the conditioned space 12, the pump 28 and sump 26 may be incorporated into and housed within the regenerator 22. According to other embodiments, a first portion of the sump 26 may be located within the conditioned space 12 (e.g., housed within the collector 20) and a second portion of the sump 26 may be located outside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., housed within the regenerator 22). According to yet other embodiments, the sump 26, pump 28, media 30, and fan 32 are all located within the conditioned space 12. Thus, the regenerator 22 may be considered to be located outside the conditioned space 12, while the collector 20 may be considered to be located completely within the conditioned space 12, or partially within and partially outside the conditioned space 12.

[0037] 3 illustrates a regenerator 22 of the heat mass extractor 14 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The regenerator 22 is configured to extract moisture from the liquid desiccant 24b and transfer the extracted moisture to air outside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., atmospheric air, outdoor air, air from a non-conditioned space, etc.). The regenerator 22 is also configured to receive low grade heat from a heat source 36. According to various embodiments, low grade heat can be considered to be heat below 277° C. According to other embodiments, low grade heat can be considered to be heat below 200° C. The heat source 36 may be any suitable type of heat source capable of providing low grade heat. For example, the heat source 36 may include a solar thermal collector, an industrial process, a geothermal system, a home or building hot water system, etc.

[0038] The regenerator 22 includes a sump 38, liquid desiccant 24b, a pump 40, a heat exchanger 42, a media 44, and a fan 46. The sump 38 may be of any suitable size and shape and is configured to hold the liquid desiccant 24b. The pump 40 may be any suitable type of pump and is configured to move the liquid desiccant 24b from the sump 38 to the heat exchanger 42 and then to the media 44 where the liquid desiccant 24b flows over and saturates the media 44 and returns to the sump 38. The fan 46 may be any suitable type of fan (e.g., centrifugal, axial, etc.) and is configured to move air outside the conditioned space 12 over the media 44 and back to the air outside the conditioned space 12. According to various aspects, the fan 46 draws air over the media 44. According to other aspects, the fan 46 blows air over the media 44.

[0039] The heat exchanger 42 is configured to receive low grade heat from the heat source 36 at one portion of the liquid desiccant 24b and liquid desiccant 24b from the sump 38 at a second portion of the heat exchanger 42. The heat exchanger 42 is further configured to extract heat from the low grade heat and transfer the extracted heat to the liquid desiccant 24b, thereby increasing the temperature and vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24b. The heat exchanger 42 may be any suitable type of heat exchanger. For example, according to various embodiments, the direction of flow of the low grade heat through the heat exchanger 38 may be opposite to the direction of flow of the liquid desiccant 24b through the heat exchanger 42 (i.e., counterflow as shown in FIG. 3). According to other embodiments, the flow may be crossflow. According to still other embodiments, the flow may be a combination of crossflow and counterflow.

[0040] The low grade heat received by the heat exchanger 42 provides energy to the system 10. By heating and concentrating the liquid desiccant 24b in the regenerator 22, diffusion (and gravity) can affect the transfer of mass between the liquid desiccant 24b of the regenerator 22 and the liquid desiccant 24a of the collector 20, thereby enabling the collector 20 to dehumidify the air in the conditioned space 12. Because diffusion of the liquid desiccant 24 toward equilibrium is a passive process, control of humidity in the conditioned space 12 can be achieved with reduced energy requirements.

[0041] The air flowing over the media 44 flows in a direction opposite to the direction in which the liquid desiccant 24b flows over the media 44. For example, according to various embodiments, the air flows "upward" over the media 44, and the liquid desiccant 24b flows "downward" over the media 44. As the air flowing over the media 44 interacts with the liquid desiccant 24b flowing over the media 44 (or with the liquid desiccant 24b saturating the media 44), moisture is extracted from the liquid desiccant 24b and transferred to the air, which is then exhausted outside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., air exhausted from the regenerator 22). The extraction of moisture from the liquid desiccant 24b acts to lower the temperature of the liquid desiccant 24b, lower the vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24b, and increase the concentration of the liquid desiccant 24b, thereby regenerating the liquid desiccant 24b.

[0042] The media 44 may be any suitable type of media. For example, the media 44 may include a fiber pad, a membrane, or the like. Generally, the media 44 is configured to have a large surface area that contacts and is saturated by the liquid desiccant 24b. According to various embodiments, the liquid desiccant 24b flows "down" over the media 44 (e.g., via a mister). According to other embodiments, the liquid desiccant 24b flows into a media bed / bath that supports the media 44. As the liquid desiccant 24b travels to the media 44, it flows over the media 44, saturating the media 44, and returns to the sump 38.

[0043] 3, according to various embodiments, the sump 38, liquid desiccant 24b, pump 40, heat exchanger 42, media 44, and fan 46 are located outside of the conditioned space 12 and housed within the regenerator 22. As noted above, for embodiments in which the sump 26 and pump 28 are located outside of the conditioned space 12, the sump 26 and pump 28 may be incorporated into and / or housed within the regenerator 22.

[0044] According to various embodiments, the regenerator 22 may also include a small compressor (not shown for simplicity) that may be utilized as a heat source to provide heat to the heat exchanger 42 instead of or in addition to the heat provided by the heat source 36. In such embodiments, the small compressor is thermally coupled to the liquid desiccant 24b via the heat exchanger 42. The small compressor may be configured to raise a free heat source (e.g., outdoor air) to a temperature high enough to enable regeneration of the liquid desiccant 24b as described above. In certain environmental conditions, the small compressor may function as a backup or standby heat source to the heat source 36. In embodiments that include a small compressor, the compressorless air conditioning system 10 may simply be referred to as an air conditioning system. Other than including a small compressor, such an air conditioning system is similar to the compressorless air conditioning system 10 described herein.

[0045] In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the thermal mass extractor 14 may also be considered a sensible-to-latent heat extractor.

[0046] 4A illustrates an example of a fluid coupling between a liquid desiccant 24a associated with the collector 20 and a liquid desiccant 24b associated with the regenerator 22, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to a non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 4A, the sumps 26, 38 are disposed adjacent to one another, abut one another, and / or share a common wall. The sumps 26, 38 define respective openings 48, 50 that are aligned with one another (or may be the same opening). The openings 48, 50 allow the liquid desiccant 24a and 24b to be fluidly coupled to one another. As indicated by arrows 52, diffusion occurs from the higher pressure, higher temperature, less concentrated liquid desiccant 24a in sump 26 to the lower pressure, lower temperature, more concentrated liquid desiccant 24b in sump 38 until the liquid desiccant 24a in sump 26 is in equilibrium with the liquid desiccant 24b in sump 38.

[0047] FIG. 4B illustrates another example of a fluid coupling between the liquid desiccant 24a associated with the collector 20 and the liquid desiccant 24b associated with the regenerator 22, according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. According to a non-limiting embodiment of FIG. 4B, the sumps 26, 38 are physically separated from each other by a distance, and the liquid desiccant 24a, 24b are fluidly coupled to each other via at least one pipe or tube connected to each of the sumps 26, 38. For example, the sumps 26, 38 may be connected by a supply tube 53, a return tube 55, and / or a balance tube 51. The supply tube 53 can serve to transport the liquid desiccant 24b from the sump 38 to the sump 26. The return tube 55 can function to transport the liquid desiccant 24a from the sump 26 to the sump 38. The balance tube 51 can act to equalize the liquid levels across the sumps 26, 38. In some embodiments, a pump (not shown) may be included along the supply line 53 to transport the liquid desiccant 24b from the sump 38 to the sump 26, and / or a pump (not shown) may be included along the return line 55 to transport the liquid desiccant 24a from the sump 26 to the sump 38. The supply line 53 and the return line 55 may facilitate circulation of the liquid desiccant 24a, 24b between the sumps 26, 38. In some embodiments, the sump 26 may be located inside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., housed within the collector 20), may be located outside the conditioned space 12 (e.g., housed within the regenerator 22), or a first portion of the sump 26 may be located inside the conditioned space and a second portion of the sump 26 may be located outside the conditioned space 12. In those embodiments in which the sump 26 is located inside the conditioned space 12, the supply pipe 53, return pipe 55, and / or balance pipe 51 may extend through the floor, ceiling, or peripheral walls of the conditioned space 12, regardless of the distance between the sumps 26, 38.

[0048] FIG. 5 illustrates the material heat converter 16 of the compressor-less air conditioning system 10 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The material heat converter 16 is configured to reduce the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12 through the evaporation of water (water can absorb a relatively large amount of heat due to evaporation). The material heat converter 16 is further configured to receive water. According to various embodiments, the material heat converter 16 is coupled to a water source 60. The water source 60 can be any suitable type of water source capable of supplying water to the material heat converter 16. For example, the water source 60 can comprise a public water system, and the material heat converter 16 can be fluidly coupled to the water source 60 via an automatic valve (not shown for clarity). According to other embodiments, water may be manually supplied (e.g., by a person) to the material heat converter 16, and such manual water supply may occur periodically (e.g., once a day, once a week, etc.).

[0049] The material heat exchanger 16 includes a sump 62, a pump 64, a media 66, and a fan 68. The sump 62 may be of any suitable size and shape and is configured to hold water 70 provided by a water source 60 or manually provided (e.g., by a person) to the material heat exchanger 16. The pump 64 may be any suitable type of pump and is configured to move the water 70 from the sump 62 to the media 66 where the water 70 flows over the media 66, saturating the media 66, and returning to the sump 62. The fan 68 may be any suitable type of fan (e.g., centrifugal, axial, etc.) and is configured to move air from the conditioned space 12, over the media 66, and back to the conditioned space 12. According to various embodiments, the fan 68 draws air over the media 66. According to other embodiments, the fan 68 blows air over the media 66. Because the material heat exchanger 16 does not have ductwork associated with it, the fan 68 does not need to overcome static pressures associated with such ductwork. Thus, the fan 68 (and / or the electric motor powering the fan 68) can be much smaller and therefore much quieter than fans in conventional refrigerant / compressor based air conditioning systems that include ductwork. The fan 68 only circulates the air in the conditioned space 12 through the mass heat converter 16 and does not need to push the conditioned air through ductwork.

[0050] The air flowing over the media 66 flows in a direction opposite to the direction that the water 70 flows over the media 66. For example, according to various embodiments, the air flows "upward" over the media 66 and the water 70 flows "downward" over the media 66. As the air flowing over the media 66 interacts with the water 70 flowing over the media 66 (or with the water that saturates the media 66), heat from the air is absorbed by the water 70, causing the water 70 to evaporate. The absorption of heat from the air operates to lower the temperature of the air that is returned to the conditioned space 12.

[0051] The media 66 may be any suitable type of media. For example, the media 66 may include a fiber pad, a membrane, etc. Generally, the media 66 is configured to have a large surface area that contacts and becomes saturated with the water 70. According to various embodiments, the water 70 flows "down" over the media 66 (e.g., via a mister). According to other embodiments, the water 70 flows into a media bed / bath that supports the media 66. As the water 70 travels through the media 66, the water 70 flows over the media 66, saturating the media 66 and returning to the sump 62.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1, the material heat converter 16 is disposed within the conditioned space 12, and as previously described, the compressorless air conditioning system 10 may include multiple material heat converters 16. In general, the number of material heat converters 16 included in the compressorless air conditioning system 10 depends, at least in part, on the cooling load. For example, for a relatively small cooling load of about 1 ton (i.e., 3.5 kilowatts or 12,000 btuh), the compressorless air conditioning system 10 may include only one of the material heat converters 16. However, for a larger cooling load of about 3 tons (i.e., 10.5 kilowatts or 36,000 btuh), the compressorless air conditioning system 10 may include three material heat converters 16. In general, the greater the cooling load, the more material heat converters 16 included in the compressorless air conditioning system 10.

[0053] In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the material heat converter 16 may also be considered to be a latent-to-sensible converter.

[0054] In various examples, the material heat converter 16 may also include a liquid desiccant or salt solution (not shown for clarity) that contacts the air passing through the material heat converter 16 to purify the air in the conditioned space 12. For example, the material heat converter 16 may include a liquid desiccant at a reduced concentration, i.e., less than the concentration of the liquid desiccant 24, which may act as a liquid-based purifier for the air in the conditioned space 12. The liquid desiccant or another salt solution in the material heat converter 16 may, for example, prevent mold and / or mildew growth therein. According to various embodiments, sodium chloride (NaCl), commonly known as table salt, may be utilized to purify the air in the conditioned space 12. Such salts, if utilized in high enough concentrations, may act as disinfectants without being very hygroscopic.

[0055] In various embodiments, the water 70 in the material heat converter 16 can be chlorinated. For example, the material heat converter 16 can include an electrolyzer 61 configured to generate chlorine from the water 70 (e.g., from salts in the water). Although the electrolyzer 61 is shown in FIG. 5 as receiving the water 70 provided from the sump 62 and returning chlorinated water 70 to the sump 62, the electrolyzer 61 can be located at various other locations along the water 70 loop of the material heat converter 16 (e.g., upstream or downstream of the pump 64, along the return from the media 66, etc.). As another example, the water 70 can be chlorinated by metering or injecting chlorine into the water 70 or water source 60. In various embodiments, the material heat converter 16 can include an outlet filter 63. The outlet filter 63 can function to filter air as it exits the outlet of the material heat converter 16. In at least one embodiment, the outlet filter 63 can be a carbon filter. The carbon filter may be configured to collect chlorine that may be transferred from the water 70 to the air flowing through the material heat converter 16 , thereby capturing the chlorine before it exits the material heat converter 16 .

[0056] 6 illustrates a control system 18 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The control system 18 is configured to control the operation of the compressorless air conditioning system 10, including the operation of the thermal mass extractor 14 and the mass heat converter 16, including the operation of the associated fans 32, 46, 68, the associated pumps 28, 40, 64, and the introduction of low grade heat to the regenerator 22. According to various embodiments, the control system 18 is also configured to control the introduction of water 70 from a water source 60 to the mass heat converter 16.

[0057] According to various embodiments, the control system 18 is also configured to control the operation of any other valves, motors, etc. associated with the compressorless air conditioning system 10. In embodiments of the compressorless air conditioning system 10 that include a compact compressor for providing heat to the heat exchanger 42, the control system 18 is also configured to control the operation of the compact compressor.

[0058] According to various embodiments, the control system 18 includes a control circuit 80, a temperature measuring apparatus (or device) 82, and a humidity measuring apparatus (or device) 84. According to various embodiments, the control system 18 may also include a pressure measuring apparatus (or device) 86, a concentration measuring apparatus (or device) 88, and / or a fluid level measuring apparatus (or device) 90. Although only one temperature measuring apparatus 82, one humidity measuring apparatus 84, one pressure measuring apparatus 86, one concentration measuring apparatus 88, and one fluid level measuring apparatus 90 are shown in FIG. 6, it will be understood that the control system 18 may include any number of these apparatus.

[0059] Temperature measurement device 82 is configured to measure the temperature and to communicate a signal indicative of the measured temperature to control circuitry 80 .

[0060] Temperature measurement device 82 may be utilized to measure, for example, the temperature of the air in conditioned space 12, the ambient / outside air, the liquid desiccant 24 at one or more points (e.g., in sump 26, in sump 38, entering or leaving heat exchanger 42, exiting media 30, exiting media 44, etc.), and the water 70 in the material heat converter 16 at one or more points (e.g., entering sump 62 from water source 60, in sump 62, exiting media 66, etc.). For each of these temperature measurements, the associated temperature measurement device 82 is configured to communicate a signal indicative of the measured temperature to the control circuitry 80. According to various embodiments, temperature measurement device 82 comprises a thermostat or a temperature sensor.

[0061] The humidity measuring device 84 is configured to measure humidity and communicate a signal indicative of the measured humidity to the control circuitry 80. The humidity measuring device 84 may be utilized, for example, to measure the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12, the ambient / outside air, and the liquid desiccant 24 at one or more points (e.g., in the sump 26, in the sump 38, entering or leaving the heat exchanger 42, exiting the media 30, exiting the media 44, etc.). For each of these humidity measurements, the associated humidity measuring device 84 is configured to communicate a signal indicative of the measured humidity to the control circuitry 80. According to various embodiments, the humidity measuring device 84 comprises a humidifier or a humidity sensor.

[0062] The pressure measurement device 86 is configured to measure the vapor pressure and communicate a signal indicative of the measured vapor pressure to the control circuitry 80. The pressure measurement device 86 may be utilized, for example, to measure the vapor pressure of the liquid desiccant 24 at one or more points (e.g., in sump 26, in sump 38, entering or leaving heat exchanger 42, exiting media 30, exiting media 44, etc.). For each of these vapor pressure measurements, the associated pressure measurement device 86 is configured to communicate a signal indicative of the measured vapor pressure to the control circuitry 80.

[0063] The concentration measuring devices 88 are configured to measure the concentration level and communicate a signal indicative of the measured concentration level to the control circuitry 80. The concentration measuring devices 88 may be utilized, for example, to measure the concentration level of the liquid desiccant 24 at one or more points (e.g., in sump 26, in sump 38, entering or leaving heat exchanger 42, exiting media 30, exiting media 44, etc.). For each of these concentration level measurements, the associated concentration measuring device 88 is configured to communicate a signal indicative of the measured concentration level to the control circuitry 80.

[0064] The fluid level measurement devices 90 are configured to measure fluid levels and communicate signals indicative of the measured fluid levels to the control circuitry 80. The fluid level measurement devices 90 may be utilized, for example, to measure the fluid levels of the liquid desiccant 24 in sump 26 and sump 38, and the water 70 in sump 62. For each of these fluid level measurements, the associated fluid level measurement device 90 is configured to communicate a signal indicative of the measured fluid level to the control circuitry 80.

[0065] According to various embodiments, each signal communicated from the temperature measuring device 82, the humidity measuring device 84, the pressure measuring device 86, the concentration measuring device 88, and the fluid level measuring device 90 may be communicated wirelessly to the control circuit 80 via the network 92.

[0066] Network 92 may include any type of distribution system, including, but not limited to, a local area network (e.g., Ethernet), a wide area network (e.g., the Internet and / or the World Wide Web), a telephone network (e.g., analog, digital, wired, wireless, PSTN, ISDN, GSM, GPRS, and / or xDSL), a packet-switched network, a wireless network, a television network, a cable network, a satellite network, and / or any other wired or wireless communication network configured to carry data. Network 92 may include elements such as adapters, intermediate nodes, proxy servers, routers, and switches configured to direct and / or distribute data. In general, temperature measuring device 82, humidity measuring device 84, pressure measuring device 86, concentration measuring device 88, and fluid level measuring device 90 are configured to communicate with control circuitry 80 over network 92 using various communication protocols (e.g., HTTP, TCP / IP, TelNet, UDP, WAP, WebSockets, WiFi, Bluetooth) and / or operate within or in coordination with one or more other communication systems.

[0067] The control circuit 80 includes a processing circuit 100, a memory circuit 102, a wireless or cellular communication module 104, and a temperature-humidity module 106. The processing circuit 100 is configured to process signals communicated by the temperature measuring device 82, the humidity measuring device 84, the pressure measuring device 86, the concentration measuring device 88, and the fluid level measuring device 90. The processing circuit 100 can be, for example, a hardwired circuit, a programmable circuit (e.g., a computer processor including one or more separate instruction processing cores, a processing unit, a processor, a microcontroller, a microcontroller unit, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a programmable logic device (PLD), a programmable logic array (PLA), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), a state machine circuit, firmware that stores instructions executed by the programmable circuit, and any combination thereof.

[0068] The processing circuitry 100 may be embodied, collectively or individually, as circuitry forming part of a larger system, e.g., an integrated circuit (IC), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system on a chip (SoC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a server, a smartphone, etc. Thus, the processing circuitry 100 may include, but is not limited to, an electrical circuit having at least one separate electrical circuit, an electrical circuit having at least one integrated circuit, an electrical circuit having at least one application specific integrated circuit, an electrical circuit forming a general purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by a computer program that at least partially executes the processes and / or devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computer program that at least partially executes the processes and / or devices described herein), an electrical circuit forming a memory device (e.g., in the form of a random access memory), and / or an electrical circuit forming a communication device (e.g., a modem, a communication switch, or an optoelectronic device). Those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog or digital manner, or any combination thereof.

[0069] The memory circuit 102 is coupled to the processing circuit 100 and may include more than one type of memory. For example, according to various aspects, the memory circuit 102 may include volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM), which may operate as an external cache memory. According to various aspects, the random access memory may be static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous dynamic random access memory (ESDRAM), synchronous link dynamic random access memory (SLDRAM), direct Rambus random access memory (DRRAM), and the like. The non-volatile memory may include read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), electrically programmable read only memory, electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, and the like.

[0070] According to various aspects, the memory circuit 102 may also include a removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile storage medium, such as, for example, a disk storage device (or disk storage). The disk storage device may include, but is not limited to, devices such as a magnetic disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, a Jaz drive, a Zip drive, an LS-60 drive, a flash memory card, or a memory stick. Additionally, the disk storage device may include the storage medium separately or in combination with other storage media, including, but not limited to, optical disk drives, such as a compact disk ROM device (CD-ROM), a compact disk recordable drive (CD-R Drive), a compact disk rewriteable drive (CD-RW Drive), a digital versatile disk ROM drive (DVD-ROM), etc. Although only one processing circuit 100 and one memory circuit 102 are shown in FIG. 6, it will be understood that the control circuit 80 may include any number of these components.

[0071] The wireless communication module 104 is configured to enable communication between the control circuit 80 and the temperature measuring device 82, the humidity measuring device 84, the pressure measuring device 86, the concentration measuring device 88, and the fluid level measuring device 90 via the network 92, and the communication between the wireless communication module 104 and the network 92 is wireless communication. The wireless communication module 104 is also configured to enable communication between the control circuit 80 and the thermal material extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 via the network 92. In such an embodiment, the thermal material extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 may each include one or more wireless communication modules (not shown) similar or identical to the wireless communication module 104, and the communication between the wireless communication module 104 and the one or more wireless communication modules of the thermal material extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 via the network 92 is wireless communication.

[0072] The wireless communication module 104 may employ any suitable wireless communication technology. For example, according to various aspects, the wireless communication module 104 may employ Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Thread, ZigBee, etc.

[0073] Similarly, the wireless communication module 104 may use any of a number of wireless communication standards or protocols, including, but not limited to, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 family), WPA2, WPA3, WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 family), IEEE 802.20, Long Term Evolution (LTE), and Ev-DO, HSPA+, HSDPA+, HSUPA+, EDGE, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, DECT, and

[0074] Includes its Ethernet derivatives, as well as any other wireless protocols designated as 3G, 4G, 5G and beyond.

[0075] The temperature-humidity module 106 is configured to determine when to energize the fans 32, 46, 68, when to energize the pumps 28, 40, 64, when to introduce low-grade heat to the regenerator 22, and when to introduce water 70 to the mass heat exchanger 16 based on signals communicated by the temperature measuring device 82, the humidity measuring device 84, the pressure measuring device 86, the concentration measuring device 88, and / or the fluid level measuring device 90. According to various aspects, the temperature-humidity module 106 executes an algorithm that analyzes the signals communicated by the temperature measuring device 82, the humidity measuring device 84, the pressure measuring device 86, the concentration measuring device 88, and / or the fluid level measuring device 90, determines which action to take, and communicates control signals to valves associated with the applicable fans 32, 46, 68, pumps 28, 40, 64, and / or introduction of low-grade heat to the regenerator 22, and introduction of water 70 to the mass heat exchanger 16. For example, if the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12 falls below a predetermined value, the control system 18 may communicate a control signal to cause the material heat exchanger 16 to add water. On the other hand, if the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12 is above a predetermined value, the control system 18 may communicate one or more control signals to the thermal material extractor 14 to operate it to extract moisture from the air in the conditioned space 12. If the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12 is above a predetermined value, the control system 18 may communicate one or more control signals to the material heat exchanger 16 to operate it until the temperature reaches the predetermined value.

[0076] According to various embodiments, the temperature-humidity module 106 can utilize a look-up table that indicates a particular action to be taken (e.g., energize fan 32, de-energize fan 32, etc.) for various combinations of measured temperature, humidity, pressure, concentration, and / or fluid level.

[0077] Modules 104 and 106 may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, and any combination thereof. Software aspects may utilize any suitable computer language (e.g., C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, etc.) and may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual device, storage medium, or propagated signal capable of delivering instructions to a device. Modules 104 and 106 may be stored on a computer-readable medium (e.g., a disk, device, and / or propagated signal) such that when a computer reads the medium, the functions described herein are performed. The above-described functions of modules 104 and 106 may be combined into fewer modules, distributed differently among modules, or distributed across additional modules.

[0078] In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the compressorless air conditioning system 10 utilizes two independent "systems" (not physically connected or coupled to one another) to control the humidity and temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12, namely the heat mass extractor 14 and the mass heat converter 16. Although not physically connected, the heat mass extractor 14 and the mass heat converter 16 work in tandem and synergistically to control the humidity and temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12, due in large part to the heat and mass flows in the conditioned space 12, without the need for a compressor or refrigerant. Stated another way, the heat mass extractor 14 and the mass heat converter 16 are independent systems, but the air in the conditioned space 12 acts as a medium bridging the two systems to one another.

[0079] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 takes in air A1 from the conditioned space 12 and extracts a substance (humidity) from the air A1 in the manner generally described above. The air A2 exiting the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 is at a lower humidity than the remaining air in the conditioned space 12. The air A2 exiting the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 mixes with the remaining air in the conditioned space 12, thereby reducing the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12 without increasing the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12. Before, after, or simultaneously, the material heat exchanger 16 takes in air B1 from the conditioned space 12 and “cools” the air B1 in the manner generally described above. The air B2 exiting the material heat exchanger 16 is at a lower temperature than the remaining air in the conditioned space 12. The air B2 exiting the material heat exchanger 16 mixes with the remaining air in the conditioned space 12, thereby reducing the temperature of the air in the conditioned space. In general, the thermal mass extractor 14 can reduce the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12 faster than the mass heat exchanger 16 can reduce the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12 .

[0080] The heat material extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16 are physically separate and unconnected from each other, but they are bridged to each other by the air in the conditioned space 12 and they work together to control the humidity and temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12.

[0081] In one example, in response to a demand to cool the conditioned space 12, the mass heat exchanger 16 draws air B1 from the conditioned space 12 (e.g., using fan 68 in FIG. 5). Heat in the air B1 is absorbed (e.g., by water 70 in FIG. 5), thereby lowering the temperature of the air B1. The temperature of the air B2 leaving the mass heat exchanger 16 is lower than the temperature of the rest of the air in the conditioned space 12. The lower temperature air B2 mixes with the other air in the conditioned space 12, cooling the air in the conditioned space 12. Before, after, or simultaneously, the collector 20 of the thermal mass extractor 14 draws air A1 from the conditioned space 12 (e.g., using fan 32 in FIG. 2) and utilizes the liquid desiccant 24a to extract moisture from the air A1. The air A2 leaving the collector 20 is at a lower humidity than the rest of the air in the conditioned space 12. The air A2 exiting the collector 20 mixes with the remainder of the air in the conditioned space 12, thereby reducing the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12 without increasing the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12. As described above, the liquid desiccant 24a of the collector 20 attempts to achieve equilibrium with the liquid desiccant 24b of the regenerator 22, which operates to regenerate the liquid desiccant 24b. The collector 20 and the regenerator 22 are fluidly coupled by the liquid desiccant 24 (e.g., the openings 48, 50 in the sumps 26, 38, respectively, of FIG. 4A) and attempt to achieve equilibrium via diffusion therebetween. In the above example, the mass heat converter 16 and the heat mass extractor 14 cooperate to reduce the temperature and humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12. Because material and heat flow relatively quickly within the air conditioning 12, the heat material extractor 14 and material heat converter 16 can efficiently dehumidify and cool the air in the conditioned space 12 without a compressor / refrigerant and without ductwork to funnel or otherwise direct the conditioned air throughout the conditioned space 12.

[0082] In other examples, the system 10 can be used in reverse such that the system 10 functions as a heating unit. For example, when the ambient / outdoor air is cooler than the air in the conditioned space 12, the material heat extractor 14 can be reversed to extract moisture from the cool ambient / outdoor air and humidify the conditioned space 12. A heating element (e.g., a heating coil) can be added to the material heat converter 16 to increase the temperature of the air drawn through the material heat converter 16 in the conditioned space 12. According to various embodiments, the heating element can be provided by a solar heating system or a geothermal heating system. In various examples, a heating element can be added to each material heat converter 16 in the system 10. The heating element can be utilized in conjunction with "evaporative cooling" provided by water and / or a low-concentration liquid desiccant in a "reheat" application, or as a heating only application without the "evaporative cooling" provided by water and / or a low-concentration liquid desiccant. For example, de-energizing the pump that controls the flow of water and / or low concentration liquid desiccant in the material heat exchanger 16 can, for example, prevent any "chilling effect" from being introduced into the room air.

[0083] Instead of a control system 18 as described above, according to other embodiments, the control system 18 may simply include a control device (e.g., a thermostat) associated with the material heat converter 16 and utilized to control the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12, and a control device (e.g., a humidifier) ​​associated with the thermal material extractor 14 and utilized to control the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12. For simplicity, the two control devices are hereinafter referred to as the thermostat and the humidifier. In such embodiments, a thermostat is disposed on the material heat converter 16 and is operable to control the material heat converter 16 (its fan 68, pump 64, etc.) to control the temperature of the air in the conditioned space 12.

[0084] Similarly, a humidifier may be disposed on the thermal mass extractor 14 and operates to control the thermal mass extractor 14 (its fan 32, pump 28, etc.) to control the humidity of the air in the conditioned space 12. Thus, in contrast to a control system 18 as shown in FIG. 6, in which a "centralized" control circuit 80 utilizes collective signals from a temperature measuring device 82 and a humidity measuring device 84 (and potentially a pressure measuring device 86, a concentration measuring device 88 and / or a fluid level measuring device 90) to determine the particular action to take with respect to the control of both the thermal mass extractor 14 and the material heat converter 16, for these embodiments, the control of the material heat converter 16 is dependent on the thermostat and is independent of the control of the thermal mass extractor 14. Similarly, the control of the thermal mass extractor 14 is dependent on the hygrometer and is independent of the control of the material heat converter 16.

[0085] For those embodiments including two or more material heat exchangers 16 and / or two or more thermal material extractors 14, the control system 18 includes a separate, independent thermostat for each material heat exchanger 16 and a separate, independent humidifier for each thermal material extractor 14.

[0086] Example 1 - A compressorless air conditioning system is provided. The compressorless air conditioning system includes a thermal mass extractor, a mass heat converter, and a control system. The thermal mass extractor is configured to extract moisture from air in a conditioned space without increasing a temperature of the air and includes a liquid desiccant, a collector, and a regenerator. The regenerator and the collector are fluidly coupled via the liquid desiccant. The mass heat converter is configured to reduce a temperature of the air in the conditioned space through evaporation of water and is physically decoupled from the thermal mass extractor. The control system is communicatively coupled to the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat converter.

[0087] Example 2 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 1, wherein the control system is wirelessly coupled with the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat exchanger.

[0088] Example 3 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 1 or 2, wherein the compressorless air conditioning system comprises a ductless (or ductless) air conditioning system.

[0089] Example 4 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 1, 2 or 3, wherein the liquid desiccant is configured to purify air within the conditioned space.

[0090] Example 5 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 1, 2, 3, or 4, further comprising a plurality of heat material extractors.

[0091] Example 6 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

[0092] Example 7 - A compressorless air conditioning system is provided. The compressorless air conditioning system includes a thermal mass extractor, a mass heat converter, and a control system. The thermal mass extractor is configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to control humidity within the conditioned space, the thermal mass extractor utilizing low grade heat as an energy source. The mass heat converter is configured to utilize water to control temperature within the conditioned space. The control system is communicatively coupled to the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat converter.

[0093] Example 8 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 7, wherein the low-grade heat is associated with one of a solar thermal collector, an industrial process, a geothermal system, and a hot water system.

[0094] Example 9 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 7 or 8, wherein the mass heat exchanger is physically separated from the thermal mass extractor.

[0095] Example 10 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 7, 8 or 9, wherein the compressorless air conditioning system is a ductless air conditioning system.

[0096] Example 11 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 7, 8, 9, or 10, wherein the liquid desiccant is configured to purify air within the conditioned space.

[0097] Example 12 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11, further comprising a plurality of heat material extractors.

[0098] Example 13 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

[0099] Example 14 - A compressorless air conditioning system is provided. The compressorless air conditioning system includes a thermal mass extractor, a mass heat converter, and a control system. The thermal mass extractor is configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to purify air within the conditioned space. The mass heat converter is configured to reduce a temperature of the air within the conditioned space via evaporation of water and is physically decoupled from the thermal mass extractor. The control system is wirelessly coupled to the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat converter.

[0100] Example 15 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Example 14, wherein the liquid desiccant comprises a first liquid desiccant of a first concentration and the material-to-heat converter further comprises a second liquid desiccant of a second concentration for purifying air within the conditioned space, the second concentration being less than the first concentration.

[0101] Example 16 - The compressorless air conditioning system of example 14 or 15, further comprising a plurality of heat material extractors.

[0102] Example 17 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 14, 15 or 16, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

[0103] Example 18 - A compressorless air conditioning system is provided. The compressorless air conditioning system includes a thermal mass extractor, a mass heat converter, and a control system. The thermal mass extractor is configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to extract moisture from air in the conditioned space. The mass heat converter is configured to utilize water to reduce a temperature of the air in the conditioned space. The control system includes a humidifier coupled to the thermal mass extractor and a thermostat coupled to the mass heat converter, and the compressorless air conditioning system is a ductless air conditioning system.

[0104] Example 19 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Example 18, wherein the heat mass extractor and the mass heat converter are not physically coupled (or are uncoupled).

[0105] Example 20 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Example 18 or 19, wherein (1) the air output from the material heat converter mixes with the air in the conditioned space, and (2) the air output from the thermal material extractor mixes with the air in the conditioned space.

[0106] Example 21 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 18, 19 or 20, further comprising a plurality of heat material extractors.

[0107] Example 22 - The compressorless air conditioning system of Examples 18, 19, 20, or 21, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

[0108] Example 23 - An air conditioning system is provided. The air conditioning system includes an extractor, a converter, and a control system. The extractor is configured to transfer moisture between a conditioned space and an exterior space and includes a liquid desiccant, a collector, and a regenerator. The regenerator includes a compressor and is fluidly coupled to the collector via the liquid desiccant. The converter is disposed within the conditioned space and is physically separated from the extractor. The control system is communicatively coupled to the extractor and the converter.

[0109] Example 24 - The air conditioning system of example 23, wherein the regenerator further comprises a heat exchanger coupled to the compressor.

[0110] Example 25 - The air conditioning system of example 23 or 24, wherein the compressor is thermally coupled to the liquid desiccant.

[0111] Example 26 - The air conditioning apparatus of Example 23, 24, or 25, wherein the converter is configured for evaporative cooling, the converter comprising: a medium; a sump configured to hold water; a pump configured to pump the water from the sump to the medium, where the water flows over the medium and back to the sump; a compartment configured to hold air, the compartment having an inlet and an outlet; a fan configured to draw air from the conditioned space into the compartment through the inlet and push air from the compartment to the conditioned space through the outlet; a means for chlorinating the water; and a carbon filter positioned to collect chlorine from the air moving through the outlet.

[0112] Example 27 - The air conditioner of example 26, wherein the means for chlorinating water comprises an electrolytic cell.

[0113] Example 28 - An air conditioning system comprising: a regenerator located within an external environment; a split collector spanning the air conditioning environment and the external environment; a first sump associated with the split collector and located at least partially within the air conditioned environment; a second sump associated with the regenerator and located within the external environment; a liquid desiccant; and a plurality of separate and distinct pipes extending between the first sump and the second sump, the plurality of pipes including a supply pipe, a return pipe, and a balance pipe configured to equalize fluid levels between the first sump and the second sump.

[0114] Example 29 - A water evaporator comprising a medium, a sump configured to hold water, a pump configured to pump the water from the sump to the medium, where the water flows over the medium and back to the sump, a fan configured to push air across the medium, a means for chlorinating the water, and a carbon filter positioned to collect chlorine from the air after the air has been pushed across the medium.

[0115] Example 30 - The water evaporator of example 29, wherein the means for chlorinating water comprises an electrolytic cell.

[0116] Although various aspects of the compressorless air conditioning system 10 have been described herein with reference to certain disclosed aspects, many modifications and variations to these aspects may be implemented. Also, where materials are disclosed for a particular component, other materials may be used in certain instances. Furthermore, in accordance with various aspects, a single component may be replaced by multiple components and multiple components may be replaced by a single component to perform a given function. The foregoing description and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the disclosed aspects.

[0117] While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the invention as described can be further modified within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles.

[0118] Any patent, patent application, publication, or other disclosure material that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, in whole or in part, is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated material does not contradict existing definitions, descriptions, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. Thus, to the extent necessary, the disclosure expressly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Although said to be incorporated by reference herein, any material or part thereof that contradicts existing definitions, descriptions, or other disclosure material set forth herein is incorporated only to the extent that no contradiction occurs between the incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

Claims

1. 1. A thermal mass extractor configured to extract moisture from air in a conditioned space without increasing a temperature of the air, the thermal mass extractor comprising: Liquid desiccant, Collector, and the heat material extractor including a regenerator, the regenerator and the collector being fluidly coupled via the liquid desiccant; a material heat exchanger configured to reduce a temperature of the air in the conditioned space through evaporation of water, the material heat exchanger being physically separated from the thermal material extractor; a control system communicatively coupled to the thermal material extractor and the material heat converter.

2. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is wirelessly coupled to the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat converter.

3. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the compressorless air conditioning system comprises a ductless air conditioning system.

4. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid desiccant is configured to purify air within the conditioned space.

5. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of heat mass extractors.

6. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

7. a thermal mass extractor configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to control humidity within a conditioned space, the thermal mass extractor utilizing low grade heat as an energy source; a material heat converter configured to utilize water to control a temperature within the conditioned space; a control system communicatively coupled to the thermal material extractor and the material heat converter.

8. The low grade heat solar heat collector, Industrial processes, Geothermal systems, and Hot Water System The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7, wherein the compressorless air conditioning system is associated with one of the following:

9. 8. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7, wherein the mass heat exchanger is physically separated from the thermal mass extractor.

10. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7 , wherein the compressorless air conditioning system is a ductless air conditioning system.

11. 8. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7, wherein the liquid desiccant is configured to purify air within the conditioned space.

12. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of heat mass extractors.

13. 8. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

14. a thermal mass extractor configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to purify air within the conditioned space; a material heat exchanger configured to reduce a temperature of the air in the conditioned space through evaporation of water, the material heat exchanger being physically separated from the thermal material extractor; a control system wirelessly coupled to the thermal material extractor and the material heat converter.

15. 15. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 14, wherein the liquid desiccant comprises a first liquid desiccant of a first concentration, and the mass heat converter further comprises a second liquid desiccant of a second concentration for purifying air in the conditioned space, the second concentration being less than the first concentration.

16. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of heat mass extractors.

17. 15. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

18. a thermal mass extractor configured to utilize a liquid desiccant to extract moisture from air within the conditioned space; a material heat exchanger configured to utilize water to reduce a temperature of the air in the conditioned space; 1. A control system comprising: a humidifier coupled to the thermal material extractor; and said control system comprising a thermostat coupled to said material heat exchanger, The compressorless air conditioning system is a ductless air conditioning system.

19. 20. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 18, wherein the thermal mass extractor and the mass heat converter are not physically coupled.

20. 20. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 18, wherein air output from the mass heat converter mixes with the air in the conditioned space and air output from the heat mass extractor mixes with the air in the conditioned space.

21. 20. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of heat mass extractors.

22. 20. The compressorless air conditioning system of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of material heat exchangers.

23. 1. An extractor configured to transfer moisture between a conditioned space and an exterior space, the extractor comprising: Liquid desiccant, Collector, and a regenerator comprising a compressor, the regenerator and the collector being fluidly coupled via the liquid desiccant; a transducer disposed within the conditioned space and physically separated from the extractor; and a control system communicatively coupled to the extractor and the converter.

24. 24. The air conditioning system of claim 23, wherein the regenerator further comprises a heat exchanger coupled to the compressor.

25. 24. The air conditioning system of claim 23, wherein the compressor is thermally coupled to the liquid desiccant.

26. The converter is configured for evaporative cooling, the converter comprising: The media and a sump configured to hold water; a pump configured to pump the water from the sump to the media, the water flowing over the media and back to the sump; a compartment configured to hold air, the compartment having an inlet and an outlet; a fan configured to draw air from the conditioned space into the compartment through the inlet and to push air from the compartment into the conditioned space through the outlet; means for chlorinating the water; 24. The air conditioner of claim 23, comprising: a carbon filter positioned to collect chlorine from the air moving through the outlet.

27. 27. The air conditioner of claim 26, wherein the means for chlorinating water comprises an electrolytic cell.

28. a regenerator disposed within the external environment; a split collector spanning the air-conditioned environment and the external environment; a first sump associated with the split collector and disposed at least partially within the conditioned environment; a second sump associated with the regenerator and disposed within the external environment; Liquid desiccant; a plurality of separate and distinct pipes extending between the first sump and the second sump, the plurality of pipes comprising: supply pipe, Return pipe, and a balance pipe configured to equalize fluid levels between the first sump and the second sump.

29. The media and a sump configured to hold water; a pump configured to pump the water from the sump to the media, the water flowing over the media and back to the sump; a fan configured to push air across the medium; means for chlorinating the water; a carbon filter positioned to collect chlorine from the air after the air is forced across the media.

30. 30. The water evaporator of claim 29, wherein the means for chlorinating the water comprises an electrolytic cell.

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